Chapter 312: 700°C Battleground
Translator: flycrane01 Editor: Millman97
Mystic Skeleton versus Flying Flame, the duel was about to begin!
The news quickly spread to every corner of the convention center.
Although all the MP crystal suit models would take part in the performance tests hosted by the organizers of the exposition in which there would be battle simulation tests, such one vs. one duels were apparently more intriguing for Cultivators who desired conflicts more than anything else.
Everyone was crowding to the top floor of the convention center where the arena was located. The reporters were all jumping up and down as if they were on drugs.
Seeing that he had caused a lot of trouble, Cao Huorong had to report the whole issue to the elders of Red Serpent Sect, and was, no doubt, berated by them, partly for his recklessness, and partly because they thought he had chosen the wrong opponent.
"Competition of the MP crystal suit models is so intense. Everyone is trying to promote their own product in order to gain a larger market share. It is not unacceptable to challenge someone to increase our popularity.
"But what kind of opponent have you picked? Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit of the Grand Desolate War Institution? Isn't it the well-known metal scraps? Even if we tear it into pieces, it won't be enough to prove anything at all!"
Elders of Red Serpent Sect bashed him as above.
But now that the challenge had been accepted, there was no way that they were taking it back.
Red Serpent Sect had done a lot of preparation for the Magical Equipment Exposition. Ruan Honglie, test pilot of the Flying Flame Battlesuit, was a Cultivator at the peak of the Refinement Stage, as well as an Exo with more than ten years of experience.
At 3 p.m., in the arena on the top floor of the convention center…
The arena was 300 meters long and 300 meters wide. It was surrounded by countless rune arrays and magical equipment which could simulate all kinds of extreme environments.
It could switch from a snow world of -100°C to a sizzling inferno of 500°C in a flash.
There were no empty seats in the auditorium. More people in the lower levels of the convention center were watching at the giant light beams floating in the air waiting for the fierce battle to begin.
The ordinary tourists in the ground floor visiting the civil magical equipment exhibitions were also craning their heads eagerly.
Before the match began, the auditorium was already humming with whispers.
"Flying Flame versus Mystic Skeleton. The former is the latest magical equipment of a major refining sect, while the latter has shown great durability and stability just now. Which side do you think will win?"
"Flying Flame Battlesuit, of course. Flying Flame Battlesuit is a crystal suit most suitable for high-temperature environments. Besides, it is twice as expensive as its opponent, with abundant Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures. It's impossible that it will lose!"
"Correct. According to the brochure of Red Serpent Sect, the Flying Flame Battlesuit is basically a Bursting Flame Battlesuit in a smaller scale. Its specifications and parameters are much better than the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit's. Besides, the battlefield is a scorching one that is most favorable for it. This battle is going to be a one-sided slaughter!"
"Their test pilot Ruan Honglie is a renowned Exo who knows what he's doing. Although he is only at the peak of the Refinement Stage, he has been in real battlefields for more than ten years. His experience is much more than a sophomore student's."
"All the circumstances are in support of Red Serpent Sect. I would say that the Grand Desolate War Institution will prove themselves capable enough if their crystal suit can survive five minutes!"
"Five minutes? I think three minutes will be miraculous enough!"
In the highest place of the auditorium, a tall and thin figure was standing straight like a spear. He was gazing at the arena.
His name was Feng Kai, an Exo from the Battlesuit Department of Star Nebula University. He was the test pilot for the Mournful Mist Battlesuit.
"Feng Kai, I didn't expect that you would be attracted by such a boring game."
A teasing voice came from his back, as a smiling face gradually appeared in the darkness. A man that was not very tall but had two extremely long arms walked out slowly.
"Sha Yucheng?"
Feng Kai's pupils constricted violently.
Although the newcomer seemed to be nice and friendly, he was the best sword trainer of the younger generation in the Rising Tide Sword Guild, as well as an ace Exo who boasted a lot of potential.
The Sword Torrent Battlesuit that had been co-developed by the three major sword-training sects would be driven by him.
Sha Yucheng of Rising Tide Sword Guild and Zuo Feijing of Deep Sea University were two formidable enemies that Feng Kai had been preparing to deal with before the Magical Equipment Exposition began.
However, he couldn't help but notice that a new enemy needed to be added to the list.
Feng Kai said casually, "Since the military announced that the standard crystal suit of the army would be outsourced, 21 organizations have released their own MP crystal suit models. However, until this day, no MP crystal suit models have ever been engaged in a real fight. I would definitely come and enjoy such a show. Not just me. Someone came even earlier."
Feng Kai nodded his head to a direction.
Sha Yucheng narrowed his eyes. Green lights beamed out of his eyes as his pupils shrank to the size of the tip of a sword. Then he saw a guy standing in the darkness far away.
It was Zuo Feijing, test pilot of the Tiger King Battlesuit as well as one of the Novem Stellae.
Zuo Feijing saw the two of them, too. But he didn't show any sign that he did, as if greeting them was a complete waste of time.
"What an arrogant guy!"
Sha Yucheng's lips twitched.
"He has every reason to be. Both the performance of the Tiger King Battlesuit and his skills of driving a crystal suit are extraordinary!"
Feng Kai's expression remained unchanged.
"Huh. We're going to find out whether or not the Tiger King Battlesuit is as invincible as it claims to be tomorrow!"
Sha Yucheng licked his lips and said in confusion, "Back to this match. I have fought with Ruan Honglie several times before, and I know he is quite an experienced expert. But who is this guy Li Yao? I understand that he is a refiner who invented a piece of magical equipment named Demon Beast Detector that has been quite popular. What, is he also an Exo?"
"For old time's sake, I'll offer you a kind reminder. Don't look down upon Li Yao because you don't know him. You will regret it one day."
Feng Kai continued with a vague smile, "Same as Zuo Feijing, the guy is a hybrid-type Cultivator that is both talented in fighting and in creating. He has a nickname 'Vulture', which is a hint of his brutality and cruelty.
"Rumors have it that he had never touched crystal suits until he studied in the Thunder Training Camp last year. But don't consider him some random newbie just because of that. There is a young rising star in the world of Exos named Long Qianyue. Have you ever heard of her name before?"
"Of course I have. She defeated seven experts who had more than ten years of experience in crystal suits last year and hence has become known as the strongest Exo below the age of 30."
Sha Yucheng frowned. "Does she have something to do with Li Yao?"
"She and Li Yao were in the same class when they were in the Thunder Training Camp. According to Long Qianyue, Li Yao's skills in driving a crystal suit were as good as hers, if not better, and the reason why she is challenging expert Exos crazily right now is because she wants to duel with Li Yao and see which of them is stronger someday."
"Is that so?"
Sha Yucheng was a little shocked. "Then I'll have to watch this match closely."
"You should."
Feng Kai said carefully, "Vulture Li Yao is the biggest uncertainty in this Magical Equipment Exposition. He is also the trickiest opponent other than Zuo Feijing to cope with for you and me."
While they were talking, two crystal suits had risen up from the below of the arena.
The arena simulated the environment of an underground mine. Under the heating of flame rune arrays, the temperature inside the arena had shockingly reached 700℃.
Giant stone pillars were scattered all over the arena which would spurt super-hot fire as a simulation of underground magma.
The Flying Flame Battlesuit was standing on one side of the arena. In the background of boundless flames, it looked more majestic than ever, as if it were the king of the magma world.
The Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit had just added a layer of heat-resistant plate armor with a lot of frost rune arrays plugged in that looked like patches. It looked plain and shabby.
Judging from the outlook, the Flying Flame Battlesuit was definitely the winner!
"Swoosh!"
Frost rune arrays of both crystal suits started fully functioning to withstand the unbearable high temperature.
The two crystal suits were immediately covered in a thin, white mist, which blocked the vision of the audience.
"Shua!"
When the match began, the brightness of the Flying Flame Battlesuit was ten times more startling than before. It shot dazzling orange lasers which surged at the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit like burning feathers.
For a moment, the sky seemed to have rained fire!
The Flying Flame Battlesuit didn't stop. Upon shooting, it squatted and sprinted, following closely behind the fire wave that it just sent out.
"Impressive!"
"The high temperature has significantly increased the performance of the Flying Flame Battlesuit. Ruan Honglie is an expert adept at fiery spiritual energy too. In such an environment, he is as good as a Building Foundation Cultivator!"
"The Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit, on the other hand, seems a little sluggish. Maybe that's because of the heat-resistant plate armor. There's no time for it to react!"
In everyone's exclamation, Li Yao seemed too unprepared to do anything, except to turn his crystal cannon to two stone pillars in front of him and blow them into pieces.
"BOOM!"
Pieces of the stone pillars were enough to block most of the fiery bullets. But the Flying Flame Battlesuit was still charging at it like a mad bull.
"BAM!"
The Flying Flame Battlesuit crushed into Li Yao as if it were a crystal train at the maximum speed.
In the simulated underground mines, the space was restricted. Most of the long-range attack magical equipment was not of much use.
Ruan Honglie did not want to tangle with Li Yao whom he thought to be no one for long. He intended to crush the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit into pieces like a relentless lightning strike in order to better demonstrate the excellence of the Flying Flame Battlesuit.
Since he was the one taking the initiative, the high-speed collision was in his favor, too.
Moreover, his opponent was wearing a layer of heat-resistant plate armor which was mostly made of ceramics. It was too weak to withstand a major strike.
"Boy, let me show you today what a real crystal suit should look like!"
Ruan Honglie was grinning hideously, until the collision took place, because an ever-lasting cracking noise came from his crystal suit. Countless magical equipment components had broken into pieces!
He felt that he didn't crush into a layer of weak heat-resistant plate armor, but a steel wall that was embedded with long spikes!
