Douro Continent

Chapter 689 Sea God VS Angel God

Xiao Wu chuckled and said, "Why should I worry? I'm not worried at all. Even if you and Qian Renxue are both gods, you had twin martial souls before you became a god. She couldn't kill you then, let alone now that you've become the Sea God. I've never worried that you'd lose to her. I just want to keep an eye on you and make sure you don't get bewitched by her. Hmph, I remember, in her memories, there was also... you..."

At this point, Xiao Wu's pretty face flushed red. Tang San chuckled and said, "What else are you talking about with me?"

Xiao Wu lightly punched Tang San's chest. "Brother, you're so naughty. I won't tell. That kind of thing is too embarrassing."

Tang San chuckled and said, "Don't worry. Didn't I say during the inheritance that I would only save my virginity for my Xiao Wu? Those embarrassing things can only be done with Xiao Wu, right?"

To Tang San's surprise, although Xiao Wu's pretty face blushed like a ripe red apple, she still nodded solemnly at him. She looked absolutely adorable. Even Tang San, with his strong willpower, couldn't resist the surging love in his heart and kissed her cheek forcefully.

Qian Renxue floated silently in mid-air, her angelic divine armor now completely transformed into a crimson gold—the pure power of the sun's true fire. In the distance, she could already see the blue-gold shooting star. The creatures of the sea, seeing that blue-gold light, could only worship, unable to discern anything within it. But Qian Renxue, also a god, could clearly see that within that blue-gold light, Tang San was lowering his head, kissing the face of the girl in his arms.

An unprecedented feeling rose within Qian Renxue's heart; this feeling was called: jealousy.

With her right hand tightly gripping the Angelic Holy Sword, Qian Renxue's initial tension due to the impending divine war was completely replaced by anger born of jealousy.

A long roar erupted from Qian Renxue's mouth. The true solar fire she had absorbed around her body, now imbued with the power of her Angelic Divine Armor, burst forth instantly. Her Angelic Holy Sword pointed at Tang San, and her divine sense exploded forth. A raging torrent surged across the entire sea.

After kissing Xiao Wu, Tang San also sensed the immense threat emanating from Qian Renxue. He coldly snorted, and with a wave of his right hand, he stored Xiao Wu in his Ruyi Treasure Pouch. This was the safest way; with the double protection of the Ruyi Treasure Pouch and his Sea God power, no matter how strong Qian Renxue was, she couldn't harm Xiao Wu. Of course, thanks to his divine sense connection, even inside the Ruyi Treasure Pouch, Xiao Wu could clearly see the entire battle, and from Tang San's perspective.

With his right hand sweeping across his forehead, the Trident of the Sea God appeared out of thin air in Tang San's grasp. A dense blue-gold light erupted, and the Sea God's divine sense surged forth like a raging torrent, forcefully pushing Qian Renxue's divine sense out of the ocean's boundaries. As the Sea God, the guardian of the sea, Tang San would not allow Qian Renxue's divine sense to harm the creatures of the ocean.

Qian Renxue's eyes narrowed, and her body, which was floating in mid-air, quickly retreated. She did not compete with Tang San in terms of divine sense, but instead avoided the strong points and retreated ten thousand meters away in a flash.

She had her reasons for doing so; fighting the Sea God on the high seas would undoubtedly be extremely disadvantageous for her. In recent days, Qian Renxue had not only been cultivating her various Angel God techniques, but she had also carefully reviewed her previous battles with Tang San, searching for the reason why, despite her far superior strength, she couldn't kill him. Through careful reflection, she discovered that Tang San was exceptionally adept at utilizing any advantageous conditions. Whether it was his use of the forest in the Star Dou Great Forest or his later use of the earth, these were key to his escape from her pursuit. In this respect, she was far inferior, relying solely on brute force and lacking in the ability to utilize favorable circumstances, timing, and terrain.

In terms of age, Qian Renxue was considerably older than Tang San. However, in terms of combat experience, she found herself far inferior to Tang San. Tang San's ability to defeat stronger opponents was undoubtedly related to his twin martial souls and his own formidable strength, but even more important was his ability to combine his wisdom with everything at his disposal, generating combat skills far exceeding his physical abilities. Even after she became a god, she was still severely injured by him once, nearly dying from his ultimate technique called Guanyin Tears.

Therefore, after this period of careful reflection, Qian Renxue not only perfected her application of her divine skills but also significantly improved her combat experience. Against other opponents, she might easily overwhelm them with sheer strength, but against Tang San, a ferocious lion and cunning fox, she needed comprehensive improvement. Especially since she was now facing Tang San, who had also reached godhood. Defeating him would be even more difficult. Currently, Qian Renxue's only advantage was that she became a god earlier than Tang San, giving her a deeper understanding of god-level power.

Therefore, before the battle even began, Qian Renxue had already set the battlefield in the air, which was more advantageous to her, rather than on the sea, which would be more advantageous to Tang San after he had completed the Sea God's inheritance.

Watching Qian Renxue retreat rapidly, Tang San revealed a faint smile. It seemed she had indeed learned her lesson. "But do you really think I can't draw upon the power of the sea just because I'm not on the surface? The sea covers four-fifths of the world's surface. As the Sea God, I can still draw upon its power from any corner of the continent. Just like you can draw upon the power of the sun anywhere."

Instead of pursuing Qian Renxue, Tang San held the blue-gold Sea God Trident horizontally at his side, gazing at his opponent ten thousand meters away. He smiled slightly and said, "Sorry to keep you waiting."

Seeing that Tang San hadn't chased after her, Qian Renxue became even more convinced that his fighting power on the sea must be at its strongest. With a slight thought, a faint golden light filled the air.

This was a color Tang San had never seen before; only those at the same level could sense each other's divine sense. If another god-level expert were present, they would see that in the sky ten thousand meters high, starting from the center, one side was a reddish pale gold, and the other a pale blue-gold. Tang San and Qian Renxue's divine senses were clearly distinct, each occupying half.

"Tang San, congratulations on becoming the Sea God." Qian Renxue looked at Tang San, who held the Sea God's Trident and was dressed in a blue and gold robe. She found her heart skipping a beat. Tang San's original elegant temperament had gained a touch of holiness, and a depth that even she couldn't fathom. Depth is one of the greatest charms a man can possess, because it represents inner qualities. Physical appearance is never a man's only weapon to attract women; for some women, inner qualities are more important. And Tang San, as the Sea God, undoubtedly possessed both. Qian Renxue, who already had a weakness in her heart, was naturally drawn to him, even though they were mortal enemies.

"You're welcome. I think I'm now strong enough to fight you head-on. Thank you for showing mercy before; I think I understand why. If I win today, I will also spare your life and give you a chance. To repay your favor."

"You understand?" Qian Renxue was taken aback. Even her divine heart was shaken. The enchanting scene from when she inherited the Angel God flashed through her mind, and her crotch even became slightly wet. Looking at Tang San, she couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion.

However, she quickly realized what was happening and said in a deep voice, "Tang San, do you intend to shake my divine resolve?"

Tang San smiled slightly and said, "If I am the weakness in your heart, then even if I say nothing, that weakness will always exist. Even if our strengths are equal, you cannot defeat me under these circumstances. Give up, Miss Qian Renxue. If you are willing to find a place to live in seclusion and never concern yourself with the affairs of the Spirit Empire again, I can let you go. After all, there is no real hatred between us."

Although Qian Renxue had been hiding in the Heaven Dou Empire for many years, the damage she caused was all to the interests of the Heaven Dou Empire, and she didn't have any conflict with Tang San personally. Unlike Bibi Dong, she didn't have a deep-seated blood feud. Moreover, Qian Renxue had repeatedly demonstrated the demeanor of a martial artist and had never done anything despicable like a sneak attack, which left Tang San with a good impression of her. Therefore, he made this statement.

Qian Renxue snorted coldly, "Tang San, if you want to shake my beliefs, I advise you to stop dreaming. Yes, you are indeed rich in practical experience, but do you think I will fall for it again? Now that you have achieved godhood, let us fight with all our might using our god-level power. Even if you are my weakness, as long as I kill you in your god-level state, that weakness will disappear."

Tang San sighed. He offered no explanation; it was pointless. Only his strength would prove everything. A crystalline blue light emanated from the blue Sea God's mark on his forehead, and the eight wings of the Sea God unfurled from his back. Then, dazzling blue-gold light instantly spread out, quickly merging with Tang San's body. With a powerful, resounding boom, pieces of magnificent blue-gold armor silently donned his garments, presenting the Sea God's divine armor with overwhelming power before Qian Renxue.

Seeing Tang San's armor, Qian Renxue wasn't particularly surprised. After all, in the memories of the Angel God she inherited, every god possessed their own divine armor. The Angel God was no exception, and so was the Sea God. However, the origins of each god's armor were different. The Angel God's armor, for example, was left behind by the Angel God in the mortal realm, making its inheritance much easier. Especially the wave and cloud patterns on the Sea God's armor, which exuded its unique Sea God aura. However, what Qian Renxue couldn't understand were the eight wings that had unfurled on Tang San's back.

The wings were about the same size as her angel wings, but with two more wings, making a total of eight wings. When did the Sea God acquire wings? Gods can fly, that's undeniable, but as the ruler of the sky, the Angel God's flying ability is exceptional among the gods. The Sea God's true strength lies in his underwater combat abilities. But Tang San before her had two more wings than she, who excelled in aerial combat—how could this be explained?

What made Qian Renxue's pupils shrink even more was the ten spirit rings slowly appearing on Tang San's body—nine red and one blue, ten dazzling spirit rings presented before her. Each one represented at least a hundred thousand years of cultivation! Qian Renxue felt her breathing begin to quicken; she understood that the confidence in Tang San's earlier words was not arrogance. After inheriting the Sea God's divine power, he indeed possessed extremely formidable strength.

After her initial shock, Qian Renxue quickly calmed herself, slowly raising the Angelic Holy Sword in her hand and pointing it at Tang San. Blazing solar fire erupted from her body, forming a crimson-gold flame that burned on her and the weapon of the Angel God. Both she and Tang San possessed ten spirit rings, though slightly fewer than Qian Renxue, at least in terms of quantity, they were identical.

A divine battle is about to erupt: the Angel God versus the Sea God, Tang San and Qian Renxue, finally standing on equal footing. Facing each other, their divine power surges wildly.

Indeed, Tang San had only just acquired the power of the Sea God, and he had only had time to fully understand the many skills belonging to the Sea God, let alone practice them in actual combat. However, let's not forget that Tang San's inheritance process was different from Qian Renxue's. When Qian Renxue was undergoing the Angel inheritance, her grandfather Qian Daoliu was involved in many of the tests she passed. With Qian Daoliu's help, she avoided a lot of trouble. In terms of talent, she was not as good as Tang San, but she was able to become the Angel God earlier than Tang San. The role Qian Daoliu played in this is self-evident.

Tang San, however, was different. During the Nine Trials of the Sea God, the Sea God Douluo Poseidon not only refused to help him but also harbored murderous intent towards him on several occasions, making the entire trial process even more difficult. This is a key reason why his Sea God affinity exceeded 100% by the time he completed the eighth trial.

One improved rapidly with his grandfather's help, while the other achieved his current strength step by step, enduring countless hardships. Regarding their respective gods' abilities, although Tang San had just completed his inheritance, he was by no means as unfamiliar with the Sea God's powers as Qian Renxue imagined. Don't forget, before he even became a god, he learned the first three forms of the Golden Thirteen Halberds from the Sea God.

Crimson gold and blue gold formed a striking contrast in the air. Their divine senses pressed against each other; one was a sea god with his back to the ocean, the other an angel god bathed in sunlight. Under each other's pressure, their divine senses gradually rose to their peak. Neither of them unleashed their respective domains. As both were gods, whoever unleashed their domain first risked being found vulnerable. And the simplest, most direct, and least vulnerable form of combat was direct attack.

A faint light flickered, and the light in Tang San's eyes grew brighter and brighter. With each flash of light, the air seemed to ripple. The Trident of the Sea God pointed diagonally at the sky, as if to pierce the sun, and the dazzling blue-gold aura made every wave and cloud pattern on his Sea God's Armor pulsate slowly. But judging from their respective divine armors, Tang San's Sea God's Armor had already surpassed Qian Renxue's Angelic Armor, being far more magnificent.

Qian Renxue was the first to unleash her power. Her accumulated power of the True Fire of the Sun had become too immense, and if it didn't erupt soon, even her body wouldn't be able to withstand it.

The Angelic Holy Sword, aimed at Tang San, was suddenly raised high above her head. In an instant, surging crimson-gold flames roared up, and a huge crimson-gold sword shadow appeared above Qian Renxue's head. Based on her Angelic Holy Sword, it pointed straight at the sky, but its blade was completely locked onto Tang San's body. At this moment, Qian Renxue's divine sense also merged with this sword, and her essence, energy, and spirit instantly rose to their peak.

It's definitely different now. It seems her efforts over the past month haven't been in vain. Tang San thought to himself, and the Trident of the Sea God in his hand moved slightly.

Boom—! Behind Tang San, within a thousand meters, the sea instantly boiled, transforming into a thousand-meter-high giant wave that roared up. All the marine creatures in this wave were gently carried away by the force to the more distant seawater, leaving only the purest seawater to rise into the air.

The purest water element instantly transformed into a crystalline blue ribbon, spiraling out and rising into the air under the pull of the trident of Poseidon.

Qian Renxue, of course, wouldn't wait for Tang San to finish gathering his power. The hundred-meter-long Sun Holy Sword descended from the sky, a flash of black lightning streaking across the air—a wondrous sight of the Sun Holy Sword cutting through the air. Almost instantly, the crimson-gold giant sword was already above Tang San's head. A large amount of water element, before it could even condense, evaporated under the terrifying true fire of the sun. The crimson-gold giant sword also arrived above Tang San's head in a split second.

A faint, cold smile appeared on Qian Renxue's lips. To await Tang San's arrival, she had already absorbed a large amount of Solar True Fire, ready for his arrival. The Solar Holy Sword, having been gathering its power for so long, would at least overwhelm the hastily prepared Tang San, even if it couldn't severely injure him. In a battle between gods, once one side falls into a disadvantageous position, turning the tide is far from easy.

However, many things are not as they seem in reality as they appear. Facing the Sun Holy Sword descending from the sky, watching as vast amounts of water element were evaporated, Tang San remained completely calm. Just as Xiao Wu said, even as a Title Douluo, he wasn't afraid of Qian Renxue; how much less so now that he had become the Sea God?

The Trident of Poseidon drew a huge arc in mid-air, and the newly forged Heart of Poseidon shone brightly, instantly capturing the water element that had not yet been destroyed by the Holy Sword of the Sun. A huge blue-gold halo appeared out of thin air above Tang San's head, which was the first move of the Golden Thirteen Halberds, Unpredictable Storm.

Tang San hasn't yet fully mastered all the Sea God's divine skills, but he remembers the first three moves of the Golden Thirteen Halberds perfectly. Having acquired true Sea God power, these powerful skills immediately demonstrate their true effectiveness.

In mid-air, the formidable Sun Holy Sword was actually deflected significantly by the pull of the blue-gold halo. Tang San flicked his wrists, and one halo after another appeared above his head. Surrounded by these blue-gold halos, the energy of the Sun Holy Sword was gradually eroded. Moreover, under the guidance and resistance of the Unstable Wind and Waves, it was unable to truly strike down.

Qian Renxue's divine sense erupted instantly, attempting to break the halo formed by the Unstable Storm, but Tang San had already anticipated this move. He also unleashed his divine sense, and with a gentle flap of the Eight Wings of the Sea God behind him, a layer of blue light from the wave-like plate shot into the sky, forcefully severing the divine sense connection between Qian Renxue and the Sun Holy Sword. Combined with the Unstable Storm, he forcefully neutralized the Sun Holy Sword's attack.

A dazzling beam of crimson-gold light formed in the air. Seeing that the Sun Holy Sword could not unleash its attack power, Qian Renxue acted decisively. For god-level powerhouses like them, ten thousand meters was merely a blink of an eye. She merged body and sword, and the Angel Holy Sword was already aimed directly at Tang San's chest. All the crimson-gold flames instantly converged on the Angel Holy Sword, which at this moment turned into a transparent crimson-gold, like a piece of crimson-gold crystal, demonstrating just how terrifying the true solar fire contained within it was.

In close combat? Tang San has never feared anyone. Facing Qian Renxue's attack, Tang San used the Ghost Shadow Step, his body flickering in the air like an illusion. The Trident of the Sea God created illusory light and shadow, releasing one blue-gold halo after another. Besides deflecting the enemy's attacks, the Unpredictable Storm technique was more importantly able to restrain the enemy for a long time. When Tang San was still a Title Douluo, he certainly wouldn't have used it against Qian Renxue, because it would have been impossible to succeed. But now it's different. He has become the Sea God, and at the same level, the success rate of the Unpredictable Storm is at least fifty percent. And if Qian Renxue's body is held back for a full eight seconds, then the battle is at least half over.

Seeing the blue-gold halo surging towards her, Qian Renxue felt a strong sense of crisis. Her six angel wings spread out instantly, and her rapid forward momentum came to an abrupt halt. She stopped abruptly in mid-air, and with a downward flap of her wings, her forward-rushing body made a ninety-degree turn in the air and soared into the sky.

The sun became Qian Renxue's silhouette, a colossal golden phantom emerging from behind her, identical to her true form. The Angelic Holy Sword was raised high, Qian Renxue's phoenix eyes flashing with murderous intent, her crimson lips parting slightly as she uttered four chilling words: "Angel, Judgment."

With a whoosh, the air trembled violently. Tang San felt as if his body had been squeezed forcefully by something, causing him to momentarily freeze—a freeze that lasted less than a second. Yet, within that brief moment, Qian Renxue's attack was already complete.

A beam of clear golden light shone down from the sky, landing directly on him. This light did not originate from Qian Renxue, but from the sun high in the sky. The Light of Judgment, one of the mysteries of the Angel God. It possesses terrifying destructive power.

Tang San felt an incomparable heat instantly spread throughout his body. His Sea God Armor immediately released an incredibly intense blue-gold light to resist the golden light's invasion. Even so, his body was still forcibly pressed down from the air. Under the scorching light, his movements became extremely slow, and the divine power within his body dissipated rapidly as if melting ice and snow.

Qian Renxue used an incredible ninety-degree turn followed by a lightning-fast divine skill switch, managing to strike Tang San's body. This god-level combat technique was undoubtedly the culmination of her recent gains.

If it were a god with a darker aura, being struck by this light of judgment would surely result in severe injury. The divine light contained within the light of judgment is simply too powerful; it is essentially formed from the holy fire of light and is a powerful attack by the Angel God using the power of the Sun God.

However, Tang San's Sea God form inherently possesses the attribute of light, being a combination of light and water. Facing this sacred and radiant light of judgment, he will not be severely injured, at least for the short term. However, the consumption of Tang San's divine power is still considerable. As time goes on, the balance of power between him and Qian Renxue will immediately change.

"Poseidon, devour." A calm and clear voice emanated from Tang San's mouth, and the Trident of Poseidon was slowly raised amidst the light of judgment. The rhombus-shaped sapphire on his chest shone brightly. A surge of blue-gold light swept out from Tang San's body, instantly forming a ten-meter-diameter blue-gold vortex around him, forcefully dispelling and lifting the light of judgment that enveloped him.

A cold glint flashed in Qian Renxue's eyes. As the host of the Light of Judgment, she could naturally sense the powerful resistance released by Tang San. However, having gained the upper hand, she would not give up such an opportunity. The Angel Sword in her hand drew a cross in the air, transforming into a crimson-gold cross star that merged into the Light of Judgment.

"Angel, purify."

Boom! The Light of Judgment exploded suddenly, transforming into a massive crimson-gold sphere that completely enveloped Tang San and the blue-gold vortex he had unleashed. The temperature skyrocketed, reaching a terrifying several thousand degrees in an instant. This purifying light, transformed from the Light of Judgment, possessed immense viscosity, and under the continuous infusion of angelic divine power and the introduction of the True Fire of the Sun by Qian Renxue, the crimson-gold sphere grew larger and larger. The temperature also rose higher and higher; Qian Renxue was about to use this terrifying energy to refine Tang San's body.

Feeling the furnace-like heat surrounding his body and the ever-increasing True Fire of the Sun, Tang San frowned. He had been caught completely off guard by Qian Renxue. Indeed, having just received the Sea God's inheritance, he wasn't yet familiar with his Sea God's divine power. The Xuan Tian Gong internal energy within him had been completely transformed into Sea God's divine power, no longer the familiar milky-white, balanced energy of the past. This caused some flaws in Tang San's control over his power. However, Tang San's adaptability was extremely strong. Qian Renxue clearly intended to take advantage of his inability to become familiar with the divine power to directly defeat him, but Tang San's resilience was not so easily broken.

With a slight thought, Tang San's Sea God power instantly merged with his Angelic Armor. The eight wings of the Sea God on his back protected him, forming a blue-gold light shield that enveloped his body, isolating him from the scorching Sun True Fire. At the same time, the dragon-head-shaped shoulder armor on Tang San's right shoulder suddenly shone brightly, and a dragon-shaped blue-gold energy burst forth from his body. With a loud dragon roar, it circled around Tang San's body, forcefully dispelling some of the Sun True Fire.

Tang San swung the Sea God Trident backward, unleashing the first move, "Thousand Years of Void," directly behind him. With the support of the Sea God's divine power, the second move of the Golden Thirteen Tridents fully displayed its power. A violent roar erupted, and the turbulent energy fluctuations generated a powerful explosive force.

Undoubtedly, the Solar True Fire restricted Tang San's body, with the energy at its strongest on the front and naturally weaker on the back. A crack was instantly blasted open by the intense explosive force of the Thousand-Year Void Fire.

Qian Renxue's divine sense was constantly watching Tang San. Seeing him launch a counterattack, she naturally wouldn't give him such an opportunity. The Angelic Divine Armor shone brightly, and the True Sun Fire was further enhanced. In the blink of an eye, it repaired the crack, giving Tang San no chance to break out of the True Sun Fire cage.

Tang San hadn't intended to break through Qian Renxue's blockade with this attack. If it were that easy, he wouldn't be facing a god. The instantaneous crack was enough for him. The blue-gold dragon-shaped energy that flew out from his shoulder armor took advantage of that moment to escape from the Solar True Fire.

A dragon's roar echoed through the heavens, the sea boiled, and countless blue light points surged wildly from the ocean, converging towards the dragon-shaped energy. Qian Renxue was currently focused on releasing the True Fire of the Sun, attempting to refine Tang San. Watching the dragon-shaped energy fly towards the sea, she was helpless. Tang San's Sea God power was far greater than she had imagined; if she relaxed even slightly, Tang San could break free of the flames. What Qian Renxue wanted to do now was to deplete Tang San's Sea God power as much as possible before his counterattack fully unfolded, further amplifying her own advantage.

However, Qian Renxue underestimated the power of the Sea God, or rather, the power of the sea.

As the dragon-shaped energy was injected into the blue light spots rising from the sea, its body grew exponentially, reaching a length of 100 meters in the blink of an eye, becoming a blue-gold giant dragon.

Qian Renxue's power was condensed from the true fire of the sun, while Tang San's blue-gold dragon was condensed from the true water of the moon in the ocean.

Indeed, the sun's energy is far more inexhaustible and powerful than that of the ocean. However, the greater the power, the more difficult it is to control. Qian Renxue is an angel goddess, not a sun goddess; she cannot fully absorb the sun's power, but can only borrow a small portion. Tang San, on the other hand, is different. As the sea god, he can control the entire power of the ocean.

In the divine realm, both the God of Angels and the God of the Sea are chief gods. As inheritors of these two great gods, their strength depends on their foundations before the inheritance.

A hundred-meter-long dragon, with its enormous body formed from the true water of the moon, suddenly arrived and roared as it crashed into the furnace formed from the true fire of the sun.

With a whoosh, a vortex of white mist, shaped like a tornado, shot into the sky. The sudden eruption of the two extreme energies, Solar True Fire and Lunar True Water, distorted everything within a ten-thousand-meter diameter radius. The vortex of white mist exploded in the air, instantly annihilating all flying creatures within that radius. The resulting space was completely empty.

The dragons of Solar True Fire and Lunar True Water vanished simultaneously, and Qian Renxue was sent flying backward by the intense impact. However, instead of being alarmed, she was delighted. Yes, Tang San had broken free of her Solar True Fire furnace through a counterattack, but she could clearly feel that under the scorching heat of her Solar True Fire, Tang San's Sea God Divine Power had been significantly depleted—far more than her own. With both sides able to rapidly recover using their divine power, this advantage would continue to grow, and then, victory would be hers.

Tang San's body was almost touching the ground. He did look more disheveled than Qian Renxue, his long blue hair cascading down his back looking somewhat messy. He had to flap his Sea God's Eight Wings to stabilize himself. However, his gaze remained calm, deep and distant. He seemed unaffected by the previous attack.

(End of this chapter)