The old man's words were honestly kind of dumb, but Evan Chu didn't bother getting worked up about his attitude. No point picking a fight with a powerhouse for no reason—sometimes, playing the fool is the smartest move.
"I just got here, Elder. What exactly do you want with me? Far as I know, there are plenty of people in those towers, so why block me out?" Evan said, sounding more than a little indignant.
The old man gave Evan a long, suspicious look. "Kid, you know it takes at least five days to get from the Death-Tower Grounds entrance to this spot. The place is brutal—most folks arrive half-dead, barely dragging themselves in. But you show up looking fresh as a daisy, not even tired. If you don't start talking straight, don't blame me for ending you right here."
"Believe me or not, whatever. You think I just popped out of thin air? I know damn well how nasty the Death-Tower Grounds are. Sure, you can't fly, but you can still move fast over the sand. I made it here from the entrance in a single day—what, is that not allowed? Maybe I got lucky and dodged the worst of the Glasswind and sandstorms. So why're you stopping me? Just 'cause you're strong, you think you can bully whoever you want? Sorry, but I don't play by those rules." Evan shot back, cool but defiant.
"Heh, got some fire in you, kid. No one's ever talked to me like that before. I was trying to save you the trouble, but you act like I'm out to get you. Fine, if you're so dead set on dying, I'll help you out. Better to end it now than let you suffer inside." The old man sneered.
"You think killing me is that easy? I just got here and you're already itching to cut me down. I don't owe you anything, so what gives you the right? Is it just because you're strong, or are you jealous a younger guy like me's got more guts than you? Old fossil, you really think I'm scared? If you've got the skills, bring it on!" Evan fired back, not backing down an inch.
"Evan, this place is seriously weird. You can't use your full power here, otherwise with all the experts around, those three towers would've been smashed ages ago. Take a look—there's barely any damage to the area. I can't even tell what's causing it. Maybe a barrier, maybe an illusion. Don't get careless. Even I can't figure out what's going on here yet," Luna's voice echoed in his mind.
"If it's a barrier, it's definitely not from this world. If it's an illusion, it might even be stronger than anything Tom Chu the Illusion Sprite can pull off," Luna warned.
Evan's heart skipped a beat. He tried circulating his Chaos Dragon Force, only to find it felt almost sealed away—he could barely use a fraction of it. This was a whole new level of weirdness.
Still, if his power was sealed, so was the old man's. And when it came to defense, Evan was sure his Starforge Body, Seventh Layer, outclassed the geezer by miles. Maybe this suppression wasn't such a bad thing after all.
"Jade Chu, is your energy sealed up too?" Evan sent a thought into his storage ring, checking in with Jade Chu.
"Nope, Big Brother! Me and Tom Chu can still use our powers just fine. Want us to shield you?" Jade Chu replied instantly.
Evan grinned—Jade Chu and Tom Chu were his ultimate trump cards here. He wasn't about to play them unless things got desperate. "Not now. I'll call you guys when I need backup," he sent back, cool and confident.
"Kid, everyone here has their power sealed down by two whole grades. Even a Venerable Martial expert can only fight at Divine Martial strength. You really think you stand a chance against me at Eighth-Layer Divine Martial?" The old man laughed, eyes glinting with contempt.
Evan burst out laughing. "Old geezer, you sure talk big. Eighth-Layer Divine Martial? You think that's impressive? I could stand here and let you swing all day, you still wouldn't leave a scratch. I was gonna let you off since you're ancient, but you insist on pushing it. So stop yapping and show me what you've got!"
"Fine! Since you won't take the easy way, you'll learn the hard way what it means to disrespect your elders!" The old man snapped, then shot a palm strike at Evan. It looked simple, but thunder and wind roared within it—an attack easily rivaling a Second- or Third-Layer Saint Martial cultivator.
Evan didn't dare get careless. His defense was crazy strong, but in a place this weird, who knew if it had been nerfed too? If it dropped too much, he could end up seriously hurt.
He blinked, then unleashed Shifting Position—his movement art—and dodged the old man's palm with ease. His speed matched the old guy's, leaving the elder stunned, jaw practically on the floor.
Evan grinned at the old man's shock. "What's wrong, geezer? Gonna fight or just stand there? If you're scared, get outta my way and stop blocking my path!"
The old man snapped out of it and said, "If you promise not to enter the tower, I'll spare your life. I'm actually doing you a favor, kid—don't be so clueless!"
"If you've got something to say, let's settle it with our fists first! Show me you're even qualified to talk!" Evan threw a Demon-Breaking Fist straight at the old man, fast and fierce.
"You're overestimating yourself!" the old man spat, swinging his own fist to meet Evan's. Their punches collided with a thunderous boom, both forced back several meters. But the elder's face turned ugly—Evan's attack was packed with five elements and lightning, way more destructive than he'd expected.
The old man's whole arm went numb, pain shooting through it so bad he couldn't even lift it. Evan, on the other hand, just felt a faint ache in his knuckles.
"Figures—even my defense took a hit. Right now, it's probably no better than Starforge Body, Fifth Layer. Looks like the suppression really does knock you down two grades," Evan thought.
The old man stared at Evan in shock. "Kid, who the hell are you? How can you hit so hard? Are you not even sealed?" he blurted out.
"Geezer, my power's sealed too! If I'm gutsy enough to show up here, you better believe I've got the chops. You think I'm some idiot? This place is death itself—the scariest spot in the Netherworld. That hellish environment alone kills plenty of people." Evan shot back, bold and unfiltered.
"Nobody's cracked the fourth-floor ban in these towers yet, so I'm here to give it a shot. You really think I just wandered in by accident? I came here on purpose!" Evan said, voice ringing with defiance.
The old man's eyes narrowed. "Seems you know a lot about the Death-Tower Grounds. How'd you learn all that?" he asked, suspicious.
"Giving up already?" Evan grinned, ignoring the old man's question.
"Yeah, I'm done. You're a freak—your attack and defense are both ridiculous for someone your age. But you never answered me!" the old man complained.
"Easy fix. Just tell me what’s really going on inside these towers, and if I get the chance, I’ll take you up to the fourth floor." Evan flashed a confident smile...