Chapter 474: Exhausted Potential
"Ye Tian, weren't you acting all arrogant just a moment ago? And now? Do you still think you have the right to be arrogant?"
The man was clearly pleased with himself. At that moment, Ye Tian replied, "Is that so? You think you're invincible just because you got a slight advantage?"
To be fair, the opponent was indeed incredibly powerful now—so much so that it was almost unbelievable. However, the faster Ye Tian burned through his power now, the quicker his strength would diminish afterward.
As the saying goes, "Extremes beget their opposites." Ye Tian saw no reason to face him head-on at this point. Instead, he chose to swiftly dodge the opponent's attacks.
"What?"
Ye Tian looked at him and said, "What's wrong? Sure, your strength has increased a lot, but do you really think you're a match for me in your current state?"
"You?"
"Hmph. You probably think I'm stalling, don't you? Well, let me tell you—everything I'm doing now is precisely that: buying time. I know you must've taken some kind of pill, and that's the only reason you're in this state. I'm simply responding accordingly."
Ye Tian laid his thoughts out plainly, and the Jade Emperor never expected him to speak so bluntly—as if he were nothing more than a clown, a fool.
"Aren't you afraid that by revealing your true intentions, I'll prepare a countermeasure?"
"You won't. Because right now, your body has already absorbed the pill's power, and that medicine is corroding your soul. No matter how much you want to brace yourself, you simply can't anymore!"
"You're underestimating me! Thunderforce!"
He attacked swiftly, unleashing Thunderforce—a fierce, overwhelming power that rained down on Ye Tian like a storm.
"Hmph. Your Thunderforce may be strong, but let me tell you something—I have it too!"
Ye Tian responded with his own Thunderforce, and shockingly, his was even more powerful. At that moment, the Jade Emperor began to feel uneasy.
"How... how can you also wield it?"
Of course Ye Tian could. How could he not? At that moment, he channeled all his strength into his right hand, which crackled with a wild surge of thunderous energy—far more powerful than his opponent's.
Boom!
With a deafening blast, the enemy was sent flying. The Jade Emperor hadn't expected Ye Tian to be capable of unleashing such force.
"You... how—?"
"Hmph. Surprised that my power has reached this level? Earlier, I was avoiding your attacks not because I was scared, but because I was waiting for the right opportunity. Now that I've found it—you're no longer a match for me!"
"No! That's impossible! How can I be losing so quickly?"
He couldn't accept it. He charged forward recklessly, summoning every ounce of strength in an attempt to crush Ye Tian in one blow.
"You're far too arrogant—and arrogance comes with a heavy price!"
Every time he unleashed his full strength, Ye Tian didn't even bother countering. He knew the opponent was still strong, and a direct clash might not go in his favor.
That's why the best tactic was to remain agile and strike only at key moments. That was the optimal strategy now.
"Come on, then!"
Ye Tian evaded once again. The man glared at him and growled, "Ye Tian, you coward! You're despicable—such a shameless trickster! I'll defeat you today no matter what!"
"Really? You said you'd beat me today? Then go ahead—come at me! I'd love to see exactly how you plan on doing that."
Ye Tian wasn't the least bit worried. This wasn't the first time he'd heard such threats. Instead of fear, he looked at his opponent with mockery in his eyes.
Bang!
Another punch came flying toward him, even stronger than before. But Ye Tian only laughed. "Is that so? Looks like your strength has spiked again. But I can see it now—you're just a dying arrow at the end of its flight. You're no longer a threat to me."
"A dying arrow, am I? Let's see about that!"
If he dodged again, it would be pointless. So this time, Ye Tian decided not to avoid it. If the blow was coming, then so be it—let's see what this man could really do.
Ye Tian met the punch head-on, using all his might. The Jade Emperor's fist slammed into Ye Tian like it had struck solid rock.
"So strong!"
"Hmph. Now you see my true strength. But for you, it's already over. I warned you—you're a dying arrow. That's what you are, and that means there's no point in resisting."
The Jade Emperor suddenly found he had no strength left in his body. Why? Why couldn't he muster even an ounce of power?
"Ye Tian, what did you do to me? I had plenty of strength just a moment ago—why am I completely drained now?"
"It's simple. You took a pill. That's what caused this. You pushed your potential to the limit, and now that it's spent, you're left powerless. Don't say I didn't warn you. Your strength has been exhausted—there's no more for you to draw upon, no matter how hard you try."
He had relied on a pill to push beyond his limits—but once that potential was used up, he was left utterly drained. What a pitiful and tragic end.