Apotheosis

"Guard against complaining. Guard against anger. Guard against arrogance. Guard against impatience. Guard against greed. Guard against sex. Guard against..." Patrick Pei recited the principles in his mind.

He had a strong intellect, but that didn't mean he was without emotion. A human being couldn't possibly function without sentiment. Only a fairy man could resist feelings, not a human.

However, Patrick had great restraint. He might have looked uneasy after Zen's hit, but he recovered in a relatively short amount of time, successfully calming himself down through his silent recitations.

His mind was a flat, tranquil ocean with no movement in the waters. Suddenly there appeared ripples, about to become huge waves in lieu of the disturbance. But then the waves settled down once again under Patrick's control, and peace prevailed.

"How is it possible that you have such great strength? There must be a limit to your innate superhuman power. Your strength contradicts the restrictions of nature creatures," Patrick said seriously as he gazed at Zen.

Previously, Zen had utilized all of his strength. Most people who were witnesses to it didn't have sharp eyes like Patrick. He could see the unparalleled power in Zen.

He was correct. Zen's strength, in fact, exceeded the limits of nature creatures.

Strength could not be utilized without limitations. It required powerful muscles. If Zen had weak muscles when his body held this kind of extraordinary strength, it would not support him.

In reality, Zen's body had strengthened hundreds or even thousands of times by now. It had become a middle-grade spiritual weapon. Clearly, his body had no problem supporting his superhuman strength.

It was his best-guarded secret. But he could not tell Patrick that. So he said with a smile, "Can I choose not to tell you?"

"Of course," Patrick said, nodding. "But I am still confident about my own strength." Just as he said this, the golden bell vanished into the air. Golden life vitality effused out of Patrick's body, enveloping his skin. He seemed to shine, made up of pure gold.

Patrick seemed to be in a similar state as when Zen's mysterious runes had appeared on his body. But in fact, they were two different situations.

When Zen's body had begun to absorb the flame, the golden runes turned into little whirlpools.

On the other hand, Patrick was enwrapped in his golden life vitality as if he was made up of gold.

"Body in the Diamond-like State! His body is in the Diamond-like State!" one of the disciples shouted out loud.

Watching Patrick transform himself into the Body in the Diamond-like State, Rocher sighed mentally. He had just made Patrick show his strength of Acalanatha shadow, but apparently, Patrick had more tricks up his sleeve. The Body in the Diamond-like State was surely another one of his trump cards.

'Body in the Diamond-like State?' Zen wondered to himself. Looking at Patrick's golden, shining figure, Zen clenched his fist in anticipation, eager to fight him.

tually stronger than Patrick.

In each round of their fight, Patrick attacked Zen three or four times, but the latter fought back only once. His one strike was far better than the totality of Patrick's assaults.

"Ah! Zen has been hit again!" a disciple exclaimed.

"I can't watch it anymore. If I were beaten like that, I'm afraid I would have died already!" someone responded.

"It would be a mercy if you just died that easily! Don't underestimate Patrick's power. If he hits at your chest, he would be sure to leave a big hole in your body!" a third disciple corrected them.

"Zen won't be able to fight any more if he keeps getting beaten up like this!"

What they were saying sounded reasonable. But the truth escaped them, for the situation on the arena was quite different.

Patrick had been most confident about his Body in the Diamond-like State. He had planned to use it against Zen's Streamer Sword, for he thought that would be his biggest threat.

But as it stood now, Zen wasn't using his Streamer Sword at all!

It was Zen's own choice. Patrick had no say in it.

But the results were unexpected. The more Patrick fought, the more surprised he got. He could hardly keep calm. Now, his mind was like the turbulent waters in an ocean as huge waves rolled over.

It appeared that Zen was not afraid of being beaten up.

Patrick knew how strong he was. He might not have innate superhuman strength like Zen, but he could use his life vitality to the fullest. Zen's body should not be able to resist the power in Patrick's fists.

But as Patrick watched Zen, reality contradicted his previous notions. 'How strong is Zen's body? It can't simply be measured on a scale of human physicality. He seems like a beast!' he thought.

'Damn! I shouldn't have used the Body in the Diamond-like State at all!' At this moment, Patrick seemed to have forgotten about Buddhism doctrines. He already broke a commandment out of the ten: that he must never swear, whatever the circumstance...