Under the intense gaze of the spectators, Thaddeus' Voidcleaver clashed with Dalen's folding fan. To be precise, Dalen's fan struck Thaddeus' blade.A thunderous bang echoed as their weapons collided. It unleashed a powerful energy wave that radiated from the point of impact. The shockwave swept through the surroundings, sending dust and debris flying. Spectators near the battle ring had to shield their eyes from the whirlwind of grit.The two men were locked in a standoff on the battle ring. Dalen's folding fan, like a sword, tapped against Thaddeus's blade. One was striking downward, the other thrusting upward, creating a deadlock in midair.The spectators were stunned."Whoa! He actually blocked it? What’s going on?""Father Savier's attack had the power of a grandmaster. It was a devastating strike, yet that pretty boy managed to counter it with finesse. Impressive!""Damn! How is the boy toy still alive?"The spectators buzzed with mixed reactions. Some were shocked, some
"Father Savier, you truly live up to your reputation as an ascetic priest. I'm impressed with your physical strength," Dalen remarked as he stared at the white mark on Thaddeus' chest.If a typical martial artist were struck in the chest by his folding fan, they would likely be seriously injured or dead. However, Thaddeus merely retreated several steps from the impact without a scratch.There was no denying that the ascetic priest's physical resilience far exceeded that of martial artists at his level."Kid, are you mocking me?" Thaddeus' expression darkened. The praise felt offensive to him.He had always seen Dalen as prey. Now, Dalen had unexpectedly taken control of the situation. Thaddeus felt uneasy and furious."You have misunderstood. I truly admire your skill. If you break through to grandmaster level, you'll soar to new heights," Dalen said sincerely.Thaddeus surpassed other martial artists of his level due to his dual cultivation of both internal and external techniqu
"Isn't Dalen being overly confident by not using the Evasio Incantation to face an ascetic priest head-on?" Aurora frowned. She had been rooting for him, but this unexpected decision caught her off guard."I don't think he's being reckless. If he agrees to this, he must have a solid plan," Alicia said thoughtfully.While she didn't fully grasp Dalen's strategy, she could sense his strength. Nevertheless, his overconfidence was a cause for concern."Okay, kid. Let's see how capable you are." On the battle ring, Thaddeus twirled his long blade. His true energy surged and filled the space with his imposing presence.The Voidcleaver in his hand emitted a blue glow and a low, ominous hum, with arcs of energy flickering around the blade. It was a daunting sight.Facing Thaddeus' charged attack, Dalen stood with one hand behind his back and the other lightly holding a folding fan.His expression remained serene. He seemed unaffected even under the weight bearing down on him."Stormstir
Dalen had provoked Thaddeus. When Thaddeus unleashed a powerful strike at the cost of his own lifespan, he pushed his cultivation to its limits. At that moment, he finally broke through and became a grandmaster martial artist.With the prowess of a grandmaster, he executed his strongest technique—Mountain Defenco. Hence, this strike was the deadliest move he had ever delivered.Thaddeus was confident that even if Dalen were a grandmaster martial artist, he wouldn't be able to withstand the attack unscathed.A powerful blue blade aura, accompanied by wind and thunder, surged toward Dalen with overwhelming force. Wherever it passed, skies darkened, thunder roared, and it seemed capable of cataclysmic destruction. However, Dalen remained unfazed. He calmly opened his folding fan and gently waved it at the incoming blue blade aura.Suddenly, a gentle breeze lifted into the air. It met the blue blade aura head-on, like a mouse trying to stop an elephant.Thaddeus's blade aura was imm
Thaddeus was defeated. After risking his life and mustering his final strength for one decisive blow, Dalen effortlessly overwhelmed him.Thaddeus had lost his will to fight. His body could endure no more, and he feared Dalen's unpredictable prowess.Despite Dalen's youth, his cultivation was ten times stronger than Thaddeus'. Even when Thaddeus gave everything he had, he couldn't penetrate Dalen's defenses.It was an overwhelming sense of despair. Even in his prime, Thaddeus wouldn't have had the confidence to continue the match.Thaddeus' words prompted the referee to declare the final result, "Contestant Number 5 concedes. Contestant Number 19 is the winner!"The arena echoed with cries of despair, curses, and insults."Dammit! What a useless ascetic priest. He couldn't even handle a pretty boy. Such a disgrace.""Father Savier? He should call himself a jester! All talk and no skill. What a waste!""Screw you! You made me lose everything. Why don't you just die already!"So
"Me?" Dustin was slightly taken aback. He hadn't expected Fenley to steer the conversation toward him.Still, he nodded and said, "Sir Hudson is right. With Dalen's talent and strength, he definitely has what it takes to challenge the top ten in the Legendary List." Dustin had a lot of faith in Dalen."Since he can earn such high praise from both of you, he must be someone worth keeping an eye on," Alicia said thoughtfully.Unfortunately, Dalen was from the Shadow Citadel. She might have convinced him to join the Celestial Alliance if he had come from a smaller guild."A handsome and capable talent like him is a rare find these days," Aurora remarked. Her eyes were sparkling with interest.While she wasn't instantly smitten with Dalen, his striking looks certainly made her take a second glance."We win. Crystal, did you see that? Mr. Shade won." Ruby jumped up excitedly when Dalen's victory was announced.Her joy came from his win and her successful bet. The thrill of winning
"Oh? It's them?" Dustin was surprised and raised an eyebrow when he saw Aurora and Crystal step onto the battle ring.He knew they had signed up for the tournament, but he hadn't expected them to face off against each other. One was a skilled disciple of the Sword Union, while the other was the daughter of the Celestial Alliance's guildmaster, Alloy.This elite showdown between two major guilds would be quite a spectacle."Fenley, do you think Aurora has a shot at winning?" Alicia asked suddenly.He shook his head and replied, "It's hard to say."He continued, "Aurora's opponent isn't someone to underestimate. If I'm not mistaken, she's a Sword Union disciple. Her sharp gaze and strong presence suggest her cultivation is quite advanced.""A Sword Union disciple? That sounds like trouble," Alicia said, frowning. Despite their small numbers, members of the Sword Union were carefully hand-picked elites. They shouldn't be underestimated, regardless of age or gender.In the past, t
"Miles, don't worry. You know how strong Crystal is. Handling that little missy should be a piece of cake!" Ruby said.Seeing the concern on his face, she couldn't help but offer some reassurance. "Relax, Crystal will definitely win this match. Trust me."Crystal wasn't just naturally talented but also extremely diligent. She has prepared thoroughly for the Combat Tournament. While winning the championship wasn't guaranteed, Ruby was confident Crystal would advance to Group A and compete against the top talents."I hope so," he said with a forced smile. He had full confidence in Crystal's abilities. He would bet everything on her if she faced a slightly weaker opponent. But her opponent was Aurora—the daughter of Alloy, guildmaster of the Celestial Alliance. Aurora had been rigorously trained since childhood. So, she matched Crystal in cultivation level, combat skills, and secret techniques.With these two facing off, it was hard to predict who would win. Miles could only hop