The spectators erupted into thunderous applause as soon as Oron finished speaking.Under the spotlight of a thousand eager eyes, contestant number one rose from his seat and walked to the battle ring. He was a monk clad in gray robes. The towering figure, who had a muscular build, was in his 30s. He gripped an iron staff, and his smooth, bald head gleamed brilliantly in the sunlight.The spectators quickly recognized him. "I can't believe the first contestant is Venerable Truce from Aureate Monastery. This is going to be a great match."Contestant number one was a revered monk from Aureate Monastery called Truce Heart. He was known by the moniker "Venerable Banisher".Despite his young age, his cultivation was beyond measure, especially his Ironfist Technique, which he had mastered to perfection.He was said to be impervious to blades, bullets, fire, and water. Any attack launched against him barely left a mark.But Truce wasn't just renowned for his incredible defense. His Ban
While facing Truce's powerful strike, Jeremiah remained calm. He didn't even flinch and raised his arm to block the blow.The shadowsteel staff crashed down with a resounding impact on his arm. Instead of the expected scene of broken bones and a flying body, the staff only made his sleeve flutter. He didn't suffer any injuries.Jeremiah stood still with a smile on his face."Huh?" Truce's eyes widened in shock. If the earlier thrust had been just a test, this sweeping blow was delivered with full force.He would have understood if Jeremiah had used grandmaster-level internal energy. But Truce didn't feel any energy fluctuation from him. In other words, Jeremiah had relied purely on his physical strength to withstand the blow.Could this seemingly frail priest be a grandmaster of body refinement? If so, a tough battle lay ahead. After all, Truce was also a grandmaster of body refinement."I didn't expect that skinny priest to catch Venerable Truce's staff barehanded. He's got some
"What? The guy isn't dead? How is that even possible?""He's not only alive, but he's completely unscathed. This is insane!""How can this be? Is he wearing some kind of armor?""Even if he was, there's no way he could survive Venerable Truce's strike without a scratch!"The spectators stared in disbelief as Jeremiah stood there with a seemingly indifferent expression. Truce's previous strike was devastating, unstoppable, and could split mountains and rivers.Under normal circumstances, given Jeremiah's build, he should've been left crippled even if he survived. But he was completely unscathed. This was a sight that defied everyone's understanding and logic.Even Truce was left questioning this reality. The Drakon Banisher, a signature move of the Banisher Technique, was known for its unmatched power. Once unleashed, it was nearly impossible for anyone to block, and it had never failed to deliver its intended result.Truce was certain his strike had hit Jeremiah, but he couldn
When Jeremiah looked at Truce, he burst into laughter. His eyes burned with a fierce, primal hunger, like a predator spotting the perfect prey. He didn't say anything. With a powerful kick, he transformed into a blur and charged toward Truce with a frightening speed."Bold fool! You're sealing your own doom!" When Truce saw Jeremiah's unyielding defiance, he roared and threw a powerful punch. With his Celestial Aegis armor protecting him, Truce's defense was impenetrable. His speed and strength were also enhanced.This punch might have looked ordinary, but it packed a punch many times stronger than his previous Banisher Technique.While charging forward with blinding speed, Jeremiah couldn't evade and crashed straight into Truce's fist. At the same time, his razor-sharp claws slashed across Truce's chest.With a thunderous explosion and the resounding clash of metal, Jeremiah was sent flying seven or eight yards by the devastating Zenith Punch. His chest caved in, and his scale
When Jeremiah charged at him again, Truce didn't have a moment to think and instinctively raised his fist to strike. Soon, a fierce fight broke out between the two sides again.Both were experts in close combat, and their fight was a relentless clash of raw power. There was no dodging or blocking, just pure, unfiltered brutality.Each punch and kick landed with a resounding crack. It was a relentless contest of power where neither expert would give an inch.Truce, protected by the Celestial Aegis, had a clear advantage in strength and defense. Each of his powerful strikes forced Jeremiah to retreat.In contrast, Jeremiah's attacks were ineffective against the Celestial Aegis. Truce couldn't seal the win despite his apparent advantage because of Jeremiah's strong defense. Plus, his recovery rate was shockingly fast.No matter how severe his injuries—whether his chest caved in or his face was battered beyond recognition—Jeremiah could recover almost instantly.As a result, the tw
"Haha… He won. Venerable Truce won!""At least he took that guy down. Venerable Truce is awesome!""Though he lost, he should feel honored for holding out against Venerable Truce for that long."The entire arena cheered as the spectators watched Jeremiah get slammed into the battle ring by Truce's Vengeful Gaze. Dragonmarsh spectators jumped to their feet to give Truce a thunderous applause.The first fight of the day was nothing short of electrifying. Both sides went all out as they traded blow for blow in a showdown that left the spectators on the edge of their seats. Their excitement reached a fever pitch.This was what a martial artist's duel should look like."Phew… Is it over?" Truce wiped the sweat from his brow and began to relax. The killing move had drained him, but it was worth it since he had defeated Jeremiah.But just as the crowd's cheers filled the air, the rubble in the center of the battle ring began to tremble. Small chunks of stones at the top slowly slid dow
The spectators were shocked by Truce's death. What was expected to be a routine match ended in a shocking turn of events. It was genuinely bewildering."Hmm?" Oron frowned as he looked at the lifeless body under the battle ring.He hadn't expected the heavily injured Jeremiah could still deliver such a lethal blow. The single strike that killed Truce caught Oron off guard.Although battles could be unpredictable and fate often decided the outcome, losing a skilled expert like Truce was a significant loss for Dragonmarsh."That priest has some talent. Despite being in the fight for so long, he's still holding back his full power. Impressive." Sitting in the front row with a clear view of the battle ring, Alloy narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. He had watched the entire fight unfold and noticed Jeremiah had relied solely on his physical strength. Alloy could tell Jeremiah had more skills in reserve."Hmph! Just a half-human, half-demon freak. Not exactly a game-changer." Cyrus sneer
"Look! Veronica is stepping onto the ring.""Veronica has been perfecting her skills for ten years. She's definitely going to make an impact this time!""Go, Veronica! Bring glory to the Celestial Alliance!"The Celestial Alliance's disciples cheered as they watched Veronica stride confidently onto the battle ring.As the top guild of Dragonmarsh, its disciples took great pride in their status. To them, anyone from their guild was bound to be superior to opponents from another guild.Aurora smiled and said confidently, "With Veronica competing, this match should be a clear win for us." Given Veronica's skills, she might struggle against a well-known genius, but her opponent was an unknown young martial artist. For someone of Veronica's caliber, this was hardly a challenge."Her opponent is from the Mystic Arts Order, so we shouldn't underestimate them." Alicia shook her head slightly.Veronica would have a clear advantage if it were just a matter of martial skills and cultivat