"The black fog has been sucked away!""This is great! We are safe!""As expected of Sir Robinson!"When everyone saw the miasma being drawn away, their spirits were instantly lifted. They had thought they were going to die. Fortunately, Michael had saved them. He had used his immense power to absorb all the poisonous miasma.They were no longer in danger!It didn't take long for the surrounding black fog to slowly disappear. "It's gone! The black fog is gone!" The crowd was filled with joy. They were glad to have survived the disaster. In stark contrast, Michael underwent a rapid transformation upon absorbing the miasma. His entire body darkened from head to toe. Even his nails turned black. The poison had spread across his body. In the end, Michael couldn't take it anymore. He coughed out a mouthful of black blood and fell from above. "Dad!" Just as Abigail wanted to step forward to catch him, Dustin stopped her. "I'll do it," he said and quickly leaped into the
Upon entering Michael's mouth, the Celestial Pearl emitted a brilliant golden light. Then, it moved into his abdomen. The pearl began to spin wildly, removing the poison from his body."It's working!" Dustin was delighted.With the help of the pearl, Michael should be able to pull it through. "Hand over the Celestial Pearl, Michael!" Theodore demanded after coming to his senses. His face was full of greed. "How can you swallow such a priceless treasure? Spit it out right now! Or we won't show you mercy!" Graham fixed his eyes on him intently. "That is an evil relic. Don't be bewitched by it, Sir Robinson!" Orson also couldn't hold himself back anymore. He began to walk closer to them. "Stop right there!" Abigail blocked their way.She spat, "My dad is severely poisoned now. We need the pearl to save his life. Do not interfere!" "Hmph! He's already at death's door. It's a waste letting him have the pearl!" Theodore was growing impatient. "And you call yourself a human?
"Oh? And what's with the Celestial Pearl?" Ronald looked back. He was confused. "Uncle Reeds, we had risked our lives to get the pearl. It belongs to us, to begin with. They're the ones who want to snatch it from us!" Abigail explained. "Nonsense! We're doing this for the martial world! Unlike you, who are only after personal gain," Theodore said righteously. "Sir Reeds, they harbor ulterior motives! Look at how selfish they are! They don't even care about the alliance. They should be severely punished!" Graham added. "Those who connect with evil entities certainly don't have a clean mind," Orson remarked. At this moment, the three grandmasters had abandoned their earlier aggressive stance. They pretended to be righteous in front of Ronald. "What a bunch of hypocrites! Stop throwing mud at us!" Abigail was annoyed. It was clearly them who wanted to seize the pearl, yet they had the nerve to speak with such righteousness! "They're distorting facts!" she muttered inwardl
"Michael, you haven't changed a bit. You only ever show your good side to people. Look at you; you look like you'll collapse at any moment. And yet, you still pretend like everything is okay," Ronald said helplessly. "I heard that you've swallowed the Celestial Pearl. Can your body handle it?" he asked. "Don't worry, Sir Reeds. The pearl is a sacred relic. It won't harm Mr. Robinson's body and will absorb the poison inside. It'll also help him increase his cultivation level," Dustin explained. "Oh, really?" Ronald raised his brows slightly and chuckled. "A blessing in disguise. Don't you think so, Michael? With this pearl, you'll have a chance to break through the ultimate grandmaster level." "Let's just leave it to fate." Michael shook his head. He said, "The pearl is a valuable treasure. It's bound to attract a lot of attention. It might bring us quite a bit of trouble in the future.""Rest assured, Michael. As long as I'm here, no one can take the pearl away." Ronald wa
With a loud thump, Michael fell to the ground heavily. Blood oozed out of his nose and mouth in an instant as the color drained from his face."Dad!" Abigail shouted, shocked. She quickly ran to her father."Ronald, are you crazy?" Dustin's gaze was murderous. He always thought that Ronald was an upright person. He held great respect in the martial world. It had never occurred to him that Ronald was actually a wolf in sheep's clothing."Crazy?" Ronald suddenly laughed. "Do you know how much effort I've put in just to get the Celestial Pearl? I first made use of Paul. "I spread the news of his death to lead the disciples of Jade Maiden Sisterhood to Balerno. After that, I let you guys have the Jade Maiden Scripture that had the map.""Everything went according to plan. In short, you're nothing more than my pawns. With you barging into the tomb one after another, Iris' attention could be diverted. And from that diversion, I could seize the chance to get the pearl." "My effort
The martial artists immediately headed over to the source. "It looks like it isn't over yet." After exchanging a glance, Theodore, Graham, and Orson also turned around. They led their respective groups back.They were shocked to see Ronald and Dustin engaging in a fierce fight when they arrived. Their attacks were intense, and neither seemed to be going easy on the other. What was going on?Weren't they on the same side?Why were they in a fight? The crowd was confused. "Help!" Right then, a pleading voice came through from a distance. When they looked over, they saw Abigail crying her eyes out. Laying in her arms was Michael. He was severely injured. Seeing that there was no response from them, Abigail kneeled on the ground. She frantically pleaded, "Please! Help me save my dad, please!" Michael was pale. Blood was still flowing from his abdomen, nose, and mouth. He looked like he was on the verge of death. However, the martial artists remained unfazed. Only
"Don't you dare! Whoever attacks them will die!" Azalea immediately rushed in front of Abigail. With two swords in her hands, she exuded a strong murderous intent. "Ronald is lying to you! My father wasn't led astray! He didn't do anything evil!" Abigail continued to explain upon seeing the martial artists closing in on them. "My dad has risked his life to save you. You wouldn't have survived if he hadn't absorbed all the black fog into his body. "Even if you aren't grateful for that, you shouldn't turn on the person who helped you. Wake up! Ronald is the biggest villain!" she cried, trying hard to prove their innocence. However, whatever she said didn't seem to affect the martial artists in any way."Don't you understand, Abigail? They only care about their own benefit. The truth doesn't matter to them at all! They're just a bunch of hypocrites! Quick, leave with Sir Robinson first! I'll cover for you!" Azalea said, charging forward with her two blades. She was far from bei
"Huh?"Theodore, Graham, and Orson instinctively took several steps back, their expressions changing drastically. At this moment, they could feel the looming presence of death. A shiver ran down their spines, and they broke into a cold sweat.If Michael executed this move of his, even if the three of them survived, they were doomed to be gravely injured. "Sir Robinson, you'd better not do anything reckless. Or, you'll also die!" Theodore warned. "Well, I'm already dying. I think it's a pretty good thing if I can bring the three of you together with me," Michael uttered. Hearing that, they frowned. They wouldn't want to risk their lives. "Sir Robinson, you still have to think about your daughter, right?" Theodore said. "I can let her go, but you must die today." "Yes! Only if you die can your daughter live!" Graham echoed."Can I trust you?" Michael asked. Theodore held his head up high. "No matter what, I'm still a prominent figure in the martial world. I won't go back
Under the watchful eyes of the audience, Dustin and Glenn stepped onto the battle ring. They stood about 30 feet apart, and their eyes locked across the distance. Their gazes met like sparks, and they could feel the weight of the other's stare."Are you Logan?" Glenn asked, breaking the silence.He had heard the rumors about this dark horse before stepping into the ring, but now that he was facing him, he wasn't sure."Who I am doesn't matter. What matters is who wins this fight." Dustin didn't confirm or deny it, but his words left Glenn with no doubt.Both men were at the top of the Legendary List and held equal rank on the Champ-Tier List. Until they fought, no one could say who was the stronger of the two."I heard you're Seth's disciple, so I'm really looking forward to this." Glenn's gaze sharpened.Many years ago, his mentor, Cyrus, was defeated by Seth. That loss had always haunted Cyrus ever since. Now, with the disciples of both men about to face off, Glenn was determin
"Since Madam Penelope has spoken, I’ll follow her lead," Alloy said with a smile. "What about Mr. Hadley and Sage Foyer?""I'm in if you want to make a bet," Cyrus replied coolly."It's not every day we get an opportunity like this. Let me stir things up a bit." Kaden nodded with a grin.Once the three had agreed, Penelope waved for Abigail to come over.Soon, Abigail approached them with a wide grin. "Esteemed guests, I hear you want to bet. The current odds are—bet on Dustin to win, and you'll get 1.6 times your stake. Bet on Glenn, and it's only 0.4."She continued, "And no worries—if you win, I'll exchange your winnings for celestial stones." Abigail smiled brightly, and the other parties' eyes gleamed with the unmistakable shine of greed.Many had already placed their bets with her. Though she couldn't control the match's outcome, she knew how to adjust the odds to her advantage. Over time, that could turn into a huge fortune."I'm betting on Glenn to win." Cyrus quickly
"We're ready for the ultimate showdown of this tournament. The winner will be crowned the Combat Tournament Champion. Now, let's welcome both contestants to the ring." Oron's voice thundered as he stepped onto the battle ring.There was thunderous applause and cheers from the audience.The long-awaited showdown was finally at hand. Today's outcome wasn't just about personal glory, but it would also decide the future of the martial world.If Glenn triumphed and claimed the crown, the Sword Union would rise as the undisputed guild. The Celestial Alliance and the Mystic Arts Order would have no choice but to bow to their supremacy.But if Dustin won, it would be even more sensational. A dark horse, without any guild affiliation, defeating the elite disciples of the major guild—such a story would send shockwaves through the martial world.Once that happened, every major guild would fight tooth and nail to claim him. It would spark a fierce battle for dominance."Dr. Rhys! Good luck!"
"H-Hold on! I-I surrender!" Abigail said urgently. With the sword inches away from her throat, she decisively raised both hands in a gesture of surrender.She didn't expect herself to win the match. Her goal was simply to take this opportunity to test Dustin's strength and also gauge her own progress. But now, it was clear that there was still a sizable gap between them."You've done well. In a few more years, I might not even be able to keep up with you." Dustin smiled and lowered his Celestial Blade. His words weren't flattery; he genuinely saw potential in Abigail.The dark Phoenix flames carried a corrosive power that even his mystical pure energy couldn't resist. In other words, Abigail's black flames were the bane of any martial artist.Her journey in the martial world was still short—barely two years. She hadn't unlocked the full potential of her Phoenix bloodline yet. But with more training and experience, the sky was the limit for her."Don't try to console me, Sir. I'm n
With a resounding bang, the golden light erupted with a burst of terrifying energy wave. In an instant, the earth trembled, and fierce winds whipped through the air.Dustin and his sword were sent flying several yards. After landing, he stumbled back several steps before finally steadying himself.He looked up and saw that Abigail's body was now covered in a layer of golden armor, though he couldn't tell when it had happened. The armor glowed brightly, and it made her look imposing and striking.It was clearly a divine artifact.The Mystic Arts Order had been around for centuries, with deep roots and countless treasures. As the Grand Sorceress, Abigail would obviously have several divine artifacts for protection.Dustin wasn't surprised, but the armor's counterforce caught him off guard. Not only did it protect her, but it also had offensive capabilities.When his sword struck the armor earlier, the blow didn't leave a scratch. Instead, the armor absorbed the hit and sent the for
Dustin raised his hand as the black feathers rained down on him. A white energy shield flared into existence to form a wall before him.The feathers slammed into the shield and sent ripples across its surface but failed to break through. However, the black flames on the feathers spread across the shield and burned through its energy at a visible pace. In the blink of an eye, the once impenetrable barrier cracked open and left a gaping hole.Dustin couldn't hide his surprise. His mystical pure energy was far stronger than the average grandmaster's internal energy in offense and defense. It was meant to be impenetrable. He hadn't anticipated it couldn't hold up against Abigail's phoenix flame.Seeing the raw strength of her bloodline, he knew he couldn't afford to take any chances. As the black flames spread, he swiftly waved his hand to summon a furious gust of wind that sent the feathers and flames flying."Glaring Wings!" Abigail wasn't done yet. She quickly formed hand seals and
Abigail moved with lightning speed, and her figure weaved in and out like a shadow. Her swift movements left a blur of afterimages that was hard for anyone watching to keep up.On the contrary, Dustin stood still without making any movement."Fallen Fist!"After closing in, she unleashed a flurry of strikes—dozens of black palm shadows slamming toward his body, and each one was like a bullet aimed at its target.Abigail practiced a unique martial art, and it was imbued with voodoo-like properties that could kill anyone who made contact with her. But Dustin's body was immune to all poisons, so it was a perfect counter to her deadly attack.As the shadow palms closed in, he remained unshaken and thrust his palm forward.A fierce gust of wind surged and ripped through the air with unrelenting force. It collided with the black palm shadows.Abigail's black palm shadows exploded on impact and disintegrated into thick clouds of dark mist that quickly spread. Within moments, the mist e
The whole arena suddenly fell dead silent. Everyone stared blankly, and not a soul dared to breathe. Alloy shot to his feet in the main spectator seats, and his face was tense with worry. Yet, he didn't dare make a sound. He feared it might startle Glenn into making a mistake that could cost Fenley's life.After all, Fenley represented the future of the Celestial Alliance. Alloy had invested all his effort into Fenley, and he provided him with endless resources. If Fenley were to die in the match, it would deal a devastating blow to the entire guild.While Alloy was gripped with worry, Cyrus and Penelope cheered silently. They secretly hoped Glenn's sword would strike Fenley. If that happened, the Celestial Alliance would take at least a decade to regain its former glory.Fenley's body stiffened as he stared at the Fang Master hovering inches from him. A shiver ran through his spine as goosebumps prickled his skin. Sweat trickled down his face, and each drop hit the ground with a
"Glenn had only seven swords in the past. I didn't expect that in just one year, two more divine swords would recognize him as their master. This punk is much better than I was back then," Cyrus remarked. He stroked his chin with a look of surprise and approval. He had always believed in Glenn's potential, but Glenn's performance had still exceeded his expectations.After all, the more swords Glenn wielded, the stronger he became. He had already topped the Legendary List with just seven swords. Now, with nine, his strength had grown even more overwhelming."He truly is the Chosen One." Even Kaden couldn't help but sigh.The nine divine swords recognized their master and responded with ease. Glenn's talent and cultivation were leagues ahead of his peers.Every generation brought forth new talent, and the old had no choice but to step aside for the new generation. Compared to their time, today's youth were on another level—monsters in their own right."Now, this is going to be int