Batuul's arrival lifted Anthony's spirits. Anthony realized that Bailey, sent by the Hall of Gods, had a well-thought-out plan for gathering strong individuals from various nations in such a short time.Willem, clad in a red robe, suddenly spoke with a smile. "Mr. Batuul, I've heard that you have perfected your body with Adamantine Body Art, which is quite impressive. I wonder if you could show us?" Before Batuul could respond, a bald disciple behind him sternly interjected. "My master is the Fist Sage of Alabastria, not a circus clown. Show some respect!""I'm particularly intrigued because Mr. Batuul is the Fist Sage. I'd like to see the authenticity of the Adamantine Body Art he teaches." Willem grinned, revealing his two fangs.Batuul responded calmly, "Feel free to test it yourself, Mr. Willem.""Alright then." Willem turned into a crimson blur, and he swiftly lunged forward. His left hand's black nails shot out instantly, extending 40 inches like sharp blades. With a fi
The Hall of Gods, with approval from Artea, arranged a meeting of influential leaders from various nations. This collaboration, if fruitful, would pave the way for future gatherings of a similar nature."I can just ignore the representative from Glorian as long as they don't get under my skin," Willem remarked, lifting his wine glass and savoring it quietly.After brief introductions and getting acquainted, the attendees engaged in casual conversations. As time passed, the clock struck 8:30 pm, half an hour past the agreed-upon time. Still, there was no sign of the Glorian delegation.While the other powerful nations refrained from openly criticizing, discontent was visible on their faces. They arrived promptly for this significant gathering, anxious not to miss any crucial information.However, the Glorians had the nerve to show up late—not just a few minutes late, but a considerable delay of half an hour, as if it didn't matter.Artea, as the world's leading nation with abunda
Jasper's words left everyone feeling uneasy. Their faces soured at his shameless behavior, an audacity they had never witnessed. Not only was he late, but he also exuded an arrogant, self-important demeanor, making it difficult to stomach."Abundant talent and resources? That's a laughable claim. What notable figures does Glorian even boast?" Willem scoffed, eyeing Jasper with disdain.Jasper's face darkened at the remarks. "And who are you to question the strength of my nation?"He went on, "Our nation's history is long, stretching back five thousand years. We were once a mighty superpower with a vibrant culture that still shines today. "Over the years, we've given birth to many heroes. Even the Dragonmarsh was once under our rule, a testament to our strength."Willem cut him off bluntly, "Your tall tales might impress your people, but they won't work on us."Everyone knows the truth about Glorian. Your so-called cultural heritage is nothing but borrowed. Even your prized spi
Willem declared confidently, "My hands are my weapons." As he stepped forward, his fingers parted slightly, revealing sharp black nails that sprung out like blades.Jasper, wielding a long spear, retorted, "Hmph! Looks like you haven't trimmed those nails in ages. Today, I'll give you a hand!" He wasted no time and thrust directly.The speed was blinding, leaving only a flash of golden light visible. Willem didn't retreat but charged forward, colliding head-on with the golden spear in a crimson blur."You're courting death!" Jasper sneered as his spear erupted into a flurry of shadows.In the courtyard, the dazzling light made onlookers squint. Each movement was swift, slicing through the air effortlessly. The golden spear shadows, tightly packed, resembled a volley of cannonballs, tearing through Willem's crimson afterimage and shredding it. The process unfolded with merciless simplicity, encountering no resistance."Hmph! Pathetic!" Jasper scoffed. His smug expression oozed
"Go to hell!" Jasper shivered as he locked eyes with Willem, whose piercing red gaze sent a chill down his spine. Gripping his spear tightly, Jasper swiftly spun it around.With a deft movement, the spearhead dodged Willem's clawed reach and shot up his arm. Like a striking serpent, it aimed for Willem's chest with remarkable speed and precision.Then, the sickening noise of flesh tearing echoed through the air.With no hindrance, Jasper's forceful thrust drove the spear straight through Willem's heart. It pierced him from front to back, leaving a grim pool of blood staining the ground."General, you're incredible!" Hundreds of silver-armored guards cheered in unison, visibly thrilled. They knew insulting Glorian would end in death."Haha... I thought you were tough, but you're weaker than I thought. One spear thrust and you're done! Truly disappointing!" He withdrew the spear, leaving a bloody hole in Willem's chest.To his surprise, Willem didn't collapse. Instead, he fixed his
Jasper was startled and instinctively raised his arm to stop Willem's advance. Despite his efforts, the vast power gap between them rendered Jasper helpless against Willem's relentless pressure. He could only watch in horror as Willem's fangs inched closer to his neck.Jasper panicked and urged, "What are you fools waiting for? Get in here and help!""Quick! Help the General!" In an instant, the Glorian silver-armored guards, numbering in the hundreds, swiftly responded as if awakened from a deep slumber. Some drew their bows, releasing a volley of arrows, while others advanced with spears raised, ready to strike.The arrows were unleashed from bows. Each carried an explosive force as it rained down on Willem without mercy. In an instant, his back turned into a pin cushion, resembling the spines of a hedgehog. Blood stained his clothes, reflecting an eerie sheen in the moonlight."Isn't a duel supposed to be fair? And you're calling for reinforcements? Are Glorians so devoi
"Thanks, Mr. Bailey," Jasper said with a triumphant chuckle. He was blissfully ignorant of the imminent danger lurking ahead.The influential figures from various powerful nations watched in silence. They showed no interest in intervening as they were only there for the spectacle. After all, the outcome didn't concern them."Heh... Looks like I'll have a feast tonight!" Willem smirked wickedly.His body quivered as each arrow lodged in his back dislodged and fell to the ground. His bloody wounds began to heal rapidly."Hmph! Not even all those arrows were enough to kill you. It seems like you're quite a tough monster!" Jasper's expression turned fierce as he narrowed his eyes at Willem.Despite being pierced through the chest and riddled with arrows from behind, Willem appeared unscathed except for a few drops of blood. His resilience surpassed even that of a cockroach."Did no one tell you I'm immortal?" Willem said, his fingernails extending further."Ha! 'Immortal' my foot!"
The silver-armored guards, though formidable, were no match for Willem's relentless attack. Their efforts only briefly stalled his rampage as he continued to claim lives without pause.Bodies accumulated rapidly, and the courtyard was stained with a chilling hue of red. Panic gripped the guards as they belatedly grasped the gravity of the threat.Willem's strength far surpassed their expectations. He wasn't merely an ordinary vampire. To them, he reigned supreme among his kind, a true king of the night."Hey, bastard! Face me if you've got the guts!" Jasper's voice echoed through the chaos. His words were filled with curses as he desperately tried to divert Willem's attention.He understood his pivotal role in stopping Willem's rampage and preventing further bloodshed. If he could engage Willem alongside the efforts of his men, they could bring down this menace."Hmm?" The shout pierced through Willem's fury, and he stopped.In his hand was the head of a silver-armored guard. Wil
"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
Compared to the second green sword, Glenn's third sword was even more powerful. As it descended, accompanied by the fury of a fire dragon, it carried the destructive force of a world-shattering storm.Fenley, whose energy flow was disrupted earlier, watched the fiery red long sword streak toward like a falling meteor. His heart raced and was gripped by a sudden sense of impending doom.With a roar, he risked the backlash effect and unleashed a powerful surge of internal energy. The ethereal divine spirit behind him instantly transformed into a figure with three heads and six arms. This was the complete form of the Four Elements of God's Technique.At that instant, he threw everything he had into the fight. He controlled the spirit to slam its giant arms into the flaming sword. With a loud explosion, the sword tore through the spirit's palms and continued its unyielding path toward Fenley. But its speed had slowed slightly.Without hesitation, he controlled the spirit to strike ag
When the spectators heard the match was about to begin, the excitement reached a fever pitch. Half of them cheered for Fenley while the other half chanted Glenn's name. Both were the Chosen Ones, and their popularity was undeniable. Everyone had been waiting for their face-off in the battle ring.Though Fenley ranked slightly below Glenn on the Legendary List, his fame and influence as the successor to the Celestial Alliance's guildmaster outshined Glenn's. Ultimately, the question of who was stronger could only be answered in the ring."I've been waiting for this day, Glenn." Fenley stared at him intently. His voice was powerful and commanding. He continued, "Others say I'm not your equal, but I refuse to believe it. Today, we'll find out whether your sword is faster or if my Four Elements of God's Technique is superior.""The moment you said that, you've already lost. Your doubt shows you lack the confidence to defeat me," Glenn replied calmly. If this were a fight-to-the-deat
After the quarterfinals, it was time for a break. With noon approaching, contestants and spectators needed food and water to recharge. An hour later, the venue was buzzing with excitement again as Oron stepped onto the battle ring. He was accompanied by a Sacred Wrym Summit disciple, who carried a black box filled with numbered balls."It's almost time. I'd like to invite the top four contestants to the ring to draw lots," Oron announced as he surveyed the crowd.Amidst a wave of enthusiastic applause, four figures ascended the battle ring one after another. First in line was Glenn, with Fenley right behind him, followed by Abigail and Dustin."Sir, we're in the semifinals. Good luck!" Abigail winked playfully at Dustin as she stepped into the ring."You too," he replied with a smile.Given Abigail's strength, her odds against Glenn were slim. However, if she faced Fenley, she would have a solid chance at victory.After all, Fenley had only just broken through to the ultimate g