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
The spear hummed and shimmered with silver light as it exuded a bone-chilling cold. The air began to warp wherever it passed, letting out a sharp, ear-splitting screech.Azalea didn't dare take it head-on. She quickly retreated, and her hands formed intricate signs as she murmured an incantation. She pointed toward Veronica, who was chasing her.The battle ring suddenly erupted with a mass of black vines. These vines, almost as if they possessed a mind of their own, shot up with incredible speed.It wrapped around Veronica's feet and rapidly coiled upward. Within the blink of an eye, her legs, hips, and waist were ensnared entirely. She was immobilized."Huh?" Veronica frowned.She was about to raise her spear to counterattack when two thicker vines shot up from the ground, wrapping around her arms and forcefully pulling them apart. Within seconds, the black vines had her tied up like a prisoner.What was most alarming was the sheer strength of these vines. They were incredibly t
In the stands, someone clenched his fists in frustration as he watched Azalea use the Elysian amulet. It had once been his prized possession, but he had lost it in a bet. The loss stung, and the gambler's fate seemed richly deserved."Madam Penelope, your guild has impressive resources. Even one of your disciples gets to use an Elysian amulet. It's quite enviable." Alloy's tone was laced with subtle probing."When it comes to wealth and influence, the Celestial Alliance takes the lead. We only have a bit of heritage," Penelope said coolly."You're too modest," he responded with a knowing smile. "But if this young disciple has earned your favor, she must be extraordinary. I'm eager to see how she performs.""Your disciples are no pushovers either," she said with a faint smile.Cyrus observed the insincere exchange with a sneer. There was no room for all this pretense in the battle ring, so just get on with the fight."I didn't expect you to have an Elysian amulet?" Veronica's fa
"Not again!" Veronica's face paled.At that moment, the effects of her paralysis started to wear off. She didn't have time to hesitate when she saw the frost arrows descending again. She gripped her spear and spun it wildly, creating a blur of afterimages. Her spear spun like a helicopter rotor, whipping up strong winds that formed a protective barrier about ten feet in front of her. The incoming frost arrows struck the wind barrier with a series of crackling sounds. The impact forced Veronica to stagger backward, and her arms were numb from the force. The Blood Ward she had used earlier had drained her energy significantly. So, now she struggled to keep up when facing Azalea's relentless assault."Void Mire!"While Veronica was still defending against the frost arrows, Azalea performed another hand seal. She crouched and slammed her hand onto the battle ring's surface.Suddenly, a bizarre scene unfolded. The ground beneath Veronica's feet turned soft and swampy, like quicksa
Veronica was unwilling to accept her loss in this match.In terms of raw strength, she was unquestionably stronger than Azalea, with at least an 80% chance of winning in a direct confrontation. But Azalea's arsenal of divine artifacts, pills, and unpredictable techniques made her nearly impossible to defend against.In the end, Veronica was worn down and had no choice but to concede. The frustration gnawed at her."Mr. Marshall, it seems your Celestial Alliance disciples aren't as formidable as they're made out to be," Cyrus said with a smirk.He had been at odds with Alloy for years. They were constantly competing in the open and behind the scenes. Hence, Cyrus was happy to watch Alloy stumble."One unexpected loss doesn't mean much. Besides, your Sword Union may not fare any better," Alloy responded calmly.Veronica was his favorite disciple, so her early defeat blew his pride."Really? Then, let's see who wins in the end." Cyrus smiled. He couldn't wait to see Alloy's reactio
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
"Who the heck is this kid?" Oron glanced at his trembling hands and felt a chill run down his spine. He failed to gain the upper hand in the earlier clash with Dustin and suffered an unexpected setback. He was already an ultimate grandmaster, with a cultivation and mastery of the Glow Incantation that surpassed Caleb's. By all accounts, subduing a younger opponent should have been a piece of cake.But that exchange just now had brought him to a stark realization—Dustin had been holding back this whole time and hadn't used his full strength. Otherwise, Caleb wouldn't have lasted this long.The realization unsettled Oron. There were always extraordinary talents out there, but the potential Dustin had displayed was genuinely terrifying. To put it plainly, he was a beast on the same level as Glenn."What happened? Why did the judge step in?""Can't you see? Caleb has already lost. If the judge hadn't stepped in, that sword would have killed him or left him severely injured.""Exactl
As the Eight Trigrams of Divine Talisman took shape, a massive trigram formation suddenly appeared at the center of the battle ring. It spanned across the ring, whirling and transforming with relentless speed.At that moment, Dustin was standing inside the enchantment circle. He suddenly felt overwhelmed by tremendous pressure. Unlike the crushing force from the Summit Shift talisman that affected his body, this pressure came from his mind. He felt as if he were confined in a cage and unable to escape, regardless of how hard he struggled.Unlike the explosion Caleb had used against Sam, the Eight Trigrams of Divine Talisman now showcased its true power."You shouldn't have given me time to prepare. Your arrogance is your downfall." Caleb let out a sigh of relief upon seeing the enchantment circle in place.The Eight Trigrams of Divine Talisman was powerful but required several seconds to cast—a timeframe that could be deadly against a skilled opponent.During his fight with Sam