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
"Grand Sorceress, these... These treasures are far too valuable. I don't think I can accept them." Azalea was taken aback when she looked at the dazzling array of treasures before her.When Abigail had previously given her the Elysian Amulet and Gerandium, it had already stirred up some dissent. If she accepted these as well, she would undoubtedly become the target of envy and resentment among the Mystic Arts Order disciples."Valuable? I earned all these from the betting pool that I set up. I didn't spend a dime. Just take them, and don't worry about it. If anyone dares to gossip, I'll tear their mouths apart," Abigail said as she looked around.The nearby Mystic Arts Order members were startled and quickly averted their eyes. They pretended not to notice anything.They knew very well what Abigail was capable of. Ever since she became the Grand Sorceress, the first thing she did was clean house within the Mystic Arts Order. She dealt with dissenting voices swiftly and brutally.A
Jermaine's speed was remarkable, and his strikes were swift, like lightning. The spectators barely had time to blink before he was standing in front of George with his steel sword aiming at George's neck.Jermaine, who had fought through a tough Group B contestant, hadn't reached grandmaster level. But he had the strength of one, and this was the source of his confidence.Despite being attacked, George didn't react. He stood there blankly without trying to dodge the attack.Jermaine smirked at the sight. He knew this was the weakness of a big guy with slow speed. Their sluggish reactions made them easy targets for attacks.As expected, his steel sword struck George's neck. But soon, the smile on his face disappeared.The scene he had anticipated, where the strike would separate George's head from his body, didn't happen.Instead, the sword, which was supposed to be indestructible, created a shower of sparks upon hitting George. It was as if Jermaine was striking a hard, dark st
Before Jermaine could react, George grabbed his neck and lifted him with one hand as if picking up a chicken.Jermaine's breath hitched, and his face quickly turned red. He began to struggle frantically, kicking and flailing, but he still couldn't break free.George's grip was like a steel clamp as he tightened it. "You're ridiculously weak." He shook his head and looked at Jermaine disdainfully.Jermaine was so weak that he couldn't even block one of his moves. The worst part was that George had only used a fraction of his strength. George soon lost interest in tormenting such a weak opponent. After all, only strong opponents could stir his excitement. He knew that killing strong foes was the only way he could intimidate the Dragonmarsh martial artists. But now he was disappointed to face such a weak opponent like Jermaine."Shadow Slip!" Faced with the crisis, Jermaine quickly formed a hand seal.His body suddenly shrank, and he slipped out of George's grasp like a boneless
The phantom moved with incredible speed. Wherever it passed, the ground froze, and the air seemed to solidify. Within a ten-yard radius, everything felt trapped in a unique space where objects appeared frozen.George suddenly felt a chill and a sense of impending danger. He didn't dare to be reckless and immediately gathered all his energy to punch the phantom.His punch struck out with the force of thunder, which was incredibly fast. As soon as his fist struck out, a red fist shadow as hot as a flame shot out and hit the phantom.Contrary to George's expectations, the red fist shadow didn't hit the phantom. Instead, it passed through without resistance, as if hitting thin air."Huh?" His eyes widened in surprise. He had never encountered such a strange technique that could disregard his energy. What on earth was that phantom?George shook his shoulders, and his muscles tensed instantly. A red glow enveloped his tanned skin and formed a protective layer.With his physical strengt
"What the hell happened to George? He was defeated by the phantom without putting up a fight. What a disgrace!" Bill scowled at the battered George in the battle ring.Everyone said George was strong and had incredible physical power. Yet, he couldn't even handle a weak martial artist from Dragonmarsh. What a joke!"There's something off about that Dragonmarsh martial artist," Jeremiah said earnestly.He continued, "His attacks are extraordinary. They bypass physical defenses and protective barriers to strike the target's soul. Unfortunately, that is Mr. Burroughs' weak spot."They had expected George to win easily, but he met his nemesis, and the situation looked grim."Soul-targeting attacks? Isn't that similar to vampires' mind control?" Bill said indifferently.He went on, "It may seem impressive, but it's only effective against those with weak mental strength. It's useless against a strong opponent."The problem is George's mental strength is so weak that he's even worse of
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
"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