"Hurry! Let's head over to the banquet hall!" Hector ordered immediately."No need. I've taken care of it." Dustin emerged from the darkness. His white clothes were stained red as some murderous air lingered on him. "That's good." Hector sighed in relief before asking, "Dustin, did you catch sight of the Dark Lord?""Not yet?" Dustin shook his head. "As long as the Dark Lord is alive, our family will be in danger. All members of the Harmon family, listen up! Split yourself into groups of five and root him out!" Hector commanded. "There's no need for that. I'm already here." Just then, a sinister voice spoke out. Everyone turned and saw a man standing proudly on the gazebo nearby. He wore a black cape and a mask that covered half of his face. The air surrounding the man was so poisonous that the ring of plants around him had already withered. Even the snow that fell on his body turned black. "The Dark Lord?" The Harmon family instantly had their guards up and their weapons
"What?" Everyone was shocked as they watched Dylan land on the ground. The way he had leaped into the air tricked everyone into thinking that he had a winning chance against the Dark Lord. However, his opponent was able to get rid of him effortlessly, shocking the crowd. "Dylan!" Jacob paled. He rushed over to hold his son up. "I slipped, Dad …" Dylan forced out before his head fell to one side as he passed out. Jacob was tongue-tied. He couldn't believe how stubborn his son was. "How could he act so foolishly when he's so weak? Does the Harmon family have no one else to send?" At the gazebo, the Dark Lord sneered at them scornfully. "Don't be cocky. We'll deal with you!" A voice was heard as nine people emerged from the group of people. There was a mix of men and women, as each of them were powerful fighters well-known in the martial world. Without doing much, they gave off immense pressure on those around them. "To tell you the truth, these are skilled martial artists we hi
As if they had been struck by a train, the remaining five fighters were brutally thrown backward and landed in a pile of snow. Some died, while others were severely injured, and none of them were able to stand up again. "What? The nine fighters lost?" The Harmon family was devastated to see that the skilled fighters they spent a hefty amount to hire hadn't even been able to touch a hair on the Dark Lord's head. "Who's up next?" The Dark Lord stood at the same gazebo, and he peered down at those useless fools. "Even those nine fighters lost to him. There's no way anyone could win against him." The Harmon family exchanged fearful glances, none of them daring to step forward. Was this the end of the Harmon family?"The two of us will have some fun with you, Dark Lord." Suddenly, a grave voice broke the silence. Everyone turned to see two shadows emerging from the sky, nimbly making their way toward them. They moved as stealthily as a cat, making it hard for others to spot them.
"Hmph, foolish brat!" Caelus glanced at Dustin and sneered. "What would a stupid pig like you know about Sir Leon's strength? You could never even hope to reach his level!""Dustin, Sir Leon is a semi-Grandmaster. You shouldn't talk about things you don't know. Others might laugh at you," Ivy grumbled in displeasure."She's right. You should watch how Sir Leon takes his opponent down!" Maria echoed. All of them saw Dustin as someone who liked to talk others down to make himself feel good. The Dark Lord might be a powerful person, but he was still a Divine-level martial artist, which was nowhere near the level of a semi-Grandmaster."Let's hope things turn out the way you're hoping they will," Dustin simply responded. He's said everything he needed to say. If he said anymore, he would just make a fool of himself. "Sir Leon, I think he's right. If you're too scared to fight me alone, you can ask your leader to join the battle. Otherwise, you might suffer an embarrassing loss," The D
It had only taken the Dark Lord two seconds to defeat Herman and Leon. "What?" Everyone exclaimed, flabbergasted. No one had expected the two semi-Grandmasters to lose so terribly to the Dark Lord. "Master Herman!" Terrified, Caelus, Ivy, and Maria dashed toward their mentor. Herman and Leon were severely injured; they bled profusely from their noses, and they couldn't get back onto their feet. "How is this possible? The leader of the Invincible Guardians actually lost?" The Harmon family couldn't believe their eyes. The two semi-Grandmasters had been their final trump card, and they'd thought they'd have a winning chance against the Dark Lord, yet the latter had eventually won, which begged the question: if the Dark Lord was stronger than Herman and Leon, which Harmon family member would stand a chance against him?"If the two of you had come at me together, you could have won against me. Unfortunately, your confidence and pride blinded you." The Dark Lord peered down at them.
"Draw your weapons and fight!" Hector bellowed, his determined gaze psyching the rest of the family up. "Fuck, let's do this!""Charge!"The Harmon family yelled and drew their weapons. Their conflict with the Dark Lord had been going on for years, and there was no way he would let them go easily. So, they might as well give it their best shot if they were going to die. "You pests dare challenge me? You will all die!" The Dark Lord's expression hardened. "Hector, since you're being so stubborn, I'll turn this place into a bloodbath today!" He slowly pulled his hand back before slapping the ground harshly. Instantly, the ground shook, and snow exploded everywhere. A huge shadow palm fell from the sky and onto the Harmon family members, making it hard for them to breathe or even move. They realized that when their opponent was a Grandmaster martial artist, they couldn't even run if they wanted to."Hmm …" Dustin frowned. He was just about to make his move when a pebble shot towa
"How is that possible?" Everyone's jaws dropped. Even Herman hadn't been able to withstand a single strike from the Dark Lord, so how was the feeble old man still standing?"I—is this really happening? Mr. Robinson blocked the attack with his body?" Jacob's eyes were wide. "Holy shit! When did he become so powerful?" Trent gulped, his face stunned in disbelief. Although Hector didn't say anything, the shock was written all over his face."I didn't know there was someone so strong in the Harmon family!" Herman and Leon were secretly in awe. Even if the Dark Lord hadn't used all his might, his attack was still more than what most people could withstand. "What?" The Dark Lord staggered backward, flabbergasted. He had used eighty percent of his strength just now, yet Mr. Robinson had blocked his attack like it was nothing. "You should stop now." Mr. Robinson shook his head, a clear warning in his eyes."Shut up! I'm going to kill you!" The Dark Lord's gaze hardened. He took out a
"Michael Robinson?" As soon as everyone heard the name, their jaws dropped in shock. Michael Robinson, one of the five ultimate grandmasters in Balerno, was just as renowned as Paul Hill and was a legendary figure with an amazing reputation. Ten years ago, he single-handedly defended Westward Fortress by himself. He defeated three foreign ultimate grandmasters and repelled tens of thousands of enemies from breaking in. With him alone as defense, his opponents hadn't been able to step a single foot in, and this battle had made him famous. In a short year, word of his achievements spread far and wide, making him known as one of the strongest people in Balerno. No one expected the same person, who had gone missing for years, to suddenly appear here as an ordinary family servant. It showed that one should never judge a book by its cover."Mr. Robinson is the Grandmaster Michael Robinson? How is that possible?" Hector was dismayed. Michael Robinson was their family's ultimate trump c
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