The voice surprised all three of them. They looked over to where the voice came from, only to see Dustin standing on the platform in the middle of the lake. He had his hands behind his back, looking totally composed."Hey, brat. What did you just say? I didn't catch you." Alan's eyes narrowed, squinting at Dustin."I said the three of you should fight me together. That will save us a lot of time, and you won't have to fight over who fights the match. Wouldn't that be better?" Dustin asked calmly.An uproar broke out among the crowd."Fuck! Is the bastard out of his mind? How dare he be so arrogant?""Does he have a death wish? How could he challenge three experts who rank among the top ten of the Heavenly Immortals?""Hah! He doesn't know what he's getting himself into!"The crowd pointed at Dustin and commented among themselves. They looked at him like he was out of his mind."Jared, is the fella out of his mind? He doesn't even stand a chance against them. How dare he chall
"Hah! What a bold statement! I'd like to see what you're capable of!"Alan couldn't hold back any longer. He took a step forward, raising his broadsword high. Then, he brought it down at full force, slashing mercilessly at Dustin.It was a powerful strike, almost possessing a force capable of splitting the earth. As the broadsword slashed toward Dustin, the lake surrounding the platform rippled from the force."Impressive swordplay!"The onlookers were surprised. The Heavenly Immortals lived up to their name. It was amazing how just a casual move had such terrifying power.Dustin shook his head. Instead of backing off, he pressed forward. While dodging the strike, he threw a heavy punch at Alan."That was quick!"Alan's eyes narrowed as he reflexively blocked the punch with the back of his broadsword. Dustin's fist landed heavily on the sword, making a dull thud.Instantly, Alan was sent flyings several feet away, his sword still in hand. When he landed, he needed a few moments
Alan attacked straight on while Lexi supported him from the side. They worked in perfect unison, each move aiming to kill.In a match between experts, the outcome was never certain. Hence, they needed to gain the upper hand.Dustin remained impassive and focused on dodging the oncoming attacks from both sides.His focus was on Torres. The cold and murderous intent radiating from him was impossible to ignore.For an assassin to be ranked among the top ten Heavenly Immortals proved that he was far from normal.Though he appeared weak and sickly, that was a front to deceive his enemies. He would strike mercilessly once there was an opportunity, making even grandmasters wary.Alan's broadsword slashed wildly in the arena, making loud whooshing sounds.Attacks came relentlessly at Dustin from both sides. Their movements disturbed the water around them so much that the fishes leaped up in alarm.Dustin moved swiftly, dodging left and right to escape their attacks. But in the eyes of
"I—" Joel started but stopped himself. In the end, he just sighed.If he had not experienced it, he would have found it hard to believe that Balerno had such a fearful talent too.Over in the arena, the match got heated.Alan and Lexi gave everything they had. They initially started out attacking full-on, pursuing Dustin relentlessly. But as time went on, they began to feel something was amiss. They couldn't reach Dustin, no matter how they attacked or surrounded him.He moved around like a ghost, and they could not touch him. He would evade their fatal strikes whenever they thought they would hit him.They could pin it on luck if it happened only once or twice. But it was different when it happened multiple times.It was as if the two of them were not attacking but rather being led on. It felt terrible, and the two began to panic.They knew that if that went on, they would exhaust their true energy. And when that happened, they would be entirely at Dustin's mercy."Torres! W
Lexi was shocked when she saw Alan beheaded.Torres' ruthlessness was beyond her expectations. Who would have thought that he'd kill someone on a whim?They didn't even have any serious conflicts beforehand. The only conflict of interest they shared was who would compete in the match first.They had no grudge between them and were on the same side. Lexi could not comprehend why Torres would do such a thing."It's your turn now." Torres smirked, sticking his tongue out to lick the blood off his knife. He looked like a psychopath!"Why are you doing this? We haven't got any grudges between us. Why can't you show us some mercy?" Lexi was terrified. She struggled with all her might, but as she was paralyzed by the poison, she could not escape."I do not need a reason to wipe out you Dragonmarshians, especially talents like you! The more of the likes of you that die, the better! Now, go to hell!" With that, he aimed the knife at Lexi.Suddenly, a silver needle flew toward Torres
Torres' dagger was made of darksteel, which was virtually indestructible.Stabbing someone with the dagger should have been like a knife cutting through butter. Then, why had he not been able to harm Dustin? Who exactly was he?"Are you still going to put up a fight?" Dustin slowly turned around to face him, his gaze sharp."Go to hell!" Torres took a step back, creating distance between them. At the same time, he threw a volley of poisoned darts at Dustin. They rained down on him instantly.With a cold expression, Dustin simply brushed them away with a wave of his hand.With a whoosh, Dustin reflected all the darts at Torres.Unable to dodge in time, most of the poisoned darts hit Torres. He fell to the ground on the spot.As he tried to get up, Dustin placed his foot on Torres' chest, pinning him. Torres could not move."Spill! Who on earth are you?" Dustin looked down at him, an impassive look in his eyes."I'm someone you cannot afford to cross. So get the hell off me an
"No way! The experts from the Glenstead martial arts alliance lost? What is going on?""Who on earth is this person? He went up against three of them alone and still emerged victorious?""No! That's impossible! How can a nobody defeat three Heavenly Immortals?"Chaos broke out among the crowd when they saw the result of the match.Everyone was shocked and in disbelief. Nobody could accept that an unknown martial artist defeated three of the top ten Heavenly Immortals."How did this happen? How could we have lost?" Conrad stared, wide-eyed in disbelief. Over the years, he had experienced many things. But when faced with such an unbelievable outcome, he still found it hard to remain calm. It had seemed sure that they would win, so how did things turn out this way? "What on earth happened just now?" Brutus frowned, still in disbelief.Over in the arena, one was poisoned, one had their head severed, and another's chest exploded. The three Heavenly Immortals were dead and wounde
Conrad was so furious that he walked away without a word."Glenstead martial arts alliance got off to a good start. But in the end, the tables turned, and they lost. How embarrassing!"The crowd that supported the Glenstead martial arts alliance left in a huff. Glenstead martial arts alliance had lost in a three-to-one match. It was too shameful for them to stay on any longer.This year's tournament had twists and turns. In the end, Dustin emerged as the dark horse. He, alone, brought the Balerno martial arts alliance to victory.From that moment, he became the most sought-after talent who was respected and welcomed by all.Ronald set up a huge feast at the alliance headquarters to celebrate their victory. Many guests were invited to the event, and Dustin was inevitably the star of the night. Countless martial arts experts and seniors in the field turned up to congratulate him. Dustin was pushed into the spotlight.The grand celebratory party was held in the lounge of the allia
"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
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