Looking at the black sword in Dustin's hand, everyone was astonished. It was simply unbelievable.They had tried hard to pull the sword out, but none succeeded. And now, it came out by itself and flew straight into Dustin's hand.The most shocking thing was that Dustin hadn't touched it the entire time!He had simply pointed two fingers at it and made a lifting motion through the air. The sword seemed to have sensed him beckoning it, so it launched out of the ground and landed straight in his hand.But why?They had put in so much effort and thoroughly tried to get it out, all to no avail.Why did the sword come to Dustin just because he had motioned to it?Was the sword discriminating against them? Or had it simply ignored them?"No! No way! How could it have been so simple for him?" Nathan's eyes widened in disbelief.Even Master Chasey had not been able to pull the sword out! Why had it gone to Dustin of its own will? What was going on?"Oh my goodness! Am I seeing things?
This old geezer was abandoning his morals for his gain. He was greedy to make the sword his."Young man, let me make this clear. I'm not asking for your opinion," Walter said coldly. "Like they say, an innocent man will become a target if he possesses a prized possession. This sword isn't suitable for you. "Give it to me, and you can uphold your honor.""Sir Chasey, it sounds like you're threatening me." Dustin narrowed his eyes."I'm just giving you advice—a wise man understands his circumstances. You're still young, and you'll have many more opportunities. "You don't have to destroy your future over a sword, don't you think?" Walter continued.He was determined to get the sword at all costs. He would have done this long ago if he didn't care about his reputation."Master Chasey, the sword chose its wielder. Dustin is fated to have this sword. What you're doing isn't right, don't you think?" Emily frowned.She never thought her righteous master would completely turn his ba
"Go on, pull it out if you can."Dustin didn't want to waste his breath any longer. He tossed the sword back to its original spot and walked out the stone doors.There were three stone doors in the stone room. Dustin simply chose one and entered.He didn't prolong the situation for Emily's and Vanessa's sake. Instead, he chose to go his separate way.After all, it wasn't like Walter could retrieve the sword. There was no harm in leaving the sword here.The most important thing was the Shadowbloom.Once he found the Shadowbloom, he could still return and get the sword."Stop right there, punk!" As Walter watched Dustin walk away, his anger flared. He raised his hand and was about to deliver a lethal blow."Stop!" At that moment, Vanessa suddenly jumped between them.Walter jumped in fright. Afraid that he would accidentally injure his daughter, he stopped himself.Ultimately, he watched Dustin and the two others slowly walk into the darkness."Stupid girl, how dare you go a
"Sir, we're not disciples of the Jade Maiden Sisterhood. Should we pray?" Abigail asked."We should respect the dead," Dustin said, nodding.Iris was a great legend. Although she already passed, she deserved to be respected."Okay." Abigail agreed. She kneeled in front of the stone tablet and kowtowed.Suddenly, the stone tablet began rumbling. It sunk into the earth and disappeared.Then, an exquisite box emerged from the stone tablet's original spot."Sir, there's something here!" Abigail's eyes lit up, and she immediately opened the box.A golden pearl was Inside the wooden box. It was dazzling and sparkling.The golden liquid inside was spinning like a whirlpool. It was absorbing the spiritual energy from its surroundings."Oh my gosh, is this the Celestial Pearl?!" Azalea's eyes grew wide with shock.Even the ever-composed Dustin was surprised.He never thought the box would contain a legendary sacred relic of the martial world—the Celestial Pearl!"What's a Celestial
Seeing the two of them fight non-stop, Azalea couldn't stand it anymore. "If neither of you wants it, why don't you give it to me?"If she was shameless enough, they might give it to her."Don't be stupid!" Dustin glared at her. He forced the Celestial Pearl back into Abigail's pocket and said, "Take care of it. This treasure chose you. If you push it back, I'll be mad!""Oh … okay, then. I'll use it for a while, then give it to you." After hesitating, Abigail still decided to keep it close to her.She thought that once she grew stronger, she could help Dustin more.When she touched the Celestial Pearl, she could feel a cooling energy flow into her body and her core. It empowered her internal energy and strengthened her circulatory pathways.If this continued, she would have another breakthrough within three to five days.Her cultivation speed was advancing fast!"Alright, let's look around. Do you see any Shadowblooms here?"Without wasting time, Dustin began searching all
Abigail was shocked. She hid behind Azalea, trembling. She was fearless in most aspects, but supernatural stuff scared her. "Who are you?" Dustin frowned, his face hardened.He was caught off guard. But the fact that the person could push him back with a single palm strike proved their strength. The person before him was definitely an ultimate grandmaster! "This is my tomb. Who do you think I am?" The mist surrounding the figure dissipated. Soon, they saw the face of a white-haired woman with a youthful appearance appear before them. She possessed a beauty that could captivate nations. Even with white hair, her face looked like she didn't age. Her deep eyes seemed to have witnessed and seen all of life's experiences through everything. "Your tomb?" Dustin was stunned. His expression then shifted. "Are you Iris Meskill?""Iris Meskill?" Even Abigail and Azalea were stunned, their face full of disbelief. Didn't Iris die 50 years ago? Why was she alive? What was happ
At the same time Dustin broke through a new realm, Iris' killing palm strike was about to land on him. Dustin couldn't evade in time and had to face her head-on. Similarly, he extended a palm strike. The moment their palms met, an explosion rang out. Dustin flew back like a cannonball. He crashed into the wall behind him, leaving a human-shaped dent in.The entire chamber shook, causing stones to fall. Dustin felt a sharp pain in his throat and spat a mouthful of blood. His complexion turned pale. "Sir!" Abigail's expression shifted.She was about to rush up to help but was grabbed by Azalea. Azalea knew they had no place in a fight of that magnitude. Iris was already a revered figure 50 years ago. After years of seclusion, she was now invincible, a true immortal of earth! It was impressive that Dustin wasn't killed on the spot before such a terrifying figure. "You are skilled. Unfortunately, you are too young. "Leave. I don't wish to kill you," Iris said indiff
Dustin felt his chest collapse. He was thrown high into the air before crashing heavily onto the ground. He spat out a third mouthful of blood that landed in a splat far from him. It was a horrifying sight. "Sir!" Abigail screamed. Her eyes reddened, her face full of grief and anger. She wanted to rush forward, but Azalea held her tight. So, she could only watch as Dustin suffered. "One more step … just one more step … Natasha is still waiting for me. I can't fall now!" After collecting himself, Dustin clenched his teeth. Swaying unsteadily, he forced his battered body to stand upright. He was trembling and weak. He was like a flickering candle that would go out at any moment. "Sir, just give up! Let's give up the Shadowbloom. If you continue like this, you will die!" Abigail was anxious as tears started flowing. She could tell that Dustin was already at his limit. Another strike, and he would be dead. Drip, drip, drip …Dustin remained determined. He straightened
Under the watchful eyes of the audience, Dustin and Glenn stepped onto the battle ring. They stood about 30 feet apart, and their eyes locked across the distance. Their gazes met like sparks, and they could feel the weight of the other's stare."Are you Logan?" Glenn asked, breaking the silence.He had heard the rumors about this dark horse before stepping into the ring, but now that he was facing him, he wasn't sure."Who I am doesn't matter. What matters is who wins this fight." Dustin didn't confirm or deny it, but his words left Glenn with no doubt.Both men were at the top of the Legendary List and held equal rank on the Champ-Tier List. Until they fought, no one could say who was the stronger of the two."I heard you're Seth's disciple, so I'm really looking forward to this." Glenn's gaze sharpened.Many years ago, his mentor, Cyrus, was defeated by Seth. That loss had always haunted Cyrus ever since. Now, with the disciples of both men about to face off, Glenn was determin
"Since Madam Penelope has spoken, I’ll follow her lead," Alloy said with a smile. "What about Mr. Hadley and Sage Foyer?""I'm in if you want to make a bet," Cyrus replied coolly."It's not every day we get an opportunity like this. Let me stir things up a bit." Kaden nodded with a grin.Once the three had agreed, Penelope waved for Abigail to come over.Soon, Abigail approached them with a wide grin. "Esteemed guests, I hear you want to bet. The current odds are—bet on Dustin to win, and you'll get 1.6 times your stake. Bet on Glenn, and it's only 0.4."She continued, "And no worries—if you win, I'll exchange your winnings for celestial stones." Abigail smiled brightly, and the other parties' eyes gleamed with the unmistakable shine of greed.Many had already placed their bets with her. Though she couldn't control the match's outcome, she knew how to adjust the odds to her advantage. Over time, that could turn into a huge fortune."I'm betting on Glenn to win." Cyrus quickly
"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