This was the start of the Martial Arts Challenge of Capital City, Bactria.There were only two days left before the challenge started, and Chase finally left his secret realm. He appeared in Herb Hall.Compared to before, Herb Hall was now much livelier.This was especially after Bactria Express released a statement with the nine top sects. Besides Chase, there would be three other defenders in Herb Hall. Many people had arrived in the hopes of becoming a defender of Herb Hall.A few days had passed, and the three other defenders had been chosen.Chase saw three people at Skylar's quarters."These are the three young, talented people who emerged at the top from the matches. This is Chase Collins. The four of you will represent Herb Hall, and I hope that you'll be able to emerge at the top. It's going to be harder on you, Chase, because you need to lead them. Come on, you should get to know each other," Skylar said casually.There were two men and one woman. Chase did not know wh
"Can we attack another arena?""That wasn't specified, but I think we can. The other defenders might consider us weak and easily bullied, and they might make a targeted attack on us, which is not impossible.""Who did you three initially decide to be the first to defend our arena?" Chase asked the three of them."We had initially decided for Stan to take the first shift. He had requested it as well. You might not know this, Chase, but Stan got to where he is today through his own hard work at cultivating. He achieved his cultivation level by facing various challenges. He doesn't fear being challenged by another fighter, but if you want to be the first to be in the arena, that's fine with us as well."Summer had a good impression of Stan."That's fine. I'm good with your decision."Chase did not mind the arrangement. He knew from the moment he met them that all three of them were not his match. If that was so, there was no reason to win a fight over people whom the three of them c
Chase approached Nikolai alone to prove his thoughts.It was a strange feeling. Chase could clearly sense that he was just an ordinary man. There were no fluctuations in his body, and he was just the same as any other ordinary person out there, but Chase had to find out for sure."Nikolai?" Chase called out cautiously.The man who looked like Nikolai ignored him.Chase decided not to bother the man further when he was ignored.However, the man called out to him the moment Chase turned around."Why would you doubt yourself when you've already recognized me?""It is you, Nikolai. Why did you leave the Salvatores' secret realm and come here?"Chase was surprised but bewildered at the same time."Leave? I never left. I've been waiting for you to do business.""Oh? What business is this?"Chase got interested at the mention of a business opportunity."I'm preparing to put up bets for this challenge. I'm placing a bet on you as the upcoming champion. Try to refrain from revealing
When Chase returned to Basalt's base, he found out more information about the other arenas' defenders from Trek.The Basalt's army was also keeping close tabs on this challenge.Chase did not expect his unintentional action at Herb Hall to have resulted in such a large-scale martial arts challenge.However, Chase was quite happy to see this happening.The Webers' arena already had four defenders picked. Chase found out that one of them was Herbert, whom he had met once before, and another was Link Scovel, who was also a White Tiger Guard. As for the other two defenders, Chase had no idea who they were.As for the Sosa Clan's arena, rumor had it that a woman was one of their defenders.It was said that anyone who saw the woman would be stunned by how beautiful she was. Since the arenas were set up, no one had ever heard the woman speak. Everyone who had challenged her was defeated, and she had yet to lose.If it were not for the rule of picking out four defenders per arena, the w
"You probably don't know this. Their first defender is Stan Mallard. I heard that he defeated several competitors during the preliminary rounds at Herb Hall before he managed to become one of the four defenders." Someone would immediately reveal what they knew the moment a question was asked."Wow, you have lots of insider news. Do you know who's the first defender for the Webers?"When someone was able to answer, another person quickly asked a question he was interested in. No one cared if the news was true or false. Everyone was just there to entertain themselves."That man's name is Link Scovel. It took him several difficult fights to become a defender, just like that defender from Herb Hall. They're both powerhouses who came out of nowhere," the man who answered seemed to have a good source of information."What about that guy from the Sosa Clan?" another man asked."He's Earl Laker. I heard he became a defender after only being in one fight. He's not one to underestimate."
Stan thought it was a good thing that Kamal admitted defeat readily and got out of the arena."Anyone else who wants a fight with me can feel free to get into the arena. Even though the rules state that we have to rest an hour after every fight, I'm just getting warmed up. Anyone is welcome to fight me."Stan called out with great energy while the atmosphere was still buzzing from his fight. No one dared to get into the arena.Chase lost interest in watching after that. No one else challenged the other three arenas either, and it seemed like everyone was taking their time on the first day. No one wanted to be the first to fight and reveal their strength to those coming after. Chase decided to get Trek to look out for anything that might happen while he returned to the base to rest and conserve energy.It was expected that everyone was reserved on the first day. Not many people got into the arenas, and they were almost empty. After Stan fought Kamal, another person came forward to
The fight went on for a long time, but Bard was not able to defeat Summer. He gathered his strength to use one last major move to take Summer down and give Herb Hall a bad start to this match. They would lose their reputation, and it would be even better if he could defeat all their defenders and maim them all right there.Summer might be an elite of the Obscure Sun Clan, but she was a woman, after all. Her moves were all soft and fluid, better used for restraining the opponent. Bard was a top disciple from his sect, just like her. Summer knew that things were about to turn bad for her.Even though the opponent was only casually attacking, Summer found it increasingly difficult to keep up. By the looks of how he was fighting, she could not help thinking that he was clearly preparing a major attack on her."I'm done for. I can't hold on much longer. If I let him defeat me, I might end up like Stan Mallard and get maimed by this man even if I don't die.""Looks like Miss Summer Lyman
There was a loud explosion followed by a flash of blinding light. Everyone shook their heads."That's the end of another talented genius in the world. What a pity. She was a pretty lady too," someone said with a pitiful look on his face."The Floating Cloud Sect doesn't know how to treat a lady right." "I bet you didn't know that the Floating Cloud Sect doesn't care for people like her. Sylph Clinton from the Floating Cloud Sect is just as good as she was."Someone among the crowd clearly looked down on the Obscure Sun Clan."Why would you need to go so far when she has already admitted defeat?" Chase asked calmly. He was in a long, green shirt and standing in front of Summer. He slowly put down his hand.His other hand was held protectively around Summer, who was behind him. His shirt billowed in the air naturally."Who are you? What right do you have to be in this arena?" Bard looked like he had seen a ghost.Bard knew how powerful his attack had been.However, this person
"That's right! Kill him!"The remaining warriors gritted their teeth, their faces twisting with rage as they spread out and surrounded Chase.Although they were wary of Chase's strength, there was not a trace of fear in their expressions."I don't enjoy killing unnecessarily," Chase said calmly as his gaze swept across the group. "If you leave now, I promise not to harm any of you.""Stop wasting your breath!" the bearded man roared. Brandishing a long blade, he charged at Chase. "Kill him! Kill this beast!"In an instant, icy flashes of blade light sliced toward Chase.These attackers, all at the mid-stage of martial god, unleashed their sharpest attacks without hesitation. Each move was deadly and decisive, aiming to give Chase no chance to retaliate.However, Chase simply raised his palm and struck. With each punch, he unleashed an overwhelming force that shattered all the incoming blades of light.The last attacker was blasted into the air, coughing up a mouthful of blood b
'This place must have more monsters. I'll return later to collect them. If other warriors grab the spoils, it'll be a huge loss,' Chase thought to himself.He stood up, his gaze sweeping across the distant warriors. "Scram," he said coldly.At that moment, the sound of rushing wind echoed in the distance. Eight warriors dashed forward at incredible speed, landing near Chase in the blink of an eye.These eight individuals were all martial gods, and among them were two particularly powerful elders who had already reached the mid-stage of martial god.The two leading figures radiated the most imposing aura. One wore a purple crown while the other had a thick beard and piercing, sinister eyes."Where's Lysander? What happened to him?" the bearded man demanded."He's dead," Chase replied indifferently."What?! Who dares to kill him?!" The bearded man erupted in rage, his eyes burning with fury as he glared at Chase.The other warriors were equally shocked. Lysander, an early-stage m
Lysander's body trembled as he gathered all the martial god energy within him, channeling it into his legs. He unleashed a flurry of kicks, each imbued with the force of his energy.At that moment, Lysander appeared like a masterful fighter. His movements were sharp and relentless.Each kick was faster than the last, and every punch carried a force that could shatter mountains as it slammed into the wild tiger's abdomen.The tiger howled in pain as its massive body slid several feet to the side. Its stomach was dented and bleeding profusely.However, Lysander's situation deteriorated rapidly. His body was drenched in blood, and his injuries became critical.The tiger lunged again, its jaws clamping down on Lysander's shoulder with a sickening crunch. Bones shattered, and blood sprayed in all directions, soaking his clothes."Help me!" Lysander cried out desperately."Run! Just run!" shouted the remaining martial artists who had not gotten far.The scene resembled a nightmare, l
The next day, Chase continued his journey.Suddenly, the ground began to tremble violently. In Chase's line of sight, a massive tiger-leopard hybrid came barreling toward him, its enormous paws smashing trees into splinters as it charged forward.This beast was akin to a martial god-level wild tiger, with a hulking frame, fur as tough as iron, and an aura radiating intense negative energy.The wild tiger let out a deafening roar. Its soundwaves reverberated in all directions, shaking the earth and instilling sheer terror in anyone who heard it."Damn it! That beast is back again!" a young martial artist cursed through gritted teeth.His left arm hung limp, shattered, and his chest bore a gruesome gash. He had nearly died from the tiger's earlier attack."Run! If we don't run now, we're dead!"The remaining five or six young martial artists turned and fled in panic.This wild tiger's strength was overwhelmingly powerful. Even elite martial god-level warriors would avoid a direct
The giant ape's massive club swept through the air, creating a terrifying gust that caused the crowns of nearby ancient trees to tremble violently.Meanwhile, Chase executed the techniques of his secret codex with agile movements. His figure flashed like lightning as he dodged the attack with precision.He surged forward without hesitation and delivered a fierce punch directly to the ape's abdomen.This strike was even more powerful than before, twisting the ape's intestines into a mess and splattering blood across the ground.The giant ape howled in anguish, thrashing wildly in an attempt to shake off its pain.Out of the corner of his eye, Chase noticed a crimson serpent coiled nearby. It slithered sinuously, measuring around ten feet long, with a body that released a pungent stench.The snake's cold, piercing gaze was fixed on Chase. It emanated a chilling sense of oppression. Its forked tongue flicked out menacingly as it launched itself at him.Chase's expression hardened.
The massive ape spread its enormous wings that spanned 25 feet in width, creating a dark shadow that blocked out the sunlight like two great black clouds.The ape let out a deafening bellow, a primal roar that resonated with the ferocity of an ancient beast.In an instant, the surrounding area—nearly 300 feet in radius—was swept by fierce winds. Sand whirled through the air, grass was uprooted, and trees swayed violently as their branches rattled and leaves scattered.The air was heavy with a menacing energy."A monster!" Chase muttered, narrowing his eyes as he took a defensive stance.The aura emanating from this creature was suffocating, its strength comparable to that of a martial god at its peak."Perfect! Let this serve as a lesson to all those fools that I'm not someone to be trifled with!"Chase launched himself forward without hesitation, closing the distance with the towering beast.His fist collided with the air, creating a sharp sonic boom that reverberated through
A sharp blade appeared in Chase's hand.This was a spiritual artifact named Azure Edge, forged by a renowned swordsmith after considerable expense and effort.A flash of cold light swept across, instantly felling over a dozen ghostly creatures.They stood no chance against Chase's strikes. Their throats were slit, and their heads separated cleanly from their bodies.A crimson crystal dropped into Chase's palm.It appeared unremarkable at first glance, but it contained a thick, viscous vitality and was more potent than ordinary blood. A faint spiritual essence seemed to pulse within it, emanating an almost sentient energy."Is this a ghost crystal?" Chase's eyes lit up with excitement.He immediately sat down cross-legged, focusing on restoring his depleted vitality.Within his core, his Sea of True Energy roiled and churned. Vitality surged as waves of energy coursed through his bloodstream, refining his muscles and bones."This ghost crystal is incredible. It's allowing my bo
Chase's pupils contracted as he sensed the impending danger.He unleashed a barrage of punches in an instant, executing the most powerful technique from the Dominion Codex.The void trembled and cracked as Chase staggered back several steps. Despite the force of his strikes, his attack barely grazed the massive beast's claws, leaving only minor scratches.The beast howled furiously, its eyes filled with unrestrained violence.Chase fixed his gaze on it, and he asked in a wary tone, "Who… or what are you?"The creature's aura was pure savagery. Its heavy, steel-like scales were nearly impenetrable. Chase's full-strength attacks barely left a mark, let alone inflicted critical damage.The beast let out a deafening roar and leaped forward, spewing a foul, dark liquid at Chase.Where the liquid hit the ground, it immediately began to corrode, releasing an acrid stench. The substance seeped into the soil like acid, causing nearby plants to wither and die almost instantly.Chase reac
"Damn it! What kind of mysterious medicine is this? The pain is unbearable!"Moments later, Chase calmed down, and his expression was dazed as he muttered to himself, "That scene… Could it have been an illusion?"Chase refused to believe it was merely an illusion. After all, if it were, how could he have seen that towering, majestic mountain?That night, Chase stayed in the cave instead of leaving. He continued to study the Dominion Codex, determined to master the technique as quickly as possible and ascend to a higher realm.…Meanwhile, a man clad in armor stood suspended in the air in another location.The man's posture was upright, his features sharp and striking, with eyes as deep and vast as the cosmos. He exuded an overwhelming aura of sharpness and power."So, it was an illusion?"The man frowned slightly, sensing a faint aura belonging to the Ghost King bloodline emanating from Chase. This discovery puzzled him."Something feels off," he murmured. "This human's bloodl