The air crackled with tension as Yang Feng made the first move, his body a blur as he lunged toward Ling Yun. His foot connected with Ling Yun's chest, the sheer force of the impact sending Ling Yun skidding backward across the arena floor. The ground beneath Ling Yun's heels cracked under the pressure as he struggled to regain balance, finally coming to a stop just before the arena's edge. He staggered but didn't fall.
Ling Yun wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, glaring at Yang Feng. His chest rose and fell heavily, the pain evident in his strained expression. Yet, his spirit remained unbroken. Before either fighter could act again, a voice from the crowd cut through the tense silence.
"What the hell is going on?" someone shouted.
All heads turned toward the source of the outburst—a young man near the back of the stands, staring wide-eyed at the billboard that displayed the fighters' spiritual readings. The glowing numbers were rising rapidly, their intensity so high that they seemed almost unreal.
"How is the reading that high?" the man asked, his voice quivering with disbelief.
The crowd turned as one to the massive billboard suspended above the arena. The spiritual power readings for both combatants were displayed in bright, flickering numbers. Yang Feng's reading surged far beyond anything the audience had seen before, and even Ling Yun's, though lower, was still astonishingly high for their rank.
The arena erupted into chaos. Gasps, murmurs, and shouts of disbelief filled the air as spectators tried to comprehend what they were witnessing.
"This… this doesn't make sense," Zhao Lei whispered from his seat, his usually composed demeanor replaced with sheer disbelief. His eyes darted between the billboard and the arena below. "There's no way this is normal. Not for new bronze ranks…"
Down on the battlefield, yet another stunning spectacle unfolded. The audience, still reeling from the readings, suddenly noticed something else—Yang Feng had split into two. His figure, once singular and commanding, was now doubled, each copy identical in every way, down to the faint crackles of blue lightning surrounding them.
"It's that his technique?" someone in the crowd murmured. "No way,this newbie reached level 10 already."
The crowd leaned forward in their seats, utterly captivated. On the arena floor, one of Yang Feng's forms engaged the yellow sparrow, dodging its steel feathers with electrifying speed, while the other clashed directly with Ling Yun. The sound of their fists colliding echoed through the air like thunderclaps. To the audience, it was as though the arena had become a ghostly battlefield; the fighters moved too fast for the untrained eye to follow, leaving behind only faint afterimages and the sound of blows.
"Where are they?!" someone in the audience shouted, craning their neck to follow the action.
"It's like they're not even there!" another cried.
Zhao Lei's gaze flickered between the chaotic arena and the billboard. His brows furrowed as he tried to process the scene before him. "They're moving faster than we can see?" he muttered. "This is… insane."
On the battlefield, Ling Yun gritted his teeth as he exchanged blows with Yang Feng. The two fighters moved at blinding speed, their strikes precise and relentless. Despite Ling Yun's best efforts, Yang Feng's calm, almost playful demeanor didn't waver.
"Is this all you've got?" Yang Feng taunted, his voice steady even as their fists collided in midair.
Ling Yun didn't respond. Instead, he shifted his strategy, pulling a glittering ball from his belt. As Yang Feng moved in for another strike, Ling Yun hurled the ball directly at him. The sphere exploded on impact, releasing a blinding cloud of glittery dust that filled the entire arena.
The audience gasped as their view of the battlefield was completely obscured. The golden particles shimmered in the light, creating an almost otherworldly effect.
"What's going on?" someone in the crowd demanded.
"I can't see anything!" another shouted.
In the thick of the shimmering haze, Yang Feng's clone vanished, his form dissolving into sparks of lightning as his energy ran out,in the most critical of a time.
Yang Feng himself narrowed his eyes, activating his double pupils. Obsucured by the glittery environment,he was basically blind.His vision sharpened, piercing through the glittery cloud to locate his opponent.
As he scanned the battlefield, a sudden wave of heat hit him. The golden dust particles began to burn, igniting into a fiery blaze that rapidly consumed the haze. The heat intensified, the flames roaring as they cleared the arena, revealing Ling Yun and his sparrow.
The yellow sparrow hovered in the air, its feathers glowing with an intense red light. It was no longer the small, agile creature it had been moments ago. Its body had expanded, its wings stretching wide as it gathered energy. A sphere of searing fire formed at the tip of its beak, pulsating with raw, destructive power. Ling Yun stood atop the sparrow, his stance confident and commanding. His eyes burned with determination as he pointed directly at Yang Feng.
"First technique,blazing ball!" Ling Yun roared.
The sparrow released the massive fireball with a deafening screech. The blazing orb hurtled toward Yang Feng, its size and intensity overwhelming. The very air around it warped from the heat, and the arena floor cracked and smoldered as the fireball passed over it. The energy radiating from the attack was palpable, sending shivers through the audience.
The crowd watched in stunned silence, their breaths held as the fireball closed in on Yang Feng.
"What the fuck? He can use techniques too?" someone muttered.
"How the fuck are we being totally dominated by some freshmen,right now?" another burst.
But Yang Feng didn't flinch. Instead, he smiled—a calm, confident smile that sent a ripple of unease through those watching. He bent his knees slightly, preparing to leap, and just as the fireball was about to engulf him, he jumped straight into it.
The audience erupted into chaos.
"Has he lost it?!" someone yelled.
"Is he insane?" another screamed.
The fireball consumed Yang Feng completely, its flames roaring as it continued its path toward the arena floor. The impact was cataclysmic. The fireball exploded on contact, releasing a massive shockwave that shook the entire stadium. Dust and ash filled the air, obscuring the battlefield once again.
The crowd fell silent, their eyes fixed on the smoke-covered arena. No one spoke. No one moved. All attention was on the battlefield, waiting to see what had become of Yang Feng.
The announcer stepped forward, his voice hesitant. "Ladies and gentlemen… I—"
Before he could finish, a faint crackle of lightning echoed through the air, barely audible above the fading roar of the explosion. The crowd leaned forward, their eyes wide with anticipation.
And then… nothing.