The arena was deathly silent, the air thick with tension. The final battle had begun.
Wu Tianjue stood still, his eyes locked onto Yan Junhao. His expression remained as indifferent as ever. In contrast, Yan Junhao's posture was perfect, his every movement calm and deliberate. The energy in the air hummed as both men faced each other, the weight of the moment settling upon them like a great storm.
"You have done well to make it this far," Yan Junhao said, his voice respectful yet carrying an underlying warmth. He was clearly aware of Wu Tianjue's strength and talent, yet his gaze held a quiet determination. "I won't hold back. This will be my best."
Wu Tianjue merely glanced at him, his expression unbothered. "I'm not interested in your best," he said softly, his voice barely rising above the din of the audience. "I'm interested in seeing just how far you're willing to go."
Yan Junhao didn't flinch at the dismissal. He had expected no less from a prodigy like Wu Tianjue. Instead, a hint of a smile tugged at his lips, his eyes glowing with fierce resolve. This was the moment he had been preparing for, where the culmination of all his training and experience would be tested to the fullest.
Without another word, Yan Junhao took a deep breath. He closed his eyes, centering himself. In that instant, the air around him seemed to shift. His aura surged outward, a powerful and overwhelming presence that made the surrounding spectators take an involuntary step back.
A massive, majestic phoenix appeared behind him, its fiery wings spreading across the sky, casting a brilliant, golden glow over the arena. The bird's form flickered with ethereal flames, its eyes glowing like embers, as though it were alive. It was an image of overwhelming power, the symbol of his family, of the flame he carried within his soul.
The crowd gasped, some murmured in awe. This was his trump card, the peak of his strength. Yan Junhao was not one to take things lightly, and he was throwing everything he had into this one moment.
The flames of the phoenix burned brighter, scorching the air around him as Yan Junhao channeled all of his energy into a single attack. His body moved like lightning, his hands weaving intricate seals. A blazing sphere of fire and spiritual power formed in his palms, crackling with destructive energy.
The crowd roared in excitement, their eyes wide with anticipation. This was a strike unlike any other, his most powerful move, one that had the potential to end the battle in an instant.
"Take this!" Yan Junhao roared, releasing the full force of his attack. The flaming sphere shot forward with terrifying speed, a streak of light that seemed to consume everything in its path. The phoenix behind him flapped its wings, sending waves of fire cascading through the arena. The attack was relentless, an unstoppable force that blazed through the air with an intensity that left the audience breathless.
Wu Tianjue remained unfazed, his gaze following the attack with detached interest. The flames, the power, the sheer force, it meant nothing to him. His hand moved lazily, and in a single, fluid motion, he raised a finger.
The world seemed to slow. The air around him rippled, and for a brief moment, it was as if time itself hesitated.
With a simple, almost dismissive gesture, Wu Tianjue extended his finger, barely a movement. The fiery attack, which should have been capable of destroying anything in its path, slammed into an invisible barrier. The sphere of flames froze in mid-air as if it had encountered an unyielding wall of ice. For a brief moment, there was a silence, a complete cessation of sound as the audience collectively held their breath.
And then, with a barely audible hum, the flames dissipated into nothingness, like a candle snuffed out by a breath of wind. The attack was no more.
Wu Tianjue lowered his finger, his eyes never leaving Yan Junhao. His expression remained as indifferent as before, though now a glimmer of interest flickered in his gaze.
"Is that all?" Wu Tianjue asked, his voice low and cool, almost mocking in its simplicity.
Yan Junhao stood there, a moment of disbelief crossing his face. The immense power of his phoenix attack had been effortlessly blocked. His body trembled from the weight of it. He had thrown everything into that move, but Wu Tianjue had dismissed it without a second thought.
For a heartbeat, Yan Junhao was caught in the shock of it, but then his resolve reignited. He stepped forward, his determination flooding his being. "I won't fall here," he whispered, his voice a promise to himself. His fists clenched as he prepared for the next move.
Before he could take another step, Wu Tianjue's eyes narrowed slightly. His lips barely parted, a hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
Without warning, Wu Tianjue raised his finger again, and in that moment, Yan Junhao was swept off his feet. The crowd gasped in shock as they saw him flung backward with impossible force. His body sailed through the air, and before he could even react, he was thrown out of the arena.
His feet touched the ground outside the ring with a heavy thud, and he staggered before collapsing to his knees. The world around him spun, his breath coming in sharp gasps. He looked up in confusion, his gaze still locked onto Wu Tianjue, whose expression remained utterly calm, unbothered by the spectacle he had just caused.
The arena was silent. The audience stared in shock, as though they were witnessing an impossible feat. Yan Junhao, who had unleashed such power moments before, was now reduced to nothing. The force with which Wu Tianjue had dismissed him was nothing short of terrifying.
Wu Tianjue slowly turned away, his disinterest in Yan Junhao as clear as ever. "You should know when to quit," he muttered under his breath, almost as if speaking to no one.
The silence in the arena stretched on. No one moved. No one dared to speak. The spectators could hardly believe what they had just witnessed. The clash of strength, the overwhelming force, Yan Junhao had given everything, yet it had all been in vain. Wu Tianjue had crushed him effortlessly, like a fly swatted from the air.
"Is this the end?" someone whispered from the crowd.
Wu Tianjue had already turned his back, walking away from the arena as though the battle had been nothing more than a passing inconvenience.
And there, amidst the stillness, only one thought remained in the minds of those watching:
Who is this man?