The battle stage trembled as Lu Ren unsheathed his flaming sword. The burning blade roared with intense heat, distorting the air around it.
Xian Zhen's smirk didn't fade. His eyes gleamed with excitement.
BOOM!
Lu Ren's aura exploded, sending a shockwave through the arena. The weaker disciples stumbled back, struggling to breathe under his overwhelming pressure.
"Xian Zhen… you are strong," Lu Ren said coldly. "But your arrogance ends here."
Xian cracked his knuckles. "Tch. All I hear is talk. Show me what you got."
The First Strike
WHOOSH!
Lu Ren vanished in a flash of fire. In the blink of an eye, he reappeared in front of Xian, swinging his flaming sword at lightning speed.
BOOM!
A fiery arc shot toward Xian, aiming to slice him in half.
But—CLANG!
Xian raised his bare arm, blocking the attack with white energy covering his skin. Sparks flew as the blade clashed against his defense.
The crowd gasped.
"He blocked it?! With his bare hand?!"
"Impossible! Lu Ren's flames can melt iron!"
"Just who is this guy?!"
Lu Ren's eyes narrowed. "Not bad."
Before Xian could counter, Lu Ren leaped back, his sword burning even brighter.
"Let's see how you handle this—Blazing Sky Slash!"
BOOM!
A massive flame wave erupted from Lu Ren's sword, rushing toward Xian with destructive force.
The Power of Darkness
Xian chuckled. "Tch. Now we're talking."
He stretched out his right hand.
Dark energy swirled around his palm, twisting and expanding until it formed a black vortex. The moment the flames reached him—
SHOOM!
The vortex devoured the fire, swallowing it into darkness.
Lu Ren's eyes widened in shock. "What?!"
The crowd was stunned.
"He… he absorbed the attack?!"
"How is that possible?!"
Xian grinned. "Your fire is nothing compared to my darkness."
Lu Ren gritted his teeth. "Then try this!"
He dashed forward, sword blazing, unleashing a flurry of fiery slashes.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
Xian dodged effortlessly, weaving through the attacks like a shadow. Then—
BAM!
He punched Lu Ren's chest, sending him flying across the stage.
Lu Ren coughed blood but quickly stood up, determination burning in his eyes. "I won't lose!"
His aura exploded, his sword now glowing golden.
"This is my strongest move—Flame Dragon Descent!"
ROAR!
A massive dragon made of fire surged from his sword, its blazing body twisting through the air, charging straight at Xian.
Overwhelming Power
Xian's smirk widened. He raised both hands, dark energy in his right and white energy in his left.
As the flame dragon approached—
BOOOOM!
Xian clapped his hands together, unleashing a shockwave of darkness and light. The force shattered the fire dragon instantly, causing the flames to disperse like dust in the wind.
Lu Ren's face paled. "No way…"
Before he could react—
WHOOSH!
Xian appeared in front of him.
"Game over."
BAM!
A single punch to the stomach sent Lu Ren crashing into the ground. The stage cracked beneath the impact, and silence filled the arena.
Lu Ren lay motionless, completely defeated.
Victory
The crowd was frozen. Then—
BOOM!
Shouts erupted everywhere.
"He won!"
"He defeated Lu Ren!"
"A new monster has appeared in the Martial Hall!"
Elder Bai laughed loudly. "Hahaha! This kid… he's a genius!"
Master Qin's eyes gleamed. "Darkness and light… a rare balance. This boy is special."
Elder Bai stood up. "I declare the winner—Xian Zhen! From now on, he will be an elite disciple of the Martial Hall!"
The announcement shook the crowd.
Xian smirked, looking down at his defeated opponent.
"Tch. That was fun."
As the cheers continued, Xian's journey had only just begun.