Chapter 7: Perilous Circumstances

The central arena of the Relkes Empire's capital roared with cheers. The opening match of the Probationary Knight selection trials, featuring Bagina and Diados, was far more exciting than anyone had imagined. Watching the dashing Bagina and the commanding Diados trade blow after blow held the audience spellbound.

As the saying goes, "outsiders watch the spectacle, insiders watch the technique." While the crowd cheered loudly for the thrilling duel, Mels couldn't help but reassess Diados's abilities.

According to the information Xiu Lante had initially provided them, Diados, though a formidable warrior, was a commander used to charging across battlefields and should not have been adept at one-on-one arena combat. His opponent, Bagina, was petite and agile, making her the ideal candidate to overcome hardness with softness.

However, based on the current situation, Diados was not only ferociously brave but also astonishingly nuanced in his martial arts. If Bagina didn't unleash her full prowess, defeating him would be exponentially harder.

In fact, Mels's thoughts mirrored Bagina's own. After a prolonged standoff with Diados, Bagina suddenly lowered her sword and coldly said, "Your skills are better than I expected, but if you have no further abilities to display, you should yield!"

"Hmph, we'll see if you're good enough to force me out of the arena! No more talk—make your move!" Clearly, Diados had also realized he was at a disadvantage compared to Bagina, but his pride as a warrior wouldn't allow him to retreat, especially not against a seemingly frail young woman.

After hearing Diados's words, Bagina showed no anger. Instead, she smiled slightly and said, "You men always think you own the world, while we women are supposed to be weaker than you. Hmph, I already know your answer. Now, I'll show you an insurmountable gap that even ten years of effort couldn't bridge!" Bagina's words were not only imposing but also filled with disdain and provocation.

This approach wasn't just due to Bagina's naturally rebellious personality; she also intended to rattle her opponent through provocation. Unfortunately, Diados was a seasoned battlefield commander, utterly unmoved by such tactics. Seeing her strategy had failed, Bagina decided not to waste any more time talking.

She closed her eyes and chanted, "Oh, Fire God Kamo, grant your power to this humble warrior. Attach your divine might to my sacred weapon. With your strength, open the gates to hell and summon the crimson lotus flames to burn my mortal enemy!"

As Bagina spoke, seven ghostly flames materialized around her, hovering in the air like spectral guardians.

It was only then that Diados realized Bagina was a Magic Knight, and he was even more astonished that a Magic Knight's martial prowess could rival his own as a pure warrior.

He understood perfectly well that if Bagina completed her spell, he would surely lose. Therefore, as soon as Bagina began her incantation, he prepared to attack, aiming to deliver a fatal blow before her magic took effect.

However, the magic Bagina used was an improved spell from the Seven Immortals of Myriad Changes. Unlike typical Magic Knights, Bagina had already activated a fire-based protective spell before attaching magic to her weapon.

Thus, Diados, who attempted to attack, found himself unable to approach her even as she stood motionless. Watching Bagina open her eyes and the seven floating flames instantly converge onto her sword, Diados knew his time on the stage was down to minutes, or even seconds! Faced with Diados's tense expression, Bagina was unwilling to strike first. After taking two steps closer to him, she said, "Surrender. If your abilities end here, continuing this fight is pointless!"

Looking at the red glow shimmering on Bagina's sword and sensing a completely different fighting spirit than before, Diados felt despair grip his heart, but his dignity wouldn't allow him to retreat.

"Raaah!" As if rallying himself for a final assault, Diados let out a fierce cry and charged at Bagina with all his might, launching his strongest frontal attack.

"Futile!" She knew perfectly well that her opponent's weapon wasn't a sacred artifact capable of resisting magical effects, Bagina calmly raised her sword.

When the red blade met the iron spear, the silver spear instantly turned crimson. A scorching stream of flames transformed the spear into a red-hot iron rod.

"Ah!" His hands seared by the heat, Diados was forced to drop his beloved weapon. Seeing Diados's unwilling yet helpless expression, Bagina didn't press her advantage recklessly. Instead, a strange feeling stirred within her: What's going on? I've clearly won, so why do I feel so uneasy? Is it because his current demeanor is so different from before? Or is it because...

Although Bagina didn't attack and Diados remained frozen in place, the head referee had already raised the blue flag symbolizing Bagina's victory. This action announced to all spectators that the battle between Bagina and Diados was over!

Indeed, judging by the current state of the match, Diados, now disarmed, was completely unable to continue fighting. Allowing the battle to proceed would only turn it into a one-sided slaughter. The Probationary Knight selection trials were not brutal underground fights; showing restraint was the very essence of the trials. Therefore, once the disparity between the two sides was clear, the head referee naturally made the most decisive call!

The match was over, but Diados still stood frozen on the arena. Bagina gave her hard-fought opponent one last puzzled glance, then withdrew her activated magic and slowly walked toward the edge of the arena.

Several medics approached Diados from around the arena, ready to treat the burns on his hands.

Just as everyone thought the battle had ended and were still relishing the earlier thrilling exchanges, Diados suddenly leaped into the air, lunging at Bagina, who had just stepped off the arena!

"Trouble!" Mels, watching from the VIP seats, inwardly exclaimed before shooting out, rushing toward Bagina at top speed.

At the same time, Diados, mid-air, was swiftly closing in on the unprepared Bagina.

"In my name, I summon my sacred beast, the Thunderbird Kasi!" As the summoning incantation echoed, a black aura immediately rose from Diados's arm. A summoned beast, nearly two meters long with a wingspan close to five meters, covered in black feathers and surrounded by crackling lightning, resembling an eagle, appeared before everyone's eyes!

The newly formed summoned beast, in sync with its master's will, needed no instruction from Diados. It immediately swooped down on its enemy, Bagina.

"It's over!" Mels, leaping repeatedly toward Bagina, now realized just how vast the central arena was. At his current speed, reaching Bagina before the Thunderbird attacked was impossible.

However, just as Mels was frantic with worry, unable to imagine the impending crisis, a silver figure shot past him at an even greater speed, heading straight for the arena.

It turned out that Xiu Lante, noticing something amiss and seeing Bagina about to be ambushed, could no longer ignore the tens of thousands of spectators. He shot toward the arena with his full power.

Yet, no one expected that the crazed Diados wasn't planning a conventional attack. Instead, he intended to drag Bagina into hell with him in a suicidal move.

Looking on, as the Thunderbird closed in on Bagina, Diados punched his own Summoning Gem and chanted a destruction incantation: "By the will of the Creator God Mafa, I offer my life to your servant, allowing my guardian sacred beast to shine one last time! Die!" The moment the incantation completed, Xiu Lante had just managed to grab hold of Bagina.

Boom! Black flames erupted before Mels's eyes. The three central arenas and several staff members were instantly blown to pieces by the Thunderbird's self-destruction!

The massive shockwave forced Mels to halt. When he barely managed to open his eyes, the once-intact arena had turned into a hellscape.

"Ba... Bagina!" Gazing at the scattered flesh around him, Mels screamed frantically, his eyes bloodshot.

"Mels, Miss Bagina is fine! Come quickly and help me move these stones." A familiar voice came from a pile of rubble not far away—undoubtedly, it was Xiu Lante's voice.

Following the sound, Mels soon discovered Xiu Lante, cradling Bagina, trapped between two massive stones in a crevice. Perhaps because Xiu Lante's arms were holding Bagina, or perhaps because he was injured in the earlier explosion, he was now unable to free himself.

Upon locating Xiu Lante, Mels didn't hesitate. Channeling his divine strength, and with the help of Rek and others who had rushed over, he quickly rescued Xiu Lante and Bagina from beneath the large stones.

Xiu Lante's right arm tightly held Bagina, while his left arm was dripping with blood, clearly severely injured. Fortunately, aside from being unconscious, Bagina had no external injuries.

"Uncle, your arm is bleeding heavily. You need treatment immediately, or the consequences could be dire!" After confirming Bagina was only unconscious and unharmed, Mels said to Xiu Lante with concern.

"It's nothing. This is just a minor injury; it'll heal in two or three days. That explosion came too fast; I didn't have time to fully form a defensive barrier, so I had to prioritize protecting Miss Bagina. Still, we were lucky. If that guy hadn't added two extra words of nonsense when completing the destruction incantation, perhaps both Bagina and I would be in pieces right now." Xiu Lante wrapped his arm with his cloak and smiled at Mels.

"Uncle... thank you. I owe you again!" Mels said emotionally, looking at Xiu Lante's injured arm.

"Hehe, Silly Boy, since when are you so formal with me? Look, the military police handling the aftermath are here. Let's leave the rest to them." Xiu Lante said to Mels, watching a group of military police arriving to manage the scene.

Then, taking advantage of the crowd's distraction, Xiu Lante lowered his voice and warned Mels, "Mels, I know Diados. He was definitely a man of honor who knew when to advance and retreat. I suspect the reason he used his life to attack Bagina was likely due to someone's instigation or persuasion, and he probably took some drug that controlled him! It seems the hidden enemy has set their sights on you all. No matter what, you must be extra careful from now on!"

After hearing Xiu Lante's words, while supporting him and letting medical personnel take over his care, Mels nodded subconsciously.

Indeed, such a suicidal attack wouldn't be used unless there was a deep-seated blood feud. Earlier, Mels had been too concerned about Bagina to notice Diados's abnormal behavior. Now, having calmed down and with Xiu Lante's reminder, he certainly grasped the situation!

However, who could be so malicious? Mels had no idea. He could only hope to learn something from this "uncle" during their next detailed conversation.

Since Diados, the mastermind behind the chaos, had died in the explosion, the military police quickly concluded the case as "sudden mental breakdown during the match," closing what should have been a thoroughly investigated incident.

Afterward, it took two hours for the military police and staff to clear the shattered structures and casualties from the arena.

The newly rebuilt arena, though not as splendid as before, didn't dampen the audience's enthusiasm. Perhaps because the battle between Bagina and Diados was so spectacular, the spectators became even more passionate about the subsequent matches.

After a brief speech by the head referee, the matches resumed. Mels used this opportunity to quietly convey a message to Rek, who was about to compete: "Defeat your opponent in the first move, no matter what!"

Although Rek didn't understand why Mels made such a demand, when his gaze met his brother's, he knew Mels must have his reasons.

Thus, during the final match of the morning featuring Rek, with just one exchange, he defeated his opponent using the Frost Death God's peerless "Seventy-Six Netherworld Strikes." If Rek hadn't held back on the force of his blows, his unfortunate opponent would have been killed on the spot, even by the back of the blade.

The utter inability to put their opponents at a disadvantage infuriated the sinister figure lurking in the shadows. Diados's life-for-nothing attack failing to injure Bagina had already greatly angered him. Now, Rek's opponent was knocked out in a single move without even a chance to counterattack, completely stripping him of any dignity!

"What on earth are you doing? Is this the kind of trash you pick? That kid doesn't even look like the strongest among them, yet he couldn't withstand a single move. And you still have the nerve to say everything was prepared!" the shadowy figure roared.

"Yes, yes, I deserve death, I deserve death!" Seeing his master in a rage, the subordinate could only respond meekly.

Just as the mysterious figure was boiling with anger, a long, drawn-out male voice suddenly reached their ears: "Heh, why are you so concerned? The Diados you assigned earlier had known Xiu Lante since their early years. Of course, Xiu Lante understood his character well enough to know he wouldn’t resort to shameful acts after a defeat. Seeing his friend act so abnormally, Xiu Lante naturally warned those kids to be extra cautious. That’s why they immediately used powerful moves, leaving their opponents no chance to counterattack!"

"Hmm? It’s you! Well, you do have a point. My men screwed up, but what have you done? Were you just standing by, watching them become Xiu Lante’s capable assistants, ruining our plans?" The mysterious figure spoke with clear hostility toward the newcomer.

Though the newcomer’s face was obscured, his tall, slender figure was evident beneath the black robe. After hearing the mysterious figure’s words, he smiled and said, "Sir, no need to fret. I’ve already made arrangements. Even if they become Probationary Knights, they’ll die in a foreign land! Actually..." With that, he leaned close to the mysterious figure’s ear and whispered a few words. Surprisingly, his brief remarks immediately turned the mysterious figure’s anger into delight.

"Haha, you always have a way! Let’s proceed as you suggested!" The mysterious figure turned and called to the subordinate he had just berated: "From now on, stop drugging the opponents of those little brats. Let them smoothly receive the emperor’s summons. Also, you know what to do about the guy we bribed to drug Diados, right?" "Yes, I understand!" The subordinate knew exactly what the mysterious figure meant—to eliminate that person to avoid any future trouble if Xiu Lante discovered the truth.

But what exactly was their new plan against Mels and his friends? Why were they targeting Mels and his group, who had just arrived in the imperial capital? This could only be revealed as they gradually showed their true colors.

"A toast to Rek and Miss Bagina for making it to the finals!" The Central Arena had specially prepared lunch for the advancing contestants and those competing in the afternoon. Mels and his friends were now gathered in the dining hall, celebrating Rek and Bagina’s victories.

"Hmph, our job today is done. Don’t you dare embarrass yourselves this afternoon!" Bagina, who had just woken up, spoke with her usual cold elegance.

"Of course, we’ll obey the young lady’s command! We, your subordinates..." Mels deliberately drew out his words, prompting Sol and the others to chime in simultaneously: "We obey!" The theatrical dialogue made Bagina, who had been trying to maintain her haughty demeanor, crack up.

Seeing Bagina laugh so heartily, Sol and the others grew even more excited, raising their voices in whooping and hollering. Maybe the guys were too drunk, or maybe they'd forgotten their actual mission, but their arrogant behavior made it seem as if they had already secured their spots in the Probationary Knight finals. As a result, the other contestants in the dining hall couldn’t help but glare at them with hostility.

Finally, someone couldn’t take it anymore. Fueled by alcohol, he roared, "Goddamn it! You little brats must have a death wish, daring to shout and carry on in front of me! Watch out, or I’ll chop you to pieces!" A burly man sitting alone not far from Mels and his friends stood up angrily and cursed.

"Whoa, who the hell dares to act tough while I’m having fun here?" Sol, already staggering from too much drink, lurched to his feet, disoriented, and slurred his reply.

If he hadn’t been so drunk, he would never have provoked a strong warrior like this. But at this moment, he was drunk and fearless and didn’t care who he was dealing with!

Sol’s loud comeback immediately caught everyone’s attention. Even a few staff members stopped their work to see how the situation would unfold.

Sure enough, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the burly man blew his top. His strong body charged toward Sol like a black bear.

As a mage, Sol was no match for this warrior in hand-to-hand combat. Just as he was about to be sent flying by a punch, a silver sword suddenly shot out from behind Sol. To everyone’s amazement, it pressed against the burly man’s throat like magic.

"Boss, what should I do?" Akafir, after subduing the man, turned to Mels and asked.

Mels, heavily intoxicated, glanced back with bleary eyes at the number on the man’s chest and muttered to himself, "Seven... seven hundred thirty-one? My opponent is... two hundred thirty-five. Akafir is... Hey, Akafir, what’s your opponent’s number?"

"Boss, mine is four hundred thirty," Akafir replied, his mind clear.

"Oh, so he’s not our opponent!" Mels nodded, then turned to Sol and said, "Sol, did... did he hurt you?"

"Yes, boss! Look, look!" Sol yelled, but Mels couldn’t find any injuries on him after looking for a while, so he just stared at Sol in confusion.

As if understanding Mels’s confusion, Sol held up a single hair from his palm and said, "Boss, look! When he charged over just now, the air disturbance caused my hair to lose moisture instantly. Such precious golden hair, and one strand fell out!" As soon as Sol finished speaking, the onlookers burst into laughter.

Even if they wanted an excuse to deal with the burly man, this reason was probably...

However, Mels’s reaction was different from everyone else’s. He suddenly roared, "What? He dared to make my brother lose a hair? As the saying goes, ‘One bad apple spoils the whole barrel!’ What if this one hair triggers a chain reaction and my brother goes bald? This is outrageous! Akafir, drag him out and chop his head off!"

As soon as Mels finished speaking, everyone suddenly realized the situation was spiraling out of control!

Sure enough, Akafir faithfully carried out Mels’s order. He punched the burly man in the chest, grabbed him by the collar, and prepared to drag him away!

"Stop!" Just as Akafir was about to drag the man outside, a stern voice cut through the air. Xiu Lante, leading a group of military police, appeared at the entrance of the hall.

Seeing Xiu Lante arrive, Mels and the others snapped out of it. They stood up from their seats like children who had done something wrong, not daring to look Xiu Lante in the eye. However, Akafir didn’t bat an eye. In his eyes, only Mels could command him or tell him when to stop.

The poor bastard, seeing the Dragon Knight Captain arrive, quickly cried out, "Lord Xiu Lante, save me!" But before he could finish, Akafir knocked him unconscious with a punch and continued dragging him forward.

When Akafir reached Xiu Lante and the military police, the clueless youth actually said to Xiu Lante, "Uncle, the boss told me to drag him out and chop his head off, so please step aside. Otherwise, I can’t get through!" Looking at Akafir’s earnest expression, Xiu Lante felt both amused and exasperated. He couldn’t understand why this handsome and highly skilled young man sometimes acted like a three-year-old child.

However, Xiu Lante was a smart man. He knew that reasoning with Akafir would only make things worse, so he turned to stare directly at Mels and said, "Mels, do you really insist on letting him carry out vigilante justice and kill a legitimate contestant before the trials?"

Mels understood Xiu Lante’s meaning and quickly ordered Akafir to release the man. Akafir, who always obeyed Mels without question, had no objections. He casually tossed the burly man to the ground and returned to Mels’s side.

Xiu Lante looked at the surrounding contestants and knew that if he didn’t punish Mels and his friends, his own authority and that of the empire would go right out the window. Reluctantly, he loudly ordered the military police behind him, "Take them all away!" With that, he turned and left, his face grim.

Originally, Mels and his friends causing trouble in the Central Arena had given Xiu Lante a headache, but it was just a momentary outburst of youthful bravado. As a warrior himself, Xiu Lante was no stranger to such incidents. If he hadn’t been responsible for managing the venue, he wouldn’t have scolded Mels and the others at all.

So after taking Mels and his friends away from the dining hall, he only gave them a warning before leaving alone. However, who could have predicted that this minor incident would lead to serious trouble for Mels and his friends in the near future? Xiu Lante would later regret not disciplining them properly at this moment, as it created a loophole in his plans.

Regardless, after being severely scolded by Xiu Lante, Mels and his friends had lost their playful mood. They could only return to their seats and wait for the afternoon matches to begin.

The final round of public trials for the Probationary Knight selection began at exactly one o’clock in the afternoon.

As the strongest contender, Mels was scheduled to fight last in the fifteen matches of the afternoon. Although there weren’t many mismatches in the afternoon—mostly seeded contestants emerged victorious—the audience was most eager to watch the spectacular performances of these seeded fighters. The focus of the betting wasn’t on who would win or lose, but on how many minutes it would take for the seeded contestants to defeat their opponents!

Even though the mysterious figure in the shadows had abandoned his plan to use the matches to target Mels and his friends, Mels and Akafir still fought with all their might, adhering to the strategy of entering battles with overwhelming force.

In the seventh match, when Akafir stepped onto the stage, his eyes saw only the enemy! The moment the referee announced the start of the match, Akafir shot toward his opponent like a beam of light. Almost as soon as the referee’s words ended, Akafir had circled behind his opponent, his sharp longsword pressed against the enemy’s back.

His opponent hadn’t even made a move or reacted before the match was over. Akafir set the record for the fastest victory in the once-a-decade Probationary Knight trials in three hundred years! Opinions varied on exactly how long it took him to win, but the only consensus was that it was definitely under three seconds!

After Akafir descended the steps, the next match quickly began. Amidst the thrilling and intense battles, time flew by.

After fourteen life-and-death duels, as the evening glow of dusk began to spread across the sky, the final match finally commenced!

"Next up is the last seeded match of this year’s Probationary Knight public trials! First, let’s welcome the red group champion, Magic Knight Marandi!

It is said that Marandi hails from the Karanth Empire. Although almost no one knew his name before the trials, his formidable martial skills and ruthless style left a deep impression in all his matches. We hope that in this final battle, he can showcase extraordinary abilities and give us a truly spectacular match!" The announcer proclaimed loudly to the audience.

However, his words didn’t bring Marandi any applause; instead, they drew a chorus of boos. This wasn’t just because the audience favored Mels, but also because none of Marandi’s previous opponents had left the arena unscathed. Marandi had become synonymous with brutality!

But when the slender Marandi, dressed in a black robe with long black hair covering his face, stepped into the arena, the audience stopped their jeering.

This wasn’t because they had suddenly changed their minds, but because Marandi’s cruel gaze, like that of a demon, swept through the crowd from behind his hair.

Whether men or women, anyone who met his eyes trembled as if electrocuted. No matter how much they wanted to shout, they didn’t dare do so in his presence.

Perhaps sensing the eerie atmosphere, the announcer didn’t wait for the staff’s signal and quickly said, "Ladies and gentlemen, now let’s give the warmest applause to welcome Mels, one of the most likely candidates to become a Probationary Knight this year!

Perhaps you all already know him, but I must reintroduce this young man who is about to appear before you. Just a few days ago, he fought to a draw with Dragon Knight Captain Xiu Lante!"

As soon as the announcer finished speaking, Mels, clad in silver armor, slowly walked out from the entrance.

But after taking just two steps, he suddenly seemed to sense something and exclaimed, "The air here is too stifling; it needs some freshness! Ha!" With that final shout, a whirlwind suddenly swirled around Mels. Just like during his duel with Xiu Lante, a silver light enveloped his body, quickly forming into Qi energy armor.

When the strong whirlwind swept over the audience stands, the previously silent crowd suddenly returned to normal.

Though they didn’t understand what had happened, most spectators believed Mels had broken Marandi’s "sorcery." Enthusiastic cheers immediately surged toward Mels from all directions, creating an unprecedented uproar. Standing on the arena, Marandi’s eyes flashed with fierce light, seemingly furious that Mels had publicly broken his Soul-Snatching Technique. From Marandi’s tightly clenched fists, it was clear that if Mels were to lose to him on the arena, his fate would be tragic.

The restored lively atmosphere pleased the announcer. Raising his voice above the cheers, he said, "Regarding Mels’s match with Lord Xiu Lante, although Lord Xiu Lante may have conceded to nurture a younger generation, Mels’s strength should not be underestimated!

In my personal opinion, he is the most outstanding young talent among all contestants this year! What’s even more remarkable is that his four close friends—Magic Knight Bagina, Warrior Rek, Warrior Akafir, and Mage Sol—have all advanced to the final round.

So I believe that Mels, as the leader of these exceptional individuals, will surely show us his true strength! Please welcome Mels to the arena. The match will begin immediately!" After his final words, the announcer quickly stepped down from the arena.

It seemed that as soon as Mels stood firmly on the arena, the final battle would commence!

Amidst the cheers of the audience, Mels slowly walked toward the arena.

As his feet touched the steps leading to the arena, Marandi suddenly spoke in a cold, sinister tone: "Your martial skills are indeed extraordinary. To break my Soul-Snatching Technique upon our first meeting—to be honest, this is the first time I’ve encountered someone capable of dispersing such a large-scale Soul-Snatching Technique without a trace!"

Listening to Marandi’s words, Mels still did not halt his advance. He smiled faintly and retorted, “Actually, this is merely a petty trick. My foster father warned me about the perils of soul-snatching sorcery—and the sheer cruelty of practicing such dark arts—when I was only five. By age seven, I could already dispel low-level soul-snatching spells. This time, however, I was genuinely surprised you managed to unleash such a large-scale malevolent technique—so I had to exert my full strength just to barely neutralize it.”

“You boast boldly—but I wonder if your true power matches your sharp tongue!” Marandi sneered.

“Heh—am I not walking straight toward you right now? You’re about to find out!” Mels replied with a calm smile.

“Hmph! I doubt you’ll even reach the arena before exhausting your Qi—leaving you utterly powerless to fight!” Marandi scoffed, watching in disdain as Mels needlessly maintained his Qi armor before battle, squandering energy for no reason.

“Ha… Thank you for your concern. The martial art I practice is highly unusual. My master once required me to sustain this state continuously for three months!” Mels spoke the truth.

For the True Nameless Divine Style, each successive level demanded a hundredfold increase in Qi consumption. Thus, if one couldn’t sustain the first level, activating the second was impossible.

Mels not only activated the second level—he could maintain it for extended periods even mid-combat. Sustaining the first-stage Qi armor from the outset was therefore trivial for him.

Hearing Mels’ words and watching him stroll forward with utter nonchalance, Marandi’s fury flared. He secretly gathered his strength, preparing to strike the moment Mels stepped onto the arena—to catch him off guard and deliver crushing defeat!

Unfortunately, Marandi’s malicious plan was foiled by Mels’ sudden maneuver.

When only three steps remained between them, Mels’ body suddenly shot upward like a soaring bird—landing precisely in the farthest corner of the arena, directly opposite Marandi.

The vast distance, combined with Mels’ unwavering gaze, rendered any immediate assault futile—even if Marandi launched a direct attack now. Meanwhile, Mels’ deliberately elegant posture and poised stance led the audience to believe he was putting on a show purely for their entertainment. Applause for Mels swelled louder and louder—while for Marandi, that applause became the ultimate humiliation! And so…

“Your life is mine!” Marandi roared. His hands, hidden within his wide sleeves, snapped outward—revealing two silver swords, curved like serpents. Though his long robe concealed his feet, his footwork proved astonishingly agile. Like a black panther lunging at its prey, Marandi launched his first assault without hesitation.

*Clang!* Facing Marandi’s onslaught, Mels met him head-on. With even greater speed, he drew the “Sacred Longsword”—specially forged for him by Xiu Lante—from his waist and instantly clashed mid-air with Marandi’s twin blades.

*Thud!* The instant their weapons collided, it became a contest of Qi. As a Magic Knight, Marandi was vastly inferior to Mels in Qi cultivation. After a dull, heavy impact, he was violently repelled by the shockwave emanating from the longsword. Realizing his opponent’s overwhelming superiority, Marandi abandoned recklessness and prepared to enchant his weapons with magic—aiming to overpower Mels with enchanted arms.

Mels, of course, granted him no time to prepare. Like a shadow, he closed the distance with lightning-fast footwork, unleashing a relentless storm of attacks.

Marandi wielded the “Two-Headed Dragon Sword” style—a southern technique. Though not particularly profound, every movement was ruthlessly practical. Moreover, due to Marandi’s unusually youthful physique, his arms were of unequal length—causing opponents to constantly misjudge his reach when wielding dual swords, as if fighting two adversaries at once.

Mels employed the “Wolf Fang Wind Sword,” taught by his three foster fathers—a style defined by lightness, agility, sharpness, and ferocity. Though frequently misled by Marandi’s deceptive dual-sword range, Mels compensated with blistering speed. Coupled with the exquisite footwork imparted by the Seven Immortals of Myriad Changes, he gradually seized the upper hand! Their lightning-paced duel—where speed alone dictated victory—left spectators breathless and on the edge of their seats.

On the arena floor, their rapidly shifting silhouettes blurred beyond recognition. Yet the longer the battle raged, the more acutely Marandi sensed his position deteriorating.

Not only did Mels show no sign of Qi exhaustion from maintaining his armor—he leveraged it fully, forcing Marandi to expend maximum effort with every parry.

Faced with this reality, Marandi knew prolonging the fight meant certain defeat. Thus, his despicable scheme was finally set into motion.

As Mels swung his sword—thrusting diagonally from right to left toward Marandi’s flank—Marandi made no attempt to evade. Instead, he abruptly lifted his right leg and kicked straight for Mels’ head.

Normally, a pierced flank would inflict far greater damage than a head kick—and Mels’ Qi armor made it nearly impossible for a Magic Knight to breach. Yet Marandi chose this seemingly suicidal move! Mels instantly grew suspicious.

Though wary, Mels refused to abandon such a golden opportunity. He committed fully—driving his longsword forward—while Marandi’s flying foot never slowed.

Just as Mels was about to land the strike, Marandi’s right foot twitched ever so slightly. Tiny as it was, the movement caught Mels’ vigilant eye.

“Not good!” The alarm blared in his mind—just as a flash of cold light erupted from the tip of Marandi’s right foot, streaking toward Mels’ brow.

Seeing such a vile tactic, Mels—mid-motion—abandoned his thrust entirely. His body recoiled backward like a felled tree—the maximum evasion possible—but the extreme proximity meant his forehead was still grazed. A thin trickle of blood began to seep down slowly.

“Shameless!” Flipping upright and wiping the blood, the furious Mels pointed at Marandi and shouted.

“Haha—this is the battlefield! Only victory matters—not honor! Blame yourself for being so foolish!” Marandi laughed wildly, unashamed.

Watching Marandi gloat over a mere forehead wound, a chilling premonition gripped Mels’ heart.

He quickly wiped another trace of blood from the wound and brought it to his nose. A pungent, foul stench assaulted his senses.

“Poison!” Mels silently cried out.

“No use struggling. This is ‘Red Phosphorus Snake Venom’—one of the seven deadliest poisons. One year from today will be your death anniversary!” Marandi cackled maniacally as Mels’ consciousness began to blur.

“You… I’ll drag you down with me!” Enraged, Mels ceased restraining his Qi to suppress the toxin—and instead unleashed it all.

Instantly, a whirlwind-like aura erupted from him. Like a wounded lion, every hair on his body stood on end. Just before his consciousness faded, he roared: *“True Nameless Divine Style—Heavenly River Reverse Flow Break!”* A狂暴 surge of Qi exploded violently from his fists—and in that very instant, his body collapsed. Without even knowing whether he’d struck the contemptible Marandi, Mels crumpled onto the cold, unforgiving arena floor!