Chapter 19: The Tournament's Climax
The arena blazed with the intensity of the ninth round, a grand melee for the Spirit Essence Crystal. The prize—a crystalline orb—hovered above, guarded by Zhi Clan and Crimson Claw prodigies, all at the 1st Layer Qi Transformation. Lin Xuan stepped into the chaos, his crimson eyes burning with determination. Liu Yue stood at the edge, her moonlight eyes shining with hope.
The melee erupted. Abyssal Lotus Step dodged a spear thrust. Illusion Diversion scattered foes' focus, and a Celestial Wrath Elbow shattered a cultivator's arm. A qi blast grazed Lin Xuan's leg. Liu Yue's shield rose, a golden barrier absorbing a strike. Her qi blade wounded an attacker. Lin Xuan pressed forward, seizing the Spirit Essence Crystal. Its energy flooded his core as he broke through to the 9th Layer.
The crowd erupted, but Elder Hei Long's voice boomed. "The Scriptures are ours, boy! Surrender them, or your clan's blood will stain this city!" Lin Xuan retorted, "I would rather die than giving the scriptures to a dog like you." Elder Gao Feng intervened. "The tournament ends here. Lin Xuan is the victor." The Hei Clan's anger simmered.
That night, Lin Xuan refined the Spirit Essence Crystal. The Celestial Unity Crest guided his hands. Liu Yue sat nearby. "Senior Brother, you did it! We're so close now." Her pride deepened the ache in his chest. "Your shield saved me, Junior Sister. Rest now—we'll face their retaliation together."