CHAPTER 21 — "THE GENIUSES SHAKE THE ARENAS"
The announcer sitting high above the plaza was sweating through his robe.His voice, normally booming and confident, cracked like an old radio.
"L-Ladies and gentlemen, Stage 3 has begun!!! A-And the… the results are… the results are…"
He leaned forward, eyes bulging.
"W-WHAT IN THE WORLD JUST HAPPENED AT ARENA 3?!"
The magical screens shifted instantly to the Technique Mastery Arena.
ARENA 3 —
Five seconds after the horn…
The entire arena was frozen.
Every participant — frozen mid-punch, mid-kick, mid-step — encased in shining crystalline frost.
A beautiful lotus of pure ice energy bloomed in the center.
And at its heart stood—
Ouyang Xue'er.
Her white dress fluttered elegantly, not a speck of dust on her.Her violet-gold eyes shimmered like twin galaxies.
She hadn't even broken a sweat.
The announcer shouted:
"T-THAT WAS IT?! FIVE SECONDS?!THE ENTIRE ARENA IS CLEARED IN FIVE SECONDS?!"
Spectators screamed in disbelief.
"DIVINE TALENT!!!""This is cheating! Absolutely cheating!""She's not fighting mortals… she's fighting TIME!""It's impossible to win against that!"
Xue'er lifted her hand politely, bowed slightly to the stunned crowd, and walked off the arena like she was taking a morning stroll.
The announcer gulped loudly and switched screens.
"O-Okay… okay… let's see Arena 2… maybe things are calmer there—"
Then he saw Ling Yifan.
Or rather—
He saw nothing.
Just streaks of silver light.
ZING—!!ZING—ZING—ZING—!!
Participants dropped like dominoes, knocked unconscious with pinpoint spear strikes so fast that even high-speed cameras struggled to track them.
"W-WHAT?!" the announcer shrieked."LING YIFAN HAS ALREADY ELIMINATED HALF OF ARENA 2!!"
The silver streak flashed again.
"NOW THREE-QUARTERS—!!!""NOW ONLY TEN REMAIN—!!!!""NOW FIVE—FOUR—THREE—TWO—"
Then—
BOOOOM
A shockwave burst outward as Ling Yifan landed at the arena center, spear embedded into the ground.
Every participant around him lay unconscious.
The battle was over in under one minute.
Ling Yifan didn't even look pleased.
He simply turned and stared toward Arena 1.
Where Long Hao was.
The announcer wiped sweat from his brow.
"L-Let's check Arena 4. Surely that one is more normal—"
It wasn't.
Arena 4 was a nightmare.
People were punching at shadows.Screaming.Running in circles.Fighting illusions that weren't there.
And in the center stood—
Bai Qianlan.
Moonlit hair drifting behind her.Eyes calm, ethereal.Hands clasped behind her back.
She wasn't even attacking.
Her illusions did everything.
The announcer choked.
"B…Bai Qianlan hasn't MOVED in five minutes. She's just… watching. And half the arena has already eliminated themselves?!"
The plaza murmured in awe and fear.
"Moonlit Mirage Physique…""Unfair!""I can't even see her techniques clearly!""What kind of talent fights without fighting?!"
Arena 4 still had several fighters struggling — illusions making it slower.But it was clear:
Bai Qianlan would win.Eventually.
The announcer wiped his face.
"That leaves… that leaves only—"
ARENA 1 —
He inhaled sharply.
"The real battle…The ONLY arena still standing toe-to-toe…IS ARENA 1!!"
The magical screens zoomed into Arena 1.
It was a battlefield of cracked stone and broken pillars.
Dozens of strong contenders were still fighting.
But in the center—
Two monsters clashed.
Long HaoandChen Wulian.
They stood before each other, shirtless, bruised, fists wrapped in blood and dust.
A shockwave erupted every time their fists collided.
BOOOOM—!!!BAAAM—!!!CRACK—!!
Chen Wulian laughed, voice deep and filled with battle joy.
"As expected… you're strong, Long Hao!"
Long Hao cracked his neck, expression calm.
"You're not bad either."
Chen's eyes gleamed.
"Your punches… are sharp. Clean. Deadly."He grinned wider."You fight like someone who already lived through war."
Long Hao didn't answer.
Chen continued, his aura rising.
"Let's stop holding back."
He stomped the ground.
The arena cracked outward.
BOOOM—!!!
"My Heaven-Forged Battle Body is awakening!"
Muscles bulged.Skin hardened.Golden energy wrapped around him like molten metal.
Spectators gasped.
"Chen Wulian's going all out!""He's a Mystic!""Long Hao is dead!!"
Chen exhaled deeply, steam rising from his skin.
"Long Hao."His voice was heavy with respect.
"Thank you for pushing me this far. It's been a while since someone excited me."
Long Hao rolled his shoulders.
"You talk too much."
Chen's grin widened.
"AND YOU DON'T TALK ENOUGH!"
He charged.
A beast.A war machine.A living earthquake.
Long Hao raised his fist—
BOOOOOOM—!!!
The entire arena shook from the impact.
Stone shattered.Spectators screamed.Dust exploded into the air.
Chen staggered back, eyes wide.
"That punch—!! You're holding back! Aren't you?!"
Long Hao smirked.
"You're noticing late."
Chen roared with laughter.
"GOOD!THEN LET ME PUSH YOU FURTHER!"
He dashed in again.
Long Hao's eyes sharpened.
He stepped forward.
Everything slowed.
Chen's fist came.Long Hao dodged.Countered.Struck Chen's ribs.Struck his arm.Struck his throat lightly.And sent him tumbling backward.
Chen slid across the arena floor, breath knocked out.
He coughed… then laughed again.
"YES!THIS IS IT!THIS IS THE FIGHT I WANTED!!"
Long Hao lowered into a stance.
His crimson-tinted eyes glowed faintly.
The announcer screamed:
"W-WHAT KIND OF MONSTER IS LONG HAO?!HE'S MATCHING A MYSTIC RANK HEAD-ON IN RAW STRENGTH!!"
Chen wiped blood from his lips.
"Long Hao."
He spread his stance.
"My strongest punch is coming."
Long Hao cracked his fingers.
"Then brace yourself."
Chen inhaled deeply. Spirit energy erupted around him.
Long Hao stepped forward slowly…
Eyes like a predator.
Aura deep, dark, unmeasurable.
Chen's grin faded.
"…So that's your real presence."
Long Hao's voice dropped into a deadly calm:
"Okay, Chen Wulian…"
He crouched slightly.Fist pulled back.A faint red glow rising around him.
"…here I come."
His fist tightened.
"Take this."
BOOOOOOOOOOOM—!!!
[CHAPTER ENDS]