Amid the crowd's cheers, Darian snorted and moved. He was the first to step onto the martial stage. Two minutes passed, and Purimary still hadn't come up.
By the third minute, Darian saw that Dire Fey was walking up with slow steps, her head lowered. She had a strange expression on her face. Everyone in the arena noticed and grew curious.
When she stopped a few meters in front of him, she raised her gaze. With a serious expression, she greeted him.
"Hello, sir. This young one is called Purimary. I came to learn a bit from you, at my older sister's request. If you could give me some pointers, I would be eternally grateful. I hope the sir will be considerate and not make me lose too much face… if possible, older sister said she would personally treat you to dinner as thanks after the Tournament ends."
Everyone heard that and widened their eyes.
Darian, especially. What the hell was going on?
Only after a second did he sigh, understanding a bit. In all his fights, he had won in ways that were, at the very least… humiliating and shocking. His opponents lost miserably, making him look like a demon who enjoyed causing maximum damage and putting on a show.
Seeing Darian stay silent, she took a deep breath.
"Older sister confirmed it… and I… also felt that I can't beat you and wanted to admit defeat, but that would be very bad for my sect's image. So, my older sister said that a mature, handsome, and kind young man like you wouldn't kill me or be too harsh. And most importantly, she said exchanging blows with you would bring me countless benefits, so I'm hoping for some guidance," Purimary said with extreme courtesy.
Darian listened seriously. Confirmed what?
Then he remembered something important. The Dire Feys were creations of his father, and they possessed a karmic connection with him and with the laws of the entire world. So… someone of a very high level in that race could sense Darian's bloodline and his connection to it. After all, he was his son.
On top of that, the Yinblood Sect likely had privileged information about who the real anomalies were. So it was easy to say Darian was a wolf pretending to be a sheep.
"Your older sister is…"
"Yes, she is the sect leader," Purimary replied lightly.
Darian nodded; that explained a lot. "You're very courteous. Your bloodline is one of the most incredible things in the world, filled with infinite depths. Who would dare be arrogant enough to say they could give you pointers? However… I feel like you've just awakened your true power, so your usage is still rudimentary. There are many flaws. Against an ordinary cultivator, it's fine. But against experts experienced in life-and-death battles, when you use your bloodline and divine technique, you expose yourself to the risk of losing your life. Very well… since we have to fight, I'll embarrass myself."
Hearing that, she smiled and clenched her fists. Without hesitation, she closed her eyes.
At that instant, a green light emerged.
Darian simply waited for a few seconds.
Then, Purimary's eyes opened.
At that moment, an illusory image appeared behind her. It was a pair of gigantic eyes, their pupils red like hers, but emitting a beautiful and enchanting glow.
She floated, and a sacred light circled her like a halo. At the same time, the laws of the universe synchronized with her perfectly.
Everyone watching forgot to breathe. It was the power of a Divinity Candidate; she went all out from the start.
When those giant eyes appeared, it was as if the heavens themselves had turned their gaze toward Darian. The space around him fragmented, as if the world had plunged into chaos and heaven and earth had been displaced.
Darian's body trembled slightly. Then his eyes shone with a subtle multicolored light.
He made a smooth motion, punching a point in front of him without moving from his spot.
*RUMBLE!*
An invisible wave seemed to collide with and shatter that power, restoring the chaos of the world.
"What?!"
All the more experienced cultivators, and even the greatest geniuses of the Yinblood Sect who had already experienced and fought against Purimary, were shocked.
All of them had been defeated when she activated her divine technique. Heaven and earth would fall into chaos. Left and right, front and back, up and down—there was no way to determine direction. Even if they tried to attack Purimary, they would only drift farther away. It was a sensation that drove them insane.
And yet, Darian broke that technique instantly. How could they not be shocked?
Purimary seemed to have expected this. Her small wings moved, and all the marks on her body pulsed, pouring every drop of power she had into those giant eyes. Three petals appeared in that manifestation, then began to spin.
The martial stage changed instantly. It trembled and shook. Suddenly, the ground became the ceiling, and the sense of spatial displacement made the spectators nauseous.
Vymara was shocked because that Dire Fey's divine technique was highly developed. It clearly used the power of mind, soul, time, and space together, putting any target she focused on into an extremely dangerous situation.
Some weaker spectators, trying to sense that power… started vomiting uncontrollably. It was as if they had entered a nightmare, and the world spun around them.
"Idiot! Don't try to sense that!" In the stands, an older figure roared and placed a hand on a young man's back.
He forced the sinister power out of his body.
Even so, their minds and souls remained in a chaotic state. Many felt so terrible that they had no choice but to close their eyes and all their senses, completely stopping watching.
Space dissipated in layers and inverted.
Lightning tore through the air, and gigantic wind blades spun through space. As for Purimary, she had disappeared, leaving only those giant eyes. They were like the eyes of a goddess.
*BOOM!*
A bolt of lightning struck the ground, shattering it. That made everyone jump in shock.
"This isn't an illusion?"
Just as they thought this spatial chaos was nothing more than some kind of illusion, a physical attack occurred.
After that, Darian moved calmly, striking the space at precise points.
Ripples spread.
In seconds… that inverted chaotic world began to calm down.
"Sir, be careful. I'm going to use one of my supreme moves."
Purimary's voice echoed. Suddenly, space twisted, and sharp swords rained down on Darian from every direction.
"How is this possible?!" Seeing those swords, countless people were in disbelief.
An endless rain of sharp swords fell on Darian. On top of that, each sword carried a different power: Space, Yin, Yang, Water, Fire, Earth, Wind, lightning… everything came crashing down on him.
"How can one person control so many types of power? And all of them at such a high level!"
Everyone was shocked as they watched those infinite swords. This simply wasn't possible. And each sword carried a powerful aura. They weren't illusions.
That was the power of a Dire Fey; nothing in the world was difficult for them. Because of that, they became targets of the world's laws and ended up having to face Celestial Annihilations.
When a genius of that race, like Purimary, was born and managed to develop, their power was so absurd it could be compared to an anomaly.
The moment countless swords rushed toward Darian, he shook his head and let out a light sigh. Suddenly, he moved like a ghost, disappearing.
"!"
Then he appeared at random points within that vast domain of power.
He struck five times into the air. After that, those swords rotted away and dissolved into nothing.
For a moment, everyone fell silent, frozen, stunned.
What had just happened? How could such a terrifying attack simply dissipate like smoke in the wind?
Did those five strikes hit the exact weakness of the divine technique? Even the most powerful figures in the VIP room couldn't pinpoint where those flaws were.
Purimary, who had been hidden, also appeared, looking at Darian in shock.
Darian turned to her and said with a slight smile, "You created an enviable divine technique, but you don't know how to use it. You can only release the most superficial layer of its power. Even though the space aspect seems to be at a high level, the power of time isn't balanced. As for the other powers… the appearance is scary, but all those energies are colliding with each other. With just a glance, I can tell where those collisions happen and create weak points; you just need to strike them at the right moment. In short… power isn't something where more is better. Increasing quantity while reducing purity is a major taboo in cultivation. You should choose the type of energy you like and specialize in it. That way, you'll be able to go further."
Hearing that, the sect leader Purina nodded. As expected, Darian was an anomaly… but not just any anomaly. From Remira's reaction, she understood that he was special, far more than she had imagined.
When it came to Purimary's power, her older sister didn't want to give her too many pointers. It still wasn't the right time… and she also wasn't completely sure about her weaknesses. Purimary had just created her divine technique, and her mental realm was still too unstable for her to figure things out on her own. So she chose to just let her mature a bit.
The other powerful cultivators in the stands also nodded. Darian had a noble aura, without any trace of arrogance or malice. That trait made others like and respect him even more.
"Thank you very much for the guidance. This foolish girl is completely convinced." Purimary bowed deeply toward Darian.
"You should still have more moves, right? You're already admitting defeat?" Darian asked, curious.
She smiled and shook her head. "Using them would be useless… I really am a fool and only learned flashy things to scare others, without going deep into anything, but now, you made me realize that. If we keep going, I'm afraid my confidence will shatter. Even though you're kind and helped me clear my misunderstandings, I'm afraid my heart wouldn't be able to take the impact. Hehe, thank you. You're even kinder to me than my real older sister."
Purina snorted in the VIP room. Making a talent like her little sister work hard, while also not letting her become arrogant, was complicated and required very harsh discipline. Unfortunately, she had to take on that bad role for her sake.
Darian nodded lightly; meanwhile, everyone in the stands was stunned.
The supreme genius of the number one organization in the universe… really lost… and lost to someone they didn't even know existed until a few days ago.
After saying she gave up, Purimary left the martial stage calmly, without any sign of frustration on her face. To her, this tournament had no real value, which made Darian admire her maturity. She truly understood that this wasn't a real fight, just a somewhat ridiculous show.
Without delay, the demonic Elder took Darian back to the inscription.
...
When the fifteen minutes were over, and the Elder opened the inscription, this time there was no light or anything flashy.
But…
A bright and somewhat mischievous smile was on Darian's face.
He clenched his fists, then felt a supernatural power flowing through every cell of his body. The five natural elements merged with his flesh and, with a single breath, he felt like he could cause an unmatched cataclysm.
'Fifth level of the Heavenly Elemental Body…' Darian thought, swallowing hard. 'I can't even imagine the limit of my current strength.'
He turned to the Elder and then walked back to the arena.
When he arrived… he immediately saw Pyreus covered in wounds, his breathing uneven. His whole body was exhausted.
As he approached, Pyreus turned to Darian and let out a deep sigh. "I lost."
Darian nodded. He did very, very well and got farther than even Darian had imagined.
But unfortunately, his maximum power against these geniuses still wasn't enough.
Pyreus could stay at the absolute peak of his power for, at most, three minutes. If the opponent wasn't easily crushed by him, it became obvious that his strength dropped at a terrifying speed. So all they had to do was avoid him and stall to guarantee victory.
Darian didn't say anything, just gave a slight nod.
Pyreus had gone from a slightly above-average disciple in an already mediocre sect to one of the most powerful in the universe. Everything happened too fast, and his will and mindset hadn't kept up with that growth. In the future, Darian would have to make him suffer a bit more; that was a great way to force him to mature.
The next fight began; this time, it was two Dire Feys fighting each other.
In fact, 9 out of the 16 disciples in this round were Dire Feys.
The supremacy of that race over all others was shocking. To compensate, their fertility was extremely low, comparable to that of Dragons. On top of that, when they had to pass through the Celestial Tribulation Realm, 95% of them died tragically. Because of that, there were only about a dozen young individuals from each generation of that race who managed to survive and go far in cultivation.
The fight was savage, with both sides attacking using multiple powers with mastery. But in the end, it lasted less than ten minutes, and a boy won.
In the next draw…
*Vymara, from the Bakunawa Abyssal Triarchy, against Sauru, from the Chaos Elementals Sect*
Vymara took a deep breath and clenched her fists. On her back, she felt an immense weight.
She took a trembling step forward, then stopped. At that moment, a calm voice sounded in her mind.
'Stay relaxed, nothing that happens from now on matters. But fight with everything from the start. If you don't… when that idiot uses his secret weapon, you won't have enough power to defend yourself and survive. Your only chance is to pressure him into using everything early.'
Vymara turned and met Darian's gaze. Feeling his eyes on her, she felt absolute reassurance. It was as if nothing really mattered to him.
'I'll listen to Big Brother,' she replied mentally.
After taking a deep breath and steadying herself, she turned and walked, stepping onto the martial stage.
It rebuilt itself automatically after each battle through an inscription. This reconstruction only took a few minutes, just the time of the draw and for the disciples to move.
Its power and speed were absolute, since it was connected to the entire mountain. It wasn't just the martial stage—the protective barrier and everything there was made to be as secure as possible. Not even someone at the level of a sect leader could cause problems or break those things.
In seconds, the two opponents stood face to face.
Sauru was a man using a completely human-looking metamorphosis; he was tall, relatively well-built, with short red hair and a striking face. His eyes were grayish, emitting an intense fluctuation of chaos power; anyone who stared into those eyes for too long would feel even their soul being read by him.
The two only exchanged looks in silence. But a faint smile was on Sauru's face.
When the green light appeared above…
*Wooooooosh!*
A sacred blue light swallowed the entire martial stage instantly.
People narrowed their eyes; the power of a Divinity Candidate was used right from the start. All candidates, because they had incomplete techniques, couldn't control their energy consumption after using them. It was always a quick win or loss, because if they failed, they would be left completely drained.
Vymara waved, holding her sacred spear.
Her body was already covered in Yin, as if she were wearing a long black dress capable of devouring all the light around her.
She stared at that figure coldly, but he remained standing in the same spot, calm.
The only difference… was that his smile was now full of mockery.
"Be careful!" Vymara attacked with everything she had, without thinking about anything other than winning.
Sauru finally moved. His two hands opened, and a grayish flame appeared. It flickered subtly, as if it were just a simple use of chaos power.
"!"
Darian's eyes changed instantly when he saw and felt that.
In the VIP room, the leader of the Chaos Elementals Sect smiled slightly, with his ten Elders standing behind him. But…
Everyone there immediately noticed Remira's gaze change completely.
Her expression turned serious, along with her aura. Everyone broke into a cold sweat, wondering in shock what was wrong.
As for the leader of the Chaos Elementals Sect, he became incredibly alarmed, but forced himself to hide it within his aura.
She… actually noticed?
*RUMBLE!*
Suddenly, a thunderous wave erupted on the martial stage.
"HOW!?"
Shouts of shock echoed throughout the stands. That was because…
Sauru grabbed Vymara's sacred spear with his bare hands!
At that moment, everyone in Darian's group felt a cold aura brush against their skin. They turned toward Darian, and saw his usual completely indifferent expression… but they knew… he was incredibly furious.
What was going on?
*BANG!*
Suddenly, Sauru spun and kicked. Vymara, who was in panic without understanding how that was possible, was hit directly and sent flying, slamming violently into the barrier.
The queens in the stands felt their hearts stop. Their minds couldn't believe what their eyes were seeing. The power of that spear came from a divine technique approved by the laws of the universe; therefore, its power had an immense boost from the laws themselves.
Even they, in the final realm of cultivation, if they used everything they had, would struggle to hold that spear. But that young man clearly grabbed it as if it were nothing!
Suddenly, Sauru moved like a gray lightning bolt.
"!"
People gasped, their voices choked.
He grabbed her by the neck and lifted her into the air brutally.
Vymara's eyes widened; she felt as if millions of needles pierced her body at the same time. All her Yin aura was swept away. Her spear had already been destroyed earlier, so all her energy went with it.
"DON'T YOU DARE!!!" Veyra roared, completely losing control.
That was because everyone felt Sauru's malicious aura. He wanted to kill her!
Vymara struggled, trying to break free or at least say she gave up.
But… that malicious smile only grew brighter, filled with pleasure at seeing her like that. He definitely wasn't going to let her surrender.
"Hehehe… I hope you had enough fun with that little bastard Darian. Because now, it's my turn…" Sauru's deep, almost demonic voice echoed across the silent arena.
"But don't worry, after you, I'll send him to hell to keep you company."
He tightened his grip…
*AHH!*
Only a hoarse, heart-wrenching scream managed to escape Vymara's throat. Her entire body twisted, and grayish veins spread all over her. Her expression and struggle showed someone enduring indescribable pain.
"NO!!!"
Veyra roared uncontrollably, activating all her power and about to attack, but the other two queens immediately held her back. Even if they let her go, she would only crash into the barrier and be killed in the counterattack.
Everyone in the arena tensed up; this… was clearly revenge against…
"Blinding Break"
**KBOOOOOOM!!!**
Suddenly, across the entire planet, a terrifying earthquake struck, followed by an apocalyptic explosion.
The entire Rainbow Heaven mountain trembled, its energies and colors shaking and turning pale.
A chaos in time and space distorted everything inside the arena. When the most powerful spectators finally saw what had happened…
Their hearts pounded like drums.
At that moment, the extremely high-level barrier that separated the martial stage from the audience… was completely destroyed by an incomparable force.
Their senses searched in shock for something there, until…
…they found only a young man dressed in red, radiating an aura that warped the space around him. He was holding, by the neck, a blood-covered, trembling figure.
His lips moved slowly, and his voice echoed, making everyone's soul tremble.
"Pathetic insect, the show's over."
