The 99th ranked cultivator's face went pale. His flaming spear flickered as his concentration wavered. His voice came out uncertain, almost disbelieving.
"Arthur? You mean you're that Arthur? The one ranked first on the Rising Dragon Rankings?"
Arthur's eyes remained calm and steady. He stood completely relaxed, showing no tension or concern. His emperor's armor gleamed faintly in the sunlight that filtered through the forest canopy.
"I am Arthur Hartfield," he said simply.
Silence fell across the battlefield like a physical weight. The sound of rustling leaves seemed impossibly loud in the sudden quiet.
The Blazing Sun Sect members took involuntary steps backward. Their faces showed shock and dawning terror. Even their four Martial Emperors shifted their stances nervously, though they tried to hide it.
