The crowd was still restless from the tragedy of Shui Lin. His broken body lingered in everyone's minds, but the tournament allowed no pause for mourning. The referee called for the next duel, his voice taut as a bowstring.
"Next Huo Shan of Qingling Sect versus Tie Yuan of Iron Vow Sect!"
The arena seemed to rumble at the mere announcement. Tie Yuan, hulking and broad, stepped onto the stage with a grin that reeked of arrogance. He cracked his knuckles, each pop echoing like boulders grinding together. His body was built like an iron fortress, muscles knotted and dense. He was famed for his Earth & Shockwave Fist Arts a style where defense was his offense, and offense meant destruction.
Huo Shan entered steadily, clad in heavy earth-brown robes that matched his element. His presence was like a mountain immovable, enduring. Though known more for defense than attack, his eyes shone with a steady fire.
The barrier rose.
"Begin!"
Tie Yuan stamped his foot, qi surging. "大地震鸣 (Earthquake Roar)!" The arena floor cracked outward in a spiderweb of tremors. Dust and shards shot up, the ground itself lashing at Huo Shan.
Huo Shan braced, slamming his palms down. "玄岩壁障 (Xuan Rock Barrier)!" Stone walls burst up in layers around him, swallowing the shockwaves. The ground shuddered, but Huo Shan stood firm.
Tie Yuan laughed. "Good, you can block! But can you block forever?"
He charged, his fist gleaming with condensed earth qi. "裂山崩拳 (Mountain-Cracking Fist)!"
The punch landed on Huo Shan's barrier. The wall splintered, shards flying everywhere but another layer immediately formed. Huo Shan countered, stepping forward with a roar, smashing his own fist down.
"铁峰崩击 (Iron Peak Slam)!"
The impact blasted the ground, forcing Tie Yuan back a step. For a moment, the crowd roared the mountain had struck back!
But Tie Yuan only smirked, wiping a trickle of blood from his lip. "Finally, a stone worth breaking."
What followed was a brutal exchange mountain and mountain colliding. Fist against shield, shield against fist. Each impact shook the barrier, sending ripples of force through the audience.
But slowly, cracks spread across Huo Shan's defenses. His breathing grew ragged, qi faltering. Tie Yuan's fists only grew heavier, like landslides repeating without end.
Finally, Tie Yuan drew back his arm, qi roaring like an avalanche."碎岳终击 (Shattering Peak Strike)!"
The blow smashed through Huo Shan's defenses, through his guard, and hammered into his chest. With a sound like stone splitting, Huo Shan flew across the ring, crashing into the barrier with bone-cracking force.
"Winner Tie Yuan of Iron Vow Sect!"
Silence fell. Healers rushed forward, only to shake their heads grimly Huo Shan lived, but his bones were shattered. Like Shui Lin, he would not fight again in this tournament.
Xuanye's eyes burned with fury. Two brothers struck down in as many days. The enemies' intentions were now undeniable.
The next match shifted the mood entirely.
"Yue Chányīn of Qingling Sect versus Princess Hong Xue of Crimson Jade Dynasty!"
A stir ran through the crowd. Fire and ice two elements destined to clash.
Hong Xue stepped forward, flames curling around her body, her scarlet robes glowing in the heat. Poison-fire, her specialty, burned an eerie green within the orange blaze, searing hot enough to corrode stone.
Yue Chányīn walked calmly, her white robes fluttering like falling snow. Her sword was sheathed in frost, and snowflakes drifted around her as she ascended the stage.
The referee signaled.
"Begin!"
Hong Xue smirked. "Little girl, prepare to be burned to ash!" She swept her hands wide. "烈毒火莲 (Venomous Fire Lotus)!" A lotus of green flame spun through the air, trailing firestorms.
Yue Chányīn's face remained unchanged. She raised her sword, qi flowing cold as a glacier. "寒霜屏障 (Frozen Veil Wall)!" Ice surged, walls forming in layers. The fire-lotus struck, hissing and sputtering as frost swallowed poison.
Hong Xue's grin faltered. "You think ice can last forever?" She leapt, flames twisting into a blade. "炎凰舞 (Dance of the Fire Phoenix)!"
Her body spun, fire phoenix wings lashing the ground in streaks of blazing light.
But Yue Chányīn stepped once, sword flashing. "霜影连斩 (Frost-Shadow Consecutive Slash)!"
Her strikes carved arcs of snow, each slash a shimmering crescent. The phoenix met the storm flame against snow, heat against chill. The duel was breathtaking, a storm of red and white filling the stage.
Finally, Yue Chányīn exhaled, frost condensing into her blade. "绝霜终裁 (Judgment of Eternal Frost)!"
She slashed once. The air howled, and the flames of Hong Xue froze mid-flight, shattering into shards of frozen fire. The sword's edge kissed Hong Xue's throat, stopping a hair's breadth from drawing blood.
The princess froze, stunned, unable to move.
"Winner Yue Chányīn of Qingling Sect!"
Applause erupted. The elegance, the ruthless precision Yue Chányīn stood like a snow goddess amidst the ruins of fire.
The Crimson Empress's face darkened, her knuckles white on her throne.
The rest of the day's matches blurred in comparison. A disciple of Obsidian Bone Sect crushed an opponent from Sea Cloud Kingdom. Prince Lian Xun of Lotus Empire once again dazzled with his refined early Nascent Soul power, effortlessly sweeping aside his challenger.
But all Qingling eyes were not on them they were on the empty seats where Shui Lin and Huo Shan should have been.
Qingling's pride burned fiercer now. Their friends had fallen, but their spirit would not.