As soon as the rift cracks burst inside the arena…
Three different powers descended at once.
Lian Tianyu appeared with his blazing golden spear — the pressure of his real body was so immense that the ground of the arena began to shake.
Haoran's demonic aura erupted into a blood-red storm that covered the entire sky.
Yan Ya descended with her real jade flute, her sonic aura slicing through space like invisible blades.
---
Arena Breakdown
The moment the three arrived, the entire arena trembled.
The shield protecting the disciples — Crack… Crack! — large fractures appeared across it. Panic spread among the audience as they scattered. Many disciples were blown away into the air as their qi shields shattered instantly.
Sect Leaders immediately rose from their seats.
They injected their energy together, trying desperately to preserve the protective barrier around the arena.
But then, the cold voice of the Obsidian Moon Sect Leader, Mu Shenyue, resounded:
> "Just their presence alone is collapsing the arena. If they fight here… the entire sect will be destroyed. A new world must be created for them."
Her crimson eyes turned toward Yun Xiao and Lian Ye. Both sect masters nodded in agreement.
Mu Shenyue raised her palm… and in the next instant, a massive space crack tore open in the sky.
Within it lay an endless, grey dimension.
> "Go. The four of you may fight here with your full strength. And we will all witness it."
Within a heartbeat, Zeravon and the three fighters stepped into the crack.
---
The Pocket World
This place was like a small, forsaken world — barren black rocks on the ground, lightning constantly flashing across a sky littered with shattered stars.
Floating space cracks stretched across the air, where the very laws of heaven and earth had weakened.
The disciples and elders projected their spiritual visions, watching the live image of the battlefield.
---
As soon as the four touched the ground, Haoran raised his demonic sword and glanced at Tianyu and Yan Ya.
> "First, we eliminate Zeravon. After that, we settle our matters."
Lian Tianyu rotated his spear, flames bursting from it.
> "Fine. Why waste time? Three of us against one brat should be quick."
Yan Ya pressed her flute against her lips, smiling coldly.
> "Agreed."
---
Zeravon's Calm
Zeravon stood silently. A faint smile curled on his lips.
> "The three of you are mid-level Mystic Core cultivators. And I… am merely at the peak of Sacred Veins. Yet it still takes all three of you together to bring me down?"
Haoran's veins erupted with demonic fire. Tianyu's spear blazed hotter.
Haoran dragged his sword across the ground — SHHHHHHHH! A crimson flame wave tore through space toward Zeravon.
At the same time, Tianyu spun his spear, summoning a Golden Flame Dragon that dove straight into the fiery wave.
Zeravon did not retreat. He raised only an ordinary sword to block — TINGGG!
The shockwave was so immense that the outer walls of the arena cracked.
---
Zeravon wasted no time — he charged directly through the flames and slashed brutally at Haoran's sword.
Haoran managed to block, but blood burst from his hands.
> "This… such pressure from a normal sword?!" Fear pierced Haoran's heart.
At that instant, Yan Ya's whip cracked — PAAAAK!
The lash tore into Zeravon's shoulder, ripping flesh as blood sprayed. The crowd screamed.
But Zeravon grabbed the whip with his sword, yanked Yan Ya toward him, and slammed his knee into her stomach — THAADD! Blood gushed from her mouth like a fountain.
---
Tianyu did not hesitate. His spear blazed as he unleashed a Spear Barrage — ten strikes at once, each detonating with explosions.
Zeravon blocked relentlessly, sparks showering with each clash. Blood dripped from his knuckles.
TING! TING! TING! BOOOOM!
One punch shattered Haoran's flame shield.
One kick tilted Tianyu's spear off balance.
Yan Ya's sonic wave was reflected back at her.
Furious, Tianyu launched a full-power thrust. From his spear burst a giant Flame Phoenix that engulfed Zeravon entirely. The crowd thought it was the end.
But then, a deafening roar tore out from within — Zeravon burst free of the flames, his body scorched and bleeding, but his eyes blazing.
> "Now… it's your turn," he said coldly.
His sword fell in a brutal downward slash, colliding with Tianyu's spear — BOOOOOOM!
The explosion ripped a 300-million-meter crack through space, dust and fire exploding everywhere.
The audience screamed in disbelief:
> "At the Sacred Veins Realm… holding back three Mystic Core cultivators?! Impossible!!"
---
Gradually, the balance shifted.
The three fighters found their rhythm.
Haoran's demonic flames burned the air itself.
Tianyu's spear strikes rained with surgical precision.
Yan Ya's sonic waves tore at Zeravon's senses.
Zeravon's clothes were shredded, his body marked with deep cuts. Blood gushed freely.
Haoran's demonic slash split the barren land.
Tianyu's spear summoned a lightning dragon that lunged for Zeravon's chest.
Yan Ya's sound distorted the entire dimension.
Zeravon drew only a normal steel sword.
Clang! He flicked his wrist, deflecting the flame slash.
He stepped into the spear's flow, spun half around, and parried its shaft.
The sonic wave shattered harmlessly against his shield.
The crowd was stunned.
> "A normal sword… and he's blocking them all?!"
---
The battle escalated.
Haoran's strikes could crush mountains.
Tianyu's spear thrusts struck with surgical accuracy.
Yan Ya's invisible tones shattered Zeravon's balance.
At first, Zeravon countered equally. Every strike precise, every swing short and deadly.
But the pressure grew heavier.
A slash cut into his side — blood sprayed.
A spear grazed his shoulder — another deep wound.
A sonic burst exploded in his chest — his breathing turned ragged.
---
Zeravon tightened his grip — blocked another strike —
CRACK!!!
His sword snapped in two.
A fragment spun through the air and cut across his face, blood dripping onto the arena floor with a sizzling hiss.
Zeravon's breathing grew heavy. But his eyes held only cold determination. Blood streamed down his face.
The crowd gasped.
> "His sword… broke!"
---
Zeravon lifted the broken half of his blade. At that very moment, the three opponents unleashed their ultimate techniques together.
Haoran → Demonic Heaven Gate Slash — a black-red gate that tore the sky.
Tianyu → Blazing Spear Dragon — a golden dragon splitting the ground.
Yan Ya → Heavenly Silence Tone — a sound wave that shattered the very stars of the dimension.
All three attacks struck Zeravon.
BOOOOOOOOOM!!!
The blast shook the entire pocket world.
Two hundred million cracks ripped through space.
Heaven and Earth roared together.
---
As dust settled, the ground was shattered, the sky torn apart.
And at the center… Zeravon still stood.
His entire body was cut and bleeding, face drenched in blood. From cheek to chest, deep wounds carved his flesh.
Yet in his hand — still the broken half of his sword.
Zeravon collapsed to his knees. His body poured blood, chest ripped open, back streaming.
But he did not fall.
Some elders whispered his name, but others silenced them instantly. Lian Ye alone had seen clearly.
---
Slowly, Zeravon rose again.
Every wound bled freely, but his eyes still burned.
The arena fell into dead silence.
> "A man at the Sacred Veins Realm… took the ultimate strikes of three Mystic Cores… and still stands?!"
Zeravon lifted his head. On his blood-soaked face spread a faint, chilling smile.
He spoke softly:
> "You still think I am weak…? The real battle begins now."
Yet his eyes remained calm. From his lips, a low, chilling voice echoed:
> "Is this all?"
He stepped forward, blood dripping. His smile turned cold.
> "Do you think this will bring me down?
Your very souls… are trembling in fear."
Covered in blood, body torn apart, sword broken — Zeravon still stood tall, eyes burning crimson.
With a bloody smile, he declared:
> "If this is all you've got… then you three are nothing more than insects crawling beneath my feet."
---
Haoran, Lian Tianyu, and Yan Ya were consumed with rage.
All three unleashed their strongest techniques at once:
Haoran raised his flaming blade, summoning a crimson dragon.
Lian Tianyu spun his spear, calling forth a golden phoenix that ripped the sky.
Yan Ya cracked her whip, unleashing a pitch-black storm to swallow all.
Their combined attacks struck Zeravon.
And this time… he did not even try to block.
BOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!
The explosion rocked the small world apart, fissures tearing through space. Even the arena's barrier trembled.
Zeravon's body slowly cracked apart, like a crumbling statue. His arms, chest, and face shattered piece by piece.
Yet still, his cold smile never faded.
When the last fragment fell, silence froze the world.
The audience stood in stunned silence, unable to comprehend.
Jinyao Mei was rooted in shock, eyes wide, unable to speak a word.
A faint smile appeared on Mu Shenyue and Lian Ye's faces, as though they had expected this.
Yun Xiao and Yueyin were silent, but unease clouded their expressions.
Wuji XieJun, sitting on his throne, wore only a knowing smile — as if he understood everything.
Then… from the place where Zeravon's body had broken, a voice resounded.
> "Did you really think… you could defeat me with just this much?"
The arena shook violently.
A colossal crack split the space, overflowing with black-and-white energy.
From within the fissure, a shadow emerged, slowly taking form —
A cultivator clad in black and white robes. With each step he took, space itself shattered. The entire pocket world trembled as though about to collapse.
Time itself distorted around him.
And his voice thundered:
> "So… my clone couldn't handle you three? Hmph. Tell me — did it break too easily?"
Hearing these words, the color drained from Haoran, Lian Tianyu, and Yan Ya's faces.
Their legs trembled. Their hearts lost all rhythm.
The crowd forgot how to breathe.
---
To Be Continued…