The audience stared in awe at the scene unfolding before them. Shaurya still stood motionless in his divine pose as sapphire flames flickered gently around him. Above, lotus petals rained down like blessings from the heavens, drifting gracefully through the night air. The entire coliseum shimmered with an almost holy radiance.
In the Sanatan Flame Sect’s VIP room, the elders sat frozen, their expressions mixed with surprise and pride. Lin Shu let out a soft laugh, covering her lips with her hand as her eyes sparkled with amusement. She whispered under her breath, "My my..... Shaurya, you and your obsession with dramatic style."
On the stage, Shaurya finally shifted. His posture changed slightly, and he raised his right hand higher, leaving only his index finger extended towards the heavens.
High above, Wang Tian, Luo Chen, and the Single Mingle Gang continued to shower the petals. Their faces lit with excitement—until Wang Tian noticed the signal. His eyes widened.
"Okay, stop it!" he quickly ordered.
The disciples instantly froze and retreated, baskets clutched against their chests as they dashed back to their seats. The petals thinned, then ceased altogether, fluttering down until only a few strays drifted across the arena.
Shaurya lowered his hand slowly, closing his eyes for a brief moment. Then, with deliberate grace, he stood tall and straight, hands falling to his sides. His face tilted downward, his breath steady. He inhaled deeply, then exhaled as if releasing the heavens themselves.
The dark clouds dissolved. The sapphire radiance receded. The sky above the arena cleared once more, revealing the pale, watchful moon. The audience tilted their heads upward, still breathless from what they had witnessed.
On the royal dais, King Tian Long leaned forward, laughter rumbling deep from his chest. His eyes gleamed with delight.
"Interesting," he said, stroking his beard. "This guy never fails to surprise."
Beside him, Li Dong maintained his usual calm composure, though his eyes betrayed a flicker of curiosity.
Back on the stage, Shaurya rolled his shoulders, stretched his neck with casual ease, then broke into a radiant smile. The brilliance of his expression captured the crowd at once, and all eyes fixed on him with unshakable curiosity.
But amidst the admiration, envy brewed. Situ Ron and Liu Xiang glared daggers at him, their jaws clenched.
Finally, Situ Ron snapped, his voice echoing across the arena.
"What the hell is going on here?!"
Liu Xiang’s face twisted with anger. His crimson pupils narrowed, and his tone came out sharp as steel.
"Yes! Stop this nonsense! Start the semi-final round already!"
The referee froze in his spot, glancing nervously between them and Shaurya. His palms grew damp. He shifted uncomfortably.
Before he could act, Shaurya’s voice rang out, smooth yet mocking.
"Looks like someone is getting jealous. Stop crying. You two are well-known figures in this kingdom—acting this way doesn’t suit you."
Gasps and murmurs erupted from the crowd.
Situ Ron’s teeth ground together, his fists tightening until his nails dug into his flesh. Liu Xiang stepped forward, fury boiling in his eyes, his mouth opening to retort—
—but Shaurya raised his hand casually, silencing him. His movements were unhurried, commanding.
"It’s your fault you didn’t prepare anything. So please, stay quiet and let the one who prepared everything, even on short notice, perform."
The audience fell silent at his words, stunned by his brazen tone.
Shaurya then turned his gaze upon the crowd. Slowly, he swept his eyes across every corner of the stadium—thousands of expectant faces staring back at him. He closed his eyes, a faint smile tugging his lips, before opening them wide and unleashing his voice like a thunderclap.
"Today... before all of you, I stand as Shaurya the Great... the Sect Master of Sanatan Flame Sect... the fire that will burn away darkness. I am an angel for every kind and good soul. I am the nightmare for every evil being!"
His words shook the arena.
He raised his hand toward the sky once more, his aura flaring faintly like a smoldering flame.
"Flames do not fear the darkness. They are born to shatter it. Strength is not in the sword or the fist, but in the will that refuses to bow. Remember this—Sanatan Flame Sect does not fight for victory alone... we fight to remind the world that light will always burn brighter than shadows!"
He paused, letting his words sink into every heart present. Then, with a smirk, his voice cut sharply through the silence.
"So go on, carve these words into your hearts—Sanatan Flame Sect has arrived. And we do not enter to compete... we enter only to dominate. We are here to show everyone who is the real boss. The strongest Sect."
His declaration exploded across the stadium like fire igniting dry grass. Shaurya spread his arms wide, his voice rising in a triumphant cry. The rightful source is novel✦fire.net
"Hail Sanatan Flame Sect! Jai Shree Hari!"
And then, dramatically, he bowed in deep respect toward the crowd. For a heartbeat, silence fell. Then the coliseum erupted.
Cheering. Applause. Stomping feet. Shouts of his name.
The earth itself seemed to quake beneath the weight of their admiration.
Shaurya straightened and brought his hands together in prayer, acknowledging the roaring waves of appreciation.
In the Sanatan Flame Sect’s VIP room, the elders were left speechless, their jaws slack.
Elder Wan, still unable to believe it, stammered, "Don’t tell me... Sect Master prepared this speech here. Right before his entrance."
Lin Shu, lips curved in a soft smile, nodded. "He did. He prepared this just now. I am also surprised."
Elder Wu suddenly clapped, laughter ringing in his tone.
"He is not only powerful but also very wise for his age. He truly deserves to be our Sect Leader."
The others nodded in agreement, their faces glowing with newfound pride.
Meanwhile, King Tian Long turned to Li Dong with a smirk.
"Well? What do you think now?"
Li Dong sighed lightly, though his lips twitched in the faintest of smiles.
"I admit it. You were right. This guy has truly surprised—and impressed me. I will meet him personally after the tournament."
King Tian Long raised a brow. "What exactly do you mean by ’personal meeting’?"
Li Dong’s hand slid calmly to his sword hilt. His eyes glinted. "You’ll see."
The referee blinked, struggling to recover from the overwhelming spectacle. He finally found his voice and screamed, "Whoa, whoa, whoa! What a speech! It truly fired up the atmosphere!" He raised his arms dramatically. "Now let’s see if they can dominate the rest of the matches like they did in the Group Stage!"
The crowd roared even louder.
"Their opponent for the semi-finals is Situ Family—another team undefeated until now! Two undefeated sects will clash today. But only one can reach the finals! The question is: who will rise, and who will fall?!"
The audience grew wild with excitement.
Down below, Shaurya, Situ Ron, Zia Han, and Liu Xiang locked eyes. All four men smiled—not kindly, but with sharpened confidence. Liu Xiang and Zia Han flared their auras before flying off to their respective seats. Zia Han chose a modest position, while Liu Xiang strutted proudly into a VIP chamber, demanding recognition equal to the others.
Situ Ron stepped forward, face dark with fury, and sneered at Shaurya.
"Confidence is good, boy. But don’t let arrogance and overconfidence be the reason for your loss."
Shaurya laughed, his tone carefree.
"Lose? Who said we are going to lose? This is not overconfidence. This is my trust in my disciples. No matter what, in the end, they will win. Soon, you’ll see exactly what I mean."
Without waiting for a reply, Shaurya turned his back on him and walked away toward his sect’s room, his sapphire aura still faintly glimmering like fire at dusk.
Situ Ron clenched his fists so tightly that veins bulged along his forearms. Yet, instead of rage, a devilish grin split across his face. He whispered under his breath, "Fine. Brat... I will love to see your face when you lose against my family." His sinister laughter echoed as he departed.
Shaurya returned to the VIP chamber, where his elders rose in admiration.
"Master, your speech was amazing," Elder Feng Yu praised warmly.
"You’re amazing as always," Elder Jian Fan added with a firm nod.
The others followed with applause, their respect overflowing. Shaurya bowed with composure. "Thank you."
He leaned back onto his throne, exhaling slowly. Lin Shu, her eyes still shimmering with pride, reached out and patted his head softly.
"You did great."
Shaurya blushed faintly, scratching his cheek before averting his gaze.
Meanwhile, the referee raised his hand high in the center of the arena. His voice thundered.
"Now, welcome our first semi-finalists: Situ Family Disciples versus Sanatan Flame Sect Disciples!"
Cheers erupted as five figures from the Situ Family emerged, landing firmly upon the arena floor. Opposite them, five disciples of the Sanatan Flame Sect descended, their presences burning like pillars of light.
The referee sliced his hand through the air, then dropped it with finality.
"Let the Semi-Finals begin!"
Jun Hua stepped forward first, her elegance captivating the crowd. Her long hair flowed as she brushed it aside with effortless grace.
From the stands, Lu Fang cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted with all his heart, "Come on, Jun Hua! You’ll win this—just don’t kill your opponent!"
Jun Hua turned her head, flashing him a playful wink, before striding into the battlefield.
From the Situ Family’s side, a girl with long crimson hair and black pupils stepped forward, a sword hanging from her waist. Her green robe swayed as she approached with haughty arrogance.
Her lips curled into a mocking smile. "I will give you a chance to surrender and back off. Otherwise, you’ll be beaten very badly."
Jun Hua laughed, her voice cold as steel.
"Oh, you think too highly of yourself. I would love to see how you do this."
She gripped the hilt of her sword, unsheathing it slightly. At once, her green aura erupted, a force that rippled through the ground itself.
The girl—Situ Xener—froze as a powerful pressure pressed against her. Her eyes widened in disbelief. Still, she gritted her teeth and drew her sword fully, pointing it at Jun Hua.
Jun Hua’s body shifted elegantly into her stance, her left leg sliding backward, her body bends towards front, eyes closing briefly as if merging with the wind itself.
Situ Xener roared and charged, crimson aura blazing.
Jun Hua inhaled deeply, her aura rising like a storm. Her lips moved in a cold whisper.
"Wind Razor Cutter."
Her eyes opened, sharp and deadly. "Sword Dash!"
With blinding speed, she became a streak of green light, racing across the stage like a jet tearing through the sky.
Situ Xener’s eyes widened in horror. She tried to counter, her blade raised desperately—but it was already too late.
Jun Hua’s sword drew and slashed horizontally.
The sound was sharp, final. Situ Xener’s sword shattered in two.
The impact forced her down to the ground, the sheer pressure pinning her there. Jun Hua stood over her, blade gleaming as it hovered just inches from her throat.
The arena floor itself bore the scar of her technique—a perfect line carved across the ground, stretching from her starting point to her opponent.
Her voice, icy and merciless, cut deeper than steel.
"You are not worthy even to hit me. How did you ever think of beating me?"
Situ Xener’s body trembled uncontrollably. Tears streamed down her face as terror overwhelmed her.
"I surrender! I surrender!"
She scrambled away, screaming, and fled the battlefield.
Jun Hua sheathed her sword with calm precision, her cold expression unshaken.
The referee stood frozen, jaw slack. He jolted only when Jun Hua’s eyes flicked toward him, urging him silently. Stammering, he raised his voice.
"Round one is over! Jun Hua has won the battle! Cheer for her!"
The audience erupted into thunderous applause.
Jun Hua’s expression softened as she stepped gracefully from the arena. She skipped toward Lu Fang like an innocent princess, her demeanor completely transformed.
"Lu Fang, wasn’t I amazing?" she asked brightly, her eyes shining.
Lu Fang chuckled, patting her head affectionately.
"You were amazing."
Whispers spread like wildfire among the crowd.
"She’s so beautiful... and so strong!"
"She’s even stronger than the ones we saw in the group stage!"
"How many powerful disciples does Sanatan Flame Sect have?"
Yet none among them realized this was only the beginning. The true monsters of the sect had yet to fight. In the stands, Wang Tian and Luo Chen exchanged quiet smiles.
The referee’s voice rose once more.
"Time for Round Two! Are you all ready?!"
This time, Lu Fang stepped forward, stretching his neck with unshakable confidence.
From Situ Family, a tall youth emerged—over six feet, wielding dual blades. His hair and eyes glimmered with the color of ice, light blue like frozen rivers.
Lu Fang smirked, challenging him boldly.
"Are you ready to lose?"
The blue-haired boy grinned back, rolling his shoulders.
"We’ll see who loses."
His aura erupted, blue light flooding the stage. He lunged at Lu Fang, blades flashing furiously.
But Lu Fang kept his hands behind his back, dodging with effortless ease. Each strike cut the air, missing him by a hair, yet Lu Fang never faltered.
The crowd gasped as the relentless assault continued—until the boy leapt backward, crossing both swords in a glowing "X."
"I will see how you dodge this. Double Chop!" he roared, charging with devastating force.
Lu Fang only smiled. His right hand gripped his sword hilt, his left on the scabbard. Lightning crackled faintly around him.
The boy’s twin blades slashed downward in an "X." But Lu Fang vanished in a blur of yellow lightning.
The boy’s eyes widened in shock. Suddenly, A line of blood rippled across his shoulder. He spun—Lu Fang stood calmly behind him, sheathing his blade.
"Too slow, idiot," Lu Fang said mockingly.
Fury ignited in the boy’s eyes. He roared and charged again, leaping high, both swords raised to cleave down.
But Lu Fang’s expression never changed. His hand tightened around his sword. Lightning sparked violently as his aura erupted.
"Lightning Sword Slash!"
In one motion, his sword unsheathed horizontally, lightning crackling as it collided with the boy’s blades. A shockwave exploded outward, rattling the arena.
The boy’s eyes widened in horror as his swords shattered into pieces.
The lightning blast hurled him backward like a ragdoll. Lu Fang puts back his sword and with Areial steps he blurred, catching his leg mid-air. With brutal force, he spun and throw him down toward his own team.
The boy crashed into the ground, dust erupting violently.
The referee’s voice trembled as he announced, "Sanatan Flame Sect has won Round Two! The match is now in their hands!"
The coliseum thundered with cheers.
But on the Sanatan Flame Sect’s dais, Shaurya scoffed, rolling his eyes.
"What does he mean by ’the match is now in our hands’? Huh? The whole tournament has been in our hands since the moment we decided to take part."
Lin Shu burst into laughter at his arrogance. Shaurya glanced at her, then joined her with his own chuckle.
The referee, fired up, shouted again.
"The match is growing intense! Sanatan Flame Sect needs just one more win to secure their place in the finals! But Situ Family won’t want to leave without even a single victory. We still have three rounds left. Let’s begin Round Three!"
Su Quan now stepped forward, calm and unshaken.
From the Situ Family, a bulky, bald boy around 22 leapt into the arena, his muscles bulging as he cracked his knuckles. His voice was low and menacing.
"You may have won two rounds... but that’s enough. Little girl, I will break your bones and shatter your sect’s streak."
In the stands, Luo Chen crushed the apple in his hand with fury, juice dripping between his fingers. His voice trembled with rage.
"How dare you speak to her like this!"
He rose, ready to storm into the arena, but Wang Tian grabbed him, holding him back while the others desperately tried to calm him.
Su Quan smiled faintly, unfazed.
"The previous two before you said something similar. And you know how it ended. Sanatan Flame Sect will never lose."
Her blue aura erupted like a storm, spreading across the battlefield.
The bulky man—Situ Yan—released his red aura, teeth grinding, muscles bulging.
"I am not weak like them!"
Su Quan cracked her knuckles, her eyes sharp.
"You may be stronger than them... but you are still weak against me."
The audience roared in anticipation. Luo Chen shouted from the stands, unable to contain himself.
"Su Quan! Teach that bastard a lesson for me! How dare he mock you!"
Su Quan turned her head, glancing back with a small, gentle smile.
Then she faced forward, aura surging, her stance firm and unyielding.
The battlefield was set. Sanatan Flame Sect led 2–0. One more victory, and the match would be theirs.
But the fire was only beginning to blaze.
To be continued...