Meanwhile, a private training room, Aveline Westmere sat opposite Lucien Cross.“Lucien, you must defeat Ronan Crowne,” she said. “You must be number one. Tomorrow is your last chance to take back the number one spot.”“I know. I will. But I need help,” he replied.“That is why you are here.” Aveline reached into the folds of her robe and placed a small jade vial on the table.“The Nine Souls Pill,” she said.Lucien’s eyes widened. “That is forbidden in the Genius Ranking battles. If I use it, my strength will not be counted as my own. It only boosts power for a short time. It does not show true ability.”“Which is why you tell no one,” Aveline answered. “For a brief window, your strength will multiply a hundredfold. Enough to face Ronan.”Lucien shook his head. “I want to beat him with my own power, not with tricks.”“Look at yourself,” Aveline snapped, losing a little patience.“You are battered and bleeding. Healing alone will take weeks without the special potion. To cultivate eno

Morning sunlight spilled over Thalara’s Grand Arena. Crowds poured in from every corner of the academy. Students, instructors, elders, and even guests from outside packed the stands.This year was different. The stakes were higher, the rewards greater.The competitors had already gathered. Lucien Cross stood in the front row as the current second place of the Genius Ranking List.Aveline Westmere watched from the faculty row, with Principal Hadrian Voss seated beside her.Calista Sable sat among the students, craning her neck to spot Lucien, her heart restless.High above, Dorrian Blackthorne, The Minister of Education, The Martial Saint, was present.Below him were his children: Tristan Blackthorne, thirsting for revenge after his defeat to Lucien, and Selene Blackthorne, hoping to defend her place in the top ten while anxiously awaiting Ronan Crowne’s arrival.Magnus Crowne and Garrick Crowne was there too, among the elders of other clans.The crowd buzzed louder, hushed only when t

The countdown blazed high above the arena.10… 9… 8…Still, Ronan Crowne was nowhere to be seen.Selene’s composure began to crack, a faint crease forming between her brows. Even Magnus and Garrick Crowne exchanged uneasy glances from their seats.Lucien folded his arms, a faint smirk curling on his lips.“He’s not coming,” he said coldly. “I know him. He’s a coward. Always has been.”“Don’t talk nonsense. You don’t know anything about him,” Selene said sharply.Calista seized the moment, her voice cutting through the tension like a blade.“Why are you defending him again, Selene?” she sneered. “It’s obvious you’ve always had something with him.”Gasps spread through the crowd.Whispers followed like wildfire:“Calista is right! She defends him too much. That’s not normal.”<