Chapter 73Adrian had barely straightened his stance after the last cultivator fell when the air above the arena twisted again.This time, it wasn’t subtle.Two figures descended almost simultaneously, their auras crashing into the arena like twin storms. The ground groaned under the pressure, cracks spreading further across the stone rings. Five cultivators now stood where moments ago there had been only three.Gasps tore through the crowd.“They’re not stopping!”“That makes five!”“This isn’t a duel anymore—it’s an execution!”Miss Reyes shot to her feet, her composure breaking for the first time since the duel began. “This is cheating!” she shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos. “This goes against everything that was agreed upon!”Freya turned her head slowly, her expression smooth, almost amused. “Cheating?” she echoed. “There are no rules here. This is survival. If he can’t endure, then he doesn’t deserve to stand.”Reyes’ hands clenched into fists. Panic flickered across

The dust had not yet settled when Adrian stepped forward alone.Kai wanted to move with him. Smith, still recovering, tried to rise again. But Adrian lifted one hand slightly, stopping them without turning back. This was his fight now. Whatever had been awakened inside him during the previous clashes was demanding to be tested fully, without interference, without shelter.Across the broken ring, Karl stood tall.Karl was not like the others. His presence was compact, terrifyingly controlled, as though every strand of power he possessed had been folded inward and sharpened into a blade. His reputation alone made cultivators tremble. No one in this lifetime had defeated him, not in open combat, not in secret duels, not even through schemes.Karl studied Adrian carefully, his eyes narrowing. “You should be dead,” he said calmly. “You’ve taken blows that would erase most cultivators from existence.”Adrian wiped the blood from his chin, straightening his spine. “Then I suppose you’ll have

Chapter 77The arena was finally given a brief pause, the organizers announcing a temporary recess while the inner rings were repaired and the next round prepared. Adrian stepped out of the ring slowly, his movements measured, his expression unreadable. The roar of the crowd still echoed behind him, but for the first time since the duel began, he allowed himself a moment to breathe.Kai followed him a short distance, then stopped when Adrian lifted a hand slightly. “I’ll rest for a bit,” Adrian said quietly. “Stay close.”Kai nodded. “Don’t push yourself too hard.”Adrian moved toward a quieter corner reserved for participants, the noise dulling as thick barriers muffled the arena outside. He had just lowered himself onto a stone bench when familiar footsteps approached.He didn’t need to look up to know who it was.“Elena.”Her name left his lips coldly, without warmth or surprise. He raised his eyes slowly, meeting hers with a guarded gaze.Elena stood a few steps away, her expressi

Chapter 80The resting chamber was quiet again, but it was no longer peaceful.Adrian stood near the window overlooking the arena, the distant noise of the crowd seeping through layers of reinforced stone. He could feel the pressure building outside—anticipation, malice, and something far colder than excitement. The cultivators hadn’t withdrawn to recover. They were preparing.The door opened softly.Kai entered with hurried steps, a massive, weathered book clutched tightly in his arms. The moment Adrian turned, Kai’s expression made it clear this wasn’t an ordinary text.“I got it,” Kai said, his voice low but urgent.Adrian’s gaze dropped to the book. The cover was dark, almost black, etched with faded symbols that seemed to shift when viewed from the corner of the eye. The aura leaking from it was restrained but unmistakable—ancient, deep, and heavy with authority.“Elder Silas?” Adrian asked quietly.Kai nodded. “He kept it hidden for decades. No one else knew where it was stored.