The third stage of the Dragon Summit commenced with speed efficiency. The unaligned rogues and weak novices were already purged from the roster during the early morning matches. Only the seasoned masters of the southern province remained to contest the formal duels. The center ring of the volcanic caldera currently hosted a clash between a spearman from the Whispering Blade Pavilion and a brawler from the Iron Tide Sect.The crowd in the steep stone bleachers roared with intense bloodlust. The spearman lunged forward with blinding speed. The tip of his weapon vibrated violently and created overlapping sonic illusions designed to confuse the eye.The brawler did not flinch or attempt to dodge the phantom strikes. He anchored his boots against the basalt floor and crossed his forearms. He utilized his dense Earth Qi to harden his skin into a solid barrier. The steel spear tip struck his forearm and sparked brightly. The brawler grabbed the wooden shaft of the incoming weapon with a crus

Deafening boos echoed off the steep basalt walls of the caldera. Chase sheathed his obsidian sword and ignored the venomous insults raining down from the stone bleachers. The southern cultivators threw debris and screamed for his immediate execution. They viewed the strike against the conceding swordsman as an act of cowardice and cruelty. Chief Adjudicator Shen stepped onto the central stone pillar to reclaim control of the chaotic environment. He channeled his spiritual energy to project his voice over the roaring crowd."The northern exile has survived the gauntlet," Shen announced loudly. His magically amplified voice rattled the loose pebbles near the arena floor. "He has breached the final round against all expectations."Shen paused to let the reality settle over the furious audience. He then deliberately stoked the bitter regional rivalry to ensure maximum theatrical engagement."The King of the North has come to steal the sacred prize of our territory," Shen warned the thous

The descending dual flames sucked the oxygen from the air above the sovereign. Chase did not attempt to dodge the execution strike. He gathered the massive temporary surplus of Stage Four Dragon Qi in his chest and thrust his palms upward. He unleashed a concentrated Dragon Blast directly into the descending path of the mountain prodigy.The golden kinetic shockwave collided with the merged black and white fire. The violent impact detonated the humid air between them. A secondary shockwave blasted outward and shattered the stone steps of the nearest spectator bleachers.Julio was blown backward by the blunt force of the golden blast. The prodigy flipped through the distorted air and landed gracefully on the toes of his left foot. He did not lose his balance. He immediately pushed off the scorched basalt and launched himself back into the fray like a compressed spring.Chase reached into his dimensional space and gripped the hilt of Pride. He vaulted upward to meet the incoming assault

The violent explosion created a temporary vacuum of sound within the massive crater. Thousands of spectators sat completely frozen in their stone bleachers. The dense gray cloud of pulverized rock and volcanic ash obscured the center of the arena floor. No one knew who had survived the catastrophic collision of primordial and necrotic energy.Grandmaster Qin stood up from his wooden bench near the staging area. Victoria rose instantly beside him and gripped the stone wall. Up on the elevated observation deck Patriarch Fang leaned far over the carved railing. Lu Ming stood rigidly behind the warlord. The entire province held its collective breath and waited for the wind to clear the smoke.The dust slowly settled back onto the fractured basalt floor.Two silhouettes emerged from the settling haze. The audience let out a massive collective sigh of relief when they saw both fighters standing upright. That brief fleeting relief vanished the second the air cleared completely.The obsidian

Chase held the obsidian mass of Pride firmly in his right hand. He stood amidst the bubbling pools of molten rock and focused his attention on the mountain prodigy. Julio stood a few yards away wrapped in a protective shroud of black and white fire. The sovereign raised his left hand and pointed his palm directly at the southern heir. Chase intended to command the chaotic fire protecting his enemy. He tapped into his newly awakened Inferno Dragon Qi and extended his will across the ruined battlefield. The mental connection felt heavy and resistant. The dual colored flames surrounding Julio possessed a dense ancient signature that fought against the external intrusion. Chase closed his fingers slightly and increased the spiritual pressure. Tiny sparks of golden light began to materialize randomly around the edges of the protective shield. Julio stared at the floating golden embers in absolute horror. The prodigy felt his absolute authority over his own elemental defense slipping away