From today onwards, be someone both flamboyant and profound.

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Like many others in the stands, Lu Da Da and his friends had been watching Long Ming closely. When the full display of Long Ming’s suppressors came into view, they widened their eyes in astonishment, speechless for several moments.

“My Grimm! What an intricate set of suppressors!!” Passerby One exclaimed.

Basic knowledge in the magical world: the more complex a suppressor, the rarer the materials used, and naturally, the stronger the suppressing power.

“Has he been hiding his strength all along? No wonder he never showed up in earlier matches. It wasn’t arrogance—he just didn’t need to!” Passerby Two and Three added, still in awe.

“Don’t forget, this is the guy who supposedly subdued an SS-ranked demon!” Lu Da Da chimed in proudly, sounding as if he’d witnessed the feat himself. He was more excited than if he were being praised.

“Oho, our little innocent virgin seems to have developed a crush!” Passerby Two teased, noticing how flushed Lu Da Da had become, unable to find the words to respond.

Could it really be? A crush born out of nowhere?

Ah, secret admiration—it’s a sad story that can’t be put into words.

“He’s taken one off! He’s removed one of the suppressors!” someone suddenly shouted, interrupting their conversation.

Long Ming lowered his gaze, his expression calm, unaffected by the many eyes locked onto him. It seemed as if his entire focus was on the upcoming match, untouched by the attention around him.

In an event like this, hidden masters were as plentiful as stars, not to mention those with sharp judgment despite their lack of personal strength. People here had seen plenty in their time.

Anyone with good eyes could tell if it was an act or the real deal in an instant.

To fool such keen observers, Long Ming had to blend truth with illusion, making even lies seem real.

Let them have all the insight in the world—they’ll never discover my secrets. If I were that easy to figure out, how could I live up to the title of the ultimate prodigy?

Long Ming had spent five whole years gathering the wisdom of a thousand brilliant strategies from his past life, hoarding gold like mad, and crafting all kinds of disguises. What they were seeing now was just the beginning—there was much more to come!

After removing the suppressor from his ear and tucking it into his robe, Long Ming made no further movements.

Deception Rule No. 11: Do just enough and no more.

You don’t need a lot of theatrics—just enough to show power while leaving room for imagination. Then, strike a pose like a snow lotus on a mountaintop. That’s all it takes.

The Blood Clan noticed something was off.

Lewis’s eyes had changed. His golden pupils slowly darkened to deep brown, a sign of his bloodline’s power awakening. It was also a mark that King Lewis was taking the match seriously, a gesture of recognition toward Long Ming.

“King Lewis is getting serious!” the Blood Clan members murmured amongst themselves.

Ever since his rise to fame a hundred years ago, King Lewis had rarely fought, and yet here he was, using his true strength against a once-unknown human.

The Blood Clan could imagine the chaos this would stir within their ranks. If Long Ming won, his name would cause shockwaves throughout the Blood Clan, forcing them to remember it.

To them, humans were merely food. If a human could surpass their king, how could they not feel threatened?

This wasn’t just about King Lewis anymore—this was a battle for the survival of the Blood Clan.

Long Ming was under twenty years old, a mere human. Not some ancient being with centuries of power to draw upon. The human race was advancing rapidly, while the Blood Clan had remained stagnant, ruling their isolated Brad Continent like kings of a crumbling kingdom. They hadn’t ventured out in ages and were now realizing the world outside wasn’t the same as the scrolls depicted.

And if they knew that Long Ming’s body had been completely crippled just five years ago—his magical power gone, his meridians destroyed—they’d be even more shocked. In only five years, he had reached the level of a junior Magister, and not just that—he was the first to practice both magic and martial arts in thousands of years.

Now, the Blood Clan members were completely different from the languid figures they had been earlier. Their normally serene and beautiful faces were now filled with tension, eyes locked on Long Ming.

What’s happening? (⊙v⊙) Some unknown shift was taking place…

From the perspective of the Blood Clan, Long Ming was a man under twenty with an unfathomable depth of power, without any of the arrogance or recklessness that might come with his youth.

Ever since that simple movement of removing the suppressor, the atmosphere in the arena had become more and more tense, tightening like a coiling spring.

Sha Yu, watching the entire scene, also noticed the change among the Blood Clan. King Lewis was a genuine powerhouse, a ruler who had been a symbol for the Blood Clan for a century. His every move was now being scrutinized.

With a swift motion, Sha Yu appeared in the betting area.

The wolf warriors, who had been collecting coins all day until their hands were sore, suddenly felt a chill at their backs. When they turned around, they were met with Sha Yu’s thoughtful gaze.

“W-Warden!” one of the wolf warriors stammered, quickly composing himself to salute.

“What’s the betting situation between Long Ming and King Lewis?” Sha Yu asked.

The wolf warrior did a quick calculation and, in surprise, replied, “King Lewis has suddenly taken the top spot.”

Just as I thought, Sha Yu mused. The Blood Clan was treating this as a high-stakes game against the human race.

“Keep a close eye on it.”

“Yes, sir!”

After a moment of thought, Sha Yu whispered something to the wolf warrior.

The wolf warrior looked at him in astonishment.

Running the Dimensional Prison tournament had already pushed the prison’s finances to the brink. Whoever took over next would inherit a bleak and impoverished situation. Right now, they had to grab every bit of profit they could.

Being a warden sure is a glamorous job on the surface, but behind the scenes, it’s nothing but hardship!

As the countdown to the match ticked down, a large screen began displaying the betting odds and support for Long Ming and King Lewis.

It was a wild race—more and more wealthy patrons were raising the stakes on both sides.

Long Ming, who seemed so noble, aloof, and untouchable, secretly cursed his own fate. Damn it! All my money has been spent on disguises. How I wish I could join the rich and bet big!

Once the match was over, he was determined to start saving money.

Looking again at the still-indifferent wolf warriors standing guard, Long Ming felt a pang of frustration.

So, I’m still not worth their time, huh? Haven’t even gotten a second glance because I’m still not useful yet?

He didn’t want people to know about his connection with the wolf warriors, but being ignored like this made him feel like a streak of bad luck was hanging over him.

As Long Ming’s thoughts wandered, time was up!

Both contestants entered battle mode.

They stepped onto the platform.

One in white, cold as a meteor in the distant sky. The other, dangerously handsome, a figure who drew the eyes of both humans and Blood Clan alike. Everyone knew that King Lewis had breezed through the previous matches, but now he was finally facing someone who could make him serious.

The Blood Clan was an enigma. Their powers were rarely seen outside Brad Continent.

A tidal wave of cheers erupted the moment the two took the stage, igniting the previously quiet arena with roaring excitement.

At this point, regardless of whether they came from a lower or higher plane, all the humans were rooting for Long Ming. This was a battle between two races, after all. The stakes on the screen grew higher and higher, more outrageous with every passing moment.

Sha Yu’s little gesture had turned the opening match of the championship into a massive spectacle.

“I’ll be using sixty percent of my strength,” Lewis said, bowing slightly. It wasn’t out of arrogance, but because he didn’t yet fully understand his opponent’s strength. Both sides would begin by testing each other.

Revealing this up front was a sign of respect.

Long Ming gave a cool nod in acknowledgment of the king’s gesture.

As Lewis’s blood aura began to take shape, the entire arena was soon filled with the stench of blood, thick and oppressive.

It was one of the Blood Clan’s high-level skills: Blood Veil of Heaven.

The crowd paused for just a moment before erupting into even louder cheers.

Long Ming stood perfectly still, unshaken. If Lewis was like a blazing inferno, Long Ming was like a slow-moving river, quietly but steadily eroding his opponent’s defenses.

Seeing Long Ming’s calm demeanor, Lewis became even more convinced of the depth of his opponent’s hidden strength.

Deception Rule No. 12: When it’s time to be serious, be serious.

Long Ming shut out all the noise, focusing entirely on himself. No matter how powerful his opponent, he would meet them head-on, executing his first match with flawless precision.

His only enemy was himself!

The overwhelming blood mist seemed almost solid as it rushed toward Long Ming, ready to engulf him. But in the next instant, Long Ming vanished from his spot!