A thousand rays of light rise from the ground; true brilliance can only come from oneself.

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Rest Area beneath the stage.

Feng Yangyan froze for a moment.

When he first saw the suppressor, he hadn’t thought too much of it. He assumed Feng Shi was just trying to frame Long Ming for the murders within the clan, believing it to be another one of Feng Shi’s schemes. As for Long Ming himself, Feng Yangyan had never linked him to the mysterious master.

It wasn’t until Long Ming vanished from the stage without a trace that a cold chill ran down Feng Yangyan’s spine. An inexplicable sense of dread began to take hold of him, threatening to control his every move.

If… Long Ming truly was that mysterious master, then the suppressors were absolutely real. And that man would absolutely be worthy of having so many of them.

His mind flashed to the corpse that had just been carried off by the wolf warriors and to Feng Shi’s cold-blooded ruthlessness. His heart sank as though it had fallen into an abyss.

“Yangyan, where are you going? The second match might start soon, and you could be up next!” His clansmen tried to stop him as Feng Yangyan abruptly stood up.

“Just need some fresh air.” Without turning back, he walked out of the resting area.

Once he found a secluded corner, Feng Yangyan slowly pulled out something Feng Shi had secretly given him before he left. Opening his palm, two dirt-colored pills emanating a faint medicinal scent lay in his hand. Consuming them would grant him a dramatic power boost in a short time, but the cost was his life—his body could explode at any moment.

This was a gamble with his own life.

Feng Shi must’ve wanted to cultivate a new pawn for a while now. He knew too many of Feng Shi’s secrets, and now Feng Shi wanted him silenced!

Whether he won or lost, Feng Shi wouldn’t lose out in this.

How could there be such a heartless, ruthless man? At this moment, Feng Yangyan suddenly thought of Long Ming, the former Crown Prince whose tendons he had severed. He let out a bitter laugh—what a tragic irony.

If he didn’t take the pills, Feng Shi would find a way to kill him anyway. But if he did take them, he would at least have a fighting chance. If he could secure the position of Warden, maybe he could cling to life, even if barely.

It was either win or die!

Facing someone as powerful as Long Ming, what other option did he have besides giving it his all?

Resolving himself, he swallowed the two pills.

In no time, a heat like molten lava surged through his body, and the intense pain felt as though it was ripping him apart.

Through the walls, wild cheers echoed, but they were distant to Feng Yangyan now, as he was consumed by the agony of pain that made him wish for death.

On the plaza, after Long Ming’s figure disappeared, King Lewis stood quietly in place.

He had experienced countless battles and had a wealth of combat experience. After the initial surprise, he quickly calmed down and started searching for a flaw in the situation.

He didn’t know how Long Ming had vanished, but the Blood Clan was one of the most sensitive races when it came to detecting auras. There had to be a weakness.

But upon careful probing, King Lewis froze in disbelief. How could this be? He couldn’t sense a single trace of Long Ming’s presence.

It was as if Long Ming had truly vanished into thin air.

The scene grew increasingly tense. The atmosphere was so charged that the onlookers subconsciously held their breath.

Suddenly, a dazzling flash of light slashed toward King Lewis, and despite his swift defense, he nearly had his throat cut.

The invisible enemy gave him no respite, unleashing one attack after another. The previously dignified and composed King was now looking slightly disheveled, but Long Ming wasn’t about to let this opportunity slip away.

The 13th Law of Deception: Strike first to gain the advantage.

Take them down while they’re weak!

The attacks were straightforward and merciless. Without being able to pinpoint Long Ming’s position, King Lewis took every hit head-on, unable to mount any counterattack. Before long, the King was on the ground, coughing up blood.

Was the King truly going to fall?

Suddenly, the human crowd erupted, chanting Long Ming’s name.

But the celebration didn’t last long. King Lewis suddenly stood back up, and in that instant, his entire aura shifted dramatically.

Once again, the plaza fell into an eerie silence, like the calm before a storm where even the slightest disturbance could trigger a massive tsunami.

King Lewis’s black hair suddenly turned white, and faint golden patterns appeared on his forehead. The patterns, when joined together, formed the character for “King” (君).

The Blood Clan members watched the battle with unwavering focus. They hadn’t expected King Lewis to unleash his King’s Power so quickly.

Every bloodline had its unique traits, and the Blood Clan was no exception. Their innate talents were formidable, and the King even more so.

At this moment, King Lewis’s body leaned back slightly, and his eyes turned a piercing crimson-gold. He now resembled a cold, emotionless killing machine.

Suddenly, his gaze snapped upward—there!

With the King’s Power activated, his sensitivity to auras had increased tenfold. Though Long Ming had only leaked a faint trace of his aura, it was enough for King Lewis to pinpoint his location.

At the same time, a surge of hellfire, carrying an overwhelming and suffocating force, blasted into the air toward Long Ming’s position.

“Oh my Grimm, that fire is terrifying!!” The flames soared high, turning the entire plaza a crimson red. The flickering fire resembled a monster, ready to devour everything in its path.

No one doubted that being hit by that attack would result in immediate annihilation.

If not for the protective barrier, the spectators might have already been scrambling for their lives!

Even through the barrier, they could feel the terrifying power of the flames, proving that King Lewis’s strength was absolutely genuine. He was a Blood Clan general of the highest caliber!

“That’s Hellfire!” someone suddenly screamed.

The black flames were none other than the fire from the underground of Grimm Space!

“King Lewis has summoned the Hellfire to serve him!”

Only now did people remember that King Lewis was unlike other cold-blooded Blood Clan members—he had once been human. Not only was he unafraid of fire, but he had even mastered it.

Had it not been for this unique trait, how else could he have taken King Sa Na by surprise all those years ago?

But no one had expected that, after a hundred years, King Lewis would already have the power to communicate with the Hellfire from the depths of the earth!

He had hidden it too well!

Unlike the other races present, the Blood Clan members were thrilled. This was their King! How proud and powerful he was in front of so many different races!

Whether they were Blood Clan members or others, they all recognized the same truth.

Long Ming was done for!

This was the thought in everyone’s hearts. No one had expected that, in just the beginning of the fight, both combatants, who hadn’t even used their full strength yet, would unleash such deadly moves so quickly.

In the mastery of fire, differences in comprehension and talent were stark. For someone like King Lewis, whose mastery and talent were exceptional, the destructive power of the fire was pushed to its absolute limit. The flames roared like a dragon, crashing toward the sky.

Bang!

It seemed to hit something.

A figure flickered into view and plummeted from the sky.

The once pristine white robes were now scorched black.

Everyone stared at the figure, rapidly turning to a charred husk.

That was…!?