A master of disguise who can act like a god or a fool, switching between personas when needed.

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What fell to the ground was nothing more than a charred, unrecognizable figure.

In short, it looked like a human-shaped piece of charcoal. Yet, from its form and silhouette, there was something vaguely reminiscent of that once graceful and elegant figure—no way, right?

Even Feng Shi was momentarily dumbfounded. What was happening? Was this match already over?

The heavy thud of the burnt figure hitting the ground snapped everyone back to reality.

The first to react were the Blood Clan members. Their predatory eyes were fixed on King Lewis. Their already intense gazes only grew brighter when they saw the pile of blackened remains.

At times like this, they couldn’t afford to inflate the morale of their enemies. Each of them stood taller, their spirits soaring, even though they secretly looked down on the nearby shouting humans, thinking, How uncultured and lacking in etiquette. Yet, their excitement was just as palpable.

Even though we come from different planes, don’t think you can bully the Blood Clan! Did you see that? Hellfire from the underworld! Can your local summoners even call up a housecat? Pfft, don’t embarrass yourselves.

“I told you that a human brat wouldn’t even know how he died. How could he ever be a match for our King?” one Blood Clan member sneered.

“Ha, he walked right into his doom. They’re on completely different levels!” Their voices weren’t quiet, and those nearby could clearly hear them. No one dared refute their words.

King Lewis certainly had the right to be revered by the Blood Clan. He was a true King in every sense.

“His age and experience are clear to see. Getting this far in the top four is already a miracle. Did you really expect a human boy to claim the title? If that happened, it would certainly be a disgrace for the lower planes.” One of them cast a sidelong glance at a king from one of the lesser planes.

That king, already old and frail, was drenched in nervous sweat, his face slick with oil. It was said that he had even emptied his country’s treasury just to support Long Ming, betting everything on him.

Yes, this was the king from the Stan Empire on the Ao Miao Continent, the very place where Long Ming first made his appearance.

Lewis could hear the cheers around him as if he had already won.

But as someone seasoned in battle, he trusted his instincts when it came to danger.

Without any visible reaction, he carefully scanned his surroundings, keeping part of his attention on that charred figure.

He never doubted the power of Hellfire, but what if the opponent had a trump card?

If one looked closely at King Lewis’s hand, they would notice a slight tremor, mostly hidden by his sleeve. While his body appeared undamaged, summoning Hellfire wasn’t easy, and for the moment, his left hand was practically useless.

It wasn’t a physical injury but the toll summoning Hellfire took on his soul—a burden that even the greatest Light Mages couldn’t heal.

Using such a powerful move came at a price. No matter where you were, there was no such thing as a free lunch. The fact that King Lewis had gone all-out from the start showed just how determined he was to claim the Warden’s position.

He had indeed sensed Long Ming’s aura in that spot earlier, but how could it end so quickly?

Almost as if to confirm his doubts, he suddenly felt an unprecedented sense of danger.

As he turned his head, he came face to face with a calm expression.

King Lewis’s pupils constricted sharply. The ominous feeling grew stronger, for the person standing there seemed completely unscathed.

In other words, the previous attack hadn’t even landed.

Looking back at the charred figure on the ground—it had already vanished!

Almost instantly, the King retreated several steps.

But it was too late!

That impossibly handsome face flickered before him and then disappeared again.

The familiar, overwhelming pressure of an impending disaster crashed down like a tidal wave, giving him no time to catch his breath. King Lewis jerked his head upward—there it was again, the Hellfire, and with a gasp of shock, he quickly moved from his original spot.

In the air above, flames identical to the ones from earlier appeared again, moving at a speed too fast for the naked eye to track, hurtling toward King Lewis.

The suffocating fire was even more intense than before, and in a heartbeat, it was clear—King Lewis couldn’t escape in time.

Could Long Ming also summon the Hellfire? Or was he reflecting the King’s attack back at him?

It was a mystery, one that only Long Ming could explain after the match—though whether he’d be willing to share the secret was another question altogether.

Aside from a handful of experts, most people didn’t understand what had just happened. The only clear fact was that Long Ming was not only unharmed but had managed to turn the attack back on King Lewis.

The protective shield around the arena emitted a sharp, mournful wail as a visible crack spread across it.

The previously complacent Blood Clan members shot to their feet in alarm—what in the world?!

This barrier was supposed to withstand up to level-nine attacks, and yet it had cracked—what did that mean?

The impact of Long Ming’s strike just now was on par with a Heavenly Mage! The way people looked at him now carried a mixture of awe and disbelief—where had this monstrous talent come from?

So young, and he even possessed the incredibly rare Light attribute. Damn, the Dimensional Prison had really hit the jackpot this time, stumbling upon such a world-class genius!

Among the audience were not only the heads of major families but also several well-known academy representatives. As they watched the young Long Ming, they couldn’t help but feel regret—how had someone with such potential not ended up at their academy?

With just his destructive power and talent alone, if nurtured properly, he might become the youngest Holy Domain or even Divine Domain master in history. His name could spread throughout all of Grimm Space.

Academies valued reputation far more than families did. For them, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity like this could make them legendary.

And now, that opportunity stood right before them. If Long Ming didn’t become Warden, could they convince him to join their academy?

For a moment, the eyes of several academy heads glowed as they stared at Long Ming.

What kind of offer would it take to recruit him?

Meanwhile, back in the arena, the barrier had stopped trembling. King Lewis stood there, blood dripping from a gaping wound in his chest armor. If not for the Blood Clan’s formidable vitality and his own high physical defense, he might have already collapsed!

But he still stood, his once-glowing white hair now dull and lifeless, his golden eyes dim as he stared at the ground in defiance.

Long Ming reappeared before him, unchanged. He still stood there, calm and indifferent, as if completely detached from the situation. The flowing white mage’s robe on his body now exuded a menacing aura.

His face was expressionless, betraying none of his emotions. Who could even remember how young he was? Facing such a terrifying opponent, one couldn’t imagine what other tricks he might still have up his sleeve.

“All mages, reinforce the barrier!” Sha Yu immediately ordered.

A dozen mages quickly moved into position around the high platform, their magic power continuously repairing the cracks in the barrier.

Although the barrier could withstand up to level-nine attacks, the toll such intense battles took on it was evident.

The fight had now reached a boiling point.

“Want to keep going?” Long Ming rarely spoke, only when necessary.

“Of course.” King Lewis wiped the blood from his mouth with his good hand. The earlier wound on his chest was healing, albeit slowly, and the bleeding had stopped. Such was the Blood Clan’s natural regenerative ability. “It’s been a long time since I’ve had a warm-up like this. Show me your true strength!”

“Alright.” Long Ming wasn’t surprised by King Lewis’s refusal to give up. After all, leaving now would tarnish the King’s reputation.

Damn, they’re practically half-dead already, and this was just the warm-up!?

What a pair of savage beasts!

Nothing could be judged by normal standards anymore.

The arena fell silent once more. Meanwhile, the betting odds had evened out—Long Ming and King Lewis were now neck and neck.

With the outcome still uncertain, who would ultimately claim victory in this battle?

Long Ming’s body shot forward like an arrow, hurtling toward King Lewis without hesitation. From the start, he had been cautious and methodical, attacking with speed and power, never giving his opponent a moment to relax.

This time, Long Ming didn’t go invisible. Instead, his entire body radiated light.

For the first time, Long Ming was using magic, signaling that he was now fighting at full strength.

A brilliant, irrefutable white light enveloped Long Ming as he unleashed his most common spell as a Light Mage: Domain of Light. His hands never stopped moving, sending a beam of white light straight into King Lewis’s mind—a psychic attack!

King Lewis’s thoughts felt as though they were being crushed by a massive weight. Though he quickly broke through the attack with his King’s Power, that psychic wave was merely Long Ming’s opening move.

King Lewis was shocked. Without hesitation, he brought out a shield adorned with intricate runes, blocking several more of Long Ming’s light orbs.

This man in front of him, who appeared so indifferent, was clearly a monster. Who else could keep attacking without needing to rest, like some kind of perpetual motion machine?

Long Ming barely paused for breath, unleashing one powerful attack after another.

Several beams of light shot down from the sky, fierce and relentless like wild beasts.

King Lewis raised his hand, enduring the excruciating pain in his chest as a blood-red shadow clashed with Long Ming’s lightning in midair, causing the arena to groan under the pressure.

King Lewis’s already pale face became even whiter—like a wilted cabbage.

Among the crowd, some of those who had bet on King Lewis’s victory were beginning to hurl curses.

“Coward! We didn’t come here to watch you hide!”

“You can’t even take down a human brat? Get off the stage already!!”

The insults came thick and fast, though most of the spectators had some sense of decorum and refrained from saying anything too vulgar.

But King Lewis paid them no mind.

His crimson-gold eyes grew darker and darker, as though something was building inside him, ready to erupt. The entire arena was suddenly filled with the overwhelming stench of blood as his bloodthirsty aura engulfed the space.

With a loud roar, blood mist burst forth like countless tiny needles, filling the air with a suffocating, thick scent of blood. The needles spun rapidly in the air, and it finally became clear why King Lewis had been on the defensive for so long—he had been preparing his killing move.

This was the skill that had made King Lewis famous when he repelled King Sa Na’s forces: Bloodstorm.

Like a torrential rain of needles, the blood mist filled every inch of the arena, penetrating every nook and cranny. A hundred years ago, this technique had wiped out thousands of Blood Clan soldiers in one go.

These weren’t ordinary blood needles. They carried the Blood Clan’s corrosive energy and were enhanced by King Lewis’s own power. No matter how powerful Long Ming’s invisibility technique was, there was no way to dodge such a dense barrage.

And so, Long Ming didn’t bother hiding anymore. A brilliant beam of light soared into the sky from behind him, blindingly bright. For a brief moment, it was impossible to look directly at it.

The blood needles pierced the barrier, leaving countless tiny holes in its surface, a testament to their incredible power.

It seemed as though they were about to strike Long Ming, but the moment the light flared, the needles were dissolved into the air.

The smiles on the Blood Clan members’ faces froze.

When Long Ming landed on the ground again, he seemed slightly fatigued. Clearly, his mental energy was running low. He was no longer as composed as he had been at the start. A raw, oppressive aura radiated from him, stronger than that of a typical Heavenly Mage. Could it be that this young man had already reached the high ranks of a Heavenly Mage?

Just when the crowd thought the battle would continue, something strange happened.

“Ugh…” King Lewis coughed up a mouthful of blood and then collapsed straight to the ground, a deep crack forming where he hit.

This time, King Lewis had exhausted all his mental energy and passed out completely.

After a brief moment of silence, the crowd erupted with deafening cheers.

“Long Ming! Long Ming! Long Ming!!!” Humans from the lower and middle planes stood up almost in unison, chanting Long Ming’s name so loudly it felt like the entire plaza would collapse.

It had been far too long since humanity had achieved such an impressive result among the various races, especially from someone hailing from a lower plane.

They desperately needed a hero to rally around.

On the stage, Long Ming stood as calmly as ever, no different from before the fight. He still exuded an aura of detachment, untouched by the chaos around him.

A gleam flashed in his eyes. Damn, good thing I prepared that top-grade sleep-inducing potion, even if it cost me a fortune. How could anyone not pass out from that? If you didn’t, my thousand-year-old reputation as a genius would have gone down the drain. If this fight went on any longer, I’d be completely exposed!

As Feng Yangyan, looking like he’d just crawled out of a swamp, finally made his way to the plaza, the thunderous cheers were deafening. He had barely survived death, and his body was drained of energy, but he had broken through. Now, even if he encountered a Heavenly Mage, he wouldn’t be afraid!

But just as the joy began to rise in his heart, he made the unfortunate mistake of locking eyes with Long Ming, who was calmly walking off the stage.

That gaze seemed to say: You’re next!