[Fantasy] Gods and Demons Among Flowers (Complete) - 10

Chapter 48: The Final Chapter of the Magic and Martial Arts Tournament -

The second round of the Magic and Martial Arts Tournament concluded successfully within three days. Kana, Lilia, Vivian, myself, and seven others successfully advanced to the top twenty and entered the finals. Three days later, the championship match will be the defining battle for each participant.

Three days later, at the arena. The first match was between Rein and Lot from the Holy Martial Academy.

"Second brother, good luck! Let the opponents see the might of our Qiwan Magic and Martial Academy!" I encouraged Rein by patting his shoulder.

In the arena.

"Rein of Qiwan Magic and Martial Academy, please instruct me!

" Rein greeted politely. "Lot of Holy Martial Academy, please instruct me!" Lot returned the greeting. Lot was a burly man with thick eyebrows and large eyes that occasionally flashed with a sharp light. He had a full beard, his muscles were bulging, and his hand holding the longsword was covered in thick calluses, suggesting he was an extremely skilled swordsman.

On the field, the two had already taken their stances. Both stood silently, and an uninformed observer might have thought they were insane. But that wasn't the case. Between them, two invisible auras were locked in a fierce struggle. Rhine's aura was that of a majestic dragon, baring its fangs and claws, while Lotte's was that of a proud phoenix, its wings soaring through the sky. Neither dragon nor phoenix yielded, neither able to gain the upper hand. The dragon swung its claw, and the phoenix cried out in pain, its feathers falling in droves. Enraged by the dragon's attack, the phoenix opened its massive beak and pecked at the dragon's head. Caught off guard, the dragon was struck by the phoenix's peck, blood flowing freely. The dragon roared, its enormous body instantly coiling towards the phoenix. The phoenix, not to be outdone, spread its wings and claws, charging at the dragon. The dragon and phoenix fought to the death, the outcome uncertain; if this continued, they would only suffer mutual destruction. Rhine decided to strike first, aiming for a decisive victory. His longsword flashed with sword energy, thrusting straight for Lot's vitals. Unexpectedly, Lot had the same idea; almost simultaneously, two swords, imbued with sword energy, thrust at each other's Achilles' heel. This was tantamount to suicide; dying on the field because of the match was unbearable for anyone. Both reacted at the same time, parrying with their swords. Sparks flew as the two swords clashed in mid-air. With a clang, the tip of Lot's sword was severed by Rhine's blade and fell to the ground. The sword, imbued with sword energy, had also slashed a gash in Lot's chest, drawing blood.

Lot clutched his wound, threw away his sword, and declared defiantly, "I lost!" He then turned to leave the

platform. The referee, hearing of a forfeit, was about to stand up and declare Rhine the winner. However, Rhine's words left the referee speechless.

"You didn't lose, you only lost your sword!" Rhine said, enunciating each word clearly.

"Loss is loss, win is win, why let a sword determine victory or defeat!" Lott argued vehemently.

"A true hero!" Rhine exclaimed. "Here, take this! Let's have a match where there's no winner or loser." Rhine retrieved a longsword from his dimensional space and tossed it to Lott.

Lott caught the sword and declared with fervor, "I've decided to be your friend! Come on, let's begin!"

The atmosphere tensed once more, and we, the audience, held our breath, watching Rhine's every move.

Suddenly, Rhine's longsword trembled, and it seemed to transform, its surface becoming somewhat blurred, as if covered by a thin film of matter. From a distance, this matter appeared still, but upon closer inspection, it was revealed to be moving at high speed, invisible to the naked eye. A wisp of mist rose from the sword, like water vapor, giving it the beautiful name "Water Mist Sword." In contrast, the longsword in Lotte's hand blazed with flames as Lotte channeled his inner energy, sending a wave of heat crashing down upon us; even those of us below the stage felt the arrogance of the fire.

"A fine sword!" Lotte seemed unfazed by the flames, lightly flicking the blade, which hummed.

"This sword is called the Fire Dragon Sword, perfectly suited to your fire attribute," Rhine explained.

"Fire Dragon, the dragon of fire, a fine name!" Lotte exclaimed. "I never expected you to recognize my attribute so quickly. I, Lotte, concede defeat in the first round."

"Alright, enough with the pleasantries, let's see who's better!" Rhine said impatiently.

With that, Rhine assumed his stance, and Lotte was equally formidable. It seemed they were serious; only in actual combat could they truly advance.

"Moonlight Wheel!" Rhine shouted. His water mist sword trembled rapidly, scattering streaks of silver light. Then, with a flick of his wrist, a crescent-shaped sword aura shot forth, hurtling towards Lot. As it flew towards Lot, the Moon Wheel rapidly absorbed water elements from the air, spinning as it did so, eventually growing to the size of a millstone. Seeing the Moon Wheel hurtling towards him, Lot cursed inwardly, "Perfect timing!" His longsword trembled again, and a massive, bell-shaped sword aura detached from the blade, meeting the oncoming Moon Wheel head-on. The two collided with a deafening explosion, instantly creating a large crater in the arena. The shockwave from the explosion nearly breached the barrier, engulfing the unarmed crowd below. The mage responsible for the barrier quickly channeled his magic to stop the shockwave. After finishing, the mage finally let out a sigh of relief. Looking at the two inside the barrier, those caught in the blast scrambled to their feet, spitting out sand. Rhine's clothes were torn to shreds, as if slashed by blades, but thankfully he wasn't injured. Lotte fared no better; his clothes were burned to ashes by the blast, revealing his muscular physique. His long hair was curled from the heat, and his eyebrows were singed off. The two seemed unconcerned, their faces filled with excitement as they focused entirely on their sparring, oblivious to the outside world. They cherished this rare opportunity to hone their skills.

"Brother, take another 'Misty Shadow'!" Rhine's longsword trembled rapidly, the mist on its blade seeming to thicken, drifting and spreading through the air. The sword moved faster and faster, the mist growing denser until it filled the entire arena. The entire arena was shrouded in mist, obscuring the events unfolding within. Lot, standing in the mist, sensed its unusual nature and calmed himself, focusing intently on his surroundings. The mist seemed to thicken, becoming pitch black, and the silence was profound, instilling a sense of loneliness after a while. Lot composed himself and used his spiritual sense to search for Rhine's figure, but Rhine seemed to have vanished without a trace. Suddenly, Lot felt a surge of alarm as a deadly sword aura attacked from behind. He immediately dodged, turning back to look at the spot where he had been attacked, but there was no one there. As he searched again, the annoying sword aura seemed to play hide-and-seek, always managing to strike his back, leaving Lot scrambling to dodge, yet unable to find the attacker. His anger was on the verge of exploding. Lot knew that if this continued, he would surely suffer a mental breakdown. So he decided to change the passive situation. He stood there motionless, letting the sword energy strike his body. Unexpectedly, this unintentional act made it impossible for Rhine to attack, because the sword energy was just an illusion he had created.

The situation on the field suddenly changed again. Lot stood motionless, his longsword raised high above his head, flames leaping from its blade, illuminating the surroundings in a crimson glow. Within a meter's radius, the dense fog couldn't withstand the intense heat and dissipated into gas. Seeing the Fire Dragon Sword's power, Lot, on a whim, poured all his inner energy into the sword. A dragon's roar resounded as the powerful inner energy awakened the sword spirit within. A hundred-meter-long fire dragon burst forth, soaring into the sky, its blazing body dispersing the fog. Rein, realizing the situation was dire, swung his sword even more fiercely, and the fog once again shrouded the arena. Unexpectedly, Lot seemed to have anticipated this outcome, roaring, "Fire Dragon Dance!" The coiling fire dragon suddenly split in two, then four, and then countless smaller fire dragons attacked Rein's hiding place. It turned out that Lotte had ordered the fire dragons to disperse the fog in order to scout out Rhine's location. Seeing his plan foiled and countless fire dragons flying towards him, Rhine realized that while the dense fog had mitigated some of the dragons' attacks, he knew that continuing this would only lead to his own downfall. Rhine's mind raced, and soon an idea came to him. He stood in mid-air, his hands forming a circle, his longsword trembling as he drew a shape resembling the Bagua (Eight Trigrams). The yang fish represented light, and the yin fish represented darkness; light and darkness both conflicted and connected.

He murmured, "Go, Chaos Infinite Circle!" Rhine pushed forward, and the Chaos Infinite Circle flew from his grasp. Freed from Rhine's control, the Chaos Infinite Circle began to spin rapidly. Light and darkness, the essence of all things, govern everything, and the immense gravitational pull generated by the rotating circle absorbed the swarm of fire dragons attacking Rhine, transforming them into his own magical power. With abundant magical power, the Infinite Circle began to expand dramatically. What was once the size of a millstone had grown into a large Infinite Circle about two meters in diameter, slowly pressing down on Lot. At this moment, Lot was practically powerless. Exhausted from using all his inner strength, he stood there weakly, feeling a powerful force pulling his body from a distance, rendering him immobile. He could only watch helplessly as the Infinite Circle approached him step by step. Meanwhile, the mage guarding the barrier suddenly noticed an unstable fluctuation emanating from it, as if it were about to shatter. This was terrible! The mage quickly poured all his magical power into the barrier stone. However, to his horror, the barrier seemed like a bottomless pit, mercilessly sucking away his magical power. He could only watch helplessly as his magical power was drained. Without a mage to maintain it, the barrier was like a porcelain doll, fragile and easily broken. Under the powerful pull of the Chaos Infinite Circle, the barrier suddenly collapsed with a "bang," and a strong hurricane blew the crowd below the stage off balance, dust flying everywhere. Some people were horrified to find their bodies involuntarily sliding towards the gust of wind, screaming "Help!"

At this moment, I, who had been watching the battle on the stage closely, also noticed the abnormal situation. The flying dust and the terrified people made me realize something was wrong. The Chaos Infinite Circle emitted by Rhine was far too powerful for these humans. If he continued like this, I thought that everyone here would probably be sucked into another dimension by the Chaos Infinite Circle. I didn't have time to think. First, I set up the ultimate defense barrier on the stage, and then I flashed into the stage. At this moment, Lot could no longer resist the powerful pull of the Chaos Infinite Circle and was moving step by step towards it. In just a few more steps, Lot would be sucked in and never return to the real world. It's not in my nature to stand by and watch someone die, so without a word, I grabbed Lot and threw him off the stage. At that moment, the Chaos Limitless Circle's attack was directed at me, its powerful suction almost overwhelming me. However, I'm no pushover. The light and darkness within the Chaos Limitless Circle were in a delicate balance. If I broke this balance, the circle's equilibrium would vanish, and the clash between light and darkness would inevitably lead to its complete collapse. Thinking this, I had no choice but to grit my teeth and deliver a powerful punch, the dark energy of which struck the Limitless Circle. The circle began to expand irregularly, sometimes bulging out, sometimes caved in, followed by a rumbling sound—it looked like it was about to explode. Just as I was about to leave, I saw Rhine still standing there, dumbfounded. Without thinking twice, I teleported away with him.

No sooner had we teleported out than the ground suddenly began to shake violently. Everyone below, thinking it was an earthquake, panicked and scrambled to their feet. At the same time, the Chaos Limitless Circle within the barrier rapidly expanded, then with a loud "bang," it exploded. The powerful energy released completely leveled the arena; the earthquake had been caused by the explosion. After the explosion, when everyone got up and looked back at the arena, it was nowhere to be seen—just a bottomless crater. I secretly congratulated myself on how wise my actions had been. If I hadn't set up the barrier, I think everyone present would be dead.

"I never expected it, never expected it to have such power!" Rhine muttered to himself.

"What are you talking about? Didn't you release the Chaos Limitless Circle?" I asked, puzzled.

"Boss, that's true, but I didn't expect it to be so powerful either!" Rhine said helplessly.

"What?! You're not telling me this is your first time using it?!" I exclaimed in surprise.

"Hehe, I just wanted to test it out!" Rhine chuckled sheepishly.

"Seriously? Someone like you testing it? My goodness!" I rubbed my forehead, feeling a headache coming on.

"Boss, actually, I made it based on your method. That day, I saw you use both light and darkness simultaneously, and I thought that if we combined them, the power would be extraordinary. So I came up with this Chaos Infinite Circle that can contain both light and darkness. Since it was my first time using it, I don't know how, but it slipped out of my control, and I couldn't get rid of it." Rhine lowered his head like a child who had made a mistake, rubbing his hands together as he explained the whole story.

"Is that so?" I opened my palm, and a miniature version of the Chaos Infinite Circle was floating on it.

"Huh, Boss, how did you do that?" Rhine asked in astonishment.

"Oh, it's actually quite simple. You know that light and dark elements are opposites, but you don't know that they are also intricately connected. Back then, you merely forcibly compressed light and dark elements into that Bagua, without experiencing the realm of chaos. Chaos refers to the indistinguishability of light and dark, a perfect combination of light and dark. Take a closer look at the Chaos Infinite Circle in my hand," I said with a smile.

"Hey, boss, the Infinite Circle in your hand is very different from mine. This one contains yin within yang, and yang within yin, yin and yang are indistinguishable. Aren't you afraid that the Infinite Circle in your hand will explode?" Rhine asked, puzzled.

"You don't know this, do you? This is the chaotic state I'm telling you about. Try touching it!" I urged.

"Won't it explode?!" Rhine had personally experienced the power of the Chaos Infinite Circle. Although it wasn't perfect, now that a perfect Chaos Infinite Circle appeared before him, its power was unimaginable.

"Why don't you try it and you'll know?"

"This..." Rhine hesitated. Seeing my shocked expression, he reluctantly closed his eyes and touched me. There was no loud noise as I'd expected; a slightly cool sensation flowed through his hand.

Rhine secretly opened his left eye, a joyful smile immediately spreading across his face. He exclaimed happily, "Hey, it's okay, boss, it's okay!" He hugged me tightly, almost kissing my cheek.

"Hey, how could you be so disgusting! Didn't you see people watching? I can't believe my reputation is ruined by you!" I was on the verge of tears.

"Uh, boss, I'm sorry!" Rhine looked awkwardly at the onlookers, who were all giving us ambiguous looks, making him complain, "Are you kidding me? Just a hug, and this has caused so much controversy!"

"It's all your fault, let's go!" Unable to bear the stares, I grabbed Rhine and fled.

"Oh, so you guys were here. I was just about to thank you!" We had barely escaped the crowd when we ran into Lott and a few others who stopped us to thank us.

"Oh, it was nothing, no need for thanks!" I replied casually. If it weren't for his sincerity, I would have already verbally abused him.

The men behind Lott were furious and were about to step forward to teach me a lesson, but Lott stopped them and gave them a look, so they reluctantly gave up.

"I didn't expect this brother to be so joking. Saving a life is a great act of merit, how can it be considered a mere favor?" Lott said with a smile.

"I just didn't want some innocent people to die on the field!" I said coldly.

"Uh..." Lott was clearly taken aback by my words, and finally said awkwardly, "You are, after all, my savior. May I ask your name?" Still relying on his own hands? How can that be satisfying? Forum reputation guaranteed! High-grade silicone video of Fan Bingbing's genitals, molded to a highly realistic shape, soft and delicate skin! Built-in large-particle protrusions, closely matching the female physiological structure, providing a more realistic experience... rhythmic and irresistible! Click to enter

"My boss is called Xie Yun," Rhine interjected from the side. If he hadn't seen me glaring at him, he might have spilled everything he knew about me.

"Oh, so it's Lord Rhine. I admit my inferiority in martial arts, and I concede defeat wholeheartedly!" Lotte said respectfully.

"I dare not accept such praise!" Rhine replied, a hint of smugness in his eyes, after all, this was the first time someone had praised him in front of everyone.

"Rhine, are you done with your nonsense!" I said impatiently, "We have urgent business to attend to, let's go!"

"Oh, coming!" Rhine responded. Then he leaned close to Lot's ear and whispered, "That's just how my boss is. Actually, he's all bark and no bite. I hope you won't take offense!" With that, he hurried after me.

"Lord Rhine, your sword?" Lot called out, drawing his Fire Dragon Sword and holding it high.

"A sword?" Rhine asked, puzzled. When he saw the longsword in Lot's hand, he smiled.

"Consider this a gift from me as your friend!"

"How could I possibly accept this? I—" Before Lot could finish speaking, Rhine had already disappeared from Lot's sight. He could only helplessly accept the gift.

"Boss, how could you be like this? Someone kindly apologized to you, and you treated them so coldly," Rhine complained, catching up with me.

"The Holy Martial Academy is our enemy, and I've never had any goodwill towards enemies!" I said calmly.

"You can't say that. Enemies can be good or bad. Besides, don't you always say there are no permanent enemies or permanent friends? I think Lott is a man worth befriending. He's upright, generous, and acts with integrity," Rhine said confidently.

"I didn't realize you had such a good impression of him!" I smiled.

"Maybe it's a case of heroes recognizing heroes!" Rhine scratched his head and said.

"Hero? I think he's more like a coward!" I mocked.

"Boss, you can't insult people like that!" Rhine said with a stern face.

Seeing Rhine's serious expression, I knew he was serious, so I waved my hand and said, "Just kidding, don't take it seriously!"

The subsequent seeding match was a foregone conclusion. Our opponents, perhaps having witnessed Rhine's prowess, and seeing that I had single-handedly rescued Lott and Rhine and destroyed the Chaos Limitless Circle, were even more afraid and all expressed their willingness to forfeit. No one is foolish enough to fight someone they know is many times stronger than themselves. This was purely a case of throwing an egg against a rock, a weakling against a strong one. Besides, in the arena, swords don't discriminate; dying on stage would simply mean death, and no one would sympathize with a weakling. In this era where the strong rule, the weak will ultimately be eliminated, so why bother?

After a series of competitions, although Kana and Yad were eliminated, Lilia, Rein, Vivian, and Hoss remained on the leaderboard, leaving few opponents. To rescue Doris's happiness, after some discussion, the other four withdrew, allowing me to compete for the championship. After dealing with several insignificant figures, I rightfully won the title. Doris, who had been eagerly awaiting the victory, couldn't help but shed tears of joy upon seeing me win. The awards ceremony will be held in the Imperial Palace in two days. Two days later, the awards ceremony was held as scheduled in the grand hall of the

capital

. All the civil and military officials, dignitaries, and contestants attended this grand event.

At this moment, Emperor Arthur, dressed in magnificent attire, was followed by Queen Faith and Princess Doris. Two attendants carried trays covered with red cloth. These were perhaps the legendary artifact, "Tears of Cupid," and the imperial decree. Emperor Arthur slowly ascended the stage, coughed lightly a few times to signal for quiet, and then excitedly announced, "After more than ten days of fierce and brutal competition, the Magic and Martial Arts Tournament has been a complete success! The champion has been chosen; he is Xie Yun of Qi Wan Magic and Martial Arts Academy. Now, please welcome the champion to the stage to speak!" The crowd below applauded enthusiastically, many looking at the lucky winner with envy and jealousy. I, however, remained standing there, dumbfounded.

"Xie Yun, what are you standing there for? We're calling you to come up and speak!" Vivian saw me still standing there dumbfounded and couldn't help but give me a push.

"Uh, me!" I pointed to myself in surprise.

"It's you!" Vivian pushed me out of the crowd while I wasn't looking.

"I...I don't know how to talk about this, please spare me!" I said nervously.

"Everyone's watching you now, you have to speak whether you know how or not!" Vivian said sternly. I looked around and saw countless curious eyes staring at me. Some were envious, some were jealous, and even King Arthur looked at me with a kind expression, his eyes filled with encouragement and expectation. Perhaps encouraged by these looks, I braced myself and walked onto the stage.

I took a deep breath, but having never given a speech before, I still couldn't help but stammer under everyone's gaze, "I didn't speak well, I hope you won't laugh at me!" The crowd saw my silly appearance and burst into laughter as if they were watching a country bumpkin come to the city.

"Listen!" My words, imbued with inner strength, instantly silenced the crowd. I looked at the people below with a serious expression, an aura of dominance emanating from me. Even King Arthur, standing to the side, was stunned by my presence, thinking to himself: "In the future, this will surely be no ordinary fish." However, he was also deeply gratified to have such a talented person at his service; how could he not be pleased?

"First and foremost, I am a human being, and as a human being, I have my dignity. I don't mind if you laugh at me, but please don't deliberately slander me when I'm not paying attention," I said, looking at the crowd with a stern gaze.

"As the champion of this competition, I feel extremely honored to stand on this stage. Words cannot express my feelings right now. I can only say this: every drop of sweat brings success; success requires 99% perspiration and 1% opportunity. Seize the opportunity, and success is not far away. I am one of that 1% beneficiaries, and I believe that everyone here will also achieve success in the years to come. That concludes my words. Thank you all!" I bowed deeply to the audience and stepped aside. My humble words quickly won over the audience, and a round of applause erupted.

After the applause subsided, King Arthur gestured to the ceremony master, who understood and announced in a high-pitched voice, "The auspicious hour has arrived! The awards ceremony now begins!" The civil and military officials and contestants all fell silent. King Arthur walked to the front of the stage and lifted the mysterious veil on the two trays, revealing an anciently carved token and a teardrop-shaped object to the crowd.

"I believe everyone already knows what these two things I hold in my hands! Indeed, what I hold are the symbols of power—the Imperial Decree and the legendary artifact capable of bringing the dead back to life, the 'Tears of Cupid.' Now I announce: Xie Yun, the champion of this competition, is awarded the title of Grand Marshal of the Empire, now commanding the Imperial City Guard, the Imperial Household, and the Royal Guard. From now on, the power of the nation is entrusted to you!" Emperor Arthur solemnly handed the Imperial Decree to me, and the artifact was placed around my neck. Another round of enthusiastic applause erupted from the audience.

Looking at the fervent crowd below, to express my excitement, I trembled with emotion and knelt on one knee, saying, "Your subordinate thanks Your Majesty for bestowing this honor!"

Arthur was very satisfied with my performance. He personally helped me up and said earnestly, "My dear nephew, the nation is currently facing internal and external troubles; everything depends on you!"

What a cunning old man! However, I still answered with trepidation, "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I will certainly do my utmost to serve the country!"

After Arthur left, I unfolded the imperial decree in my hand and examined it closely: the entire token was neither gold nor wood, and it didn't feel heavy in my hand; instead, it had a cool feel. The front of the token was carved with a ferocious dragon, its sharp claws seemingly about to burst forth, exuding a faint but palpable killing intent that gave it a chilling aura. The back of the token bore the large character "字" (zi), the calligraphy powerful and vigorous, revealing its sharp edge—no wonder it was an item always held by emperors. Looking at the divine artifact around my neck, I could feel a powerful energy contained within it. The entire artifact was teardrop-shaped, crystal clear, and a ray of sunlight shone through, reflecting multicolored light. Holding these two burning objects in my hands, I hesitated, unsure of what to do.

Seeing my hesitation, Emperor Arthur assumed I was dissatisfied with my current position and tentatively said, "Nephew, are you dissatisfied with your current position? I can appoint you as the King of Wuwei, with your territory in Ba County, a hundred miles outside the capital. What do you say?" Arthur was determined to keep me, a talent he would employ by any means necessary. The crowd below was astonished to hear Emperor Arthur so reluctantly granting this young man the title of King of Wuwei, the empire's second largest city. They began to murmur amongst themselves, and many officials were about to step forward to dissuade Emperor Arthur. However, my next words stopped them in their tracks.

"Your Majesty," I said hesitantly, "it's not that I find these positions too lowly. I would be content with any official position you bestow upon me. However, I have a request, and I hope Your Majesty will grant it!"

Upon hearing that I wasn't complaining about a lack of power, King Arthur's tense nerves immediately relaxed. He hurriedly asked, "Nephew, what is it?"

"I...I wish to propose to Princess Doris, and I hope Your Majesty will grant my request!" I earnestly pleaded.

"What? You want to marry my daughter!" Arthur was still taken aback. He hadn't expected this man to be so bold as to propose to his daughter in front of everyone. Although he had considered such a thing before, it was merely a temporary measure, not something that could be openly discussed. But now, King Arthur glanced at his daughter and noticed that Doris was acting unusually, blushing and hanging her head. His first reaction was that something was amiss; it seemed they were keeping some secret from him. However, upon closer reflection, since they were mutually attracted, why not bring them together? This would demonstrate his generosity and also gain him a son-in-law of exceptional wisdom and talent—a win-win situation!

King Arthur hesitated for a moment before replying, "Very well, I grant your request!" Doris, who had been on edge the whole time, almost jumped for joy upon hearing her father's promise. However, restraining herself, she suppressed the urge. The crowd below, hearing such joyous news again, rushed to congratulate me, hoping for further advancement in their careers.

Just as I was busy dealing with the crowd, a man resembling a general walked onto the stage and whispered a few words in King Arthur's ear. King Arthur, who had been beaming just moments before, suddenly changed his expression, his eyes becoming heavy. He quietly moved to the front of the stage. Some observant officials, seeing their master's somber expression, felt a chill run down their spines, knowing that something serious must have happened.

"Quiet, everyone! Quiet!" King Arthur gestured for everyone to quiet down, and said gravely, "I have some very unfortunate news to tell you: the capital is under siege, and over a thousand city guards have perished on the battlefield. Right Chancellor Black has led an army of three hundred thousand into the capital, and has now breached the outer city. The inner city is in imminent danger. I hope you will all unite to resist the enemy!"

Upon hearing this tragic news, the civil and military officials were initially stunned, then panicked. They hadn't expected the seemingly impregnable Fire Lion City to fall so easily. The hall erupted in chaos, many officials gazing despairingly into the distance. Smoke billowed in the distance, and the sounds of battle, screams, and agonizing cries filled the air. The timid ones, sensing the danger, took advantage of the chaos to quietly slip out of the inner hall and flee outside. But fate had other plans. Before those cowardly men could even escape the inner city, they were hacked to death by the swarming rebels. These men, whose illustrious reputations had been tarnished by nameless soldiers, perished.

The rebels charged forward, killing anyone in their path. Many innocent people died tragically under their blades, while others, not quite dead, groaned on the ground. Perhaps due to the tense situation, or perhaps because they had grown accustomed to a comfortable life, the city's royal guards and elite troops were no match for the seasoned veterans. They fought their way back, quickly being forced into the inner palace.

An old general, covered in blood, staggered to King Arthur's feet, knelt on one knee, and said sorrowfully, "This humble general is incompetent; I failed to hold back the rebels' advance. I beg Your Majesty's forgiveness!"

"Rise, General MacArthur, I forgive you," King Arthur said, gently helping MacArthur to his feet.

"Is our Fire Lion Empire truly doomed?" Emperor Arthur sighed, looking up at the sky.

"Your Majesty, please don't say that! I, MacArthur, swear to the heavens: as long as I live, I will never allow the empire to fall!" MacArthur was arguably one of the empire's founding fathers, his status unmatched by others. Even a founding father had sworn an oath. The soldiers present couldn't help but feel their blood boil, tears welling in their eyes, and they shouted excitedly, "Follow General MacArthur! We swear to serve the Fire Lion Empire to the death!" The soldiers' enthusiasm seemed to infect those around them, and people unknowingly joined this oath of life and death.

General MacArthur, his hair now gray, looked at the soldiers and contestants below the stage, their enthusiasm unprecedented, and tears streamed down his face. A slight smile crept onto his wrinkled face. However, his smile suddenly froze on his face, a trickle of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth. A golden arrow pierced his chest, the tip still stained with blood. His slightly encouraging smile seemed to tell everyone that the villain's schemes would never succeed.

The soldiers, in their unprecedented enthusiasm, failed to notice General MacArthur's unusual behavior. In fact, I had noticed the attack the moment the golden arrow was fired, but the arrow was too fast, and the attacker was too close to General MacArthur. I wanted to stop it, but it was too late. The attacker had already slipped into the crowd unnoticed.

"An assassin!" I shouted, supporting General MacArthur's swaying body.

Hearing my shout, the excited crowd finally quieted down. When they saw their beloved General MacArthur, with an arrow in his chest, barely alive, a silent sorrow welled up in their hearts. A cloud of gloom hung over the inner palace, and many soldiers knelt down, praying to the goddess of life to save the old general's life. However, the general was now on his deathbed. The blood loss from the previous battle with the rebels had turned him deathly pale, and his advanced age meant that even though the arrow hadn't struck his heart, it was enough to kill him.

King Arthur quickly approached me, bent down, and said gently, "Arthur, you must hold on! I'll go get the royal physician right now. You must hold on!" Then, King Arthur turned his back to General MacArthur and roared at his attendants, "Go get the royal physician! Get the royal physician! I want you to save him at all costs! If you can't save him, you're all dead!"

"Your Majesty, cough cough cough, it's no use, please don't make things difficult for them. This old minister knows his own situation, it's just a pity that this old minister will not be able to see Your Majesty punish the traitor Black in his lifetime!"

"Arthur, you will be alright, you will be alright, do you still remember the promise we made when we became sworn brothers as children? We wished to be born on the same day, in the same month, in the same year, and we only asked to die on the same day, in the same month, in the same year. You promised me, how

could you break your promise now?" Emperor Arthur had now humbled himself, tears streaming down his face as he begged MacArthur not to leave him. "Your Majesty, can I call your name just once?" MacArthur asked intermittently. A trickle of blood spurted from the corner of his mouth.

"Yes, yes, you can call me a thousand times, ten thousand times, just please don't die!" Arthur nodded hurriedly, choking back sobs.

"Arthur!" The word "Arthur" had barely left his lips when MacArthur's hands fell limply to his sides, his old, yellow eyes slowly closing. A single tear clung to the corner of his eye, its taste a mixture of bitterness, saltiness, and sweetness. MacArthur seemed to have passed away peacefully, a satisfied smile lingering on his lips.

"Arthur—my brother!" Arthur cried out. Those present had never imagined their emperor would be so heartbroken. If they had known how important General MacArthur was to him, they would have understood the emperor's current emotions.

"Arthur, what makes you cry so bitterly?" a lazy voice came from outside the hall.

"Blake, I never thought you could be so ruthless, not even sparing your own brother!" Arthur said through gritted teeth.

"I said, those who stand in my way die, not even my own brother!" It was as if Blake and MacArthur were brothers.

Just then, shouts of battle erupted outside the palace gates. The Imperial Guards and Imperial Bodyguards guarding the gates couldn't hold them back and surged into the inner palace, followed closely by the rebel troops. The cramped space could no longer accommodate so many people, and the soldiers on both sides faced each other with murderous intent, each a potential trigger of the protective barrier. At this critical moment, footsteps echoed from outside the palace gates. The sound was steady and powerful, suggesting the presence of a fierce and powerful force. As the footsteps drew closer, more rebel troops poured in. Suddenly, a path parted behind the rebels, and a general clad in silver armor entered from the outer palace. This general had a white beard, a wrinkled face, arched white eyebrows, and a red mole between his brows. His eyes, unlike those of an elderly man, were clear and occasionally flashed with a sharp light, clearly indicating a master. Looking at his unassuming appearance, I was secretly shocked. He had apparently reached a state of returning to simplicity; such cultivation was indeed not easy.

Blake, clad in silver armor and with a long sword at his waist, stepped forward from the crowd, laughing heartily, "Arthur, long time no see! I didn't expect you to be even more energetic than before, congratulations!"

"Blake, you're just a Right Chancellor, how dare you address His Majesty by his name!" A white-haired old man with a trembling beard emerged from the surrounding crowd, speaking sharply.

"Who do we have here? It's our Left Chancellor, Lord Forbes! Why aren't you enjoying your retirement at home, instead of meddling in this mess?" Blake frowned slightly, speaking contemptuously.

"You—!" Forbes was clearly furious, his beard bristling and eyes wide. Everyone knew the Left Chancellor was a stubborn old man who never admitted to being old; being publicly called old and frail by Blake was more painful than death for him.

"Black, if you have grievances, take them out on me, not those innocent people!" Arthur spoke calmly, his imperial dignity evident.

"Arthur, back then, my brother and I followed you through countless battles, helping you establish such a vast empire. But you were unambitious, like an incapable ruler, eliminating dissidents everywhere. Even the founding heroes were either killed or exiled, leaving only us old bones. If I hadn't bided my time, I might be a lonely ghost by now. Look at what you've done these past decades! Not to mention the heavy taxes imposed on the people, the long years of war alone are enough to make the people of the Fire Lion Empire resentful." "The long years of war have caused people to be displaced, wandering far from home, and even in death, they never forget that they are from their hometown. I once met such an old man in a foreign land. Before he died, he wished to return to his roots, to have his ashes taken back to his hometown by his relatives. Such deep love for his hometown, such strong patriotism, makes one unable to hold back tears. But what have you done? For so many years, your elimination of dissidents and jealousy of talent have caused a large loss of talent to the country, and the national economy has been in recession. Perhaps it was at that time that I began to have thoughts of rebelling against you." Blake said emotionally.

"Alas, Blake, you are right. For so many years, I have indeed not been a qualified emperor. I have been selfish and self-serving, and I have not cared about the lives of the people. It is only natural that the people want to rebel against me. For years, I have lived in fear every night. Every time I wake up from a nightmare, I am always terrified, fearing that someone will assassinate me. Now I also feel very regretful." Arthur sighed.

“Arthur, you finally regret it! You killed so many people, who will pay for this blood debt?” Blake shouted hoarsely. No one noticed the smug glint in Blake's eyes.

“These are my sins, I will pay for them!” Arthur said hoarsely, as if he had aged several years.

“Father (Your Majesty),” Doris and the officials pleaded.

Arthur stopped them, saying quietly, “Blake, I don’t blame you for wanting to overthrow the Fire Lion Empire, I only ask that you spare the innocent people around me. I will grant you any request!”

A glint flashed in Blake's eyes as he said, “Arthur, you are almost my prisoner now, and you still have the leisure to bargain with me!”

“Blake, don’t push your luck! We haven’t been defeated yet!” Arthur reiterated his imperial authority.

“A dying struggle, nothing to brag about!” Blake couldn’t help but laugh wildly.

“Oh, is that so?” A lazy voice came from the crowd. Blake looked closely and saw that the speaker was a handsome young man. Judging from his appearance, his skills seemed average, nothing to be afraid of.

"Young man, courage is good, but you'll pay the price for your arrogance!" Blake sneered.

"Heh heh, old man, I'm quite self-aware, you know. Just look at your men," I said

, my tone laced with sarcasm and helplessness. Blake looked and saw many soldiers sweating profusely, their hands and feet trembling uncontrollably. Many had collapsed to the ground, convulsing. Even his own officers seemed to be in great pain, as if struggling against something. Seeing the situation was dire, he hurriedly shouted, "What's wrong with you all? You were so fierce just now, and now you're like docile kittens! Charge!"

However, to his surprise, although many soldiers tried to grab their weapons and charge forward, they couldn't even take a few steps. With a clang, swords fell to the ground, and men collapsed. A lieutenant behind Blake said in terror, "My lord, I feel my longsword is incredibly heavy, nothing like its usual lightness. And I'm finding my body getting heavier and heavier; my legs can barely support me." As he spoke, beads of sweat streamed down his forehead, his legs trembled uncontrollably, and he finally collapsed to the ground.

Seeing the soldiers lying all over the ground, not only was Emperor Arthur shocked, but even the trapped men were astonished. These soldiers had clearly been bound by someone using advanced slowing and weight-inducing spells. Many present could do this, but to simultaneously restrain an army of over a thousand was beyond human comprehension.

"You bastards! You've given up at the slightest difficulty! What kind of behavior is this? Get up and charge!" Blake roared, his white hair furrowing.

"It's no use, sir. These men are under my slowing and weight-inducing spells; they have the will but not the strength to obey your orders!" I smiled.

"Good, good, good, I didn't expect you little thing to be so cunning. Interesting, very interesting!" Blake said with a cold smile. He quickly changed his tone, adding contemptuously, "But don't be too smug!"

Suddenly, a bloody smell filled the air, followed by the strange clanging of swords. I turned around and saw a dark shadow flash by. Before a soldier could even scream, blood gushed from his ruptured throat. He died without even realizing how he died. The silent massacre was like a nightmare, assaulting the soldiers' fragile hearts. Many soldiers suppressed their nausea, fearfully observing their surroundings, for even the slightest carelessness could cost them their heads. Perhaps sensing our attention, the shadows attacked a few more soldiers before vanishing without a trace. Looking at our side, we hadn't even caught a glimpse of the enemy, yet we had already lost over a hundred soldiers and our formation had been disrupted. The guards, seemingly strong, trembled as they held their swords, their outward bravado masking inner weakness. Clearly terrified by the attack, they cautiously scanned their surroundings.

Suddenly, unnoticed, a figure flashed past Blake. A samurai dressed in night clothes, resembling a ninja, knelt on one knee, one hand on the ground, the other on his leg, saying, "Reporting to my master, I have lived up to expectations and successfully completed the mission!"

"Go," Blake replied calmly with a wave of his right hand.

"Yes, sir!" The ninja vanished underground, leaving everyone speechless. Seeing Blake's imposing presence, some opportunists couldn't help but feel a surge of desire. Others looked around in fear, terrified that a ninja might suddenly emerge from underground or from the rafters and cleave them in two.

"Old man, your intimidation tactic is truly impressive!" I joked.

"No, no, how could I compare to a little thing like you!" Blake was in high spirits. With this Black Guard, he could now rest easy. So he couldn't help but tease me.

"Ninjas, these are ninjas! Blake, you actually dared to train ninjas without permission, you...you..." Arthur's eyes were bloodshot, as if a ball of fire was about to shoot out of them. There was a painful memory in them: when Blake, Arthur, and MacArthur were young, their parents were killed by ninjas sent by their enemies, so they swore from childhood to strongly despise ninjas. After the founding of the nation, they vowed that there should be no ninjas in the empire. Unexpectedly, Blake actually broke his vow and secretly trained ninjas. How could this not enrage Arthur?

"Hmph, in order to achieve my goal by any means necessary, I had no choice but to break that vow. But the power of these ninjas is really strong. With this surprise force, it will be difficult for you, Arthur, not to be defeated! Hahaha!" Blake laughed wildly.

"You—" Arthur was clearly enraged by Blake's arrogant and disrespectful attitude, unable to utter a single word.

"Not necessarily, old man, look around!" I said calmly.

Seeing my composed demeanor, Blake suddenly felt uneasy, and when he saw my nonchalant expression, his unease intensified. Then, hearing what I said, he couldn't help but look back. What he saw horrified him: the Black Guard, who had previously held a clear advantage, were now completely at a disadvantage. Ninjas, supposedly masters of stealth and tracking, had now completely turned their advantage into a disadvantage, because his meticulously trained ninjas all had sharp swords at their necks; the slightest movement of their heads would result in instant death. And the owners of these swords radiated various colors, mostly purple-gold. Moreover, judging from my tone, these individuals engulfed in purple-gold flames were likely the subordinates of this mysterious young man. Who exactly was this young man? Why had he never heard of him before! The shadow of fear in Blake's heart grew ever larger. The fear of the unknown often outweighs the fear of the known by a thousand times, and Blake already felt a sense of loss. However, a master is a master; having faced the situation, he had no choice. He quickly regained his composure and said calmly, "Young man, you've given me too many surprises. Tell me, who are you?"

I knew that further concealment would be of little use, so I decided to retaliate in kind. Your intimidation will be met with intimidation in return. Suddenly, my entire body erupted with beams of platinum light, which spread out like ripples, forming a protective barrier around me. The powerful aura forcefully pushed back those around me; some who tried to resist were immediately struck back, coughing up blood. The platinum battle aura attacked Blake with fierce force, startling him into jumping away. After losing its target, the aura blasted towards the spot where its target had stood. With a deafening roar, the entire hall shook, and a hole two meters in diameter and seemingly bottomless quickly appeared in the ground. Blake's face paled. If the attack had landed, he would be dead.

"Now you know who I am!" I laughed.

"White Gold Aura...you...you're the legendary Saint Seiya!" Blake exclaimed in terror. He was truly desperate now. The Saint Seiya was a realm he dared not even dream of; fighting such a person was like throwing an egg against a rock.

"Looks like you know quite a bit!" I said calmly. Emperor Arthur was overjoyed to hear that his future son-in-law was a legendary Saint Seiya. Needless to say, Blake's scheme was ruined,

and the Fire Lion Empire was saved. "Even though you are a legendary Saint Seiya, I will not yield!" Blake knew he had no chance of escape, so he decided to fight to the death.

His little schemes could not escape my sharp eyes, but to make him accept his defeat, I decided to turn the tables and fulfill his wish. I laughed and said, "Since you choose to die standing, then I'll grant your wish!" My aura suddenly surged, and those around me, caught off guard, were instantly overwhelmed by my imposing presence, forced to retreat. A circle quickly formed within a three-meter radius of me—and this was the forceful suppression of those who considered themselves superior. Although they told themselves they couldn't withstand this level of pressure, their pride was their fatal weakness. Even if they died, they wouldn't flinch tomorrow, bravely facing their fate. But what was the point? Was it merely for vanity, or perhaps to enjoy the praise of others? Alas, pitiful people! For an unnecessary existence, they would rather abandon their lives, even their spirits, than relinquish this belief. How tragic!

Chapter 50: Black vs. Evil Cloud (Part 1)

My domineering presence indeed terrified him, but his masculine pride and thirst for power suppressed his fear, as if he had regained his former battlefield prowess. He gently drew his longsword from its sheath, a cold glint flashing within. If we weren't enemies, I would have unhesitatingly shouted, "What a fine sword!" Alas, these words could only remain in my heart. Black stroked

the blade, muttering to himself, "Oscar's fall, the twilight before darkness. You've followed me for decades, fighting in the south and north, conquering the east and west, achieving countless victories. Today, let us join hands and fight together against the greatest enemy of our lives!" The longsword seemed to understand the aging ambition of the martyr Black; its blade trembled rapidly, quickly emitting a clear blue light, and a half-meter-long sword aura shot from its tip.

"Sword Saint!" I exclaimed in surprise. Unexpectedly, not long after, I encountered another Sword Saint.

Hearing my surprised exclamation, everyone present was also shocked. Originally, there were only two great Sword Saints on the continent: the Mad Saint Alaska and the Fighting Saint Adidas. The appearance of another Sword Saint was astonishing, especially under these circumstances.

"I never imagined that after hiding for so many years, you would recognize me based solely on this. Truly worthy of being a legendary Saint!" Blake said with a wry smile. He had originally planned to conceal some of his strength and then escape by surprise, but I was too astute, recognizing his identity at a glance.

"I dare not accept such praise!" I readily agreed.

"Blake, give up. Don't put up a futile resistance!" Emperor Arthur earnestly advised, considering their close friendship.

"Hmph, I don't need your pity. The victor is king, the loser is a bandit—I understand that principle. Even if I die, I'll die with honor!" Blake scoffed at Arthur's advice, stubbornly persisting.

"Blake, since you're so ungrateful, don't blame me for being impolite!" I said coldly.

"So what if I die! Behold my ultimate move—Shadow Slash!" Blake decided to strike first, unleashing a Sword Saint's ultimate technique.

Suddenly, the longsword in Blake's hand vanished, and in the space between us, it seemed to warp, rippled with wrinkles. Suddenly, as if slashed by a blade, a dazzling light burst forth, stinging everyone's eyes, including mine. Blake seized this opportunity, and countless longswords suddenly flew out from this space, all heading towards our group. The sharp sword energy stung everyone's faces. Just as the defenseless were about to perish under the flying swords, a transparent barrier suddenly blocked the oncoming blades. Countless swords struck the barrier with a series of "pop" sounds before vanishing completely. Seeing that so many swords were futile and only wasting energy, Blake quickly gathered the incoming swords together. With the ultimate defense in place, Blake was powerless to do anything. Those encircled by the ultimate defense watched curiously as Blake arranged the surrounding swords into a rotating circle. The sword formation spun faster and faster, until it became invisible to the naked eye, then suddenly stopped. However, to everyone's surprise, all the swords that had been circling had vanished, replaced by a gigantic longsword. This sword was about a hundred meters long and several tens of meters wide, its silvery-white blade flashing with cold light.

"Go, Silver Impact Cannon!" Blake roared. The giant sword, which had been hovering, suddenly trembled, then shot towards us like a rocket, a white streak of lightning. The silvery-white sword energy at the tip slashed down at the barrier in a serrated pattern. The friction between the sword energy and the barrier produced a hissing sound, and the entire barrier trembled under the attack. I, who had set up the barrier, already felt that the ultimate defense wouldn't hold for much longer. Normally, if the giant sword were to directly strike the barrier, it shouldn't be damaged so quickly. Unexpectedly, Blake had found a way to break the barrier, concentrating the attack on a very small area and then using the resulting serrated sword energy to cut through it. Concentrating all one's power on a single point—even the strongest barrier couldn't withstand such an impact. Soon, under the cutting of the sword energy, a huge gash was cleaved in the invisible barrier. Those inside the barrier stared in panic at the giant sword; the timid huddled in corners, trembling. Soon, with the final slash of the sword energy, the barrier shattered with a deafening roar, the ultimate defense, hailed as the king of barriers, finally vanished. Unhindered, the giant sword became instantly active, its blade radiating intense light. The shooting sword energy left deep marks on the solid bluestone of the inner hall, not to mention those who relied solely on their physical defenses. Many bore the marks of the sword energy, while the stronger contestants unleashed their magical treasures to withstand the powerful attack.

I, who had been suppressing my anger, finally succumbed. A dense killing intent emanated from my body, instantly filling the entire inner hall with its chilling aura. Even Blake, the Sword Saint of the following year, couldn't withstand the onslaught and shivered involuntarily. When he realized the killing intent originated from me, the giant sword, which had been preparing to attack simultaneously, turned its tip towards me and hurtled towards me. If struck by this sword, death would be almost certain. As the giant sword drew ever closer, the invisible pressure emanating from its blade made it difficult for everyone to breathe, as if a massive boulder were pressing down on their hearts. I knew that resistance was futile; the giant sword had already entered my territory, leaving me no choice but to act. I clasped my hands together, forming a blade shape, and shouted, "Sky-Splitting Slash!" The space above the giant sword, which was flying towards me, twisted and shattered with a deafening roar, as an invisible giant blade suddenly struck the middle of the sword. The giant sword trembled violently, and Blake, who was controlling it, couldn't help but feel a sweet taste in his throat. With a "whoosh," a mouthful of blood gushed from his mouth, leaving a trace of blood at the corner of his lips.

Seeing Blake injured, I was overjoyed and decided to press my advantage. I quickly changed my hand gestures and shouted again, "Rapid Sky-Splitting Slash!" Space tore open again, and another invisible giant blade struck the greatsword. Then another... Blake's feelings could only be described as terror. With each strike of the giant blade, he felt as if his heart was being torn apart, and another mouthful of blood spurted from his mouth. With each strike, the greatsword shrank a little, and Blake coughed up blood again. As the speed of the giant blade's blows increased, Blake could no longer withstand the heavy impact and finally knelt on one knee. The uncontrolled greatsword returned to its original shape and fell to the ground with a "clang."

"Blake, how does it feel to be injured?" I laughed smugly.

"Hahaha!" Blake, contrary to his usual behavior, suddenly burst into wild laughter. His laughter left me completely bewildered; he had me completely confused. However, I felt a lingering unease, and just as I tried to grasp it, it vanished.

Blake abruptly stopped laughing, his voice chilling, "Kid, you think you can kill me so easily? Wait until your next life! Earth Escape Technique!" Taking advantage of our distraction, he disappeared underground and fled. Now I finally understood what my unease was; he was trying to distract us with his laughter so he could slip away. If it were anyone else, perhaps he could have escaped, but unfortunately, he ran into me. I am, after all, a god, an existence not to be underestimated. I cannot allow others to disregard my existence.

Suddenly, a faint light appeared in the air, and a small, silver-white sword materialized out of thin air. The sword was about three inches long, its surface shimmering with silver light, making it quite beautiful. This sword was called the "Silver Light Sword." I pointed into the air, and the silver sword began to spin rapidly. Then, as if by magic, it split in two, then in four, then in eight. In no time, the air was filled with these silver swords, spinning rhythmically.

Many people stared in astonishment at the circular array of silver swords, their hearts churning with wonder. The knowledgeable King Arthur, seeing this scene, felt as if he had seen it somewhere before. Suddenly, images flashed through his mind, and he couldn't help but exclaim, "Sword Manipulation!"

At this moment, I had already immersed my mind in inner peace, completely ignoring the discussions outside. I was solely focused on manipulating the enormous circular array, softly chanting, "Go, Ten Thousand Swords Pursuing the Heart!" The spinning silver swords suddenly dispersed, forming a long line that chased after the direction Blake had fled. Countless silver swords transformed into streaks of silver light, disappearing from sight with a "whoosh."

"What is that? How is it even more powerful than Blake's greatsword!" someone whispered in amazement.

"I don't know, maybe this kid is just putting on a show for others!" a proud young man in the crowd said jealously.

"He's a Saint, after all, you'd better be careful not to anger him!" someone said cautiously.

""

Entering the Human Realm Chapter 51 Black vs. Evil Cloud (Part 2)

"Father, you exclaimed about sword control just now, what exactly happened?" Doris couldn't help but ask when she saw her father's surprised look.

"My dear daughter, you've found a good husband!" Arthur didn't answer her question directly, but instead praised me.

"Father, I'm asking you a question, why are you saying that!" Doris blushed and shook Arthur's arm coquettishly.

"Alright, alright, my dear daughter, Father will tell you!" Arthur gently pinched his daughter's nose and said tenderly.

Arthur's expression turned serious, and he said solemnly, "Sword control is a skill exclusive to sword masters. Like the Saints, sword masters are legendary figures. I've never heard of anyone who has mastered sword control. But today, I've not only seen a Saint, but also a sword master, and I've even seen someone who combines Saintly Qi and sword control! And this person is actually my future son-in-law! It seems the Fire Lion Empire can't help but prosper! Hehe!" Arthur couldn't help but reveal a knowing smile after speaking.

"Of course! How could your daughter choose a bad husband?" Doris said proudly. Actually, she had a secret she hadn't revealed: I was an angel. To avoid shocking the world, she wanted to keep this secret buried forever. If I were an angel, knowing holy aura and swordsmanship wouldn't be a big deal.

At that moment, I shouted, and in my silence, ignoring the astonished crowd, I instantly teleported away, leaving behind a large, bewildered group. A kilometer away from the main hall, a strange phenomenon was unfolding. Luckily, there were no pedestrians around, or they would surely have fainted. Rows of small silver swords were relentlessly stabbing a rapidly moving "lump" on the ground. With each stab, blood seeped from the spot the "lump" had escaped. Someone was using earth-遁术 (earth-遁术 is a type of magic or technique), but someone was even more skillful, forcing the person underground to flee left and right with just those countless small swords. Finally, the underground beings seemed to realize that continuing to escape like this was not a solution. Suddenly, they shouted and shot out of the ground, the flying dirt shooting like sharp arrows at the pursuing flying swords, blocking the swords' attack on the target and giving the target a moment to breathe.

Blake knelt on one knee, gasping for fresh air, inwardly cursing the power of the flying swords. He'd run a kilometer, yet they'd still found him and attacked. His body was now covered in cuts from the swords; though he'd barely dodged them, the sharp blades had still managed to slice through his thick armor, leaving him covered in congealed blood. His face was deathly pale from blood loss, and he trembled uncontrollably. Suddenly, he noticed the flying swords hovering motionless in front of him, seemingly unmoved. He was secretly pleased, assuming the swordsman was exhausted and unable to control them any longer. He quietly took a few steps back. To his horror, a silver sword suddenly shot out from the hovering group, hurtling straight at him. Startled, he rolled to the side, the silver sword sizzling and leaving several deep holes in the ground. Blake inwardly gasped, wiping the cold sweat from his brow, no longer caring about his image. If the people of the Fire Lion Empire saw their dignified Right Chancellor so humiliated by a few silver swords, they'd be furious. Blake subtly shifted his body, and the silver swords changed direction, pointing precisely at his heart. Now Blake finally understood that this wasn't an uncontrolled swarm of swords; the target hadn't moved, leaving the swords hovering in the air. A cold smile appeared on Blake's face as he quietly pulled a shimmering blue bead from behind his back. He swiftly threw the bead into the swarm of swords, shouting "Explode!" The bead instantly burst open, unleashing a massive burst of energy. The air seemed to freeze, and even the blades of the flying swords were covered in a thin layer of frost, demonstrating the immense ice energy contained within the bead. Taking advantage of the moment the Ice Soul Pearl exploded, Blake tried to escape using Earth Escape Technique again. But as soon as he burrowed into the ground, he realized something was wrong. When he tried to fly away, he was horrified to find that he couldn't move at all. Even more surprisingly, he felt his body involuntarily float upwards, and soon he felt empty, finding himself back in the world of the living. Looking at the blue sky and clouds, Blake couldn't help but smile bitterly. He had just been enjoying the beautiful weather, and now he was back where he started, with countless flying swords circling around him. He couldn't help but wonder who was using this swordsmanship and why they were targeting him. However, he soon found the answer. A flash of white light appeared on the ground, and his figure appeared in an open space.

Seeing it was me again, Blake was even more startled and shouted, "Who are you? You're a legendary Saint, possess such profound swordsmanship, and can even use spatial magic above the Archmage level! Speak! Speak!" Blake was already highly suspicious of my identity; this mysterious person had shattered his dreams, and his mind was in turmoil.

"There are some things you'd better not know. Sleep!" I raised a beam of white light, which flew into his skull, erasing his memories of this place. He quickly fell unconscious.

Inside the hall, two Gold-rank warriors escorted Blake, who looked many years older, into the hall.

"Blake, do you know your crime?" Emperor Arthur sat on the throne, speaking majestically.

"I am not guilty, I am not guilty! I only wanted my dream to come true, only wanted the people of the empire to live better lives. Is that a crime?" Blake argued vehemently.

"My dear minister, your idea is good, but your attempt to overthrow the entire empire is wrong," Emperor Arthur said gently.

“I only wanted to put it into practice, but you, Arthur, the supreme being of the Empire, have hindered me from realizing my dream. You have repeatedly crushed my dreams. I wish I could skin you alive, tear out your tendons, and drink your blood,” Blake said through gritted teeth.

“Insolence! This hall is not fit for you!” a eunuch beside Emperor Arthur shrieked.

Arthur quickly stopped the eunuch who was about to speak and said softly, “Second brother, why are you still so stubborn?”

“I am not wrong, I am not wrong, how can I be stubborn?” Blake retorted.

“Second brother, you—”

“I have nothing to say. The victor is king, the loser is a bandit. Kill me or torture me, it is up to the Heavenly Venerable.” Blake said, tilting his head back. “Second brother, you…”

“I hereby declare: In view of Right Chancellor Blake’s meritorious service in establishing the country, he is hereby dismissed from his post, demoted to a commoner, never to be employed again, stripped of his martial arts, and expelled from the Empire!” Arthur waved his hand lightly, no longer looking at the ministers below the platform.

"Why? Why are you stripping me of my martial arts? Arthur, are you even going to deprive me of my right to fight? Or are you afraid I'll rebel again?" Blake screamed, held captive by the gold-ranked warriors.

Blake's voice faded into the distance, and the hall fell silent. The ministers didn't dare breathe, awaiting Emperor Arthur's reply.

Looking at the silent ministers below, Emperor Arthur's face darkened. He said in a deep voice, "Summon the champion of the Magic Martial Arts Tournament, Grand Marshal Xie Yun, to an audience!"

"Summon the champion of the Magic Martial Arts Tournament, Grand Marshal Xie Yun, to an audience!" the eunuch beside Arthur shrieked.

Soon, I rushed into the main hall upon hearing the imperial edict. Seeing the somber face of Emperor Arthur, I knelt on one knee, clasped my hands, and said, "Your subject, Xie Yun, pays respects to your lord!" "

Rise!" Emperor Arthur said softly. "My beloved ministers, listen: In recognition of Xie Yun's meritorious service in protecting the nation, I hereby announce: Xie Yun is hereby appointed as the Holy King Protector of the Nation and Grand Marshal of the Empire, and given command of the court. I am old; it is time for me to retire."

The ministers found Arthur's initial words reasonable, but his subsequent statement immediately caused an uproar. Command of the court meant overseeing all affairs of the empire, and coupled with the position of Grand Marshal, I now had the authority to disobey anyone except Emperor Arthur. No one dared to defy me, and Emperor Arthur's final sigh implied his intention to retire and enjoy his old age. How could this not shock them?

Some ministers felt this matter had a profound impact and were preparing to step forward to dissuade him. However, Emperor Arthur had anticipated this outcome and quickly intervened, saying, "This matter is the result of my careful consideration. Do my ministers have any objections?" Emperor Arthur drew out the "yes," revealing his imperial arrogance. The ministers immediately fell silent, none daring to contradict him further.

Seeing the ministers' compliant demeanor, Arthur's anger subsided considerably. He said in a deep voice, "This matter is now settled. My ministers, is there anything else to report? If not, you may leave."

The eunuch standing beside Arthur, seeing no response, loudly announced, "Dismissal!" and then followed Emperor Arthur out of the hall.

In the inner palace, Queen Faith and Emperor Arthur...

"Arthur, why did you place your daughter at the pinnacle of power so early? It seems unkind to her," Faith asked worriedly.

“Don’t worry, Faith, Doris is getting on in years. She’ll be on the throne sooner or later. It’s better to let her ascend the throne sooner; it will be very beneficial for her to rule over her ministers later!” Arthur said slyly.

“But…”

“Faith, don’t worry about it. If Doris doesn’t work, we still have our son-in-law!” Arthur said with a smile, stroking her hand.

“Him? That reckless warrior!” Faith shrieked. Queen Faith always looked down on me, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on what she disliked about me.

“A warrior? You actually called him a warrior! That’s the biggest joke I’ve ever heard!” Arthur’s eyes gleamed with amusement.

“What’s wrong? Is that not right?” Faith asked疑惑地.

“Faith, do you know his identity?” Arthur brushed aside her question and asked in return.

“Isn’t he just a tournament champion?” Faith said dismissively.

“Wrong, wrong, wrong, do you know about Saint Seiya?” Arthur asked again.

"Is he the Saint Seiya who caused such a stir across the continent? Could it be that he is?" Queen Fies asked incredulously.

"Yes, you're right, but I'm sure you don't know about his other identity." Arthur had kept Fies in suspense.

"What identity?" Fies asked in astonishment. She hadn't expected my identity to be so complicated.

"A Sword Master."

"A Sword Master?" Fies searched her memory but found no information about this.

"You don't know, do you? Actually, it's not your fault for being ignorant. I only found out by chance." Arthur comforted her.

"What exactly is a Sword Master?" Fies asked.

"Like the legendary Saint Seiya, a Sword Master is the highest level of swordsmanship. A Sword Master who has reached the pinnacle can travel thousands of miles in an instant with their flying sword—no, tens of thousands of miles—and take a person's head as easily as taking something out of a bag." Arthur murmured to himself, his eyes glazed.

"Wow, that's amazing!" Fies exclaimed in amazement.

"That's why sword masters aren't as famous as Saint Seiya warriors. Because of this, our ancestors destroyed all records on the subject, causing sword masters to gradually fade from people's memories," Arthur lamented.

"A person who combines the qualities of a Saint Seiya warrior and a sword master—what terrifying news that would be!" Faith suddenly blurted out.

Silence fell between them.

Meanwhile, back at the base, I received a warm welcome. Hoss was the first to greet me, excitedly saying, "Boss, you truly live up to your reputation! Standing out in this competition teeming with experts is already quite an achievement, but to bring back the title of Protector of the Nation, and even control the government—wow, isn't that putting the country—"

"Hmm." A hint of murderous intent suddenly flashed in my eyes, startling Hoss into swallowing his words.

My gaze swept over the joyful faces of the crowd, and I whispered, "This title is dispensable to me. I have some things to do now. We'll head back to school together in a few days." As my eyes fell on Davids's pretty face, I suddenly remembered my promise to her. I gently pulled her into my arms and whispered in her ear, "My promise to you still stands!"

Davids trembled in my arms, her melancholy vanishing, replaced by a look of pure joy.

Seeing my affectionate gesture towards Davids, several women present felt a pang of jealousy, especially Vivian. Vivian lightly pinched my lower back, then gently twisted me, a sharp pain pulling me from my tender moment. Seeing her jealous look, I smiled softly, pulled her into my arms, and gave her a passionate, deep kiss, until she was almost breathless. At that moment, I couldn't care less about restraint, kissing each of the women present thoroughly, and the scene instantly became one of blissful intimacy. The other three underlings secretly thought to themselves: If only I had the same charm as our boss.

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