Chapter 63: THE MAIN EVENT

Chapter 63 — WHEN FIRE MEETS SHADOW

The Grand Arena of Dragon Turtle Academy did not sleep.

It only changed tempo.

After Vermillion Phoenix Academy’s brutal display, the tournament did not slow—it accelerated. Matches followed one another like drumbeats in a war march, each clash sharpening the audience’s hunger for the inevitable.

The announcers stopped explaining techniques in detail.

There was no need.

Everyone here already understood one thing:

Stage Two was separating predators from participants.

FAST FORWARD —

THE FIELD NARROWSTHUNDERCRASH BATTLE ACADEMY vs SILVERMOON ARROW SCHOOL

The moment the gong rang, thunder erupted.

Thundercrash did not bother with formations. Their captain slammed his fists together, lightning crawling across his arms like living serpents.

Silvermoon Arrow School tried distance.

They failed.

Arrows vaporized mid-flight as thunder rolled across the arena. One Thundercrash member leapt forward, lightning reinforcing his legs, and landed in the heart of Silvermoon’s formation.

The match ended in under four minutes.

Winner: Thundercrash Battle Academy.

The audience cheered—not in awe, but approval.

“Efficient,” an elder muttered.

“Too straightforward,” another replied.

PRIMAL EARTH TITAN ACADEMY vs WINDSTREAM LIGHTFOOT ACADEMY

This one lasted longer.

Windstream was fast—blindingly so. Their fighters moved like afterimages, striking and retreating, refusing direct engagement.

Primal Earth Titan Academy did not chase.

They endured.

Stone-skinned cultivators stood firm, letting attacks glance off reinforced bodies. Each time Windstream struck, they lost momentum.

Then the ground shifted.

Earth surged upward, forming a ring.

Windstream found themselves trapped.

Slowly.

Inevitably.

When the final Titan raised his fist and brought it down, the shockwave ended the match.

Winner: Primal Earth Titan Academy.

“Speed without finish,” Chen commented dryly from the stands.”Doesn’t work against walls.”

SAPPHIRE DREAM ILLUSION INSTITUTE vs CRIMSON SABER IMPERIAL SCHOOL

Illusions flooded the arena.

False blades. False bodies. False terrain.

Crimson Saber advanced anyway.

Their captain closed his eyes.

Drew his blade.

And cut.

The illusion world shattered—not because it was weak, but because it was ignored

.

Crimson Saber fought by instinct and kill intent, not sight.

One by one, illusionists fell, unable to keep distance from opponents who advanced without hesitation.

Winner: Crimson Saber Imperial School.

Bai Qianlan watched intently, her expression unreadable.

“They didn’t dispel illusions,” she murmured.”They denied them.”

MYSTIC PLUM BLOSSOM ACADEMY vs NINEFOLD STORM PEAK ACADEMY

This match was chaos.

Wind blades. Petal storms. Elemental surges colliding mid-air.

Ninefold Storm Peak overwhelmed early—raw power cascading in layered bursts.

Mystic Plum Blossom retreated, endured, waited.

Then—counterattacked.

Petal formations bloomed beneath storm currents, redirecting energy inward. What looked fragile became suffocating.

The storm collapsed under its own pressure.

Winner: Mystic Plum Blossom Academy.

Ling Yifan nodded once.

“Timing,” he said.”Perfect timing.”

THE FINAL MATCH APPROACHES

The arena reset.

The banners shifted.

Only two remained undefeated.

AZURE DRAGON ACADEMY.VERMILLION PHOENIX ACADEMY.

Even the elders leaned forward now.

This was not just a match.

This was a statement.

PREPARATION AREA —

Azure Dragon gathered in silence.

No joking.

No shouting.

Even Chen Wulian was quiet.

Too quiet.

Ling Yifan noticed immediately.

Chen sat on a stone bench, elbows resting on his knees, staring at the ground. His fists were clenched—not tight, but restrained.

“Chen,” Ling Yifan said calmly. “You’re late to warm up.”

Chen looked up.

“Oh. Yeah.”

He stood—but didn’t move toward the training area.

Ling Yifan stepped closer.

“…You alright?”

Chen hesitated.

Just for a second.

“I’m fine,” he said, too quickly.

Ling Yifan did not press immediately. He turned away, checking his spear, adjusting grip, breathing steady.

Then he spoke again—quietly.

“You don’t hesitate before fights.”

Chen let out a slow breath.

“…This one’s different.”

Ling Yifan turned fully now.

“How.”

Chen rubbed the back of his neck.

“Vermillion Phoenix doesn’t fight like everyone else.”

“That’s obvious,” Ling Yifan replied.

“No,” Chen said. “I mean—”

He searched for words.

“They don’t hesitate. They don’t improvise. They don’t react.”

Ling Yifan frowned.

“They execute.”

Chen nodded.

“And execution means preparation.”

A pause.

“…They’re not here to win,” Chen continued.”They’re here to prove something.”

Ling Yifan’s eyes sharpened.

“To whom.”

Chen didn’t answer.

That was the problem.

VERMILLION PHOENIX — ACROSS THE ARENA

On the opposite side, Vermillion Phoenix Academy stood in perfect order.

No chatter.

No glances toward the audience.

Their captain—a woman with crimson hair tied high, eyes burning but controlled—looked directly at Azure Dragon’s side.

Her gaze stopped on Chen.

Ling Yifan noticed.

So did Long Hao.

Chen shifted uncomfortably.

“…She’s staring.” asked Yifan.

“Let her,” Chen muttered.

Ling Yifan did not look away from the Vermillion captain.

“…You know her.”

Chen closed his eyes briefly.

That was worse.

The announcer’s voice thundered across the arena.

“THE FINAL MATCH OF STAGE TWO!”

Cheers erupted.

“AZURE DRAGON ACADEMY—VERSUS—VERMILLION PHOENIX ACADEMY!”

The banners ignited.

Azure blue collided with burning crimson.

The air itself seemed to tense.

Both teams stepped onto the arena floor.

The pressure was immediate.

Vermillion Phoenix radiated heat—not wild, not oppressive, but perfectly controlled. Like a forge waiting to be struck.

Azure Dragon responded differently.

No unified aura.

No synchronized pressure.

Just individuals.

Ling Yifan stepped forward slightly, spear grounded.

Bai Qianlan adjusted her stance.

Qin Shuo moved subtly—already mapping terrain.

Long Hao stood still, shadow calm.

Chen stood at the front.

And hesitated.

The Vermillion captain smiled faintly.

“So,” she said, voice carrying.”This is Azure Dragon’s vanguard?”

Chen met her gaze.

“…Yeah.”

Her smile widened—just a little.

“Good.”

Ling Yifan stepped closer to Chen, voice low.

“…What aren’t you telling me.”

Chen swallowed.

“…After this match,” he said quietly,”I’ll tell you everything.”

Ling Yifan studied him.

Then nodded once.

“…Win first.”

Chen grinned weakly.

“Always.”

THE GONG RINGS

The sound cut through the arena.

Vermillion Phoenix moved as one.

Flames did not explode.

They advanced.

Step.

Step.

Pressure layered.

Azure Dragon reacted instantly.

Qin Shuo slammed his palm down—defensive arrays snapping into place, absorbing the initial heat surge.

Bai’s illusions bloomed—fracturing sightlines.

Ling Yifan moved to intercept—

And Chen stepped forward.

Alone.

The Vermillion captain raised an eyebrow.

“Still leading from the front,” she said.

Chen cracked his neck.

“Someone has to.”

They clashed.

Flame met brute force.

The shockwave rolled across the arena, rattling barriers, igniting roars from the crowd.

Ling Yifan felt it immediately.

Chen was fighting harder than necessary.

Reckless.

Almost—

Punitive.

Ling Yifan’s grip tightened.

“…Chen.”

From the sidelines, Long Hao watched.

Not the flames.

Not the clash.

But the timing.

And for the first time since the tournament began—

He felt something align.

Whatever Chen was hiding…

It was about to surface.

Because Vermillion Phoenix Academy did not come to test Azure Dragon.

They came to burn something buried.

And Chen Wulian stood directly in front of it.

[Chapter ENDS]

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