Chapter 66: WHEN THE DRAGON CLAIMS THE SKY

Chapter 66 — “WHEN THE DRAGON CLAIMS THE SKY”

The arena no longer felt like an arena.

It felt like a battlefield carved out of history.

Cracked stone glowed red-hot in places where Divine Flame had scorched it. Frost still lingered in the air from Ouyang Xuer’s suppressed domain, shimmering like shattered glass. Spiritual pressure layered over itself so densely that even spectators at the edge struggled to breathe.

And at the center of it all—

Azure Dragon Academy stood.

Not unbroken.

But unbowed.

The announcer’s voice rang across the stadium, strained with disbelief.

“—WE ARE ENTERING THE FINAL PHASE OF THE MATCH! BOTH TEAMS HAVE LOST ALL EPIC-TIER MEMBERS!”

The projection screens updated instantly.

VERMILLION PHOENIX ACADEMY

Divine Tier: 3 remaining

AZURE DRAGON ACADEMY

Divine Tier: 2 remaining

Mystic Tier: 2 remaining

A murmur rippled through the crowd.

“This is insane…”

“They’re outnumbered…”

“How are they still standing?”

AND ONE GOLD TIER.

“How is he a gold still standing?”

“Man, he’s too OP. Is he really a gold?”

On the battlefield, Ling Yifan wiped blood from the corner of his mouth and spun his spear once, grounding himself.

“Formation change,” he said calmly.

Long Hao nodded instantly.

Ouyang Xuer stepped forward, frost blooming at her feet.

Chen Wulian exhaled.

The hesitation that had haunted him earlier was gone.

Replaced by something solid.

Heavy.

Certain.

The spiritual barrier surrounding the battlefield screamed under pressure as Divine auras clashed again and again, sending visible ripples across the sky. Heat and frost collided midair. Shadows twisted around shattered stone. The ground itself had been pulverized so many times that it barely remembered its original shape.

VERMILLION STRIKES FIRST

Rong Yueran stood calmly at the center of Vermilion’s side, crimson flames coiling lazily around her like a living crown. Her gaze flicked once across the battlefield, instantly assessing positions.

“Shen. Huoyan,” she said coolly. “Crush their support.”

Shen Tianyi smiled savagely as blue-white Skyfire erupted along his arms.

Liang Huoyan rolled her shoulders, phoenix-shaped flames blooming behind her back.

“Gladly.”

They moved at the same time.

The air detonated.

Shen Tianyi launched upward, then descended like a meteor, Skyfire compressing into a spiraling spear aimed straight at Ouyang Xue’er.

Liang Huoyan swept in from the flank, her flames expanding into a burning phoenix silhouette that tore across the ground toward Bai Qianlan.

Ling Yifan reacted instantly.

“Bai—left! Ouyang—upward pressure incoming!”

His spear struck the ground.

BOOM.

A ring of compressed force erupted outward, splitting Shen’s descent just enough to throw his trajectory off-center.

At the same moment—

Bai Qianlan’s illusions bloomed.

Mirrored copies of herself scattered in all directions, light bending and folding until Liang’s phoenix flames tore through three illusions before realizing the real target was already gone.

Ouyang Xue’er raised both hands.

“Divine Frost — Glacial Descent.”

The temperature plummeted.

Shen Tianyi’s Skyfire screamed as frost layered over it, steam exploding violently where the two forces collided.

“THREE-ON-TWO ENGAGEMENT!” the announcer shouted. “AZURE DRAGON IS MATCHING TWO DIVINE OPPONENTS!”

3 vs 2 — ICE, ILLUSION, AND PERFECTION

Shen Tianyi laughed as he twisted midair, Skyfire flaring brighter.

“So you’re the Spear Saint?”

Ling Yifan didn’t answer.

He stepped forward.

His spear moved—not wildly, not aggressively—but with terrifying precision.

Each thrust disrupted Shen’s casting rhythm. Each step cut off an angle. Each motion forced Shen to burn more energy just to keep pace.

Liang Huoyan snarled as her flames surged again.

“Stop dancing and burn them!”

She slammed her palms together.

“PHOENIX DESCENT: INCINERATING WINGS!”

Flames spread outward in a massive arc—

Only to shatter.

Ouyang Xue’er stepped forward, eyes calm, frost sigils blooming beneath her feet.

“Divine Ice doesn’t oppose flame,” she said quietly.

“It decides whether it exists.”

Her frost surged upward in layered sheets, compressing, crystallizing, then snapping inward.

Liang staggered back, her flames sputtering violently.

At the same moment—

Bai Qianlan struck.

Illusions collapsed inward, not to confuse—but to bind.

Spatial distortion wrapped around Liang’s limbs, delaying her movement by fractions of a second.

That was all Ling Yifan needed.

He appeared between the two Vermilion Divines in a blur.

His spear swept horizontally.

Not an attack.

A separation.

Shen Tianyi was forced backward by sheer pressure, while Liang Huoyan was slammed downward, crashing into the ground hard enough to fracture stone.

The audience exploded.

“They’re coordinating!”

“This is perfect division of roles!”

“That Spear Saint is controlling the entire tempo!”

Meanwhile –

At the other side of arena was moving completely differently.

2 vs 1 — SHADOW AND EARTH VS FLAME

On the opposite side of the arena—

Rong Yueran moved.

And Chen Wulian felt it immediately.

The ground trembled—not from impact, but from pressure.

Rong’s flame aura intensified, condensing into something heavy, oppressive.

“You’re late to this fight,” she said coolly.

Chen exhaled.

“Yeah,” he replied. “But I showed up.”

The earth responded.

Stone surged upward as Chen slammed his foot down.

“EARTH DOMAIN — GRAVITY LOCK.”

The battlefield around Rong warped.

Weight multiplied.

Her flames flared instinctively as she resisted, boots grinding against stone.

“Tch,” she clicked her tongue. “A Mystic-tier anchor.”

Before she could retaliate—

The shadows moved.

Long Hao emerged behind her, blade whispering through the air.

Rong twisted at the last moment, flames exploding outward to deflect the strike.

CLANG—!

Void and Divine Flame collided, shockwaves tearing through the arena.

Long Hao slid backward, boots carving deep trenches—but his eyes gleamed.

“Chen. Now.”

Chen’s hands slammed together.

“EARTH VEIN — CONSTRICT.”

The ground beneath Rong erupted upward, stone chains snapping around her legs.

She tore free with raw power—but that moment of resistance cost her.

Long Hao vanished again.

This time, he reappeared above her.

Shadow folded inward, suppressing flame expansion.

Rong’s eyes widened slightly.

“So you’re the Shadow King.”

Long Hao’s blade descended.

Not to kill.

To bind.

Chains of shadow locked around her core, disrupting her casting cycle.

Chen stepped forward, bloodied but resolute.

“This ends here.”

He struck.

The earth surged upward like a tidal wave, slamming Rong Yueran into the ground and pinning her completely.

Her flames sputtered.

Then dimmed.

Silence.

A heartbeat passed.

Then—

The gong rang.

“—VERMILION PHOENIX ACADEMY CAPTAIN HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!”

Across the arena, Liang Huoyan screamed in frustration as Ouyang’s frost snapped shut around her arms.

Ling Yifan finished it.

One clean thrust.

Not brutal.

Decisive.

Shen Tianyi looked around.

Saw Rong defeated.

Saw Liang eliminated.

Saw himself surrounded by three opponents who still stood tall.

He laughed bitterly.

“…So this is Azure Dragon.”

Ling Yifan leveled his spear.

“Yield.”

Shen closed his eyes.

The announcer’s voice thundered.

“—VERMILION PHOENIX ACADEMY HAS BEEN DEFEATED!”

“—AZURE DRAGON ACADEMY WINS STAGE TWO!”

The stadium erupted.

Azure Dragon stood at the center of the battlefield.

Exhausted.

Bloodied.

Victorious.

Chen Wulian exhaled heavily.

Ling Yifan turned toward him.

His expression was calm.

But sharp.

“Chen,” he said quietly.

“When this started…”

“When you hesitated.”

Chen met his gaze.

Didn’t smile.

Didn’t joke.

“…We need to talk,” Ling Yifan said.

Chen nodded once.

“…Yeah.”

The dust hadn’t even settled yet.

The arena was still echoing with cheers, banners still rising, healers already rushing toward the injured—

When Rong Yueran suddenly moved.

Not back toward her team.

Not toward the exit.

She ran straight toward Azure Dragon’s side.

“—Huh?” Chen Wulian blinked.

Too late.

She slammed into him at full speed.

HUG.

Hard.

Unrestrained.

Arms wrapped tightly around his neck as she buried her face against his chest.

“You’ve gotten stronger, darling,” Rong said brightly, completely unconcerned with the thousands of eyes on them.

The world froze.

Absolute silence.

Bai Qianlan’s mouth fell open.

Ouyang Xue’er stared, eyes wide.

Ling Yifan’s spear nearly slipped from his hand.

Long Hao’s eyebrow twitched.

“…Darling?” Ling Yifan repeated slowly.

Chen stiffened like he’d just been struck by lightning.

“R-Rong—!” he hissed. “You’re not supposed to do that here!”

Rong pulled back slightly, still holding onto him, smiling like nothing was wrong.

“But you won,” she said. “You did great.”

Then she leaned in again.

Ling Yifan stepped forward sharply.

“Chen,” he said, voice dangerously calm. “Explain.”

Chen swallowed.

“…Okay, so.”

He raised both hands.

“She’s my fiancée.”

Silence.

Then—

“WHAT?!”

Bai and Ouyang shouted at the same time.

Ling Yifan’s brain visibly stalled.

“…Your what.”

Rong waved cheerfully.

“Hi. I’m Rong Yueran. Vermilion Phoenix Academy captain.” She tilted her head. “And Chen’s fiancée.”

Long Hao covered his mouth with his hand, shoulders shaking slightly.

“So this is it,” he muttered. “This is what all the tension was about.”

Ouyang turned on Chen.

“YOU LET US THINK YOU WERE BETRAYING THE TEAM.”

Chen winced.

“I didn’t let anyone think that!”

Ling Yifan crossed his arms.

“Then why,” he said slowly, “were you talking secretly at night. Why were you hesitating. And why did you look like you were about to die every time you faced her?”

Rong blinked.

“…Oh.”

She looked at Chen.

“You didn’t tell them?”

Chen groaned.

“I tried to keep it professional!”

Rong laughed.

“I was telling him I’d go easy on him,” she said casually. “Make him intentionally lose.”

The air turned cold.

Ling Yifan’s gaze sharpened.

“…You were what?”

Rong raised both hands.

“HEY. I meant for him to lose in love. Not battle. ”

Chen immediately waved his arms.

“I refused! I told her absolutely not!”

Ling Yifan stared at him.

“…Then why did you hesitate.”

Chen scratched his head, embarrassed.

“Because she scares me and wanted me to shout that I love her in the arena.”

Rong smiled sweetly.

“You love me.”

“I FEAR YOU,” Chen corrected instantly.

Bai Qianlan burst out laughing.

Ouyang groaned, rubbing her temples.

“So all that mystery. All that tension. All that suspicion.”

She pointed accusingly at Chen.

“…was a romantic problem?”

Chen shrugged helplessly.

“I didn’t know how to fight her seriously.”

Ling Yifan sighed deeply.

“…I thought you were compromised.”

Rong looked genuinely apologetic.

“Sorry about that,” she said, bowing slightly. “I didn’t mean to cause trouble.”

Then she looked at Ling Yifan more closely.

“You’re the spear guy, right? Strong.”

Ling Yifan straightened instinctively.

“…Thanks.”

Rong smirked.

“But not as strong as my fiancé.”

Chen choked.

“WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT NOW?!”

Long Hao finally lost it.

He turned away, laughing quietly.

“So the shadowy phone calls,” he said, “the hesitation, the pressure—”

He glanced back.

“…was just love.”

Rong beamed.

Chen sank to his knees.

“I will never live this down.”

Ling Yifan shook his head.

“…Next time, explain sooner.”

Chen looked up.

“…You’d believe me?”

Ling Yifan paused.

Then nodded.

“…Yeah.”

Rong tightened her grip around Chen’s arm again.

“Good. Then we’re settled.”

She leaned in and whispered loudly enough for everyone to hear—

“Next time, I won’t lose.”

Chen screamed internally.

Azure Dragon’s side burst into laughter.

The tension shattered.

The misunderstanding dissolved.

And the battlefield—

Finally felt like a place of victory.

[Chapter ENDS]

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