Chapter 161: Five-Year Tournament (6)

Dong Zhen’s announcement echoed through the heavy silence of the arena. All eyes fixed on Kyrian, who was an enigma to everyone.

And then, on Mei Li, whose diplomatic smile was now tense, with a thin layer of ice over her anxiety.

Mei Li descended into the arena first, her steps measured.

She did not draw any weapon, only adjusted the sleeves of her robe, her mind spinning with possibilities of how to win the fight.

She also possessed blood intent. And in that aspect, it was her greatest trump card against the others. She was fully confident in fighting Bai Zhu and the rest. But Kyrian was an unknown.

Furthermore, she had heard her master’s words, sent directly into her mind. Kyrian possessed an innate talent. This was something as rare and special as a celestial physique. Something seen only in absolute powers of the northern territory.

Because of that, her anxiety grew. She did not consider Kyrian’s cultivation. True geniuses could fight above their level.

Kyrian descended with a calm that bordered on indifference. His crimson robe seemed to absorb the light, and his eyes, at that moment, shone in a deep crimson color. He stopped in his position ten meters from Mei Li and waited.

The atmosphere on the leaders’ platform shifted. The previously relaxed postures straightened.

The leader of the Shadows Branch leaned forward, his pitch-black eyes piercing Kyrian. The leader of the Diplomacy Branch had her fingers gripping the arm of her seat tightly.

In her mind, she asked herself whether Mei Li had enough to pass through Dong Zhen’s chosen one.

Dong Zhen himself remained a statue, but his gaze was sharper than anyone else’s.

“Begin.” said Dong Zhen, and the word sounded like a command.

Kyrian acted the instant it was spoken. But he did not advance nor assume a stance.

He simply looked at Mei Li.

And then, his calm eyes changed.

The iris, already completely crimson, lit up in a luminous color, like a pool of blood under sunlight.

Within them, the intent spun for a fraction of a second, focusing entirely on Mei Li.

Mei Li sensed it immediately. It was not a physical attack. It was a direct violation, an absolute command that sprouted inside the very blood in her veins.

A tremor ran through her body, starting at her toes and rising like a paralyzing cold wave.

Her own blood, the source of her strength, seemed to rebel against her, responding to a deep call from her opponent.

She gasped, eyes wide with pure terror. Her smile disappeared, her blood Qi faltering as her very foundations tried to obey his will. It was absolutely terrifying to feel the thing she was closest to in life turn against her. Her blood.

But Mei Li was not Lin Mo or the others. She also possessed blood intent. A genuine understanding, cultivated with sweat and study. In the abyss of panic, she clung to that understanding.

“My blood.” she whispered, a desperate declaration spoken to herself.

She focused all her will, all her intent, on the sensation of the flow within her.

She did not try to take total control immediately; the brute force of that invading will was overwhelming. Instead, she redirected and took control of the main parts of her body. Mainly the source of her entire blood flow. The heart.

It was a silent, invisible battle, fought on the most intimate battlefield possible.

To the audience, Mei Li trembled and froze, her face pale, sweat dripping from her temples.

Kyrian remained standing, his crimson eyes glowing with an unsettling light.

The internal struggle lasted perhaps three seconds.

Three seconds of silent agony for Mei Li.

Then, Kyrian sighed.

It was a brief sound, almost inaudible, but filled with slightly frustrated understanding.

His crimson eyes dimmed slightly in intensity. He felt the resistance. Mei Li’s understanding of blood was rooted within her. Controlling the blood inside someone who also possessed intent was not as simple as he had imagined.

It was like a territorial dispute, but the native territory always held an advantage. As time passed, Mei Li would regain control of her own blood.

The pressure inside Mei Li suddenly vanished. She stumbled back, gasping as if half her Qi had evaporated. One hand on her chest. She stared at him, her eyes now filled with terrified respect.

He had nearly defeated her without moving a muscle, only with a glance.

Kyrian ignored the reaction. His mind had already moved to the next option. If he could not easily control the blood inside her, he would control the blood outside.

He raised his right hand, fingers extended toward Mei Li, who was still recovering.

Suddenly, his eyes glowed with an even stronger light. But this time, the target was not Mei Li directly, but the environment around them.

Everyone wondered what was happening, but the only thing they could see was a thin mist of blood emerging around Kyrian and spreading through the arena.

But that was not his blood, no, that was the residual blood of the environment. In truth, Kyrian considered using his own blood a waste. Especially from his mortal body.

But his eyes could see, in the arena and throughout the Fortress, the veins of Qi present everywhere. The blood running through the fortress.

Others could perceive it, but using it was impossible. Only Dong Zhen, the one who controlled the whole fortress, could use it.

At least, that was what everyone believed. Kyrian, with his eyes, managed to use a part of that blood.

Kyrian closed his hand into a fist.

The cloud of blood condensed instantly into a hundred gleaming needles, each as thin as a hair and razor-sharp. They hovered in the air for a moment, pointing at Mei Li from all directions.

Kyrian said nothing, he simply acted.

Mei Li did not hesitate. With a cry of effort, she raised both hands, her own blood Qi, now firmly under her control, surged, forming a circular, opaque shield in front of her, a basic but sturdy defensive technique.

“Blood Wall!”

The needles then fired without hesitation.

The sound was that of thick fabric being torn by endless blades. The needles crashed into Mei Li’s shield, but there seemed to be no end to them, forming continuously. The barrier was consumed rapidly.

The blood drawn from the fortress environment, strengthened by Kyrian’s intent and blood Qi, was of a superior magnitude.

Her shield disintegrated like wet paper, offering far less resistance than Mei Li expected.

Mei Li barely had time for her eyes to widen in a new peak of terror before the needles stopped. They did not dissipate. They simply froze.

Each sharp tip hovered a finger away from her skin, forming a perfect, deadly sphere around her. She could feel the cutting cold of the intent from them, a promise of pain if she moved a muscle.

Kyrian had not closed his fist completely nor executed the final action. His crimson eyes, now colder, stared through the frozen storm of needles.

She didn’t need to look at the platform to know. There was no technique, no movement that could save her.

Her voice came out as a breath, all air and pride crushed.

“I… surrender.”

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