Read Novel Full Chapter 236: Cloud Empire (56)
Chapter 236: Cloud Empire (56)
Several fights happened after Yun Hao’s victory.
New challengers arrived constantly, many of them secondary disciples from external forces or independents who had gathered stones to try their luck. They challenged the new occupants of the Top 90 and, below them, the very leaders who had just risen.
Nan Feng Yu was called again twice almost in succession. This time, he faced a disciple from the Deep Roots Sect. The fight lasted seven minutes. Nan Feng Yu used bursts of cutting wind to disarm his opponent and force a surrender.
After that, he fought a coliseum-ranked fighter and rose to rank 89.
Mo Qian challenged rank 82, a cultivator at the 2° stage of Core Formation, a specialist in fists. Mo Qian won with pure brute force, punches that cracked his opponent’s defense and threw him out of the arena. Mo Qian took rank 82.
Other fights followed. Minor disciples winning here and there, ranks changing hands quickly. The crowd was no longer as surprised, the new names were dominating. But Kyrian, now at rank 85, could not be challenged by them. He watched everything in silence, calculating gains.
After dozens of fights, when the afternoon was nearing its end, Elder Tian raised his voice once more.
"Next challenge. Kyrian, Rank 85 of the Coliseum, against Su Lian, Rank 74 of the Coliseum!"
The name echoed.
The crowd reacted immediately.
Kyrian smiled briefly, a cold, almost imperceptible smile. Fighting was one of the few things that truly excited him. And the opponents were getting stronger. He stood up unhurriedly.
In the sky, the cultivations appeared.
Kyrian, at the 6° stage of Qi Liberation.
Su Lian, at the 2° stage of Core Formation.
The gap was even greater than in the previous fight. But the bets were balanced. No one knew for certain who would win.
Many now fully trusted Kyrian’s strength, he had defeated Li Shen without breaking much of a sweat. Others doubted.
"Core Formation 2° stage... that’s different. Maybe he’ll lose this time."
But those with better insight knew. Kyrian had not used his full strength in the previous fight. He would win easily.
Kyrian jumped from the stands. The impact was light, without dust, without sound. He walked to the center of the arena with absolute calm.
Su Lian emerged from the opposite gate.
Ordinary appearance. A young woman with black hair tied in a simple bun, a light-blue robe, and a small sword at her waist. But her cultivation was fully released at the 2° stage of Core Formation, solid and stable. She looked at Kyrian without arrogance or fear. Only serene determination.
The two reached the center almost at the same time.
Elder Tian raised his hand.
"Begin."
Su Lian did not waste time. Her water Qi exploded around her, fluid, undulating, like a living river. She raised her right hand. A sharp cut of Qi formed a condensed water blade, thin as paper but hard as steel. The blade shot toward Kyrian’s chest.
Kyrian did not move immediately. His green eyes gleamed. He decided not to switch ocular pairs yet. The sword eyes were enough.
He raised the frigid metal sword. A simple horizontal movement, sword intent concentrated on the blade. The water blade collided with his.
A sharp sound echoed. The water blade split in two, dissipating into mist. Kyrian did not even step back.
Su Lian frowned slightly. She advanced.
Her body moved like water, fluid and unpredictable. She spun, launching three water blades simultaneously. One high, one low, and one central.
At the same time, the ground around Kyrian began to ripple, water Qi rising like liquid tentacles, trying to bind him.
Kyrian spun his sword in a perfect arc. Sword intent expanded, a green cutting wave that sliced through the three blades and the tentacles. Everything dissipated into vapor.
Su Lian did not stop. She leapt forward, sword in hand. A quick diagonal slash, reinforced by water Qi that made the blade undulate like a wave.
Kyrian blocked. The swords collided. Blue and green sparks leapt. Kyrian was pushed one step back, her superior cultivation made a difference in brute strength.
But he did not lose the exchange.
His sword was already positioned for the counterattack. A precise upward slash, sword intent on cutting beyond the metal. Su Lian blocked, but a thin cut appeared on her left shoulder. Blood flowed.
She retreated, eyes narrowed.
Kyrian advanced for the first time. His steps were light, but each carried sword intent. The ground was scratched by invisible cuts. Su Lian tried to counter with a wave of water that rose like a wall. Kyrian cut the wave in half, the blade passed through as if it were paper.
Su Lian spun, launching a series of quick thrusts. Each strike created small bursts of pressurized water. Kyrian defended them all, his sword meeting each thrust at the exact angle. He was pushed two steps back but never lost balance.
One of Kyrian’s slashes grazed past, tearing her right sleeve. Blood ran from her forearm.
Su Lian was breathing heavily now. She attempted a larger technique. Water Qi condensed into a rotating sphere above her. She launched it, the sphere exploded into dozens of pressurized jets, like a rain of blades.
Kyrian raised his sword. Sword intent expanded into a green semicircle. All the jets were cut in half, dissipating before touching him.
Su Lian’s eyes widened.
Kyrian advanced once more. His movements were simple but precise. Each slash was calculated to force defense, each step to limit space. Su Lian blocked, but accumulated more cuts. One on the thigh, another on the torso, another on the left arm.
She was bleeding at several points. Her clothes were torn. Her Qi is diminishing.
Kyrian stopped. He did not attack further. He simply waited.
Su Lian breathed heavily, sword trembling in her hand.
Then she lowered the weapon.
"I surrender."
Elder Tian raised his hand.
"Victory to Kyrian."
On the ranked wall, his name immediately rose to rank 74.