In the Imperial City, on the sword-fighting platform.
All members of Zhenlong Academy remained frozen in shock. Mo Wufeng, his body still trembling from the lightning strike, stared blankly at their fallen Black Tortoise battle flag, his heart filled with terror.
Did they intentionally lose the first round?
"No! I refuse to believe this! Impossible! Absolutely impossible!" Mo Wufeng roared at the heavens. They had been so close to championship glory - how could they possibly fail at this final hurdle?
Li Bufan exhaled deeply, his body taxed from wielding the Treasure of Heaven and Earth. Using the "Heavenly Thunder Explosive Step" had flooded his meridians with violent electrical energy, and even his own flesh bore the brunt of the thunderous backlash.
Fortunately, his cultivation of the Wind and Thunder Transformation and his innate Wind and Thunder physique allowed him to execute the move flawlessly.
"Tianwei Academy wins!"
Only when the referee announced the result did the spectators snap out of their daze.
Li Bufan and Jiang Xiaofan... were actually this powerful?
Ouyang Jing's eyes gleamed with sharp intensity. The once naive, simple boy, Jiang Xiaofan, had now transformed into an extraordinary monster!
"So incredible! Little Sword God! Little Sword God!..."
Li Bufan's supporters shouted his name in a frenzy, completely swept up in the excitement. Extraordinary[1] background, extraordinary looks, extraordinary talent, and extraordinary strength!
Li Bufan, truly extraordinary!
On the judges' podium, Di Jinglong's face darkened like the bottom of a burnt pot. Just when victory had seemed certain, his opponents had revealed the Treasure of Heaven and Earth.
"Hmph! Even with Treasure of Heaven and Earth, these juniors lack the cultivation to wield them multiple times in one day. The third round remains ours for the taking!"
Abandoning all pretense of impartiality, Di Jinglong shouted loud enough for his team to hear. His message was clear - Tianwei Academy couldn't rely on those treasures again.
As expected, his words steadied Zhenlong Academy's morale. Without the Treasure of Heaven and Earth, the third round remained winnable!
Several directors, including Wen Ce, one of the Nine Ministers, furrowed their brows. This time, Di Jinglong had gone too far—he wasn't acting with the dignity expected of a senior.
As a referee, it was his duty to remain impartial and fair, without showing favoritism. Even if he supported Zhenlong Academy in his heart, he shouldn't have made it so obvious.
But Di Jinglong was beyond caring. Victory justified all means!
"Both teams, please withdraw." The announcer surveyed the heavily damaged platform. "Due to significant structural damage, the final round will commence after a half-hour repair period."
"What? Tianwei Academy won the second round?"
The news spread like wildfire. The shadowy figures behind the four great casinos nearly leapt from their seats.
An unexpected reversal!
They had been moments away from fleeing the imperial capital in disgrace, but now, there was hope.
With just one decisive round remaining, all four casinos had adjusted their odds to even money.
The final outcome—whether Tianwei Academy would complete their comeback or Zhenlong Academy would prove superior—had the entire city holding its breath in anticipation.
Especially for the owners behind the four major casinos, this round was undoubtedly a high-stakes gamble for them!
"What?! How is this possible?!"
Yan Shuying shot to her feet, her face draining of color as the servant delivered his report.
"Is something troubling you, Miss Yan?" Ling Feng's lips curled slightly. Everything was proceeding exactly according to plan.
"N-Nothing..." She clenched her fists, forcing composure, though her delicate hands trembled around her wine cup.
"Oh? Is that so?" Ling Feng raised an eyebrow and smiled faintly. "I believe the final match should be in the second round by now. If I'm not mistaken, Tianwei Academy lost the first round. But in the second round, we made a comeback, tying the score at 1-1. Am I right, Miss Yan?"
"You—! How could you possibly—? You were supposed to be—!"
"Supposed to be trapped in your time-slowing array, oblivious that noon has come and gone?"
Ling Feng's smirk carried unmistakable mockery.
"Impossible! This can't be happening!"
Yan Shuying was struck with shock, as if the ground had been ripped out from under her. How could Ling Feng possibly know every detail of her plan?
"Miss Yan, I think the act is just about over," Ling Feng said slowly, rising to his feet and staring coldly at her. His voice was chilling as he continued, "From the moment someone started buying up Tianwei Academy's losses at sky-high prices, secretly inflating the odds, I had a feeling someone was trying to pull the strings behind the scenes."
Ling Feng's eyes glinted with sharp intelligence as he went on, "You thought you could ruin my reputation by having me absent for the final match? After all, most martial artists in this kind of competition would gamble a bit, hoping to make some extra elemental stones. If my absence caused them to lose their savings, I'd become a hunted dog, wouldn't I?"
Yan Shuying's face darkened, her fists clenched so tightly that her knuckles turned white. She stared at Ling Feng, feeling suffocated by the situation.
"Furthermore, if I lost the match, I'd also lose the bet with Yan Jinghong. I'd have no choice but to die. But your hidden ally, the Empress Dowager, would have a way to spare my life, wouldn't she?"
Ling Feng sneered, "Go back and tell the Empress Dowager, it's fine, just don't provoke me. As for the five thousand million elemental crystals you lost at the four casinos, consider it a small punishment."
Yan Shuying trembled with fury, her teeth grinding together. "Ling Feng! Why do you think I'll lose? I won't! Hmph, as long as you don't make it back for the final round, I still have a chance! Your team may have won a round using the Treasure of Heaven and Earth, but they won't be able to use it in the third round!"
Yan Shuying fixed her gaze on Ling Feng and clapped her hands. Instantly, more than ten experts at the Spiritual Element Realm, along with a king-tier expert at the Spiritual Sea Realm, stormed into the room. They surrounded Ling Feng, cutting off any escape.
"Today, you will not leave!"
Yan Shuying laughed maniacally. "Ling Feng, even though you've seen through everything, your biggest mistake is underestimating me! With just the two of you, do you really think you can escape from the grasp of a king-tier expert? Commander Lin, seize them!"
1. The repeated use of "extraordinary" reflects Li Bufan's name "不凡" (Bùfán) in Chinese, which means "remarkable" or "outstanding." The original text used his name as a pun. ☜