The spear hummed and shimmered with silver light as it exuded a bone- chilling cold. The air began to warp wherever it passed, letting out a sharp, ear-splitting screech.
Azalea didn’t dare take it head-on. She quickly retreated, and her hands formed intricate signs as she murmured an incantation. She pointed toward Veronica, who was chasing her.
The battle ring suddenly erupted with a mass of black vines. These vines, almost as if they possessed a mind of their own, shot up with incredible speed.
It wrapped around Veronica’s feet and rapidly coiled upward. Within the blink of an eye, her legs, hips, and waist were ensnared entirely. She was immobilized.
“Huh?” Veronica frowned.
She was about to raise her spear to counterattack when two thicker vines shot up from the ground, wrapping around her arms and forcefully pulling them apart. Within seconds, the black vines had her tied up like a prisoner.
What was most alarming was the sheer strength of these vines. They were incredibly tough, and Veronica couldn’t break free. She struggled, but it was in vain.
“What kind of sorcery is this? How is it so sinister?”
“This is bad. Veronica is in danger!”
“This was a cheap shot. She ambushed her!”
The Celestial Alliance disciples grew anxious as they saw Veronica bound by the vines. They never expected Azalea to wield such a strange and unpredictable technique.
“Now!”
Azalea seized the opportunity. Her hands formed another set of hand signs and pointed at the immobilized Veronica. 1
With a thunderous roar, a scorching flame burst forth. It swiftly transformed into a ferocious tiger. The tiger roared silently and charged at Veronica with its body engulfed in a raging inferno.
“This is bad!”
The disciples of the Celestial Alliance turned pale, some even leaping to their feet in alarm. But they could only watch helplessly as the blazing flames consumed Veronica.
“It’s over! Veronica’s done for!”
Despair washed over the Celestial Alliance disciples as they muttered among themselves. None of them had expected Veronica, with her incredible spear mastery and formidable skills, to be defeated so quickly. It was beyond belief.
“No way! Did Veronica lose?” Aurora’s eyes widened in shock.
The match lasted less than three minutes. After only a few exchanges, Veronica, with all her strength, couldn’t have been defeated so quickly, right?
“Don’t rush to conclusions. The match has only just begun.” Fenley narrowed his eyes slightly. His expression was calm.
If Veronica couldn’t handle this level of threat, she wasn’t worthy of the Celestial Alliance’s trust.
When he finished speaking, a powerful energy suddenly erupted from within the blazing flames on the battle ring.
With a loud explosion, the black vines and flames exploded. It sent the fiery shards and thrashing tendrils flying in all directions.
Suddenly, a figure shrouded in an icy chill shot out from the exploding flames. The spear gleamed with silver light and shot toward Azalea with blinding speed.
The strike moved with the elegance of a swan in flight. It was as silent and deadly as a coiled serpent.
“Too fast!”
Azalea barely had time to react. She hastily raised her arms to block, and her grandmaster-level internal energy surged in a protective shield before her.
Veronica’s spear crashed against the energy shield with explosive force. The barrier barely held for a heartbeat before shattering into fragments.
But Veronica didn’t relent. Her spear continued its advance, aiming straight at Azalea’s chest.
However, the expected deadly strike never came. Just as the spear’s tip was about to reach Azalea’s chest, a sudden flash of golden light burst forth.
With a metallic clang, Veronica’s spear was suddenly flung away by an invisible force. The impact sent her stumbling backward, and her arm was numb from the recoil.
“Hmm?”
Veronica’s eyes narrowed as she noticed the small Astral bell floating in front of Azalea’s chest.
The bell was only the size of an egg but intricately engraved with runes. Its surface shimmered with a golden light; this was definitely not an ordinary object.
“An Elysian amulet?” Veronica frowned, and her expression darkened.
The Elysian amulet was a scarce piece of protective gear. It was far superior to any golden silk armor.
This amulet had a natural enchantment that activated automatically to form a protective shield whenever its wearer was in danger without conscious activation.
Such a prized artifact was incredibly rare; it was worth a fortune and nearly impossible to obtain. Even Veronica wasn’t privileged enough to own one.
She was astonished that someone as young as Azalea possessed such a treasure. Had the Mystic Arts Order’s disciples become so wealthy?
“That was a close call. I nearly took a hit.” Azalea lightly patted her chest as she caught her breath.
She had underestimated Veronica and thought she could handle the situation with just a couple of spells. Azalea hadn’t expected Veronica to break her defenses and launch a deadly counterattack.
She might have been severely injured if Abigail hadn’t given her the Elysian Amulet.
The Mystic Arts Order didn’t own this amulet. It was a treasure Abigail had won from a recent betting game she organized.
Azalea couldn’t help but admire Abigail’s keen judgment.
