Even Niall, ranked fifth on the Martial Rankings, had been crushed. Anyone else would be walking straight to the grave. Watching the scene, Aurelius felt desperation roil inside his chest.
If no one could defeat Atorn. they would surrender the Ritual Manual and leave level six as promised. He swept his gaze across the crowd until it settled on Yuliana.
Yuliana stood among the crowd, face calm, a steadfast light sparkling in eyes. Sensing Aurelius’s stare, lifted gaze, met his, and answered with a confident nod.
“Yuliana, I’m counting on you,” Aurelius murmured. A blur flickered. Yuliana landed at the center of the arena. Facing Atorn, said, “Allow me to keep you company for a while.”
Surprise flashed across Atorn’s eyes before melting into scorn. “A woman… It seems you truly have no one left.”
“Whether we have anyone left will become clear once we fight,” Yuliana replied calmly. “Fine. Let me show you real power.” Atorn tightened his grip on the spear and charged, each stride cracking the stone beneath his feet.
Yuliana shifted a single step, and Atorn’s sweeping spear sliced only empty air.
Without anyone seeing when had drawn it, a green longsword now rested in grasp. As the blade cut the air, a fresh spiritual energy flowed off its edge like mountain mist at dawn, so clean that it made Atorn’s brooding, demonic aura look foul by comparison.
“Hmm?” Atorn’s eyes narrowed. “You’re at the Earthly Immortal Realm Level Nine as well?”
Yuliana offered no answer. Instead, launched an attack. The green sword lunged like a green viper, striking for the throat. Atorn jerked his black spear across his body to parry, and steel met steel.
Their first collision rang through the mountains, a shrill clang that bounced from cliff to cliff until even the stones seemed to vibrate.
Yuliana’s swordwork danced, forever changing direction like swallows weaving among branches. Each thrust aimed precisely at the weakness in Atorn’s guard. His spear work countered with raw ferocity, every sweep heavy with demonic aura and the promise of instant death.
“Her sword is lightning fast!” A collective gasp rose from the cultivators scattered halfway up the mountain slope.
The observers had watched Niall before, yet Yuliana moved even quicker, refinements honed a thousand times over. Aurelius let out a breath had not realized was holding.
“Her strength really has leapt forward,” murmured. “There’s a chance can win this duel.”
Beside him, Talon nodded and said, “Her sword technique is fierce yet pure. No trace of impurity in the spiritual energy. Atorn’s demonic aura may be brutal, but defeating won’t be easy.”
Sword and spear had already traded dozens of exchanges, sparks and black motes swirling together. Yet neither fighter had stolen even half a step of advantage.
Atorn’s brows tightened. He had taken Yuliana to be an average cultivator at the Earthly Immortal Realm Level Nine. After discovering the depth behind blade, a chill ran down his spine.
“Seems I underestimated you.” His voice was a low snarl. He hurled his spear skyward, hands flashing through seals. “Demonic Sea of Flames!”
Pitch-black demonic aura surged from his core. An ocean of shadowy flame billowed behind him. Within its waves, countless wailing phantoms clawed for escape, their cries shriveling the air.
That spectral inferno rolled toward Yuliana. Wherever it passed, earth and grass charred to lifeless ash. Yuliana’s expression sharpened. She swept longsword up. “Azure Shield!”
Green spiritual energy burst outward, congealing before into a towering shield etched with fine, interlocking runes, each line pulsing a cool green light. The inferno crashed against the shield. Black sparks sprayed in all directions like embers in a gale.
“Break!” Atorn roared, forcing more demonic aura into the blaze. The flame swelled higher, hotter. Runes on the Azure Shield began to blur, edges distorting beneath the heat.
Sweat pearled across Yuliana’s brow. She could feel Atorn’s demonic aura laced with a corrosive venom that kept gnawing at every thread of spiritual energy. No more cowering behind a shield. Time to seize the initiative!
With that silent resolve, Yuliana dismissed the shimmering Azure Shield. Her figure blurred, then streaked forward like an arrow cut loose from a bow, closing the gap between and Atorn in a single breath.
