Chapter 792: Abyssal Artifact

Bolaka’s body was destroyed under countless attacks, each like the sharp beak of a Divine Bird. Specializing in Rune attacks, his physical defenses were very weak.

Until the final moment he faded away in defeat, Zhou Yuanjue’s words still echoed in his mind.

‘Devotion?’

Then, a pillar of light descended from the sky and enveloped his body, triggering the teleportation mechanism reserved for the defeated.

His figure soon vanished from the Dream Realm battlefield.

Only Zhou Yuanjue’s figure remained on the Dream Realm battlefield, standing silently.

“Did he win?”

Anjina muttered to herself, her voice filled with complex emotions.

After being defeated by Bolaka, she had seen him as the target she would have to strive to surpass for some time to come. But now, only a short while later, that target had been brutally shattered right out of her heart.

And it wasn’t just anyone who had shattered it, but the very teammate she had once doubted.

She gazed at the figure on the screen in silence. ‘Perhaps… *he* should be the next goal I strive to surpass.’

Meanwhile, Irene and Bodante were also closely watching Zhou Yuanjue’s match.

‘Perhaps he really does have a chance to contend with that guy from the Divine Profound Race for the final prize?’

Until now, she had always believed Qingling·Divine Intent to be the undisputed number one in their cohort. But now, that conviction was beginning to waver.

“As expected of the man who defeated Qianyue Jian.”

Bodante remarked with admiration.

VMM!!

Just as they were marveling at the sight, a pillar of light suddenly descended from the sky, making them all pause. They turned to look where the pillar of light landed.

The light faded, and a translucent figure appeared before their eyes.

It was Dorobaku.

Everyone was taken aback. Wasn’t Dorobaku still in a match? Why was he suddenly out?

Then, they noticed Dorobaku’s grim expression and instinctively glanced at his battle screen, only to see the figure of Abyssal Artifact Nirute standing there alone.

‘He lost?’

Understanding dawned on them in an instant, and smiles of shared misery appeared on their faces.

“You all, too…?”

Dorobaku stepped out of the pillar of light and was slightly taken aback to see three pairs of eyes staring straight at him.

“Just like you, we were all defeated.”

Anjina said with a sigh. ‘Well, that’s just great. The entire Elemental Race, wiped out. It’s so humiliating, such a blow to our pride.’

“Phew, so I wasn’t the first one eliminated?”

“So, does that mean we’ve been completely wiped out? I guess there really is a gap. Even on the Scales Battlefield, the subtle differences between those who have broken through the First layer Transformation Boundary and those who haven’t are still massive. That tiny gap is enough to decide a battle’s outcome.”

A hint of relief appeared in Dorobaku’s eyes. ‘So I’m not the worst of them, after all. Those guys are usually so high and mighty, but they still got eliminated before I did.’

“No, we haven’t been completely wiped out.”

Anjina said with an odd expression, hearing Dorobaku’s words. She pointed to her own Life Heart Core, gesturing for Dorobaku to check his Life True Talisman.

Dorobaku paused, only then realizing there were only three of them present. One was missing.

‘Could it be…?’

Dorobaku immediately willed his Life True Talisman open, entered the spectator view, and saw the only light screen that was still active.

Zhou Yuanjue stood on the battlefield, quietly awaiting the start of the next matchmaking round.

‘So it’s true. That guy hasn’t been eliminated yet?’

‘Did he just get lucky and avoid any powerful opponents in the first two rounds?’

Dorobaku was a bit dazed, then he pulled up Zhou Yuanjue’s match history.

First Match: Opponent, Qianyue Jian · Yuehen.

Second Match: Opponent, Bolaka.

“…”

Dorobaku was speechless for a moment. ‘How is that good luck? That’s the worst luck imaginable! He actually ran into the acknowledged strongest fighters from their respective civilizations in both matches.’

‘Who else has that kind of luck?’

‘And the most unbelievable part is, he actually won both matches…’

Dorobaku had only heard of Qianyue Jian · Yuehen’s strength and had never witnessed it himself, so he wasn’t too familiar with it.

But he was keenly aware of Ghost Sealed Bolaka’s power. Not long ago, Bolaka had given him and Anjina a nasty “welcoming gift.” And now, even that guy had been defeated.

He knew Zhou Yuanjue was strong—stronger than himself—but he never would have imagined he was strong to this extent.

‘Taking down the strongest from two civilizations in a row… is he making a run for the final championship?’

“How did that guy do it?”

Dorobaku couldn’t help but look at the others.

“You’ll find out if you watch his next fight,” Irene said. “His next opponent will, in all likelihood, be another one of the strongest from this cohort.”

Dorobaku said no more. He turned his gaze to the screen, wanting to see just what kind of opponent this guy would be matched against next.

…

…

On the battlefield, Zhou Yuanjue stood with his eyes closed, slowly recalling the previous fight.

‘So, when technique, body, and power merge to a certain degree, such a wonderful metamorphosis occurs.’

‘That feeling of everything condensing into one, that profound sense of inner fulfillment, the way my techniques seemed to narrate life itself… That intense stimulation, as if I controlled a certain area around me, was simply too wonderful.’

‘Indeed. The beauty of the Martial Dao was far more intoxicating to him than pure power and destruction.’

‘I need more stimulation. I need to continue perfecting this feeling.’

He realized that this wondrous state could be expanded even further, and that worthy opponents and fierce battles were the very nourishment it needed to transform again.

DING!

“All matches have concluded. The next round of matchmaking will begin shortly. Please prepare.”

Hearing the notification in his mind, Zhou Yuanjue’s eyes filled with anticipation.

‘The next battle is about to begin.’

He felt he could keep fighting like this forever, until the end of time.

To him, this was an unparalleled joy, a true romance.

VMM!!

A pillar of light descended from the sky, enveloping his body.

Matchmaking began.

By the third round, very few victors remained. It could even be said that the match after this one would be the grand final.

Therefore, his opponent would be anything but weak, which was exactly what Zhou Yuanjue wanted.

The Baiguang gradually dispersed, the feeling of weightlessness vanished, and a new battlefield appeared before Zhou Yuanjue’s eyes.

He got a clear look at his opponent.

He stood nearly six meters tall, an incredibly massive figure. His body was a mass of powerful muscle, with arms that hung past his ankles and shoulders nearly as wide as he was tall. Atop his body was the ferocious head of a beast, and within his azure eyes was a unique temperament born from the coexistence of burning passion and cold reason.

Abyssal Artifact, Nirute.