Chapter 498: Consolidated (2)
Chapter 498: Consolidated (2)
The silence lingered over Arena Number Ten for several seconds.
The air still vibrated with the residual energy of the lightning storm that had swept across the platform. Tiny violet sparks continued to dance here and there, like the final notes of a symphony that had ended abruptly.
The scent of ozone still lingered in the air, a fragrant reminder of the power that had been unleashed.
No one seemed able to believe what they had just witnessed.
Wu Fan. A well-known, experienced cultivator at the seventh stage of the Core Formation Realm. He had been defeated... without even managing to touch his opponent.
The spectators’ eyes were fixed on the kneeling figure at the center of the arena. Wu Fan trembled uncontrollably, his sword lying beside him, his expression of disbelief still frozen on his face.
He was a seasoned warrior who had faced countless opponents over the years. Yet never, in all of his battles, had he experienced anything like this.
The judge was the first to regain his composure. His experienced eyes, accustomed to witnessing battles of every kind, had widened during the final attack. But now he collected himself, his expression returning to professional neutrality.
After quickly checking Wu Fan’s condition and confirming that the man was alive, though incapable of continuing, the judge raised his arm.
"The winner..." His voice echoed throughout the arena, amplified by Qi.
"Kyrian!"
The silence was shattered instantly.
The entire audience erupted into conversation. What had once been a sea of silent anticipation transformed into chaos filled with voices, exclamations, and discussions.
"Incredible!" a young spectator exclaimed, his eyes shining with excitement.
"I’ve never seen anything like it!"
"That lightning..." Another shook his head, still trying to process what he had witnessed.
"I still have goosebumps."
Even protected by the arena’s formation, many spectators could still feel tiny shivers running through their arms. The electricity released by Kyrian had been so intense that even those standing far away had felt its pressure, as though the storm had spread beyond the barriers.
"What a terrifying physique..." a middle-aged woman said, her voice filled with admiration.
"It was as if a storm had descended inside the arena."
"He didn’t even look like a fourth-stage cultivator," a man added, his eyes fixed on Kyrian.
"That energy was something I’d expect from someone much stronger."
"I’ve never seen a lightning physique at that level," another commented.
"I’ve seen cultivators who specialized in lightning before, but none of them possessed that kind of intensity."
Another man took a deep breath, as though he were still digesting what he had witnessed.
"More frightening than his strength..." He paused, his eyes narrowing.
"...was his speed."
He still remembered the battle vividly. For several minutes, Wu Fan had attacked without stopping. Sword, Qi, techniques—everything. The man had thrown everything he had against Kyrian.
Even so... not a single strike had landed on the young man in the purple robe.
"He simply disappeared," the man continued, his voice full of admiration.
"One moment he was there, the next he was somewhere else."
"No..." another spectator corrected, shaking his head.
"He didn’t disappear. He was simply too fast. Your eyes couldn’t keep up with his movements."
"In my opinion..." a third man said thoughtfully.
"His speed has probably already reached the peak of the Core Formation Realm. Maybe even beyond."
Many people immediately agreed. The difference in speed between the two had been absurd. Wu Fan had seemed to be fighting alone, striking at shadows while Kyrian moved with a fluidity that bordered on the supernatural.
Even some of the older cultivators wore serious expressions, their experienced eyes recognizing something extraordinary.
"That boy..." one of them said quietly.
"Has an exceptionally solid foundation."
"His Qi control is excellent as well," another agreed.
"He barely wasted any energy throughout the entire fight. Every movement was efficient, every dodge carefully calculated."
A third elder slowly stroked his beard, his eyes fixed on Kyrian’s retreating figure.
"With this level of strength..." He paused, as though carefully considering his words.
"...he’ll probably be one of the finalists in this competition."
His statement drew immediate agreement from many of the spectators, who nodded in approval.
"That’s not an exaggeration," someone said.
"I agree. He didn’t even use a weapon during the fight. Who knows how many hidden cards he still has up his sleeve."
"And he didn’t even seem tired," another added.
"After releasing all that energy, his breathing barely changed."
A short while later, a man smiled as a look of understanding spread across his face.
"Now it makes sense," he said, his eyes sweeping across the crowd.
"People kept asking why Sun Luguo accepted a disciple after so many years. Why did he, who had turned away so many hopefuls, finally change his mind."
He turned his gaze toward Kyrian, who was already approaching the exit.
"Now everyone understands. That boy truly is a genius. Not just a promising talent, but someone who already possesses real strength."
At the center of the arena...
Kyrian merely gave the judge a brief bow. The gesture was polite but brief; there was no need to prolong the scene.
Then he calmly walked toward the exit. His steps were unhurried, his posture relaxed. There was no rush in his movements, nor any trace of pride.
The exclamations continued behind him, yet none of them changed his expression. The praise, the comments, the speculation, all of it passed over him like the wind, leaving no mark.
His thoughts were focused entirely on something else.
’The Third Mirrored Eye has finally stabilized.’
Kyrian could clearly feel the difference within his body. The flow of Qi now passed naturally through all three cores, without resistance or any trace of instability. It was as though the three dantians had always existed in perfect harmony.
The energy flowed smoothly from the first to the second, from the second to the third. Every transition was seamless, every connection strong. The tiny jolts and microscopic interruptions that had plagued his first days with the new technique were gone.
Now... he could cultivate it normally again.
...
In the spectator stands...
"Hahahahahaha!"
A loud burst of laughter echoed above the buzz of conversations.
Sun Luguo laughed without the slightest restraint, his powerful voice cutting through the air like thunder. His enormous hand repeatedly slapped his own thigh as he watched Kyrian leave the arena, his eyes shining with pride.
"Good!" he exclaimed, his voice brimming with satisfaction.
"Very good!"
His laughter continued to echo throughout the stands. Some spectators turned to look at him, recognizing the famous blacksmith, but Sun Luguo did not care. He was genuinely happy, happier than he had been in a very long time.
He had sincerely hoped that his new disciple would win. But he had never imagined he would win in such a manner.
Wu Fan had not even managed to pressure him. The entire battle had been controlled by Kyrian from beginning to end. There had never been a moment when the young man appeared to be in danger, nor an instant when he needed to give his all.
’That brat...’ Sun Luguo smiled even wider, his eyes following Kyrian’s retreating figure.
’He was born to fight.’
That lightning physique was simply monstrous. Even someone like him, who did not deeply understand the Path of Lightning, could tell just how terrifying that power was.
The speed, the intensity, the control, everything was on a level far beyond what anyone would expect from a fourth-stage cultivator.
A few moments later, Sun Luguo also left the stands. His heavy footsteps echoed as he descended the stairs, his imposing presence effortlessly parting the crowd.