SUPREME ARCH-MAGUS - Chapter 1036 - 1036: Blood Bath!

The heavenly Phoenix Range…

Seven Nations Pagoda…

On its seventh floor, sweat, blood, and madness mingled as disciples clawed their way to the top.

The seventh floor of the Pagoda was littered with fallen bodies. Out of the ten thousand who qualified for this brutal round, more than five hundred were now cold corpses, their dreams of glory shattered. Explosions echoed in the distance, spells flared with desperate energy, and anguished screams tore through the thick tension.

Scott Lin stood tall amidst the chaos, his white robe soaked red from battles won. With a wide grin, he grabbed the first flagpole embedded in the ancient ground. A powerful aura exploded from the jade base as he pulled it out, earning gasps from everyone watching below via the giant spiritual projection mirrors hovering in the air.

“Scott Lin of the Lin Clan has obtained the first flagpole!” the spirit announcer’s voice echoed.

That triggered a frenzy. One by one, powerful disciples surged forward, collecting the flagpoles. Some succeeded. Others, distracted for a moment, found their treasures ripped from their hands and their bodies pummeled into walls or over the railing to certain death.

“Don’t let them go down! Snatch the flags! Kill them if you must!” someone screamed from the sixth floor.

A blood-soaked boy limped down from the seventh floor, clutching his flag. Just when he reached the fifth floor, a windblade sliced through the air and severed his arm clean off.

“NO!” he screamed, tumbling down the stairs as the flag clattered away.

A bulky disciple from the Thunder Tribe leaped forward, grabbing the fallen flag. He laughed like a madman as he rushed down the stairs.

Two more hours passed.

At the base of the Pagoda, those who survived now looked nothing like the proud disciples who’d entered in the morning. They were beasts. Eyes bloodshot. Muscles torn. Faces twisted in agony and feral aggression.

As they approached the jade judgement stone at the base of the mountain, another crisis emerged. Those who hadn’t made it to the top—or failed to grab flags—had prepared their ambush.

One girl, clutching her flagpole, wept as she tried to limp forward. Suddenly, a spear pierced her thigh. She fell, crying out.

“The flag is mine!” yelled a rogue disciple with a vicious grin.

The air filled with blood as a second fight broke out right at the Pagoda’s base. It was no longer about winning honor—it was survival.

And amidst this hellish chaos, Kent King leaned lazily against a wall near the judgement stone, his hands crossed behind his head. His expression was calm, aloof, almost bored.

Fatty Ben stood nearby, still taking bets while his servant girls ran around with pouches full of mana crystals.

“Odds are still 1:10 on our man! Last chance to place your bets before the judging closes!” Ben shouted.

“He hasn’t even fought! He’s just standing there like a statue!” someone jeered.

“Maybe he’s already injured!” another mocked.

Still, a few sharp onlookers narrowed their eyes.

“That guy… he’s not moving. He’s waiting. He’s watching. That’s not cowardice. That’s a fox waiting to strike.”

Suddenly, a crimson-haired girl in leather armor appeared with a flag in one hand and a whip in the other. Her eyes narrowed at Kent.

“Do you want to snatch my flagpole?” she asked icily.

Kent glanced at her without straightening up.

“Rina Lova,” he said slowly, letting her name linger. “I’ll let you survive a few more rounds. Just because of your father.”

Her eyes widened. “What? What do you mean by that?”

“You’ll understand when it’s time,” he said with a smile. “Don’t waste your breath. You’ve already made it.”

She gritted her teeth but walked off, her whip coiled tightly in her hand. “Let’s see if you even qualify,” she hissed.

By now, 1000 people had placed their flags. Only 4000 chances remained.

Another surge of disciples rushed forward, their faces desperate. People were dying just meters away from the jade stone.

“Still standing, eh?” someone whispered. “He’s the only one left without a flag.”

“Coward.”

“Or maybe… a predator.”

Then, a murmur swept through the crowd.

“Is that… Lee?! Lee from the Living Mountain Pool Academy? He’s alive?!”

Indeed, at that moment, Lee appeared at the base of the pagoda, bloodied but triumphant, holding a brilliant golden flagpole in his hand. The son of the Immortal Living Pool Master. A prideful genius. He gritted his teeth and began walking forward slowly.

Kent’s eyes finally opened.

He stepped forward from the wall.

Ben gulped. “Boss is moving… oh heavens.”

Kent didn’t run. He didn’t need to.

He walked. Calmly. The crowd parted like waves before him. Murmurs turned into silence.

Lee was panting. He turned his head—only to see Kent appear at a short distance.

Lee froze.

“You…” Lee growled.

Kent stepped forward, his voice cold as the winter wind.

“You placed a bounty on my head. Sent dogs to chase me. Spread rumors of my death.”

Lee growled and raised his hand. A flash of light revealed his Grandmaster-ranked blade.

“Stay back! I have the right to defend my flag!”

Kent didn’t flinch. He flicked a single finger.

BOOM.

A binding formation burst from beneath Lee’s feet. Roots of mana tied his limbs like serpents. His sword clattered from his hand.

“W-What is this?!” Lee screamed.

Kent gave a direct slap.

Lee’s face turned deep red. He did not understand why Kent was so powerful even though they both are at same-level of cultivation.

Kent delivered another slap and Lee immediately passed the flag for protection.

Gasps echoed from all spectators. The judges, the crowd, even the announcer, were speechless.

Kent ignored the flag and continued to punish like an elder.

“Please accept my flag!” Lee began pleading.

Laughter erupted in the crowd. The Pool master who stood on sky stage shook his head in disappointment. “I shouldn’t have gone against this heavenly Child.” He muttered, remembering the old days.

Kent finally accepted the flag as Lee falling down unconscious.

Some disciples stared at Kent with hope.

“You want my flag? Come take it. But if you touch me, or mine, there will be no mercy.”

He stepped forward, took Lee’s golden flag, and casually walked to the judgement-stone.

With one hand, he slammed the flagpole down.

A tremor ran through the platform.

“Flagpole accepted! Kent King has qualified!”