Despicable Trick!

Faced with such a massive assault, Moding’s Vacuum Domain possessed astonishing defensive power, but cracks gradually began to appear under the continuous barrage of lightning. Worse still, the vacuum state itself began to break down, and air started seeping inside.

"Impossible!" Moding watched in disbelief as his ultimate technique was dismantled bit by bit.

Thor stood at the center, his hands held in a specific seal as he concentrated fully on controlling the landing points and intensity of the lightning. Although he had no intention of killing his opponent, an attack of this level could easily inflict severe injuries if not properly controlled.

Finally, after the ninth bolt of lightning struck, Moding’s Vacuum Domain completely collapsed, dispersing into countless tiny currents of air. Moding himself was struck by the aftermath and fell from the platform, nearly plunging into the blue mist. At the critical moment, he barely steadied himself with his wind-type ability and landed on a lower platform.

But Moding was already seriously injured. His combat uniform was scorched black in many places, exposing burned skin beneath. More than half of his long silver-white hair had been singed away, leaving him in a miserable state.

"I… I surrender!" Moding struggled to raise a hand in surrender.

"The victor: Thor!" The system announcement echoed over the arena.

Deafening applause and cheers erupted from the spectator stands. The battle had been far more spectacular than anyone expected, especially Thor’s final earth-shaking blow, which left a deep impression on every spectator.

Thor slowly withdrew his Thunder Domain, and the electric light around his body gradually faded. He took a deep breath to calm the surging energy within him, then pulled the Thunder Battleblade from the ground and returned it to its sheath.

He walked to the edge of the platform and called down to Moding, "Need help?"

Moding shook his head and forced himself to his feet. "No need. I can still move." He looked up at Thor. Though his eyes still held reluctance, they contained even more admiration. "The name Thor is well deserved. After today’s battle, I am thoroughly convinced."

Thor grinned. "Wind Walker was a formidable opponent too. If I hadn’t happened to master that move, God of Thunder Descent, it would have been hard to say who’d have won today."

Moding nodded. "If the opportunity arises, I hope to fight you again."

"Anytime." Thor answered readily.

The two smiled at each other. Though they had been opponents, after this battle, they now shared a heartfelt respect.

The system soon activated the transmission procedure and sent them both back to the rest area. The moment Thor appeared there, Luo Feng threw himself into his arms.

"That was incredible, Thor! That final move was absolutely insane!" Luo Feng shouted excitedly, completely forgetting that his own injuries had not fully healed.

Thor laughed heartily and patted Luo Feng on the shoulder. "Calm down, calm down. Watch your wounds."

Luo Wen and Hong also came over. Luo Wen smiled and asked, "When did you master God of Thunder Descent? Why have we never seen you use it before?"

Thor scratched his head, looking a little embarrassed. "I’ve actually been practicing it in secret. Today was the first time I used it in real combat. Honestly, I wasn’t even sure it would work."

"No wonder Moding’s Vacuum Domain was broken," Luo Wen said with a nod. "God of Thunder Descent draws upon the power of lightning between heaven and earth, rather than merely your own energy. This level of power goes beyond ordinary applications of laws. It is approaching source power."

Thor looked somewhat surprised. "It’s that powerful? I just thought the move looked pretty cool. I didn’t think much beyond that."

Luo Wen, Luo Feng, and Hong exchanged smiles. That was Thor’s style—always so straightforward and simple.

"All right, don’t just stand there." Luo Wen pointed at the seats in the rest area. "Get some rest and recover your strength. There are still several matches left in the third round. Let’s watch them together."

The four found comfortable seats, and staff soon brought them recovery potions and energy drinks. Thor tilted back his head and drained an entire bottle of blue recovery fluid in one go, then let out a satisfied breath.

"Hey," Thor suddenly said, "did you notice? There were two spectators up there with particularly powerful auras. They seemed to be from the Black Dragon Mountain Empire."

Luo Wen nodded. "I noticed. They’re said to be princes of the Black Dragon Mountain Empire—Second Prince Belut and Seventh Prince Imo. Recently, they seem to have taken a great interest in the Virtual Universe Company’s Challenge Tournament."

"Princes?" Luo Feng’s eyes widened in surprise. "What are they doing here?"

"Observing," Hong answered briefly. "Looking for talent, or threats."

Luo Wen nodded. "The Black Dragon Mountain Empire has always had a tradition of recruiting geniuses, as well as a habit of eliminating potential threats. Since they sent princes here in person this time, they have likely set their sights on someone."

Thor scratched his head. "Hope it isn’t us. I don’t want some empire setting its sights on me."

Luo Wen smiled without answering directly, but a trace of vigilance flashed through his eyes.

After Thor’s match ended, Luo Wen, Luo Feng, and Hong accompanied him back to the rest area. Not long after the four sat down, the Virtual Universe Company’s notification system lit up, projecting a message directly before them:

"Participant Hong, your third-round match will begin in one hour. Please prepare yourself."

Hong gave a slight nod but said nothing. Unlike Thor, whose excitement was obvious, he always maintained an almost indifferent calm. He was of average height, with sharply defined features, neat short hair, and deep eyes that revealed a steadiness beyond his years.

"Hong’s match is next." Luo Feng excitedly patted Hong’s shoulder. "Who’s your opponent?"

"Turk of Windswept Star," Hong replied tersely, his voice low and calm. "A controller of the Law of Earth."

Luo Wen frowned slightly. "I’ve heard that name before. They say he has cultivated the Law of Earth to the late beginner stage and is close to Minor Achievement. He’s one of Windswept Star’s most outstanding geniuses."

Thor had just taken a sip of his energy drink and nearly sprayed it out. "That strong? Hong, are you confident?"

Hong did not answer immediately. Instead, he retrieved his weapon from his storage space—a pair of seemingly ordinary metal short rods, each about thirty centimeters long. They were silver-white throughout, their surfaces covered in dense, intricate patterns. This pair of short rods was called the Light Blade Twin Spears, a rare light-type spiritual weapon.

"Light against earth," Hong said blandly. "Theoretically, I have the advantage."

Luo Wen nodded. "The Law of Light does have a certain restraining effect on the Law of Earth, but Turk’s strength cannot be underestimated. From what I know, his Earth Force can offset part of the effect of light-type attacks."

"I know." Hong remained just as calm. "I’ve already studied his battle recordings."

Luo Feng looked at Hong in surprise. "When? I didn’t even notice."

"During Thor’s match," Hong answered briefly. This was Hong’s style. Even while watching his companion fight, he never forgot to gather intelligence and prepare for his own battle.

Thor shook his head with a smile. "As expected of Hong, always so calm. But then again, I’ve never seen you go all out. Don’t hold anything back this time!"

Hong pressed his lips together, seeming to smile for an instant before it vanished. "I take every battle seriously."

Time passed quickly. After a brief rest and preparation, Hong rose to his feet, ready to head for the arena.

"We’ll be in the stands cheering for you!" Luo Feng said excitedly.

Luo Wen patted Hong on the shoulder. "Be careful of Turk’s Earth Collapse Formation. That’s his specialty."

Hong nodded without another word, then turned and walked toward the transmission area.

The Virtual Universe Company’s third arena was a massive circular venue surrounded by stands that could hold tens of thousands of spectators. Unlike the first two arenas, its ground was mainly composed of yellow-brown sand, gravel, and scattered rocks, resembling a miniature desert or wasteland. Several uneven rocky hills stood in the center, providing some variation in terrain.

Such an arena design was clearly more advantageous for earth-type users and would pose some difficulties for contestants accustomed to fighting on flat ground. But for Hong, who was proficient in the Law of Light, the terrain had relatively little effect, since light could pass through most terrain obstacles.

Luo Wen, Luo Feng, and Thor had already taken their seats in a designated spectator section, waiting intently for the match to begin.

"The terrain is far too favorable for Turk," Luo Feng said worriedly. "Nearly the entire arena is material he can control."

Luo Wen nodded. "That’s true. However, Hong’s light-type ability has its unique aspects. As long as he uses it properly, the influence of the terrain will be much smaller."

Thor rubbed his hands together, his face full of anticipation. "At last, we’ll get to see Hong go all out. I’ve been waiting for this for ages!"

At the center of the arena, a column of teleportation light appeared, and Hong’s figure emerged before everyone. He wore a simple white combat uniform beneath a silver-gray robe, with the Light Blade Twin Spears hanging at his waist. His entire bearing was calm and restrained, like a sharp sword that had yet to leave its sheath.

On the transmission platform opposite him, Turk soon appeared as well. He was a burly man around two meters tall, built like a small mountain. He had brown skin, a thick beard, and black hair braided into plaits. Most striking of all were his arms, covered in a rock-like shell. His hands resembled gigantic iron hammers, radiating a heavy, oppressive aura.

He wore the coarse short robe unique to Windswept Star, with a vest made from some special type of rock over it. It looked incredibly heavy, yet seemed weightless on him. A massive stone hammer hung at his waist—his weapon, the Earth Shatterer.

"Hong of the Xia Universe Country," Turk’s voice was like rolling boulders, low and powerful. "I’ve long heard of your reputation. They say you are proficient in the Law of Light and are a rare genius."

Hong merely nodded slightly, offering no extra words.

Seeing that Hong did not respond, Turk laughed loudly. "Worthy of the title Silent Hawk! Fine, then let our weapons and laws do the talking!"

"Match countdown: ten, nine, eight…" the system’s voice rang out above the arena.

Neither said another word. They simply adjusted their breathing and prepared for the coming battle.

"Three, two, one. Match begin!"

As the system’s voice fell, Turk moved first. He stomped both feet fiercely against the ground, and the entire arena shook. "Earth Force, merge!"

With his shout, the sand and broken stones around him began to tremble, then gathered toward him as if alive. They formed a thick shield around him, while his skin also began to change, its surface becoming covered in rock-like patterns. It looked as though he had donned a suit of stone armor.

This was Turk’s signature ability—Earth Fusion. By merging with the surrounding earth elements, he greatly enhanced his defense and strength.

Hong still maintained that almost indifferent calm. He did not attack at once, instead carefully observing Turk’s transformation.

"What, afraid to make a move?" Seeing no response from Hong, Turk stepped forward again. "Then I won’t hold back! Earth Spear!"

He swung his hand sharply, and the surrounding sand instantly condensed into dozens of sharp earthen spears that shot toward Hong from every direction. These earthen spears were incredibly fast, and each weighed several hundred pounds—enough to pierce ordinary metal armor.

Hong finally moved, but his actions exceeded everyone’s expectations. He neither dodged nor used his weapon to block. Instead, he raised his right hand, palm facing outward, and said softly, "Eye of Light, activate."

In an instant, Hong’s right eye turned pure gold, with no distinction between pupil and sclera, like a miniature sun. A golden ray shot from his eye, drawing a perfect arc through the air and shattering every incoming earthen spear.

"Eye of Light?" Turk clearly had not expected this move. "An interesting ability."

Hong still said nothing more as he slowly raised his left hand. "Radiant Brilliance."

As his words fell, the entire arena suddenly became extraordinarily bright, so dazzling that people could barely keep their eyes open. This was not the effect of an ordinary flash grenade. Through the Law of Light, Hong directly increased the intensity and density of the surrounding light.

Most of the spectators were forced to close their eyes or turn away. Only a handful of particularly powerful spectators could barely adapt to the intense light.

Luo Wen, Luo Feng, and Thor had prepared beforehand and activated specialized protective eyewear, allowing them to continue watching.

"This is Hong’s Radiant Brilliance," Luo Wen explained. "It can not only interfere with the opponent’s vision, but also provide an energy source for his subsequent light-type skills."

In the arena, Turk was indeed disturbed by the sudden intense light. He instinctively raised an arm to shield his eyes and roared, "Despicable trick! Earth Barrier!"

The sand around him rapidly formed a thick wall of earth before him, attempting to block the blinding light. But Hong’s Law of Light was exquisitely profound. The light easily penetrated the gaps in the earthen wall and continued disrupting Turk’s vision.

Seizing the opportunity, Hong finally drew the Light Blade Twin Spears from his waist. The pair of short rods trembled slightly in his hands, and two light blades around a meter long immediately extended from their tips. They appeared gentle, but were in truth incomparably sharp.

"Light Shadow Swiftness."

Hong’s figure suddenly blurred, as if he had merged into the surrounding light, and his speed surged dramatically. Like a streak of light and shadow, he instantly passed through Turk’s earthen wall, his twin spears thrusting straight at Turk’s throat.