However, this time, the Hell Blade, still exuding a fierce aura, traced a graceful arc in the air, suddenly changing direction and flying back to its previous position.
The Phoenix True Fire twisted the air on Stage 1 into a fiery red, and a phoenix's cry echoed, creating a magnificent spectacle. But on this massive 200-meter diameter stage, the range of the Phoenix True Fire's coverage was limited. Within such a broad space, it couldn't envelop the opponent, so it couldn't achieve its intended effect. In other words, it was just a flashy waste of energy.
Using the Phoenix True Fire required a significant cost. The phoenix demon was naturally aware of that, yet he had still panicked and expended far too much energy for nothing. Anyone with keen eyes could see that he was being led by the opponent and couldn't fully utilize his true strength. Although the Sharp Gold Nymph's cultivation was inferior, he rendered his inexperienced opponent helpless.
The Hell Blade could cut through ordinary Phoenix flames, and the Phoenix True Fire couldn't hit. Thus, after much back-and-forth, this match ended up lasting the longest of the first three. In the end, the phoenix demon fainted on the stage from overexerting his phoenix flames and lost the match.
The Sharp Gold Nymph won!
"What am I supposed to say now? Having all that bloodline energy and being so useless, these major clans truly leave me speechless. If it were me, I'd just dodge and fight. Even if ordinary flames get cut through, it doesn't mean the Hell Blade won't get worn out. Just control the field with normal flames and use Phoenix True Fire for protection at critical moments. The Sharp Gold Nymph would either surrender or be roasted or melted or whatever they do when they burn," Big Cat said disdainfully.
Tang San snorted. "Don’t be so harsh. The descendants of these strong clans are different from you! Without real experience, no matter how strong their bloodline and their cultivation, they can't truly utilize their own power. One of the purposes of the Ancestral Court holding this Elite Competition is probably to allow them to improve in these aspects."
"Pft. If this is the level here, then I really have confidence to make it into the top three."
Tang San warned him, "Don't be careless; there must be real strong contenders. Let's keep watching."
Perhaps Tang San's luck was too good, or maybe his words carried power. In the next match on Stage 1, their expressions turned serious.Ten seconds!
The match ended in ten seconds!
The winner was a dragon race contender—a true powerhouse. The match ended before they even saw what kind of dragon demon it was. It was pure power domination. From the moment it stepped on the stage, it began to gather power. When the judge announced the start of the match, it punched out, even creating a sonic boom. The opponent didn't even have a chance to dodge, getting blasted off the stage instantly.
The match was over just like that. The ten seconds included the time they spent walking onto the stage.
Dragons—Tang San had no dealings with them since coming to this world, with one exception. This dragon demon didn't look particularly tall, just over two meters, but when its power erupted, a terrifying aura like a landslide or tsunami truly shocked the entire audience.
The Crystal Demon Emperor was also a dragon, but when Tang San faced them, they displayed abilities copied from other bloodlines and no dragon traits. But this one had fully demonstrated the domineering nature of the dragon clan.
"What kind of dragon demon is that? They look smaller than the bear race!" said Tang San puzzled.
Big Cat said, "Dragons are a rather special race, and the phoenix race is similar. Before they reach the tenth order, they are basically in human form all the time. But once they reach the god level—and they are very, very likely to do that—it’s completely different. They will have both dragon and human forms, and they are enormously powerful either way. Well, the dragon just now was probably from a lineage focused on pure strength.
"Actually, dragons have so many branches you can’t even count them, though each clan usually has few members. Different dragon clans can interbreed, and it’s hard to determine their attributes just from the way they look. Even worse, they might have a mutated bloodline. So unless it's a well-known dragon powerhouse, you have no idea what you’re fighting until they make their move."
Tang San nodded. This explanation made sense, and it contributed to his understanding of this world.
The competition continued, but from the matches they could see in Group 1, the most shocking was the dragon contestant who had appeared earlier. The one-move knockout was truly eye-catching.
On the three stages, the pace of each match varied, but most were relatively quick. Even though all were ninth-tier powerhouses, the differences in strength due to racial and attribute differences were clear. That was how elimination matches worked: if you drew a powerful opponent, you might lose the match without even getting a chance to fight back.
As the competition progressed, the gaps between opponents would become smaller. Those who made it to the end had to have some luck, but luck alone could never carry them all the way through. Only strength could.
All the matches in Group 1 actually finished within half an hour, and Group 2 was already up. With twenty or so opponents per group, there would be three or four matches per stage at the most, and all matches until now had finished within minutes. Or, well, seconds.
The second group took the stage, and the battles were equally intense. Tang San carefully observed all the matches he could see from his position. This was his best opportunity to understand the abilities of the powerful races on the Daemon Continent—one reason he had decided to participate in the competition with Big Cat before Mei Gongzi arrived.
Observing the situation of the demon and nymph races and understanding his opponents better would greatly help in the future. His trip to the Ancestral Court was important not just for cultivation or purchasing items, but also to understand everything there. Finding a way for humans to survive under the oppression of these powerful races was not an easy task.
Big Cat was also watching very seriously. He was an experienced warrior, and he didn’t need Tang San’s warning to know that understanding his opponents was a critical step toward victory. He was certainly not lacking arrogance, but he would never let it impact his way of fighting.
The second group's matches progressed a bit slower than the first group’s, but after more than an hour, the third group was finally due to take the stage.
As Group 3's Number 6, Tang San would be the third pair to compete in the third group.
Big Cat patted his shoulder. "Good luck!"
Tang San smiled and nodded. "Don't worry, I'll be waiting for you in the finals."
He walked toward the competition area to prepare for his match.
There was a passage from the waiting area to the competition area that led directly to the three stages. At the end of the passage, they waited for a stage to become available before proceeding to that stage for the match.
As Tang San walked into the passage, there were several contestants ahead of him waiting for their matches. Since Group 3 had just started, the other contestants were naturally also from Group 3. These were the opponents Tang San would face in the individual competition over the next few days.
Tang San wore the same outfit as Big Cat—a hooded cloak that covered his entire body. With a mask on his face, it was difficult to see his appearance or even determine his race, especially with many demons and nymphs looking more or less humanoid.
At this moment, there were three contestants already in the passage. The most eye-catching was a tall elephant demon. It was in humanoid form but towered over everyone else at over seven meters tall. It had an extremely muscular body, a long trunk, and large, drooping ears. It stood there like a small mountain, exuding a strong sense of power.
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