The storm slowly dispersed.
Ao Xuan stood in the center of the arena, the scorch marks on his robe particularly conspicuous. His breathing was slightly uneven, yet he still stood ramrod straight, gazing arrogantly at Sha Luo below.
"You lost."
The referee hurried forward, confirmed that Sha Luo had crossed the arena's boundary, and announced loudly:
"Victory goes to Ao Xuan! He advances to the top three!"
In the stands, Lin Sheng's brows knitted tightly at the result, his hand clenching slightly.
Sha Luo's elimination had completely disrupted his plans.
He had no idea what had gotten into Ao Xuan to make him enter the arena early and defeat Sha Luo.
But it had undoubtedly wiped out his original plan.
Now, if he wanted the Dragon-Subduing Iron or the Earth Vein Crystal, he could no longer count on Sha Luo to secure a top-three finish.
"In the end, I still have to rely on myself."
Lin Sheng drew a deep breath, his gaze turning colder as he looked toward the arena. His furrowed brows slowly relaxed, and his expression regained its calm.
In the arena, Ao Xuan brushed at the scorch marks on his robe, turned, and leaped down, heading straight back to the top-floor private box.
As he pushed open the door, Villen immediately greeted him with a broad smile, his tone openly flattering. "As expected of Young Master Ao! You took that woman down as soon as you made your move. The Blood Soul Secret Art truly is unmatched!"
Helian Lie also smiled and nodded, tapping his jade cup with a fingertip. "The Ao Family's Blood Soul Secret Art certainly lives up to its reputation. Drawing on a measure of the flesh rule to complement the gale rules multiplies their power. With your current combat strength, Brother Ao,