Forty-Meter-Long Blade Aura

Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, the day of the challenge was approaching.

Two days before the challenge, while Matthews was practicing his Battle Qi techniques in his small courtyard, he heard someone coming to visit.

"Old friend, Lucas is here to pay a visit!"

As soon as Matthews heard the voice, he knew it was the fire mage who had been auctioned off alongside him. After welcoming him inside, the two exchanged pleasantries.

"I heard you accepted Kane's challenge. Are you confident?"

Matthews nodded calmly. Having now grasped the Laws, dealing with a mere Kane was nothing to him, so he replied, "Don't worry, there won't be any problems. But how did you hear about the challenge from so far away?"

Seeing his friend's confidence, Lucas continued, "I was returning to the Imperial Capital to report to the church, and I happened to hear about this matter!"

"Do you have any intelligence on that Kane?"

Seeing Lucas ask, Matthews realized he truly didn't know anything about Kane. He shook his head, knowing only that Kane's family had a Saint Realm expert and that he himself was a ninth-rank mage.

Seeing his friend shake his head, Lucas intended to share some information about Kane with him.

"He is a wind-type mage, and he possesses a ninth-rank magical beast, an Earth Giant Ape. This beast excels in defense..."

Matthews memorized the information his friend shared; these details would be very helpful for his challenge. It was then that Matthews remembered his friend worked for the Divine Beast Sect and likely had broader connections than he did.

He asked, "Do you happen to know any necromancers?"

"Are you looking to learn Necromancy?"

Matthews shook his head and continued, "I have a family member who has a talent for necromancy, and I would like her to study it."

Lucas pondered for a moment before saying, "I can help you inquire about it!"

Afterward, Matthews chatted with him about recent news and hosted him for a simple meal at home.

Today was the day of the challenge. Since Matthews and Kane had not set a specific time, many spectators had gathered at East Mountain outside the Imperial Capital the night before.

Because of the massive crowd, the Furio Empire had to dispatch its troops to maintain order and prevent riots.

Due to the influence of Patton's family, Kelly and her best friend had seats in the front row. On a luxurious viewing platform not far from them, the Emperor of the Furio Empire, the ninth-rank expert Gaton Furio, was sitting calmly with his favorite concubine, waiting.

As Matthews rode the Blood-Eyed Mane Lion, leading Mia and the others through the crowd, someone blocked their path.

"Hmm, is something the matter?"

Winter walked to Matthews' side and explained, "This is the personal attendant of the Furio Empire's Emperor, the ninth-rank expert Gaton Furio."

The attendant also said respectfully, "Sir, His Majesty wishes to see you."

Matthews thought for a moment and said, "Lead the way!"

When they reached a spot not far from Gaton, Matthews saw him walking over, so he jumped off the Blood-Eyed Mane Lion, Pal.

He performed a noble salute from this world and said with a smile, "Greetings."

Gaton also greeted Matthews with a smile. After a few pleasantries, the Emperor expressed his desire to recruit him. Matthews knew that the Divine Beast Sect held the real power here, with the Pope's authority exceeding that of the throne, so he gave a vague, non-committal response to brush it off.

Passing by Kelly and Nina, Kelly asked, "How have you been lately!"

Matthews nodded calmly, then walked past them without further conversation. He arrived at the viewing platform belonging to Winter's family, where Mia and Fiona stayed behind, and Matthews also left Asolun with Mia.

Matthews, meanwhile, rode the Blood-Eyed Mane Lion to a platform on the mountain, sat down, closed his eyes, and waited for Kane to arrive for the challenge.

After a while, Matthews heard a commotion erupting within the crowd. Many people were shouting Kane's name loudly, while others were calling out his own.

After Kane arrived at a platform not far from Matthews, he said arrogantly, "You are nothing but a crude country bumpkin. I will make you witness the prestige of the Patton family."

Matthews shook his head. How could someone so caught up in the illusory prestige brought by family glory ever reach the level of a ninth-rank mage? Perhaps he didn't realize that the glory of the Patton family was brought by that Saint Realm ancestor; once that ancestor fell, he might be nothing at all.

"Come on, I don't have much time to waste talking to you."

As soon as Matthews finished speaking, the Blood-Eyed Mane Lion, Pal, let out a roar and charged forward. Kane's ninth-rank magical beast was clearly carefully selected and possessed rich combat experience.

"Gravity Spell!"

He cast an instant eighth-rank Gravity Spell, which immediately slowed Pal's charging speed.

With a flash of lightning beneath his feet, Matthews had already rushed into the range of the Gravity Spell. He clearly felt his speed restricted, though the impact was minimal.

"Hmph!"

Kane had collected information on Matthews beforehand, so he let out a cold snort and instantly cast an eighth-rank wind-type spell.

"Vortex Wind Blade!"

Dense, tiny wind blades sliced against the Battle Qi surrounding Matthews, further hindering his speed.

Taking advantage of this gap, Kane widened the distance once more.

Matthews did not use the Laws he had grasped to accelerate his approach; instead, he intended to use his latest insight. He would imbue his blade with the momentum of heaven and earth, using sheer force to shatter everything before him.

"Dominating Blade of the World!"

A forty-meter-long blade phantom, imbued with lightning and the momentum of heaven and earth, slashed toward Kane's position.

"BOOM—"

The Wind Blade spell cast by Kane as a ninth-rank spell collided directly with Matthews' strike, producing a heaven-shaking roar. Although the Wind Blade spell Kane cast would become the forbidden spell Dimensional Blade upon reaching the Saint Realm, he had not grasped the momentum of heaven and earth, nor had he grasped the profound mysteries of the wind-type dimensional laws.

This strike, containing the momentum of heaven and earth, quickly shredded his ninth-rank Wind Blade spell. The ninth-rank Earth Giant Ape, which had been tangling with the Blood-Eyed Mane Lion, Pal, abandoned its defense at this moment and directly constructed an Armor of Earth in front of Kane.

"Bang—"

The blade's momentum easily carved a thirty-meter-deep gash into the mountain, and Kane, already injured and having lost his ability to fight, lay in the pit with a mouth full of disbelief.

"Impossible, you just broke through to the ninth-rank realm, how could you be this strong?"

Matthews shook his head, and seeing Kane in such a state, he called back Pal, the Blood-Eyed Mane Lion, who still wanted to continue the fight.

After passing by the Winter family's viewing platform, Matthews left with Mia and the others.

"Brother, did you give that annoying guy a good lesson?"

Matthews nodded, and after paying his respects to the Furio Empire's emperor, the ninth-rank powerhouse Gaton Furio, as he passed by, he walked straight away from the scene.