"Round-Robin Tournament, Group Four: Ninth Round, First Match: contestant Duanmu Yan versus contestant Sima Jinchi!"
Without sparing even a moment to mourn the fallen Xu Lizhi, the audience turned their attention back to the new round of matches.
Unlike the pathetic Xu Lizhi, Duanmu Yan of Group Four was a War God from the War God Temple, ranked sixth and immensely powerful.
Sima Jinchi, Duanmu Yan's opponent, was also a Federation powerhouse. He came from the Southern Legion and was likewise a formidable Title Douluo.
Both men had gone undefeated in Group Four, with eight wins in eight matches. They were also both masters of the blade.
Discussion surged through the stands like a tide. Some missed the visual impact of Cai Xukun's one-sided crushing victories, but more people's eyes gleamed with anticipation for an evenly matched battle.
After all, only a contest between equals could fully display a Soul Master's foundation, skill, and will.
"Five, four, three, two, one, begin!"
Almost the instant the referee spoke, dazzling Soul Rings rose beneath both men like two-colored fireworks blossoming upon the Competition Arena.
Duanmu Yan's Soul Ring configuration appeared clearly: black, black, black, black, black, black, rainbow, rainbow, rainbow!
This extraordinary configuration instantly triggered gasps throughout the venue—even in this Round-Robin Tournament filled with experts, such an unusual combination of Soul Rings was exceedingly rare.
At nearly the same time, Sima Jinchi's Soul Rings appeared as well.
Eight Soul Rings as black as night lit up one after another, while his ninth Soul Ring was an incomparably pure gold, as though it had been forged from all the light in the world. It formed a striking contrast with Duanmu Yan's rainbow Soul Rings.
Eight black and one gold. That ninth golden Soul Ring was a special Soul Ring Sima Jinchi had