Lin Yi watched the Holy Radiance Race contestant walk away and gave a slight nod.
Smart.
Then Lin Yi looked down over the entire arena.
From the highest point, he had an excellent view.
His gaze passed through the layers of crystal pillars and settled precisely on one in the middle section.
Edith was there, looking up at him.
The Spirit Race's greatest young genius now wore silver-white armor. Patterns of light and shadow shimmered across its surface, while her pale green hair drifted gently in the arena's faint currents.
Her eyes were the green of emeralds, and a clearly visible fighting spirit burned within them—pure and intense.
Their gazes met in midair.
In an instant, the arena's clamor seemed to be drawn away by some invisible force.
Then Edith moved.
Her figure vanished from the crystal pillar without warning. The next moment, ripples spread through the air on the platform atop the highest pillar, ten meters from Lin Yi, and her silver-white figure stepped out.
Silence.
A deathly silence.
In the stands, millions of spectators from the various races of the Pan-Spirit Alliance held their breath at once.
On the floating crystal platforms suspended above the arena, the entourages, family members, and observers from the various races had been quietly discussing tactics and analyzing the rules. Now every one of them fell silent.
Even the other contestants in the arena, who had been preparing to choose opponents and carefully conserve their three challenge attempts, stopped what they were doing.
The Holy Radiance Race contestant who had just voluntarily yielded the highest crystal pillar was now hovering outside the light barrier surrounding a pillar in the upper-middle section. One hand was already raised, ready to touch the barrier and issue a challenge.
Sensing the spatial fluctuation behind him and the