Frost Blade's First Cry, Fully Revealed Edge

The commentator's voice rang out once more. "The first round has officially concluded. Next up is the first match of the second round: contestant number twenty-three, Zhou Mingyu, versus contestant number nine, Lü Jun."

"Before the match begins, let me briefly analyze the strength of both sides. Contestant Lü Jun is from Mingdu Academy, one of its outstanding students—a genuine four-ring Soul Ancestor whose martial soul is the Earth Berserk Bear."

"As for contestant Zhou Mingyu, according to the records, he is only a two-ring Soul Grandmaster. This match seems quite dangerous for him."

"Still, anyone who has made it this far cannot be underestimated. Will this be an absolute crushing victory based on strength, or an unexpected upset from a rising newcomer? Let us wait and see!"

The commentator was clearly a master at stirring up the atmosphere. Her words instantly ignited the audience's emotions. In an instant, thunderous applause and tidal waves of cheers echoed throughout the arena, lingering without end.

Zhou Mingyu stood calmly on the arena stage. His opponent was an exceptionally tall contestant.

The man was bare-armed, his bronze skin gleaming beneath the lights with a healthy, powerful sheen. Every inch of muscle seemed to contain explosive force.

His arms were as thick as an ordinary person's thighs. His fiery red short hair stood upright like sharp steel needles, and merely standing there, he exuded an imposing aura that commanded awe without needing anger.

Lü Jun, martial soul: Earth Berserk Bear. It was said that he had possessed level nine Innate Soul Power when his martial soul awakened. Sixteen years old this year, he was a level forty-eight assault-type Soul Ancestor. Even among the many talents of Mingdu Academy, he ranked among the best.

At the same time, in a private room within the VIP viewing area, an elegant old man said to his friend beside him, "Old Wang, it seems your precious disciple has gotten off to a rough start. He ran into a tough opponent right away."

"Let me tell you, quite a few old fellows came this time. Be careful not to embarrass yourself!"

Yet Lei Peng Douluo, who was usually hot-tempered, showed no emotional reaction to the old man's teasing. He merely said confidently, "Old Zhang, at your age, why are you in such a rush? Just watch."

[Just watch closely and see what a true genius is!]

"Three, two, one, begin!"

As the electronic announcement sounded, a protective barrier instantly rose around the stage, shrouding the entire arena in a pale white glow.

Black! Black! Two ten-thousand-year soul rings slowly rose beneath Zhou Mingyu's feet.

That soul ring configuration, far beyond what ordinary Soul Masters could endure, drew waves of uncontrollable excited cries from the audience.

In the VIP viewing area, the previously calm gazes of the guests suddenly sharpened. Clearly, they too had been drawn in by this unusual soul ring configuration.

Just from that configuration alone, the audience immediately felt that this match had promise.

Although Zhou Mingyu was currently only a two-ring Soul Grandmaster, there had been cases in this world of people crossing two major ranks to defeat powerful opponents. Yet every one of them had been a monstrous genius capable of dazzling an era.

At the same time, four soul rings rose beneath Lü Jun's feet—purple, purple, purple, purple!

Although four purple rings already proved that his cultivation was far above Zhou Mingyu's, purely in terms of soul rings, he had already fallen behind Zhou Mingyu.

Lü Jun stared at the opponent before him, a flash of unconcealed brilliance passing through his eyes.

To encounter such a monstrous opponent in his very first match, and one with an extraordinary soul ring configuration at that, caused the battle-hungry instinct within him to surge like a flame being ignited.

In truth, Lü Jun had not come to participate in the Skysea Alliance Grand Tournament for some empty title like champion. He had come for the exclusive forging reward offered by a Saint Craftsman, and secondly, to temper his practical combat ability through this grand event.

There was no helping it. The path of cultivation required resources at every turn.

Increasing the age of a Spirit Soul required vast sums of money. Forging Battle Armor cost even more, and all sorts of other cultivation materials were no small expense either.

When Lü Jun heard that a Saint Craftsman would be cooperating with the Skysea Alliance Grand Tournament, he had been thrilled beyond measure.

The appeal of exclusive Battle Armor to him far exceeded that of any other resource.

After all, this was no ordinary opportunity.

Saint Craftsmen also needed to devote themselves to cultivation. They could not focus on forging at all times, so opportunities to receive their services were rare and difficult to come by.

Under normal circumstances, even a Title Douluo might not be able to secure a forging appointment with a Saint Craftsman.

Especially for a young Saint Craftsman like Li Ziming, who was in his golden period of growth, the Blacksmiths' Association would never allow him to be burdened by commissions and social obligations at the cost of his precious cultivation time.

Even the upper ranks of major powers could find no opportunity to build a connection with him.

Therefore, an opportunity like this—to establish ties with a forging genius like Li Ziming, who had the potential to become a Divine Craftsman—was all the more precious.

Once this news was announced, many young geniuses immediately began eagerly preparing themselves. Lü Jun was among the most enthusiastic.

He promptly signed up for the competition in high spirits, determined to secure a forging slot if possible.

"I was right to enter this tournament. As long as I can win the championship, connect with a Saint Craftsman, and save up some more resources, becoming a Title Douluo will no longer be a dream!"

A blazing light burst from Lü Jun's eyes, and his longing for the future transformed into surging battle intent.

His body moved, shooting toward Zhou Mingyu like an arrow released from its bow. In his combat experience, nothing was more important than attacking.

Offense was the best defense and the key to victory. A closer look would reveal that his skin had already turned pale yellow, claws extending from both hands. He resembled a crazed violent bear, radiating savage aggression from head to toe.

So fast!

That was the first reaction of everyone present.

Lü Jun's charge was like a soul-guided cannonball freshly fired from its barrel. From the instant he moved, he continued accelerating. The closer he came to Zhou Mingyu, the denser the aura around his hands became, and the stronger his presence grew, as though he were about to set the air itself ablaze.

What terrifying pressure! Could this duel be decided in a single move?

Zhou Mingyu merely raised his sword calmly and stood where he was, showing no sign whatsoever of moving. The audience could not help but tense up.

Had he been frightened stupid? So passive—perhaps even the referee would not have time to save him! The spectators stared fixedly at the arena, their eyes locked on that motionless figure, utterly bewildered.

A trace of surprise also flashed through Lü Jun's heart, but his full-speed charge did not slow. He merely secretly held back a fraction of his strength.

Based on his experience, there were only two possibilities for such calmness from an opponent. Either Zhou Mingyu specialized in extreme speed and was fully confident in evading his attack, or he possessed some unknown trump card.

But a cold smile quickly curled across his lips. Speed? Could it be that he himself would lose in that regard?

The distance steadily shrank, and Lü Jun was already calculating the moment his opponent would dodge.

Ten meters... five meters... three meters...

Why was he still not dodging? Did he really think he could escape calmly now? He was underestimating me too much!

A vicious glint flashed through Lü Jun's eyes. His second soul ring suddenly erupted with dazzling purple light, and his aura surged dramatically once more.

This sudden burst of power instantly doubled his speed. The remaining three meters were crossed almost in the blink of an eye.

"Boom!"

Not only was Lü Jun convinced that his opponent would dodge, the spectators at the side of the arena expected the same. Yet under Lü Jun's extreme acceleration, Zhou Mingyu still stood where he was without making the slightest evasive movement. He simply swung his sword.

In the next instant, the azure blade beneath his wrist suddenly trembled. A cold gleam burst from the tip of the Mysterious Ice Sword—a sword light carrying an incomparably frigid attribute. Before the sword qi even arrived, the biting frost wind had already sharply divided the temperature within and outside the arena, while flying snow along its path condensed into trails of ice crystals.

Lü Jun had no time to retreat. The moment the cold wind wrapped around him, its freezing power seeped deep into his bones—from his palms to his waist and abdomen, a dark blue layer of ice covered him in an instant. The crackling of his freezing joints pierced through the wind and snow, and even the white mist he exhaled near his brows condensed into icy fragments suspended in the air.

When the wind and snow dispersed, Lü Jun, whose momentum had just been so astonishing, had become a pale ice sculpture standing in the center of the arena.

Ultimate Ice!

This was Zhou Mingyu's thousand-year Spirit Soul—the Frostsnow Ice Coral from the Far North. When it advanced into a ten-thousand-year Spirit Soul, it underwent a transformation. Under Liu Tianran's deliberate guidance, the pure ice-element energy it brought forth elevated the Mysterious Ice Sword's own ice attribute, which had already been extremely close to the ultimate, into Ultimate Ice as well!

Although the temperature in the arena had plummeted, the impact of that extreme icy beauty sent every spectator's adrenaline soaring, their hearts accelerating uncontrollably.

Cold light shot into the sky. It truly had been a victory in one strike—but the victor was not the one everyone had expected!

In the stands, some people shouted excitedly at the clean and decisive conclusion, while others felt regret at how abruptly the match had ended. They had hoped for an evenly matched, head-on battle rather than such an instant defeat.

An instant kill was satisfying, but it lacked the exhilaration of a prolonged fight.

Yet unlike the amateurs in the audience, who merely wanted a spectacle, every guest in the VIP viewing area was stunned.

"That bone-piercing icy aura just now! Could it have been...?"

"That's right, it was Ultimate Ice! It was actually Ultimate Ice!"

"Not only that, but that sword strike also contained extraordinarily pure Sword Heart!"

"Which family does that child belong to? I want to accept him as my disciple!"

"Stop dreaming. He is Old Wang's disciple. Be careful, or he might fight you to the death!"

"What?! What a waste! What a terrible waste! He is a beast Soul Master with a lightning attribute—can he even teach him properly?! That child should be learning swordsmanship from me!"

"Where is Wang Yupeng? This old man wants to challenge him to a duel!"

At that moment, Lei Peng Douluo, whom everyone was searching for, stood at the exit with the friend from earlier. As they waited for Zhou Mingyu, they secretly kept track of the commotion over there with their spiritual power.

"Ha ha ha ha, these old fellows are already so old, yet they have no composure at all!" His face was full of smugness, though he deliberately spoke in a calm tone.

"Enough, Old Wang. Restrain yourself. If you keep acting like this, even I will want to beat you up." The old man surnamed Zhang spoke helplessly from the side, though he could not hide the envy in his eyes as he watched the valiant Zhou Mingyu in the arena.

It was no wonder these powerful figures, who usually cared so much about their image, had lost their composure. Ultimate Ice plus a pure Sword Heart—either one alone could create an unrivaled powerhouse.

Yet both had appeared in one person. It could be said that as long as Zhou Mingyu grew smoothly, even a Limit Douluo would never be able to stop him. Even becoming a Demigod or a Quasi-God was possible.

At that moment, a thought surfaced in their hearts.

[Could he become another Yun Ming?!]