Battle of Contesting Currents (Part One)

Wooo—

A deep horn blast rolled across the entire Dueling Arena.

Translucent screens of light rose from the edges of both the inner and outer arenas. Spirit Energy surged through the stands like a tide, leaving the tens of thousands of City of Ten Thousand Kings residents who had come to watch holding their breath.

In the blink of an eye, the Totem Formation beneath the Dueling Arena was activated.

The formation was part of the City of Ten Thousand Kings' defensive array. The Spirit Energy barrier it created could withstand Legendary-level attacks, sealing off the arena to protect every spectator.

That was not all. Earth and stone heaved up from the broad arena floor, swiftly forming a raised platform.

Before the eyes of tens of thousands of giants, and to the unbroken sound of the horn, a wizard in purple robes descended from the sky with a Mystic Gold staff in hand and landed steadily atop the platform.

"Great Venerable Emperor Dragon!"

At the sight of the Great Shaman, every spectator rose and bowed in greeting.

Emperor Dragon was the chairman of the City of Ten Thousand Kings' Supreme Council and a powerful wizard at the Legendary Peak.

This Legendary Great Shaman had presided over the Supreme Council for decades. Under his guidance, the City of Ten Thousand Kings had enjoyed a long peace.

Though the Seventy-Two Great Houses constantly fought in the open and schemed in the shadows, no major conflict had broken out. The city's decades of prosperity and stability owed no small debt to Emperor Dragon.

The chairman therefore commanded immense prestige in the City of Ten Thousand Kings. He might not have been its strongest individual, but he represented the core strength of that great city.

It was only natural that people held him in