The very first bout was already a spectacle.
One fighter came from Great Yi, the other from Lanya—the two superpowers competing on the world stage.
One was a King Court Sword Cultivator who specialized in the Slaughter Sword Dao and represented the Yi Nation Military. The other was a pure-blooded Nightfolk, violent by nature, who represented Blue Nation's ruling elite.
And the two happened to have a small grudge between them.
For a moment, everyone—from the young geniuses to the members of Great Yi's Royal Family, government officials, and foreign envoys watching—stopped what they were doing and turned toward the two figures in the Arena.
No gong or drum was needed. The moment they entered, they started fighting.
Two top-tier geniuses who excelled at close combat, both swift and devastating on the attack, clashed. It was spectacular beyond words.
Just as Chen Shu had seen in the Forbidden Land, at times it was impossible even to tell them apart. He could only see their figures tangling, each wounding the other, whipping up wind and sand. Sometimes an attack struck the ground and tore the yellow earth apart, while no one could tell who was on the left or right, above or below.
There was no distinction between attack and defense. Both went all out, unleashing a frenzy of dazzling moves.
And every move was aimed to kill.
It was breathtaking—and brutally violent.
The first bout had already shattered the mood of "friendly exchange," leaving everyone else uneasy. They could not help wondering—
Am I supposed to fight like that later? If I don't, what will my opponent think? If I'm too full of Gentleness, will people think my country or race has no blood in it?
Everyone looked at one another.
Those with companions huddled together and whispered.
Chen Shu,