The Supreme God of Martial Arts

Finally, the number of candidates for the Mysterious Nether World challenge was down to 50.

The ultimate round of the Outstanding Talents Exchange Games was said to be the most nerve-racking of all. The Games was supposed to crown the top three cultivators in the Empire, making the competition highly aggressive. Plus, with Emperor Arthur pinning the prize at an exorbitant amount of money, weaponry, formulas, servants and houses, all sorts of cultivators were tempted to go all out. Once, you becthe top three, life would mean a dream as Emperor Arthur recognizes the tas honorary princes.

And yet this dream meant risking it all, including their lives. Getting into battle could lead to a crippling injury or even death. Which is why only the best and most confident young cultivators signed up for the round. After all, it made sense to bet on a horse that was destined to win.

Finally, only seven out of the 50 shortlisted candidates signed up for the final round.

43 of the candidates stopped fighting willingly. They were more than happy to be a part of the Mysterious Nether World team and keep it at just that. To aim for a spot in the top three could mean losing out on an advantage that they already had.

For the ten princes rooting for their respective formations, the outchad been neither exhilarating nor disappointing. For a few princes, seven or eight of their cultivators had reached the top 50 positions while sprinces had only two or three fighters in the illustrious ranks of combatants. "Gee? Tin, will you fight the final round? Do you think you have it in you to be one of the top three?" As Dewey put the question to Austin, he heard his friend's nbeing announced as one of the seven participants for the final round. His jaw dropped. Austin had already registered! "Well, Tin indeed you are qualified to fight in the last round. | am glad you are one of the seven. But, I'll be honest with you, somehow I didn't see this coming at all," said Dewey. The fact was that Austin stood a few meters too many from Dewey, which is why he couldn't hear most of what Dewey was saying. And yet Dewey's judgment of Austin's abilities was on point and always had been from the start. He was a man of rational judgment and knew how to gauge any cultivator's ranking. But somehow with Austin, he had fallen short in his understanding by quite a margin.

"| too had an intuition that Austin will shock us as a fighter for the top three spots," said Maria, looking at Austin thoughtfully.

Besides Austin, Dewey, Maria and Philip had also ranked in the top 50 and they were now members of the Mysterious Nether World team. So in all, there were four people from Prince Reuben's team who had earned their place in the Mysterious Nether World.

After inwardly struggling for a long time, Philip had decided to give up the thought of joining the ultimate round.

It was impossible for him to be one of the top three. He knew that. In fact, he thought that Austin too wouldn't make it.

So he snorted in contempt at Austin and walked away.

Eventually, all seven participants assembled at the left of the old eunuch.

Besides Austin, the other six cultivators were Leo from the Peripatetic Sect, Garret from the Flaming Sun Valley, Caden from the Bloody Hero Gang, Danny from the Joy Gang, Wilson from the Blood Wolf Team and a 16-year-old young man who was as white as jade and more beautiful than a damsel in a dream.

All seven cultivators had delivered fine performances in the past combats. After beating several powerful rivals, their prowess was proven in front of everyone.

Though, there were two dark horses in this round—Austin and the beautiful young man. The other five people were well-known in the Violet Orchid Empire as exemplary cultivators anyway.

"Alright, everyone. You seven will be fighting each other in the final round of the Exchange Games.

With only three spots, you will continue to eliminate your randomly assigned opponent through single elimination.” Now let the games begin!" Boomed the old eunuch's voice across the arena.

In a wink.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh... There were flashes.

And six cultivators teleported to the battle rings. As it happened in a flash, the audience squinted to see who was fighting and who...

‘Gee? | enjoy first-round byes?" Austin stood still realizing that he was the only one left as the other six disappeared. Soon, he saw them in the battle rings.

As an odd number of seven, three pairs fought while one was left. In this case it was Austin who was left alone.

He was rather grateful for that.

For he could use this opportunity to watch the combats and assess each combatant's strategies and skills.

Among the six fighting, Leo from the Peripatetic Sect and Wilson from the Blood Wolf Team were a pair; Garret from the Flaming Sun Valley and Caden from the Bloody Hero Gang were one; and Danny from the Joy Gang and the beautiful young man were engaged in a fight.

On one of the three battle rings, Leo carried himself with a relaxed air sporting a constant smile. His hands were at the back though Nine Demon Fists circled right above his head. Each fist had a demon buzzing surrounded by thick blood-red clouds. Grotesque in looks, the demons were exactly what threat would look like, if it ever had a face. Every detail of theirs screamed ferocity as they snarled and gnashed their teeth at the rival facing them.

"You can't beat me. Just surrender," Leo said shortly. Confident about his demons, Leo was sure about beating his rival and thus, felt no need to fight.

"Leo, | know you are powerful, but | didn't sign up just to surrender." Wilson wasn't expecting to be paired with Leo but then he couldn't give up and not fight. Although Leo was well known in the Violet Orchid Empire, Wilson wanted to give it his best and take a chance. For Wilson too, was a famous cultivator in the Violet Orchid Empire with outstanding skills in combat.

Besides, beating Leo, a somewhat legend among the young cultivators would be a feat like no other.

Demolishing his reputation could mean cementing his own.

"Idiot," scorned Leo at Wilson.

And, in a trice, Leo's nine demons roared deafeningly. More and more thick blood-red clouds rolled and shrouded the battle ring as a deathly stillness covered the arena. The blazing sun was nowhere to be seen as a swirling black sky hung above.

The stillness soon disrupted as the blood-red clouds thundered in a head-splitting sound. Soon, they spun into a tornado with a speed that would crush any object that happened to cin their contact.

"Diabolic Wolf Formula!" Wilson exclaimed it out loud and summoned his best skill ignoring the fact that it was just the beginning of the battle.

After Wilson's invocation, an unreal door suddenly appeared above him. The door looked ancient, as if summoned from ages ago.

The door reminded everyone of a bygone era, of a tpassed too quickly. Like the irreversible flow of water or a quickly finished song. Many things had happened and many years had flown away. The smell made everyone present in the arena feel a terrible sadness and a soul-sucking loneliness. It cast a deep depressing feeling inside every heart beating there watching the fight.

"Howl!" And then the door shuddered and bayed with might making people jump out of their skins.

A vigorous fearsstorm emerged from the door and a black figure appeared. It was a 40-feet tall diabolic wolf that emitted a terrifying black diabolic light. Its gigantic size seemed to be cast from cold iron as copper sinews, steel bones and iron claws gleamed in the darkness. The clanking clunking metal meant one thing for Wilson— invincibility. It felt that nothing could hurt him or the giant in the slightest.

"A summon skill. The Blood Wolf Team was said to have one. So it's really true then!" shouted an excited cultivator. The summoned diabolic wolf had surprised the speculators and got them talking.

Even Emperor Arthur and the Sect Leaders of the five sects were fascinated by it.

"I heard that the Blood Wolf Team has a magic skill called the Diabolic Wolf Formula. When one reaches the Major Achievement Stage, an ancient diabolic wolf can be summoned from ether. Legend says that they are incredibly hard to defeat but | had never expected any of it to be true." "Dear courtiers, do you think Wilson will make a miracle and beat Leo?" asked Emperor Arthur, looking at the five Sect Leaders.

"Your Majesty, Wilson's Diabolic Wolf Formula is powerful, but | see that he started practicing the formula not too long ago. Summoning a diabolic wolf is his limit. Also, Leo's Nine-demon Bloody Fist has attained the Major Achievement Stage, which is going to be immensely formidable for Wilson. In that case, Leo will prove himself to be the stronger of the two." The Sect Leader of the Peripatetic Sect gave his clear analysis to the emperor.

The other sect leaders nodded in agreement but remained silent. All of them thought Wilson was going after a rhino with a butter knife. On the battle ring, Wilson looked pale. Obviously he had tried his best. Summoning the diabolic wolf had cost him much of his energy.

And the Peripatetic Sect Leader was right. Leo motivated the Nine Demon Fists above his head and ordered it to tear the diabolic wolf to shreds. Seeing his imminent defeat, Wilson vomited blood and in a panic, dashed to break his number plate to teleport out of the battle ring petrified that he was about to die.

Now all eyes were on Garret from the Flaming Sun Valley and Caden from the Bloody Hero Gang's fight. They too were neck and neck in superiority. But Garret was a little better than Caden. After a fierce battle, Caden was thrown out of the battle ring as Garret charged a violent attack at him. Garret won the battle.

On the battle ring of Danny from the Joy Gang and the beautiful young man, the fight turned out to be really boring. The outcwas already known and there was no thrill to captivate everyone's attention.

The young man stood still as he waited for Danny's attack. Danny too was prepared as he had studied all of the young man's combats.