The atmosphere around the Heavenly Sword Arena had reached an entirely new level of intensity.
Only four competitors remained.
For the countless disciples gathered around the arena, the tournament had transformed from an exciting spectacle into a historic moment.
The final battles were about to begin.
From the hundreds of participants who had originally entered the competition, only four swordsmen had survived the relentless elimination rounds.
Four warriors who represented the peak of the younger generation within the Heavenly Sword Palace.
The massive stone tablet at the center of the arena glowed brightly, displaying the four names that had become the focus of the entire sect.
Han Qiu — The Ice Sword Prodigy.
Zhao Tian — Master of the Crimson Blade.
The Masked Swordsman — The Mysterious Challenger.
Lin Feng — The Dark Horse.
Every disciple in the arena knew these names now.
The semifinals would determine who advanced to the final battle.
High above the arena floor, the Grand Elder stepped forward. His presence alone was enough to silence the thousands of spectators.
"The semifinal matches will now begin," he announced.
His calm voice echoed across the entire mountain.
The stone tablet shimmered again.
Two names slowly appeared.
Zhao Tian vs The Masked Swordsman.
A ripple of excitement spread through the crowd.
Many disciples leaned forward eagerly.
Zhao Tian stepped onto the arena confidently. Flames of crimson sword energy flickered faintly around his blade.
Across from him, the masked swordsman walked forward quietly.
The duel began.
Zhao Tian attacked with explosive power, unleashing blazing sword techniques that filled the arena with waves of heat.
But the masked swordsman remained calm.
His movements were smooth and minimal.
After several exchanges—
His sword flashed once.
Zhao Tian froze.
The blade stopped at his throat.
Silence fell across the arena.
Another one-strike victory.
The Grand Elder's voice echoed.
"Victory… Masked Swordsman."
Gasps spread across the spectators.
Even the elders looked surprised.
The masked swordsman had defeated another powerful opponent with frightening ease.
He stepped down from the arena without a word.
But as he passed the participant area—
His gaze briefly met Lin Feng's.
Then he continued walking.
The message was clear.
Soon… their swords would clash.
The arena soon grew quiet again as the stone tablet revealed the second semifinal match.
Lin Feng vs Han Qiu.
A wave of anticipation surged through the crowd.
This was the duel everyone had been waiting for.
Han Qiu stepped forward first.
His presence alone caused the temperature around the arena to drop.
A thin layer of frost seemed to form along the stone floor wherever he walked.
Han Qiu was known as the Ice Sword Prodigy.
Among the disciples of the Heavenly Sword Palace, he had long been considered the most talented swordsman of his generation.
Many believed he would win the tournament from the very beginning.
Now he faced the rising Dark Horse.
Han Qiu stepped onto the battlefield and slowly drew his sword.
The blade shimmered with pale blue light.
Cold mist spread through the air.
Lin Feng walked forward calmly and entered the arena.
The two swordsmen faced each other in silence.
For a moment, neither moved.
Han Qiu studied Lin Feng carefully.
"You're stronger than I expected," he said.
Lin Feng replied calmly.
"You are as well."
Han Qiu's expression remained cold.
"But your path ends here."
He raised his sword.
The temperature in the arena dropped further.
The Grand Elder raised his hand.
"Begin."
Han Qiu moved first.
His body surged forward like a gust of freezing wind.
"Ice Fang Strike!"
His sword flashed downward.
A blade of frozen sword energy shot toward Lin Feng.
Lin Feng stepped lightly aside.
The ice blade crashed into the arena floor and exploded into frost.
Han Qiu attacked again.
His movements were extremely fast.
Each strike released waves of freezing sword energy that spread across the battlefield.
The arena floor quickly became covered with frost.
Lin Feng responded calmly.
His sword moved with quiet precision, deflecting each attack with minimal effort.
Clang.
Clang.
Clang.
The sound of steel echoed across the arena.
But Han Qiu's attacks grew sharper with every exchange.
The cold aura surrounding him intensified.
"Frozen Horizon!"
Han Qiu slashed his sword in a wide arc.
A wave of icy sword energy surged forward, covering half the battlefield.
Lin Feng stepped forward instead of retreating.
His blade flashed.
"Azure Sword Art… First Flow."
Azure light followed the movement of his sword.
The two energies collided.
BOOM.
Ice fragments scattered across the arena.
The spectators gasped.
"That attack blocked Han Qiu's technique!"
Han Qiu narrowed his eyes.
"So that's your sword art."
His aura surged again.
The temperature dropped even further.
Frost spread across the entire arena floor.
Han Qiu raised his sword high above his head.
"Glacial Descent."
The blade descended.
A massive pillar of frozen sword energy crashed toward Lin Feng.
The pressure was immense.
For a brief moment, the entire arena held its breath.
Lin Feng stepped forward.
His eyes became extremely focused.
"Azure Sword Art… Second Flow."
His blade slid along the edge of Han Qiu's attack.
Instead of meeting the force directly, Lin Feng redirected it.
The frozen pillar crashed into the ground beside him.
The arena shook violently.
Han Qiu's eyes widened slightly.
Before he could react—
Lin Feng attacked.
His sword moved with incredible precision.
One strike.
Han Qiu blocked.
Two strikes.
Han Qiu stepped backward.
Three strikes.
Their blades collided again.
The duel had shifted.
For the first time, Han Qiu was on the defensive.
The crowd erupted with excitement.
"He's pushing Han Qiu back!"
"That's unbelievable!"
Han Qiu's expression hardened.
"You forced me to use this."
His sword began glowing with intense icy light.
The cold aura surrounding him surged to terrifying levels.
"Ice Domain."
The entire arena seemed to freeze.
A field of frost expanded outward from Han Qiu's body.
Within this domain, every movement slowed.
The air itself became heavy with freezing pressure.
Many spectators shivered.
Lin Feng could feel the cold energy pressing against him.
Han Qiu attacked again.
His speed had increased.
His sword strikes became sharper.
Within the Ice Domain, his power had multiplied.
Lin Feng's eyes sharpened.
Then—
His sword moved.
"Azure Sword Art… Third Flow."
Azure light flowed around the blade like water.
The sword cut through the freezing air.
The strike shattered the icy pressure around him.
Han Qiu's eyes widened.
The two swords collided one final time.
CLANG.
For a moment, time seemed to stop.
Then—
Han Qiu's sword was knocked aside.
Lin Feng stepped forward.
His blade stopped gently at Han Qiu's throat.
Silence filled the arena.
The Ice Domain faded.
The frost covering the battlefield began melting.
Han Qiu stared at the sword in front of him.
After a moment, he slowly lowered his weapon.
"I lost."
The Grand Elder's voice echoed across the arena.
"Victory… Lin Feng."
The crowd exploded into cheers.
Lin Feng had defeated the Ice Sword Prodigy.
The Dark Horse had advanced to the final round.
Across the arena, the masked swordsman watched quietly.
His eyes remained fixed on Lin Feng.
Now there were only two competitors left.
Lin Feng.
And the mysterious masked swordsman.
Soon…
The final battle would decide the champion of the Heavenly Sword Tournament.