"It seems… it's time for me to show my true strength as well."
Hong took a deep breath. Then he slowly crouched down, placing both hands firmly against the ground.
"The Heart of the Earth… resonate with me!"
At his call, the entire wasteland began to transform violently.
The ground split open, revealing streams of molten lava surging beneath the surface. What Hong had done went far beyond ordinary manipulation of earth. Through his mastery of the Earth Law, he had directly connected to the planet's deep magma layer.
"What?" Aisla's eyes widened in shock. "You can actually control magma?"
She was not the only one stunned.
This had surpassed the conventional boundaries of the Earth Law. It demonstrated something deeper, something fundamental. Hong did not merely control soil and stone. He understood the essence of the earth itself. From the surface terrain to the bedrock beneath, and further down into the blazing magma core, all of it belonged to the same domain.
For a brief moment, the spectator stands fell silent.
Then the entire arena erupted.
"This… is still the Earth Law?"
"He's controlling magma! That's practically entering the domain of the Fire Law!"
"No. This isn't fire. This is a deeper comprehension of the Earth Law itself!"
In the VIP viewing area, even Zhenwu showed a trace of surprise.
"I didn't expect his understanding of the Earth Law to reach such depth."
The Overseer nodded slowly.
"To cultivate the Earth Law to this level… truly remarkable."
On the battlefield, scorching magma and absolute frost collided in a final clash.
It was a battle of fire and ice, heat against cold at their absolute extremes.
The wasteland transformed into a divided world. One side was frozen under Aisla's near absolute-zero chill. The other roared with molten lava summoned by Hong. The two opposing forces collided violently, generating terrifying waves of energy.
Boom!
A thunderous explosion echoed through the virtual universe. The ground trembled as dust and steam filled the air.
When the haze finally cleared, a massive crater had formed between them.
Hong and Aisla stood on opposite ends, both visibly exhausted.
"That was… an incredible fight," Aisla said, breathing heavily, her eyes still burning with determination. "But the outcome is not yet decided."
Hong nodded calmly. "Agreed. An opponent like you deserves my full strength."
They locked eyes once more, preparing for the final exchange.
At that moment, the system's voice suddenly rang out.
"Warning: Battlefield energy overload detected. The environment will be reset shortly. Both contestants, prepare to decide the match with your final strike."
Both of them understood instantly.
Their battle had exceeded the limits of the arena. There would be no prolonged exchange now. One final move would determine everything.
"Then let us end this," Aisla said, raising her staff as her power surged to its peak.
"Just as I intended," Hong replied.
The air grew unbearably tense.
The battlefield was unrecognizable now. One half frozen solid, the other flooded with flowing magma. Two completely opposing forces clashed in midair, creating a suffocating pressure that made even the spectators hold their breath.
"This is a battle between top-tier geniuses…" a young spectator whispered in awe. "It's beyond anything I imagined."
"Quiet! The final moment is here!"
In the VIP section, Zhenwu's gaze sharpened.
"This is the critical moment. It will come down to whose foundation is deeper."
The Overseer nodded.
"Aisla has already reached her limit with her Ice Crystal Form. And Hong's magma control must have drained immense mental energy. This final strike will decide everything."
On the battlefield, Aisla inhaled deeply.
Her body, still in Ice Crystal Form, radiated dazzling brilliance. She raised her staff high, gathering every ounce of her remaining strength into a single attack.
"Frozen Eternity!"
This was a forbidden technique of the Frost Mages from the Blue Crystal Star System. A legendary move said to freeze even time itself.
Aisla poured her life force into it.
The crystal atop her staff blazed with an intense blue-white light.
As her incantation echoed, the temperature of the entire battlefield dropped to an unimaginable level. Space itself seemed to stiffen. Even light appeared to slow as it passed through the air.
A massive pillar of icy blue light descended from the heavens, carrying apocalyptic force as it crashed toward Hong.
The crowd exploded once again.
"Frozen Eternity! She actually knows that technique!"
"A forbidden art! It comes at an enormous cost!"
"Can that Earth warrior withstand it? That attack surpasses the limits of a war god!"
Even the mechanical race spectator spoke in shock.
"The temperature of that attack is approaching absolute zero. Any matter it touches will disintegrate instantly."
The rock-type warrior frowned deeply.
"Even our toughest bodies could not withstand that."
Yet Hong remained calm.
He slowly closed his eyes, feeling the pulse beneath his feet. Feeling the rhythm of the land, the silent life within the wasteland itself.
"Aisla, your technique is indeed powerful," he said quietly. "But the strength of the earth runs far deeper than you imagine."
He pressed both hands against the ground once more.
This time, he was not controlling the earth.
He was becoming one with it.
"The ultimate essence of the Earth… Bearing All Things."
His voice resonated like an ancient echo rising from the depths of the planet itself.
The wasteland began to change.
The ground was no longer inert soil and stone. It became something alive. Countless rocks, minerals, and layers of earth gathered instinctively, forming a vast barrier before him.
But this was no ordinary defense.
It was the highest expression of Hong's understanding.
The essence of earth was not hardness.
It was tolerance.
Not resistance.
But acceptance.
"What… is that?" spectators murmured in disbelief.
"He's not clashing head-on… is he trying to absorb it?"
"That's impossible! How could absolute zero be absorbed?"
In the VIP area, Zhenwu's eyes flashed with realization.
"Bearing All Things… This is the highest level of the Earth Law. He is not defending. He is dissolving the attack itself."
The Overseer nodded slowly, clearly impressed.
"Using the earth's capacity to contain all things… to neutralize destructive force. An extraordinary approach."
On the battlefield, the two ultimate techniques collided.
Yet instead of a devastating explosion, something unexpected happened.
The icy beam struck the earthen barrier.
But it did not pierce through.
Instead, it was gradually absorbed.
"What is happening?" Aisla's voice trembled with disbelief. "My attack… it's being absorbed?"
Indeed.
Hong's technique was not simple defense. By distributing the energy of the attack across the vast "body" of the earth, he dissolved its destructive power.
The crowd fell silent again, before erupting into even greater astonishment.
"This is the true pinnacle of the Earth Law!"
"He neutralized such a terrifying attack!"
"Bearing All Things… the name fits perfectly!"
A member of the elven race whispered in admiration, "This understanding has surpassed technique. It has reached the level of philosophy."
But absorbing the attack did not mean victory.
Hong had also expended immense energy.
And Aisla, though weakened, still maintained combat capability in her Ice Crystal Form.
Then suddenly, something changed.
Cracks began to spread across Aisla's crystalline body.
The forbidden technique had pushed her beyond her limits.
Her form, once flawless, was now unstable.
"No… this can't be…" she staggered, fractures spreading further.
Hong did not hesitate.
He seized the moment.
"Earthshatter Fist!"
A massive fist of condensed stone surged upward from beneath the ground. Enhanced by the Gravity Law, it carried unstoppable force as it slammed into Aisla.
She tried to defend, but her unstable state made focus impossible.
The impact sent her flying hundreds of meters away.
"Victory has been decided. Winner: Hong."
The system's voice echoed across the arena.
Thunderous applause erupted.
"Incredible! Absolutely incredible!"
"So this is the strength of Earth's warriors!"
"Hong's Bearing All Things… the highlight of the day!"
Spectators from every corner of the universe buzzed with excitement.
"His mastery of the Earth Law has reached a master level."
"Not just power. His battle intelligence is equally impressive."
"That planet Earth is producing some truly extraordinary fighters."
In the VIP area, the Overseer turned to Zhenwu.
"What do you think of him?"
Zhenwu considered carefully before answering.
"Very strong. Exceptionally so. His understanding of the Earth Law is profound, and his combat experience is rich. His mindset is mature. If he continues to grow, his future will be limitless."
"Should we…"
"Observe a bit longer," Zhenwu said, raising a hand. "But add him to the priority watch list."
On the battlefield, Hong walked over and helped Aisla to her feet.
"My thanks for the match, Miss Aisla. Your mastery of frost is remarkable. I've learned a great deal."
Aisla smiled faintly, free of bitterness.
"I accept this defeat wholeheartedly. Your technique… was extraordinary. I hope we meet again."
"We will," Hong replied.
They exchanged a respectful smile.
The fierce battle ended in mutual respect.
Back in the Earth team's lounge, Thor, Rowan, and Luo Feng leapt to their feet.
"That was amazing! Hong was incredible!" Thor shouted, pumping his fist. "That technique… it was pure art!"
Rowan nodded, full of admiration.
"His understanding of the Earth Law has surpassed anything I can reach right now. The way he dissolved that attack… it was breathtaking."
Luo Feng reflected thoughtfully.
"It's not just strength. His battle awareness is exceptional. He spotted the instability in Aisla's form at the perfect moment."
Not long after, Hong returned.
Though clearly exhausted, he wore a calm smile.
"Hong!"
The three greeted him at once.
"You were incredible!" Thor said, clapping him on the shoulder.
Hong waved it off lightly.
"Just a narrow victory. Aisla was very strong. If her final technique hadn't destabilized her, the outcome would have been uncertain."
"But that's part of strength too," Rowan said. "Knowing when to push and when to hold back is a form of wisdom."
Hong nodded and sat down.
"This battle deepened my understanding of the laws. Especially when facing her Frozen Eternity, I realized something."
"The true essence of the Earth Law… is not resistance, but acceptance."
"Bearing All Things… it's a perfect name," Luo Feng said with admiration.
Thor leaned forward curiously.
"Can that technique work against other types of attacks?"
Hong thought for a moment.
"In theory, yes. But it has limits. It works best against energy-based attacks. Pure physical force… is harder to fully neutralize."
Rowan asked the question on everyone's mind.
"What about Rong Jun's strength-based attacks?"
Hong's expression grew serious.
"That's the problem. His attacks are pure force. Bearing All Things can only reduce part of it. In the end… it will come down to raw strength."
He paused, then smiled slightly.
"But after today, I'm more confident."
"Aisla taught me something important. A true warrior is not the one with the strongest attack… but the one who stays calm and finds a path to victory, no matter the situation."
The four continued discussing the battle, analyzing strategies and techniques.
Before long, noon arrived.
"Oh right," Hong said, looking at Luo Feng. "Your match is this afternoon. How do you feel?"
Luo Feng stretched slightly, his eyes sharp.
"I'm ready. My opponent is a mental controller named Mel. I've prepared for this."