Chapter 35 – The Duel for the Relic
The sun rose over Eldralith Academy in a blaze of gold, casting long shadows across the grand amphitheater. Every seat was filled—nobles in jeweled finery, merchants clutching coin, adventurers leaning forward with sharp eyes. Envoys from foreign kingdoms crowded the highest tier, their whispers thick with suspicion and hunger.
At the center of it all stood the dueling stage, freshly reforged after Kael's defeat. Upon a pedestal at the edge of the arena, the Relic Beyond Mana pulsed faintly, golden-violet light spilling across the stone. Its rhythm echoed like a second heartbeat in Chen Yue's chest.
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The Finalists
Ser Caldus entered first, silver armor polished to a mirror's shine. His greatsword gleamed with runes, and his aura radiated disciplined power. He saluted the nobles, every motion precise, a knight carved from pride and tradition.
Chen Yue entered second, his robes fluttering in the wind, Voidfire sparking faintly at his fingertips. No herald announced him, no banners bore his name. Yet the murmurs grew louder when he stepped into the arena.
"That's him—the beast-tamer's undoing!"
"The nameless cultivator…"
"Look how the relic glows when he draws near…"
Ayara and Velira stood among the contestants' companions, watching with hearts tight.
The Grandmaster raised his staff. "Today, the finals will decide the champion of Eldralith. The victor shall claim the Relic Beyond Mana. Fighters, bow."
Caldus bowed crisply, his armor clinking. Chen Yue dipped his head slightly, eyes never leaving his opponent.
The gong rang.
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Clash of Steel and Flame
Caldus moved first, a blur of silver. His greatsword arced down like a falling star, runes blazing blue.
Chen Yue's Voidfire surged, meeting steel with flame. The clash rang like thunder, sparks spraying across the stone. The sheer force drove Chen Yue back a step, but his flame did not break.
Caldus pressed forward, strikes flowing like a storm tide—each swing backed by mana, each step drilled from years of knightly training. His technique was flawless, relentless.
But Chen Yue's fire shifted with every strike, bending, weaving, slipping between steel and stone. Where Caldus was discipline, Chen Yue was defiance—unpredictable, unyielding.
From the stands, nobles cheered the knight's precision. Adventurers roared at Chen Yue's audacity.
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The Relic Reacts
As their clash intensified, the Relic pulsed brighter. Golden-violet light spread across the arena floor, lines of energy etching into the stone like veins.
Ayara gasped. "It's resonating with him!"
Velira clenched her fists. "No—it's resonating with all of us. The bond!"
Through the link, Chen Yue felt it too. Every time his flame flared, he sensed Ayara's steady breath, Velira's heartbeat like a war drum. Their emotions flowed into him—fear, fury, faith—and his Qi answered with power.
His next strike blasted outward, Voidfire laced with green and crimson, forcing Caldus back.
The knight staggered, eyes narrowing. "What trick is this?"
Chen Yue's voice rang clear. "Not a trick. A bond."
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Schemes in the Shadows
But not all eyes in the crowd watched with admiration.
Behind the nobles' pavilion, cloaked figures whispered. Agents of the Argent Kingdom exchanged nods with veiled envoys from the Crimson Steppe Clan.
"If the relic awakens, it must not fall into his hands," one hissed.
"Agreed. If Caldus fails, we strike."
High above, Nyxara lounged on a balcony, golden eyes gleaming. Her forked tongue flicked as she watched the relic's light. "So it begins. Will you survive this test, little cultivator?"
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Knight's Ascension
Back in the arena, Caldus roared, driving his blade into the ground. The runes across his armor blazed, forming a circle of silver light.
"Argent Ascension!" he shouted.
The circle erupted, mana pouring into him. His armor shone brighter, his greatsword expanded, and wings of silver flame burst from his back.
The crowd gasped in awe. This was the Argent Kingdom's secret technique, rarely seen beyond royal battlefields.
Caldus's strikes doubled in speed, his greatsword carving arcs of flame that melted stone. One blow slammed into Chen Yue's chest, sending him crashing across the arena floor.
Ayara cried out through the bond, pouring healing energy into him. Velira's rage surged, fueling his flame.
Chen Yue staggered up, chest burning, but his eyes shone with fire. "So that's your ascension? Then watch mine."
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Resonance Unleashed
He thrust his palms together. Voidfire erupted, but not alone. Ayara's warmth threaded through it, Velira's fury sharpened it, and Chen Yue's own defiance bound it.
The flame rose higher, violet edged with green and crimson.
"Bond Resonance Technique—Flame of Three Hearts!"
The arena shook as the flame wrapped around him, forming armor of living fire, wings of light spreading from his back to mirror Caldus's.
The crowd fell into stunned silence.
Knight and cultivator, both clad in wings of power, faced each other in the sky above the arena.
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The Sky Duel
They clashed midair, steel against flame. Each strike echoed like a bell, shockwaves blasting through the stands.
Caldus's greatsword tore through fire, his discipline never wavering. Chen Yue's flame curved and twisted, answering every strike with impossible resilience.
Through the bond, Ayara's voice rang steady. Steady your breath, Yue. I'm with you.
Velira's voice followed, fierce and raw. Burn hotter. Show him we won't bow.
Chen Yue's flame surged brighter, his wings cutting the sky in arcs of violet and gold.
For the first time, Caldus faltered.
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The Sabotage
Suddenly, cloaked figures in the stands leapt forward, crossbows gleaming with poisoned bolts. They aimed not at Chen Yue—but at Ayara and Velira in the companion's section.
"Now!"
Ayara froze, eyes wide. Velira cursed, reaching for her blade.
But Chen Yue felt it through the bond before his eyes saw it. His heart lurched, his flame roaring.
He spread his wings, diving. Voidfire shot from his hands, incinerating the bolts midair before they reached their mark.
The crowd erupted in chaos. Guards swarmed, nobles screamed, but Chen Yue's gaze locked on the saboteurs.
Caldus growled. "Interference?!"
Chen Yue landed between his harem and the assassins, flames swirling around him like a storm. "If you touch them, you answer to me."
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The Turning Point
The assassins fled as guards clashed with them. Nyxara's laughter drifted faintly from above.
But the interruption had shifted the duel. Caldus, pride burning, raised his greatsword once more. "This battle is tainted, but I will not yield. Face me, foreigner, one last strike!"
Chen Yue stepped forward, Voidfire blazing brighter than ever, his harem's strength resonating through him. "Then let's end this."
Both fighters rose into the air once more, power gathering, relic pulsing wildly as though eager for the clash.
The amphitheater held its breath.
Steel and flame surged together for the final blow.
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End of Chapter 35 – The Duel for the Relic
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🔥 Next Chapter (36) Preview:
The decisive strike between Chen Yue and Ser Caldus.
The Relic reacts violently, testing Chen Yue's worth directly.
Ayara and Velira's bond with Chen Yue deepens as they risk everything to stabilize the resonance mid-battle.
Political factions erupt into chaos as the winner is declared.
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