100 second-tier crystal cores—this could absolutely be called an astronomical figure.
So many second-tier crystal cores could allow three Energy Condensation Stage users to ascend directly to the Limit Breaking Stage in one month.
As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere in the arena was instantly ignited.
"Good!!!"
"Lin Chen! You've got guts!"
"Beat those bird brats from the Xuan Niao Guard!"
"Long live the Bounty Hunter Guild!"
Ling Chen's wildly provocative words were like a spark thrown into a pot of oil, instantly igniting the entire Bounty Hunter Guild hall!
Deafening cheers, whistles, and roars swept through like a tsunami! Thousands of bounty hunters were boiling with excitement!
Their gazes towards Ling Chen were filled with fervent support and... a hint of... excitement from watching a good show!
The bald giant "Violent Bear" Lei Meng's eyes flashed with surprise, then he grinned, revealing a ferocious smile, and powerfully clapped Ling Chen's shoulder (Ling Chen calmly deflected most of the force)!
"Good kid! You've got guts! I, Violent Bear, remember you! Fight without worry! If you lose, it's on me! If you win, I'll buy you a drink!"
Vice Guild Master Tie Shan's deep gaze lingered on Ling Chen for a moment; his calm, unruffled eyes and steady demeanor made a hint of imperceptible approval flash in his eyes.
He nodded slightly, his voice steady:
"Stop when it's enough. Go."
Lei Hu's lips curled into a cold arc, his eyes full of mockery and disdain. He waved a hand at Wind Falcon behind him.
"Wind Falcon! Give this newcomer from the Bounty Hunter Guild a good 'lesson'! Let him see... what true speed is!"
"100 second-tier crystal cores, that's nothing. I can afford it!"
"Yes, Captain!"
Wind Falcon's voice was cold, and a strong fighting spirit and... a hint of... condescending arrogance burst forth from his sharp eagle eyes!
His figure blurred! He instantly appeared on the huge octagonal arena like a ghost! His movements were so fast that only a blurry afterimage was left! This drew a burst of cheers from the Xuan Niao Guard's side!
"So fast!"
"As expected of Wind Falcon!"
"That kid is doomed!"
The crowd around the arena instantly erupted into even greater clamor! The speed Wind Falcon displayed secretly startled many bounty hunters!
Ling Chen's expression was calm, his deep dark eyes without any ripples. He gently patted Tang Yinmeng's hand, which was gripping his clothes, and gave her a reassuring look.
Then, he took a step, unhurriedly... step by step... walking onto the arena.
His steps were steady and composed, without any flashy moves, forming a stark contrast to Wind Falcon's ghostly movements!
It was like a leisurely stroll! As if... he wasn't going to a life-and-death battle! But rather... to a... normal... banquet?
"Hmph! Putting on a show!" Wind Falcon snorted coldly, his eyes filled with even greater disdain! In his opinion, Ling Chen's slow movements were... vulnerable... in the face of absolute speed!
Above the arena! A huge holographic projection lit up! Clearly displaying the information of the combatants:
【Left: Lin Chen (Bounty Hunter Guild) Ability: Mud Swamp Domain (Energy Condensation Stage Lv.1) Elemental, Domain-type, Control-type】
【Right: Wind Falcon (Xuan Niao Guard) Ability: Gale Thrust (Energy Condensation Stage Peak) Elemental, Wind-type, Agile Attack-type】
"Match start!" The guild executive acting as referee gave the command!
Whoosh—!!!
Wind Falcon's figure... instantly vanished!
Not an afterimage! He... truly vanished!
The next moment! An incomparably sharp! Green wind blade, carrying a piercing shriek that tore through the air!
Appeared out of nowhere to Ling Chen's left! Less than half a foot from his neck! Its speed was so fast... it surpassed the limit of visual capture!
"Careful!" Tang Yinmeng cried out in alarm from below the stage! Her molten gold pupils instantly contracted!
The bald giant Lei Meng's expression changed slightly! What fast speed!
Lei Hu's cold smile deepened! As if he had already seen Ling Chen bleeding on the spot!
However!
Just as the green wind blade was about to touch Ling Chen's skin!
Buzz—!!!
A heavy! Sticky! Invisible force field, like the deepest, darkest swamp mire! Centered on Ling Chen! Instantly... spread out! Covering... a three-meter radius!
Blood Pool Meat Forest (Mud Swamp Domain)! Activated!
Whoosh—!!!
That lightning-fast green wind blade! The moment it rushed into the force field's range! Its speed... plummeted! As if it had fallen into thick glue! Its sharp edge instantly became sluggish! Its trajectory clearly visible!
Ling Chen's body, as if he knew what was coming! Very subtly... shifted back... half a step!
Puff!
The green wind blade grazed his clothes! It fiercely struck the alloy railing at the edge of the arena! Emitting a dull thud! Leaving a shallow white mark!
"What?!" Wind Falcon's figure appeared not far away! His face filled with incredulous shock! His Gale Thrust! It was... delayed?! How was this possible?!
"Good!!!"
"He blocked it!"
"Mud Swamp Domain! Awesome!"
The arena instantly erupted into thunderous cheers!
"Hmph! Just luck!" A hint of shame and anger flashed in Wind Falcon's eyes! His figure vanished again!
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
This time! Three even sharper! Even more condensed green wind blades! From three different tricky angles! Like venomous snakes! Instantly struck towards Ling Chen! Upper, middle, and lower routes! Sealing off all his dodging space!
Faster! More cunning angles!
"Let's see how you dodge this!" Wind Falcon's figure let out a cold low growl while moving at high speed!
Buzz!
The Mud Swamp Domain activated again! The heavy force field instantly covered the area!
The three wind blades rushed into the force field! Their speed plummeted again! But... they still carried a sharp edge! Heading straight for Ling Chen's vital points!
Ling Chen's deep dark eyes were calm and unruffled! His body swayed ever so slightly, like a willow catkin in the wind!
The amplitude was extremely small! Yet... it was perfectly executed!
Puff! Puff! Puff!
The three wind blades! Again grazed his body! The closest one! Was less than an inch from his ribs! Dangerously close!
Hiss—!!! A collective gasp of cold air was heard from below the stage!
"So close!"
"That footwork..."
"How did he do that?"
Wind Falcon's face completely darkened! Twice his attacks! Were dodged by the opponent's bizarre domain and incredible footwork! For him, an elite Xuan Niao Guard who prided himself on speed... this was simply... a great humiliation!
"Gale Step! Wind Shadow Kill!" Wind Falcon let out a low roar! His ability burst forth wildly within him!
Buzz!
His figure instantly blurred! As if he had merged with the wind! On the arena! Simultaneously appeared... three... indistinguishable... Wind Falcon afterimages! Each afterimage exuded a condensed killing intent! From three directions! With a terrifying momentum that seemed to tear everything apart! They simultaneously pounced on Ling Chen!
Speed! Reached its extreme! Afterimages! Confused vision!
This was his true killing move!
"It's over! It's Wind Shadow Kill!"
"Three afterimages! Can't tell which is real!"
"The Mud Swamp Domain has a limited range! He can't block it!"
A chorus of exclamations rose from below the stage! Even the bald giant Lei Meng frowned deeply!
Lei Hu's cold smile reappeared! As if victory was already in his grasp!
Tang Yinmeng's heart instantly jumped to her throat!
Facing three indistinguishable afterimages carrying terrifying killing intent! Ling Chen... still... stood in place! Motionless! His deep dark eyes calmly... watched... ahead!
Just as the three afterimages were about to rush into the Mud Swamp Domain's range!
Ling Chen's lips... very subtly... curved upward... into a... cold... arc!
"Got you!"
Buzz—!!!
Blood Pool Meat Forest... instantly... contracted!
No longer evenly covering! But rather... like it was alive! Instantly... condensed! Compressed! Forming an... extremely condensed! Invisible wall of mire, with its viscosity increased several times over! Precisely... blocking... the leftmost... of the three afterimages... right in front of it!
"What?!" Wind Falcon's true body was precisely that leftmost afterimage! He felt as if a high-speed train... had crashed head-on into... the stickiest... asphalt swamp! His speed instantly plummeted! His body was firmly dragged by a terrifying invisible force! Even the circulation of his ability within him became incredibly sluggish! The other two afterimages instantly dissipated!
A flaw! A fatal flaw! Exposed without a doubt!
"How is this possible?!" Wind Falcon's eyes were filled with extreme horror! His proud Wind Shadow Kill! Was actually... instantly seen through... and precisely locked onto by the opponent?!
"It's over." Ling Chen's cold voice sounded like a death sentence! Ringing in Wind Falcon's ears!
He did not launch an attack! He merely... slowly raised... his right hand! His five fingers... spread open! His palm... pointed at... Wind Falcon, who was firmly restrained by the wall of mire and unable to move!
Buzz—!!!
The domain changed again!
That viscous force field instantly transformed from restraint to repulsion!
A violent! Invisible immense force, like a mudslide erupting! Fiercely slammed into Wind Falcon's chest!
Bang—!!!
A dull thud!
Wind Falcon's body was like being hit head-on by a high-speed truck! He flew backward violently! Blood gushing from his mouth! His body drew a parabolic arc in the air!
He slammed heavily into the alloy railing at the edge of the arena! Emitting a loud "clank"! Then... like a broken sack... he slid to the ground! Completely... lost consciousness!
The entire place was silent!
You could hear a pin drop!
Everyone was dumbfounded! Looking incredulously at the figure still standing calmly on the arena! Not even a single fold in his clothes!
From Wind Falcon activating Wind Shadow Kill! To Ling Chen instantly locking onto his true body! And then being repelled and sent flying by the Mud Swamp Domain! The entire process happened in a flash!
Fast! Too fast!
Precise! Too precise!
Control! Absolute control!
Ling Chen didn't even move a step! He merely relied on the seemingly passive defensive Mud Swamp Domain! He effortlessly resolved all of Wind Falcon's attacks!
And at the moment the opponent's strongest killing move erupted, he precisely seized... that fleeting flaw! One strike to win!
This wasn't a battle! It was a meticulously designed performance! A game of control where the opponent was played like a fiddle!
Roar—!!!
"He won!!!"
"Lin Chen! Awesome!!!"
"Mud Swamp Domain! Divine skill!!!"
After a brief silence! The entire Bounty Hunter Guild hall! Instantly... erupted into... a passionate cheer like a mountain tsunami!
The sound waves almost overturned the dome! All the bounty hunters were as if injected with adrenaline! Roaring wildly! Their gazes towards Ling Chen were filled with fanaticism and worship!
The bald giant Lei Meng slapped his thigh hard! Making the ground tremble slightly!
"Hahaha! Good kid! You really made me proud! Let's go! I'll take you to register! And then... drink! We won't stop until we're drunk!"
Vice Guild Master Tie Shan also walked over, a gentle smile on his face: "Little friend Lin Chen, your strength is extraordinary, and your mind is meticulous. This battle was fought beautifully! The guild will not mistreat those who have contributed! After registering, come to my office."
"Thank you, Vice Guild Master! Thank you, Big Brother Lei Meng!"
Ling Chen bowed slightly, his posture humble and polite, a gentle smile on his face, but his deep dark eyes were calm and unruffled.
The Soul Jade Physique's cold will clearly "saw" how much jealousy, greed, and... scrutiny were hidden behind those fervent gazes around him!
This battle! He won! He won fame! He won the guild's attention!
And he completely exposed himself to the eyes of various forces in Shengjing!
But this was exactly what he wanted!
The name Lin Chen! The ability Mud Swamp Domain! Would be his first... cornerstone... in stirring up trouble in Shengjing!
And this seemingly simple arena battle was only the beginning!