Before arriving, the people of Sunspire City still held a glimmer of hope in their hearts. After all, blood ties were thicker than water, and they believed Ji Bozhai might show mercy to them out of kinship. But to their surprise, when a few Fighters harbored slight resentment and targeted them, the retaliation they received was shockingly brutal.
Two Fighters—one dead, one injured—were expelled from the Nether Domain.
The surrounding crowd gasped and rushed forward, staring at Zhou Qin’s corpse, momentarily speechless.
Ji Bozhai had demonstrated overwhelming Essence Power suppression, striking with ruthless efficiency. He was rapidly evolving into a decisive and lethal Fighter.
As for Mingyi… Everyone had assumed her Meridians were completely ruined, rendering her useless. Yet, even with damaged Meridians, her Essence Power far surpassed that of other Fighters.
She was a monster. No matter what she endured or how much she suffered, she could still stand in the arena and fight, her bones unyielding as if they would never bend. Having her as an ally would be a tremendous advantage, but facing her as an opponent was enough to make one grind their teeth in frustration.
Looking up, they saw Mingyi simultaneously clashing with the Fighters from Newgrass City and Azure Snow City. The pure, unending force radiating from her body made it seem as though she had never been poisoned at all.
"What do we do now?" someone from Sunspire City muttered bitterly.
Dan Er, however, studied Mingyi in the mirror intently before suddenly smiling. "She’s not entirely unscathed."
"How so?" Wei Changsheng quickly asked.
"In the past, when she fought, she was lightning-fast, subduing her opponents in an instant. But look at her now—she always delays before striking. It seems her damaged Meridians aren’t as efficient as before."
Following his observation, Wei Changsheng’s eyes lit up. Just as Dan Er had said, Mingyi indeed had this flaw. If they could exploit the moment when she couldn’t summon her Essence Power and swiftly defeat her…
Before he could finish the thought, the mirror showed Mingyi—just as she was about to be ambushed—being abruptly swept up into Ji Bozhai’s arms as he carried her to a nearby rock.
"Out of strength?" he teased with a smirk.
Mingyi, drenched in cold sweat, gritted her teeth. "I still have some left."
Her Meridians truly weren’t as reliable as before. No matter how many methods she tried to compensate, there was still a gap. But she couldn’t afford to lose—in this arena, defeat meant death.
Sensing the tension in her rigid spine, Ji Bozhai lowered his head and gently kissed her eyelids. "Remember, you have me by your side now."
She wasn’t surrounded by those useless burdens who needed her constant protection. Even if she faltered occasionally, it didn’t matter—he could keep her alive.
Mingyi froze, staring at him blankly.
He stood like a towering, unshakable mountain. Even if she softened her spine and let go for a moment, he would catch her safely, ensuring she wouldn’t fall. This feeling… was entirely new to her, bringing an unfamiliar sense of relief.
The weight pressing on her heart lifted, and in his embrace, Mingyi allowed herself to breathe deeply and rest.
Meanwhile, the Fighters from Newgrass City and Azure Snow City were in disarray. The Azure Snow City members fled swiftly, but those from Newgrass City, unwilling to concede, launched another attack.
A Mystic Dragon tore through the air, intercepting them.
With its massive body and thick scales, the dragon’s roar alone exuded immense pressure. The Newgrass City Fighters struck repeatedly, forcing it back a few steps, but failed to pierce its defenses.
"He’s exhausted," Zuo Ping observed, noting the dragon’s purely defensive stance. He immediately turned to his companions. "Focus your attacks on its eyes!"Purple Essence Power surged into the sky, aiming straight for the Mystic Dragon's eyes. The massive dragon couldn't dodge in time and seemed destined to take the hit, when suddenly a white cat leaped out from the side. Its hooked claws slapped their Essence Power back with a sharp "crack."
The tremendous force crashed into the ground, blasting a crater three zhang wide.
The Mystic Dragon gave the white cat a surprised glance, only to receive a disdainful sidelong look before the feline turned away to lick its paws.
"That's a Following Beast manifested from Source Energy?" The spectators outside the mirror finally sensed something amiss. "Why does that white cat look so familiar?"
"Ming Xian, Ming Xian used to have a white cat too."
"Is that Ming Xian? Why would Ming Xian be in Star Yearn City?"
"Don't be absurd, how could Ming Xian be a girl?"
"But manifesting beasts from Source Energy is extremely rare. These Following Beasts retain their master's most powerful Essence Power. Look at that claw strike just now—who else but Ming Xian could directly repel someone's Essence Power like that?"
The venue erupted in chaos. Viewers from other mirrors rushed to the sixth mirror, pressing their faces against it for a better look.
After resting briefly, Mingyi regained her strength. Channeling Essence Power through her meridians again, she unleashed a razor-sharp white energy that struck Zuo Ping squarely in the abdomen.
Zuo Ping only felt a chill in his stomach before realizing what had happened. The Shield around him shattered into pieces, and suddenly he found himself light-headed, collapsing uncontrollably to the side.
"It's her! It's Ming Xian!"
If there had been any doubt initially, Ming Xian's admirers could now confirm it by her distinctive fighting style. Though she'd altered her Essence Power techniques to resemble Star Yearn City's methods, her habitual movements were unmistakable—she was Ming Xian.
How had Ming Xian become one of Star Yearn City's people?
"The match concludes. Star Yearn City claims victory this round, with Flying Blossom City and Azure Snow City tied for second."
Before anyone could process this, Mingyi was already holding the first treasure box.
Star Yearn City's crowd erupted in cheers, glaring triumphantly at neighboring Sunspire and Moonchase Cities. Moonchase's representatives, however, were unwilling to accept this. They dragged Mingyi onto the main platform as soon as she exited the arena, where Tianguan himself demanded, "Are you truly from Star Yearn City?"
"Ming Xian belongs to Sunspire City," Mingyi shrugged, answering frankly.
The crowd gasped. Some cursed her as a traitor, while many of her admirers teared up, demanding explanations.
Mingyi glanced at them before continuing, "Ming Xian was from Sunspire City. But my name is Mingyi. I'm a woman. After being poisoned and exiled by Sunspire City, I found new life in Star Yearn City. That's why I fight for Star Yearn now."
Poisoned? Exiled? The stunned crowd clamored for more details, but several Fighters from Sunspire City pushed forward to interrupt.
"Stick to the competition—no need for irrelevant talk."
"Exactly. Since you've betrayed our city, don't mention Sunspire again. We have nothing to do with you."
Ji Bozhai vaulted onto the platform, pulling Mingyi protectively behind him as he coldly eyed the interlopers. "She didn't betray the city. Your entire city betrayed her. Since you're the traitors here, prepare to be eradicated."
His tone was casual, almost devoid of threat, yet Wei Changsheng and the others felt their chests constrict at his words."You..." Wei Changsheng still wanted to speak about his matter, but Mingyi pulled Ji Bozhai along and led him away.
"Fighters don't settle victories with words. We'll see each other at the competition this afternoon."
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