Legend of the Divine Archer

After gauging each other for a while, both fighters began to walk toward the center of the stage. But then, in a blink, they vanished. The arena echoed with a loud clang as the two reappeared in the middle, Li Jie's cleaving axe clashing with Huang's arrow.

The air between them crackled with tension as they engaged in a flurry of rapid exchanges—axes swinging with deadly precision and arrows flying with lethal speed. The crowd watched in silence as the two warriors tested each other's limits, pushing faster and harder with each strike.

Li Jie's axes were a blur of motion, his attacks relentless and powerful, yet Huang's responses were just as swift. Arrows shot from his bow like lightning bolts, each one a precise counter to Li Jie's aggressive onslaught. At times, the roles reversed, with Huang pressing the attack, forcing Li Jie on the defensive.

The arena was a symphony of clashing steel and the sharp twangs of bowstrings, both fighters moving with such speed that their forms blurred.

The battle reached a fever pitch as Li Jie spotted an opening, launching a fierce kick that connected with Huang's gut, sending him skidding backward. But Huang, undeterred, retaliated with a powerful shot, a heavy arrow that struck Li Jie with such force that it blasted him even further back.

The audience gasped in awe—these two were evenly matched, each countering the other's moves with almost supernatural skill.

Suddenly, Scara, who had been perched calmly on Huang's shoulder throughout the exchange, took flight. The sight of the bird in motion was a signal: Huang was ready to take things to the next level.

The crowd erupted in cheers, voices rising in a cacophony of excitement.

"He's so fast with that bow!" someone shouted.

"Li Jie, beat his ass!" another voice rang out.

Now standing at opposite ends of the stage, both fighters took a moment to assess each other once more.

"You're not bad," Li Jie admitted, his voice carrying over the hush of the crowd.

"You're worse than I expected," Yan Jin replied coolly, his tone betraying no emotion.

Li Jie smiled, a dangerous gleam in his eyes. In an instant, flames erupted from his hands, engulfing his axes and climbing up to his shoulders in a bright orange blaze. The temperature in the arena spiked, the heat radiating off him in waves.

Without warning, he blinked forward, lunging at Huang with a trail of fire behind him. His speed had nearly doubled, and this time, he took control of the battle. His axes, now blazing with fire, cleaved through the air with devastating force, each strike aimed to maim or kill. Huang's arrows met the flaming axes but melted upon impact, the sheer heat rendering them useless.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Huang found himself on the defensive, forced to retreat as Li Jie pressed his advantage. The once evenly matched fight now seemed tilted in favor of the veteran. Li Jie, sensing his moment, took a step forward and unleashed a powerful upward slash, his axe drawing a fiery arc through the air.

The force of the attack created a towering flame tornado that spiraled upward, engulfing Huang and hurling him across the stage like a rag doll.

The flames roared in the arena, casting flickering shadows over the stunned faces in the crowd as they awaited to see if Huang could recover from such a devastating blow.

Zhang Chi, lounging in his VIP seat, observed the battle with keen interest. "He's playing with his food," he muttered under his breath. Huang's earlier display of soul force had impressed him, but now witnessing the ease with which he manipulated blood energy left Zhang completely surprised.

A dual energy wielder was already rare—rarer still than most ancient bloodlines—but a dual wielder proficient in both soul force and blood energy? That was unheard of in Zhang's experience.

Luo Li, sitting next to him, couldn't help but chime in, recalling their prior encounter with Huang in the clearing. "You know him?"

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Before Zhang could answer, Nie Yang from the Golden Warrior Division interjected. "Of course he does. This batch of rookies was sponsored by his pavilion." He glanced at Yan Jin, now standing amidst the rubble from Li Jie's flame-infused attacks, and added, "Looks like your pavilion invested a lot, but I think you aimed too high. He doesn't seem ready."

Yan Jin, or Huang, dusted himself off with an air of indifference, casually patting out the flames that still flickered on his sleeves from the previous attack. There was no hint of strain, no sign that the powerful tornado of fire had phased him at all. His demeanor was calm, calculating, as if he were just beginning to show his real power.

Without a word, Huang began to bounce on his feet, a boxer's rhythm—each tap of his feet echoed into the arena. The shift in his stance sent ripples through the atmosphere. The temperature, which had spiked due to Li Jie's flames, suddenly plummeted.

Yan Jin exhaled deeply, and with that single breath, the entire arena turned frigid. Ice began spreading from his feet, creeping across the stage as the very air crystallized. The biting cold froze the once blazing floor, creating a sharp contrast to the inferno Li Jie had unleashed moments before. The audience watched, spellbound by the dramatic shift.

Then, in an instant, Huang disappeared from view, a gust of icy wind taking his place. He reappeared right in front of Li Jie, his sudden movement creating a shockwave so powerful that it sent Li Jie flying backward, the ground beneath them cracking from the force of his arrival.

Before the veteran could regain control, Huang vanished once more and reappeared behind him. Another shockwave rippled out, hurling Li Jie in the opposite direction like a ragdoll.

But this time, Huang followed through, unleashing a volley of arrows with terrifying precision. Each one struck Li Jie's golden armor, the impact not only denting the famed protective gear but also spreading frost across its surface. The once-molten flames that had engulfed Li Jie's weapons and armor were now extinguished, replaced by glistening ice.

As Li Jie crashed to the ground, the ice crackling around him, Huang landed gracefully, his footfalls barely making a sound on the now frozen battlefield.

The arena, already buzzing with energy, erupted into an even louder cheer as Huang's display captivated the spectators. The arena was alight with excitement.

"Damn! This Huang is sinister," one onlooker exclaimed, astonishment evident in their voice. "He hid his attributes so well in the fight with Duan Da. Who knew he could wield ice like that?"

"He's the perfect counter for Li Jie's flames," another person added, their tone of excitement. "Li Jie's fire is rendered almost useless against that freezing barrage."

"And he's even faster than before!" someone else shouted, clearly impressed by Huang's blinding speed.