Chapter 25: Three V Chapters Combined

Chapter 25: Three V Chapters Combined

025

On the night two days later, a throng of spectators poured into the arena of the Cyan World's exhibition match venue.

The upward-extending four-sided audience stands were filled with bustling crowds, as far as the eye could see. They had all gathered to watch the exhibition match between Spirit Rune Master Anken and the auction house president, Mark Xin.

While it was called an exhibition match, it could also be seen as Mark Xin's revenge match.

"How dare Anken accept this exhibition match? Does he think he deserves the 300 million star coin wager?"

"Anken is getting cocky. I'm here today just to see him get beaten!"

"For days, people have been praising Anken on the forums as the guiding star among the awakened ones, and it’s driving me crazy."

"The odds have shot up to 1:6000. Should I place a bet on Anken winning? Maybe I’ll hit the jackpot overnight?"

"I advise you not to waste your money."

...

Yi Moshang and Yi Qian were also seated in the audience.

Hearing everyone around them say that Anken was sure to lose, Yi Qian was so angry that his tail wouldn’t stop twitching.

Anken is a god!

No matter how strong, Mark Xin is just a man.

A god can never lose.

The teenage Yi Qian was indignant.

Yi Qian grabbed Yi Moshang’s arms with both hands, excitedly saying, "Bro, use all my allowance to bet on Anken winning!"

Yi Moshang said, "I’ve already bet 5 million on Anken winning. I’ll split it with you if we win."

"That’s great!"

Yi Qian contentedly wiggled the mechanical ears on his head. He suddenly felt something strange under his hands. "Brother, why are you so cold? Are you sick?"

"Ah... Ah-choo!"

After sneezing, Yi Moshang rubbed his nose. "I might have caught a cold!"

For the past two days, Yi Moshang had been testing new Spirit Runes in the Canglan World with Cang Cheng. He fully experienced what it meant to be frozen solid, calling out to heaven and earth but receiving no answer, and the terror of a drowning person.

Yi Moshang, who had always had things go smoothly for him, had been pushed to the brink of death several times by ANKEN.

Now, whenever he saw ANKEN's face on the big screen, Yi Moshang felt his whole body shiver—showing signs of PTSD.

ANKEN was truly terrifying.

How can there be a Spirit Rune Master like ANKEN?

However...

Yi Moshang was confident in ANKEN.

ANKEN won’t lose.

Soon it was 9 PM. A data light flashed across the host stage, and host Mi Mi smiled and began the opening speech: "Welcome everyone to the performance match at the Canglan World Arena. This performance match is between..."

Since Mi Mi hosted the live broadcast of ANKEN's Bronze Promotion Match, his popularity had skyrocketed. It was also because of that live broadcast that the organizers had invited Mi Mi to host today. After all, for such a highly anticipated performance match, countless hosts would have jumped at the chance to broadcast it!

He owed his sudden rise to fame to ANKEN.

"Grand President Mark Xin’s account is among the top 200 highest ranks, with a win rate of 73%. In his younger days, Grand President Mark Xin was a battle-obsessed maniac who spent every day stationed at the arena, but since taking over the auction house, he visits the arena less often."

"The Spirit Rune Master ANKEN’s account rank is... Silver." Mi Mi paused briefly when mentioning Silver.

It was no surprise that when the Silver rank was revealed, ANKEN, who rarely visited the arena after winning the Bronze Promotion Match and advancing to Silver, hadn’t played much.

"A Silver-ranked player actually dared to accept a challenge from a King-ranked player?"

"Tsk..."

"Hm..."

...

At once, the crowd erupted in jeers.

Mimi also noticed the significant gap in their ranks, but since ANKEN previously defeated an unknown top player's alternate account, Mimi now had a bias in ANKEN's favor.

"However, ANKEN, the Spirit Rune Master, has maintained a 100% win rate so far. We'll see if he can deliver an outstanding performance today.

The challenge is about to begin, so let's watch and see!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, two streams of data light flashed in the challenge arena.

On the left side of the challenge arena, Grand President Mark Xin stood tall, exuding an imposing presence. His brows were furrowed with hostility.

He looked as if he had been steeped in blood for days on end. Even though he had changed his clothes, he seemed to have left his past behind. Yet, the aura around him remained tainted.

Wearing his exoskeleton armor, Mark Xin gave the impression of facing an unknown terror.

"Boy, it's been a long time since I've wanted to teach someone a lesson this seriously."

Grand President Mark Xin said gravely, "You have talent. But in this exhibition match, I'll show you that untapped talent is worthless."

On the right side of the challenge arena, Cang Cheng was still clad in his wide cloak, wearing a mask with a white base and blue patterns covering the upper half of his face.

"Grand President Mark, you speak as if I am a heavy burden. They say you were once glorious, commanding many followers, which is truly admirable. However... now that you've reformed, you should focus on being a good president.

Otherwise, losing face in your old age would be a significant loss."

"Sharp-tongue."

"Thank you for the compliment."

Their eyes met, sharp and unyielding, neither giving an inch.

"Challenge start countdown: 3, 2, 1... Begin!"

The transparent barrier dissolved into particles of light, and without hesitation, Mark Xin activated the thrusters of his exoskeleton armor and charged at Cang Cheng.

At the same time, six mechanical arms extended, preparing to bind Cang Cheng.

The adjusted exoskeleton armor had an increased startup speed, fitting the operator more closely.

This made the seemingly bulky exoskeleton remarkably nimble to use, with no lag.

Mark Xin said, "Finally, the exoskeleton armor is behaving as it should."

Naturally, Cang Cheng wasn’t about to sit idly by.

The spirit rune plate dissipated at his fingertips, and wind wing runes materialized behind Cang Cheng.

An invisible wind stirred, lifting Cang Cheng’s robes.

Cang Cheng flew into the air, easily evading Mark Xin’s opening attack.

Mark Xin coldly snorted, "You think just because you’re in the air, I can’t handle you? Kid, the same trick won’t work on me again!"

The metal plates on the mechanical arms opened, and the wind pressure devices accelerated.

In the next moment, a violent gust of wind shot upward, straight for Cang Cheng in mid-air.

Before the performance match, Mark Xin studied the wind spirit runes. He invested heavily in modifying the exoskeleton armor to counter ANKEN’s wind.

All to win the performance match impressively.

"ANKEN, let’s see whose wind is stronger—yours or mine."

The swift wind clashed with the wind wing, and the edges of the beautiful wings displayed intermittent wind patterns.

The violent wind disrupted the air currents, making the wind wing harder to control.

Cang Cheng’s movements in the air became noticeably choppy, losing their fluidity.

"Your wind is still far inferior."

Mark Xin gave Cang Cheng no respite. He picked up the tracking electromagnetic gun and, without aiming, fired three shots.

At the same time, a rune on the gun’s body lit up, and a B-grade gravity rune activated.

The next three shots fired were capable of tripling the gravity within an 8 meter by 8 meter area! The effect lasted for 10 seconds.

Three bolts of electromagnetic energy transformed into lightning, rushing straight towards Cang Cheng.

Cang Cheng first took out the Wind Wall rune, blocking one shot.

The wind and lightning emitted a crackling sound, after which both dissipated into points of light, vanishing without a trace.

The wind wall could only block one attack; the remaining two attacks continued straight towards Cang Cheng.

The wings behind Cang Cheng flapped, allowing him to quickly adjust his position in the air, twisting his body and speeding up.

The movement looked extremely smooth, however… just as the tracking laser gun came close, his fluid motion abruptly halted.

It was as if he was flying through a swamp; every step forward was a tremendous struggle.

This was the effect of gravity!

Cang Cheng frowned and increased his magical control, but it barely made a difference.

"Tsk… this is quite hard to control."

The gravity not only affected Cang Cheng's flying speed but also squeezed his frail body and chest.

Mages typically have weak bodies, and Cang Cheng's body was even more fragile.

Cang Cheng started feeling short of breath, his face gradually paling.

He could almost hear his bones creaking in protest.

This was the first time Cang Cheng had been restrained in the Canglan Star Region.

Whether it was disrupting the Wind Wing's flow with air currents or using the gravity rune to exert pressure, it was evident that the opponent had thoroughly prepared.

This was a match specifically designed to counter him.

However… Cang Cheng was not the least bit flustered.

A slight smile appeared at the corners of his mouth, his mind calm: "Since moving is inconvenient, I'll simply stay put."

Cang Cheng turned to face the two lightning-fast attacks.

The wings behind him flapped rapidly, maintaining Cang Cheng's hover in the triple gravity environment.

Just as the two attacks were about to hit, he suddenly withdrew the Wind Wings.

The condensed wind suddenly dissipated, ruffling Cang Cheng's hair.

He used the last gust of wind to counteract the gravity and float down like a snowflake.

With a 'tap' sound, Cang Cheng landed on the ground. Above him, the two attacks, having lost their target, collided with each other!

A white flash exploded, blurring the vision.

It then turned into tiny white stars, scattering like fireworks.

As the white light faded, Cang Cheng had evaded Maxim's three gravity-enhanced electromagnetic attacks without a scratch.

On the ground, Cang Cheng's body shook slightly as he covered his mouth and coughed.

D-level endurance in triple gravity… it felt terrible.

Cang Cheng stated, "I hate gravity runes."

Once back, he would develop an anti-gravity rune to render the hated gravity runes useless!

Maxim didn't expect Cang Cheng to solve the problem of the laser tracking gun in such a manner; he expected the other to use three Wind Walls.

However, what does it matter if he dodges it this time?

Even if ANKEN could dodge the electromagnetic gun, could he evade the fully powered exoskeleton armor?

After a series of 'clank' sounds, Maxim's exoskeleton armor transformed. Six mechanical tentacles detached from the main unit.

Some parts transformed into three heavy cannons, hovering over the exoskeleton, while the rest formed shields upright in front.

The shields had gun ports at the top, allowing the user to defend and attack simultaneously.

Exoskeleton Armor: Integrated Offense and Defense Mode.

"Just now, although you managed to dodge it, how will you deal with the upcoming attack?"

Maxim didn't waste any more words as the energy storage lights on the barrels of the three heavy cannons on his head lit up, activating the automatic targeting mode.

The B-grade acceleration rune on his rapid-fire gun lit up as he switched his weapon to a rapid-fire gun.

The jet outlets on his back emitted scorching energy as Maxim, under the thrust of the propulsion system, charged towards the unsteady Cang Cheng. All weapons fired at once.

The shield was to defend against Cang Cheng's Chain of Wind Blades, while the other weapons aimed at turning Cang Cheng into Swiss cheese.

The Wall of Wind could only block one attack.

His rapid-fire gun could fire 22 shots per second. Even if the Wind Wall was unscientific, Maxim didn't believe Cang Cheng had 22 Wind Wall Spirit Runes around him.

Moreover, his rapid-fire gun had a total of 110 energy rounds stored.

The Wind Wings were restricted in movement.

The Wind Blades could be blocked.

The Wind Wall could not stop the assault.

The Spirit Runes ANKEN possessed were powerless against Maxim.

Maxim felt that victory was already his.

*

Mimi was fully focused on the commentary.

"Maxim charges forward, but ANKEN takes to the skies! He ascends again! He uses the Wind Wing rune to shift the battlefield to the sky. Air-to-ground certainly has its advantages..."

Before she could finish saying 'advantages,' Maxim's use of the exoskeleton's jet turbines to disrupt ANKEN's movements caused Mimi to lose her voice instantly.

To win against ANKEN, Maxim even modified the exoskeleton armor. Even such a modification would cost a fortune in the Azure World!

He really has more money than he knows what to do with.

"Way to go, Maxim!"

"What's with the wind and air! Under the exoskeleton armor, they're all useless."

"Hurry up and defeat ANKEN! I’m waiting to cash in!"

……

Mimi narrated: "ANKEN has landed on the ground, and he seems unwell. The gravity rune is having an effect on him.

Mark Xin has switched the mode of his exoskeleton. He’s actually using the offensive and defensive integration mode. Is he preparing to defend against ANKEN’s Wind Blade runes?"

"Mark Xin didn’t hesitate and launched his attack. He aims to secure a quick victory in this exhibition match!"

Spectators rose from their seats, already prepared to celebrate the victory in this exhibition match.

What? What genius spirit rune master, what light of the awakened ones? Against the exoskeleton, they are all insignificant.

Last time ANKEN managed to win by exploiting a glitch, but this time he’s definitely losing.

Can’t you see that ANKEN has been completely overpowered?

"ANKEN, withdraw!"

"The exoskeleton is amazing!"

"I wonder if any spirit rune masters will dare to cause trouble in the arena after this! Spirit rune masters should stick to drawing runes in their rooms!"

……

Mimi couldn’t help but worry about what might happen to ANKEN’s nerves if he suffers lasting effects from such a concentrated attack.

The Canglan World is virtual, but the sensations are synced with the real world.

However, when Mimi noticed that Cang Cheng’s lips were still slightly curled, he suddenly felt reassured.

ANKEN definitely has a hidden move.

And in the next second, what unfolded before their eyes left them speechless.

Both host Mimi and the spectators, who were ready to raise their glasses in celebration, were stunned, unable to accept what they saw.

The once-white challenge arena was instantly transformed into a light blue.

The surging, turbulent pale blue hue emitted the sound of rushing water.

A swift current appeared.

026

Confronting the well-prepared Mark Xin, Cang Cheng, despite being temporarily at a disadvantage, remained unperturbed.

Between his index and middle fingers, he held a brand new Spirit Rune board.

Cang Cheng originally wanted to test out more Wind Spirit Runes to gather data on the exoskeleton armor, but the gravity rune caused his condition to decline, so he prepared to quickly end this exhibition match.

Fluorescent blue magical energy flowed at his fingertips, and the Spirit Rune board activated.

The next moment, accompanied by the sound of rushing water, clear currents suddenly appeared in the empty arena.

Starting from Cang Cheng, the water rose steadily, forming a water wall within seconds.

The water surged, flowing ceaselessly.

Intermediate Water Magic — "Flowing Water"

It condenses water elements into a group, delivering impactful damage to the target. The influence of the water depends on the magical energy.

This is an offensive and defensive water magic, with the advantage of being practical and possessing an impressive force, but the downside is its extremely high magical power consumption.

When inscribed as a Spirit Rune, it is rated B-level.

With Cang Cheng's continuous input of magical energy, the water wall suddenly rose to a height of 50 meters, with rolling waves exerting immense pressure.

With a few rapid shots, all of Mark Xin's consecutive gunshots penetrated the water wall.

The bullets failed to leave a mark on the water curtain and were immediately absorbed by the water, leaving no trace behind.

The attack had no effect.

Mark Xin was stunned, blinking rapidly to confirm the reality of what he saw.

What on earth is this?

Tsunami?

This... How is this even possible?

Stop joking!

Just moments ago, he was confidently declaring his victory, but now he was frozen in place, unable to comprehend this phenomenon that defied logic.

How can I dodge this?

How can I defend against this?

Fly up? But there’s no time…

Confronted with a tsunami-like natural disaster, Mark Xin, like any other human, instinctively felt fear.

Even as an Awakened and equipped with high-tech exoskeleton armor, Mark Xin knew he couldn’t challenge the majesty of nature alone.

Cold sweat trickled down his temples.

The water rose to over 70 meters, and Cang Cheng, finding it sufficient, released the water in a deluge.

Cang Cheng’s lips were slightly pale, but his eyes shone brightly. "Watch out for the water, President Ma."

In the next instant, the 70-meter-high wall of water crashed down.

At first, it was a gentle trickle, then a dense, unyielding curtain, followed by an immeasurable tidal wave. The roar of the water intensified.

Mark Xin had no time to think.

He quickly switched the exoskeleton armor to full defense mode.

With a metallic clang, the exoskeleton armor disassembled and reassembled into an egg-shaped shell, tightly encasing Mark Xin.

In the darkness, Mark Xin was extremely nervous.

He tried to deceive himself.

He had to trust the exoskeleton; the tsunami… surely the exoskeleton could withstand it.

In the darkness, he heard a 'boom,' the sound of the wave hitting the metal armor.

The armor wobbled slightly but didn't collapse.

A look of relief spread across Maxim’s face.

Did it… did it hold?

This Spirit Runes doesn’t seem as strong as I imagined…

It’s not much.

Just as Maxim thought he had directly faced the tsunami, the 'thuds' continued relentlessly, as if counting down his doom, hammering against the defensive barrier.

Each impact made Maxim’s heart race.

The metal armor dented.

Under the relentless assault, first, a few energy rings dimmed, followed by a 'snap.' No matter how sturdy, the armor couldn’t withstand the water pressure. It fractured.

The armor fractured!

Water surged in immediately.

As the icy, forceful water hit Maxim’s body, he was still in shock.

The exoskeleton’s defense was breached so easily?

As the cracks widened and the swift currents flooded the cramped space, Maxim instinctively held his breath, realizing the gravity of the situation.

He tried to swim out of the exoskeleton’s spherical enclosure, but the powerful current pinned him, unable to budge.

He tried to deactivate the defense mode, but the high-tech system malfunctioned under the immense water pressure.

Maxim had no choice but to curl into a ball, protecting his head to ensure his safety.

The cold, heavy water battered him, causing pain all over his body.

He could even hear his bones cracking.

He was thinking.

Just a second ago, he was about to win, so how… how did it suddenly become like this?

How could ANKEN push it to this extent?

Who exactly is he?

Cang Cheng continuously channeled magical energy to maintain the output of the Flowing Water Spirit Pattern. As long as his magical energy input continued, the water flow wouldn’t weaken.

Only when he felt his magical energy was nearly depleted did Cang Cheng stop the input.

The Spirit Runes plate at his fingertips instantly shattered into fluorescent blue light particles, which drifted into the air.

In the challenge arena, the sudden artificial tsunami lasted nearly 30 seconds. After 30 seconds, the water flow gradually subsided and eventually vanished.

The white ground became very damp, yet clean and smooth, reflecting the cold white lights.

The water flow finally ceased…

Was Maxim still alive?

Humans were still too insignificant to face a tsunami…

ANKEN was a demon lord!

The spectators, whose jaws were almost dislocated, finally closed their mouths.

They stretched their necks, searching for Maxim, who had braved the tsunami.

Cang Cheng soon spotted his opponent Maxim, sprawled at the edge of the challenge platform.

His opponent looked extremely disheveled. Both his exoskeleton and clothes were damaged in several places. One of his hands was broken and dangled from his body in a twisted manner.

However, Maxim’s body still rose and fell, indicating he was still breathing. He wasn’t dead, and the system hadn’t judged him to have lost consciousness.

This surprised Cang Cheng somewhat, given the power of the spell.

It is worth noting that the intermediate water magic, Flowing Water, in the Siaxi Continent, with its pressure, could crush a person’s chest and cause death.

Maxim was visibly injured, but it was clear that the injuries weren't too severe.

It appeared that the exoskeleton armor had protected Maxim; that metal armor had proven somewhat useful.

"A tsunami couldn't finish you off, which is quite troubling..."

Cang Cheng looked troubled, feeling a bit at a loss.

Because of the gravity rune's influence and the rapid depletion of his magic, Cang Cheng felt uneasy.

He had assumed that a tsunami would suffice to end this challenge, but now it seemed he needed to try harder.

"Cough, cough."

Maxim spat out some water and struggled to his feet.

Half of the exoskeleton armor was crushed by the tsunami's immense water pressure, and the other half malfunctioned due to water ingress causing poor electrical contact.

In short, the exoskeleton armor was rendered useless by a B-grade Flowing Water Spirit Pattern.

The exoskeleton armor could withstand damage from A-grade thermal weapons and allow free movement under 1000 meters of water pressure for an hour. The fully enclosed insulation prevented it from conducting electricity easily.

However, despite being highly regarded across the entire star domain, and after data updates and adjustments, even with Maxim's specific modifications targeting ANKEN, the armor was once again easily shattered by ANKEN's Spirit Runes.

The exoskeleton was practically a laughingstock.

Maxim had once placed great trust in the exoskeleton armor, but now...

Better not to dwell on it.

Encased in the cold flowing water, facing what seemed like an irreversible situation, Maxim thought about many things.

The alley fights of his youth,

The comeback from a desperate situation in the rain,

Never backing down until the bitter end...

Maxim had once been a hot-blooded youth who won against the odds, securing his position as a crime boss through a battle strategy of trading injuries for victory and formidable personal strength.

Ever since he turned from black to white and fell from grade A to grade B, Mark Xin transformed. Perhaps it was because the outside world was too captivating, or maybe his own mindset had shifted, but Mark Xin had become arrogant, ambitious, and impetuous.

He neglected his personal training and instead became enamored with high technology.

If it weren't for his exoskeleton being easily shattered by ANKEN today, and if the tsunami hadn't stirred his fear and will to survive, Mark Xin might have continued to drown in false illusions.

But now, Mark Xin had awakened, and he had come to a crucial realization. Inner strength was the true and eternal reliance, not external aids!

Mark Xin took off his battered exoskeleton and tossed it aside.

He undid his shirt buttons, revealing his strikingly muscular arms.

He corrected his attitude and spoke seriously to Cang Cheng.

"I was arrogant before and underestimated you. Even though I made numerous pre-combat adjustments targeting your spirit runes, I was utterly defeated.

Spirit Rune Master, you are formidable."

Awakened by the powerful water current, Mark Xin's warrior spirit rekindled, and his entire aura underwent a transformation, becoming focused and intense.

If before he had been like a vulnerable stone clad in steel, now he had become like resilient rock honed by the relentless force of a waterfall.

Mark Xin stepped back, adjusted his stance, and crouched lower.

With his uninjured hand, he made an inviting gesture.

"Let’s fight seriously, ANKEN."

Cang Cheng could sense the change in Mark Xin's aura and thought to himself, 'This is problematic.'

Having encountered many people in his time, Cang Cheng naturally knew that Mark Xin's warrior spirit had been ignited, but... how could he, a delicate mage, possibly face in close combat a warrior brimming with overwhelming fighting spirit?

Cang Cheng tapped his mask with his finger. "Old man, your exoskeleton is damaged, and you’re also quite injured. I don’t want to take advantage of an elder. Why don’t you just concede?"

"Surrender? The word doesn’t exist in my vocabulary!"

Maxim’s momentum surged again: "ANKEN, even though you destroyed the exoskeleton armor, I haven’t lost. You must defeat me to win this exhibition match."

"How troublesome."

Cang Cheng reluctantly pulled out two more Spirit Rune boards.

Cang Cheng wasn’t fond of dealing with single-minded warriors or overly righteous knights, as both talking and competing with them left him feeling drained.

Unfortunately, Maxim was precisely the type who clashed with Cang Cheng’s aura.

However, Cang Cheng had no choice but to accept the challenge.

Seeing Cang Cheng pull out the Spirit Rune boards, Maxim ceased speaking.

His leg muscles burst with power, and he charged forward like a gust of wind.

Despite falling from an A-grade to a B-rank Awakened, Maxim’s physical attributes and former combat instincts made him far more formidable and threatening than a newly enrolled male college student.

With his D-grade physical strength, Cang Cheng could barely see his opponent’s movements with the naked eye, and could only rely on the sound of Maxim’s footsteps splashing on the water to determine his direction.

Should he consider getting a Magic Eye to enhance his vision?

With this thought, Cang Cheng infused magic into the Spirit Rune boards.

Spirit Rune boards, activated.

"Wind gathers speed the fastest, while water is the hardest to defend against. Now that the entire arena is covered in water, can you guess what I’ll do with it?"

Cang Cheng smiled and explained calmly.

Soon after, the water on the ground levitated, following Maxim’s movements.

Even though Cang Cheng couldn’t clearly see Maxim’s movements, it didn’t matter—the water could sense them.

No matter how fast Maxim ran, in an arena filled with water, every step he took was impeded.

His entire foot was enveloped in water, and just as he tried to break free with his speed, every step he took was on water.

This water-covered arena was like a fish in water for a mage who excelled in water elements.

For Maxim, however… it was an inescapable nightmare.

The water flowed up to Maxim's ankles, enveloping his lower body, and the droplets on him became a deadly seal that confined him.

In just three seconds, Maxim was completely enveloped by water.

The Elemental Water Magic: Level 1 "Water Prison," with a Spirit Rune Rank C.

It forms a water cage around the designated target, trapping them for 60 seconds. When used in areas with water, the formation speed is three times faster.

The Water Prison is a spherical cage with a diameter of one meter. Its surface is crystal clear, with water flowing and rippling gently.

The interior of the Water Prison is filled with water, making it impossible to breathe.

Maxim attempted to touch the outer wall of the Water Prison with his hand, trying to break free.

However, the water acted like a layer of gel, changing shape according to Maxim’s movements and firmly locking him inside.

This was essentially an all-purpose cage that could stretch and contract freely!

"Water is versatile and soft, but it can also be solid and cold," Cang Cheng said, infusing magic into another Spirit Rune plate in his hand.

"This is a Spirit Rune plate I just created; please forgive me if I can’t control it well, President Ma."

The Spirit Rune plate dissipated into beautiful fluorescent blue particles. Then, the temperature of the challenge arena, which had been constant, dropped sharply.

‘Crack, crack,’ the sound of ice forming echoed, and a faint frost spread like mist. The source of the freezing sound was clearly Maxim’s Water Prison.

The Water Prison had frozen over!

The Intermediate Elemental Water Magic: Ice Derivative — ‘Freeze,’ with a Spirit Rune Rank B.

It freezes the designated target. When used in areas with water, the magic consumption is halved.

Trapped in the water prison, Mark Xin was helpless.

He tried to struggle, but the surrounding water enveloped him tightly, rendering him immobile.

He attempted to draw his gun, but… the waterproofing on these virtual weapons was inadequate. The core igniter failed, rendering them useless.

The water became cold, became solid, gradually freezing him, starting from his limbs.

Mark Xin felt the chill, sensed his blood thickening, and realized he could no longer regulate his body temperature.

Amid the cold and hypothermia, Mark Xin glared defiantly at ANKEN.

The other was young, with exceptional combat awareness, composed and unfazed by adversity.

ANKEN and Mark Xin were completely different types of people, but it was undeniable that ANKEN was strong.

At ANKEN's age, he doubted he could match him!

I have no regrets losing to you, ANKEN.

Mark Xin sank into the cold darkness, becoming an ice statue.

"Challenger ‘Mark Xin President’ has lost consciousness."

"Victor, ANKEN!"

Golden flowing text and digital confetti floated in the air. Cang Cheng pressed his slightly pale lips together, revealing a relieved smile.

027

"Good heavens! What just happened? ANKEN actually used a Spirit Rune to generate a tsunami!"

Host Mimi's voice trembled with excitement, to the point where his voice shook. "This is unimaginable, it's astounding!"

As everyone expected ANKEN to be overwhelmed by the fully operational exoskeleton armor, an unexpected turn of events unfolded in the arena.

How did such a vast amount of water appear?

And how did it produce such towering waves?

Is this really what Spirit Patterns can do?

Could this really be happening?

The entire arena was so stunned that it fell silent. Everyone opened their mouths but couldn’t even manage a sound.

Then, they saw the upgraded exoskeleton armor crumble like paper before the massive tsunami.

They saw Mark Xin, who was left on the brink of death by the tsunami, discard the battered metal. His aura solidified, and he exuded intense battle spirit.

"President Ma is still sharp! Can ANKEN, with his slight build, really handle this?"

"His last name isn’t Ma… How did you get swayed by ANKEN too?"

"Even if ANKEN loses today, he has already become a legend in one battle. Creating a tsunami in front of so many people, who else could pull that off?"

……

Mark Xin moved swiftly and powerfully.

In contrast, ANKEN wobbled, barely standing, his lips pale.

Can ANKEN really come out on top?

That seems pretty tough!

However, reality once again proved them wrong.

Who would have thought that the water in the arena could transform into a cage, trapping Mark Xin so securely?

Oh my god?

Water… can it really be used this way?

Suddenly, it feels like anywhere with water is incredibly dangerous!

And then, when the water prison in the arena instantly froze into an ice sculpture, the seated audience could no longer contain their excitement and stood up one after another.

"F***! F***!..."

Host Mimi let out a lot of curses that were blocked by the system due to overwhelming excitement.

"Unbelievable! Truly unbelievable.

After ANKEN had already used Spirit Runes to create a tsunami and a water prison, he actually changed the form of the water into ice! This is truly unexpected. What the hell!

He is simply a god."

Mimi felt that ANKEN had surpassed the boundary of the Awakened, surpassed the conventional understanding of the Awakened, and gone beyond everyone's imagination.

If this isn't a god, then what is?

Those who originally supported Mark Xin, supported the exoskeleton armor, supported the Spirit Warriors, however stubborn they were, however much they resisted acknowledging the strength of the Spirit Runemasters, in the face of unmatched power, in the face of a worldview that shattered repeatedly, they couldn't help but admit the awe before their eyes.

Strong.

ANKEN is truly strong.

They are convinced.

ANKEN deserves the respect of everyone.

In the Canglan Starfield, where the strong are respected, ANKEN earned a place in everyone's hearts with unmatched power and dignity.

Mimi: "The system has determined that Mark Xin has lost his combat ability, let's all shout together, the winner of this match is..."

The entire arena shouted one name: "ANKEN!!!"

Spirit Rune Master ANKEN, the undisputed champion.

*

Yi Moshang knew the moment he saw the tsunami that this round was in the bag.

He was someone who had been haunted by the tsunami several times in training.

Yi Moshang could only use an A-grade speed rune to run out of the tsunami's range before it hit, to avoid being crushed by the water pressure.

And when Yi Moshang saw the water prison turn into ice, he suddenly felt a chill, he instinctively wrapped his arms around himself, rubbing his arms to generate warmth.

This was the moment.

It was this ice that left a lasting psychological impact on him, making him wear a sweater even in the peak of summer.

Being a training partner for ANKEN was undoubtedly painful, guaranteed to lose.

However, precisely because of the constant losses and the continuous challenge to his common sense, Yi Moshang's resolve became stronger and more resilient.

He felt that regardless of how extraordinary the spirit runes or weapons he encountered in the future, he would never be so stunned that he couldn’t react.

After all, there’s probably no one more surprising than ANKEN, right?!

Yi Qian's tail flicked quickly behind him. "ANKEN is amazing! He is my idol, my god!

I'm going to follow ANKEN in the future, big brother, you’re too weak."

Yi Moshang felt like his heart was stabbed by his younger brother's words.

"Little Qian, I'm still pretty good, you know..."

"Can you beat ANKEN?"

Yi Moshang froze completely.

Of course, he couldn’t.

"If you can’t beat ANKEN, you’re weak, big brother. You have to work hard to become stronger! Otherwise, you'll be disdained by ANKEN."

Yi Qian solemnly patted Yi Moshang on the back, adopting a posture of 'I'll cheer for you, so work hard.'

"By the way, big brother, didn't we win tens of millions just now?"

Yi Qian's mechanical cat ears twitched quickly. "Can I get a lot of pocket money now?!"

Because the exhibition match was so thrilling, Yi Moshang almost forgot about the bet.

Yi Moshang had bet 5 million, with a maximum payout of 10 times.

So... he easily earned 50 million, woohoo, pretty satisfying.

Yi Moshang: "I'll give you 5 million when we get home, just don’t do anything illegal."

Yi Qian hugged him tightly. "You're the best, brother! I love you, brother!"

Almost simultaneously, the previously unified shouts of 'ANKEN' were suddenly replaced by intermittent moans.

"Ah... my money’s over. I bet 100,000, and now it’s all gone."

"Don’t even mention it, I did too..."

"Why didn’t I bet on ANKEN winning? The odds were capped at 10 to 1; if I had bet 1,000, I would have won 10,000!"

"I won’t be able to pay my mortgage."

...

An impressive demonstration match ended with the crowd feeling both disappointed and excited.

The disappointment stemmed from losing money.

Of course, a few people did win.

For instance, Yi Qian, Simon, Philip, and Cang Cheng himself. Cang Cheng made a modest profit of 200 million, plus 300 million from the bet, earning 500 million in one night.

However, Cang Cheng promptly transferred 400 million to Simon to buy a temperature control system and begin renovating the area around Central Plaza.

The money hadn’t even warmed his hands before it was spent, but Cang Cheng didn’t feel regret. It was all for the improvement of his planet; these expenses were essential.

After leaving the holographic world, Cang Cheng realized his physical condition was worse than expected.

All his bones ached, and his breathing was labored, weighed down by the gravity rune.

He felt dizzy and lightheaded, a result of excessive magic consumption.

He swore he would ban the gravity rune in two days!

This cursed Spirit Rune would never be used in front of him again.

Cang Cheng closed his eyes to rest for a while, and only when he had regained some strength did he open his eyes again.

His face was still somewhat pale.

Reflecting on the entire match, Cang Cheng realized another major issue was his insufficient magic endurance.

He was no longer the forbidden spell mage with ample magic supply that he once was, but just an average mid-level mage.

He needed to prepare some mana-gathering runes to quickly restore his magic.

He should also stock up on mana recovery potions, though he was unsure if Mù Xīng could formulate them.

Hmm... he should prioritize these items.

Cang Cheng certainly didn’t want his future matches to be so embarrassing.

After disconnecting, Hilmeth approached Cang Cheng.

The three water-themed spirit runes, Hilmeth had seen them when Cang Cheng tested the runes on Yi Moshang.

Today, during the performance match, these unexpectedly impressive runes were revealed to the audience, allowing more people to see the exquisite craftsmanship of Cang Cheng’s runes.

Cang Cheng was gradually becoming increasingly dazzling.

Hilmeth’s voice, rarely carrying a note of amusement, said, "Congratulations, you performed brilliantly in the match."

"Ah..."

Cang Cheng’s voice, unusually tinged with weariness and a bit soft, still carried his usual confidence.

"Wasn’t that expected?"

Hilmeth agreed inwardly.

"Indeed, you are very impressive."

Praised by Mo, Cang Cheng felt a sense of satisfaction rise in his heart.

For Cang Cheng, receiving recognition from others and from Mo were entirely different.

"It’s also thanks to your excellent teaching, Mo."

Hilmeth shook his head in disagreement.

Reflecting on his time with Cang Cheng, he hadn't taught him much about spirit runes, aside from teaching him the basics of being an Awakened and the planet’s development plans.

Cang Cheng had become so outstanding on his own.

"Come to think of it, I just fought the Vice President last time, and then suddenly this Mark Xin President showed up... In a few more weeks, will some President Zhou or President Niú challenge me again?"

Cang Cheng seemed troubled. "Although I'm happy to be making money from them, I really don't like fighting."

From two exhibition matches, Cang Cheng had earned a total of 515 million Starcoins. He had made a lot of money, but he was also quite tired.

He rubbed his temples with pale fingers, easing his fatigue.

"No," Hilmeth replied. "Mark Xin President was quite spirited in his youth, but his personality changed after he became the president of the auction house.

Through this match, he rediscovered himself, turning a misfortune into a blessing. No one from the auction house will bother you again."

However, others might come to challenge him.

But it’s best not to mention this unpleasant possibility to Cang Cheng for now.

Hilmeth noticed Cang Cheng’s furrowed brow and pale lips, which made him look very uncomfortable.

"Are you alright?"

"I’ll be fine after resting a bit more..."

As Cang Cheng tried to push himself up from the table, he swayed unsteadily.

Dizziness hit him, and his consciousness grew hazy. "Hilmeth, I’m so dizzy..."

As soon as he spoke, he toppled to one side.

Hilmeth instinctively reached out his hands.

He thought he wouldn’t catch Cang Cheng like before, but a light weight now lay in Hilmeth’s arms.

Slender, with a faint scent of flowers and grass, and somewhat soft.

Hilmeth’s red-gold eyes contracted sharply.

The tip of the tail wrapped around his leg, its fur suddenly bristling.

He had indeed caught Cang Cheng.