Chapter 90: Chapter 90
Kain gazed up at Ethan’s indifferent gaze, and an overwhelming sense of defeat surged within him, bitter and unyielding.
How could this have happened? Ten years—a decade of relentless cultivation, a decade spent chasing Ethan’s shadow, always striving to prove his strength. Yet here, in a moment that felt stretched across an eternity, he realized the truth: he could not even withstand a single move.
His heart ached with the weight of loss and confusion, and despair gnawed at the edges of his pride.
Ethan approached, steps measured, presence as calm as the surface of Serene Mirror Lake before a storm. Stopping before Kain’s ruined form, Ethan met his eyes—no contempt in his gaze, only a gentle, undeniable certainty.
"Why... why are you so strong?" Kain managed, voice trembling.
"How did you do it?"
Ethan’s expression never wavered.
"No reason."
He spoke softly, almost as if coaxing a lost friend.
"Victory and defeat are common in battle. If you lose today, accept it calmly. It’s no great loss—not if you can keep moving forward."
Ethan’s eyes, clear and unwavering, held no mockery, only profound conviction.
"But if you chase strength only for the sake of beating others, for the sake of winning—then you’ve lost already," Ethan concluded.
"Haha... whatever you say is right, since you’re the winner," Kain spat, refusing to yield, even as his voice faltered.
"But... but... I can’t accept it!"
Ethan nodded, almost approving.
"Still so full of energy—good. But you need to learn your place, and rest for a while." Without warning, Ethan’s palm pressed lightly to Kain’s chest.
A deep, rumbling sound issued from within Kain’s body as Ethan’s essence and blood struck the core of Kain’s spiritual power.
The explosion of force reverberated inside him, and Kain’s eyes glazed over; darkness swept in and claimed him, his defiance snuffed out.
A hush fell across the arena—shock, awe, disbelief locked the faces of every spectator into masks of rapt attention.
On the viewing platform, Seraphina and the peak masters rose involuntarily, their faces painted with astonishment and incomprehension. Even the ever-composed Lilith’s eyes widened with surprise, unable to process the swiftness and finality of the result.
The silence was palpable; it clung to every disciple, biting sharper than the coldest wind.
Lilith’s eyes softened with pride. A smile tugged at her lips, visible even beneath her mask. "Your Highness, I told you—he’d win."
Ethan had crushed Kain in a single move. With such effortless power and speed, it was clear Ethan’s physical cultivation was comparable—perhaps even superior—to the Void Amalgamation Realm.
"This contest might as well be over now," Lilith mused in whispered excitement.
"Virtually no one in the younger generation can match the Void Amalgamation Realm at this age."
She shook her head, still muttering to herself: "I underestimated him... No wonder the Empress saw such promise in him years ago. He’s unique, reaching this strength with physical cultivation alone. How did he manage it?"
Lilith, with all her own experience in body cultivation, understood just how rare and arduous this path was. In the history of Azure Origin Dao Sect, none had ever achieved such strength without spiritual roots or the benefit of masterful guidance.
"Physical cultivation... Pure physical path. To accomplish this is unheard of," she whispered.
Seraphina’s emotions were more turbulent. Her fists clenched at her sides, brows drawn, delicate features shadowed by disbelief and cold frustration.
Defeat.
It hung between Seraphina’s eyes, etched in lines of stubborn denial.
She refused to accept it. How could Ethan—abandoned by talent, isolated from resources, forced to endure years of menial labor and cold torment in the Ancestral Tomb—have reached this height?
In the Azure Origin Dao Sect’s annals, never had a disciple without spiritual roots, relying solely on physical cultivation, attained such power.
Yet Ethan had done so, defying every tradition, every expectation.
As a child, Seraphina herself had visited the Ancestral Tomb; even she, without her innate Ice Spirit Soul Body, could not withstand its chilling energy for long.
Lesser disciples fell sick or faltered after only a few hours; Ethan labored there daily for years, facing the cold alone.
Long exposure to the tomb’s yin energy should have crippled him. Instead, it seemed to forge him.
"Physical cultivation—how can physical cultivation give such strength?" Seraphina shook her head in disbelief, seeking answers in Lilith’s eyes.
"Your Highness, some things defy logic. There are wonders and geniuses everywhere in this world," Lilith replied gently.
Seraphina bristled. "A genius... to you, maybe. I disagree."
Her words were icy, her gaze sharper. She refused to see Ethan as anything more than a lucky outcast.
"Maybe he stumbled upon a great opportunity in the Serene Mirror Lake..." she mused, desperate to explain what logic could not.
Lilith smiled faintly.
"Everyone has secrets. If you’re curious, you can ask him. Despite your conflicts, you could communicate."
Seraphina’s lips curled in disdain.
"Communicate with him? He’s not worthy."
Lilith said no more, understanding the depth of Seraphina’s pride—and the unyielding steel of her will. That temperament, she knew, could be both shield and wound.
Across the platform, the four peak masters exchanged glances, their surprise too great to hide.
Gale Reed, master of Serpentwind Peak, could only grit his teeth—his strongest disciple in this competition had been humiliated in the most public fashion.
He had spoken confidently only moments before; now he felt the sting of defeat. The seed player of Serpentwind Peak defeated instantly, and with so little dignity.
"This kid—!" Gale Reed’s jaw clenched as he bit back frustration. Losing was one thing; losing so completely was another.
Crimson Pine, master of Fire Phoenix Peak, gave a dry laugh.
"A physical cultivator without spiritual roots can fight like this... It’s no wonder the Empress noticed him. Elden, didn’t you just say you would give him to me? I’ll claim him now!"
Elden snorted.
"Dream on, Crimson Pine."
Though his words were light, Elden’s heart hammered with regret, remembering his earlier dismissive attitude. If only he had seen Ethan’s true potential sooner, he might have taken him as a direct disciple. Maybe now he had lost more than a star; he’d forfeited an lifelong genius.
"I made a mistake... Heaven help me, let Ethan not resent me too much for it," Elden sighed inwardly.
In the center of the stage, Ethan felt the intensity of hundreds, possibly thousands, of gazes—shock, envy, admiration, even fear tangled within.
Elder Dorian himself was stunned, lingering in a world of thought, the implications swirling in his mind.
Suddenly, Ethan’s voice, calm as ever, broke Dorian’s reverie.
"Is this battle not over?"
Dorian snapped to attention, recovering from his trance, and his voice thundered across the arena:
"In this Final match of the 1st Round, Azure Sky Peak’s Ethan wins!"
A/N:
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