Chapter Seventy-Five: The Final Match Begins!

"Please, big brother, let me follow you."
Amid the corpses of countless monsters, she gripped the hem of her dress tightly, her pitiful little face full of pleading as she gazed at the tall figure.
Chu Xinghe’s eyes were filled only with a faint indifference. "You’re too weak. If one day you can keep pace with me, then come find me."
Such a brief memory flashed through his mind. On the arena stage, Ye Lin’s eyes brimmed with resolve, her entire aura surging with fighting spirit. "I must win!"
Seeing Ye Lin assume the preparatory stance for [Thunderclap Flash], Cheng Feng’s heart tightened. "She’s copied Thunderclap Flash too? That’s perfect; let’s settle it in one strike."
He chose to respond with the same move, meeting force with force, his body lowering slightly, left hand gathering lightning at his right waist.
Thunderclap Flash!
In an instant, Cheng Feng’s entire body blazed with dazzling white lightning, the tiles beneath his feet shattering, the tremendous momentum hurling him forward like a streak of thunderbolt.
"I... will never lose!"
Ye Lin clenched her silver teeth, determination blazing in her eyes as she transformed into a streak of emerald lightning, surging forth with fierce momentum.
"Boom!"
In a flash, the two "lightning bolts" raced toward each other on the stage, the distance between them shrinking rapidly. Their drawn spirit blades, charged with thunderous force, clashed together in a single instant.
A violent shockwave erupted, causing the air to ripple and tremble. The immense power transmitted into the ground, cracking the tiles beneath their feet as shards of stone shot outward like bullets.
"Ahhh!"
Ye Lin poured every ounce of her spiritual power into her blade, her desperate desire for victory driving her adrenaline to its peak.
Cheng Feng’s eyes narrowed slightly, for the girl in green was changing before him.
Ye Lin’s emerald eyes suddenly turned red, her delicate, pale face twisting into something inhuman and fierce, the veins on her skin pulsing as her strength soared.
This... was a demonization?!
Though it was his first time seeing it, the word flashed through Cheng Feng’s mind.
He was deeply surprised. Earlier, he had sensed a monstrous aura within Ye Lin, and now she truly revealed a power akin to a monster’s.
It seemed she was not an ordinary person—or not entirely human.
Just like himself.
Yet Cheng Feng did not relax out of fascination. Even though Ye Lin’s strength had suddenly increased, it was still not beyond his ability to handle.
The muscles in Cheng Feng’s arm bulged as he unleashed his full strength. The light on his blade, Raikiri, blazed ever brighter as he pushed forward.
Their strongest blows crashed together, layers of shockwaves blasting away the dust and smoke, the arena shuddering as if an earthquake had struck.
The two remained locked in a stalemate for several seconds before the outcome was decided.

Despite giving her all, Ye Lin was still no match for Cheng Feng. Overpowered by his irresistible force, she was sent flying from the arena.
The announcer immediately proclaimed in a loud voice, "The winner! Cheng Feng!"
Even seeing Ye Lin fall from the stage in regret, Chu Xinghe’s expression in the VIP lounge did not waver in the slightest.
"Cheng Feng’s performance... is truly impressive," the chairman murmured. "Perhaps he really is up to the task."
"Yes!" In the stands, Cheng Yi bounced up in delight.
Liu Shiyu nodded slightly, silently conveying her approval of Cheng Feng.
"Oooh!"
"Ohhhhhh!"
The audience erupted in wild cheers.
On the big screen, the results of the semifinals were displayed:
[Cheng Feng vs. Ye Lin – Winner: Cheng Feng — Advances to Semifinals]
Standing atop the stage, Cheng Feng watched as the severely injured Ye Lin was carried away by medics, feeling a complicated mix of emotions. Her defeat in this match would surely deal her a heavy blow.
Glancing toward the VIP seats, Cheng Feng could see Chu Xinghe’s cold and unmoved demeanor, and could not help but feel a silent injustice for Ye Lin.
That man’s heart seemed made of stone. Ye Lin regarded him as her most important benefactor, yet he did not spare her a glance.
Since he was so cold, Cheng Feng was all the more puzzled as to why Ye Lin cared so much for Chu Xinghe’s regard. In the end, she was only tormenting herself.
With the semifinals concluded, the matchups for the next round were announced:
[Luo Ke vs. Wang Yuming]
[Cheng Feng vs. Duan Wu]
The next bout was about to begin—Luo Ke versus Wang Yuming.
"Impressive, Brother Cheng."
Just as Cheng Feng stepped down from the stage, Luo Ke approached him.
They slapped hands casually, and Luo Ke smiled, "Congratulations on making the semifinals. You even beat her—if it were me, I might not have been able to handle that copying ability."
Cheng Feng did not feel pride at the praise. "It was nothing. She’s still young, lacking in combat experience, and her ability use isn’t quite right. It was all brute force. There was some luck to my victory, too."
Luo Ke nodded, "Alright, wait for me—if I win this one, see you in the finals!"
Cheng Feng smiled faintly, "Do your best. Your opponent is Wang Yuming, right? He’s no pushover. Even Gu Yan lost to him earlier, so be careful."
Luo Ke inclined his head, "I know. I’ll just do my best."

Cheng Feng nodded, for he did have a certain respect for Luo Ke’s strength.
In the arena:
Wang Yuming had been waiting. Luo Ke stepped onto the stage, summoned his spirit blade, and said, "Sorry to keep you waiting. Let’s begin."
"This fight will be over quickly." Wang Yuming summoned his spirit blade, Sand Star, sand swirling around him as his aura soared.
"Arrogant, aren’t you? Looks like you’re underestimating me," Luo Ke narrowed his eyes, raising his blade.
The two quickly erupted into a fierce battle.
...
In the infirmary, all the contestants eliminated from the promotion tournament were recuperating.
Ye Lin lay on her sickbed, undergoing surgery from several doctors. Her eyes were dull, as if all light had vanished.
A setback she could never have foreseen had struck her heart.
She had worked so hard, yet still failed in the tournament. She blamed no one, only herself for being too weak, forever parted from the championship, forever parted from... Chu Xinghe.
In the end, she had broken her promise to him.
The girl in the gothic black-and-red dress lay in the neighboring bed. Recalling her own defeat at Wang Yuming’s hands, she grumbled in frustration:
"It was just a fluke. If I fought him again, I’d definitely win!"
"That’s enough, Gu Yan. Everyone only gets one shot at the promotion tournament—lose, and it’s over."
Jiang He, her fellow patient in the adjacent bed, chuckled. "Isn’t Luo Ke still in? You might as well pray he takes revenge for you and beats that Wang Yuming guy."
Gu Yan huffed, "Hmph! If I couldn’t win, how could that idiot Luo Ke possibly advance?"

...
Two thirty in the afternoon.
The final match began!
Perhaps Gu Yan’s words had been a bad omen, for in the semifinals, Luo Ke ultimately lost, and Wang Yuming advanced smoothly.
Meanwhile, Cheng Feng defeated Duan Wu and moved on as well.
The last match of the promotion tournament commenced!
[Cheng Feng vs. Wang Yuming]