Chapter 108: The Fire of Competition
The Fire of Competition
"You’ve got good strength."
"But your movements are too obvious."
The challenger gritted his teeth.
He charged once more.
This time his attacks came one after another, creating a storm of axe shadows.
Austin simply watched quietly.
Only when the axe was within arm’s reach did he finally move.
His hand reached toward the Black Mountain Saber.
SHING!
The blade left its sheath.
A sea of crimson flames erupted into existence.
The blazing aura swept across the arena like a volcanic eruption.
One casual slash.
That was all.
The enormous wave of fire swallowed every axe shadow before crashing into the challenger.
Boom!!
The man was sent tumbling backward dozens of meters before landing outside the arena with black smoke rising from his clothes.
Austin immediately sheathed his saber.
"Sorry."
"I used a little too much strength."
The defeated clansman stared blankly before bursting into helpless laughter.
"A little?"
"I couldn’t even block one move."
The surrounding disciples laughed with him.
Soon...
Another challenger stepped forward.
Then another.
Then another.
By the afternoon...
Austin had already defeated more than ten challengers without suffering the slightest injury.
Eventually, three Heavenly Genesis Realm cultivators exchanged glances before stepping onto the arena together.
"Brother Austin..."
"We ask to challenge you together."
The crowd immediately burst into discussion.
"Three against one?"
"Isn’t that unfair?"
Austin simply smiled.
"It’s fine."
"If that’s what you want..."
"Come."
The instant his words fell...
The three cultivators attacked simultaneously from different directions.
Sword light.
Spear shadows.
Palm strikes.
Every angle was sealed.
Austin slowly exhaled.
The Fire King Body awakened.
Crimson flames surrounded his body as terrifying heat distorted the air itself.
He raised the Black Mountain Saber.
One swing.
Only one.
BOOOOOOM!!
An ocean of blazing fire surged outward like a volcanic tide.
The three challengers were instantly engulfed.
Before they even realized what had happened, they had already been blasted out of the arena.
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Several disciples swallowed nervously.
"So..."
"That’s the Flame King’s true strength..."
Austin scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"I told you all to be careful."
"I really wasn’t trying to bully anyone."
His embarrassed smile only made everyone laugh even harder.
Meanwhile...
A different group had gathered around Damien Salvatore.
Unlike Austin’s lively arena...
Damien stood quietly beneath a giant ancient tree.
His black hair fluttered gently in the breeze.
His black eyes remained calm from beginning to end.
Several disciples whispered among themselves.
"He’s younger than most of us."
"Maybe he’s easier to challenge."
One confident young cultivator stepped forward.
"Brother Damien."
"Please teach me."
Damien gave a slight nod.
"Alright."
The challenger immediately drew his sword.
Sharp Sword Intent erupted from his blade.
He rushed forward without hesitation.
Damien, however...
Never moved.
He didn’t even reach for the Eternal Tribulation Sword resting behind his back.
Instead...
He simply looked at his opponent.
The next moment—
An invisible Sword Intent burst from Damien’s body.
No dazzling light.
No earth-shattering explosion.
Only pure...
Absolute...
Sword Intent.
The challenger froze in place.
Cold sweat instantly covered his forehead.
His sword trembled uncontrollably.
His hands shook so violently that he could barely maintain his grip.
His breathing became ragged.
In his eyes...
It was as though countless invisible swords were already resting against his throat.
One more step...
And he would lose.
Damien finally spoke.
"You’ve lost."
The young disciple lowered his sword with a bitter smile before respectfully bowing.
"I concede."
The surrounding disciples stared in complete disbelief.
"He..."
"He never even drew his sword..."
"That’s Heavenly Sword Intent..."
"No..."
"That’s far beyond ordinary Sword Intent..."
Damien merely nodded politely before returning to his quiet meditation beneath the ancient tree.
No arrogance.
No pride.
As though defeating his opponent had been the most ordinary thing in the world.
Elsewhere...
No one dared approach Nux.
The Blood Slayer sat cross-legged atop a lonely cliff.
His black hair swayed gently in the wind.
His crimson eyes remained closed.
Around him...
An almost tangible killing intent slowly drifted through the air.
It wasn’t violent.
It wasn’t chaotic.
It was simply...
Silent.
Pure.
Terrifying.
Several disciples instinctively took a step backward before they even realized it.
"I..."
"I suddenly don’t feel like challenging anyone..."
Another disciple nodded rapidly.
"I think becoming stronger first is a better idea..."
Someone else whispered,
"I finally understand why the Patriarch gave him the title Blood Slayer..."
"Just standing near him makes my heart tremble..."
No one noticed the faint smile that appeared on Nux’s lips.
He never intended to intimidate anyone.
His Abyssal Bodhi Slaughter Physique naturally released an aura that made weaker cultivators instinctively fear death.
By sunset...
The entire Salvatore Family had finally accepted one undeniable truth.
The Rank holders personally chosen by Patriarch Victor were not merely talented.
Each of them possessed battle strength that far exceeded cultivators of the same realm.
No one questioned Victor’s judgment anymore.
Instead...
Everyone became even more determined.
If those monsters could become stronger...
Then so could they.
The fire burning within the Salvatore Family had only just begun.
As the excitement continued to spread throughout the Salvatore Family, one person quietly watched everything from the peak of Sovereign Peak.
Max Salvatore.
His shoulder-length black hair swayed gently in the mountain breeze as he overlooked the bustling family below.
Everywhere he looked...
Disciples were cultivating with renewed determination.
Some sparred endlessly in the training grounds.
Others hurried toward the Mission Hall.
Groups of young clansmen discussed cultivation techniques while older elders debated ways to improve the family’s future.
The entire Salvatore Family had changed.
No...
It had been reborn.
A faint smile appeared on Max’s face.
"My big brother..."
"...you’re truly incredible."
He sighed softly.
Even the greatest families across the continent accepted internal conflicts as inevitable.
Branch families competed against the main family.
Elders fought for influence.
Resources were monopolized.
That was simply the reality of cultivation clans.
A stable path of development would already have been enough for most Patriarchs.
Yet Victor had done something entirely different.