World Devouring Dragon

The Imperial Martial Arena buzzed with disbelief. The Dragon Scale Tablet still shimmered with the remnants of Ron's overwhelming power.

A Qi Refining Realm disciple had achieved a score of 5,000?

The shock was too much for most to handle.

"This has to be a mistake!" one elder from the Skyblade Sect shouted.

"No Qi Refining cultivator can produce that level of force!"

But the tablet's readings did not lie.

Ron simply shrugged. "Maybe your brains are too weak to comprehend real talent."

This only made the other sects angrier.

The Growing Hostility

Ron's display of power had turned every other participant against him. No one wanted to acknowledge a Qi Refining cultivator surpassing Foundation Realm elites.

One of the stronger disciples, a Peak Foundation Realm genius from the Crimson Thunder Sect, stepped forward and pointed at Ron.

"You got lucky. But in the real battles, I'll make you kneel."

Ron smirked. "You can try. But don't cry when I break you."

The hostility in the air grew thicker. Nearly every sect now saw Ron as a threat that needed to be crushed.

Even the Emperor's expression was unreadable. However, the Princess smiled softly, her eyes full of amusement.

"Interesting…" she murmured.

The Second Round Announcement

An elder from the Imperial Sect raised his hand, silencing the arena.

"The second round will begin shortly. Rest and prepare yourselves. This time, there will be no tablets to strike—only real combat."

The disciples exchanged fierce glares, already picking out their targets.

Ron knew exactly what was coming.

Everyone would be aiming for him.

And that was exactly how he liked it.

The arena buzzed with energy as Ron stood in the center, his golden eyes glowing faintly under the sunlight. The audience, sect leaders, and even the imperial family watched him with mixed emotions. Some were intrigued, others dismissive.

"A mere Qi Refining cultivator… how far can he really go?" one elder scoffed.

Even the emperor himself, seated at the highest pavilion, looked unimpressed. "This Black Moon Sect truly has no one better to send than a child?" he murmured.

The princess, however, found herself unable to look away from Ron. Unlike the others, she sensed something deeper—something terrifying yet alluring. His presence alone was enough to draw her in.

But Ron didn't care about their judgment. His focus was on the battle ahead. The opponent standing before him was a Peak Foundation Realm cultivator, one of the strongest in the competition thus far.

"You should step down now," the opponent sneered. "You're not even worthy of drawing your sword."

Ron smirked. "I was thinking the same thing about you."

Without hesitation, the battle began. His opponent unleashed a barrage of sword qi attacks, cutting through the air with deadly precision. But Ron moved effortlessly, sidestepping each strike as if he could predict them before they even happened.

"How is he dodging so easily?" spectators gasped.

Ron was adapting. With every battle, his instincts sharpened. He allowed his bloodline to guide his movements, though he refrained from using its true power just yet.

"You're fast, but that won't be enough!" His opponent roared, releasing a powerful sword technique that shattered the ground beneath them.

Ron narrowed his eyes. It was time to counter.

With a flicker of motion, he unleashed Heaven-Crushing Slash—a devastating single-strike technique. The impact sent his opponent flying, slamming into the ground outside the arena.

The crowd fell silent.

"He… won?"

Ron exhaled slowly. But it wasn't over.

At that moment, the spiritual rewards from the sect elders activated within him. A powerful surge of energy flooded his body, rushing through his meridians and into his World Devouring Dragon Bloodline.

The transformation began.

Golden veins flickered beneath his skin as three more dragon scales lit up in succession. His aura exploded, shaking the very foundation of the arena.

"Impossible!"

Everyone watched in shock as five dragon scales now shone across his back, radiating a divine, oppressive force.

Ron clenched his fist, feeling the overwhelming strength coursing through him. He could now challenge Nascent Soul Mid-Level cultivators—a feat unheard of for someone at his stage.

The emperor leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. The princess, however, felt her heart race.

"This boy…" she whispered, gripping the edge of her seat.

The tournament had only just begun, yet Ron had already shattered expectations.

And this was only the beginning.

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[To be continued…]