Chapter 83: Chapter 83: The Man Of The Hour
Finally, it was the Inner Court’s turn.
All the top prodigies of the Inner Court began to compete according to the arrangements decided by a lottery system. The level of spiritual energy flaring across the arena instantly became several magnitudes higher.
Vahn was waiting for the right opportunity—a moment where a decisive move would yield the highest impact.
Very soon, that opportunity arrived.
Inner Court disciples from the White Lotus Sanctuary were suffering repetitive defeats at the hand of a single person.
An Inner Court disciple from The Zenith Spires (Divination Land) named Falco stood alone on a massive platform, arrogant and domineering. He pointed his great spear into the sky and roared,
"See this, My Master! I have defeated all the White Lotus Petals just as I swore I would! I have taken revenge for the shame years ago when Elder Siegfried from White Lotus defeated you so humiliatingly. And today, I have taken revenge from all of their proud Disciples!"
Hearing his declaration, the crowd didn’t think Falco was being arrogant—he had genuinely defeated all the Inner Court disciples from White Lotus with crushing finality.
"Oh my, is this all White Lotus has?" a seductive maiden from Gorgonia mocked from the sidelines, leaning on her spear. "And here I thought I might marry into one of them as a Dao Partner... What a shame!"
"Forget them. White Lotus is nothing without their Saintess," declared a young man from the same Zenith Spires. "They are losers. Marry me instead. I will keep you safe forever."
"Hehehe... That might actually be true, Warrior. White Lotus has no spine or power," echoed another voice.
All the other Holy Lands began to gang up on White Lotus, seizing the chance to mock them publicly. The White Lotus disciples felt a burning shame and humiliation, especially since this was happening on their own turf in the Imperial City.
Patriarch Dimidium, the leader of the White Lotus delegation, roared from his privileged seat, his face scarlet with fury. "This is ridiculous! Is there no one brave in our Inner Court to challenge him? Useless! All of you are useless!"
Still, no one dared to step forward. Most of their top warriors had suffered crushing defeats in Falco’s hands; his terrifying Power of Thousand Stars had shown no mercy to the White Lotus disciples.
The humiliation was complete, and the platform stood vacant.
Even Zephya, standing beside Seraphina in the main viewing platform, felt the sting of humiliation.
"Master, I am going," she declared, her usually gentle face tight with anger. "I am going to teach that rude person some lesson he would never forget."
Seraphina stopped her, holding her little hand firmly. "Just wait, Zephya. Someone is going to do that in your place."
Zephya’s eyes widened, seeing the same infatuated look on her master’s face—the look she reserved only for that person.
’Could it be... he really came back?’ she thought inwardly, a strange, burning anticipation running through her veins.
Meanwhile, Vahn, who had been sitting idle until now, suddenly stood up in their secluded Sky Viewing Box.
The Drunken Master raised a bushy eyebrow at him. "Where are you going now, boy?"
Vahn replied, his voice low but vibrating with feigned fury, matching his carefully crafted angry expression. "Elder, I cannot stand by while my seniors are humiliated. I am going to kill him."
The Drunken Master’s jaw nearly dropped onto the floor, spraying a mouthful of wine. "Pfft... Don’t speak nonsense, Brat! There is no need to get emotional. He is a Golden Core practitioner, while you are just Foundation Establishment. You cannot win!"
"Who said I cannot win?" Vahn’s tone suddenly turned domineering and loud. He met the Drunken Master’s wide-eyed gaze with an unyielding intensity. "As long as it’s a matter of our Holy Land’s pride and honor, I will win!"
With that dramatic declaration, he launched himself over the railing of the Sky Box and dropped like a falling meteor toward the arena floor.
BANG!
Under everyone’s awestruck eyes, he landed straight onto the battle platform where Falco had been cackling arrogantly just moments before. Stone and dust erupted and rose high into the air, momentarily obscuring the scene.
When the debris settled, Vahn’s figure was revealed, standing tall and resolute, holding a massive Greatsword in his hand.
Not just the Drunken Master, but every person in the ten-million-strong crowd was surprised by his sudden, reckless, and dramatic entrance. The entire colosseum blanketed into a shocked silence.
Falco, his spear still pointing triumphantly at the sky, slowly turned to face the newcomer. A frown replaced his arrogance.
"Who the hell are you now?" Falco sneered, eyeing Vahn’s figure, drapped in white and blue robes. "I finished my sweeping of the White Lotus trash. Get off my platform, Foundation Establishment ant!"
Zephya was puzzled after seeing an unfamiliar face. "Wait.. That’s not my master’s husband.. But why is master still looking with same gaze? What’s going on?"
Seraphina indeed looked at Vahn’s figure with love and affection in her eyes.
Vahn stood firm amidst the lingering dust, the enormous Greatsword resting on his shoulder. His voice, enhanced by a subtle spiritual technique, resonated clearly across the suddenly silent Colosseum.
"I am Damien Infernos, a proud Inner Court disciple of the White Lotus Sanctuary! Your petty insults against my Holy Land end here, Falco," Vahn declared, his tone cold and steeped in righteousness. "You claimed my sect has no spine? Then prepare to be crushed by the spine you failed to see!"
The moment the words left his mouth, Vahn moved.
He didn’t waste time on posturing. He lunged forward with devastating speed, the massive Nuclear Dragon Greatsword blurring as he channeled immense power into a strike.
Destruction Sword!
BOOM!
The air screamed as the greatsword slammed into Falco’s expertly braced Heaven Grade spear. The clash didn’t just meet a sound barrier; it created a localized shockwave that rippled out, causing spectators in the lower seats to instinctively shield their faces.
Falco grunted, his arrogant smile instantly wiped away, replaced by a face of shock and pain. The sheer physical force behind Vahn’s strike was utterly disproportionate to his supposed Foundation Establishment level.
Falco’s superior cultivation base might have held the spear steady, but the ground beneath his feet cracked into a spiderweb pattern, and he was violently pushed back several steps in this initial, devastating exchange.
The Colosseum erupted instantly.
"He pushed back a Golden Core expert with one blow!"
"Who is that young man with red hair? I’ve never seen him before!"
"Oh My! White Lotus has a hidden genius!" the White Lotus disciples roared, their
humiliation instantly forgotten, replaced by a surging tide of hope and fury.