Luo Feng gritted his teeth as the psychic shield around him weakened under the continuous barrage. He knew he could not keep defending like this forever. If he stayed on the defensive, he would eventually lose. He had to break the stalemate.
"Black Pattern, move with thought. Turn the tide!"
With a sudden shout, Luo Feng released the Black Pattern Blade. Wrapped in his psychic power, it shot forward like a bolt of black lightning, breaking through the blockade of ice needles and heading straight for Lin Mo. At the same time, Luo Feng abandoned his position and charged forward under the protection of his psychic force. He surged ahead like a cannonball, forming a coordinated attack from both front and back.
The move caught Lin Mo completely off guard. In haste, she raised her hand and formed a shield of ice in front of her. The Black Pattern Blade slammed into it with tremendous force. Although it did not completely shatter the shield, cracks spread across the surface like a spiderweb. While Lin Mo focused all her attention on the frontal attack, Luo Feng had already circled to her side.
"Watch your back!" someone in the audience shouted instinctively.
Lin Mo spun around, but it was too late. Luo Feng's fist, reinforced with psychic power, struck her ribs like an invisible hammer. The impact sent her flying several meters. She crashed to the ground and rolled several times before finally stopping.
She coughed as she struggled to get up. A trace of blood appeared at the corner of her lips. The two silver rings she relied on had nearly shattered in the impact, leaving only broken fragments hanging from her wrists. Yet her gaze remained firm, even sharper than before.
"As expected of a genius from the Xia Universe Nation," Lin Mo said, wiping the blood from her lips. Her voice trembled slightly, but it was still clear. "But do you really think I cannot use the Law of Water without external tools?"
She slowly raised her hands. This time, there was no glow from the silver rings. Instead, her entire presence became purer and more natural. The water in the lake surged again, but unlike before, the flow now felt smooth and harmonious, as if it had become one with her.
"What is this…" Rowan suddenly stood up in the audience, shock flashing across his eyes. "Law Manifestation. She has actually reached this level."
"Law Manifestation? What is that?" Thunder God asked in confusion.
Rowan's voice turned serious. "It is an important stage in the cultivation of laws. At this level, a cultivator can directly resonate with the natural element itself. No medium is needed to control it. Previously, she relied on the silver rings for assistance. Now she no longer needs them."
In the arena, tiny droplets began to form in the air around Lin Mo. They did not come from the lake. They condensed directly from the atmosphere. Soon, these droplets gathered into crystalline chains of water that circled her body.
"Witness my true power," Lin Mo said calmly. "Law of Water, Return of All Streams."
As her voice fell, every trace of water began to tremble. The lake, the ground, the air, even the sweat on Luo Feng's skin responded to her call. Within seconds, all the water in the arena gathered around her, forming an enormous sphere. Lin Mo stood at its center like a goddess of water.
"This is trouble," Luo Feng thought. He could feel the terrifying energy contained within the sphere. If he were struck, the consequences would be severe.
"Contestant Luo Feng," Lin Mo's voice echoed from within the sphere. "Your psychic power is impressive. But before absolute control of the elements, it is still too weak."
The sphere began to compress, becoming denser and more solid. Countless ripples appeared on its surface like dancing musical notes. Lin Mo gently pointed forward. The sphere exploded at once, transforming into countless water arrows that shot toward Luo Feng from every direction.
This attack was far more ferocious and precise than the earlier ice needles. The arrows curved gracefully through the air. No matter how Luo Feng moved, several of them pursued him relentlessly.
He released his psychic power to the limit, forming a hemispherical shield. Most of the arrows were blocked, but as the assault continued, his energy drained quickly. Weak points appeared in the defense. Several arrows pierced through, leaving deep wounds across his body.
"I have to break her rhythm," Luo Feng thought, enduring the pain as he searched for an opening.
Then he noticed something. Each time Lin Mo unleashed a large-scale attack, her feet remained firmly planted in a specific stance to maintain balance.
An idea formed in his mind.
"The ground."
Luo Feng suddenly changed his strategy. Instead of focusing solely on defense, he directed part of his psychic power toward the earth beneath Lin Mo. His force moved like an invisible plow, carving a deep trench under her feet.
Lin Mo remained focused on controlling the water arrows and failed to notice. When she prepared to launch her next attack, the ground beneath her suddenly collapsed. Her balance broke. For a brief moment, her control over the water weakened.
Luo Feng seized the opportunity. His psychic power erupted, forming an invisible shockwave that struck the massive sphere. Its internal structure destabilized. The water arrows lost control and scattered in every direction.
Without hesitation, Luo Feng grabbed the Black Pattern Blade and charged forward like lightning. Lin Mo hastily formed a water shield, but it was incomplete. The blade sliced across her shoulder, leaving a deep wound.
She cried out in pain and staggered backward, clutching her shoulder as blood seeped through her fingers, staining her combat suit.
The strike was not fatal, but it severely weakened her. Her control over the Law of Water faltered. The surrounding water fell like rain.
"Surrender," Luo Feng said, standing two meters away. The blade pointed downward, showing he had no intention of causing greater harm. "You are already injured. There is no need to continue."
Lin Mo lifted her head. Her deep blue eyes burned with determination.
"The battle is not over," she said softly. "I still have one final move."
She slowly lowered her hand from her shoulder, letting the blood flow freely. Strangely, the blood did not fall. It hovered in the air and merged with the surrounding water.
"Blood Refinement Water Spirit," Rowan exclaimed in shock. "That is a forbidden technique of water cultivators."
"What is that?" Thunder God and Hong asked at the same time.
Rowan's expression turned grave. "It uses the caster's own blood as a catalyst to temporarily enhance control over the Law of Water. The price is permanent damage. She is willing to pay it for victory."
In the arena, the water around Lin Mo turned pale red and formed a rapidly spinning vortex. Her face grew pale, but her eyes shone brighter than ever.
"Water Spirit, manifest. All waters return."
The crimson flow condensed into a humanoid spirit over three meters tall. Its body was translucent, streaked with threads of blood. Though its features were vague, the pressure it emitted was overwhelming.
Luo Feng had never seen such a terrifying ability, but he did not retreat. He steadied his breathing and prepared to face the final challenge.
The Water Spirit launched a violent assault. Its speed and strength were terrifying. Each strike shattered the ground. Luo Feng relied on agile movement and precise control to avoid most attacks, but several still struck him, worsening his injuries.
The atmosphere in the audience reached its peak. Everyone held their breath.
"Feng cannot last much longer," Thunder God said anxiously. "That spirit is too strong."
Rowan remained calm. "Do not forget. He still has one trump card."
In the arena, Luo Feng was indeed struggling. Physical attacks barely affected the spirit, and psychic power had limited effect. Yet he continued to observe.
Then he saw it.
"The blood threads."
Whenever the spirit unleashed powerful strikes, the threads gathered briefly into a concentrated core. That had to be its weakness.
But how could he strike it while enduring such relentless attacks?
Soon, the opportunity appeared. Lin Mo's stamina was rapidly declining due to the forbidden technique. Her control weakened. The spirit paused for a moment, and the blood threads began to flow irregularly.
"Now!"
Luo Feng hurled the Black Pattern Blade. Wrapped in psychic force, it shot toward the core. But just before impact, the spirit transformed into a curtain of water and avoided the attack.
"It is useless," Lin Mo said weakly but firmly. "The Water Spirit can change form and avoid any attack."
Luo Feng retrieved the blade and fell into deep thought. If ordinary attacks were ineffective, there was only one option left.
He remembered Rowan's words.
Psychic power was only a tool. True strength came from understanding the laws.
Luo Feng took a deep breath and closed his eyes, drawing upon the newly awakened force within him. It felt completely different from psychic power, deeper and more fundamental.
When he opened his eyes again, a faint golden glow covered the blade. This was the first manifestation of the Law of Metal.
"Metal overcomes water," he said quietly. "Let us test this theory."
He threw the blade again. This time, the golden light grew brighter, like a miniature sun. Psychic power and the Law of Metal resonated, forming a new kind of attack.
Sensing danger, Lin Mo commanded the spirit to attack with full force. It transformed into a raging water tornado and charged at Luo Feng.
He did not dodge. Instead, he focused entirely on guiding the blade.
The blade collided with the tornado. Golden light and water clashed violently, filling the arena with dazzling brilliance.
At the crucial moment, Luo Feng made an unexpected choice. He redirected the blade away from the spirit and aimed directly at Lin Mo herself.
The spirit was only a construct. Defeat its master, and it would disappear.
Lin Mo's expression changed in shock. She tried to recall the spirit, but it was too late. The golden blade pierced through the defense and stopped one centimeter from her throat.
"It is over," Luo Feng said calmly. "Surrender, or the next strike will not stop."
Lin Mo nodded helplessly.
Elsewhere, Rowan stood on the teleportation platform, dressed in a dark blue battle robe. Silver patterns at the collar and sleeves shimmered under the lights. His expression was calm, his eyes closed as if in meditation.
In the audience, Luo Feng, Thunder God, and Hong watched nervously. Although Luo Feng still carried the injuries from his battle, he ignored them, focusing entirely on the arena.
"This opponent is not simple," Thunder God said in a low voice. "Valendo Tal of the Silver Blue Empire. They say he is over three hundred years old. A true veteran."
Luo Feng nodded. "I checked his information. He is known as the Frost Hand and specializes in the Law of Ice. He has reached the mid stage of control. Brother Rowan is facing a great challenge this time."
Hong spoke quietly. "Although Rowan's Law of Fire counters ice, Valendo's experience is deep. He cannot be underestimated."
The virtual universe system began the announcement.
"Third round match. Xia Universe Nation contestant Rowan versus Silver Blue Empire contestant Valendo Tal. Rules: all methods allowed except lethal attacks. Victory condition: opponent surrenders or loses combat ability. Countdown begins."
Rowan slowly opened his eyes. His gaze was steady and profound, revealing a calm depth that came from years of studying the laws.
Across from him, a pillar of blue light appeared. A tall figure gradually emerged. Valendo Tal stood nearly two meters tall, wearing metallic armor embedded with countless blue crystals. His long silver hair was tied behind his head. His skin carried a faint bluish tone, a clear sign of long cultivation in the Law of Ice.
The decisive battle was about to begin.