Tower of Heaven

"The extended explanation of the combat circuit is also a short one. There will be thirty-three geniuses awaiting you in the stands of the arena. They will raise their hands if they wish to fight you. If multiple people volunteer at once, you may choose who you fight. You are allowed a break after every three fights, but if you do not take it, then you may compound your break time to be used at any point in the future, granted that you have won three battles in a row."

Once the cheers calmed down, the Elder explained to Atlas everything he needed to know.

Other than those few things, there was nothing left to say. He would keep fighting until either he defeated all thirty-three of them, or until they managed to defeat him.

He looked out into the crowd as the Elder finished her words.

"The combat circuit that has been withering away for a century will be revived today! Now, those of you who wish to take the first battle, make yourselves known!"

The Elder flew into the air and escaped the battleground. She moved to one of the highest seats in the coliseum. She would be overseeing the challenge from there.

Atlas moved his eyes to the crowd.

Not everyone present was part of the circuit. Many of the phoenixes in the stands were only present to observe the festivities. The thirty-three of them that he needed to worry about were neatly kept together in one specific part of those stands.

And at this moment, almost all of them had their hands up.

Feng Qingru was not a part of the fighting group. Feng Ziran, who greeted him at the gates of Genvera, was raising her hand with a fire in her eyes. As for Feng Yaohua, she was only watching silently.

She already knew who the first battle would belong to, after all.

Atlas’ eyes scanned with a purpose until he saw the person he was looking for.

It only took a second because she did not have her hand up.

He smirked and shook his head, pointing at her.

"Feng Jiahui, did you think you could hide within the rules of this competition? You were the one who challenged me back then in the hallway, so you will be the one to show your sistren who they are facing today."

Feng Jiahui’s face twisted menacingly.

These three hours had been spent differently for her.

She returned to her room, and through the pleading of the people who followed her, she took a peek at the Tower Forums to learn a little about the person she only knew as "Atlas" until now.

She did not reach the most recent pieces of news, such as his conflict with Dusk’s Sun Squadron, but she saw images of what happened during the Blood Moon Phenomenon and several discussions by people who had seen him throughout the Tower.

These discussions didn’t hold much weight and were only entertained by a few people, but the information she learned was concerning.

Rather than his strength, she was worried about his connections. Not only was he connected to the Tatsuya Clan, but there were also rumors that he had good relationships with Ars Goetia and even some ties to Heaven’s Eye.

Did she want to offend such a person?

’No, it’s too late for that.’

He had already called her out. She had every right to reject his words by using the rules of the competition in her defense, but the moment she did that, she would lose all credibility.

She would become a shame to the Feng Clan for starting a fight and then backing out because she was scared.

The moment he said her name, she was forced to face him.

She stood up to the surprise of the geniuses around her and floated down to the battlefield below.

"I was only staying silent because I didn’t want you to lose before you got the chance to accomplish anything. You won’t go crying to those behind you after this, will you?"

Atlas smirked and rolled his eyes.

"Is that what you have been worrying about? Fear not. Regardless of what happens, I will not involve anyone else in this conflict. Feel free to do as you please."

Feng Jiahui’s lips curved into a hateful smile.

"That is all I needed to hear."

Since his words were said with the entire Feng Clan as witnesses, he could not go back on them.

It was the least of Atlas’ concerns whether Feng Jiahui did her best or not, but he was also glad she asked the question.

’There were others in the crowd who also looked hesitant. Their faces have relaxed now that I’ve given them assurance. Rather than Feng Jiahui, they are the ones I wish to face at their full potential.’

As for Feng Jiahui herself…

Experience more on empire

Well, she had been useful enough by questioning him. Her importance ended there.

The Elder had heard of their conflict from Elder Siyu already, so she did not stop them. Once the two of them were facing each other properly, she stood up and raised her arm.

The voice that left her mouth was projected throughout the entire arena.

"Battle, start!"

They were the words that took Feng Jiahui off of her leash.

She immediately rose into the air, using some sort of wave of energy to keep herself afloat. Raising her arms before her, she summoned the flames that had been with her since birth.

[Flame Dominion]

Voom!

The small flame around her exploded in size, entrapping the entire arena in a sea of the same energy. It danced around her calmly and defensively, but as they moved closer and closer to Atlas, their attitude changed into one of hostility.

Feng Jiahui had taken the entire battleground under her control in a single move, but not a single person had trouble seeing into her domain barrier.

They could perfectly see the two figures within the fire.

One was floating in the air, gathering more qi to make her first attack, and the other…

Atlas held his arm out and allowed the flames to touch him. They singed his fingertips and made him feel their heat, but compared to what Feng Yaohua showed him earlier, this wasn’t really anything.

’It isn’t that her flames don’t have power.’

In fact, the pure force of Feng Jiahui’s flames was not to be underestimated. As the domain spread, its power pushed Atlas towards the edges of the arena grounds.

However, no matter how much power they had, what did it matter if there was no depth?

’Her flames are hot, but not hot enough. They somewhat resemble the phoenix flames I felt in the Trial of Fire, but they are not nearly as refined. She is surely backed by a level of cultivation that matches my own, but her Dao comprehension is not anywhere close.’

This was the kind of assessment that could be easily made after only a few seconds because Feng Jiahui manifested her power so boldly. Without hiding anything, she attacked with the singular goal of defeating her opponent.

Perhaps this had worked for her when she had three other people around her covering all of her weaknesses, but what about when she found herself engaged in single combat against a genius who specialized in such battles?

Atlas knew, Feng Yaohua knew, and even the Elder knew.

It only needed to truly happen for the rest of the Feng Clan to learn it as well.

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