No one in the audience found it odd that Tian Lei entered without his beast by his side this time. After all, resonance wasn't some rare, unreachable technique—it was something every cultivator could achieve with enough time and discipline. Most could learn to merge with their beasts within a few years of cultivation; geniuses managed it in one.

Tian Lei, being one of the more mysterious competitors, was simply assumed to have mastered it early.

After all, in his last battle, everyone saw his "golden sun bird" resonance—a dazzling display of golden light and heat that matched perfectly with the traits of a high-grade beast. None suspected it was an illusion woven from his magic instead of a true beast.

So when he stepped onto the golden arena again, calm and unarmed, no one questioned it. They just thought he was preparing to enter resonance again when the fight began.

Shen Du, his opponent, sneered across the stage. "Still acting like you're above the rest of us, huh? No beast again? Let me guess—you'll just use resonance to defeat me?"

"Guess without it, you're nothing," he added mockingly.

Tian Lei looked at him as if he were an idiot. "Are you an idiot?"

"What?" Shen Du snapped, glaring.

Tian Lei shrugged casually. "Why wouldn't I use resonance and fight handicapped? Of course, I'll give it my all."

Shen Du fell silent, his smirk faltering as the audience exchanged thoughtful glances. He… wasn't wrong. Why shouldn't a competitor use resonance if their opponent couldn't? It wasn't never a fair fight either way.

"You'll regret this," Shen Du said coldly, summoning his power.

His Shade Serpent flickered behind him, scales glinting with dark violet light. Shen Du's tone carried both irritation and envy; unlike true prodigies, he had yet to achieve full resonance. He relied heavily on his serpent's instincts, never truly moving in perfect harmony with it.

Tian Lei said nothing. His stillness only deepened Shen Du's frustration.

"Tch. Fine, let's see how strong this 'resonance' of yours really is!"

Dark flames burst from Shen Du's arms, crawling up his twin blades as he slashed forward. The serpent lunged with him, its violet scales gleaming, and streams of black fire tore through the air like writhing serpents.

The first strike hit Tian Lei's form—only to pass straight through.

The crowd gasped. "An afterimage!?"

Before Shen Du could react, Tian Lei's voice came from behind him, calm and cutting. "You rely too much on your serpent."

A faint golden shimmer rippled in Tian Lei's eyes as he invoked Spatial Ripple: Second Layer. The air twisted like liquid gold. In an instant, a pulse of power blasted outward, sending Shen Du stumbling back, cracks spiderwebbing across the arena floor.

The Shade Serpent reared up, unleashing a storm of black flames that flooded the entire stage. The fire raged like a living inferno, its heat distorting the very air—until a surge of brilliant gold tore through it.

A single wave of holy fire—pure, radiant, and blinding—split the darkness apart.

Tian Lei stepped through the golden blaze, unharmed, his calm expression unshaken. "Resonance isn't about noise or display," he said softly. "It's about control."

The ground beneath him glowed. A golden sigil formed, spinning slowly—Golden Brilliance Blast

A blinding shockwave erupted. The impact shattered Shen Du's guard, and his serpent was instantly consumed by the radiant flames, disintegrating into motes of light. Shen Du collapsed to one knee, his aura flickering and faint.

When the smoke cleared, Tian Lei stood untouched at the center of the glowing stage.

"Winner—Tian Lei!"

The referee's voice rang across the arena, followed by a roar of applause.

But beneath the cheers, murmurs spread through the stands.

"He didn't really use full resonance this time…"

"Still, that golden fire—it looked exactly like it!"

"Maybe it was some secret technique?"

No one knew the truth.

Only Tian Lei did—what they believed to be the manifestation of his "Golden Sun Bird" was, in fact, his own spell: Golden Holy Flames, born entirely from his magic.

The battles that followed unfolded in a relentless rhythm, one after another, as the qualifiers pushed deeper into their final stretch. Each arena blazed with energy—roars, explosions, and the cries of spirit beasts echoing like thunder across the coliseum.

The Golden Arena in particular became the center of attention. After Tian Lei's overwhelming victory, every spectator's gaze lingered on him, their whispers trailing from one corner to another.

"That technique… the control, the precision…""He didn't even break a sweat.""Maybe his beast's resonance amplifies his mental focus rather than raw power?"

Speculation filled the air like sparks, but Tian Lei ignored it all. He simply stepped back into the waiting area, eyes half-lidded, conserving energy.

Meanwhile, the other arenas roared to life.

In the Silver Arena, Wu Long stood out effortlessly. His Azure Dragon's phantom coiled above him, radiating both majesty and suppression. Every opponent who faced him crumbled under the pressure of his dragon's aura before he even unleashed a single attack. Wind and water spiraled together in violent harmony, forming a storm that carved through the stage.

By the end of his match, his opponent was flat on the ground, trembling, unable to move. The referee could barely speak over the gale when he declared, "Winner—Wu Long!"

Up in the viewing platforms, a few elders exchanged quiet glances.

"That boy's dragon has advanced again. Its aura feels… purer."

"He must have refined his beast's core essence between rounds. Impressive."

In the Bronze Arena, a young woman named Xue Lan dominated with a completely different style—no flames, no thunder, no beasts that roared. Her snow-white falcon cut through her opponents with silence and speed. Every motion was deliberate, cold, and precise. Within seconds, her resonance turned the entire arena into a frozen plain.

As her last challenger fell to one knee, encased in ice, the announcer raised his hand."Winner—Xue Lan!"

The final Iron Arena match ended with an earth-shaking roar. A massive crimson ape smashed its fists against the ground, creating shockwaves that shattered the barrier. Its master, Huo Ren, stood tall amid the dust, his fists glowing with molten light.

The crowd erupted, chanting his name as flames still flickered from his knuckles."Winner—Huo Ren!"

With that, the final tally was clear—four names remained at the top of the qualifiers:

Golden Arena Champion – Tian Lei

Silver Arena Champion – Wu Long

Bronze Arena Champion – Xue Lan

Iron Arena Champion – Huo Ren

The elders hovering above the stage stood and announced together, their voices merging into a booming declaration that silenced the crowd.

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