The silent clash of the first move immediately escalated into a catastrophic exchange. Both Saintesses, recognizing the formidable nature of their opponent, unleashed the pinnacle of their Cultivation Arts.

​The arena was instantly plunged into a battle between the unpredictable chaos of Cosmic Fate and the perfect, terrifying control of Absolute Ice.

​

​Evelina, with her chilling discipline, sought to lock down the entire battlefield, nullifying Celestine's destiny-altering tricks.

​• Glacier Needle Thrust (Absolute Ice Strike):

Using her thin, light sword, Evelina focused her energy into an infinitesimally thin needle of compressed, absolute zero ice. This was a precision strike, designed to breach Celestine's defenses at their weakest point, striking with unparalleled frigid purity.

​• Thousand Li Frozen Domain (Soul Transformation Art): Evelina unleashed her refined Soul Energy, instantly plunging the entire platform and the air above it into a Glacial Domain. Every trace of moisture and errant energy was slowed, frozen, or instantly crystallized, locking the environment in a state of absolute cold and thus countering Celestine's subtle fate manipulations.

​• Azure Dragon's Ascent (Sword Art of Absolute Ice): Her final move, channeling the purest cold into her sword to project a massive, spiritual Azure Ice Dragon. This was an all-out strike of life-draining cold, meant to shatter Celestine's defenses and spiritual core completely.

"Roarrrr!"

​Celestine countered the freezing assault by manipulating the very fate of the battlefield, not just its elements, using the power of the stars.

​• Heaven's Alignment Weave (Soul Transformation Art): Celestine's silver-white energy pulsed violently. This complex art didn't attack; it subtly shifted the cosmic alignment of the arena. Any attack Evelina launched would have its trajectory slightly altered, its force dissipated, or its timing delayed, turning the laws of space and time against the ice Saintess.

​• Falling Star Requiem (Destiny-Realm Strike): From her scepter, she unleashed dozens of dense, sapphire-blue motes of cosmic energy. Each was a tiny, self-contained explosion of starlight, designed to disrupt Evelina's mental focus and the purity of her ice element with overwhelming, chaotic cosmic pressure.

​The climax arrived when the Azure Dragon's Ascent and the Falling Star Requiem met, creating a chaotic vortex of absolute cold and blinding starlight.

​BOOM!

The collision was too much for the already strained Suppression Formation, which failed with a terrifying screech. A wave of destructive power, mixing frigid energy and cosmic feedback, rushed toward the spectators, but was instantly contained by the swift intervention of the peak-level Elders.

​As the dust and ice cleared, Evelina stood tall and unharmed, the victor by superior spiritual purity and discipline. Celestine stood defeated, blood staining her lips.

​"The Path of the North Star remains aligned, Evelina. But your winter's bloom is destined for a chill not yet foreseen," Celestine whispered, a cryptic warning hanging in the air.

​The elimination round is complete. The stage is now set for the final rounds of the Saintesses Competition.

The anticipation in the Colosseum was visible as the names for the semi-final round were being decided by the judges pannel based on the points.

After a hour, the announcement finally came:

| Semifinal Match |

| Match 1: Evelina Frostheart (Ice) | vs | Aria Stormsong (War) |

| Match 2: Valeria Rosethorn (Nature) | vs | Flama Astoria (Fire) |

Vahn found the waiting tedious, but the announcement of the semifinals brought him much-needed excitement. These matches would determine the two finalists and, crucially, the ultimate victor who would lead the delegation to the Secret Realm.

He felt none of the tension gripping the other Winners. They were desperate to secure a position among the Saintesses' Followers, but Vahn knew his fate was already sealed.

Seraphina's defeat in the elimination round was irrelevant; she was still a Saintess, and more importantly, she was his wife.

Seraphina is going to pick him. It was the most certain fact in the entire arena. Her husband's goal was paramount, and for Vahn to enter the Secret Realm, becoming her follower was the only path.

He settled in to observe. The coming battles weren't just for glory; they were a scouting session for him, a chance to log the formidable powers of Evelina and Aria, two Saintesses who might one day stand in his way.

The semifinal rounds proceeded with chaotic clashes that further scarred the arena and strained the newly erected protection formations.

​In the first battle, the Absolute Ice of Evelina Frostheart clashed against the raw martial prowess of Aria Stormsong.

Boom, Booom!

Rumble!

The resulting battle of absolute ice versus chaotic lightning was fierce, but in the end, Aria's unstoppable, elemental aggression and battlefield experience proved too much for Evelina's controlled defense.

Aria Stormsong Wins!

​The second battle was a dramatic rematch: Valeria Rosethorn against the re-entered Flama Astoria.

This time, the outcome was reversed. Flama's blazing Fire Arts had undergone a startling transformation and were now far more destructive than they had been in the elimination round. Her flames moved faster, burned hotter, and reacted to Valeria's nature defenses with ruthless, calculated chaos.

Flama Astoria Wins!

​Valeria, defeated by the sudden surge in her rival's power, looked at Flama with unconcealed suspicion.

​"Flama, can you explain me what is the reason for your sudden development of strength? You weren't this strong just two weeks ago when we last met."

​Flama's heart skipped. The question cut too close to the bone. She knew the truth: their shared husband, the Devil's Child. The forbidden ritual that had bound the eight Saintesses and Vahn was broken, but she still could feel it, especially in her cultivation sessions.

​She absolutely could not confess that her explosive growth was tied to the "Devil's Child". The consequences would be dire, leading the entire Righteous Faction to brand her a as another heretic. Trying to explain the intricacies of the broken ritual would invite nothing but hostility and endless suspicion.

​"I... I had a breakthrough after my first loss," Flama replied, her voice carefully modulated to sound proud yet slightly vague. "The shock of defeat crystallized my understanding of the Fire and Transformation Dao."

​But internally, she was convinced the sudden spike had occurred when Vahn had recently come to meet her.

Something about their brief interaction must have restored their connection, forcing this uncontrolled, destructive growth. She had to keep this a secret and, later, try to uncover the true nature of this mystery.

​

​The arena was cleared once more. The final, decisive match was set, pitting the last two remaining Saintesses against each other.

​The air thrummed with a heavy, expectant silence. All eyes, including Vahn's, were on the two figures who would determine the political leadership of the entire Righteous Faction's expedition.

​Aria Stormsong, the embodiment of martial lightning and unstoppable will, stood opposite to Flama Astoria, the volatile master of fire and sudden, terrifying power.

​

The announcer's amplified voice boomed, sealing the moment in history:

​"And now! The moment the Continent has been waiting for! The ultimate contest for supremacy! Aria Stormsong, the War Saintess versus Flama Astoria, the Fire Saintess! The victor will earn the supreme honor of leading the chosen talents from the Righteous Faction to the Secret Realm!"

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