While joy and triumph reigned supreme in Gao Han's circle, the Lu clan and its allies harbored nothing but resentment and malice.
In a secluded imperial chamber, Lu Shuang, Gu Manxing, Hu Zi, and several Spirit Fusion experts had gathered. All but a few wore black masks, concealing their true faces, and in total, seven Spirit Fusion powerhouses stood in attendance, each radiating an aura of formidable strength.
The clan heads of the three great families were also present: Lu Yingjie of the imperial clan, Gu Ang of the Gu clan, and Hu Haitao of the Hu clan.
With the exception of Lu Shuang and his companions, all other Spirit Fusion experts concealed their features behind masks, their true identities hidden from view.
Lu Yingjie, the reigning emperor, was powerfully built, his cultivation fluctuating at the peak of the eighth layer of True Essence, though his aura remained unsteady. Clad in an imperial yellow robe embroidered with the Sky-Leaping Leopard—a fifth-tier demonic beast—he bore the exclusive symbol of the Spirit Kingdom's ruler, a design forbidden even to Spirit Fusion experts.
He carried himself with none of the haughtiness of his station, instead treating the gathered experts with deference and respect. Yet having long dwelled in a position of supreme authority, an unyielding, commanding presence lingered in every gesture he made.
On the Tianwu Continent, imperial power held far less sway than in other realms, for the world teemed with peerless experts, any one of whom could afford to disregard royal authority.
Only when imperial power reached an unparalleled zenith did it command true reverence, such as the four great empires of the Cangnan Region—behemoths none dared challenge lightly.
"Damnation! The Zheng clan has stumbled upon such a prodigy, and reaps all the rewards!" Gu Ang, his resentment burning brightest, ground his teeth and spoke first.
At this, one masked figure spoke up in curiosity, his voice aged and gravelly. "I find it most perplexing—how could a genius at the first layer of True Essence defeat every contender, including fourth-layer experts?"
"Enough! Hold your tongues!" Another black-robed figure interjected, his voice that of a middle-aged man, yet one whom all present regarded with profound deference. The room fell silent at once.
Satisfied that he had their full attention, he continued: "Our purpose here is not Gao Han. For all his strength, he is but an ant. Our target is the Duan clan—and their secret art."
A heavy silence settled over the group. He spoke the truth; they had convened not for the young prodigy, but to seize the Duan clan's closely guarded secret technique.
"With a secret art in our grasp, we could wipe out the Zheng faction in one fell swoop, without waiting years longer. Once we master the Duan clan's art, we shall strike without delay!" he added, letting out a cold, sinister laugh.
This was the true aim of the imperial faction's gathering: to ambush the Duan clan on their journey home, slay the clan's patriarch Duan Muhua in an instant, then storm the Duan stronghold and plunder all their wealth and secrets.
"But what of Gao Han…" Gu Ang muttered, his frustration boiling over at the thought of the young champion.
"Silence!" Gu Manxing flushed with embarrassment at his son's foolishness. "Once the Zheng clan is destroyed, what threat could a mere Gao Han pose? He will be ours to command."
Gu Ang's eyes lit up with realization, and he burst into loud laughter, the others wearing expressions of delight as well. The operation could not possibly fail—their forces numbered seven Spirit Fusion experts and twenty peak ninth-layer True Essence warriors, an army powerful enough to topple a small kingdom.
The next day dawned, and drumbeats echoed throughout every corner of the Spirit Kingdom. The arena was filled once more, though the crowd was far thinner than the day before, for the most thrilling battles had already concluded.
Gao Han sat among the spectators. After a night of rest, his true essence had largely recovered, though his wounds would require days of tending—sword lacerations covering his body could not heal fully in a single night.
As for his soul power, with spring's mild weather holding no trace of bitter frost, its recovery was slow, and it remained depleted for the time being.
The arena had been replaced with a stone platform that day. The imperial court had finally learned its lesson: no matter how sturdy the stage, these monstrous prodigies would find a way to destroy it. A cheaper, replaceable arena was the only sensible choice.
Under You Canghai's steady announcements, the final ranking matches proceeded in orderly fashion, with victories and defeats unfolding one after another.
Lin Xiaoya, Hao Han, and Nian Hua proved the most formidable of the remaining contestants. Wensiren, his right palm crippled, had long since been escorted back to Fire Cloud Manor by Ma Liang, leaving not a single disciple of the manor remaining in the tournament.
Hao Han lived up to his reputation, winning bout after bout, until he fought to a stalemate with Lin Xiaoya. Neither could gain the upper hand: Lin Xiaoya's sword could not pierce Hao Han's impenetrable defense, while Hao Han's assaults could not overwhelm the swordsman. They were jointly awarded fourth place.
Nian Hua claimed fifth place. In his final match against Qian Zhuan, his Crocodile Tooth sword sawed through his opponent's low-grade weapon in two, a testament to its status as a top-tier low-grade spiritual blade.
Zheng Yan took sixth place; the Zheng clan's Seven-Step Overlord Spear lived up to its name, every strike radiating overwhelming domineering power.
Qian Zhuan placed seventh, having suffered eight defeats. Yue Ling earned eighth, having won only a single match against Lu Zhengfei. Lu Zhengfei, winless throughout, finished ninth.
Yue Ling and Lu Zhengfei counted themselves fortunate. They would never have made the top ten had Gao Han not crippled Wensiren and Duan Lang. Had those two competed, the matches would have been far more fiercely contested—Nian Hua himself would have struggled to stand against them.
Then came the awarding of prizes. The top ten finalists ascended the stage, lined up from first to ninth place.
Prizes were presented to the first seven finishers one by one. When the time came for the top three, You Canghai paused and announced: "Duan Qianchou, third place! Is there any objection?"
The crowd roared in response: "None!" The same resounded when Jian Qingtian's name was called.
When it was Gao Han's turn, You Canghai swept his gaze solemnly across the arena and declared in a deep, resonant voice: "The tournament has concluded. Gao Han is the champion. Do any of you object?"
Thunderous cheers erupted from the stands: "Ice Hero Gao Han! Ice Hero Gao Han!"
You Canghai nodded. "Though you have not spoken in words, your cheers make your assent clear."
With a flick of his interspatial ring, he produced all of Gao Han's rewards: two million taels in silver notes, two low-grade longswords, and one low-grade interspatial ring. He turned to Gao Han and said, "The two remaining pills have been placed within your interspatial ring."
He then moved his lips silently, transmitting his voice directly into Gao Han's ear: "Come with me shortly. I have matters to discuss with you."
Gao Han's ears twitched, and he nodded slightly, his expression grave. He knew not what You Canghai wished to speak of, but he trusted the elder meant him no harm—and even if he did, Gao Han doubted he could resist his power.
Once he had claimed his prizes, Gao Han stored them all within his interspatial ring. You Canghai had explained its use to him: simply channel spiritual energy into the ring, and it would activate.
The device filled Gao Han with wonder. Sending his spiritual force into the ring, he beheld a fifty-cubic-meter storage space, holding all his tournament winnings. With a simple thought, any item could be drawn into the physical world, the process effortless and intuitive.
You Canghai had told him the Duan clan had likely been so certain of victory that they had provided a top-tier low-grade ring, boasting an unusually spacious fifty cubic meters—a rare find among low-grade interspatial rings.
With a flick of his wrist, the Luoyu Sword vanished from Gao Han's hand, replaced by one of the low-grade longswords awarded from the tournament.
Gazing at the mountain of silver notes within the ring, Gao Han could not help but marvel at how lucrative tournament battles could be. In mere days, he had earned millions of taels—enough to sustain the Gao clan for two full years. Even with pure profit, his clan would need three years to amass such wealth.
As the tournament drew to a close and You Canghai prepared to declare the end of the ceremony, two figures descended from the stands: Duan Muhua and Jian Wuxiang.
"Wait a moment. I have an important announcement to make!" Jian Wuxiang halted You Canghai before he could speak.
Duan Muhua glanced at Jian Wuxiang and added, "I, too, have a proclamation."
"What words do you two have to share?" You Canghai was somewhat irritated at being interrupted, yet with the tournament over and this confirmed to be his final time presiding, he saw no need for pretense.
Jian Wuxiang spoke without hesitation: "From this day forth, the Jian clan rises to the rank of a seven-star power!"
An uproar exploded throughout the arena.
"What? The Jian clan is becoming a seven-star force? When did they gain such power?"
"But does a clan not need the recognition of the major factions to advance in rank? A mere declaration holds no weight!"
"Indeed! When Fire Cloud Manor became a seven-star power, it was besieged by the Spirit Kingdom's factions, suffering heavy losses and ending up as the weakest of the seven-star forces!"
The shock was not limited to the crowd; the major faction leaders in the stands stared at Jian Wuxiang in stunned disbelief, staggered by the earth-shaking news.
Jian Wuxiang cleared his throat and commanded: "Silence, all of you!"
At his words, the crowd fell deathly quiet, all eyes fixed on him, waiting for what he would say next.
With the arena hushed, Jian Wuxiang continued: "Any who oppose the Jian clan's ascension to seven-star status may bring their challenges to our door. We will face you gladly. Furthermore, young warriors of exceptional talent who wish to join the Jian clan shall be welcomed with open arms, and granted the finest cultivation resources."
He pointed toward Gao Han as he spoke. "A prodigy such as he—were he to claim first place under our banner, he would receive rewards of equal grandeur."
The crowd understood at once. The Jian clan's lavish prizes had been a ploy to recruit geniuses, and the offer was indeed tempting.
All eyes then turned to Duan Muhua. If the Jian clan was using rich rewards to attract prodigies, what of the Duan clan?
As expected, the Duan clan also declared its ascension to seven-star status, echoing Jian Wuxiang's words nearly word for word—with one crucial addition: warriors of outstanding talent who proved unwaveringly loyal to the Duan clan would be granted the right to study its secret art.
The announcement sent a wave of excitement through the crowd. Even students from the Spirit Wind Academy in the stands began secretly plotting to join the Duan clan.
Lu Shuang and his allies in the stands smiled coldly. How naive they were to think such petty inducements would sway them. Duan Muhua might not even live to return to his clan, yet he already dared to make such promises.
Only Li Changtian wore a solemn expression. Two of the ten great clans had advanced to seven-star status in a single day. The Misty Sect possessed the strength of a seven-star power, yet its sect leader and grand elder had long insisted on keeping a low profile, refusing to formalize their rank.
For two clans to rise in power on the same day was a shock that reverberated through every faction in the Spirit Kingdom.