The entire arena fell into a strange silence.

Everyone was stunned by the tragic outcome—another mutual destruction in a flash.

The referee’s electronic voice paused for a moment, as if making a judgment, before announcing:

"East Courtyard, Xu Wuyi eliminated."

"West Courtyard, Tana eliminated."

"System determination: both combatants lost their ability to fight simultaneously. Both are considered eliminated."

The silence was shattered as a massive wave of sound instantly swept through the arena!

"A mutual takedown! It was actually a mutual takedown!"

"Xu Wuyi is ruthless! He took Tana down with him right before he was finished!"

"The situation’s changed again! The East Courtyard is in the lead!"

"The West Courtyard only has Xu Zhi left!"

"The East Courtyard still has Shen Wei and Zhou Mingxuan! They have a huge advantage!"

The East Courtyard’s spectator section erupted in a deafening cheer, and many people jumped to their feet in excitement.

Shen Wei pumped his fist, his face flushed. "Old Xu! Well done! A one-for-one trade, that’s a huge win!"

Zhou Mingxuan also let out a long sigh of relief, his tightly clenched fists slowly uncurling.

In the West Courtyard’s rest area, Qin Rui and the just-teleported-back Tana looked at each other, a shared helplessness in their eyes.

Tana’s face was ashen, the burning pain in her spirit seemingly still lingering. She bit her lip. "His... his Spiritual Power... I was careless!"

Qin Rui patted her on the shoulder without a word, his gaze shifting to the silent Xu Zhi beside them.

Xu Zhi felt Qin Rui’s gaze and looked up. A wry smile touched his lips, but his eyes gradually grew firm.

He stood up, flexed his wrists, and looked toward the arena.

"It’s okay." Xu Zhi’s voice was calm, yet it carried an undeniable strength. "I’m still here."

"I just have to beat two in a row. I can do it."

A steady and powerful fighting spirit began to rise from him.

Over on the East Courtyard’s side, Shen Wei and Zhou Mingxuan’s excitement faded, their expressions turning serious.

The final battle was about to begin.

...

Light and shadow coalesced on the stage, and Xu Zhi’s figure materialized, a long spear in his hand.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the complex emotions churning within him.

The hopes of the entire West Courtyard now rested on his shoulders alone.

Across from him, Shen Wei stood casually with that Thick-Backed Battle Saber resting on his shoulder, an undisguised eagerness on his face.

"Old Xu, you’re the only one left?" Shen Wei grinned, his voice booming through the PA system. "Feeling the pressure?"

Xu Zhi’s brow furrowed slightly, but he didn’t reply.

Shen Wei’s words were crude, but they weren’t wrong; they perfectly described his current predicament.

He wasn’t Qin Rui, who possessed the overwhelming strength to decide a match with a single blow. Nor was he Tana, who wielded the absolute power to crush all resistance.

His strength was on par with Shen Wei’s. Even Zhou Mingxuan from the East Courtyard was in the same tier, only slightly weaker than the two of them.

The only difference was that his back was against the wall, while his opponent still had a safety net.

This invisible pressure was like a shackle, making every breath feel heavy.

He couldn’t lose—or at least, he couldn’t lose badly. Otherwise, the West Courtyard’s journey in this tournament would end with his elimination.

"Begin match!" The referee’s electronic voice rang out like a starting pistol.

"Shen Wei of the East Courtyard! I await your instruction!"

Shen Wei couldn’t care less about the turmoil in Xu Zhi’s mind. With a low roar, he gripped his Battle Saber in a reverse hold and charged forward, his momentum unstoppable.

Xu Zhi focused his Heart and Spirit. With a flick of his long spear, the tip trembled and transformed into several points of cold starlight, meeting Shen Wei’s charge.

However, Shen Wei’s fighting style was completely beyond his expectations—or rather, it was perfectly in line with Shen Wei’s nature.

CLANG!

Shen Wei completely ignored the feints. His Thick-Backed Battle Saber, carrying a brutish force, chopped directly at the middle of the spear’s shaft—the point with the least leverage—attempting to overcome skill with sheer power.

Amid the deafening crash, Xu Zhi’s arm went slightly numb, and his Spear Momentum faltered.

"Hahaha, exhilarating! Again!"

Having gained the upper hand, Shen Wei pressed his advantage relentlessly. He swung his Battle Saber in wide, sweeping arcs, a completely reckless style. Each strike was heavier than the last, with no regard for his own defense.

Xu Zhi was forced back again and again, relying on his more refined Step Technique and Spear Technique to maneuver.

He found several openings, the tip of his spear striking at Shen Wei’s weak points.

But Shen Wei would either tank the hit with the gray glow of his Iron Wall Technique or simply trade injury for injury, his Battle Saber simultaneously chopping at Xu Zhi’s vitals, forcing him to pull back and defend.

This fighting style consumed a massive amount of Qi and Blood and was extremely dangerous, but Shen Wei fought with wild abandon.

He didn’t need to worry about whether he had a teammate backing him up. He just needed to unleash his aggression, expand his advantage as much as possible, and even if he got injured, he had a perfectly healthy Zhou Mingxuan to cover for him.

This carefree mentality allowed his brutish fighting style to reach one hundred and twenty percent of its potential.

Xu Zhi, in contrast, was fighting with his hands tied in every exchange.

He had to consider how to effectively damage Shen Wei, calculate his own consumption of Qi and Blood, and constantly guard against his opponent’s life-or-death tactic of trading blows, terrified that one careless mistake would spell disaster, leading the West Courtyard to a total loss.

The heavier the thoughts on his mind, the more stagnant his Spear Technique became. His strength, originally on par with Shen Wei’s, was now completely suppressed.

PSHH!

Failing to dodge in time, a deep gash was carved into Xu Zhi’s left arm by the saber’s edge, and blood flowed freely.

He let out a muffled grunt, his movements slowing by a fraction once more.

’Now’s my chance!’ A sharp glint flashed in Shen Wei’s eyes. This was the moment he had been waiting for—the opponent’s hesitation caused by injury and pressure.

He let out a wild roar. The Qi and Blood surged within him, and the gray glow of his Iron Wall Technique flared brightly. He braced himself against the spear Xu Zhi thrust at his shoulder and, channeling all his strength, brought his Thick-Backed Battle Saber down in a savage, whistling arc!

Xu Zhi’s pupils contracted. He had never expected Shen Wei to risk his life in such a dangerous gamble. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

At that moment, his old force was spent and new strength had yet to be generated. His long spear was trapped by his opponent’s body, and it was too late to pull back to defend.

The gleam of the saber rapidly filled his vision as the shadow of death instantly enveloped him.

’I...’ Before the thought could even finish, the cold edge of the blade had already swept across his neck.

His vision spun, and then he fell into eternal darkness.

"East Courtyard, Shen Wei wins!"

Shen Wei leaned on his saber, panting slightly. He had sustained several new wounds, but his face was flushed with the ecstatic glow of victory.

He had done it. In the decisive showdown, he had slain the final combatant from the West Courtyard!

"West Courtyard, Xu Zhi eliminated."

"Fourth round, East Courtyard wins!"

The referee’s final verdict was like a drop of water in boiling oil, sending Main Arena 1 into an uproar!

In the East Courtyard’s spectator stands, cheers and shouts soared to the heavens. Countless people embraced in excitement as the blue banner of the East Courtyard waved frantically in the stands.

The section for the West Courtyard, however, was shrouded in silence.

Qin Rui silently watched the stage. Tana bit her lip. Xu Zhi, his head bowed, materialized in the rest area with an air of dejection.

First place in the Team Match, yet only second in the Elite Match. For the proud and ambitious West Courtyard, this result was undoubtedly a heavy blow.