Chapter 004: It’s Time to Act

As the dazzling magic faded, a silver-white aura tinged with faint yellow surged into the sky. Amid the smoke, a massive column of light appeared. Though tiny compared to the sacred fire burning above the square, it was the power unleashed by a single person!
Everyone stared in shock at Ordas in the center of the arena. His contracted creature had been reduced to ashes under the intense magical assault, yet he seemed unharmed at all.
The priests panicked and prepared to launch another attack, but Joshua quickly stopped them. He turned to Du Fan and said, “Lord Du Fan, Ordas has reached the peak of Level 9. Even I am no match for him. My advice is that you retreat quickly while I hold him off. Not even I know if I can defeat him!”
Yet Du Fan showed no sign of fear. With a calm smile, he said, “So he hid his true strength before? I was worried he wouldn’t be strong enough to last long in this game. Since he’s at the peak of Level 9, I won’t hold back! Level 9 against Level 9! Lord Joshua, what a magnificent spectacle! I’ll just keep watching!”
With that, he returned to his seat, touched his nose, and after a moment, sneered, “Lord Bruce, is it your turn now?”
A soft sigh sounded. Amid the panicked gazes of everyone, a rider from the Northern Legion gently removed his helmet—it was Bruce. An astonishing aura radiated from him, his silver combat energy seemingly tangible. As it spread, his body slowly rose into the air as he headed toward Ordas.
Joshua was shocked, his face showing disbelief. He couldn’t help but ask, “Du Fan, why… Isn’t Ordas his student?”
Du Fan smiled oddly. “Lord Joshua, if I could send 147 top fighters from Roland Academy to their deaths, why can’t I send Bruce?”
“But…”
“There are no buts. Even fathers and sons can be betrayed for absolute gain, let alone a student.”
Joshua fell silent.
Du Fan sneered inwardly. Even if he refuses, can’t I make him agree? The power of the Three Secret Arts of the Barbarians is beyond what ordinary people can imagine.

The smoke in the field had completely dissipated. Aldas stood atop the ruins, looking up at Bruce in the sky. He couldn’t help but say, “Teacher… why…?”
Bruce’s expression was unbearably cold. He smiled faintly and said, “Aldas, it’s not too late to turn back now. Otherwise, don’t blame me for being ruthless!”
Aldas’ expression changed. “Teacher, do you also think Kris is a heretic? All of this is just Du Fan’s conspiracy!”
“Dare you!” Bruce roared. “How dare you call Lord Du Fan by his name? Aldas, think of your family, your loved ones. Do you really want to destroy everything with your own hands?”
Aldas suddenly sneered. “You call him Lord Du Fan? It seems I was wrong all along. I thought you were captured by accident, but it turns out you had it planned all along? Hahaha! Who would have thought that Aldas, who dedicated his life to Roland Academy, would end up like this! Very good! Truly very good!”
With that, he gave Kris a deep look. Then, the pillar of light around him slowly contracted until it gathered entirely around him. The blazing combat energy around him emitted a dazzling light, as bright as sunlight, so intense it was unbearable to look at!
Kris’ expression suddenly changed. “No! Al… you’ve misunderstood the teacher!”
But it was already too late!
Aldas let out a loud cry, drawing his long sword from his waist. Under the burning combat energy, the ordinary sword became as magnificent as a divine weapon. Then, like a meteor, he swung it toward Bruce’s chest.
Bruce’s combat energy continued to burn, and his Blood-Drinking Sword emerged almost at the same time. The combat energy on the sword was faintly visible as it met Aldas’ attack!
Suddenly, a thunderous explosion echoed in the air. Everything before their eyes seemed to start shaking. Cracks appeared on the ground at some point, and several priests with lower cultivation levels had already fallen from the platform. Before they hit the ground, blood was flowing from all seven of their orifices.
Joshua watched this scene, his eyes flickering. Finally, he couldn’t help but say, “Du Fan, what on earth…”
Du Fan smiled slightly. “Teachers and students fighting each other—this is also quite interesting. But how about we make a bet? That Bruce is definitely no match for Aldas?”
Joshua gave a bitter smile. “Better not!”
Then he said nothing more and simply looked up quietly.

In the sky, the battle between Bruce and Aldas had reached a critical stage. Both were peak-level warriors of ninth rank—whose strength and speed were beyond ordinary comprehension. Aside from a few people present, no one could figure out what was actually happening up there. Only the constant clashing of metal and the occasional sparks indicated that the fight was still ongoing. A flash of lightning revealed Aldas’s figure in the sky. His armor was already somewhat damaged, and despite his invulnerability so far, blood was slowly seeping from several places on his body. He plummeted downward, leaving a deep hole in the ground. At Du Fan’s signal, over a dozen Temple Knights rushed forward, thrusting their spears and swords at once, aiming to pierce Aldas through the heart! But before they could reach him, a fierce surge of energy erupted. Aldas leaped up from the ground, and in a flash of swordlight, the dozen knights were split in two! Bruce also appeared in the sky. His armor had disappeared without trace, and he seemed to have even more wounds than Aldas, yet his expression remained cold. Standing on the ground, Aldas looked up at Bruce and said coldly, “Since you’ve sided with Du Fan, why did you hold back during our fight? Do you really think I, Aldas, am not your match?” Bruce replied coldly, “I wasn’t holding back, and you indeed aren’t my match! But is this the time for nonsense? If you don’t hurry up, Kris will die!” Aldas glanced in Kris’s direction. Her lower body was submerged in flames, but she showed no signs of injury—after all, the sacred fire burned the soul, not the body! Aldas’s eyes turned blood red. His figure suddenly vanished from its spot, only to reappear behind Bruce and swing his sword. Bruce sneered, darted aside, causing Aldas’s sword to miss its target but instead slice through a faint illusion! As their figures collided in the sky, they quickly dodged each other before engaging again, the strange sounds like thunderstorms constantly straining people’s nerves.

Both Ordas and Bruce pursued and slaughtered each other at speeds beyond human sight. After what seemed like an eternity, both of them suddenly faltered, as if they had lost all their strength in the struggle!
Suddenly, a large amount of blood poured down from the sky!
Bruce crashed violently to the ground!
Ordas appeared in mid-air, covered in blood, his right hand clutching a large piece of flesh—upon closer inspection, it was Bruce’s half-body!
Gasps of shock filled the square!
But Du Fan waved his hand slightly, and the cries ceased. After waving, Du Fan said nothing more, merely watching quietly.
Bruce propped himself up on his sword and slowly stood up. Half of his body was gone, revealing bare bones and still-beating internal organs. His body trembled suddenly, as if freed in an instant, and he quickly turned to stare at Du Fan atop the platform, gnashing his teeth: “Du Fan! How dare you!”
Before he could finish speaking, he rushed toward the platform.
But before he could reach halfway, a beam of holy light and an arcane missile struck his fragile body. His figure traced a brilliant arc through the air before falling into the burning holy fire, emitting a heart-wrenching scream!
His student could have saved him, but at that moment, he was holding half of Bruce’s body and watching coldly from above!
“Du Fan! Du Fan! Du Fan…” Heart-rending cries echoed, gradually fading until, finally, it was as if a soul had been swallowed by the holy fire.
Joshua’s expression changed. He glanced at Du Fan suspiciously and said, “Du Fan, what have you done?”
Du Fan smiled silently, merely gazing at Ordas in mid-air!
Ordas discarded Bruce’s half-body. Ignoring Du Fan on the platform, he rushed toward Kris in the flames.
Du Fan suddenly stood up and declared, “Lord Bruce of Roland Academy, killed in battle against rebels! As the mastermind, I must take action!”