The enormous discrepancy displayed by the Spirit of the Furious Flood Dragon left Shen Fan utterly unable to comprehend what was happening. He stared wide-eyed at the bizarre scene unfolding before him.
The Spirit of the Furious Flood Dragon had always been Shen Fan's ultimate trump card. Now that it had proven ineffective, the pride deep within his heart finally began to waver.
Exclamations rippled through the crowd below the arena.
"Did you see that clearly? What was that?"
"It looked like the dharma idol of a True Dragon!"
"Could this Shao Yuan actually possess the True Dragon bloodline? He can channel the power of a True Dragon bloodline?"
"The True Dragon bloodline? That's the premier bloodline in all the world! I don't think the Myriad Abyss Island has ever produced a pure True Dragon bloodline, has it?"
"No, it hasn't… There have been some Dragon bloodlines that appeared over the years, but they were all diluted — or simply not very pure."
"This is insane! I can't believe this Shao Yuan actually possesses the True Dragon bloodline. Absolutely insane!"
"The Sacred Land is the Sacred Land after all. Their ability to unearth prodigies is truly formidable — you can't help but admire it."
"The Sacred Land has held dominion over the Eternal Divine Kingdom all these years, and there really is a reason for that."
"The Spirit of the Furious Flood Dragon was rendered useless. Looks like Shen Fan doesn't have much left up his sleeve."
Xiahou Zong, whose own battle had long since concluded, watched the shifting tides on the arena with a composed, almost indifferent expression, his face betraying no reaction whatsoever.
"Brother, this Shao Yuan — it seems he's been hiding his true strength." Xiahou Ying's tone carried a complex mix of emotions.
"Hmph. I actually hope he's been hiding even more. Otherwise, he'll be far too disappointing." Xiahou Zong spoke with the air of someone who considered himself the strongest under heaven.
"My brother is the strongest in the world! This Shao Yuan only has a few petty tricks. Brother, you have to crush him ruthlessly — humiliate him so thoroughly he can't even stay on that stage!"
"Just keep your eyes open and enjoy the show," Xiahou Zong said flatly.
Over on the Imperial side, the Emperor's brow furrowed ever so slightly. Clearly, the turn of events before him had not been part of his expectations.
"Your Majesty, who would have thought — this Shao Yuan actually possesses the True Dragon bloodline? The Spirit of the Furious Flood Dragon is inherently at a disadvantage when facing the True Dragon bloodline. It's weaker by at least three-tenths the moment they clash."
The Emperor sighed softly. "This Shao Yuan — it seems we truly underestimated him."
"Then let him face Xiahou Zong in the next round," the Grand Steward said in a low, suppressed voice.
The Emperor allowed himself a faint smile. The organizers were the Imperial House, and this time they had arranged the bracket draws with the deliberate intention of targeting the Eternal Sacred Land — and they hadn't even bothered to be subtle about it.
By this round, the Eternal Sacred Land should have been completely wiped out.
Who could have imagined that this Shao Yuan would prove as tenacious as a cockroach that simply refused to die? Under the judgment of the Whip of the Fury Dragon, he had engineered such a dramatic reversal.
Once the Spirit of the Furious Flood Dragon was defeated, Shen Fan was shell-shocked on the spot. Jiang Chen hadn't even launched a full-scale offensive yet, and Shen Fan was already retreating step by step.
By the time the battle reached its conclusion, Jiang Chen hadn't even needed to unleash his ultimate technique, and Shen Fan's defeat was already plain for all to see.
What followed was an end that lost all sense of suspense. Without the Spirit of the Furious Flood Dragon, Shen Fan seemed as though he'd lost his very soul. He crumbled quickly, and with a single kick from Jiang Chen, he was sent tumbling off the stage.
It was as humiliating a defeat as one could possibly suffer.
Jiang Chen, on the other hand, showed not the slightest hint of triumphal arrogance. He carried himself as though the outcome had been the most natural thing in the world.
Cheers erupted throughout the venue — the vast majority coming from the Eternal Sacred Land and its supporters.
This battle had absolutely been the most spectacular fight of the entire round. In terms of dramatic twists and turns, it had given the audience more than their fill of excitement.
For the Eternal Sacred Land in particular, this victory meant they had managed to preserve at least a shred of face. Jiang Chen had become the sole remaining spark of the Eternal Sacred Land's hopes.
Every other genius — including all Five Young Masters — had been eliminated in the first three rounds.
By this point, even the densest observers could see that something was deeply wrong with the bracket arrangement.
Certain factions that supported the Eternal Sacred Land quietly began to savor the implications, their minds filled with nothing but astonishment.
The Eternal Sacred Land was the hidden power behind the Eternal Divine Kingdom itself. Wasn't the organizer's arrangement tantamount to tearing down the Eternal Sacred Land's platform right in front of everyone?
In a situation like this, could the Eternal Sacred Land simply swallow its pride? Wasn't the organizer the Imperial House? Was this a show of defiance from the Imperial House toward the Eternal Sacred Land?
If it truly was a provocation, would the Eternal Sacred Land grit its teeth and endure? Would it let the Imperial House run roughshod? Or would it bide its time and settle the score once this was all over?
Regardless, those with any sensitivity to the situation could sense that perhaps something was about to happen in the Eternal Divine Kingdom — something momentous. The political landscape, it seemed, was truly on the verge of upheaval.
But no matter what lay ahead, the Eternal Sacred Land had unquestionably lost tremendous face at this Genius Sword Meet. Their authority had been challenged in the most serious manner.
It was true that the Eternal Sacred Land had seen its pool of talent dwindle in recent years, with a gap between the old generation and the new. However, the Five Young Masters of the Eternal Sacred Land were still indisputably first-rate among the major factions of the Eternal Divine Kingdom.
And in terms of sheer numbers, when it came to the count of top-tier prodigies, the Eternal Sacred Land still held the lead.