Lei Mingyang had been a Ninth-Rank for over a decade—an unquestionably formidable opponent.
His opponent, No. 58, was far more peculiar. Tall and straight-backed, there was nothing outwardly remarkable about him. Only the bronze mask covering his face set him apart, its expressionless surface concealing all trace of his features.
“Are masks allowed in the competition?” Fa Hua asked.
Lan Ge nodded. “It’s not prohibited. Some people are disfigured and choose to hide it—it’s about preserving their dignity. Our Land of Freedom doesn’t have as many rules as yours.”
Fa Hua replied lightly, “Do you know what comes after ‘freedom’?”
“What?” Lan Ge asked instinctively—then immediately regretted it. He knew Fa Hua wouldn’t say anything pleasant.
“Undisciplined.”
“That’s a blanket insult,” Lan Ge muttered. “And don’t forget—you’re in Thunder City. Aren’t you afraid of getting beaten so badly you’ll be crawling around looking for your teeth?”
Fa Hua chuckled. “If that happens, you’ll be crawling with me.”
“You—”
Before Lan Ge could retort, the match had already begun, the crowd erupting into cheers as Lei Mingyang’s name echoed through the arena.
Nine clusters of thunderclouds crackled with lightning, spreading like a fan behind Lei Mingyang’s head, revealing the full might of his Ninth-Rank cultivation. His entire body turned that same hue in an instant. Lightning flooded the arena, and even the sky seemed to dim beneath its glow.
A faint numbness filled the air, heavy with pressure.
“Elemental Heart,” Lan Ge said quietly. “Grand Marshal Lei has already grasped its deeper principles.”
Yet his opponent remained utterly calm, no aura flaring, no pressure radiating—just stillness.
And yet, standing before such overwhelming force, he did not yield a single step. That alone was enough to shock anyone with a discerning eye. To stand unmoved under the pressure of a Ninth-Rank expert—such a feat was no small matter.
Lei Mingyang himself felt a flicker of surprise. He had never intended to participate in the Grand Competition. His position was too high, his responsibilities too great—most of his time was spent drilling the Five-Thunder Legion. The legion, divided into five divisions named after thunder, had been under his command for nearly twenty years. He had forged it from a weak force into one of the Blue Domain’s strongest. The effort required had been immense.
He had only agreed to participate at the Grand Elder’s request. Otherwise, he would have preferred remaining at the military grounds.
What he hadn’t expected was this. From the moment they stepped onto the stage together, something had felt off.
There was a strange familiarity about his opponent—yet no matter how he searched his memory, he found nothing. The man possessed an elusive presence, like something intangible. Standing before him, Lei Mingyang felt as though he were facing emptiness itself.
To test it, he unleashed his aura.
The result stunned him.
His pressure vanished into the opponent like a stone sinking into the sea—without ripple, without resistance. The man gave nothing away, not even his cultivation level.
Among Blue Domain cultivators, the light clouds that appeared behind the head could be suppressed at will. But doing so came at a cost—those manifestations helped condense and control elemental power more effectively.
So why conceal them?
Though unsettled, Lei Mingyang did not hesitate. With a flick of his wrist, a bolt of lightning shot forth, thick as an arm, streaking toward his opponent.
At the same time, the entire arena turned violet. Lightning surged upward from the ground, forming explosive spheres that detonated in rapid succession. In an instant, the battlefield became a sea of thunder.
Such was the power of a Ninth-Rank expert—able to transform the surrounding space into an elemental domain with a single motion.
No. 58 remained where he stood. He pressed both hands downward. At once, a three-meter radius around him seemed to form an invisible barrier. The lightning at his feet was forcibly pushed away, leaving a vacuum in its wake. Even the incoming thunderbolt halted midair, unable to advance a single inch.
Even the common spectators could tell something was wrong. He had blocked Lei Mingyang’s attack—head-on. Could this truly be an evenly matched battle? And in the first round, no less?
Lei Mingyang’s expression didn’t change.
He moved.
In an instant, his entire body transformed into a blade of lightning, closing the distance in a flash. The surrounding lightning condensed violently, every trace of energy pulled inward until the once sprawling storm compressed into a single, solid form—a thunder blade that slashed toward No. 58.
The control was breathtaking. To command lightning—so wild and violent—and reshape it so precisely in a single instant… it defied description.
For the past five years, Lei Mingyang had rarely appeared in public, devoting himself entirely to training and cultivation. His strength had clearly advanced further. Though he had yet to break into the Tenth Rank, he was unquestionably among the most seasoned Ninth-Rank experts.
“Smack!”
Just as the audience expected No. 58 to falter, he raised both hands. Seemingly slow—yet impossibly fast—his palms closed around the thunder blade.
Lei Mingyang’s brows shot upward.
He immediately attempted to trigger the lightning’s detonation.
But—
Nothing.
The blade, formed entirely from his own power, no longer responded.
No. 58 stepped forward. A clear blue current flashed across his body. In that instant, Lei Mingyang’s entire body went numb. The space around him twisted, and the lightning he had controlled so effortlessly moments ago became foreign—unreachable.
The thunder blade slipped from his grasp. Its hilt snapped backward, slamming into his chest.
“Boom—!”
He was sent flying, lightning trailing from his body. As he soared through the air, a familiar voice reached his ears.
“Sorry, Mingyang.”
The next instant, the Grand Marshal of the Five-Thunder Legion was blasted clean off the stage.
He landed without injury—but stood there, stunned. Then, unexpectedly, a flicker of excitement crossed his face.
He opened his mouth as if to speak—but when his eyes fell upon the bronze mask, he hesitated.
In the end, he said nothing. He stomped once, then turned and left.
The arena fell silent. No one understood what had just happened.
The match was over.
And faster than any before it.
Yet the one who had lost… was a Ninth-Rank Grand Marshal.
Just how strong was No. 58?
Peak Ninth Rank?
In the entire Blue Domain, only the Grand Elder had reached the Star God level.
The thunder blade in No. 58’s hand faded away. The lightning itself seemed to soften under his control, no longer violent—almost gentle. He inclined his head slightly toward the audience, then stepped down from the stage.
Lan Ge stared, stunned. Even he, as a Ninth-Rank, couldn’t fully grasp what had just occurred.
“This… looks like elemental stripping,” Fa Hua said, brows furrowed.
Lan Ge turned. “Elemental stripping?”
Fa Hua nodded. “I used my Eye of Wisdom. The moment he caught the blade, the entire field shifted. The lightning aligned with him—and Lei Mingyang lost control completely.”
“How is that possible?” Lan Ge said in disbelief. “Grand Marshal Lei has mastered the Elemental Heart. His understanding of lightning is profound. Who could strip that away instantly? Unless…”
He stiffened.
God-tier?
Fa Hua shook his head. “Not necessarily. It could be some kind of artifact—something akin to a Divine Artifact. Does Thunder City have anything like that?”
Lan Ge grimaced. “How would I know? I avoided all that growing up. The last thing I wanted was to inherit the city. Why would I ask about its secrets?”
Fa Hua glanced at him. “Ignorance is frightening.”
“Enough,” Lan Ge snapped. “Answer me—if I faced him, what would happen?”
Fa Hua considered. “If his control is limited to lightning, you still have a chance. Your combined techniques are stronger. But if he can strip all elements…”
“Impossible,” Lan Ge cut in firmly. “If he could strip everything, that would mean a Divine Artifact. Even a Tenth-Rank expert couldn’t do that instantly. It must be limited to lightning.”
He narrowed his eyes.
“That mask… he’s hiding his identity for a reason. I’ll find out who he is.”
Fa Hua nodded. “Be ready for a hard fight.”
“Mm.”