Chapter 374: Chapter 350: Winds and Clouds Surging (Part 2)

Beta Morgan kept looking back as he walked, his voice low. "Are you sure everything’s alright?"

He could have sworn he heard Aurora Sinclair talking to someone, but when he approached, there was no one there.

Dawn Miles shook her head, but she held up three fingers.

Beta Morgan paused for a moment. Instead of asking more questions, he handed her the mask in his hand. "You’re in the second match."

The two of them hurried into the competition venue.

Martial King-level matches didn’t draw large crowds.

Only Martial Artists at the Martial Master Level or higher, those who had cultivated Power, were capable of watching the fights.

To ensure the safety of every Martial King, The Martial Alliance provided a private preparation lounge for the contestants from each nation.p>This year, Arcadia had six Martial Kings competing. After Niphoria’s withdrawal, only five remained. The fact that Veridia fielded two of them immediately drew the attention of the Martial World across Arcadia.

Now, with the news about Seawell Pharma capturing global attention, this Martial King tournament was receiving more focus than any international competition in recent memory.

Beta Morgan wasn’t allowed inside the contestant lounge, so he escorted her to the entrance and left.

Drake Trent, who was already inside, shot to his feet the moment he saw Dawn Miles walk in.

Even though she wore a mask, he recognized her instantly.

"Why are you here?"

Dawn Miles didn’t answer, simply sitting down on the sofa next to him and gazing out at the competition grounds.

Drake Trent’s expression darkened. He glared at the VIP stands across the way, cursing Zane Lockwood under his breath as an ’old fox’.

"Do you insist on siding with them?" Drake Trent asked quietly.

Dawn Miles remained silent.

Drake Trent clenched his fists. "The Trent Family is doing all of this to protect you. If there are others, you won’t be treated like a monster..."

Dawn Miles finally reacted. She turned to face him, her expression placid, yet her gaze seemed to peer straight into his soul.

A shiver ran through Drake Trent’s heart. ’That’s the same look Joy Young used to have.’

He lowered his voice. "You’ve been deceived by the Morgans. The Morgan Family is afraid of the Trents returning to Kingsford and replacing them as one of the paramount Great Families. That’s why they keep telling you the drug is flawed. But don’t forget, you became this powerful because of our drug..."

"You will all die," Dawn Miles said, cutting him off. She turned her head to look at the contestants in the arena.

Drake Trent was momentarily speechless. After staring at her for a long moment, he suddenly started to laugh. "If we die, you won’t live much longer. You’re our greatest advertisement..."

Dawn Miles watched the smile on his face as she slowly rose to her feet.

A voice suddenly crackled over the room’s intercom: "Will the contestants for the second match please proceed to the preparation area."

Just before she opened the door to leave, Drake Trent added, "If you change your mind, the Trent Family is always ready to cooperate with you."

The moment she left, Drake Trent made a call.

"She’s here. Execute Plan B."

***

"And now, let’s welcome our two Martial King-level contestants to the arena..."

Dawn Miles slowly stepped onto the fighting stage and glanced at the Martial King across from her.

He too wore a mask, concealing his features.

Transparent "walls" suddenly rose from all four sides of the stage, encasing it like a protective dome.

Standing behind the protective barrier, Hector Lennox’s eyes curved into a slight smile when he saw Dawn Miles.

Matches at the Martial King Level were quite different from those of lower ranks.

Since Martial Kings could wield Power, the referees had to stand outside the protective field to avoid accidental injury while they observed the match.

This made it very easy for contestants to be seriously injured.

If the two contestants happened to be from rival nations, they would show each other no mercy, and the referees would be unable to intervene in time.

The referee re-emphasized the rules: "In this match, you are forbidden from inflicting fatal harm, and serious injuries cannot exceed Grade Two. Once a party concedes, their opponent may not attack again. Any violation will result in sanctions against the offender’s home Martial Alliance by the International Martial Alliance. Do both parties confirm you will abide by these rules?"

Dawn Miles and the Martial King across from her simultaneously made a gesture of assent.

"Very well," the referee continued. "Will both Martial Kings please take your positions and bow to one another. The match will begin in five seconds."

Dawn Miles stood with her hands clasped behind her back on her side of the red line, observing the Martial King opposite her.

He was from Korya, the second-largest nation in Arcadia. Like Niphoria, Korya had always aspired to supplant Veridia as Arcadia’s leading power, but their nation’s Guardian had been... disciplined by Master Aerion from across the border a few years ago.

That incident had been enough to suppress the ambitions of the Koryan Martial World.

"Impressive. After more than a hundred years, your people finally produced a Martial King. The only question is whether you have genuine strength or if you just got here by popping pills." The Koryan Martial King’s words were filled with contempt, angering the Veridians in the audience.

While the drug developed by the Trent Family had received glowing reviews thanks to the maneuvering of certain individuals, a significant portion of the community did not approve. They felt the Trents’ victories were dishonorable, violating not only the rules of competition but the very principles of the Martial World.

Dawn Miles didn’t respond. She simply performed the Ancient Martial Ceremony bow from where she stood and waited quietly for the match to begin.

The Koryan offered a simple bow in return as a Power Domain gradually materialized around him. He was an Advanced Martial King.

A man sitting on a rooftop somewhere suddenly opened his eyes. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Two familiar figures stood before him.

The middle-aged man asked flatly, "Master Aerion, why are you still alive?"

Master Aerion replied, seemingly annoyed, "I’m hard to kill."

The middle-aged man watched him for a moment before continuing, "What’s going on with Seawell Pharma?"

Master Aerion rolled his eyes, shifted his position, and retorted, "I never go anywhere. How would I know about that?"

"Master Aerion, you know what must be done about something that violates the principles of the Martial World." The middle-aged man clearly had little respect for him, and his tone grew harsh.

But Master Aerion merely cleaned out his ear and replied nonchalantly, "I’m retired. Don’t come to me with your problems."

The middle-aged man, enraged, was about to strike when the person who had been standing silently beside him intervened.

He immediately bowed to the intervener, his attitude one of utmost respect.

That person looked at Master Aerion and suddenly laughed. He took a wooden tablet from his pocket and tossed it to him. "You’re nothing at all like Quentin Miles."

Master Aerion stared at the wooden tablet in his hand, his expression changing drastically. He scrambled to his feet and dropped to his knees in agitation. "Grandmaster!"

With a gentle flick of his sleeve, the man sent out a soft Power Domain that lifted Master Aerion back to his feet.

"Who is the person on the fighting stage to you?"

"She is my disciple, the current Sect Leader of the Radiant Void Sect."

"And her age?"

"Nineteen."

Both men were stunned. They could tell she was young, but they never imagined she was *that* young.

He asked in disbelief, "The Radiant Sect, is she truly nineteen?"

"Replying to Grandmaster, she is indeed nineteen."

"Hahaha... The heavens have blessed the Radiant Void! The Radiant Sect, after you’ve dealt with the Trent Family and those Chameleons, bring her to the fishing village."

Master Aerion’s heart leaped into his throat. "Grandmaster, are we to eliminate all of the Chameleons, too?"

The smile on the man’s face faded. "The Radiant Sect, if you don’t pull up the roots, the weeds will just grow back in the spring. The Martial World absolutely cannot allow such people to exist!"

***

「Meanwhile.」

An incredibly powerful pressure suddenly exploded from a Power Domain on the stage.

The once-disdainful Koryan Martial King was sent flying. He crashed hard against the barrier wall, coughed up a mouthful of blood, and collapsed to his knees.

That momentary burst of pressure sent a wave of terror through every Martial Artist watching.

But on the stage, Dawn Miles hadn’t moved a muscle. She remained in her original spot, her gaze resting calmly on her opponent.

"Do you concede?"

Fear flooded the Koryan Martial King’s eyes; the person before him was like an insurmountable mountain.

He immediately stammered, "I... con... cede..."

The pressure vanished instantly. The Koryan Martial King shivered violently, as if he’d just been plunged into a frozen lake.

The surrounding "walls" slowly retracted. Dawn Miles turned and walked off the stage.

The eyes of every Martial Artist in the venue followed her as she moved.

In the VIP section, everyone turned to Zane Lockwood with complex expressions.

Derek Vance’s brow furrowed slightly. He said softly, "Mr. Lockwood, this goes against regulations, doesn’t it?"

Zane Lockwood arched an eyebrow at him. "Oh? And what regulation would that be?"

"Sunstone has always remained aloof from worldly affairs. Her participation violates the established rules between Sunstone and the Great Families."

Zane Lockwood looked as if he had been waiting for just that comment. He broke into a smile. "Head of the Vance Family, it seems that in your eyes, an unwritten rule is more important than the greater good of the nation..."

Derek Vance was speechless, his expression faltering.

Zane Lockwood continued, "The fact that she is interested in competing is a blessing for Veridia. Wouldn’t you agree, Head of the Vance Family?"

Derek Vance forced an unnatural smile. "Of course. It’s a blessing."

***

Dawn Miles stepped off the stage and headed back to the lounge.

As soon as she pushed open the door, Drake Trent began to applaud. "Very impressive. I hope you’ll go easy on me later."

Dawn Miles ignored him and walked past.

A dark glint flashed in Drake Trent’s eyes as he glanced toward a nearby air vent.

’He’d tampered with it a little.’

The next match was a three-way battle. The champion, runner-up, and third-place winner would be determined by the order in which the contestants conceded.

Since Drake Trent had drawn a bye, Dawn Miles and the other remaining Martial King had an hour to rest before the final match.

DING-DONG—

The chime came from the lounge door.

Drake Trent called out, "Come in," and a member of the organizing committee entered, pushing a small cart.

On it were water and snacks to replenish their energy.

After the staff member left, Drake Trent asked with a smile, "Not having any water?"

Dawn Miles continued to ignore him. She shifted into a more comfortable position, leaned back on her sofa, and closed her eyes to rest.

Drake Trent brought something over and sat across from her. "You’re really no fun. Not nearly as interesting as Joy Young."

"..."

"Aurora Sinclair, how about I tell you a secret? One about your mother."

"..."

"Your mother isn’t dead."

Dawn Miles’s eyes snapped open. Her glacial gaze was like a sharp sword, aimed straight at him.

Simultaneously, an incredibly fast wave of her Power Domain blasted toward him.

The smile vanished from Drake Trent’s face. He instantly jumped up to dodge, shouting, "Eleanor Grant looks exactly like your mother! Don’t you want to know her secrets?"