While Tony remained in seclusion, the Golden Heir Tournament continued swallowing the attention of the entire martial world.

What had originally been viewed as a rare opportunity for young geniuses was gradually revealing its true nature. As more information surfaced and more participants arrived at Nine Lotus Academy, people finally understood a simple fact.

This was not a competition for glory.

This was a competition for survival.

The World Tree Seeds could increase lifespan by five hundred years.

Five hundred years.

That single reward was enough to drive even the most rational cultivator mad.

The registration numbers reflected this reality better than any explanation.

Three days ago, most participants were famous young geniuses.

Today, the situation was completely different.

Old monsters began appearing one after another.

Retired sect elders who hadn’t stepped into public view for decades suddenly registered.

Peak Grandmasters who had exhausted their potential and spent years waiting for a miracle emerged from remote mountains.

Several wandering cultivators nearing the end of their lifespan openly declared they would risk everything for a chance at the World Tree Blessing.

The martial networks exploded with discussion.

Many young participants who initially dreamed about becoming famous suddenly discovered they would be competing against men and women who possessed fifty years more experience than them.

Fear quietly spread.

But so did excitement.

Because whenever opportunity appeared, danger always followed.

***

Inside the Imperial Family’s ancestral grounds, Mark Smith stood alone atop a black stone platform overlooking a vast training valley.

The Sky Rank Serpent Spirit Sword rested across his knees while streams of spiritual energy continuously flowed between the weapon and his body.

Ever since receiving the sword, he had barely left cultivation. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

The pressure coming from the upcoming tournament was greater than anyone realized.

Previously, Mark believed he stood at the top of his generation.

Then Tony Clark appeared.

The Academy Arena battle had forced many people to reevaluate their assumptions.

Mark himself had replayed the recordings multiple times.

The more he watched, the less comfortable he became.

He couldn’t understand Tony... That uncertainty irritated him.

Suddenly, an elderly figure appeared beside the platform.

King Jamie Smith.

The old king stood silently for several moments before speaking.

"You are distracted."

Mark opened his eyes. "I am thinking."

"Thinking wins nothing." The old king’s voice remained calm. "The World Tree won’t care about your doubts."

Mark lowered his head slightly. "I understand."

Jamie slowly turned toward the distant mountains.

"The registration count has already surpassed thirty-two thousand."

"The strongest families have revealed their heirs."

"The hidden sects have sent their disciples."

"The Demonic Sea Tribe is participating. The wandering Peak Grandmasters are gathering."

Then he looked toward Mark. "And yet you are thinking about Tony Clark."

Mark remained silent.

The old king smiled faintly. "Good."

Mark looked surprised.

Jamie continued. "Never underestimate an opponent. Arrogance is how talented people die."

The old king slowly began walking away. Before leaving, he spoke one final sentence.

"When the tournament begins, forget family pride. Forget reputation. Forget fairness. The only thing that matters is obtaining the 1st place and get 30 spots inside the World Tree blessing."

***

Deep beneath the Pacific Ocean, the crystal halls of the Demonic Sea Tribe glowed softly beneath the sea currents.

Luka stood alone inside a chamber filled with floating water screens.

Information from across the world continuously appeared before her eyes.

Registration numbers, Participant profiles, Security reports, World Tree observations.

Her attention eventually returned to the same report.

Tony Clark.

Again.

The old tribe leader frowned.

Something about that boy continued bothering her. Her instincts simply refused to let the matter go.

The World Tree had changed. And somehow, Tony Clark had been near the center of those changes.

Unfortunately, instinct wasn’t proof.

After several days of investigation, she had reached a dead end. Even the tribe member who escorted Tony into the deep sea knew almost nothing.

The boy had entered... The boy had returned.

That was all.

Eventually, Luka sighed. The World Tree mattered more than suspicions.

Turning away from the reports, she looked toward another screen.

Elsa was training.

The young woman moved across a vast underwater battlefield while wielding her crescent-bladed staff. Every strike sent powerful currents ripping through the surrounding water.

Several tribe warriors attacked simultaneously.

None could touch her.

Luka’s expression softened slightly.

Regardless of what happened, the Demonic Sea Tribe still possessed its own monster.

"Don’t disappoint me, child," she murmured.

***

Meanwhile, Nine Lotus Academy had transformed completely.

The academy gates remained open day and night.

Above the academy, giant floating screens displayed the latest tournament information.

Countless people gathered beneath them every day.

The number everyone watched most carefully was the registration count.

32,847.

Then...

32,981.

Then...

33,114.

The number continued climbing relentlessly.

Every increase made the competition seem more impossible.

Because everyone knew the first round only contained one thousand flags.

More than thirty-three thousand participants would compete.

Only one thousand would advance. The tournament hadn’t even started.

Yet thousands were already destined to fail.

***

Far away inside the Clark Family residence, life remained surprisingly quiet.

Most of the younger generation trained desperately.

Some sought guidance from elders.

Others consumed resources as quickly as possible.

The pressure of the approaching tournament affected everyone.

Everyone except Tony.

Inside an isolated cultivation courtyard, silence ruled.

Dust slowly gathered outside the sealed stone doors.

Days passed.

No one entered.

No one left.

Even Kevin Clark eventually stopped visiting.

His strange encounter with Tony before seclusion remained fresh in his mind.

The feeling still disturbed him.

Every time he remembered that brief moment, he felt as though he had unknowingly stood before something dangerous.

Something ancient.

Something sleeping.

Eventually, Kevin convinced himself he had imagined it.

There was no other explanation.

Meanwhile, deep within the cultivation chamber, Tony sat completely motionless.

Golden energy flowed through his body like rivers of liquid sunlight.

The transformed spinal tree core slowly rotated inside him.

Each rotation strengthened the foundation of his Dragon Lord Transformation.

Each breath refined the primordial energy absorbed from the World Tree.

He remained unaware of the growing tension outside.

Unaware that registration numbers continued rising.

Unaware that the strongest geniuses of the world were gathering.

Unaware that the first round would soon begin.

For now, Tony cultivated in peace.

But beyond the stone walls of his chamber, the greatest tournament Earth had seen in decades was rapidly approaching.

-

Get ready for the battle guys!