NOVEL NEXT Chapter 85: Golden Core Breaker
"Winner, Damien Infernos!" the referee's booming voice finally cut through the stunned silence, formally declaring Vahn the victor.
The cheers from the White Lotus Sanctuary's disciples were deafening, like a tidal wave of relief and pride washing away their earlier humiliation. The other Holy Lands, however, remained strangely muted. Their representatives stared at the young man with fear and suspicion.
Vahn, standing amidst the rubble and the lingering heat of the Infernal Spirit, accepted the verdict with a broad, confident smile.
But only his most intimate associates would recognize it as a perfectly fake smile. He felt no true joy in fighting for his enemies, but for the sake of his goals he acted.
He retrieved the Nuclear Dragon Greatsword from the formidable figure of Vermilion.
While giving it back to Vahn, it pressed its head on the shattered stone platform.
"Thank you for letting this Monarch experience your presence, Primarch of Void. May we meet again," Vermilion's chilling voice echoed, not in the arena, but directly in Vahn's mind.
The spirit then dissolved, the purplish-black flames vanishing instantly, leaving Vahn alone on the ravaged platform.
Vahn felt a jolt of confusion. Primarch of Void? The title was both grand and utterly confusing to him. He was Vahn, a Foundation Establishment cultivator using a staged identity. What power had he tapped into that an ancient spirit would bestow such a title? Was it the nature of the Void Refining Physique itself, or was there something deeper about his true self, his soul, that even he didn't comprehend?
He shook his head, letting his facade snap back into place. He turned to look at the defeated Falco, who was still laid at the edge of the platform, broken and humiliated.
Vahn's expression hardened. His cold voice was loud enough for the entire colosseum to hear:
"Falco of the Zenith Spires... You came here to shame the White Lotus Sanctuary and our elders, claiming we have 'no spine.' But a true warrior knows honor and stops when the point is made. I will not stoop to the level of a spiteful dog and slay a defeated opponent."
He raised his hand and pointed the tip of his greatsword at the Golden Core cultivator.
"However, this lesson must be paid for. I demand that you publically apologize to Patriarch Dimidium and the entire White Lotus delegation for your blatant insults before you leave this arena! Let this be a reminder to all Holy Lands: disrespecting the White Lotus comes with a price."
The crowd holds their breath in anticipation.
Will Falco, the arrogant Golden Core prodigy, submit to the public demand of a Foundation Establishment cultivator, or will he let his pride push him into further disgrace?
Falco spat blood while looking at Vahn. The demand was simple, yet it struck at the core of his pride. He wouldn't apologize to the very people he had sworn to humiliate.
"Apologize? To you, a Foundation Establishment ant and your pathetic sect? Never!" he roared, his voice hoarse and cracking with impotent rage.
Ignoring the pain, he stumbled backward, clutching his injured ribs. He cast a venomous glare at Vahn, then at the White Lotus delegation, before turning his back on the arena entirely.
He launched himself off the platform and fled, not in a dignified retreat, but a desperate, wounded sprint back toward the Zenith Spires' viewing box.
The crowd instantly turned on him. A cacophony of boos, jeers, and angry shouts rained down upon the disgraced Golden Core expert, echoing Falco's flight and cementing his humiliation. He had not only been physically defeated but had also failed the simple test of grace in defeat, confirming the very lack of "spine" he had falsely accused the White Lotus Sanctuary of possessing.
The White Lotus disciples, however, were ecstatic. Their Patriarch Dimidium smiled, his scarlet face now radiant with relief and overwhelming pride.
He turned to the other White Lotus Elders, and asked in bewilderment,
"This Damien Infernos... who is he? When did we nurture such a fierce, decisive talent? Whose disciple is he? Why have I never heard of him?"
The question rippled through the White Lotus Sky Box. The elders, equally shocked and bursting with pride, began clamoring amongst themselves.
"He fights with the White Lotus Destruction Sword style, yet his body refinement is terrifying! He must be Elder Lu's hidden student!"
"Nonsense, that summoning art is unheard of! Perhaps he is a closed-door student of the First Elder!"
Just as the Elders prepared to send an envoy down to question Vahn, a dishevelled, slightly unsteady figure pushed its way to the front of the Sky Box.
It was the Drunken Master. His eyes, usually half-lidded and wine-fogged, were twinkling with calculated brilliance. He cleared his throat dramatically and puffed out his chest, radiating the air of a sagely, if slightly pickled, mentor.
"Ahem! Silence! What is all this noise about?" the Drunken Master declared, adjusting his robes and trying to look sober.
"Damien is, of course, my student! He is a rough diamond I found out in the desolate lands and have been secretly polishing for this very moment! Did you see the finesse? The power? The elegance? That's all my teaching after cultivating his spirit outside of the stifling rules of the Inner Court!"
He threw a smug look toward Patriarch Dimidium. "Why, Patriarch, surely you didn't think all of our Sanctuary's true talent was so easily visible? You were watching the petals; I was nurturing the root!"
Vahn who was still standing on the arena floor, heard the Drunken Master's boisterous, self-aggrandizing declaration.
"Everything is going according to my plan."
Vahn smiled, a cunning, evil smile.
Now he just need to reach the Top 6; then everything would be set.
The Inner Court matches continued. Vahn faced more opponents, declaring that he wanted to reach the Top 6 for the sake of the White Lotus's Honor and Glory.
In reality it was for something else.
In the next four match, he practically dominated the ranking. The opponents were high-level Inner Court prodigies, some at the peak of the Golden Core realm, but none could breach Vahn's layered defenses.
A Heaven-Shaking Prodigy was crushed beneath the sheer weight of the Nuclear Dragon Greatsword.
A Lightning-Fast Genius was overwhelmed by the sudden eruption of the Fire Phoenix Wings, forcing an immediate forfeiture.
A seasoned Weaponmaster was disarmed and pinned by a blinding display of sword technique.
A powerful Body Cultivator found their supposedly unbreakable skin blistered and their defenses shattered by Vahn's channeled spiritual force.
He won without calling upon the Infernal Spirit again, wisely conserving that ultimate trump card. His effortless victories cemented the narrative: Damien Infernos was an unparalleled genius, a master of both close combat and a terrifyingly powerful summoning art.
The White Lotus had indeed found its hidden champion. His new title spread across the whole Imperial City:
Golden Core Breaker.
It was a simple, fearful title earned by his ability to defeat a Golden Core disciples while only at the Foundation Establishment stage.
With those flawless victories, Vahn had secured his place among the Top 3 Inner Court male disciples, demonstrating talent that would soon have the entire Righteous Faction competing for his allegiance.