Chapter 526
by fanqienovelChapter 526: Breaking Through Level 66
The black pillar of flames resembled a sharp sword capable of splitting heaven and earth.
It pierced through the frozen wasteland, cleaving the Death Ice River in two within an instant. Its power undiminished, the pillar surged straight into the sky!
At that moment, every eye in Dragon Tooth Arena instinctively turned toward this fiery column.
Not just ordinary Black Dragon warriors and their leaders—even the prideful Children of the Dragon and the temple heads of the five great temples glanced at it.
“Oh? This boy actually dares to advance mid-battle. Interesting,” the central temple head remarked, his gaze lingering on Midi in Arena 3 with faint approval.
“Reaching level 66 from peak-level 65 with such fanfare—though intentional, it’s still commendable,” the southern temple head nodded.
“If he survives, he might qualify for Dark Dragon City,” the northern temple head said, glancing meaningfully at the eastern temple’s female leader.
“Heh. That girl from the eastern temple seems to be in trouble now,” chuckled the western temple head, who had brought the “Killing God,” his tone dripping with mockery.
“Geniuses often rise through battle at the Black Dragon Conference—but many also fall young,” the eastern temple head replied with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.
To the temple heads, Midi’s breakthrough was merely a passing spectacle.
But for the Children of the Dragon, his actions demanded attention.
Advancing during combat wasn’t rare in the Shaded Realm’s lawless lands. Some even called it “forcing breakthroughs through relentless attack”—channeling an opponent’s pressure to shatter bottlenecks.
Midi had used this method before with the Wolfspider tribe, relying on direct combat, brutal clashes, and magical onslaughts to push his cultivation.
But such tactics only worked when one overpowered their foe. A single misstep could spell death.
Yet here?
Midi stood at peak-level 65, facing a level-68 opponent—three levels his superior!
He’d not only endured Shelly the Ice Mage’s assaults but weaponized her attacks to fuel his own rise!
What looked like Shelly dominating the battle was, in truth, Midi’s meticulous scheme.
The precision required for such control was staggering. Worse for Shelly, Midi had turned his breakthrough’s explosive energy into that fiery pillar, overturning her advantage in an instant.
Even the arrogant Children of the Dragon felt a flicker of awe.
On the central arena, the level-70 “Thunder King” Odin—bearer of the Thunder Dragon bloodline—spoke lazily: “Dig up that man’s details.”
His casual tone belied the command’s weight. For Odin to take notice meant Midi had crossed into dangerous territory.
The “Ice Queen” Catherine, however, clenched her teeth so hard they nearly cracked. Her usual icy composure shattered, the pure Ice Dragon bloodline within her stirred, summoning swirling snowflakes around her.
“Shelly. Explain yourself,” Catherine hissed.
Were this not the Black Dragon Conference, the proud Ice Queen might’ve stormed the arena herself.
But now, she could only grit her teeth while watching Midi’s promotion, then rebuke the subordinate who’d disgraced her.
"I deeply apologize…" Shelly spoke with genuine terror.
"I don’t want apologies," Catherine snapped. "Kill that human at any cost and reclaim your honor. Fail, and you’ll never return to the eastern temple!"
"Yes…" Shelly answered swiftly.
"You believe mere desperation can kill me?" Another voice cut through, silencing Shelly again.
Black flames erupted outward like a night-consuming storm, shattering the Death Ice River and dissolving the frozen landscape.
At the storm’s core strode the black-haired youth, advancing steadily toward his foe.
Having risen from peak-level 65 to level 66, Midi’s power grew stronger.
This promotion differed from previous ones – now bearing both the True Dragon Body Refinement Method and True Dragon Breath Technique from the True Dragon Heritage.
His Black Iron Dragon Flame now burned denser and hotter, its metallic gleam turning tangible.
Where level 65 Midi had barely endured Shelly’s assault, level 66 Midi moved with battle-winning certainty.
Yet when Shelly unleashed Death Ice River again, cycling through Ice Spirit Bow, freezing spears, and Ice Spirit Swords, Midi didn’t strike back.
He kept advancing methodically, mirroring their earlier confrontation.
"He’s stabilizing his realm?" Thunder King Odin discerned immediately.
Though promoted, Midi’s foundation remained unsteady – Shelly’s renewed attacks became his Grinding Stone.
Under Catherine’s pressure, Shelly abandoned restraint, burning magic and bloodline powers to control one bow, four spears, and four swords in a storm-like barrage.
But level 66 brought transformative power. Previously overwhelmed by the Ice Spirit Bow alone, Midi now smoothly parried nine weapons attacking from all sides.
As icy whirlwinds reformed, the duel returned to deadlock – but changed.
Midi’s Horn King Greatsword moved faster, blocking more strikes.
Shelly’s energy reserves drained quicker.
Yet stalemate persisted – a stalemate Midi controlled.
Soon even lesser observers understood – he was consolidating cultivation.
Promoting mid-battle wasn’t enough? He kept refining?
Black Dragon warriors gaped. The mighty level 68 temple fighter reduced to a training dummy?
Amid shock, many noted Shelly’s flaws:
"Control without bite – no burst damage. Ice Dragon Bloodline can’t fix an Ice Mage’s weakness."
"Demon Swordmen sacrifice defense for offense, yet this human guards flawlessly through attack. Mark him dangerous."
Midi now commanded serious attention.
As warriors dissected Shelly’s failures and Catherine watched her champion falter, the Ice Queen’s patience snapped.
"You don’t need to keep fighting; you’ve lost your worth," Catherine said coldly.
Even if they continued, it’d only let Midi sharpen his skills further—the Ice Queen had realized this truth.
Each extra minute of this standoff meant another blow to the eastern temple’s reputation, making it unbearable for her to endure.
Though Shelly’s Dragon Energy token was silver-grade with massive reserves, what did it matter if Midi took a third?
The Ice Queen would personally reclaim it eventually.
As for this battle’s outcome, she no longer cared about victory or defeat, only wanting to end it swiftly—out of sight, out of mind.
Shelly’s face drained of color at Catherine’s words.
Truthfully, while she couldn’t overpower Midi now, her Ice Dragon Bloodline granted exceptional stamina. Even using multiple skills simultaneously, she could persist much longer.
Moreover, Midi hadn’t launched a single real attack throughout—her Ice Shields remained completely intact.
To surrender without receiving any attack?
How could Shelly accept this?
She was a level-68 expert after all, holding Status equal to major families’ heads in any region.
Yet Shelly knew better—the Children of the Dragon’s orders were absolute.
Defying Catherine here would bring Penalties worse than losing her Black Dragon warrior qualification… possibly Death itself!
Her lips trembled briefly. After seconds of mental struggle, Shelly yielded.
But first, she needed to retrieve the Devouring Sound Orb still floating midair.
This orb originally prevented Midi from surrendering—now Shelly had to disable it before conceding.
Focusing her consciousness, she formed a spell gesture to recall the orb.
Yet the usually responsive Devouring Sound Orb stayed frozen.
Shelly tried summoning it repeatedly, but the orb remained inert.
Assuming it broke under the Death Ice River and black fire pillars’ assault, she sighed and declared surrender aloud.
But the Devouring Sound Orb devoured her words completely.
The dragon’s shadow in the high skies showed no reaction.
The battle raged on.
Only then did panic flash in Shelly’s gaze—the orb still functioned, yet ignored her commands! Impossible!
"You control the Devouring Sound Orb through that ring, right? It’s useless now." Midi stared at Shelly, then glanced at observing Catherine. His smile turned icy. "Let me clarify—I’m not just a Black Dragon warrior, but a master Mechanics alchemist!"