At the final round of the tournament, they will pick top ten participants. Out of all that managed to survived, the weakest was at Intermediate Spiritual Refining Realm.

With twenty-eight people left, they were given a number randomly. Zhen Lun receives the number eight and Tang Wu receives number fifteen. The participants with number one to fourteen will be put in group A and the rest will be put in group B.

"Number 1 and Number 2 please come up to the stage." The referee called out.

The number one belongs to Fang Long and number two was received by the dark horse candidate, the mysterious outsider.

"This fight will be interesting."

"Of course! A fight between the dark horse candidate of this tournament and one of the strongest disciples."

"I'll bet on the dark horse!"

"Haha! I'll bet on the strong-looking disciple."

The crowds started to place their bets before the fight started. Most of them placed their bets on Fang Long as they know that he has higher cultivation.

On the stage, Fang Long paid his respects to his enemy with a clasp of his fist. "Would you mind tell me your name?"

The guy just stared blankly at Fang Long without answering his questions.

Noticing the tense atmosphere, The referee quickly rings the bell to start the match. "The fight begins!"

Ding*

"Duan Fang." The man replied as he disappeared into his own shadows and it moves with astonishing speed toward his side.

Fang Long has long realized his skills as he observed him at the last round. With so much enemy around him, he was forced to use one of his trump cards. He has the ability to turn into a shadow. While he was within his shadow no one can hurt him unless he comes out from his shadow.

The movement speed of the shadow maybe a little to fast for normal people but to him, it is still manageable.

It zig-zagged and circled around him to get Fang Long confused but sadly it doesn't work. Fang Long calmly observed his enemy, following his movement and while trying to find a perfect opportunity to strike.

It is true that once he cannot be hurt while he was inside of his shadow but this kind of technique does have a weakness. Since it was a shadow-type it's weakness should be light. Fortunately, he has a way to force him to come out, in fact, it's one of his specialty to deal with this kind of enemy.

"Heat Ray!" a line of light came out from his palm, When he focused on the same spot for ten seconds he could actually melt the platform. It was his martial spirit, Eye of Asura (1).

As soon as the glimpse of light hit him, he was forced to come out.

He didn't expect to meet his nemesis in this fight. Duan Fang was injured by that attack but he immediately went into his shadow again.

"You can keep trying but my light travels faster than your shadow." Fang Long felt that Duan Fang was really stubborn, He knows that if he was hit by his light while he was in shadow form he will suffer a harsh penalty.

Fang Long tried to follow the movement of the shadow, it suddenly disappeared from his eyes. 'Where did it go?'

At this moment, Duan Fang hands came out from Fang Long's shadows and his enemy was still oblivious about it.

'You forced me to used the trump card that I've been hiding. You should be proud of that' He wanted to hide his trump card that he is being able to travel between shadows but since this is an emergency he would gladly use it.

Like a deadly snake, He stealthily approaches Fang Long's neck, With his martial spirit, a unique-looking dagger on his hand. He directly went to attack the vital spot of his enemy. He wanted to end this match as quickly as possible.

"The match is over, number one loses the match." The referee instantly called out.

Fang Long was confused, he lost?

After the referee has claimed that he won, he finally let out all of his bloodlusts, letting Fang Long sense it.

'He is behind me!' Fang Long was speechless. If this was a real battle he would've died already. "It's my loss."

The battle ended in an unexpected way, Fang Long loses his match. The crowds were also surprised by this ending.

"What a powerful movement technique, It must be a top-quality technique made by a master." One of the crowd commented.

The elders at the top also nodded his head with acknowledgment of the latter skills. "That Fang Long lowered his guard just because his enemy has lower cultivation than his. If only he didn't belittle his opponent he would've won."

"But Duan Fang is also quite good, his ability to hide his killing intent is quite exceptional, he must have trained to assassinate people."

"Mhm, The technique he used I wonder where have I seen it before. His name is Duan Fang..."

The next match was between Number three and four, a battle between two disciples that reached body harmonizing realm.

Their battle isn't that special but they did entertain the guest elders and the crowds. To the representatives and Elder Fei, it could be said average.

The matches go on, Zhen Lun's enemy didn't forfeit, he wanted to try his luck but in the end, he was thrown out in less than a second by Zhen Lun.

"The Next Match! The fight between the dark horse of this tournament, Number 2 and the strongest one in this tournament, Number 8!"

The crowds crazily cheered as they have been exciting anticipated the fight between them.

"I wonder which one will win?"

"Of course it's Number 8! We can't even see his movement when he moves."

"Hmm, The Number 2 guy still has a chance, he can hide in his shadow and wait for the right opportunity."

"Make senses, I'll bet at Number 2!"

"Ha? Are you guys dumb? Number 8 is sure to win!"

The crowds fight among themselves, predicting which one will win the match. Both have equal bets as they don't know the full capabilities of each side yet.

Both Zhen Lun and Duan Fang are a quiet guy, they didn't speak a single word to each other at all since they got to the stage.

The referee rings the bells and started the match. "The fight begins!"

Like how he started off, Duan Fang immediately entered into his shadows, not letting Zhen Lun throw him out of the arena.

Unexpectedly, Zhen Lun sat on the floor casually despite knowing that Duan Fang can travel to his shadow and finish him.

'What is he doing? Is he provoking me?'

Zhen Lun sat on the floor with his eyes closed while he activated his mana shield.

Duan Fang didn't rashly rush forward. He felt that there's something suspicious with Zhen Lun's behavior. He approaches Zhen Lun cautiously, slowly closing up their distance as he moves within his shadow.

'Since you gave me a handicap, don't mind me for taking your life!' Duan Fang didn't show mercy as he did to Fang Long. This guy is provoking him intentionally, there's no way he let him go.

Using his Poisonous Dagger, With full power, he unleashes his most powerful attack by inserting his Qi into his dagger.

Green Snake Spirit came out from the dagger, with both of his fangs bared toward Zhen Lun, It attacked Zhen Lun's neck.

'Poisonous Strike!'

Dang*

The fangs of the snake didn't manage to pierce Zhen Lun's mana shield. It bounced off as it attacked Zhen Lun.

'What?!' Duan Fang can't believe that he can't pierce the barrier.

"His defense is strong!"

Duan Fang didn't want to give up yet. He quickly returned to his shadows and hid again. Since Zhen Lun is still sitting on the floor he still has a chance to win.

'

Appearing at his back, Zhen Lun raised his dagger to the air and stabs Zhen Lun's head.

Dang*

'It still won't get in! What kind of trick he uses!' Duan Fang didn't stop there, slashing his dagger on Zhen Lun but none of it injured him.

Dang*

Dang*

Dang*

He slashed again and again until he loses his hope he admits his loss. "It's my loss."

Zhen Lun won the match just by sitting on the floor. The referee announces the winner. The crowds were silent the entire time. They didn't expect that the match will end in this manner.

Some of them are booing Zhen Lun for bullying someone. But Zhen Lun didn't mind them at all. He continues to leave the stage expressionlessly and got back to his seat.

Sister Tang immediately scolded him as soon as he got back. "Why did you do that? You have plenty of chance to throw him off from the arena, without a problem."

Zhen Lun didn't say anything at all, It's not like he wanted to make him suffers either.

When he got to the stage, He receives a sudden quest from his system.

[Special Quest has arrived!]

[Do nothing!]

Objective: Sit on the floor and do nothing!

Progress: 0%

Punishment: Instant death

He wanted to say something but the system didn't allow him to do so.

Only at the time when Duan Fang surrendered, he was free and that was also when the quest is completed. That time, he can finally speak but he felt that he shouldn't as it will make it worse.

"I was forced to." Zhen Lun replied with a grim expression.

"By who?" Sister Tang asked.

"That I cannot say." He cannot say that his martial spirit forces him to do it can he?.

Looking at that expression, Tang Wu realized that he was really forced by someone. During the match, he didn't enjoy it at all. He was wearing that dark expression while he was sitting on the floor. He's not the type that bully people but who can force him to do stuff?

Even Xiao Xue was confused by the current situation. "Master, What happened?"

"Nothing happened." Zhen Lun replied to Xiao Xue, he doesn't want to talk about it.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said something." Sister Tang apologized.

"It's fine." Zhen Lun replied.

...

'Why did the system wanted me to do that?' Zhen Lun gritted his teeth with anger. This system can easily control just by these two words. 'Instant Death' and he will be forced to do anything the system told him to do if he wanted to live.

"Ehem, The next match! number eight and nine! The winner will be the champion of group A. He will get to fight the champion of group B."

Before the match starts, number Nine immediately forfeited the match. "I surrender." He knew he has no chance to win at all.

"Ehem, we got the winner of Group A. Now, Let's proceed to Group B!"

The match went on. It's finally Sister Tang turn to finally take action. The match went smoothly for her. She easily becomes the champion of Group B as she's the only one that was half-transcendent mortal on that group.

As the winner of Group B, she gets to fight Zhen Lun but before the host gets to announce their match she forfeited.

"I forfeit the match!" Tang Wu said to the host.

The crowd was disappointed, they wanted to see how the fight turns out. The host took all the blame, he bitterly smiled as he proceeds to announce the winner. He can't help it either, they have the right to forfeit the match.

'This is for the best.' She doesn't have the chance to win against him anyway. She might as well forfeit the match.

"T-this... We got the winner of this tournament! Participant number eight acquired the number one spot!" The host announced.

[Objective has been completed]

[Reward: Get to survive longer]

[New Quest arrived!]

[Path of becoming God]

You have proven yourself that you are above average mortal. This time, you will have to prove that you are at the strongest mortal by dethroning the current emperor and become the emperor yourself!

Objective: Become The Emperor of the East Empire!

Due to your arrogance before, 'God' decided to set a time limit. Fail to complete the task within a year time will result in punishment

Punishments: Instant Death