144: Chapter 145 The Shock Brought by the Origin Skill

Upon learning that her opponent in the first match of the second knockout round was Lin Muyang, Li Yiyao, who was sitting not far away, did not feel despair; instead, she let out a long, complex sigh of relief in her heart.

As one of the bottom-tier contestants who had barely squeezed into the top sixteen during the first round of group stages, according to the knockout draw rules, she was bound to face one of the undefeated seeded players from the first round—Lin Muyang, Shi Yongxin, or Gu Shuanglin. To her, any one of these three was an insurmountable mountain, and the hope of victory was nearly non-existent.

Li Yiyao was very clear about her own standing. Her SS-Rank Talent 'Wraith Whisper' combined with her 'Wraith Daughter' constitution could exert a troublesome advantage in specific environments, allowing her to stumble her way into the second round of the Provincial Tournament. However, this was almost the limit of her talent. Facing truly top-tier experts, her trick of 'immunity to physical damage' would likely no longer be effective.

"Facing Lin Muyang... perhaps, it's actually the best result?" Thoughts raced through Li Yiyao's mind. Her cold face showed no expression, but her fingers unconsciously laced together. She quickly recalled Lin Muyang's performances in the previous matches.

"As of now, he has fielded three summons. The Elf Priest, Holy Light attribute, has terrifying output and ridiculously strong defense. The Phoenix Heavenly Maiden, a supreme fire-user, appears to touch upon the level of Laws. The Night Elf Assassin has reached the pinnacle of speed and cutting power, and seems to have some kind of damage reflection immunity." She quickly constructed a tactical model in her mind. "According to the rules, one can ban one of the opponent's summons in advance in the second round. I must make the most advantageous choice."

"The Elf Priest and the Phoenix Heavenly Maiden—one is Holy Light and the other is Divine Fire—both extremely counter my wraiths. Moreover, they both have area-of-effect attacks, making them too much of a threat in a team battle. They must be banned! The Night Elf Assassin... although her speed is frighteningly fast, her attack pattern leans toward physical cutting, and my wraiths are immune to physical damage. If she only has physical means, then she's no threat to me!"

"The key lies in his remaining summons..." Li Yiyao's gaze involuntarily drifted toward Lin Muyang's side in the contestants' area. There sat a young lady who had yet to take the stage: an exquisitely beautiful girl with a timid expression, nine fluffy pink fox tails swaying behind her.

"The ones remaining available are mainly that fox girl and the short-haired girl," Li Yiyao analyzed internally. "Judging by her aura, the fox girl might be a Mage or Warlock class. The short-haired girl... I can't see through her. But regardless, as long as I ban those two magic-based cores and gamble that his remaining summons are mainly physical-based or lacking in strength, I'll have a slim chance of survival! At the very least, I can force out more of his trump cards, or maybe even have a slight chance?"

Thinking of the eight-finalist prize money as high as sixty million magic crystals, Li Yiyao took a deep breath, suppressing the faint admiration and the hint of a fan's mindset she felt toward Lin Muyang—after all, it was hard not to feel favorable toward someone young, handsome, and powerful—and her eyes became firm again. This was a competition concerning real interests and her own professional path; there was no room for personal feelings.

"I choose to ban contestant Lin Muyang's Elf Priest 'Lilia' and the Phoenix Heavenly Maiden 'Phoenix Plume'." She quickly reported her choice through the terminal.

Almost simultaneously, at the organizers' seats, Sword Saint, Zhou Wenyuan, and Xu Ruohan also received the ban information submitted by both sides.

"Oh? That little girl is quite clever, directly banning the two magic cores that counter her the most." Sword Saint glanced at the information and nodded slightly.

Zhou Wenyuan looked at Lin Muyang's blank ban column and raised an eyebrow. "This kid didn't choose to ban any of the opponent's summons? Does he think it's unnecessary, or does he simply not recognize the difference between those wraiths?"

A flash of realization crossed Xu Ruohan's cold eyes, and the corners of her lips curled imperceptibly. "Perhaps, he just feels it's unnecessary. Just like when I participated in competitions back then, I almost never looked at my opponents' data, let alone specifically banning anyone. A true powerhouse doesn't place their hopes on restricting their opponent, but is certain that no matter what situation they face, they have the grasp to overcome and win."

"Haha, makes sense!" Zhou Wenyuan laughed heartily. "To monsters like you, tactics, counters, and bans... are all games for the weak. It seems this kid is just as proud as you are deep down, Ruohan."

Sword Saint also stroked his beard and smiled, though the sharp light in his eyes didn't fade. "Pride stems from strength. However, this Li Yiyao's wraith system indeed has some merit; it's completely immune to physical damage."

Lin Muyang's Night Elf Assassin has been proven to have terrifying physical output, but facing wraiths, she'll likely be at a loss. He will inevitably have to send out a new summon, and it must be a magic-based or special attack type. This old man wants to see what kind of skills those two remaining young ladies by his side are hiding."

The gazes of the three Nation-Guarding Level Experts focused simultaneously on Lin Muyang's contestant seat, especially on the Nine-tailed Fox Maiden who was being gently petted on her pink fox ears by Lin Muyang, looking somewhat nervous yet expectant.

On the arena stage, both sides began to enter.

According to the rules, Li Yiyao dispatched the strongest 'Wraith Big Three' under her command:

Wailing Banshee: Clad in a tattered gray cloak, holding a massive bone scythe swirling with ominous black energy. Beneath the hood is a deep darkness, with only two points of crimson light flickering. It is the symbol of death, and its scythe attacks carry Soul Tear and a Fear Aura.

Faceless Wraith: Wearing a ghastly white long dress, with long black hair spread like seaweed completely covering its face, floating in mid-air. It has no physical attack but excels at mental shocks, creating illusions, and draining the target's vitality; it is a core for continuous soft control and attrition.

Soul-Devouring Spider Woman: The upper body is an enchanting and seductive female torso, with a face that is beautiful yet pale as paper, while the lower body consists of eight hideous, translucent spider legs. She is shrouded in bone-white spiritual spider silk, which can both bind enemies and be woven into poisonous and corrosive webs for attacks.

As the three wraiths appeared, the temperature on the stage plummeted, gusts of eerie wind blew, and faint, shrill whimpers echoed. Their translucent bodies appeared somewhat blurred under the lights; they were indeed pure spiritual forms, making physical attacks ineffective against them.

And on Lin Muyang's side...

"Daji," he withdrew his hand from stroking Su Daji's fox ears and looked warmly into her eyes, which were misted with moisture and filled with a mix of nervousness and eagerness. "For this match, you go up and play by yourself. The opponents are three spiritual bodies, just right for testing the new skills you've learned."

Su Daji nodded vigorously, her pink fox ears twitching slightly with excitement. "Mm! Master, Daji will work hard!"

She stood up and took a deep breath, seemingly trying to exhale her nervousness. Then, she lightly straightened the snow-white gauze dress she was wearing. With a flash of light in her hand, a magnificent staff appeared—it was entirely crystal clear, topped with an ice-blue gemstone. This was an epic-grade ice staff Lin Muyang had just found in his inventory for her temporary use, which could significantly enhance the power and control effects of ice spells.

Under the gaze of countless curious, surprised, or puzzled eyes, the Nine-tailed Fox Maiden, Su Daji, holding the Ice Crystal Staff, seemed to step onto an invisible staircase, flying into the air step by step and landing lightly in the center of the wide arena. Nine fluffy, soft pink tails swayed gently behind her unconsciously, forming a sharp contrast with the three sinister and terrifying wraiths opposite her.

"What's the situation? Contestant Lin Muyang... has only sent one summon onto the stage?" The host's surprised voice spread throughout the venue via the amplification array. "The second knockout round is a three-on-three team battle! But the rules do not forbid sending only one person... Contestant Lin Muyang has made a very... confident choice!"

The spectator stands instantly exploded with noise!

"Holy crap! One against three? That's so arrogant!"

"Although his young ladies were very fierce before, one against three... and the opponents are wraiths specifically meant to counter physical attacks!"

"Can this fox girl do it? She looks so soft and cute, I hope she doesn't get beaten until she cries..."

"To the person above, did you forget you said the same thing before the Phoenix Heavenly Maiden and Night Elf appeared?"

"But these are three wraiths! The attribute counter is right there! If this fox girl is physical-based, it's over!"

"Betting pool! Is anyone opening a pool on how many seconds this fox girl can last?"

"I bet she clears the field with one skill!"

"Impossible! Those are three SS-Rank wraiths, and they're immune to physical damage!"

Amidst the noise, Li Yiyao's heart sank slightly. For the opponent to send only one person, they were either extremely conceited or... they had absolute certainty. She hoped it was the former, but her reason told her it was likely the latter. She stared intently at the slender white figure on the stage, her palms sweating slightly.

"Match—Begin!"

The referee's voice sounded like a starting gun!

Almost at the same moment the voice fell, Li Yiyao's three specters moved instantly! The Wailing Banshee swung her scythe, a crescent-shaped blade of pitch-black death energy tearing through the air, silently slashing toward Su Daji! The Faceless Wraith's long hair danced wildly, and an invisible mental scream spread out like a tide! The Soul-Devouring Spider Woman shrieked, spitting out a large swath of pale spirit webs that covered the area like a net! The three of them coordinated perfectly, clearly seasoned in battle.

However, at the moment they launched their attacks, Su Daji, on the other end of the stage, also moved.

No, she didn't even "move."

She simply stood there quietly, holding the Ice Crystal Staff vertically in front of her. Her eyes, shimmering with water-like light, instantly became clear and focused, her pink fox ears stood up, and invisible air currents seemed to swirl and accelerate around her!

In the eyes of the audience, Su Daji's movements were so fast that only an afterimage remained! No, there wasn't even an afterimage, because her casting animation was compressed to nearly zero!

She simply tapped the staff lightly against the ground.

Hum—!

With the point where her staff touched the ground as the center, a circle of ice-blue, incredibly complex magic circle patterns instantly expanded, covering almost the entire stage! An extreme chill erupted without warning! Water molecules in the air instantly condensed into countless tiny ice crystals, reflecting the stadium lights like a dreamlike rain of blue ice dust!

The temperature plummeted dozens of degrees within 0.1 seconds! A thick layer of white frost quickly condensed on the stage floor and even on the inner side of the surrounding defensive barrier!

Next, came the vibration!

It didn't come from below, but from... above?

Everyone instinctively looked up.

The space directly above the stage seemed to be twisted and squeezed by an invisible giant force! Countless visible, thick torrents of ice-blue energy surged out of the void, gathering frantically!

One, two, three... a total of five mountain-sized iceberg phantoms, made purely of extreme ice, suddenly manifested dozens of meters high above the stage! They were not physical entities, yet they radiated a terrifying pressure that could freeze the soul; they were sharp-edged, with ancient ice runes flowing on their surfaces, and their edges were so sharp they seemed capable of cutting through space!

[Ice Mountain Shatter]! Origin Skill, Level 20! Unlocked Special Effects—Ice explosion range increased by 50%, freeze duration extended by 100%, and the next ice/physical damage taken by frozen targets increased by 200%!

"Fall."

Su Daji's red lips parted slightly, uttering a single cold word.

The five iceberg phantoms, carrying a destructive momentum that crushed everything, crashed down toward the stage—more accurately, toward those three specters who had just launched their attacks but were now momentarily frozen by this sudden display of heavenly power!

No, it wasn't a "crash," it was more like "covering" and "devouring"!

Before the icebergs even arrived, that extreme chill had already completely frozen and slowed the movements of the three specters! The Wailing Banshee's death blade shattered and melted inch by inch in the cold; the Faceless Wraith's mental scream was frozen in the air, falling as ice crystals; and the spirit webs spat out by the Soul-Devouring Spider Woman froze directly into ice shards, clattering to the ground.

Then, the icebergs descended.

There was no deafening impact sound.

There was only a continuous, grating "crack" sound, as if space itself was being frozen and then shattered.

The five iceberg phantoms were not physical impacts; rather, at the moment of contact, they disintegrated and exploded on their own! Boundless, condensed ice energy, mixed with the massive damage bonus from the "Ice Mountain Shatter" skill for "frozen" targets, formed an indiscriminate, devastating ice explosion storm!

Blue cold light filled everyone's vision.

Ice crystals, frost, shattered ice blades, and howling cold currents swept across the entire stage like a raging tide! The incredibly strong defensive barrier fluctuated violently, its surface condensing into a thick layer of ice and making an overwhelmed "creak" sound.

Those three specters with SS-Rank Talents, who had caused headaches for countless physical-type opponents, were like three wisps of smoke in a blizzard before this destructive power containing Origin Ice Laws.

The Wailing Banshee's cloak and scythe were the first to shatter, turning into a sky full of ice-blue light specks.

The Faceless Wraith let out one last silent shriek, its white dress and long hair completely frozen, before exploding into ice mist with a "bang."

The Soul-Devouring Spider Woman's eight legs struggled frantically, trying to spit out spider silk to resist, but the silk froze as soon as it left its mouth; its seductive upper body was quickly covered in frost, and finally, along with its lower body, it was pierced and pinned to the stage floor by an exceptionally thick icicle, then shattered into powder along with the icicle.

The ice explosion came as quickly as it went.

As the piercing blue light and the raging cold currents slowly dispersed, only a vast expanse of white remained on the stage. A thick layer of ice covered every inch of the ground, with countless sharp ice barbs standing tall. Biting cold filled the air, and one's breath turned into frost.

In the center of the stage, Su Daji still stood there quietly, the light of the Ice Crystal Staff in her hand restrained, her snow-white gauze dress unstained by a single speck of dust, and her nine large pink tails swaying gently behind her, as if that world-destroying strike just now had nothing to do with her. Only the ice-blue magic glow slowly dispersing around her, almost solidifying, indicated that everything just now was not an illusion.

As for the opponent's three specters? They were long gone, leaving not even a trace of their aura.

Silence.

A dead silence, longer and deeper than any before, enveloped the entire crowd of 150,000 people.

Everyone had their mouths wide open and eyes bulging, looking at the Nine-tailed Fox Maiden on the stage who seemed like a descended ice goddess, and at that frozen world in shambles; their brains had completely stalled.

One versus three.

An instant kill.

And it was an instant kill so shocking, so grand, and so deeply touching the level of elemental laws!

"Was... was that the Origin Skill 'Ice Mountain Shatter'?" a knowledgeable senior Class Transferee in the audience whispered with a trembling voice, "But... how could its power, its range, and its instant-cast speed be like this?!"

"Level 20! That is definitely the effect of a Level 20 Origin Skill! Only by reaching Level 20 and unlocking the extra effects can you have this kind of range and freeze amplification!" another person cried out in shock.

"Level 20? Are you kidding me! To raise an Origin Skill to Level 20, a normal person wouldn't even dream of it without ten or eight years! How many days has it been since she was summoned?!"

"Monsters... everything Lin Muyang summons is a monster! Even such a beautiful fox race girl is a monster who can destroy the world with a wave of her hand!"

"I think I heard the barrier making noise just now... did the power of this skill almost blow up the Provincial Tournament barrier?!"

After a brief silence, there was a landslide of frantic cheers and shouts that almost toppled the stadium! Lin Muyang and the young ladies had completely conquered the entire audience with one suspense-free, yet increasingly shocking, crushing victory after another! Suspicion? Questioning? At this moment, it all turned into the most fervent worship and amazement!

At the host seats, the expressions on the faces of the three Nation-Guarding Level Experts—Sword Saint, Zhou Wenyuan, and Xu Ruohan—had changed from their previous surprise and admiration to complete, undisguised shock, even carrying a hint of terror.

"[Ice Mountain Shatter]..." For the first time, a clear emotional fluctuation appeared on Xu Ruohan's exquisitely beautiful face. Her eyes, which could see through laws, stared intently at Su Daji, then suddenly turned to Lin Muyang, who was as calm as water in the player's seat, her voice carrying a dryness she hadn't noticed herself. "This origin skill book... if I remember correctly, it's the one that appeared at the Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand Auction. How many days has it been since then? Three days? Four days?"

Zhou Wenyuan was extremely restless inside: "Three days! From the end of the auction until now, it's been less than three full days! To train an Origin Skill from Level 1 to Level 20 in three days?! Old Man Liu, tell me, is that possible?!"

Sword Saint's hand gripped the armrest of his chair, his knuckles turning white. He had weathered many storms in his life and seen countless geniuses and eccentrics, but the scene before him completely upended his cognitive limits regarding 'talent' and 'cultivation speed.' He spoke slowly, pausing after every word, his voice incredibly heavy:

"Ab-so-lute-ly im-pos-si-ble."