Elsewhere in the arena, Hong slowly stepped onto the battlefield.
He wore a suit of deep crimson battle armor that reflected a faint glow beneath the sunlight. As the founder of Earth's Ultimate Dojo, Hong carried himself with the calm authority of a mountain. Every step he took felt steady and immovable, as though the ground itself acknowledged his presence.
Across from him, Leo, the Knight of Light, had already been waiting.
He wore full silver armor engraved with countless mysterious runes. Each rune emitted a gentle radiance, forming a faint halo around him. In his hand was the Sword of Light, dazzling and almost translucent. The blade looked as though it had been forged from pure light itself.
"Hong of the Black Dragon Mountain Empire," Leo said, his voice filtered through his helmet with a metallic echo. "I heard you have also comprehended the Law of Light?"
Hong gave a small nod.
"The origin of light. I understand a little."
"The origin of light?" Leo's eyes flickered with surprise. "It shares the same root as my Law of Light, yet it is clearly different. Interesting. Let me see just how powerful your Origin of Light really is."
"Begin!"
At the referee's command, Leo made the first move.
He raised his Sword of Light high above his head. A brilliant pillar of light shot straight into the sky.
"Judgment of Light!"
In the next instant, countless blades of light rained down like a meteor shower, covering the entire battlefield. Each sword carried a sacred aura, as if it sought to cleanse all darkness from existence.
Hong remained standing where he was.
A faint halo suddenly spread around his body.
"Origin of Light: Refraction."
The falling blades of light changed direction the moment they approached him. It was as if they had struck invisible mirrors. Every beam bent away, scattering toward the surrounding arena.
Gasps erupted from the audience.
"He actually changed the path of the light!"
"Is that even possible?"
"That is the power of the Origin of Light," Rowan explained quietly from the spectator seats. "Unlike the Law of Light, the Origin of Light focuses on understanding and controlling the essence of light itself."
Back on the battlefield, Leo lowered his sword slowly, his expression turning serious.
"You can control the trajectory of light itself. Your Origin of Light truly is extraordinary."
"Your Law of Light is powerful as well," Hong replied calmly. "But the nature of light is not only brilliance and holiness."
His figure suddenly moved.
In an instant he transformed into a streak of light and appeared directly in front of Leo.
"Origin of Light: Extreme Speed!"
Hong's speed had reached a terrifying level. No afterimages could be seen. Only a faint trace of light lingered in the air, proof that he had moved.
"So fast!"
Leo hurriedly raised his sword to block.
Bang!
Hong's fist slammed into the Sword of Light, producing a burst of blinding brilliance. The tremendous force forced Leo several steps backward.
"It isn't just speed," Hong said calmly as he withdrew his fist. "The energy within light can also be converted into raw power."
"I see."
Leo steadied himself, then lifted his sword again.
"It seems I underestimated you. In that case, I will show you the true power of the Law of Light!"
His body erupted with dazzling radiance. For a moment, he looked like the incarnation of a god of light.
"Domain of Light!"
A brilliant white field expanded outward from Leo, covering a radius of one hundred meters. Within the domain, all shadows vanished, and even the air seemed to glow with crystal clarity.
"Within my domain, darkness cannot hide," Leo declared loudly. "Light Purification!"
Countless particles of light drifted through the domain. Each particle carried purifying power. They rushed toward Hong, attempting to cleanse every impurity from his body.
Hong smiled faintly.
"An interesting ability. But you forgot something. Light can purify. It can also destroy."
He slowly raised both hands.
Two small spheres of light appeared in his palms. Though tiny, they contained terrifying energy.
"Origin of Light Fusion!"
The spheres suddenly expanded and released devastating power. The entire Domain of Light trembled violently. Compared to that explosive force, Leo's purification particles appeared fragile.
Boom!
A deafening explosion tore through the battlefield. Cracks appeared in the Domain of Light.
"That's impossible!" Leo shouted in disbelief. "You created such a powerful explosion inside my domain?"
"That is the mystery of the Origin of Light," Hong replied calmly. "Light is energy, and energy can take countless forms."
Then he launched another attack.
"Origin of Light: Kaleidoscope!"
Hong's figure suddenly split apart into countless copies. Every clone was formed from condensed light. They darted through the Domain of Light, creating a massive kaleidoscopic formation.
"Illusions?" Leo scoffed. "Before true light, all falsehoods will be revealed!"
He swung his Sword of Light repeatedly, releasing waves of sword energy.
Yet when those attacks struck the clones, he realized something shocking.
Every single one was real.
"Not illusions," Hong's voice echoed from every direction. "They are created through the refraction and condensation of light. Each one truly exists."
Hundreds of Hong's clones attacked at the same time. Fists and kicks rained down, each strike infused with the power of light. Leo was forced into a defensive position.
"Damn it!"
Leo roared in anger.
"Wings of Light!"
Two enormous wings of light burst from his back, stretching more than ten meters wide. With a single flap, a violent shockwave spread outward, shattering all of the clones.
"Finally getting serious?" Hong's real body appeared in the distance, a spark of excitement in his eyes.
"Next, I will show you the ultimate secret of the Law of Light!"
Leo rose into the air, his wings drawing elegant arcs across the sky.
"Law of Light: Angel Descends!"
His body began to transform. The armor fused with the wings, turning him into a towering angelic figure of pure light. The Sword of Light in his hands grew enormous, sacred runes flowing along its surface.
"In this angelic form, my power increases tenfold!" Leo's voice boomed like thunder. "Prepare yourself!"
The gigantic blade of light descended with world-shattering force.
Hong took a deep breath.
The light surrounding him suddenly became restrained and profound. Unlike Leo's flamboyant radiance, Hong's light felt quiet and deep.
"Origin of Light. Fourth Profound Meaning. Heart of Light!"
A single point of light appeared in the center of Hong's chest. It was the core of all his Origin of Light power. The light grew brighter and brighter until it erupted into a pure beam.
The beam was not as dazzling as Leo's attack, yet its energy was far more concentrated.
It shot forward to meet the descending blade.
Boom!
When the two powers collided, the entire Starry Sky Arena was swallowed by light. The protective barrier groaned under the strain as hundreds of Lord-level experts reinforced it simultaneously.
"That's terrifying!"
"What a battle!"
Rowan narrowed his eyes, trying to see through the blinding light.
"It seems Hong has the advantage," Luo Feng said quietly.
When the radiance finally faded, the sight on the battlefield stunned everyone.
Leo's angelic form had disappeared. He knelt on one knee, his Sword of Light planted in the ground to support himself. His armor was heavily damaged.
Hong was still standing. Though slightly battered, he was clearly in better condition.
"You win," Leo said with difficulty. "I never imagined the Origin of Light could be so powerful."
"Your Law of Light is impressive as well," Hong replied as he walked forward and offered a hand. "But your understanding of light still has room to grow."
Leo grasped his hand and stood.
"I have learned much today. I hope we meet again in battle someday."
"The winner is Hong of the Black Dragon Mountain Empire!"
Thunderous applause erupted throughout the arena. The brilliance of this battle rivaled any fight that had come before it.
Hong returned to the spectator seats, where Luo Feng, Rowan, and Thor immediately surrounded him.
"Brother Hong, that Origin of Light was incredible!" Thor said excitedly.
"What exactly was the Heart of Light?" Rowan asked curiously.
"It is the core application of the Origin of Light," Hong explained. "Condensing all light energy into a single point before releasing it. The power is immense, but the energy cost is equally severe."
"It seems everyone has their own trump card," Luo Feng said thoughtfully.
As the cheers from the final match slowly faded, the audience began to leave the Starry Sky Arena in orderly streams.
Rowan, Luo Feng, Hong, and Thor did not leave immediately. Instead, they headed to a private teahouse near the arena.
The teahouse sat at the top of a floating tower, quiet and refined. Through the panoramic windows, the entire nightscape of Starry Sky City could be seen. In the distance, the arena still shone with bright lights.
"The fourth round is finally over," Thor said as he leaned back on a comfortable sofa and sipped a special energy tea. "The fifth round will be the real challenge."
Hong nodded, his expression serious.
"Anyone who reaches the fifth round is among the greatest talents of their respective star regions. The opponents we faced before were strong, but what comes next will be on a completely different level."
"I checked tomorrow's matchups," Luo Feng said as he placed a small holographic projector on the table.
A three-dimensional image unfolded above it.
"Brother Hong, your opponent will be… the Ice Queen Christina of the Galaxy Empire."
"Christina?" Hong frowned slightly. "The one who defeated Carlos the Reaper a few days ago?"
"That's right," Rowan added. "Her Origin of Ice has reached the fifth profound level. She can even use Absolute Zero. In her battle with Carlos, she did not seem to reveal her full strength."
Thor set down his cup.
"Ice does have a natural advantage against light. Ice crystals can refract and scatter light, weakening the power of the Origin of Light."
"There is more than that," Hong said after a moment of thought. "Her Absolute Zero can freeze everything, even energy. If my Origin of Light were frozen, the consequences would be disastrous."
"Do you have a strategy?" Luo Feng asked.
Hong slowly shook his head.
"Not yet. The Origin of Light is powerful, but Absolute Zero freezing energy itself is a troublesome counter."
"Perhaps you could win through speed," Rowan suggested. "Light travels faster than anything in the universe. If you defeat her before she can use Absolute Zero…"
"It works in theory," Hong sighed. "But in practice it will be difficult. Christina is highly experienced. She will not give me that opportunity. Her ice domain can also drastically slow her opponent."
The room fell silent.
After a moment, Luo Feng spoke again.
"My opponent is not easy either."
He pointed to another line on the projection.
"The Flame Prince of the Inferno Empire. His Law of Fire has already reached the sixth level."
"The sixth level?" Rowan said in surprise. "That is close to the domain stage."
"Yes," Luo Feng nodded. "And his flames are not ordinary fire. They are demonic flames born from the planet's core magma. Their temperature can melt most metals."
"Can your Law of Metal handle it?" Hong asked.
"In theory, metal suppresses fire," Luo Feng said thoughtfully. "But his demonic flames are unique. And a sixth-level law means his control over fire is extremely advanced."
Thor laughed bitterly.
"Looks like all of us drew tough opponents. Mine is the Storm Empress of the Tempest Empire. They say she can control level twelve hurricanes."
"Wind and lightning complement each other," Rowan said. "You should have the advantage."
"If it were normal wind powers, maybe," Thor replied. "But her storms contain the power of space laws. They can tear open space itself. My lightning might simply be swallowed by another dimension."
"My opponent seems slightly easier," Rowan said as he examined the data. "The Night Prince of the Dark Empire. He specializes in shadow laws. Fire should counter darkness."
"Do not underestimate him," Hong warned. "Anyone who reaches the fifth round has extraordinary abilities."
"Agreed," Rowan said. "According to the records, he can manipulate a person's shadow and even attack the body directly through it."
The four continued studying their opponents. The atmosphere gradually became more serious.
"These enemies are far stronger than the ones before," Luo Feng admitted. "It seems we will have to reveal our real trump cards."
"Not only that," Hong said as he stood and walked toward the window. "We must also prepare specific strategies. Raw strength alone will not be enough."
"Brother Hong," Thor asked, "do you have any ideas for dealing with Christina?"
Hong remained silent for a moment.
Then he spoke slowly.
"If ice counters light, then I simply will not use light."
The other three stared at him.
"Not use light?"
"The essence of the Origin of Light is understanding and controlling light," Hong said calmly, a thoughtful gleam in his eyes. "But who says it must only produce light?"
Luo Feng seemed to realize something.
"The essence of light is energy," Hong continued. "Energy can manifest in many forms. Heat, kinetic force, electricity. If I convert light energy into other forms…"
"Brilliant!" Rowan exclaimed, his eyes lighting up. "That would bypass the ice element's advantage!"
"In theory, yes," Hong admitted. "But it will be extremely difficult to accomplish. I must master this transformation tonight. Time is short."
"Then we should start preparing," Luo Feng said as he stood.
"All of us need to get ready for tomorrow's battles."
"Wait," Thor suddenly said.
"Did we overlook something?"
"What?"
Thor looked at them seriously.
"After the fifth round comes the semifinals. If we all advance… we might end up facing each other."