As soon as the Human Emperor Banner came out, I became the Lord of the Old Ones

Chapter 199: Lost

Chu Zhifeng saw the light.

The lights above the venue were connected, like opening a smooth, mirror-like door of light.

He saw countless versions of himself inside the Gate of Light.

There was a version of myself who suffered endless bullying deep in the slums, like a stray dog.

There is the image of myself, sweating profusely in the simple training ground of the Kuangtie Martial Arts School, facing a steel punching bag made from a repurposed old industrial facility, my blood seeping into the steel.

In the past few years, I have fought against various masters with my bare hands in the Spirit Master Tournament, winning the top eight, top four and even the runner-up, and longing for the championship trophy.

There was a time when he broke with Xiong Tieshan, watching helplessly as his mentor collapsed to the ground clutching his chest, yet he resolutely left without looking back.

There was a self full of ambition and high aspirations, surrounded by new training facilities, new luxury equipment, and a new coaching team that seemed ten thousand times more professional than the Crazy Iron Club at the Shattered Star Club.

And then there's myself, having finally won the Dawn Cup and achieved my dream, overwhelmed by flowers, cheers, and applause.

Finally, this version of myself, bathed in dazzling light, appeared so radiant, yet so unattainable.

Chu Zhifeng reached out with all his might, trying to touch this radiant version of himself.

The light and shadow, however, are as fragile as glass, easily shattered.

Countless fragments transformed into pale flames, which in turn transformed into thousands of gaunt, bony hands that gripped every bone, every blood vessel, every muscle, and every nerve in him, dragging him into a pale, endless, foam-filled abyss.

He continued to fall into the abyss, seemingly endlessly, and before he could even scream, he was completely surrounded by bubbles and lost consciousness.

……

Thousands of spectators witnessed the most exciting moment of this competition, and perhaps the most spectacular "dive takedown" in the history of the Dawn Cup.

When Chu Zhifeng was lifted up from behind by Hou Zhijian and sent flying in a breathtaking arc through the air, the blood splattered between the two men reflected the dazzling lights, creating a rainbow-like effect.

The stunning visuals were imprinted on our retinas, making everyone forget to breathe.

As Hou Zhijian also soared into the air, carrying Chu Zhifeng, they crashed into the arena like burning meteors. The two blood-soaked figures seemed to strike the hearts of everyone present, creating a deafening commotion.

For a few seconds, the two bloodied figures remained motionless.

It looked like two clusters of red crystals had fused together, forming a magnificent tomb.

The audience's hearts clenched to their limit, and they dared not beat for a moment, for fear of disturbing the spirits of the fallen heroes resting in the graves.

It took three seconds for Hou Zhijian, covered in wounds, to stand up shakily.

He had almost bled to death, and his face was frighteningly white.

Her smile, however, was incredibly radiant, like the bright sunshine pouring out from the mist.

He raised his right arm high above his head, as if wielding an invisible sword, and unleashed a soul-stirring roar at the referee and the entire arena:
"Who's winning?"

A second later, everyone in the room answered his question in unison with the loudest voices.

……

The audience cheered, marveling at how resounding the name "Hou Zhijian" was.

The rest area of ​​the Shattered Star team was deathly silent.

Even Carlos, the "Golden Boy" who was highly competitive with Chu Zhifeng, remained silent, his brows furrowed as if they were covered with invisible sword hilts.

Those players and coaches who betrayed "Kuang Tie" and joined "Sui Xing" along with Chu Zhifeng were dumbfounded and could not believe their eyes.

Unexpectedly, the sparring partner, who was unknown just half a month ago, has turned the tables and defeated their invincible ace in such an exaggerated way. Even Chu Zhifeng couldn't adapt to the multi-card fighting style.

What should they do then?

Several players and coaches cast pitiful glances at the new boss.

Sheikh Krat, the owner of the Shattered Star Club, had no time for anger or frustration.

He swallowed hard, his saliva stinging, and looked at the two representatives from "Aurora Life" who were in charge of promoting the company's new products for the year, with a hint of hope in his eyes.

Then he saw that his two sponsors had left the VIP seats and walked out of the arena without looking back.

Sheikh Krat felt as if he had been hit hard by a "dive slam" by a player from the Kuangtie team.

A black tide surged before my eyes, one wave higher than the next, completely unstoppable.

"Damn it."

He muttered to himself.

I don't know if I'm talking about Chu Zhifeng or myself, who's risked everything.

"..."

The three commentators looked troubled.

As seasoned industry professionals, they saw many details in this seemingly exciting but actually strange match that ordinary viewers might miss.

Chu Zhifeng's eyes were bloodshot, pink bubbles were coming out of his nostrils, white foam was coming out of the corners of his mouth, and he was having uncontrollable muscle spasms.

In addition, he was stiff, listless, and sluggish, and seemed to be experiencing visual and auditory hallucinations.

All of this points to a very sensitive fact.

This guy went too far.

Drug abuse is an unavoidable unspoken rule in the Spirit Control Competition.

Especially today, with the seal cards constantly evolving and the power of guardian spirits becoming stronger and more unstable.

In pursuit of ultimate combat power, the sealed cards undergo various overclocking enhancements and insane modifications. Only by simultaneously consuming various enhancement drugs can a deep mental link be achieved, enabling instantaneous interaction of massive amounts of data and unleashing devastating ultimate techniques.

As long as no serious consequences occur.

These kinds of things are tacitly understood; no one will lift the lid on them.

However, the Shattered Star Club's ambitions and audacity this year are far too great.

To propel Aurora Life into the realm of automated combat, how much banned substances did they use on their first high-end combat card, "Silver Moon Meteor"?

"A spectacular 'dive takedown'! Hou Zhijian is truly a master of subtlety, but when he does speak, he amazes everyone. It seems he has learned a lot from his opponents during his long sparring career!"

Joe Foster broke the awkward silence, but was unwilling to get to the heart of the matter.

"Chu Zhifeng seems out of sorts today, which is understandable, considering he's only been practicing the Doka style for a little over half a month. This defeat might not be a bad thing for him. Hopefully, he can regain his form and the right path for the Doka style soon, and make a comeback in next year's Dawn Cup!"

Gu Xingzhou also gave Chu Zhifeng face.

"Perhaps they ate something that upset their stomach."

War correspondent Kelly Gracie has an even more fiery personality. Having just joined Dawn Media as a freelance writer, she is more independent and speaks more bluntly: "In real combat in the wilderness, it is common to end up in a mess because you ate the wrong thing."

(End of this chapter)