Chapter 576: Winning the Championship

Although an Emperor always officiated the finals, the decision on which Emperor would do so was made internally by the Ancestral Court Council. The White Tiger Demon Emperor had definitely insisted on doing it, possibly even using up some old favors.

This clearly demonstrated his approval of Mei Gongzi. Although Big Cat also had the tiger race's bloodline, how could he be closer than Mei Gongzi, who carried the bloodline of the White Tiger Demon Emperor himself? Clearly, he was there for Mei Gongzi. Even if she lost the match, he would protect her. And with him present, Mei Gongzi wouldn't need to worry about safety during her time at the Ancestral Court.

"Begin," the White Tiger Demon Emperor commanded coldly. In an instant, both Big Cat and Mei Gongzi could clearly feel a majestic aura enveloping the entire arena, isolating them completely from the outside world. Neither breath nor sound could penetrate the arena.

Big Cat unsheathed the God-Slaying Sword, and his pupils turned into vertical slits almost instantly. On the other side, Mei Gongzi waved the Celestial Plume, and layers of spatial gates quietly opened around her.

A fierce battle was about to erupt!

Big Cat took a deep breath, white light faintly swirling around him. The God-Slaying Sword in his hand emitted a dazzling glow. The platinum-colored sword aura was tinged with a faint red, and his eyes also turned red. His aura surged, with the Lion-Tiger Golden Force reaching its peak. The God-Killing Domain naturally activated, and murderous intent crazily condensed within.

At that moment, Big Cat stood there like a brewing storm, visibly gathering a tremendous amount of strength.

On the other side, Mei Gongzi was slightly taken aback. Such a buildup from her opponent meant that the next move wouldn't be a probing strike but an all-out attack.

She too took a deep breath, and her feet trod the stage gracefully as she danced amid the spatial gates. The Celestial Plume weaved through the air softly, linking the spatial gates together in layers upon layers.

At this moment, Mei Gongzi seemed to have merged with the space around her, giving off an impression of being both illusory and powerful.

Big Cat grasped the hilt of the God-Slaying Sword with both hands and slowly raised it. And with that motion, the frenzied killing intent and his own bloodline aura converged into the sword. Instead of expanding outward, his power actually condensed!

At this moment, he seemed to have completely merged with the God-Slaying Sword in his hand. One could faintly see a giant sword rising into the air, towering above the stage. All of Big Cat’s energy was contained within himself, and his eyes grew brighter and brighter.

It was clear he intended to end the battle with one strike, similar to Tang San's sacrificial strike in the past.

On the opposite side, Mei Gongzi seemed to come to a realization. Her long silver dress fluttered gracefully, and the layers of spatial gates revolved around her. The sky above her began to darken, yet at the same time, it glistened with starlight. The interior of the rotating spatial gates also began to deepen in color, and as they surrounded her, it seemed as if she were at the center of a massive black hole.

This strange transformation created a strong visual impact. Both sides were clearly building up their strength, and the championship could very well be decided with the next strike.

The White Tiger Demon Emperor, watching from afar, couldn't help but frown. Could such a simple and violent fighting style truly showcase their strengths?

They had fought countless battles to reach this point, so why did they seem so hasty?

Only Tang San understood what was actually going on.

The Peacock Great Demon King was initially startled, but within a few moments, he smiled. He, too, had understood.

At this moment, both sides seemed to have reached the peak of their power buildup. The next instant, Big Cat roared, and a giant image of a Lion-Tiger appeared behind him. He gripped the heavy sword with both hands and slashed down fiercely.

A sky-shattering beam of light carried unparalleled killing intent as it descended toward Mei Gongzi.

In that instant, Mei Gongzi's figure quietly vanished, her graceful dancing body swallowed by the black hole behind her and disappearing without a trace.

At this moment, the entire sky turned pitch black, with only the platinum light beam fiercely slashing into the black hole.

The black hole spun wildly, scattering the massive beam into countless platinum-colored sword lights. Yet the lights remained, slashing into the black hole one after the other. The platinum light blades clashed with the star-studded darkness, one being constantly consumed, the other shifting unpredictably.

"Roar—"

Big Cat roared again and the Lion-Tiger image behind him suddenly disintegrated, transforming into a stream of light that poured into the platinum light beam. In an instant, the beam intensified, and light seemed to flow from Big Cat's eyes as his aura reached its peak.

It seemed as if his entire being was burning at that moment. Faint golden light shot from his eyes, his bloodline boiled fiercely, and the platinum light grew brighter. The God-Slaying Sword emitted an unparalleled, dazzling beam.

Clang!

The black hole finally shattered under the wild power of the greatsword, turning into countless black light strips that scattered around. The platinum light beam slashed down, dividing the entire arena in two, like a divine blade splitting heaven and earth.

But on the other side, his opponent's figure was no longer. The massive arena was split in half, but he had lost track of his opponent.

Star Shift could not only redirect the opponent's attacks but also relocate the user.

With an explosive force that was not far from a sacrificial strike, Big Cat had ultimately broken through the Star Shift thanks to the power of the God-Slaying Sword. However, he couldn't lock onto Mei Gongzi while she performed the Celestial Dance. How could one see the secrets of heaven so easily?

A silver light flickered quietly, a light gate opened in the air, and Mei Gongzi stepped out from nowhere.

But when she reappeared before the spectators, her peacock blue hair had turned pure white, and even her figure seemed to have grown taller. The silver dress complemented her white hair, adding a touch of sharpness and nobility, along with a strong aura of killing intent.

The White Tiger Transformation!

Yes, after using the Celestial Dance to block the Lion-Tiger Sword Saint’s ultimate strike, Mei Gongzi had switched to the White Tiger Transformation. This transformation significantly enhanced her defense and physical abilities, perfectly absorbing the aftermath of the previous attack.

Her pretty face was almost as pale as her hair, but it was clear that she was in much better shape compared to Big Cat, whose aura was rapidly fading on the other side.

Watching Mei Gongzi descend from the sky, Big Cat used the God-Slaying Sword to prop himself up, blood faintly dripping from the corner of his mouth. He nodded to her.

"You win."

With these words, he turned and leapt off the stage, leaving just like that.

At this moment, the White Tiger Demon Emperor seemed to understand something. His eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at Mei Gongzi descending from the sky and radiating an aura not unlike his own. A stream of complex emotions flashed deep in his eyes as he announced, "The champion of this individual competition is Mei Gongzi from Kali City!"

In the audience, Tang San frowned. He’d been there when she registered, and she didn’t let him see the name she’d registered under. As it turned out, it was Mei Gongzi, so... why had she been reluctant to show him? Could it be that there was more to this name than she let out?[1]

Mei Gongzi looked at Big Cat's departing figure, a strange light flashing in her eyes. She instinctively glanced toward the VIP seats and saw the masked man whose lips were now curved into a smile.

It felt like a dream; this was the only feeling in her heart.

1. In chapter 30 there’s a phrase that may or may not be foreshadowing: when she says "I’m called Mei Gongzi," that is the actual phrasing from the raws; she does not say "my name is" but "I am called." Do what you want with that information. ☜