Chapter 1398: I Think I've Won

"I apologize, Father," Radiant Sun continued, "but I don't expect I will be able to continue my participation in the Cup."

The racial characteristics of the Solarvine race, along with the intense vivacity of the ambrosia of eternal sun, should easily have repaired Resplendent Sun's mental damage. However, Zhang Lie's [Third Form: Separating Earth and Sky] had been too strong a technique. It had deeply wounded Resplendent Sun's soul and left a scar on it.

Although his mental injuries had healed, his spiritual injury hadn't. His soul and mind was continuously attempting to transform into roiling chaos, fearsome in its intensity.

"Just rest."

Radiant Sun vanished from sight once again.

Supported by a pool of such ambrosia, Resplendent Sun would be able to recover from any injury bar death. Radiant Sun did not have to worry about his son's safety.

Beside him was a humanoid lifeform whose golden, metallic surface was blazing with flame. The liquid metal simultaneously bore properties of a liquid and a solid. The man knelt on the ground and began respectfully, "Young Master, do not be disappointed. I have learned that your opponent was using hacks during your fight. Young Master, you remain invincible!

To have used such despicable tactics—don't you worry, Young Master, we'll ferret him out and allow you to take your revenge!"

Resplendent Sun waved a hand. A beam of golden light struck the surface of the liquid metal in a spate of ripples.

A crisp slap resounded.

The man of liquid metal clutched his face in shock. "Young Master?"

Resplendent Sun snorted. "You need not worry yourself about my affairs."

The man of liquid metal bowed his head, not daring to look at his master.

Resplendent Sun thought back to Zhang Lie's final blow. The fear in his eyes warred with excitement. He sighed, "The universe is truly boundless. Such a strong competitor, and one whom I knew nothing about."

Given your strength, we'll surely meet again.

Resplendent Sun didn't notice that the humanoid's furnace-like eyes were dark and sunken. He murmured to himself, "The clan head instructed us to help out the young master, who might yet be rather ignorant of the universe..."

Meanwhile, in the fourth real, Bu Wentian yelled out, "The results are out!"

Zhang Lie cocked an eyebrow. "What results?"

"Of your fight against Resplendent Sun, of course!"

Zhang Lie was perplexed. "You can access it?"

Bu Wentian grinned cockily. "I have my ways."

Zhang Lie asked, "Has the virtual realm been restored?"

Bu Wentian asked, "You aren't curious about the outcome?"

Zhang Lie shrugged. "Regardless, it doesn't matter."

"What if you lose?"

"Then I'll simply have to win the next fight."

"You really are confident."

Zhang Lie didn't mind, but someone else did. Sun Mengmeng asked, "What was the outcome?"

Zhang Lie turned on his device and saw the display on the screen. "It looks like I've won."

Zhang Lie had made it through the qualifiers and into the Cup proper.

Bu Wentian congratulated him. "Well done. The will of the realm has affirmed your victory."

Sun Mengmeng hugged Zhang Lie. "Captain, you've done it! You've made it through the qualifiers!"

Sun Xiaowu laughed. "Sis, isn't it a given that our captain would make it through? You seem even happier than he is about it!"

Sun Mengmeng scowled. "I'm happy for our captain."

Zhang Lie asked, "Is the Cup going to continue?"

"Of course!" Bu Wentian nodded. "The virtual realm has been restored, and you may all return to your matches.

Sun Mengmeng asked, "What if we were mid-way through our fights?"

Bu Wentian replied, "Those don't count. You'll be matched against another opponent."

Sun Mengmeng headed into her apparatus. "Then I want to start quickly and become the next qualifier."

Sun Xiaowu got into his own coffin. "No, I'm going to be next!"

Upon realizing that Fang Yi and Yang Ze remained where they were, Zhang Lie asked, "Aren't you going to head in too?"

Fang Yi shrugged. "My opponent from the last round was relatively decent, and I expended some of my strength. I intend on heading back in once I'm in peak condition. After all, the qualifiers won't be over for a while."

Yang Ze replied, "According to our discussions just now, the faster you return, the more likely you are to encounter a strong foe. I'd rather wait for all you stronger competitors to pass through the qualifiers first."

Bu Wentian shook his head. "That's not what I said. It's merely a matter of probability—you're just less likely to encounter a strong opponent if you head in later."

Yang Ze shrugged. "That's all I need."

"In that case, I'll be heading in too to watch the others' fights."

Zhang Lie and the others entered their apparatuses.

Zhang Lie was just in time to spectate Sun Mengmeng's fight. Her opponent had a head of golden hair and a golden lotus stitched on the sleeve of their robes. A lotus mark was present on their forehead.

From their handsome and beautiful appearance, Zhang Lie couldn't tell whether they were male or female.

"It's Qingyue Ge!" one spectator cried out in excitement and anticipation.

Zhang Lie turned to the spectator. "Is this competitor famous?"

The spectator rolled her eyes at him. "What are you doing here if you don't know a thing? That's the child of Divinity Qinglian!"

"Are they male or female?"

"That... I don't know."

The spectator beside her rolled his eyes and mocked, "What are you doing here if you don't know a thing? You're a fan of this person whose gender you don't know?"

That second spectator's voice was intimately familiar; it belonged to none other than Yang Ze.

The woman instantly grew furious. "Fight me if you dare! I've won two consecutive matches."

Yang Ze continued taunting her. "That so? Do you really consider that such a major accomplishment? Surely not, surely not!"

"And how many matches have you won? I have to imagine you're scared of just stepping into the arena!"

Yang Ze replied, "Coincidentally, I've won two stages as well—but I'm nothing compared to my companion here, who's already made it past the qualifiers!"

"What? That's impossible!" the spectator cried out.

Zhang Lie glared at both of them. "Shut up. Let's watch the fight."

Only then did the two of them notice the unfriendly glares from all around. They shot each other a nasty look before turning quiet again.

While Yang Ze and the other spectator argued, the match had begun. Sun Mengmeng raised her garuda bow. Three arrows, brimming with purple flame, flew toward the enemy like tracking missiles.

"[Lunarflame Shot]!"

The three flaming arrows exploded in mid-air in a brilliant burst of fireworks.

A golden path of light rapidly pierced through the flame. Qingyue Ge stood at the start of the path before flashing into action, closing the gap between them.

Sun Mengmeng immediately drew her daggers, meeting her opponent in a melee.

"[Baptism of Hellfire: Phoenix Rising]!"

Sun Mengmeng whirled her daggers all around her like a phoenix spreading its wings. A tail of fire glowed with radiant light, causing the stars themselves to quake.