Chapter 29 : Final

 The moment the signal was given, Chen Fan wasted no time. A fireball shot from his palm, streaking toward Zhou Yuze. Reacting instantly, Zhou Yuze leaped sideways, narrowly evading the attack. A faint mist of steam rose from his body—subtle compared to the overwhelming transformation he had undergone in his match against Gu Muchen.

In a flash, he closed the distance between them, his fist driving toward Chen Fan's chest. However, Chen Fan deflected the blow with his left hand before retaliating with a straight punch aimed at Zhou Yuze's face. Without giving him a chance to recover, Chen Fan followed up with a sharp thrust of his leg, sending Zhou Yuze stumbling backward, though he managed to stay on his feet.

Swish!

A blade of wind cut through the air, slashing across Zhou Yuze's body. Fresh wounds appeared, crimson streaks marring his skin. As expected, without my transformation, we're not on the same level, Zhou Yuze thought, gritting his teeth. Perhaps he had a slight edge in raw strength and speed, but Chen Fan's superior technique and reflexes rendered that advantage almost meaningless.

Blood began to trickle from his wounds, yet before it could stain the ground, it evaporated into steam. The mist around him thickened, swirling with increasing intensity, yet his eyes remained clear and focused.

So it's true—the more blood he sheds, the stronger he becomes. Chen Fan observed Zhou Yuze closely, his expression unreadable. It seems he has some control over it now, but if his injuries worsen, even he won't be able to stop the surge of power.

"Sorry, Brother Zhou, but I've been wanting to fight you properly for a while now," Chen Fan muttered under his breath before closing the distance once more. This time, he unleashed an ice attack crackling with electricity. At such close range, Zhou Yuze had no chance to fully evade or counter. The moment the icy shards made contact, a paralyzing current surged through his body, numbing his movements.

Seizing the opportunity, Chen Fan delivered a devastating punch infused with both fire and lightning, striking Zhou Yuze square in the chest and sending him flying backward.

What followed was a relentless barrage of elemental attacks—fire, wind, ice, lightning—all executed with surgical precision. Zhou Yuze struggled under the onslaught, his body accumulating more and more injuries. Yet, despite the pain, something was changing.

The longer the battle dragged on, the more adept he became at deflecting Chen Fan's strikes. The steam surrounding him thickened into a dense shroud, yet—remarkably—his sanity remained intact.

Without hesitation, Zhou Yuze lunged straight at Chen Fan, his fist once again aimed at his chest. This time, his punch was noticeably faster. However, with a light step to the side, Chen Fan effortlessly evaded the attack and countered with a strike of his own. Yet, unlike before, Zhou Yuze managed to react in time, raising his arm to block the incoming blow.

The close-range exchange intensified, their fists clashing in rapid succession. But despite Zhou Yuze's growing speed and strength, Chen Fan's overwhelming technique once again sent him staggering backward. The wounds across Zhou Yuze's body worsened, and the crimson steam billowing from his skin grew denser.

I'm about to lose control, Zhou Yuze thought, his vision blurring as he struggled to focus on Chen Fan. Normally, he would never resort to this power, but Chen Fan had insisted—he wanted to face him at full strength.

Of course, Zhou Yuze hesitated. But Chen Fan's words echoed in his mind: Sooner or later, you'll have to master it. He knew it was true, yet fear gripped him, a shadow from the past.

Whenever he entered this state, his opponent ceased to be a person. Instead, they became a shifting mass of blood, and an insatiable hunger surged within him—a craving to see that blood splatter, to drench the battlefield in crimson. It was like a starving man suddenly presented with the most exquisite feast, his body screaming to devour it.

In this state, every instinct to destroy was amplified. His consciousness wavered, drowning in the intoxicating pull of bloodlust, much like a drunkard losing himself in the haze of alcohol.

Chen Fan observed the change, his expression unreadable. Zhou Yuze's eyes had turned a deep, menacing red.

And then, with terrifying speed, he charged once more.

Chen Fan prepared to deflect, but the sheer force of the attack left him no room to evade. Instead, he braced himself, blocking the punch with both hands. The impact sent him skidding backward, his feet digging into the arena floor. Zhou Yuze had completely lost himself to his power, yet seeing this, Chen Fan's lips curled into a smile.

Throughout the entire tournament, no one had managed to land a clean hit on him—until now.

Without missing a beat, Chen Fan raised his palm, unleashing a massive fireball that engulfed Zhou Yuze's entire body in flames. Yet, as the fire dissipated, not a single new burn could be seen on his opponent's skin. Before Chen Fan could react, Zhou Yuze retaliated with a powerful punch, sending him flying several meters back.

Rising to his feet, Chen Fan studied Zhou Yuze's state carefully. His defense had rendered most elemental attacks ineffective, and his rapidly increasing speed and strength made it impossible to buy time for a charged attack. Of course, Chen Fan could simply drag out the fight, forcing Zhou Yuze to burn through his own blood—but that wasn't the kind of victory he wanted.

It seems I have no choice but to use it, he thought, his grin widening as his excitement grew.

Zhou Yuze, now a blur of motion, charged at him once more. His right fist was clenched tightly, blood-infused qi surging within it. Meanwhile, Chen Fan raised both hands, manifesting two black disks, each about thirty centimeters in diameter. He positioned his right hand in front of his face, the black disk facing Zhou Yuze's incoming punch, while his left hand hovered near his opponent's abdomen.

The moment Zhou Yuze's fist struck the disk, he felt nothing—no impact, no resistance. It was as if his attack had been swallowed whole. Confused, he barely had time to react before an immense force slammed into his abdomen, sending him hurtling into the air.

Chen Fan immediately dissolved the black disks and brought both hands together, summoning a sphere of fire and lightning. Energy crackled as he compressed it at an alarming speed. Without hesitation, he shot toward the airborne Zhou Yuze, aiming the devastating attack straight at him.

BOOM!

Chen Fan was sent flying backward by the explosion, a faint burn appearing on his hand. Yet, his focus remained entirely on his opponent, eager to assess his condition. As the smoke slowly dissipated, Zhou Yuze's figure emerged—his entire body drenched in blood, his clothes barely distinguishable beneath the crimson stains.

Yet, instead of weakening, his aura felt even more oppressive. The steam surrounding him had thickened, almost completely obscuring his form, leaving only his glowing red eyes visible—like a demon looming in the haze.

Chen Fan's gaze sharpened as he noticed Zhou Yuze's blood gathering in his right hand, swirling into a spiraling mass. The sheer intensity of the energy it radiated sent a chill down his spine. Without hesitation, he summoned the black disk once more.

BOOM!

In an instant, Zhou Yuze vanished from his previous position, the ground where he stood crumbling into ruin. Almost simultaneously, two identical explosive sounds echoed from different directions.

Chen Fan's instincts screamed at him. He turned sharply to his right, raising his palm—shielded by the black disk—just in time to block an incoming strike. However, his left hand remained aimed at Zhou Yuze's previous location.

BOOM!

His eyes widened as he took in the destruction before him. Directly in line with his outstretched left hand, a deep crater stretched beyond the shattered arena, stopping just at his feet. It was as if a force had carved through space itself.

But there was no time to dwell on it. Shifting his focus, Chen Fan locked onto Zhou Yuze, who stood to his right, a crazed grin splitting his bloodied face. Retracting his right hand from the black disk, Zhou Yuze swung at him again, this time aiming directly for his face.

However, compared to his previous attack, his movements were noticeably slower.

Chen Fan immediately dismissed the black disk, dodging the strike before countering with a punch to Zhou Yuze's chest. Yet, his fist met resistance—not flesh, but a thin, shimmering barrier of blood shielding his entire body.

In the next moment, Zhou Yuze lashed out with a powerful kick. Chen Fan raised both arms to block, but the force still sent him skidding five meters backward.

Observing his opponent, Chen Fan noticed Zhou Yuze's body had become visibly thinner, his power gradually fading. His breathing had grown labored. But Chen Fan himself wasn't unscathed—though he had no severe injuries, his qi reserves had dwindled to just 30 percent.

Maintaining the black disk, a technique that functioned like a miniature portal, consumed an immense amount of qi—20 percent for just five seconds.

With only the black disk, I can barely defend against his peak state… Chen Fan thought grimly. Recalling the raw speed and strength Zhou Yuze had displayed when gathering his blood, he knew he had struggled to keep up. Even a slight delay in his reaction had cost him precious opportunities to counter.

Zhou Yuze charged at him again, but this time, his movements had slowed considerably. Chen Fan easily sidestepped, retaliating with a fire-infused punch to the face. As expected, the blood barrier absorbed the impact—but Chen Fan was prepared.

His left fist shot forward, striking Zhou Yuze's abdomen. The force sent him hurtling backward. Without wasting a second, Chen Fan pursued, meeting him midair. Flames engulfed his right hand, lightning crackled in his left, and with both palms, he drove them into Zhou Yuze's stomach.

CRASH!

Zhou Yuze's body slammed into the massive crater formed by their earlier clash, sending debris flying in all directions.

Chen Fan hovered above, watching closely. Zhou Yuze lay motionless, his eyes closed. The thick steam that had once shrouded his body had completely dissipated, and the bleeding had finally ceased.

He was unconscious.

"The winner is Chen Fan."

The old man's voice rang out across the battlefield, flat and emotionless, as if unimpressed by the spectacle that had just unfolded.

Hearing this, Chen Fan felt… unsatisfied.

A victory like this, one where Zhou Yuze had simply exhausted himself, left little room for pride. Shaking his head, he descended toward his fallen opponent, kneeling to check his condition. Fortunately, there were no signs of lasting harm—no life-threatening injuries, no damage to his cultivation. Just pure exhaustion.

Chen Fan exhaled softly. He glanced down at Zhou Yuze before murmuring, "Let's fight again next time."

Zhou Yuze, unconscious, could not hear him.

But those words were the only ones that could truly capture how Chen Fan felt in that moment.