Crown Duel

🔨 REBORN AS THE VILLAIN, I LOOTED THE HERO'S HAREM!

Chapter 17: Crown Duel

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"When two destinies clash, the world holds its breath."

—Sage Wu

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Celestial Jade Arena – Grand Finals Begin

Tens of thousands of cultivators held their breath as the two finalists stood at opposite ends of the floating sacred platform. The Celestial Jade Arena hovered between three sacred mountains, glowing runes beneath it keeping the battlefield suspended in the clouds.

Above them, three massive banners waved in the sky, held aloft by ancient array magic: the golden phoenix of the Golden Sky Sect, the white dragon of the Frozen North Sect, and the mysterious shadow eye of the Heaven-Seers. Each represented a power that had ruled the continent for centuries.

Qin Feng rolled his shoulders, lightning crackling across his arms and sparking in his hair. His cursed lightning vein still pulsed with volatile power, barely restrained by his will. His body ached from the semifinals, but his heart beat steady.

Across from him, Jian Wushen stood like a statue. Snowflakes drifted around him, floating in spirals before vanishing into mist. He exuded silence. His aura was so cold it turned the very air translucent, as if time slowed around him.

Between them, the referee stepped forward. An elder wrapped in robes woven from night itself. His eyes were blind, yet glowing white.

"Combatants. This is the final match of the Heaven's Crown Tournament. The winner shall receive the crown, the favor of the Emperor, and the right to make a demand from any sect present."

He raised a single finger.

"Begin."

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1. Frost vs. Thunder

The moment the word left his mouth, Jian Wushen vanished.

Qin Feng felt the chill before he saw the strike. He ducked, dodging a frost-forged palm aimed at his chest. The air behind it froze solid and shattered.

He spun and countered with a backfist laced in lightning. The impact sent Wushen skidding backward across the platform, twin shockwaves cracking the arena floor.

They didn't pause. Not for a second.

Ice daggers rained from above. Lightning spears roared from below.

Every movement was precise, each strike laced with killing intent. The air crackled with pure energy.

[System Alert: Divine Fragment Detected – Jian Wushen]

[Warning: Opponent immune to elemental backlash. Adaptive resilience active.]

Qin Feng narrowed his eyes.

"You're not just strong. You're blessed."

Wushen remained silent, but the aura around him thickened. It felt like an entire glacier pressed down on the field.

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In the crowd, the girls watched from the VIP balcony.

Yun'er leaned forward. "He's getting faster."

Su Mei frowned. "He's reading Feng's patterns."

Zihan clutched her hands together. "Come on... focus."

Mei Xue, arms folded, spoke calmly. "He's waiting for a mistake."

Ziyue gritted her teeth. "Then we give him no chance to make one."

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Their voices rang in Qin Feng's mind, amplified by the emotional sync feature of his bonded system.

[Bond Network Active: 5x Emotional Sync Boost]

He grinned.

"Alright then. Let's turn it up."

He clapped both hands together.

Lightning spiraled upward in twin arcs, forming the shape of twin eastern dragons.

Heaven Art: Judgment Spiral — Twin Tempest Form!

The sky dimmed. Thunder rolled like drums of war.

Wushen reacted instantly.

Saint Technique: Glacial Crown Descent!

A colossal crown of ice formed in the air, crashing down with divine force.

The twin lightning dragons spiraled upward to meet it.

The collision turned the sky white.

A blast so powerful it shattered the cloud barrier above and sent cultivators in the upper stands flying back.

The arena shields nearly buckled. The referee had to reinforce the protective array personally.

At the heart of the storm, Qin Feng and Wushen clashed in close combat. Lightning and frost danced with every movement. Fists met palms. Feet struck ribs. Blood hit stone.

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2. Lian Ruo's Choice

Below the arena, deep within the cold tunnels of the spectator mountain, Lian Ruo sat alone.

She held a scroll sealed in bone wax — the same given to her by the mysterious envoy from the Heaven-Seers.

Outside, the roars of battle echoed.

Inside, her heart raged louder.

"They say he'll bring ruin. That he's already fractured fate."

She looked at the scroll.

"But what if he's the one who can fix it all?"

A voice broke the silence.

"Then choose him. Or leave."

She turned.

Mei Xue stood behind her, sword unsheathed, eyes cold.

"I was told to kill you if you betray him. But I'm giving you a chance."

Lian Ruo's voice cracked. "I didn't ask for this... I just wanted to be enough for him."

Mei Xue took a step forward. "Then prove you are. We all had to."

A long silence. Then:

Lian Ruo lit the scroll with her flame.

It burned to ash.

She stood. Her eyes gleamed.

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3. The Crown Shatters

The battle entered its final stage.

Qin Feng's robes were tattered, blood leaking from the side of his mouth. His skin sparked with unstable lightning. His cursed lightning vein had reached 98% capacity. One wrong move and it would rupture.

Wushen was no better. His right arm was entirely encased in a self-generated glacial seal to hold the bones together. His breathing was shallow. Yet he stood tall.

They stared at each other.

Then Wushen spoke for the first time.

"Why do you fight this hard? What are you protecting?"

Qin Feng didn't hesitate.

"Everything they tried to take from me."

Wushen looked skyward.

"Then we finish it properly."

He raised his arms.

Divine Crown Final Form: Frost God Requiem!

A divine pillar of ice descended from the heavens. The sky dimmed. The temperature dropped below freezing. Spirit beasts across the mountain range began to howl.

Qin Feng bit his lip.

"Alright. No holding back."

Forbidden Lightning Release: Soul Storm Surge!

His entire cultivation base ignited. Lightning burst from his bones. His very soul burned to fuel the storm.

Two ultimate attacks met in the sky.

Light devoured the arena.

Spectators could see nothing. Feel nothing. For five full seconds, the world held its breath.

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4. Silence After Storm

When the light faded, the arena was gone.

Only debris floated in a shimmering barrier held up by ancient runes.

Two figures lay unmoving.

Then—a rune pulsed.

A single, glowing sigil hovered in the sky: Qin Feng's lightning seal.

The referee appeared.

"By final surviving formation, and combatant collapse... the victor: Qin Feng of Golden Sky."

The entire mountain erupted into deafening cheers.

Sect banners waved. Trumpets of qi resounded.

Yun'er burst into tears.

Su Mei cheered. Zihan clapped, sobbing. Mei Xue nodded once. Ziyue shouted so loud she almost passed out.

They rushed to the arena, breaking formation protocol, uncaring.

They found him breathing. Barely. But alive.

And from a distance...

Lian Ruo stood at the highest balcony.

She watched.

Then turned.

"Not yet," she whispered. "Not until I show him I still matter."

And vanished.

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> "He took the crown. But the war for the continent has just begun."

—Sect Master Ye

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To be continued...

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Preview – Chapter 18: The Emperor's Invitation

As Qin Feng recovers, the Emperor sends a divine envoy. A banquet is declared in his honor.

But across the land, ancient enemies stir. Secret sects reawaken. Not all are pleased that a cursed cultivator now wears the crown.

A storm brews beneath the peace. Qin Feng has earned the crown...

But now, he must fight to keep it.