<h4>Chapter 462: The Beginning</h4>


    This purely elimination-basedpetition was undoubtedly the most brutal, but it had one advantage: there would be no strategizing or anything of the kind; all one had to do was finish off their opponents while minimizing injury.


    The contestants took their ces on the three massive stages that were 200 meters in diameter. Three matches would take ce simultaneously, between the first three pairs of Group 1.


    Today was the first round of elimination, so it was naturally the longest. Thepetition ended only when all the matches werepleted, so naturally, there would be over a hundred fifty matches. But three stages were running simultaneously, and as soon as one match finished, the next contestants would step up without pause.


    There was one single rule: anything goes. Any weapon could be used; if a contestant had a divine weapon, that was their advantage. A match was lost if one side surrendered, died, or was knocked off the stage.


    Competitions on the Daemon Continent were straightforward and brutal. This method saved the most time.


    At this time, the six contestants of the first group had taken the stage. There were no participants from the same race, but it was clear that they were all from powerful ns.


    Each stage had a god-level judge. Their role was usually simply to announce the start and the winner of the match.


    The first match sparked immediate excitement. Those who dared to participate were mainly at the ninth cultivation order, and they all had second-tier or even first-tier bloodlines. As soon as the battle began, powerful auras erupted. For a moment, it seemed like the intense bloodline energies on the three stages would soar into the sky. Every contestant knew this was their best chance to showcase their abilities. Their performance here would determine whether they could secure more resources to aim for godhood in the near future.


    As long as one could advance from the group stage in the Elite Competition, they would undoubtedly be granted more cultivation resources by their respective ns. Advancing further would be even more impressive, and the top three would be considered absolute prodigies.


    Tang San was in a corner of the waiting area with Big Cat. To avoid attracting attention from other contestants, the burly Big Cat wore arge cloak. Tang San stood beside him, mostly hidden by his shadow, making it hard to draw notice.


    From their vantage point, they could see the match on Stage 1.


    At this moment, the two contestants on the stage were from two mighty races. The male contestant on the left was a strongpetitor from some n of the phoenix race, while the male contestant on the right was from the Solstice Empire''s Sharp Gold n, metal-element nymphs with a second-tier bloodline.


    "This match should be straightforward. The attribute advantage is too obvious," Big Cat whispered.


    Everyone knew that fire countered metal. The phoenix race generally had fire-attribute, first-tier bloodlines, while the Sharp Gold n had a second-tier bloodline. Given simr cultivation orders, attributes and heritage would determine a lot. Of course, many things could change during the battle, and no one could guarantee a sure win, but the phoenix male’s chances were undoubtedly higher.


    "Anyone who dares to participate can’t be that easy to beat. Let''s watch and see," Tang San whispered.


    "Yeah."


    The battle began.


    The Sharp Gold Nymph had a tall, slender build, a triangr head, long arms and legs, and silver-white skin. His eyes were light gold.


    Metal-element bloodlinesbined offense and defense, but their one weakness was an opponent that could use the fire element.


    The phoenix demon opposite him looked no different from a human. At this moment, fiery red wings spread from his back, pping to hover mid-air. Intense mes surged, making him the most dazzling figure on the three stages.


    "This phoenix demon probably doesn''t have muchbat experience, though his cultivation isn''t weak," Big Cat said, frowning.


    With Big Cat''s richbat experience, he could tell from the shy flight that the opponent didn''t have much battle experience. Such showiness was undoubtedly for the spectators, but was it essential?


    Compared to him, the Sharp Gold Nymph was much more low-key. He spread his arms at his sides and quickly rushed toward his opponent without releasing any aura.


    The phoenix demon pped his wings forward, propelling himself backward while a sea of intense mes swept toward the Sharp Gold Nymph.


    The Sharp Gold Nymph didn''t dodge. He brought his arms together above his head, and they transformed into a long de. His speed doubled almost instantly as he charged through the mes.


    The phoenix warrior seemed to sense something and pped his wings again to soar high. He was naturally skilled at flying and believed that as long as he maintained his distance and used phoenix mes to incinerate his opponent, victory would be a matter of time.


    But was that really the case?


    The first st of mes suddenly split apart, and it became apparent that the Sharp Gold Nymph had transformed into a de, soaring into the sky. Yes, his entire body had be a long de under the cover of the mes! The silver-white de had a faint red hue, not from being scorched by the phoenix mes, but from a bloody aura.


    "Hell de?" Big Cat blurted out. Compared to Tang San, he had morebat experience and immediately recognized the Sharp Gold Nymph''s technique.


    The speed of the Hell de''s burst was simply incredible. It sliced through the scorching phoenix mes one by one, reaching the phoenix demon almost instantly.


    Realizing the danger, the phoenix demon, a standout even among his own exceptional race, took evasive measures. His right wing swept toward the side of the Hell de, and simultaneously, his eyes turned golden-red. He opened his mouth and spat out a thin, golden-red me.


    Phoenix True Fire! This was his most potent me.


    The Hell de didn''t evade the Phoenix True Fire; instead, it rose horizontally and continued to sh out.


    <i>Poof!</i>


    The Phoenix True Firended on the Hell de, burning a hole straight through it. But the Hell de also shed fiercely at the phoenix demon’s right wing.


    That sh made him fall from the sky screaming, with his right wing almostpletely severed.


    "Injury for injury. This Sharp Gold Nymph has decisiveness, experience, and is ruthless to himself," Big Cat said with some admiration.


    The Sharp Gold Nymph was inferior to his opponent regarding heritage and bloodline. Even though the Hell de could cut through ordinary phoenix mes, it could not even touch the Phoenix True Fire. Yet when the Phoenix True Fire arrived, the Sharp Gold Nymph did not dodge; he preferred to let himself be burned while heavily injuring his opponent. A grounded phoenix was rtively more straightforward to deal with.


    Bothpetitorsnded simultaneously. The Sharp Gold n member reverted to his original form, but his left arm now had a gaping hole above the elbow from which a crimson hue spread into his body.


    Without hesitation, he transformed his right arm into a de and cut off his left arm to prevent the Phoenix True Fire from spreading through his body. Then, he sprang up again, transforming into a slightly smaller Hell de and shing toward the Phoenix once more.


    The phoenix demon was clearly superior to his opponent in every aspect. But at this moment, the opponent''s ferocious tactics made him panic. The Phoenix True Fire burned wildly, attempting to scorch the enemy to death.