I am the Holy Poisoner, the Empress advised me to calm down

"Hmph! We've come this far after so much hardship. How can you stop us just like that?" Zhao Yan took a step forward, his gaze fixed firmly on the other person. "Tell us your terms! If you can convince us, we'll certainly consider them."

"Indeed, your courage is commendable." The mysterious figure didn't seem surprised by their attitude, and a hint of admiration lingered in his voice. "If you want to obtain the treasure here, you must prove your strength—defeat me, or at least last three rounds without losing."

Before he could finish his words, a massive sword composed of black energy suddenly appeared in the man's hand, and he slashed it fiercely at the ground. Instantly, violent dark waves rippled outward from the center, shattering several pillars into rubble. "Looks like they're coming with bad intentions!" Two passing travelers happened to witness this scene, and one of the women exclaimed in surprise, "Did that young man actually charge head-on? So brave!"

"That's crazy, indeed," another middle-aged man agreed. "But they work together like a team. Did you notice how that girl just now quickly used the ice wall to block the attack for her companion? That's incredible coordination! These young people are truly amazing. I'm sure they'll be famous before long."

At the battle scene, Genos charged first, using his incredible speed to attempt a sneak attack from behind. Meanwhile, Lin Xi cast water magic, conjuring a barrier as solid as iron to protect his teammates. Facing a double attack, the man in black simply sneered, vanishing in an instant before reappearing before Zhao Yan, raising his hand and striking him down—fortunately, the latter swiftly dodged and escaped injury. Still, this dazzlingly fast sequence of moves evoked awe from the onlookers.

"Hey, who's stronger?" a group of adventurers standing on the periphery watching the excitement began to discuss. "That young man in the sunglasses was really quick! If he hadn't been so quick-witted, he would have been hit long ago."

"Don't forget that girls shouldn't be underestimated either," the girl on the other side chimed in. "That thick ice shield just now was incredibly timely. If she hadn't stepped up at that critical moment, the situation would have been very unfavorable."

As everyone was discussing the situation, the situation in the center of the battlefield suddenly shifted: Zhao Yan rapidly formed hand seals, and countless wind blades suddenly appeared from thin air, hurling themselves at the enemy at his command. Immediately afterwards, Kas, previously hidden in the shadows, unleashed his special ability—a mental shockwave—directly striking the shadow's heart. These two waves of intense attacks left the Dark Warriors, previously in the driving position, unable to focus on defense, forcing them into a difficult position. "Wow! These guys really have some tricks up their sleeves! It turns out they were just playing cowardly all along, hahaha..." The crowd erupted in laughter and applause at the exciting duel.

Seeing the situation was not good, the man in black had to temporarily give up direct confrontation and look for an opportunity to counterattack. The two sides entered a brief stalemate. Time passed by minute by minute...

"How is it? Can you hold on?" Finally, after completing the set trial task, the self-proclaimed guardian reappeared his true appearance and asked.

"As long as it is to protect the important people and things around us, we will not retreat even a single step no matter how many difficulties and obstacles we face!" the young team members said in unison.

After hearing the answer, the guardian smiled and nodded, "Very good... As a reward, this elemental heart will belong to you." After that, he waved his sleeves and pushed the crystal emitting brilliant blue light placed on the central altar in front of everyone.

Just as they were joyfully preparing to put away this priceless treasure, a familiar yet hostile voice echoed from a distance: "Haha... Congratulations on passing the assessment, everyone. It's a shame this prize isn't destined to belong to you..."

Everyone was shocked upon hearing these words—for the speaker was none other than the rival Zhao Yan and his party had clashed with many times along the way, a rival who had long coveted the treasure. And now, unexpectedly, he had returned with a large force...

"Hmph, are you still dreaming of overwhelming us with numbers? Have you forgotten the memory of being beaten away before so quickly?" Lin Xi said contemptuously.

But the other party was clearly well prepared and full of confidence: "This time the situation is different. I have the support of several powerful people. I will get what I want no matter what!"

The conversation ended abruptly, leaving only a depressing silence in the air. Who would ultimately emerge victorious? Nothing was known...

The eyes of Zhao Yan and the others suddenly sharpened, and the tension in the air reached its peak. Lin Xi raised her hands slightly, and the water element condensed into mist around her. Genos' body also subconsciously entered combat mode, ready to attack at any time.

The onlookers gasped at the sight: "Looks like there's going to be trouble again... These newcomers clearly came with a purpose."

"That's right, the leader just now had quite a presence," a young man in coarse clothes said with a frown, "and behind him stood several other men who looked quite capable. These guys are definitely not to be trifled with!"

"Speaking of which, can Zhao Yan and his team really win?" the old man beside him asked worriedly. "They have so many people, it looks like they'll be tough to deal with."

Before he could finish his words, however, an unexpectedly fierce battle erupted. Just as his rival was about to issue his order, Cass, who had been quietly observing the battle for a while, suddenly unleashed a powerful mental surge. Countless invisible force fields instantly bound several key members of the enemy group, temporarily immobilizing them. "Hmph, if you want to play dirty, don't blame me for not giving you a chance!" Meanwhile, Lin Xi no longer hesitated, using this moment to quickly mobilize water resources and build a stronger defense system. Meanwhile, Zhao Yan and Genos, in perfect coordination, launched a joint assault: the former exploited his speed advantage to create constant disruption, buying his companions more time to cast spells; the latter, like a gust of wind, launched a fierce attack, hurling himself at the densest area of ​​the target group...

As the chaos intensified, all eyes were drawn to it, and everyone was filled with curiosity about the outcome.

"Wow! This is like a fight between gods... I have never seen such an exciting competition in my life!" said a young man excitedly.