High Martial: I Grind Professions

Chapter 533: Chapter 330: Are You Looking for Me?

But under Shengmosi’s almost tangible pressure, fine beads of sweat broke out on his forehead.

”Shengmosi! Your rank is only a dozen or so spots higher than mine!” Harun roared, swallowing his panic and trying to buy himself a moment to breathe with his words.

”Do you really think you can take me down without getting injured? Once you get hurt fighting me and use up too much of your energy...

Aren’t you afraid that the God of Slaughter will take the opportunity to come after you?! He’s ranked third now, not far behind you!”

”Heh...”

Upon hearing this, Shengmosi looked as if he had just heard the most ridiculous joke imaginable.

He started with a low, suppressed chuckle, but the sound quickly grew louder and more uninhibited.

It echoed through the open canyon, shaking the surrounding vines until they rustled.

”HAHAHA... HAHAHA!”

He laughed so hard he nearly doubled over, one hand theatrically clutching his stomach.

Yet the massive scimitar in his other hand remained perfectly still, aimed at Harun, its tip flashing with a dangerous, cold light.

”Oh, Harun, Harun...” Shengmosi finally stopped his maniacal laughter. His lips curled into a mocking smirk, and his eyes sized up Harun like a lamb for the slaughter.

”Someone like you? You think you’re worthy of injuring me? You’re giving yourself way too much credit!”

He paused, the disdain on his face thickening as his voice dripped with undisguised provocation.

”And as for that ’God of Slaughter’ you mentioned? Ha! A coward who only dares to hide in the shadows and pick off small fry. You think you can use *him* to threaten me?

Truth be told, for the past three days, I, Shengmosi, have been looking for him as well!

I’d love to see for myself just how capable this so-called legend really is, to see if he’s as amazing as all those losers claim!”

His voice suddenly rose, brimming with arrogant confidence. ”And what’s the result? It’s been three days! I, Shengmosi, have cut a swath across half this world and fought my way to second place on the leaderboard!

So where is he? Cowering in some rat hole? Or maybe... he’s been deliberately avoiding me, Shengmosi?

Does he know that if he runs into me, his fraudulent reputation will be utterly shattered?!”

These incredibly arrogant words were broadcast clearly through the AI system to countless spectators.

「The Spectator Space, Tyrone Empire Sector」

When the AI broadcast system’s main feed cut to the scene of Shengmosi’s maniacal laughter and declaration, the entire Tyrone Empire spectator section instantly erupted.

”It’s Lord Shengmosi!!”

”Lord Shengmosi is so badass! That’s how you do it!”

”Did you hear that? Lord Shengmosi has been looking for Li Wen this whole time. It’s Li Wen who’s too scared to show his face!”

”That’s right! What God of Slaughter? In front of a genius from our Tyrone Empire, he’s nothing but a coward!”

”Harun is ranked 15th with over twenty million points! If Lord Shengmosi kills him, he’ll immediately have enough points to surpass Nash and take first place in World 13!”

”Number one! Number one! Take the top spot!”

”Lord Shengmosi is invincible! Long live the Tyrone Empire!”

”Show that Li Wen from the Source Net what a true powerhouse looks like! If he dares show up, Lord Shengmosi will finish him in a single strike!”

The fanatical roar nearly blew the roof off the virtual spectator dome.

The spectators from the Tyrone Empire were flushed with excitement, as if they could already envision the glorious scene of Shengmosi claiming the top spot and crushing the ”God of Slaughter” who had frustrated them for days under his heel.

Shengmosi’s arrogant declaration perfectly resonated with their desire for vengeance and validation, instantly setting the blood of every Terran ablaze.

In the canyon, it was as if Shengmosi could hear the frenzied cheers of his compatriots from his home empire, reaching him across the void.

The smile on his face grew more savage and self-assured.

With no more wasted words, the giant scimitar resting on his shoulder suddenly erupted in a blinding, dark-golden light.

”Harun, I’ll be taking your points! Become a stepping stone on my path to the top!”

Before the words had even left his mouth, Shengmosi’s figure transformed into a dark-golden streak of light that tore through the air, hurtling toward Harun below with a destructive aura.

The sheer power of his charge was so immense it left countless spectators watching on their screens breathless.

Harun’s pupils contracted. With a furious roar, he poured every last bit of his Primordial Power into the broadsword in his hands.

A heavy, earth-yellow blade aura surged forward to meet the charge.

He knew his odds were slim, but as a Late-stage Saint Realm expert, he would not go down without a fight.

”BOOOOOM—!!!”

A deafening explosion ripped through the canyon.

A violent shockwave of energy swept outwards in all directions like a tsunami.

Countless thick vines were instantly annihilated into dust, and a deep, bottomless chasm was carved into the ground.

Dust and turbulent energy instantly obscured the broadcast feed.

The spectators from the Tyrone Empire held their breath, their eyes wide, their hearts in their throats.

Meanwhile, the spectators from the Lain Empire had mixed feelings. They hoped to see the arrogant Shengmosi suffer a setback, yet they were also vaguely worried that such a powerful opponent would spell trouble for Li Wen.

A few moments later, the energy storm began to subside.

The image gradually cleared.

Shengmosi stood proudly where he was, holding the massive dark-golden scimitar in one hand. A halo of light flowed across its surface, the blade completely unstained by blood.

Not even the hem of his robes was out of place. His expression was relaxed, as if he had just casually swatted a fly.

Across from him, Harun’s figure was gone.

All that remained was a massive, deep crater, and at its edge, specks of white light that were slowly fading away—

the telltale sign of a contestant being killed and teleported out of the virtual battlefield.

Shengmosi wins!

A flawless, one-shot kill against Harun, a Late-stage Saint Realm expert ranked 15th!

[Shengmosi (Tyrone Empire) Points +10,693,706]

[Shengmosi (Tyrone Empire) Points: 103,236,354]

[Rank 1: Shengmosi (Tyrone Empire); Points 113,930,060]

[Rank 2: Nash (Kasa Empire); Points 94,524,854]

[Rank 3: Li Wen (Source Net Internal*, Lain Empire); Points 85,468,751]

The leaderboard refreshed instantly!

Shengmosi’s name, accompanied by a staggering number that left everyone else in the dust, shot to the top spot of World 13!

”Number one!!”

”He did it! Lord Shengmosi is number one!!”

”Invincible!!”

”Long live the Tyrone Empire!!!”

The Tyrone Empire’s spectator section went absolutely wild.

The colossal roar of their cheers was almost tangible, threatening to shatter the very confines of the virtual space.

Before the eyes of the entire universe, their empire’s genius had ascended to the throne of World 13 by flawlessly instant-killing a powerful foe.

Their pride was practically overflowing.

Many even cast provocative glances toward the Lain Empire’s section.

Shengmosi gazed at his name at the top of the leaderboard, his heart swelling with heroic pride.

He threw his head back and let out a long cry, a sound filled with a world-scorning arrogance.

”Did you see that?! This is the true power of Shengmosi! Li Wen? Source Net Internal? God of Slaughter? Before me, they’re all just paper tigers!

If you have any guts, get out here! Let’s see if you can even slow me down...”

He hadn’t even finished his arrogant taunt.

HUMMM—!

A vast divine sense enveloped the entire canyon, appearing without any warning.

The power of this divine sense far surpassed the Saint Realm, carrying the unique oppressive might of a Star Lord Level Primordial Spirit.

It instantly crushed Shengmosi’s wild cry and the lingering aftershocks of energy.

Shengmosi’s voice died abruptly, as if an invisible giant hand had seized him by the throat.

His arrogant expression froze instantly, and the flame tattoo on his forehead seemed to dim for a moment.

An unprecedented chill shot up from the base of his spine to the crown of his head.

At the canyon entrance, above the clearing that had been completely ravaged by the aftershocks of Shengmosi’s battle, space rippled silently.

A figure clad in black combat attire materialized as if coalescing from the shadows, hovering silently in midair.

Black clothes, black hair, a posture as straight as a pine, and a face as calm as still water.

His appearance was sudden, yet it felt as if he had been standing there since time immemorial.

He seemed out of place amidst the chaos, yet he commanded the area with an absolute presence.

It was Li Wen!

His deep-set eyes pierced through the swirling dust.

His gaze landed precisely on Shengmosi, the man who had just taken the top spot and was radiating with power.

There was no anger in his gaze, no contempt.

Only the calm of a predator studying its prey.

”You were looking for me?”

Li Wen’s voice rang out, devoid of emotion.

It wasn’t loud, yet it pierced through the space with perfect clarity.

It reached Shengmosi’s ears, and through the AI broadcast system, it resounded through every spectator space tuned into the fight.