He had a plan. He couldn't affect this knight...Could it be called a knight? This thing couldn't be brought down by any means. However, he could influence the surrounding environment with his elemental manipulation. As long as the knight did not notice, it just might work...

...

While the five were each fighting in their own ways, the biggest impact was within the grand hall as everyone was cursing or gloating towards another. Mostly everyone placed a bet, with some betting extremely high like Isla. It was nothing unexpected for the entire place to become quite raucous. The noise was deafening to the point that a mortal would have had his ears explode simply from the sound impacts. After all, none of these experts cared about the well-being of others. They did not hesitate to add some spiritual energy to their words to boost their voice and prove their points. Being loud didn't mean you were right but, in the agitation, they seemed as if they believed so. It was to the point that some experts had to shield their weaker guests...

In theory, it would have been Hae-Hyuk's responsibility to shield Sophia's ears. However, he was too focused on the battle. Isla was the one to protect her. Hae-Hyuk's fists were heavily clenched as he glared at the screen without blinking. To others, the trial would happen again a century later and they would be able to challenge it again. But not him. He spent his lifetime in hope to be succesful this very year. It wouldn't matter that a new trial happened in a century. He wouldn't be able to live that long. It would all come down to the result of this battle. And that was why he was so anxious. His champion's lives might be on the line but his own was as well.. This made for quite the additional increase in importance. He did not want to die after all.

Once he saw Jin being freed, he nearly jumped from his seat in sheer bliss. Having two of his champions there meant that he had many more chances of getting the final win. The both of them were smart enough to team up until they eliminated the concurrence. They would likely believe that it would be better for one of them to survive than anyone else. Even if they had to fight and kill the other...At least one of them would live.

He wasn't disappointed as he saw them team up against Cao Lei's champion. It made him even more happy and he became excited. If they could kill that fucker's last champion with their own hands, it would be very good. He would be able to gloat at him until he reached the End Point. That aside, Jin already stole the sword and if they could steal the gourd...He might end up with those two priceless artifacts belonging to his hated enemy in his hands. It would be a nice addition for when he ascended. No one knew what awaited beyond the End Point after all and one more treasure would not hurt.

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Cao Lei as well was concentrating on the screen. His face wasn't filled with happiness though. He was frowning and sported a grave expression. He looked like he could erupt at any moment and trash the entire place. If he was not so old and wise, he might have done so. His champion just had to pick the worst option... If that idiot simply picked up the daggers and threw them out of the arena before sealing Min-Su! But no! He had to sacrifice his lifespan to send free two more wolves! What a dumb sheep it was!

His fists were tightened to the point that blood flowed and his teeth were gnashing against each other fiercely. He kept on cursing the idiocy of his champion. Could this idiot face off against both of Hae-Hyuk's champions when he was unable to take care of one? Impossible! He was going to die if he did not do anything to change the situation. But would he do anything? His only way out now would be to work with the death knight and the dragon. But he could only give up on allying himself with the dragon after having sealed it once. As for the death knight...Shalonna was known for her champions always having been brainwashed madmen. Now that this one had been consumed by 'death', could it even be reasoned with? Probably not.

The prospects were grim. As he pondered on what his champion's options were, a loud 'bang' resounded next to him. The sentient dragon patriarch had punched through the table. Yet, he didn't seem to have any care about it. Heck, he probably did not even notice. It was understandable considering that it was his own champion dealing with the death knight.

That thing was dangerous and unkillable. Originally, this had been an old knight at the ninth stage. Shalonna's fanatic which meant that he was crazy. But aside from the craziness, or maybe derived from it, it was strong. Not as much as the swordsman sent by the Teal Sword Emperor but strong enough to cross a bridge. When it was alive, that is. And now it was dead. Yet alive.

In his corpse, Shalonna planted a death beast core. After coming in contact with the death mist and upon her activating something through a ritual that only she knew, the mist would enter the core and revive the knight as something else. It was still the same man with its memories and the same level but it earned control over the death element. That being said, it was only thanks to the mist that it was this strong. Even with a death element core, it wasn't easy to create 'death' and even less to maintain himself alive through it. The mist supported him and he used it wholeheartedly.

As for the dragon, he was limited to water and fire. They were strong elements if you knew how to use them but when facing 'death' at a similar level of might and technique... The issue was quite obvious.

You couldn't kill 'death' which was why Cao Lei was so angry. Only his gourd could take care of this death knight...It was quite clear that Hae-Hyuk's champions had understood that point.