The comments said I was deeply affectionate, I just added points by using an alternate account.

The crimson blade light tore through the entire demon army with overwhelming force, clearing away everything in its path.

Finally, it struck the massive torii gate that was the source of everything.

boom!

The enormous torii gate, symbolizing the gates of the underworld, began to crumble inch by inch the moment it came into contact with the crimson blade light, disintegrating into countless dark specks of light, like the last fireflies dying in the middle of a summer night.

The demon army was annihilated by this single strike!

On the field, light was restored.

Only Hiiragi Seihaku remained, standing alone in the same spot.

The dark swamp beneath his feet receded as the torii gate disappeared, revealing the fragmented alloy floor tiles beneath.

puff.

A mouthful of blood gushed out from Hiiragi Seihachi's mouth.

His army of shikigami was forcibly wiped out in such a violent way, and he, who had a soul connection with them, also suffered a devastating backlash.

He swayed, using the broken folding fan to brace himself against the ground so he wouldn't fall over.

He looked up, utterly dejected, at the figure opposite him carrying a sickle, walking towards him step by step.

The scythe had returned to its original ancient, jet-black appearance, as if that devastating strike had never happened.

"I...I lost..."

Hiiragi Seibo's lips moved, his voice hoarse, like a broken bellows leaking air.

He lost.

The defeat was so complete and thorough that even the foundation they were most proud of was uprooted and devoured as spoils of war by their opponent.

This is not a battle of equal scale.

His so-called "parade of a hundred ghosts" was nothing but child's play in front of the other party.

After this battle, he lost not only face, but also his past achievements.

What is an Onmyoji without shikigami?

Chen Guan walked up to him, stopped, and looked down at him without saying anything sarcastic or showing any joy of victory.

His gaze was as calm as if he were looking at a roadside stone.

This disregard made Hiiragi Seihaku feel more desperate than any humiliation.

His all-out dance didn't even earn him the right to be praised in front of his opponent?

Even that student from Taipei who was weaker than him received his approval...

Am I really that worthless?

"The winner is Chen Guan from Huaqing Academy."

The referee's slightly trembling voice finally broke the silence of the entire stadium.

Hiiragi Seiba could no longer hold on; his knees buckled, and he collapsed to the ground, completely losing consciousness.

Chen Guan turned around, shouldered his scythe, and walked towards the rest area of ​​Huaqing Academy.

The entire circular track was completely silent.

Tens of thousands of spectators, all the contestants, all the teachers, and even An Changsong on the podium, all stared intently at the departing figure with the eyes of someone looking at a monster.

An Changsong knew that the young man in front of him, who could unleash such a terrifying attack, was clearly no ordinary person.

He had a sudden realization: the era of Chen Guan had arrived.

Only after Chen Guan's figure completely disappeared into the passageway of the rest area did the suppressed clamor erupt like a volcanic eruption.

Meanwhile, an eerie atmosphere permeated the rest area of ​​Huaqing College.

The unfamiliar crowd turned their attention to him, while the familiar An Changqing and Su Yuehe went to greet him.

Shan Heng followed behind, holding a bottle of water in his hand, but he froze in mid-air, unsure whether to hand it over.

"Chen Guan, you..."

An Changqing struggled to speak, but found himself unable to come up with any words. Congratulations?

The scene was less a victory and more a one-sided massacre; the final flash of blood made even his soul scream.

If it were him, could he handle it? He asked himself honestly.

My friend has secretly gotten stronger again, and not just a little bit, but ridiculously strong.

"I'm fine."

Chen Guan's reaction was eerily calm. He naturally took the water from Shan Heng's hand, unscrewed it, took a sip, and then walked straight back to his seat, closing his eyes.

His demeanor suggested that the battle that had shattered everyone's worldview was nothing more than stepping on a few ants.

Su Yuehe looked at him, and her clear eyes, which were always like those of a star, were now filled with darkness.

She could sense that the aura emanating from Chen Guan had become even more... distant after the battle, so distant that it instinctively sent a chill down her spine.

Su Yuehe's perception was correct. On the other side, Chen Guan was not resting. His consciousness had already sunk into the system panel, where lines of scarlet data were rapidly refreshing.

[The Nether Reaper has been detected consuming a large amount of high-quality soul energy; the total energy has reached the evolution threshold.]

Evolution begins...

[Evolution complete.]

Congratulations! Your weapon, the Nether Reaper, has been upgraded from "Purple" to "Red"!

As the light faded, a brand-new weapon panel was clearly displayed before his eyes.

【Demon Reaper (Red - Growth Type): An ominous artifact born from the core of Netherworld Cold Iron and Soul-Eating Crystal, after devouring the Hundred Demon Night Parade Legion and being tainted by endless resentment and soul power. It craves more and more powerful souls.】

[Additional Skills:]

【①Soul Withering (Passive): Wherever this scythe points, all things wither. It inflicts continuous suppression and weakening on spirit units. The souls of creatures killed by this weapon will be completely devoured and transformed into nourishment for the weapon's growth.】

【② Netherworld Strike (Active): Consumes Spirit Power. The next attack inflicts powerful soul damage and chilling erosion, with a high chance to directly sever the target's soul link.】

【③ Crimson Lunar Eclipse (Active): Unleashes all the soul energy stored within the scythe, unleashing a crimson blade of light that annihilates everything in its path. The light devours everything in its way to strengthen itself, with unlimited power.】

[Warning: This skill places a heavy burden on the user, and the released resentment of the soul may attract the attention of certain beings. Please use with caution.]

More surprising than advancing in the competition was the upgrade of the sickle.

He already possessed a purple-quality scythe a long time ago.

Although it is a weapon with an upgrade potential, Chen Guan has rarely had the opportunity to cause large-scale damage along the way, let alone against high-quality soul entities like the Hundred Ghosts Night Parade Legion, so its upgrade progress has stagnated.

This time, thanks to Hiiragi Aoba, they made a stunning debut, skipping the gold quality and soaring to the red quality.

Leaving aside the improvement in the material of the scythe itself, the improvement in skills alone is enough to be a pleasant surprise.

It has been enhanced from its original form and gained a new skill, Crimson Lunar Eclipse, which should be the attack Chen Guan just unleashed.

As for the warning on the panel, Chen Guan didn't pay much attention to it.

The greater the risk, the greater the reward; this statement applies at all times.