"Second pair of male contestants, take the platform." The voice of the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor rang out once more. "It's your turn, Clan Leader Jin." Ning Chen'en glanced at Tang San with a hint of schadenfreude. He didn't yet know who Tang San's opponent would be, but among the eight semifinalists, apart from Tang San himself, all were powerhouses. Whoever Tang San faced, it wouldn't be pleasant. That Tang San had even made it through to the semifinals already annoyed Ning Chen'en greatly. And now, in the semifinals, Tang San was surely destined to be a walking and talking bag of free points. Tang San smiled. "Indeed, it's my turn. Just watch." As he spoke, he rose lightly into the air, landing silently on the arena. His opponent, the contestant with the number four draw, also leapt out, landing across from him. Jin Anguo and Xu An'yu had already fought, and Ning Chen'en was paired with someone else. But the Scorching King was the only proper nymph left apart from Tang San, so the chances were still higher that he'd draw a demon. And indeed, this was the case. On the opposite side of the platform stood... a dragon. Three dragons had made it into the semifinals: Xu An'yu, the Tenebrous Demon Emperor's successor, and one more who had emerged from the elimination stage. Tang San had already eliminated Tang Mohuang, and the Ice Dragon King had been eliminated by someone else as well. The opponent before him was someone he had never met—or even seen at all, considering he hadn't paid any attention to the previous matches. Standing across from Tang San was a youth who appeared to be in his twenties and looked exactly like a human. He was not a seeded contestant; in fact, besides Tang San himself, this was the biggest dark horse of the tournament. Among the dragons, this contestant had never stood out before. Few had placed any hopes on him. Yet here he was, having fought his way through, defeating opponent after opponent. His name was Lü Fuyao, and he was an extremely rare specimen—a variant dragon with a metal-attribute bloodline. Before this tournament, even the dragon race hadn't been aware that Lü Fuyao had become a Great Demon King. According to the dragon race's rules, any dragon with a mutated bloodline who reached the level of Demon King with their mind intact would regain their freedom and would no longer be bound to the clan. Lü Fuyao had done so and then vanished for a long time. No one knew where he'd gone. Thus, he was virtually unknown in dragon circles, and he had seemingly appeared out of nowhere for this tournament. But in the elimination rounds, he had displayed startling strength. In fact, it was Lü Fuyao himself who had eliminated the Ice Dragon King. At the time, when two dragons faced off, everyone thought he'd lose in an instant. And the battle ended quickly indeed, except... with Lü Fuyao victorious. He had dominated from start to finish, giving the Ice Dragon King no chance to turn the tables. Moreover, unlike Tang San, he had used his own power from beginning to end, and as a result, he had become the tournament's dark horse! Drawing this opponent in the first round of the semifinals could hardly be called good luck for Tang San. But then again, no opponent in the semifinals was an easy one. The Undying Demon Emperor's eyes shifted between the two for a moment, and then he said sternly, "Prepare." Lü Fuyao's dark-golden eyes settled on Tang San. His skin took on a metallic sheen, and in the next instant, dark-golden currents swirled around him, forming a vortex of metal energy that expanded rapidly. The air filled with the heavy, oppressive aura of metal. Lü Fuyao wasn't just strong in terms of bloodline power; his divine consciousness was formidable too. He excelled at overpowering opponents with brute strength and momentum, making him a fearsome presence. As Lü Fuyao began to gather his strength, Tang San looked up at the Undying Demon Emperor. "Your Majesty, may I confirm something?" The Undying Demon Emperor blinked—no contestant had addressed him before. "What is it?" Tang San said, "If I recall, the rules for the auction stated that any item purchased at the auction could be used in the Battle for the Throne, correct?" The Undying Demon Emperor laughed. "Yes, you're right, Amethystine Warrior. But you should know that, right? Isn't that how you've gotten so far?" Tang San's eyelid twitched. So even the Undying Demon Emperor knew him by that nickname? "Amethystine Warrior, good luck!" someone shouted from the stands. Instantly, the chant spread like wildfire, mingled with laughter. If Lü Fuyao was the tournament's dark horse, then Tang San was surely its oddball. Three elimination matches won with a bag of cash... Who would believe it? And yet, he'd done it. So what was he up to now? The audience wondered what item from the auction Tang San would pull out next. "Thank you, Your Majesty." Ignoring the crowd's cheers and jeers, Tang San pressed his hand to his brow. A golden rune flared before him. He had planned to use this in the elimination stage, but circumstances hadn't called for it. Now, it was finally time. A roar erupted—wild, frenzied, shaking the heavens. A terrifying aura silenced the jeers in an instant. Lü Fuyao's face changed dramatically. The golden rune expanded into a massive array. From it emerged a colossal dragon over thirty meters from head to toe and covered in dark-purple scales, hideous and ferocious. More roars followed, as if it was venting its madness. The protective barrier trembled under the sheer force of its presence. Lü Fuyao froze, and the dark-golden vortex around him stalled. Even the Undying Demon Emperor was stunned. He suddenly recalled that Tang San had indeed purchased this Scourge Dragon at the Super Auction. Was he actually going to use the Scourge Dragon? In the Battle for the Throne, no outside help was allowed. But the Scourge Dragon was different: As Tang San had just confirmed, auction items were permitted. No one had thought anyone would actually bring the Scourge Dragon onto the battlefield. The arena had limits, and everyone expected the Scourge Dragon to attack indiscriminately. Who would risk it? The collar could keep it asleep, but not control its attacks. But now, someone had done it. And as the spectators looked more closely, they noticed a far more chilling detail. The collar on the Scourge Dragon's neck was gone.