The audience was so captivated by the spectacular fight between Gwendolyn and Shalo that they barely noticed Rhys and Bankro leaving the stage. Gwendolyn’s royal aura and Shalo’s valiant bearing elevated the spectacle of the match immensely.

For them, this battle was an absolute visual feast; missing this opportunity would mean missing it forever! Gwendolyn fully demonstrated her might as the "Steel Blade Queen"; the greatsword in her hands blurred into phantom afterimages as she wielded it, her movements utterly indiscernible to those with lesser power.

Yet, Shalo exhibited a serene composure, meeting every change with unwavering stability. Though she held no obvious combat stance, she presented not a single vulnerability, which forced even Gwendolyn to proceed with caution.

When masters clash, even the slightest oversight can prove fatal! In a mere flicker of lightning, Gwendolyn had launched over ten strikes, and Shalo had shifted her position several times, though the movements were minimal—to an outsider, they seemed as if she hadn't moved at all!

After failing to land a blow, Gwendolyn feigned an attack and suddenly leaped clear of the ring, her eyes fixed on Shalo as she asked with serious intensity, "Why don't you strike back? How long do you intend to conceal your true strength?" Shalo offered no verbal reply, but her actions provided the answer.

With a flick of her wrist, a longsword materialized in her hand, forged entirely from ice illusion. "Oh, you are a Dual Cultivator of Magic and Martial Arts?" Gwendolyn was slightly surprised, but quickly shifted her tone, "But do you honestly believe an ice sword alone can block the heavy blade in my hand?" As her words trailed off, her body dissolved once more into an afterimage, charging back towards Shalo.

This time, Shalo did not evade. She met the seemingly swift attack with a horizontal block from her sword.

Logically, no matter how hard ice is, it cannot withstand metal tempered by a thousand hammer blows. Yet, Shalo defied this common sense; the chilling ice blade solidly caught Gwendolyn's forceful strike, and her expression remained placid, as if she had exerted hardly any effort at all.

Though the clash of their blades did not produce a thunderous boom, every spectator felt as if a clap of thunder had shaken them, leaving their minds momentarily blank. Gwendolyn's shock was even greater.

As a participant, she clearly understood the sheer power Shalo possessed. She had initially assumed Shalo relied solely on speed, never expecting her strength to match her own, and that she could actually parry her with an ice sword...

This cascade of impossibilities struck her with considerable force! However, Gwendolyn was, after all, a veteran of countless battles; her surprise arrived swiftly and departed just as fast.

Utilizing the recoil force, her longsword carved an arc, striking at Shalo again. Under normal circumstances, a master could hardly defend against this strike at such close range and speed!

But alas, Shalo was no ordinary master. Her combat experience was no less than Gwendolyn's, perhaps even greater; after all, in her younger days, she frequently sparred with monsters like Robin.

What kind of maneuvers hadn't she seen? She had personally faced sword techniques fiercer and more devious than Gwendolyn's!

At the precise moment the sword tip was about to make contact, Shalo’s body executed a bizarre twist, perfectly evading Gwendolyn's thrust. Gwendolyn would hardly concede defeat so easily.

Tapping the ground with her toe, her body surged forward instantly. Simultaneously, her hands gripped the sword, forming a ninety-degree angle with her body—it was one of her signature moves, the "Azure Wolf Lunge"!

"Good timing!" Shalo praised internally, her body reacting at the same moment. Her left foot slid half a step to the side, and her sword-wielding hand suddenly sketched a vast arc in the empty air.

A flash of intuition warned Gwendolyn of impending danger, but the arrow was already loosed; she could not retract her momentum, driving towards Shalo with undiminished force. And then, the unexpected happened.

The sword in her hands felt as if it were caught by an immense suction, changing its trajectory entirely, stabbing past Shalo toward the space beside her. Fortunately, Gwendolyn was already wary, and her reflexes prevented her from losing her center of gravity completely and tumbling head over heels.

But even so, she looked somewhat disheveled, certainly having lost the dominating momentum from the start. What kind of technique was that?

A hint of astonishment flashed across Gwendolyn’s face. Though intensely curious, she would not pause to inquire at this juncture.

While the external spectators were less profoundly shaken than Gwendolyn, they too stared in stunned silence, their eyes fixed solely on Shalo. "Heavens, that woman can match the 'Steel Blade Queen' blow for blow!

Who... who exactly is she?" "Wait, look closely!

That woman has been fighting intensely for a long time, but her complexion hasn't changed. It’s obvious she hasn't revealed her real power yet!" "No...

impossible! Are you saying she is even stronger than the 'Steel Blade Queen'?" "..." Although these murmurs reached Gwendolyn’s ears, she paid them no mind.

On the contrary, she had to admit the observers were correct; this opponent could indeed match her! But Gwendolyn also knew that if the opponent truly unleashed her strength, the battle would take an entirely different turn, and her probability of defeat would become significant!

Nevertheless, given her temperament, she would rather lose honestly than have her opponent hold back for her sake! She—Gwendolyn—had always been someone who could accept defeat graciously; this was the source of her personal magnetism!

"You are strong, stronger than I imagined!" Gwendolyn was breathing a little heavily now, betraying the significant expenditure of stamina from the intense exchange. Shalo smiled gracefully.

Already beautiful, she appeared even more valiant now; receiving praise from a legendary figure she once idolized brought her genuine joy. "I know you still haven't shown your true ability, and I know I am no match for you, but before this match concludes, would you permit me to see your genuine skill?

To lose while witnessing that would be an honorable defeat for me!" Gwendolyn also smiled; she hadn't felt such exhilaration in a long time and had developed a genuine admiration for Shalo. Perhaps this was what they meant by true understanding blossoming through conflict!

Shalo nodded gently, then waved her hand. The ice sword vanished, replaced by the simple, broad saber custom-made for her!

The appearance of this blade immediately drew countless gazes; this weapon was utterly novel to them; they had never seen anything like it before. Gwendolyn also stared at the saber for a long time before looking back at Shalo.

"Alright, your turn!" With that, she adopted a defensive posture, channeling every remaining ounce of energy she possessed! It seemed this would be the final exchange of the match!

"Here I come!" Shalo announced, and her body instantly vanished. Even Gwendolyn, fully prepared, felt her pupils contract violently, as she hadn't seen how or where Shalo disappeared!

In almost an instant, Shalo reappeared ten meters behind Gwendolyn, her speed so blinding that many spectators thought their eyes were playing tricks on them. Silence followed—a silence that stretched for nearly a full minute!

Gwendolyn's hearty laughter finally broke the quietude. She announced loudly, "I yield!" The crowd did not erupt; they simply stared with wide eyes at the two women on the stage.

They had been conquered by this battle; they finally understood what it meant when they said women could be just as capable as men! However, they desperately wanted to know one thing: what exactly did Shalo do in that last instant to make Gwendolyn, the "Steel Blade Queen," voluntarily surrender?

They couldn't comprehend it; it was simply beyond their understanding. But just because they didn't understand didn't mean everyone was clueless.

At least Clement, the leader of the Mysterious Mercenaries, clearly witnessed what had transpired. In that single moment, Shalo had closed the distance to Gwendolyn with unimaginable speed, her saber flashing in a rapid flurry, slicing a button on Gwendolyn’s chest into dust.

Gwendolyn's defense was rendered nonexistent during this flurry, and Clement couldn't even count how many strikes Shalo had delivered! Strong—unusually strong!

If Clement had merely suspected before, she was now one hundred percent certain: this "Ten Cloud Drifting Mercenary Alliance" was certainly home to hidden masters! Something deep within Clement shifted; the blood in her body began to boil uncontrollably, radiating an intense fighting spirit throughout her entire being!

Shalo was unaware that her brief display had already marked her as a rival in the eyes of one woman watching from the sidelines—and this woman was no ordinary person! (Sweat!) Gwendolyn had already turned, looking at Shalo with a warm smile.

"You are the strongest opponent I have ever faced in my life!" Shalo smiled back, feeling a touch of awkwardness, as a thought surfaced in her mind: If you ever meet our leader, you’ll have to say that again! "May I ask your name?" Gwendolyn had already sheathed her longsword.

"Shalo. My name is Shalo!" Shalo also stored her broad saber into her storage ring.

"I will remember that name," Gwendolyn paused slightly, then continued, "Please thank the little girl who fought yesterday for showing me mercy!" "I will," Shalo replied with a light smile. Though their conversation was casual, it subtly deepened the bond between them.

The match concluded, and Gwendolyn and Shalo walked toward their respective teams, both wearing expressions of deep satisfaction. "Forgive my boldness, but what is the name of your mercenary group?" Gwendolyn suddenly stopped and turned back to face Shalo.

Shalo parted her crimson lips and spoke five words in a tone audible only to Gwendolyn: "Ethereal Mercenary Group!" Gwendolyn froze instantly, like a carved statue!