In an instant, countless serpents of lightning, born from the sword's core, swept out towards Xia Luo.

The audience's eyes were stretched nearly beyond their sockets; these were no ordinary electric snakes, for wherever they passed, shocking fissures were left in their wake. And that was not all—before one wave of electric serpents had subsided, the next surged forth, and these serpents seemed possessed of an autonomous guidance system, all of them targeting Xia Luo, without exception.

As Xia Luo continuously dodged, the power of the lightning serpents compounded, and everyone present was so tense they were nearly suffocating!

What these spectators didn't know was that the electric serpents they witnessed, though astonishingly powerful, were merely a feint to draw out the enemy; the true killing blow remained hidden in the shadows.

Just because they couldn't see it didn't mean Xia Luo couldn't. As everyone craned their necks in anticipation, another scene unfolded that stunned them into silence.

The Xia Luo who had been constantly evading suddenly split in two, becoming two Xia Luos. This quickly doubled to four, then eight, until finally, eight identical figures of Xia Luo populated the stage.

This was the unmistakable effect of unleashing "Butterfly Steps"!

Eight figures darted across the platform, giving an overwhelming impression of elusiveness and instability!

Clement, like the rest of the audience, was momentarily stunned by Xia Luo's maneuver! She had never imagined Xia Luo possessed such an unorthodox technique. She had always known this woman was extraordinary, but at this moment, that realization felt profoundly intense!

The battle had reached its boiling point, and Clement's ultimate technique, "Thunder's Fury," posed absolutely no threat to Xia Luo!

With a sudden movement, Xia Luo feinted, then leaped clear of the boundary circle.

Clement made no move to press the advantage. Instead, she stared at Xia Luo with a strange expression, unable to comprehend why Xia Luo would abandon her momentary superiority.

Oddly, Xia Luo was not looking at Clement now. Instead, she tilted her head back, gazing toward the sky with an expression of deep gravity.

What was she looking at?

This question burned not only in Clement's mind but in the minds of the audience as well. Many instinctively followed her gaze, looking up at the heavens.

Due to the light conditions, most saw nothing amiss, but this was not absolute. Suddenly, someone pointed to the sky and shouted, "Look! What in the world is that?"

With a precise direction provided, the crowd quickly discerned the anomaly. Dozens of meters high in the atmosphere floated a bizarrely shaped object that pulsed with intermittent light. The spectators stared for a long time, unable to definitively identify it!

Instantly, a cacophony of murmurs erupted as people began pointing and discussing the strange object.

Influenced by the crowd, Clement couldn't resist glancing upward. Though only a momentary look, it caused her entire body to stiffen.

"How could an 'Access Point' appear here?"

Yes, that bizarrely shaped thing was an "Access Point," and moreover, it was in its nascent form. Few people present had ever seen this initial configuration, so it naturally seemed alien to them.

"Let us conclude our fight here," Xia Luo's voice suddenly cut through the air.

The appearance of the "Access Point" confirmed Zhong Shenxiu's earlier conjecture. Xia Luo knew clearly that if one had appeared here, others would soon follow; the crisis humanity was about to face had finally begun.

Clement did not reply to Xia Luo, her gaze locked onto the "Access Point," her expression growing increasingly focused. She had detected a subtle wrongness—this "Access Point" was somehow different from the ones she was familiar with, though she couldn't articulate the specific difference in that moment.

Furthermore, a deep sense of foreboding rendered her incapable of continuing the duel. Her silence was tantamount to agreement with Xia Luo's proposal.

In truth, even if she hadn't agreed, the fight could not have gone on. The officials overseeing the tournament were already observing the "Access Point" in the sky, debating whether to halt the match. Just then, a sound akin to a beast's roar suddenly echoed.

The sound wasn't particularly loud, yet many people heard it.

"What was that noise? Did you hear it?"

"I heard it too. It sounded like a calling from a Mana Worm."

"Don't try to scare me! Why would a Mana Worm be here?"

"Never mind that, can you tell where the sound is coming from?"

"..."

As they argued amongst themselves, another roar sounded, this one louder, clearly heard by everyone present, who recognized the sound emanating directly from the "Access Point" in the sky!

In a flash, the surroundings became silent enough to hear each other's breathing. Every heart tensed, and all eyes were fixed on the sky, as if awaiting the sentence of fate!

At that moment, someone—it was impossible to tell who—yelled out, "That's an 'Access Point'! Run, everyone! The Mana Worms are about to hatch!"

That single shout shattered the tranquility. The entire grandstand erupted into chaos. Everyone grasped the severity of the situation. Overwhelming panic consumed their reason, and they scattered in all directions, fleeing heedlessly, their cries and wails echoing endlessly!

Fortunately, the arena was situated thirty li outside "Xianyang City," a vast, open area that greatly mitigated the risk of a fatal stampede.

Those who rushed out initially thought they had reached safety, but the sight before them froze them in terror.

Stretching out in every direction, multiple "Access Points" had materialized in the high sky—even above "Xianyang City" itself!

"Heavens, what is happening? Is the apocalypse upon us?"

Many who retained a sliver of reason chose to retreat back toward the stands, reasoning that the numerous powerful mercenaries stationed there offered better protection against any dangerous creatures than aimless running.

Gwendolyn, resting in the lounge area, fully lived up to her moniker, the "Queen of Steel Blade," displaying an almost superhuman calm.

After giving sharp instructions to her subordinates, she produced a "Sealing Scroll" purchased from the "Dark Commerce Guild."

Many people still recalled the function of this item: it was specifically designed to close "Access Points." Gwendolyn had bought several immediately upon its market release, and this was the first time she was actually using one!

The method for deploying the "Sealing Scroll" was remarkably simple: just toss it directly into the "Access Point."

Under Gwendolyn's practiced throw, the "Sealing Scroll" sailed unerringly into the targeted "Access Point." Everyone held their breath, awaiting the result; some even pulled out the "Insecticide" they had bought from the "Dark Commerce Guild!"

Not long after, the "Access Point" in the sky visibly began to shrink at a pace visible to the naked eye, until it vanished completely! ※※※※※※ Due to the widespread emergence of "Access Points," the "Scoring Tournament" was abruptly concluded, transitioning directly into the "Mission Tournament." The very first assignment issued was to seal these newly formed "Access Points"!

This task was not limited to the remaining Mercenary Alliances but extended to all mercenaries! According to the "Mercenary Association" regulations, completing this mission granted double experience points!

This was a golden opportunity for mercenary groups to level up rapidly. Coupled with the mission's perceived simplicity, countless mercenary groups plunged into the effort madly!

These mercenaries were driven by hopeful thinking: the "Access Points" were only in their nascent stage, and no Mana Worms had appeared yet. With caution, they reasoned there was little danger. Even if they encountered a Mana Worm, the sheer number of mercenaries nearby meant they stood a chance!

Fueled by both **and sheer luck, the "Access Points" were sealed one after another at an unimaginable pace. This success only bolstered the fighting spirit of the mercenary groups, doubling their efficiency once more.

The principle of "there is strength in numbers" was vividly demonstrated; an astonishing number of "Access Points" were sealed in less than half a day.

Of course, some credit was certainly due to the brilliant products invented by the "Dark Commerce Guild!"

The crisis seemingly averted, many began boastfully exaggerating their own exploits, while some even started ridiculing those who had shown fear.

However, they rejoiced far too soon. While that initial wave of "Access Points" was closed, a new batch was already beginning to gestate.

This time, the quantity of "Access Points" was far greater, and their formation speed was clearly much faster!

Many mercenaries failed to grasp the gravity of the situation, instead becoming even more delighted, as it meant more experience points to farm!

Thus, under the combined efforts of these mercenaries, this second batch of "Access Points" was sealed as well. Yet, fate offered them no chance to rest...

Batch after batch of "Access Points" continued to appear. Even iron men could not withstand such relentless strain, and many finally abandoned the mission, temporarily exhausted.

The number of "Access Points" steadily grew, while the number of mercenaries undertaking the mission dwindled, causing the crisis to loom once more.

By this point, the "Mercenary Association" had boosted the experience reward to quadruple the original amount, but the deployable mercenary force remained finite!

Finally, in some locations, the "Access Points" fully materialized, and one after another, Mana Worms began crawling out.

This was like a small breach in a great dam; the appearance of these Mana Worms tied down a large contingent of mercenaries, allowing even more "Access Points" to fully form, unleashing more Mana Worms—the situation had spiraled beyond control!

More and more mercenary groups vanished without a trace, choosing evasion in the face of mortal danger! Only the remaining "Mercenary Alliances" managed to hold fast!

The experience multiplier had now soared to tenfold, but in the face of certain death, its allure was negligible. Even the remaining "Mercenary Alliances" dared not act rashly!

And at this juncture, Zhong Shenxiu and his party finally entered the fray! (It seems protagonists always show up when things hit rock bottom! Sweat, heavy sweat, waterfall sweat!) V