### Chapter 239: Epic Battle
After a brief moment of surprise, everyone advanced towards the one and only statue at the center.
It was the most eye-catching and special place, visible from any angle and direction.
There was really nothing else in this secret realm except for the occasional flowers and trees.
Danger? Totally nonexistent.
It was like a spring outing paradise—sunny and beautiful.
If it weren’t for the fact that this was the Emperor’s Trial Realm, a place to fight for the throne, Yuliya would have loved to find a cozy spot to lie down and take a nap.
Yuliya was all about relaxation, but the other three were unusually serious.
Something was off, very off!
The Emperor’s Trial Realm shouldn’t look like this!
But, as they walked, not a single thing happened.
After a good ten minutes, they arrived at the statue, and still, nothing happened. It was excessively peaceful and serene.
Isaac was the first to arrive, with Elia soon appearing from another direction.
They exchanged glances and then simultaneously looked up at the statue.
The statue depicted Eldar, the founding emperor of the Jade Emperor Kingdom, the greatest emperor, and their ancestor.
His image was firmly etched in the minds of every royal, making it unforgettable and instilling deep respect.
The ancestor’s statue stood here, with his hands cradling a floating crown—it was a sign that everything was going smoothly for the ceremony.
This also indicated that the realm was functioning normally, and they could proceed with the battle for the throne.
Even if the realm looked strange, it was actually normal.
All-encompassing nothingness was just one aspect of everything.
“Today, descendants will hold the 154th royal inheritance ceremony before the ancestor’s statue. May the ancestor bless the Jade Emperor Kingdom with eternal prosperity!”
Isaac and Elia bowed in unison to the statue.
Five seconds later, they slowly got back up.
The two looked at each other again.
The most essential rule of the Emperor’s Trial Realm, or rather, its ultimate goal, was to obtain the crown.
The process could be bizarre and twisted, but it was the first time nothing had happened along the way, and they just arrived here without incident.
Taking the crown required mental and physical energy, and not everyone was qualified to snatch it.
In the past, the most common scenario was that a candidate would arrive early, seize the crown, and wrap up the ceremony before anyone else had a chance.
There were also times when candidates arrived almost simultaneously—then it simply became a test of strength. Only the victor could lay claim to the crown.
Elia looked seriously at Isaac, and sighed internally.
She never thought the situation would turn out to be so absurd this time.
Elia knew she was slightly weaker than Isaac in raw power—age and experience were at play here.
She had great talent, mastered various elemental magic, and was particularly good at handling sudden situations and ambush tactics.
She thought she could leverage strategy to gain an advantage, but alas, fate had other plans.
How fortunate she felt to have met Little Yuliya, securing her an opportunity to compete alongside Isaac; so facing this final hurdle was completely understandable.
For a brief moment, Elia felt like a chosen one, the one favored by destiny, but in reality, it was just like this.
But she would not give up; there was simply no way she could!
Drawing her sword, she pointed it at Isaac: “Let’s do this, elder brother. We’ve never had an official match!”
With a stoic face, Isaac drew his sword and replied, “Indeed, Elia. This time, I won’t hold back.”
They both sped up, slicing their swords at the same moment, parrying, and counter-attacking like synchronized swimmers with weapons.
They were both from the Jade Emperor Kingdom’s royal family and the pinnacle of strength, having trained in the same sword technique.
Similar moves, the same conviction.
The slight difference was that Elia’s attacks would carry various elemental properties, producing different effects, while Isaac’s was the purest form of assault.
The two maximized their attacks, each strike only impacting the other, affecting only a small surrounding area.
The distant flowers, trees, and ancestor statue remained completely untouched.
From the outside, it looked like a mundane back-and-forth battle—no dazzling effects, no overwhelming force.
Yet, in reality, every strike was perilous, each step felt like teetering on the brink of an abyss.
When Yuliya arrived, she saw this very scene.
She was hiding in a tree a distance away, doing her best to conceal her presence.
As a descendant of the Golden Rule, even with such an effort to hide, not even legendary beings could detect her unless they got close, let alone the two locked in combat!
She watched the fierce duel unfold.
Her evaluation? They were all taught by the same master—their moves were unbreakable!
She too could perform the Jade Ten Swords, so she understood.
Both had honed their swordsmanship to an incredible level. Until they achieved a state of simplicity and purity, it was nearly impossible to spot any difference.
She wished she had secretly taught Elia a move—just one! Just using it would guarantee she could snatch the “Jade Ten Swords” without fail!
This was the result she had tested against those high-tier spirits during her first trial in the Spirit Test Tower.
She hadn’t tested the final legendary tier, but the first two emerald tier spirits were totally befuddled.
That’s the absolute suppression of the original against the diluted version.
But if she suggested teaching Elia some sword skills, she’d probably be ridiculed until the cows came home.
How reasonable is it for a silver tier little sister to teach her emerald tier big sister? Not reasonable at all.
So, for now, Yuliya had no choice but to watch.
One was level 60, the other 58. Here were two absolute powerhouses, and a level 27 like her didn’t even qualify to approach.
When lower levels make attacks, and the level difference exceeds 10, they only inflict “1” damage. When the difference exceeds 30, an attack could fail before even reaching the opponent.
And if a weak one were subjected to an attack, a mere glance from the strong could daze them.
If Yuliya rushed in, even if they were trying hard to contain their power, the residual force from their clash would be enough to squash her little frame.
Actually, just watching wasn’t too bad; such battles among the strong were rare.
These days in the Jade Emperor Kingdom, the only visible legendary-tier strong ones left were the three knight commanders and a few vice commanders. Any hidden strengths likely wouldn’t exceed single digits.
And many of them were definitely teetering on the brink of the grave.
So this battle could truly be classified as top-tier combat.
Watching a fierce battle among the elite and feeling that atmosphere would help Yuliya enhance her skills.
Or rather, rejuvenate her power.
