Rise of The Abandoned Husband (Liam Knight) novel Chapter 160

160 Chapter 160 The Azure Revelation

The blue flame danced in my palm, casting an ethereal glow across the stunned faces surrounding me. The competition hall had fallen into a deafening silence, broken only by the soft crackle of my azure fire,

Elias Ainsworth’s face had turned ashen, his carlier smugness evaporated like morning dew. His eyes, wide with disbelief, reflected the blue glow of my flame.

“That’s… that’s impossible, he whispered, his voice trembling. “Blue Spirit Fire? That

can’t be…

From the judges‘ table, Desmond Davenport half–rose from his seat, his knuckles white as he gripped the edge. The look on his face–a mixture of shock, fear, and rage–was almost worth all the trouble I’d been through.

An elderly judge with a long white beard stepped forward, adjusting his spectacles as he peered at my palm. “In all my years…” he murmured, shaking his head in wonder.

“What does it mean?” someone in the audience asked, breaking the silence. “Why is everyone so shocked?”

The elderly judge cleared his throat. “Spirit Fire manifests in colors corresponding to its power and rarity. Red is common, orange less so, yellow quite rare.” He gestured toward my palm with a trembling finger. “But blue… blue appears perhaps once in a generation, if that.”

M

I watched their reactions carefully, keeping my expression neutral despite my inner turmoil. The truth was, I hadn’t intended to reveal this power–not here, not now. But Elias’s provocation had touched a nerve.

“Three minutes remaining in the evaluation period, the head judge announced, his voice unsteady.

Realization hit me like a bucket of cold water. The competition wasn’t over–I’d allowed myself to be distracted by Elias’s taunts while my medicinal pill remained incomplete. I closed fist, extinguishing the blue flame, and turned back to my station.

my

“I need to use the Blue Spirit Fire to complete the refinement,” I muttered to myself, weighing my options.

15:03

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160 Chapter 160- The Azure Revelation

The problem was, I’d never actually used the blue flame for alchemy before. My training had focused on controlling its emergence, not applying it to medicinal refinement. Using it now would be a desperate gamble.

From the corner of my eye, I spotted Desmond leaning close to Elias, whispering urgently in his ear. Elias nodded, his expression hardening as he glanced in my direction.

I had no time to worry about them. Closing my eyes, I summoned the blue flame again, this time focusing its energy directly onto my half–formed pill. The blue fire enveloped the creation, causing it to glow and pulsate with azure light.

“Two minutes remaining,” the head judge called out.

Sweat beaded on my forehead as I struggled to maintain control. The Blue Spirit Fire was like a wild horse–powerful but untamed. One wrong move and my creation would be reduced to ash.

Suddenly, I felt a jarring impact against my shoulder. My concentration wavered, but I managed to keep the flame steady.

“Sorry,” Elias said, not sounding sorry at all as he brushed past my station. “Just checking the other competitors‘ work.”

I kept my eyes closed, focusing entirely on the delicate process. Another jolt–this time an elbow to my ribs–nearly caused me to lose control.

“This is blatant interference!” Anthony Harding, a competitor from the neighboring station, protested loudly. “Judge Davenport, surely you see what’s happening?”

“I see nothing improper,” Desmond replied coldly. “Competitors are free to move about during the evaluation period.”

I gritted my teeth, doubling down on my concentration. The blue flame flickered dangerously as Elias made another pass, this time knocking against my arm.

“One minute remaining, the head judge announced.

Elias grew bolder, abandoning any pretense of subtlety. He slammed his shoulder into my back, hard enough that I staggered forward.

Still, I didn’t break my focus. The pill was beginning to take form within the blue flame, its essence stabilizing with each passing second.

160 Chapter 100 The Azure Revelation

“This Is outrageous!” Anthony shouted again. “He’s physically assaulting another competitor!”

Desmond waved a dismissive hand. “Young alchemists should be able to work under pressure. If Knight cannot maintain his focus through minor distractions, perhaps he isn’t as talented as some believe.”

Elias, emboldened by Desmond’s support, moved in again. This time, his fingers jabbed toward a pressure point on my neck–a strike that would disrupt my qi flow if it connected.

I shifted slightly, letting his fingers miss the critical point. He hissed in frustration.

“Thirty seconds,” called the head judge.

The audience had begun to murmur, some in outrage at the blatant cheating, others. fascinated by my unwavering concentration despite the attacks. Elias circled me like a predator, looking for another opening.

The blue flame in my palm pulsed once, twice, then stabilized. I could feel the pill nearing completion. Just a few more seconds…

Elias lunged forward one final time, his knuckles aimed at a vital point on my back that would send shooting pain through my meridians.

Just as his hand was about to connect, I opened my eyes and turned to face him. The blue flame in my palm cast eerie shadows across my face as I smiled.

“Are you scratching me here? What, didn’t you have enough for lunch?” I taunted, my voice low but carrying in the sudden silence.

Elias froze, his fist inches from my back. The confident sneer on his face melted into confusion, then alarm as he realized I had been aware of his attacks all along–and that they had failed to disrupt my work.

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