Provoking a Graceful Bloom Novel

---- Chapter 81 At some point, a few spirited young men in the crowd had begun to shout "General Campbell!" under their breath. Gradually, the murmurs swelled into a roar, each wave louder than the last. "General Campbell! General Campbell!" Even the young ladies watching the tall figure on the stage couldn't stop their eyes from slowly softening with admiration. After all, he was the son of Thomas Campbell, the Marquis of Whitgrave and Lara Smith, once hailed as the most beautiful woman on the border.

And with his younger sister now praised as the brightest talent in the capital, how could the elder brother be anything less than striking? Rumors about his injuries had made people doubt his strength, but they had forgotten that Sebastian was a man whose very appearance could captivate. Now that they looked again, his tall, lean figure and strikingly handsome face stood out even under the blazing sun. It was easy to see why so many young women were captivated by him. "General Campbell!" Selena shouted, her fingers clenched tightly as worry mingled with hope.

---- Her enthusiasm spread like wildfire. Soon, several young ladies were cheering too. "General Campbell! General Campbell!" Even Wilfred felt a stirring in his chest. This was one of Aurensia's great generals, a pillar of the kingdom! How could he wish for him to lose? The king clenched his hands as he whispered to himself, " General Campbell, you must win." Next to him, Ruth's face darkened with displeasure. Hadn't everyone said that Sebastian was a broken man, that he could never hope to defeat Damon? Yet now, watching them, the two men seemed evenly matched.

In fact, Sebastian's spear moved with a grace and brilliance that was almost mesmerizing. Nathaniel observed from the side, his dark eyes narrowing slightly. Liam leaned close and murmured into his ear, "Your Highness, General Campbell is not using my techniques. He is wielding his family's spear techniques." "Il know," Nathaniel replied, his gaze fixed on the duel. The Campbell family's spear techniques were famous ---- throughout the land. But at this moment, Sebastian's strength wasn't quite enough, so his strikes lacked some power.

That was why his fight with Damon had dragged on to a stalemate. He could have used the moves Liam had taught him to counter his opponent's spearwork, yet he chose to rely on his family's own techniques. Deep down, his loyalty and love for the Campbell family's spear techniques ran stronger than anything else. "Your Highness, who do you think will prevail?" Liam asked softly. Sebastian could no longer match his old strength, yet the Campbell family techniques remained formidable. Nathaniel said nothing, his eyes dark and unreadable.

Meanwhile, Sally leaned forward, worry etched across her features. "My lady, can Lord Sebastian truly win?" she whispered. Why did Selena look so tense, as if even she had no idea how the match would end? But then, though she still wore an anxious expression, she looked up and secretly shot Sally a knowing smile. Sally froze for a moment, then felt her heart finally unclench. ---- Sebastian could win. Though the battle seemed fierce, if Selena said he could win, then he would. Not far off, Elias felt his fingers curl reflexively. The two men were perfectly matched.

Victory or defeat seemed to hang ona single thought. Then, with a sharp clash, the two spears collided head-on Sebastian wavered, his form tipping as if he might fall. The crowd went instantly silent, breath held, hearts in their throats. Just when everyone was nearly in despair, Sebastian suddenly flipped mid-fall and leaped into the air. One swift thrust sent his spear toward his opponent's shoulder. Damon jolted in shock and stumbled back, narrowly dodging the strike. He was just about to counter when a calm, commanding voice rang out from below the stage. "You've lost.

Stand down." His heart tightened as he immediately drew back and retreated to the side. When he glanced down, he saw a neat tear on his shoulder where Sebastian's spear had grazed his clothes. But his skin was untouched, not a drop of blood spilled.