As both teams stepped into the black spatial dome, the veil of silence fell once more over the grand arena. Then, one by one, the vast array of magic screens hovering above the audience began to flicker to life, revealing the interior of the pocket world within.
At that moment, the mortals erupted into chatter.
"Who do you think will win this time?" someone asked eagerly.
"Hard to say," another replied. "Both sides have six members, and both have one Quasi-Elysian. The others are all at the eighth or ninth layers of the Nirvana Stage. This one might end in a draw!"
A few shook their heads, more confident. "You've heard of her, haven't you? Ma Bingxue—the Ice Demoness of Spirit Ice Pavilion. They say her heart froze long before she even gained the Extreme Cold State!"
"Hmph," said another, "but Shen Yuan is no ordinary genius. The Twin Soul Sect doesn't raise weaklings."
Laughter and arguments followed in waves. Half the mortals predicted that Ma Bingxue would utterly crush Shen Yuan, while the rest swore that Shen Yuan would slaughter her easily—or, at the very least, win by the narrowest of margins.
Even among the cultivators, there was division. Some closed their eyes in contemplation, others leaned forward with burning gazes, eager to see what kind of monsters these elites truly were.
Inside the pocket world, the two teams had already appeared.
The inside however seemed to be completely fixed, no sign of any crater, destruction, burn or battle. As if the previous fight had never really occurred. However, when one would think clearly, they would see this was very natural. As the world lord created this pocket world so naturally he has control of all laws and akasha of this pocket world. So, he could easily repair it or even change it to something else as he sees fit.
Both the teams, however, weren't too shocked and faced each with a meter of distance separating them. Between them, the silence was like a blade.
Ma Bingxue's eyes locked onto Shen Yuan. There was only pride there and the stillness of winter, a gaze that could freeze rivers and silence storms.
Shen Yuan met that gaze without the slightest hesitation. His expression was calm, fixed, yet in his eyes lingered a quiet ruthlessness.
Ma Bingxue finally spoke. Her voice was like falling snow—soft, but biting.
"So, you are Shen Yuan."
Shen Yuan's reply came unhurried, his tone light but sharp.
"Fellow cultivator Ma, asking what you already know does not suit one of your cultivation."
A faint shift crossed Ma Bingxue's expression, her eyes narrowing, her aura tightening. Frost gathered at her feet, no one had dared to talk to her like this ever, however, today who she saw as a nobody did. Her eyes narrowed in subtle annoyance.
"Since fellow cultivator Shen seems so confident," she said, her voice dripping with mockery, "let us see whose Extreme Cold State is superior. Although…" Her lips curved slightly. "…I must admit, I am quite disappointed. I was hoping to cross blades with that woman of Sword God Sect, not with you. Still, I have a proposal—if fellow cultivator Shen will allow it."
The words seem to echo in everyone's ears.
There was venom in her tone, sharp enough for others to feel it on their skin.
Then suddenly, just for an instant, her eyes flickered — a subtle surprise she could not conceal. Shen Yuan's lips curved faintly, colder than ice itself. For a heartbeat, she felt as if she was some kind of prey and he was the predator.
Shen Yuan cupped his fists lightly, his posture polite, his voice calm but carrying invisible weight.
"It is fellow cultivator Ma's decision," he said. "Who am I to stop you from speaking your mind?"
Even his teammates turned their heads in surprise at his polite tone.
Those words had an impact on Ma Bingxue.
For the first time, the coldness in her eyes wavered. But only for an instant.
She forced herself to breathe, to calm the sudden unease coiling in her chest. 'Overconfidence', she told herself. 'He is simply overconfident.'
Her lips curved again. "Very well," she said proudly. "Since we both have the Extreme Cold State and share the same level of cultivation, let us make this simple. You, Shen Yuan, will face all six of us together. Let us see whose Extreme Cold burns colder."
Her teammates took a step forward, Yin Qi beginning to ripple faintly around them.
Outside the pocket world, gasps filled the arena.
"She's mad!" someone shouted. "She's going to fight him with all six at once, that's bullying?"
"No," another said grimly. "She's using her old trick. I heard about this! If she's not sure of victory, she'll have her entire team fight together first—she wears down her opponent before finishing them off herself."
The crowd broke into chaos again, some pitying Shen Yuan, others calling him a fool for standing still.
Inside the pocket world, Shen Yuan remained utterly silent.
Ma Bingxue mistook that silence for hesitation. Inwardly, she smiled. To her, it was always the same—men with arrogance, men with pride. They would talk big, boast, and when faced with the true cold of hers, their spirits would crack like ice underfoot.
But her smirk faded as quickly as it appeared, when Shen Yuan's eyes finally lifted.
He did not speak right away. However, when he did, his tone was light, yet it reverberated through every corner of the pocket world like the toll of a distant bell.
"I accept."
The words were simple, but their weight struck the world like thunder.
Even his own teammates stiffened. One of them, a short girl with sharp eyes, took half a step forward before stopping herself. It was Shi Meixiu!
Outside the pocket world, the mortals erupted once again.
"He's insane!"
"No, maybe he's confident in some hidden trump card!"
"Confident? That's not confidence—that's arrogance!"
The cultivators who watched merely stared in silence, eyes narrowing in contemplation.
Ma Bingxue tilted her head, letting out a quiet, derisive laugh. "Very well, then. Let us begin—"
But just then, Shen Yuan raised his hand.
"I have a condition," he said calmly, cutting her off.
Ma Bingxue blinked, then gave a mocking smile. "A condition? Fine. I'll accept anything. Say it."
Shen Yuan's smirk deepened, though his eyes remained frigid.
"Then," he said, "you and I will not fight first. Our teammates shall. If, within the time it takes for two incense sticks to burn, your team defeats even two of mine, then I will fight you all. Alone."
He paused for a moment, his gaze sharp as a blade. "Surely, fellow cultivator Ma will not disagree."
Ma Bingxue's smile froze.
The confidence in her expression faltered for the briefest heartbeat, but she could not retreat now. She had already said she would accept anything. Her pride, the reputation of her sect, and the countless eyes watching from beyond the pocket world all pressed upon her shoulders.
"…Very well," she said coldly. "I agree."
Her words were firm, but within her heart, faint irritation flickered.
Shen Yuan nodded once, folding his hands behind his back as though everything was already decided.
Outside the pocket world, chaos broke once more.
"This Shen Yuan… he's either fearless or suicidal!"
"I like him," one middle-aged mortal shouted. "That's the spirit of a real cultivator!"
"Idiot," another spat. "The Spirit Ice Pavilion disciples fight as one. Even if he's strong, surely he can't face six at once!"
But amidst the crowd's thunderous noise, a few silent figures watched with quiet interest.
In the elders' chambers, silence replaced noise.
The elder of Twin Soul Sect leaned forward slowly, his ancient eyes gleaming with rare excitement. Around him, even the elders of Fengyue and Spirit Ice Pavilion sat straighter, their divine senses spread out.
"This boy…" the elder from Spirit Ice Pavilion murmured.
"…This not arrogance," the elder from Fengyue whispered. "It's a calculation. I must admit… I gravely underestimated this, Shen Yuan."
Back within the pocket world, the auras of the teammates of both Shen Yuan and Ma Bingxue, stirred faintly. Frost glittered across Ma Bingxue's side, and faint fiery Qi ripples spread from Shen Yuan's side.
Shen Yuan took out two incense sticks from his storage bag, and threw them at a tree. The two incense sticks landed stabbing the tree. Then with a flick of finger, Shen Yuan lit the incense sticks.
The sign to start the match between their teammates had been given!