Frost gathered around Xue Lan's feet, spreading outward in a slow, circular pattern that shimmered like liquid glass. The entire floor beneath her began to freeze, the thin layer of ice reflecting her silver aura in fractured brilliance.
Huo Ren cracked his neck, rolling his shoulders as crimson flames wrapped tighter around his body. "You're not the only one with a final card to play," he said with a toothy grin. "Crimson Pyre—Core Eruption!"
The ground split open beneath him, molten fire surging up in coiling streams. His aura expanded like a living inferno, his eyes glowing with primal intensity. Even through the barrier, the audience could feel the wave of heat crash against them.
Xue Lan didn't move—not yet. Her breathing slowed, her fingers tracing a faint circle in the air. A single snowflake drifted from her fingertip and landed before her boots.
Her falcon's voice echoed faintly in her mind. Now.
Her lips curved slightly. "Blizzard Step—Final Flare!"
