Outside the arena, within the quiet chambers of the City Lord's mansion, night had fallen. A silver moon cast its glow through the lattice windows, spilling across the floor where Sen Shu stood in silence. Her crimson dress rippled faintly with the night breeze, like a flame against the darkness.
Behind her, the kneeling figure of Sen Ren bowed deeply, his voice low yet edged with urgency.
"Young Miss… something stirs in the arena. A barrier rose without warning—thick, impenetrable. No sound escapes it, no sight pierces through. Even the City Lord and Elder Tong Men are within."
Sen Shu did not turn from the window. Her gaze lingered on the night beyond, calm, knowing.
"I am aware," she said softly. "The barrier is not by chance. That girl… Shu Yu, the one beside Gao Tian—she is no ordinary figure. She is the Young Lady of the Tianlei Clan."
At those words, Sen Ren's composure faltered. Shock spread across her face, her breath catching.
The Tianlei Clan… one of the great powers of the Dragon Empire. A clan shrouded in mystery, feared and revered alike.
Only then did Sen Shu slowly turn, her dark eyes gleaming with a trace of hidden meaning as they settled on her guard's trembling expression.
"Surprised? You should be. But it is the truth. A boy named Gao Tian was said to be dead, yet one bearing that name stands here in Sen City—walking beside a girl of the same age as Tianlei Yu. Shu Yu, Tianlei Yu… they are one and the same. I am certain now."
Sen Ren's voice wavered with confusion.
"Young Miss… is this certainty, or mere conjecture?"
Sen Shu's lips curved into a faint, enigmatic smile.
"Yesterday, I suspected. This morning, I was sure. The message from the guard spying on the Gao Clan confirmed it. He saw assassins strike under the veil of night… and he heard them speak. Their target was none other than Tianlei Yu."
The silence that followed was heavy. Sen Ren lowered her eyes, her heart stirring uneasily.
If the Young Lady of the Tianlei Clan truly resides here… then Sen City is already dancing upon the edge of calamity.
Sen Shu began to walk, her steps measured, graceful, the red folds of her dress trailing like a shadow of fire. Passing by her kneeling guard, she paused only long enough to leave a whisper behind.
"I know what you fear—that danger will swallow this city whole. And you are not wrong. For now, we are safe… but safety never lingers for long. Come. The arena's veil will not last forever. We must be there when it falls."
With that, she stepped into the dimly lit hall, her presence carrying the weight of secrets yet to unfold.
At Arena – Night
The shattering of the barrier sent shockwaves through the arena. Dust swirled like a storm, golden light flashing between the cracks in the air.
Ao Liuzi stumbled backward, his face pale for the first time since the battle began. His body trembled with rage and disbelief.
How… how could a brat in the Foundation Establishment Realm break my barrier? That was supposed to withstand Golden Core attacks!
His eyes burned with humiliation, veins bulging across his temples. With a furious roar that shook the skies, Ao Liuzi's spiritual energy erupted outward in a black tide, crushing the shattered fragments of his barrier into nothingness.
"Gao Tian!" he bellowed, his voice shaking the ground. "You dare shame me in front of everyone!? You think a mere trick can defeat me!? I'll tear you apart limb by limb!"
He slammed both palms together, and an ominous black vortex began to spiral between his hands. The air itself seemed to wither, the ground beneath him turning brittle as stones cracked and grass shriveled away.
From above, Sen Zhuo's expression twisted in alarm.
"That's no ordinary technique," he muttered, his voice tense. "That gluttonous bastard is drawing on the Evil Yin Essence itself!"
Tong Men's face darkened. He's throwing away restraint. If he unleashes that here, even the city will shake!
Within the barrier high above, Shu Yu's eyes widened as she recognized the sinister energy. Her hands trembled against the prison that held her.
That… that's the same aura he had when he fight me and my friends…!
Ao Liuzi's laughter turned guttural, crazed, his face twisting into something monstrous.
"Brat! You forced me! Now die under my Soul-Crushing Yin Palm!"
With a roar, he thrust his palms forward. The black vortex condensed into a colossal hand of dark energy, stretching wide across the arena as though to crush Gao Tian like an insect. The very ground quaked as cracks spiderwebbed across the tiles beneath the pressure.
But Gao Tian only stood there, golden swords still circling his body, his purple eyes gleaming with cold amusement.
"Heh…" His lips curled into that same unnerving smile. "Desperation already, fatty? You disappoint me."
But inside, his thoughts churned.
I can't stop this strike… and even if I try, survival is far from certain.
Gao Tian gritted his teeth, every muscle trembling.
I have to use my fire…
Summoning the last shreds of strength in his battered body, he unleashed the Destructive Dragon Golden Flame. A fierce, golden blaze erupted from within him, surging outward until it wrapped his entire frame in a blazing inferno.
Behind him, the protective barrier that had been shielding Shu Yu and the Ruler Dog flickered and dissolved—the price of Gao Tian's final effort. Without its support, Shu Yu and the dog plummeted toward the ground, their silhouettes cutting through the smoke-filled night.
Shu Yu's heart seized. Her face tightened in alarm as she glanced at Gao Tian, then the rapidly approaching earth below. In a flash, she drew her sword, leapt onto its gleaming blade, and soared downward.
That was his last attack… his spiritual energy is completely spent, she thought, the fear heavy in her chest.
She caught the falling Ruler Dog mid-descent, clutching him tightly before guiding her sword safely to the ground.
Above them, the colossal hand of dark energy descended, a monstrous shadow threatening to crush Gao Tian. He lifted his flaming arms, forcing them upward to meet it. The dark energy clawed hungrily at the golden flames, seeking to devour them—yet instead, it sizzled and burned, hissing in defeat as the fire consumed its edges.
Ao Liuzi's eyes widened, a bead of cold sweat sliding down his temple.
"Impossible… h-how can that fire burn my dark energy?"
Gao Tian's lips curled into a weary, trembling smile as he held the weight of the attack at bay.
"F-fatty… after this… you're done for… heh."
The Destructive Dragon Golden Flame surged violently, wrapping the colossal hand completely, devouring it inch by inch in a blaze of golden destruction.
But the effort tore through Gao Tian's battered body. He coughed violently, spraying blackened blood onto the scorched ground below.
So many internal injuries… he thought, the world blurring around him. I don't think I'll survive this…
Ao Liuzi, though shaken, forced a nervous laugh, trying to mask his unease.
"So what if you destroy my attack? You're as good as dead, boy. Your body won't hold. Those injuries… they're eating you alive."
On the ground, Shu Yu landed lightly, setting the Ruler Dog down. Her sword tip scraped against the earth as her knees buckled slightly. Tears welled in her eyes as she looked up at Gao Tian, her voice breaking with desperation.
"You bastard… just give up and run! You can't win against him!" she cried, tears streaking down her cheeks. "I-I don't want you to die… please!"
Golden fire roared, devouring the last threads of dark energy in the sky. The battlefield flickered with violent light and shadow, the air heavy with the scent of scorched earth.
Ao Liuzi's gaze locked on Gao Tian's face. For a heartbeat, unease tightened his chest—then calculation overtook him.
He's burning through everything… his spiritual energy must be empty. If I let him live, he'll become a nightmare later. This is my only chance.
With a furious roar that shook the arena, Ao Liuzi lunged. "Damn bastard—die!"
Dark energy surged around his right hand, condensing into a razor-sharp spiritual claw. He hurled himself forward, aiming straight for Gao Tian's heart.
Gao Tian, still focused on erasing the last wisps of darkness, felt the killing intent rushing toward him. His lips curled into a faint, knowing smile.
Heh… he walked right into my trap.
Ao Liuzi's fury flared hotter at the sight. "Fool! You're on death's door and still grinning?"
The final trace of dark energy vanished in a hiss of gold. Gao Tian pivoted, his cloak of flame flickering wildly. Ao Liuzi's dark claw streaked toward him, its deadly edge a breath from piercing flesh—
But Gao Tian's right hand shot out, seizing Ao Liuzi's wrist with a crushing grip. He met Ao Liuzi's eyes, his own glowing like molten amethyst.
"Ready to die," he said, voice low and calm.
Shock shattered Ao Liuzi's confidence. His face blanched. "Wh-what are you saying?"
Purple energy surged down Gao Tian's arm, his aura swelling even as blood stained his lips. His expression twisted into a wild, almost cruel grin.
"Haha… fatty," Gao Tian hissed, "die with me."
His right arm erupted in a blinding explosion of golden flame—the Destructive Dragon Golden Flame unleashed at point-blank range.
The blast tore through the sky, a wave of searing light scattering across the arena. Golden fire spiraled outward like a storm, swallowing everything in its path and shaking the night with a deafening roar.