Morning class began,
And as usual, whispers stirred in the back rows.
A few newly admitted disciples murmured—
"Word is, they're facing White Profound Society on the arena at noon?"
"That's Xiàng Yuán, right?
He may be ranked low on the Hidden Dragon List,
But he's an old bruiser.
What's a new name compared to that?"
"New rankings are just that—new.
The Hidden Dragon List is the real currency.
Hope they don't embarrass themselves without realizing."
Xiǎo Chén sat in the front row,
His spear resting lightly against his knee—
Half listening, half ignoring.
Xuán Chén leaned by the window,
Spinning talisman sand between his fingers,
A faint, unreadable smile in his eyes.
—
Before noon, class dismissed.
The two walked back to their quarters with the crowd.
Just outside their door,
They spotted Shī Tóngbǎi crouched in the corridor,
Grinning from ear to ear.
Xiǎo Chén flicked his spear tail—
"What's this?
Mr. Knows-It-All waiting at our door?"
Shī Tóngbǎi scurried up,
Lowered his voice—
"Heh…
Got wind of something last night."
"White Profound's putting serious money behind Xiàng Yuán.
He's backed by one of their top brass."
"Even Bái Shī's people nodded along—
They've rigged the odds low,
Ready to harvest a wave of casual bets."
Xiǎo Chén raised a brow,
His smile half-mocking—
"And?"
Shī Tóngbǎi leaned closer—
"Silver Mirror's betting too—
On whether you two can last till the end."
"But they're pretending not to care."
"Heh…
This match isn't just about the arena.
Some folks want to see White Profound lose face."
Xiǎo Chén glanced at Xuán Chén—
"Brother,
Should we toss in a spark?"
Xuán Chén paused his talisman sand,
His voice cold as frost—
"Perfect timing.
Let's take the stage."
Shī Tóngbǎi's eyes gleamed.
He added in a whisper—
"There's more—
Someone opened a secret betting pool."
"Odds on you two winning are triple."
"They've split it into three bets:
One of you wins,
Both of you win,
Or it's a draw."
"People are staking cultivation crystals, talisman paper—
Even unallocated resource shares as prize tokens."
Xiǎo Chén raised a brow,
Shot him a glance—
"You bet?"
Shī Tóngbǎi chuckled,
Scratched the back of his head—
"Heh…
Put down two bets."
"If I win,
I'll split half with you guys—
Call it tea money!"
Xuán Chén
gave him a cool glance,
Tapping his talisman sand—
"Don't pull that on me.
Lose the bet,
Don't come asking for medical fees."
Xiǎo Chén's eyes gleamed,
A grin tugging at his lips—
"Brother,
I've got an idea."
Xuán Chén raised a brow,
Chuckled softly—
"You rascal.
What scheme now?"
Xiǎo Chén feigned innocence—
"Scheme?
This is justice."
"They want to harvest the casual bettors?
Let's make them bleed a little—
Redistribute the wealth."
He slung an arm around Shī Tóngbǎi's shoulder,
Lowered his voice with a grin—
"Find a few people.
Buy out the 'dual victory' bet.
Scatter the wagers—make it look like randoms."
"Front the money.
If we win,
You get a cut for tea."
Xuán Chén spun his talisman sand,
His gaze sharpening—
"If they want to fleece the crowd,
Let's send them more 'crowd'."
Xiǎo Chén murmured—
"I'll only need one strike.
Clean and quick."
Shī Tóngbǎi's eyes lit up,
Nodding rapidly—
"Got it!
This is called using their blade against them!"
"No worries—
I'll front it.
You fight hard,
We profit hard."
"Just give me ten percent when you win!"
Xuán Chén's voice was ice—
"If we play,
Let them lose so badly
Even the odds can't cover it."
Xiǎo Chén stood his Dragon Soul Spear upright,
Ran a hand down its shaft—
"After this match,
Let's see who cracks first."
—
Distant chatter still echoed down the corridor,
But a gust of wind swept it away.
The afternoon arena—
Blades still sheathed,
But the game already drawn.
—
Wind stirred through the courtyard.
The heat from morning class still lingered.
At the newly raised arena,
Golden-embroidered flags marked the four corners.
Dù Jīn and another Silver Mirror steward stood at opposite ends—
One holding a scroll,
The other with hands behind his back,
Their presence heavy.
White Profound disciples stood at a distance,
Watching with interest.
Several Silver Mirror regulators guarded the perimeter.
At the far end of the crowd,
Sītú Jìng stood quietly,
Jade scroll in hand,
A faint smile in his eyes.
Xiǎo Chén stood at the edge of the crowd,
Fingers brushing his Dragon Soul Spear.
He glanced sideways at Xuán Chén—
"Brother,
Should we hold back a little?"
Xuán Chén flicked his talisman sand,
Voice calm—
"Even to kill a chicken,
You pick a sharp blade."
Xiǎo Chén grinned—
"Alright.
One strike, no echo."
Shī Tóngbǎi
hunched behind them,
Muttering—
"Pfft…
Everyone says you're doomed—
But who really knows who's doomed?"
White Profound disciples lined up on the far side of the arena.
Xiàng Yuán stepped onto the platform,
Chill radiating from him.
Both hands rested on his blade hilt,
Eyes locked coldly on Xiǎo Chén and Xuán Chén.
Dù Jīn raised a hand,
Silencing the crowd.
His voice rang deep across the arena—
"Listen up!
No killing blows allowed.
Injuries are your own burden."
"If one party faints or falls off the platform,
It counts as a loss."
"A Silver Mirror steward will judge the match.
No brawling off-stage—
Violators will be expelled from the Inner Court!"
He stepped back slightly,
His gaze sweeping across Xiàng Yuán and Xiǎo Chén—
"Any objections?"
Xiàng Yuán spat the word coldly—
"None."
Just as Dù Jīn raised his hand to begin the match,
Xiǎo Chén suddenly called out—
"Hold!"
Dù Jīn paused,
His gaze shifting toward him.
Xiàng Yuán raised a brow,
Sneered—
"What now?
Finally scared?"
"Backing out now—
Isn't it a bit late?"
Low laughter rippled through the crowd—
"Backing down before the fight?"
"Top ten on the new list? What a joke."
"Hope he doesn't lose too ugly."
Xiǎo Chén brushed his fingers along the spear's tail,
His eyes settling on Xiàng Yuán,
A faint smile curling his lips—
"I hear you've been lingering on the Hidden Dragon List for a while."
"And me?
Just showed up."
The whispers around them froze.
Xiǎo Chén's tone turned cold—
"If we fight straight away,
Some might say you're bullying the newcomer."
"So how about this—
Let me strike first."
"If you can block it,
I'll concede.
No complaints."
Xuán Chén stood beside him,
Tapping his talisman sand,
Smiling faintly—
"If you can't block even one strike,
What's the point of the Hidden Dragon List?"
Xiàng Yuán's expression darkened.
His eyes narrowed,
Teeth clenched—
"Fine.
Bring it on."
A flicker of cold light passed through the Silver Mirror steward's eyes.
His fingers tightened behind his sleeve.
Dù Jīn glanced at him,
Then let a subtle smile tug at his lips.
In his eyes—
A quiet approval.
This strike…
Was well played.
The crowd roared.
Silver Mirror and White Profound Society disciples exchanged glances,
Their expressions shifting.
In the shadows,
Betting odds flipped several times.
On the arena,
The wind stirred.
The duel had begun.
Blades unsheathed.
Xiǎo Chén heard Xiàng Yuán's words,
Smiled faintly—
"Good luck.
I'm rooting for you."
Then—
His spiritual energy surged like a tide.
He let out a roar.
In a flash,
He tapped the ground,
His figure shot forward like a cold beam of light,
Straight to the center of the platform.
In a single breath,
He was already above Xiàng Yuán.
Both hands gripped the tail of the Dragon Soul Spear.
He unleashed the most dominant move of the Star Tyrant Spear Technique—
"Spear Shatters the Star River."
It crashed down
Like a mountain falling into the sea.
The same move he had used against Xuānyuán Dié during the entrance trial—
But this time,
Its force had more than doubled.
The sword intent he once faced
Had been swallowed into his bones,
Refined into spear power—
And now,
It exploded in full.
Xiàng Yuán felt his blood run cold.
Spear light flooded his vision,
As if Xuānyuán Dié's sharp sword aura
Had merged with Xiǎo Chén's figure—
Freezing his limbs and bones.
In a clash between masters,
A fraction decides all.
Xiàng Yuán was stunned.
His blade rose—
But a moment too late.
One side had gathered force.
The other had yet to summon it.
The outcome was clear.
Boom—!
The Dragon Soul Spear slammed down.
Xiàng Yuán's blade flew from his hands,
Spinning through the air
And embedding itself into the stone wall behind the arena—
Hilt-deep.
His palms burst open.
Blood flowed freely.
He groaned,
Staggered—
Then was blasted off the platform,
Crashing into several spectators
Before rolling to a stop.
The arena fell silent.
Only the sound of dust settling remained.
Countless eyes locked onto the platform,
Staring at the youth
Standing tall with his raised spear.
No one spoke.
Dù Jīn's voice rang out,
Like metal striking stone—
"Victory decided.
Xiǎo Chén wins!"
The crowd erupted.
Whispers surged—
But no one dared speak aloud.
White Profound disciples wore mixed expressions.
Silver Mirror stewards watched with deep eyes,
Fingers clenched behind their sleeves.
Xuán Chén stood at the edge of the platform,
His gaze reflecting Xiǎo Chén's spear intent.
A silent thought stirred within—
New sword turned spear.
Refined into a body of star scars.
Like a dying ember from a sect's legacy.
That sword—
He swallowed it whole.
Well struck.
Well aimed.
Well held.
—
Below the stage,
Shī Tóngbǎi nearly leapt into the air,
Ready to rush up and kiss Xiǎo Chén twice.
His voice trembled with joy—
"Victory!
You won!
Heh heh… the odds flipped—ha ha!"
"No need to worry about cultivation resources for a while!"
In the audience,
Many disciples gasped quietly.
Some had placed casual bets—just for fun.
Now they realized they'd backed the right horse.
Many cursed themselves—
Wishing they'd wagered more.
White Profound Society stood stiff,
Faces pale and grim.
Their pride stretched thin.
Only Bái Shī,
Standing far off in the crowd,
Smiled without anger.
A strange curve at his lips—
As if he'd known the outcome all along.
Among Silver Mirror disciples,
Some faces darkened.
Some whispered in shock.
Others wiped cold sweat in secret.
Sītú Jìng stood quietly in the shadows,
Eyes fixed on the arena.
A flicker passed through his gaze—
As if something had just been decided.
—
In the distant Star Vault,
Gǔ Líng watched the strike through his viewing mirror.
He stroked his beard,
Smiling—
"Good."
Outside the vault,
Xuānyuán Dié stood silently.
The spear's shadow reflected in her eyes—
Igniting a deeper blaze within.
She took a deep breath,
Gathered her thoughts,
And turned toward the Headmaster's chamber.
—
Xiǎo Chén and Xuán Chén stepped down from the arena.
Shī Tóngbǎi, clutching his betting slips,
Ran up gleefully—
"Xiǎo Chén, senior brother—
Let me kiss you twice!"
Xiǎo Chén dodged with disdain.
Shī Tóngbǎi missed,
Landing flat on his rear.
Xiǎo Chén shot him a glare—
"Senior brother?
Better call me junior again."
"And I don't swing that way.
Spare me."
Xuán Chén
chuckled quietly beside them.
He raised a hand,
Tapped Xiǎo Chén on the shoulder—
"He's just thrilled he won a pile of resources.
Don't twist it."
Shī Tóngbǎi scrambled to his feet,
Grinning sheepishly—
"Exactly!
Xuán Chén gets it.
I just got carried away…
This haul's a jackpot!"
Xiǎo Chén's expression shifted.
He slung an arm around Shī Tóngbǎi's shoulder,
Grinning like a fox—
"Senior brother,
How do you plan to thank us two for this?"
Shī Tóngbǎi's eyes lit up.
He thumped his chest—
"Don't worry!
Whatever intel you need—
I'll spill it all, no holding back!"
"Information's my specialty!"
Xiǎo Chén and Xuán Chén exchanged a glance,
Smiled,
And nodded.
—
Not far away,
A commotion broke out.
White Profound Society disciples
Were arguing with a group of casual bettors who'd backed the right side.
The noise spread quickly through the crowd.