The gorge glowed crimson once more. Qiu Ran's last talisman burned in his hand, its runes pulsing like a beating heart of fire. Rage twisted his face, veins bulging as he poured qi into the artifact.
"Die, Lin Xuan! Die, and take your false miracles with you!"
The disciples staggered back in terror. Even Zhao Kun paled, muttering, "A third talisman… that's lethal even to Foundation cultivators."
Wu Ming flailed his arms. "Senior Brother, he's got more paper bombs than sense! What now—pray, run, or both?!"
Lin Xuan's grip tightened on his spear. His meridians screamed from the earlier fusion, blood dripping from his lips, but his gaze was steady, cold. I cannot match its force… but I can redirect it.
[System Notice: Analyzing foreign artifact… Fire Talisman Array detected.][Counter-protocol available: Energy Reflection via Adaptive Flow.][Warning: Efficiency 52%. Backlash risk remains.]
Lin Xuan's lips curved faintly, blood streaking his chin. Half a chance is enough.
Qiu Ran hurled the talisman. The gorge blazed as fire qi surged like a tidal wave, molten heat crashing forward to consume all.
Lin Xuan shifted, spear spinning in a precise arc. His qi channeled through the haft, weaving stolen traces of Crane Step's flow, Stone Palm's grounding, and Gale Slash's cutting edge.
The wave struck.
But instead of shattering him, it bent. Fire rippled, twisted, its force redirected along the spear's spiral.
Lin Xuan's roar cut through the inferno. "Return it to the snake that cast it!"
The fire reversed, snapping back in a coiling surge. Qiu Ran's eyes went wide. "No—impossible!"
The redirected blast struck him full in the chest. His protective qi shattered. He screamed as flames engulfed him, hurling him across the gorge. His robes burned, hair singed, skin blackened with char.
Silence followed, broken only by Qiu Ran's ragged groans. The proud Core disciple lay crumpled, his talisman's remnants scattered like ash around him.
Every disciple stared, wide-eyed.
"He… he turned it back.""Qiu Ran—beaten with his own strike…""Lin Xuan… cripple no more…"
Wu Ming whooped, leaping in circles. "Did you see that?! He speared fire and sent it back! Senior Brother is officially the Fire-Slaying, Snake-Smashing, Gorge-Conquering Spear Saint of Snacks!"
The timid girl's eyes glistened, her lips trembling as she whispered, "Senior Brother Lin… you're… incredible."
Even Zhao Kun's knuckles whitened on his sword. His lips moved but no sound came, torn between awe and poisonous envy.
Lin Xuan leaned on his spear, chest heaving, blood dripping freely down his torn sleeve. His vision blurred, but his back remained straight.
He did not roar, did not boast. His eyes swept the gorge calmly, as though this victory were nothing more than necessity.
I showed too much again. But let them think it luck, or strange fortune. The truth will remain mine.
Qiu Ran tried to rise, his body trembling, face blackened with soot. "You… you can't… you're nothing but—"
Lin Xuan's voice cut him like a blade, calm and cold. "A cripple? Then what does that make you, defeated by one?"
Gasps rippled. Qiu Ran froze, his mouth working soundlessly, his pride in tatters before every witness.
The disciples' gazes fixed on Lin Xuan, no longer mockery, no longer whispers—only fear and awe.
From the shadows above, unseen by all but Lin Xuan, a faint ripple of qi stirred. Watching eyes, far stronger than any Outer disciple, lingered.
The gorge had become Lin Xuan's crucible.And the sect would never view him the same way again.