"Let the fight begin!"
Lu Xie moved the instant those words fell.
A cold gleam flashed as her dagger left its sheath, Essence Qi flowing along the blade like rippling water. She charged forward without hesitation—no footwork, no feints, just a direct, confident rush.
To the crowd, her attack seemed crude, even foolish.
But Lu Xie's smile was faintly mocking, her eyes carrying the self-assurance of someone who had already decided the outcome.
This wasn't arrogance without a reason.
Lu Xie specialized in Illusion Arts—mysterious and subtle techniques of the spirits. They lacked the explosive power of sword strikes or the grandeur of any other techniques, yet in single combat they were like venomous serpents hidden in grass. A single bite, and the opponent's fate was sealed.
And the truth was—her illusion had already taken root before the match even began.
As her gaze locked onto Lin Chen, threads of spiritual radiance flickered deep within her pupils, invisible to all but herself. The Illusory Spirit Art crept into Lin Chen's mind like a silent mist.
'It's already over,' she thought coldly, her lips curving into a sly arc.
In her eyes, Lin Chen stood dazed before her. His movements were sluggish, his eyes empty, his spirit bound by the web she woven. He was like a puppet on strings, gazing at her as though enchanted by her figure.
'Men are all the same,' Lu Xie sneered inwardly. 'Once trapped, they're no different from pigs led to slaughter. They see beauty, but not the blade hidden within them.'
The crowd? To her, they were watching a helpless fool fall before her brilliance. Soon, they would know her name was not just among the top five in the outer sect—but unmatched among equals.
She raised the dagger, her eyes glinting with victory.
'Struggle all you want,' she whispered in her heart. 'In my world, resistance is meaningless. A single cut… and it ends here.'
As her dagger was about to slash Lin Chen—
Smack!
A crisp sound, sharp as thunder, split the silence.
Lu Xie's smile froze.
Her vision spun violently as her cheek exploded in pain, the sting searing through her bones. Her lips twisted into an ugly grimace as she coughed midair, her eyes wide in disbelief.
She hadn't even seen the attack.
Her body flew sideways like a broken kite, crashing across the arena floor and tumbling in a cloud of dust.
For a long breath, silence reigned.
Lin Chen blinked, lowering his hand, the faint crackle of lightning Essence Qi dissipating into the air. "What's wrong with her?" he muttered to himself.
Watching her, he could see clearly—this woman was no true fighter. Who charges headlong at an opponent with only a dagger, no footwork, no auxiliary techniques? Her use of Essence Qi had been minimal, almost careless.
Could she really be at First Stage of Essence Forging?
He frowned slightly. "Was she... lacking in brain?"
Just then, a calm, feminine voice whispered inside his consciousness.
[ She attempted an illusion technique on you, but I nullified her Essence Qi. That's why she acted with such blinding confidence—believing you were ensnared in her illusion.]
"So that's it," Lin Chen muttered, realization dawning. "No wonder she attacked so foolishly. She thought I was still under her illusion."
A small smile tugged at his lips. Now it was clear—her strength did not lie in direct combat. Lu Xie was an illusionist, a master of trickery, not of straightforward battle.
'So, Aiva… you can even block illusions?' Lin Chen asked inwardly.
[Yes. I have complete control over your body, including your spiritual perception. Any external force that attempts to invade your mind or senses will be nullified.]
'Cool'
The announcer stared blankly for a few breaths before snapping back to his senses. His voice cracked as he shouted.
"L–Lin Chen wins!"
The arena erupted in a roar of astonishment.
"Wait, isn't Lu Xie ranked in the top five of the Outer Sect?" someone exclaimed.
"Yeah! Her Illusory Spirit Arts are said to be unbeatable among the same realm."
"Then how did she lose like that? A single slap?"
"Too embarrassing… to lose in one move and get thrown off the stage—does she even dare show her face again?"
"Wait… isn't this the same guy who eliminated his opponents in the first trial with a single strike?"
Voices buzzed like a storm. The disciples' expressions were a mix of disbelief and mockery. The once-admired Lu Xie was now reduced to gossip fodder.
Outside the arena, Lu Xie staggered to her feet, her face pale and her eyes unfocused. Her cheek still burned from the slap, but the pain in her heart was sharper.
Why…? she thought, her mind in chaos. My illusions should have taken hold the moment the fight began.
No one in the Outer Sect has ever broken them head-on. So why… why did he move so casually, as if nothing had happened?
She lifted her head—and saw Lin Chen standing calmly on the stage. His posture was relaxed, and his gaze… was filled with pity.
That look stabbed deeper than any blade.
Her hands clenched until her knuckles turned white. To her, that pity wasn't compassion—it was mockery and humiliation carved into her soul.
'You think I'm weak?' she thought bitterly, biting her lip until it bled. 'Just you wait, Lin Chen… I'll make you eat those eyes of pity!'
But Lin Chen only blinked, tilting his head slightly.
"Why is she growling like a spirit beast?" he muttered under his breath, puzzled. "Did she actually lose her mind from a slap?"
***
Thirty minutes later .
During that time, Lin Chen had another match. This opponent was somewhat competent, putting up a respectable fight.
Each move was measured, each strike deliberate—far from the foolish overconfidence of Lu Xie. Lin Chen adjusted his strategy, responding calmly and efficiently, and eventually secured victory.
Like that the final match had arrived—the battle to decide first place.
"Lin Chen versus Xu Feng!" the announcer's voice echoed across the arena, his tone carried through the roaring crowd.
Lin Chen lifted his gaze—and nearly blinked twice.
Xu Feng was tall.
Not merely tall—he was two heads taller than him, shoulders broad as a mountain ridge, arms thick as ancient tree trunks, muscles coiled tight like forged steel ropes.
He, an ordinary six-foot man, suddenly felt as though he had wandered into a gorilla's den by mistake.
A body like that… this kind of physique could only exist in the cultivation world, he thought. If this were Earth, he'd be on display in a museum under the label: "Specimen of prehistoric strength."
He could tell without a doubt—this man was a close-combat fighter. With a frame like that, what else could he possibly be?
Lin Chen tried to picture Xu Feng using a sword, but the image alone made him wince. In those massive hands, a sword would look utterly ridiculous—like a grown adult holding a child's knife.
"Let the match begin!"
The moment the words fell, Xu Feng moved.
He launched forward like a released boulder, his massive frame tearing through the air. The ground beneath his feet cracked open with a dull boom, sending a thin cloud of dust swirling around him.
"So fast—!" Lin Chen's pupils contracted. He hadn't expected someone built like a fortress to move with the speed of a leopard.
He tilted his body sideways just in time. Xu Feng's fist grazed past his chest, carrying a gust strong enough to sting his cheek.
But Xu Feng didn't stop there. The giant twisted in mid-motion, his leg sweeping upward in a brutal arc. The air howled.
Lin Chen barely managed to raise his sword. Steel meets flesh.
Clang! Sparks exploded between them, the impact forcing both to skid backwards several steps.
Lin Chen steadied his footing, his eyes narrowing slightly.
'That kick… even the sharp side of my sword couldn't leave a mark. His skin is like iron bark.'
Lin Chen exhaled slowly, eyes narrowing. I didn't channel Essence Qi—that explains it. Very well… no more holding back.
Across from him, Xu Feng's aura swelled like a tide. The muscles across his frame tightened, and Veins crawled beneath his skin.
Heat rippled from his body, and both his fists blazed with red Essence Qi, each punch glowing as though forged in molten iron.
Lin Chen's lips curled into a faint smile. "So, you've decided to get serious too?"
He raised his sword. In that instant, blue light burst forth as arcs of lightning coiled along the blade, alive and hissing, dancing across the edge like serpents eager to strike.
The air between them trembled slightly.
Two silhouettes—one like an unshakable mountain, the other like a sharpened blade—shot forward at the same time.
When their attacks met—
BOOM!
Blade and fist collided, light and fire bursting between them. Sparks scattered like rain, their shockwave rippling across the arena floor.
Lin Chen stepped in with fluid precision, his sword slicing in a fast rhythm—each motion sharp, controlled, filled with lightning's bite.
Xu Feng met every strike head-on, his fists roaring through the air. Each punch left a faint crater in the stone beneath, his Essence Qi vibrating with raw power.
Clang! Boom! Crack!
Their blows resounded one after another, metal ringing against flesh, energy clashing against energy.
The audience leaned forward, breath held.
A single misstep in this dance, and either one could be torn apart.
"Your swordsmanship is quite good," Xu Feng said between clashes, his voice steady even as their Qi flared and sparks burst around them.
"The same goes for your fists," Lin Chen replied, his lips curving slightly.
Their blades and fists met once more— Bang! Both were thrown back several steps, their boots grinding against the stone floor.
Xu Feng's eyes narrowed. He inhaled deeply, his chest expanding like a bellows. Then he roared—*HOOOOO!—*his voice echoing like thunder across the arena.
"Thousand Bulls Rampage!"
His body swelled, muscles bulging, veins writhing beneath his skin. Orange aura surged violently, blazing like wildfire.
The ground rumbled—crrk! crrk!—as cracks spiderwebbed beneath his feet. The very air quivered, the oppressive weight of his Qi pressing on all sides.
Then, like a maddened bull, Xu Feng charged. Each step BOOMED! against the floor, sending fragments of stone flying into the air.
Lin Chen's pupils shrank. This guy really turned into a bull!
In the next instant, his body flickered—lightning flashed beneath his feet.
Lightning Phantom - Step!
His figure blurred, splitting into afterimages as he dodged left and right. Each time Xu Feng charged past, the shockwave alone made his robes flutter violently.
His speed was terrifying—each step made the arena floor quake like a charging beast.
'If that hits me head-on… even if I don't die, I'll be picking my bones up afterwards,' Lin Chen thought grimly, darting away again, the sound of thunder trailing behind his movements.
*****
A/N: If you enjoy my novel and want faster releases, please consider supporting with Power Stones!
Also, if you have any ideas or suggestions for the story, feel free to share them in the comments — I'd love to hear your thoughts.
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