They made it public this time.
A notice nailed to the central board, ink still wet, characters sharp and deliberate.
Outer Disciple Trial — Open ChallengeAny outer disciple may challenge another.Victory will be considered during inner disciple selection.
The courtyard stirred like a disturbed nest.
Zhou Kai read it twice, then turned slowly to Yan Xuan. "This… this is aimed at you."
"Yes," Yan Xuan said.
"That's not an answer meant to make me calm."
Yan Xuan looked at the notice again. "They want clarity."
"About what?"
"About whether I'm an exception," Yan Xuan replied. "Or a mistake."
By afternoon, the training arena was full.
Outer disciples packed the stone stands, voices buzzing. Several instructors stood at the edges, arms folded. Elder Qiu observed from a raised platform, expression unreadable.
Instructor Han stood closest to the ring.
When Yan Xuan stepped onto the stone, the noise dipped.
His opponent followed.
Lin Shuo.
Late-stage Body Tempering. Powerful. Known for clean breakthroughs and aggressive technique. Someone Cloudfall Sect understood.
Lin Shuo smiled faintly. "I hoped it would be you."
Yan Xuan inclined his head. "Likewise."
"You've been hiding," Lin Shuo said, voice carrying. "That annoys people."
"I know."
Lin Shuo's smile widened. "Good. Then don't disappoint us."
Instructor Han raised his hand. "Begin."
Lin Shuo moved like a landslide.
Qi surged openly, dense and heavy, reinforcing muscle and bone. His first step cracked stone. His punch tore the air.
Yan Xuan did not retreat.
The system surfaced instantly.
Opponent Output: Extreme
Structural Integrity: High
Commitment Level: Absolute
Recommended Response: Full Engagement
Yan Xuan accepted it.
He stepped forward.
The impact came—
And stopped.
Not because Lin Shuo missed.
Because Yan Xuan absorbed it.
His body compressed under the force, Heaven-Thread tempering distributing stress through reinforced lines. The stone beneath his feet fractured outward in a clean ring.
Gasps erupted.
Lin Shuo's eyes widened. "What—"
Yan Xuan struck.
No flourish.No wasted motion.
His fist landed against Lin Shuo's chest, perfectly aligned. Qi did not explode outward.
It collapsed inward.
Lin Shuo flew backward, slammed into the barrier formation, and dropped to one knee, coughing violently.
Silence fell like a blade.
Yan Xuan stepped back and lowered his hand.
Lin Shuo struggled to stand, failed, then looked up—shock naked on his face.
"You… didn't use a technique," he said hoarsely.
Yan Xuan answered calmly. "I didn't need to."
Instructor Han stared.
Elder Qiu leaned forward.
The arena exploded into noise.
"That was raw body strength!""No—his Qi collapsed Lin Shuo's circulation!""That's not possible in Body Tempering!"
Instructor Han raised his voice. "Enough!"
The noise died instantly.
He looked at Yan Xuan, eyes sharp, searching. "State your realm."
Yan Xuan answered clearly. "Body Tempering."
"What stage?"
"Early," Yan Xuan said.
A ripple of disbelief spread.
Instructor Han closed his eyes briefly, then laughed once—short and incredulous.
"Damn it," he muttered. Then, louder, "Winner—Yan Xuan."
Later, as the crowd dispersed, Elder Qiu approached him.
"You could have ended this arc quietly," Elder Qiu said. "Why didn't you?"
Yan Xuan met his gaze. "Because pretending costs more than revealing, now."
Elder Qiu studied him for a long moment.
"You know," he said slowly, "this guarantees promotion."
"Yes."
"And protection will be minimal."
"I know."
Elder Qiu nodded. "Then welcome to the part of the path where excuses stop working."
That night, Zhou Kai sat on his bed, staring at Yan Xuan like he was seeing him for the first time.
"You're insane," Zhou Kai said softly. "Do you know that?"
"Yes."
"You could've killed him."
"I calculated the margin," Yan Xuan replied. "He'll recover."
Zhou Kai swallowed. "They're not calling you average anymore."
Yan Xuan sat and closed his eyes.
The system surfaced, clearer than ever.
Concealment: Terminated
Structural Recognition: Confirmed
Next Transition: Imminent
Yan Xuan exhaled slowly.
So this was it.
No more hiding.No more losing correctly.
Cloudfall Sect had forced the issue.
And now, everyone knew the truth:
Yan Xuan had never been slow.
He had been waiting.