Arena Seven was no longer ignored.
By the time Chen Yuan and Gu Wen stepped back onto the stone platform, several Inner Court elders had taken seats in the upper tiers. The jade screens adjusted, projecting their match more prominently.
Third match.
This was the point where weak duos usually fell.
Their opponents were already there.
Wei Rong & Fang Jie
Duo Rank: Thirty-One
Gu Wen swallowed. "That's… higher than expected."
Wei Rong stood tall, arms folded, aura restrained but unmistakably Foundation Establishment — Early Stage. Fang Jie, lean and expressionless, carried twin short spears, his qi sharp and fast.
An elite duo.
Not top-tier.
But real.
Wei Rong spoke first. "You've been efficient."
Not praise.
Assessment.
"Efficiency ends here," Fang Jie added coldly.
The formation flared.
They moved immediately.
Fang Jie vanished in a blur, spear tips flashing toward Gu Wen's throat and ribs in rapid succession. Gu Wen barely managed to block, retreating under relentless pressure.
Wei Rong advanced on Chen Yuan.
Slow.
Measured.
Each step compressed the air.
Chen Yuan felt it instantly.
Foundation Establishment pressure.
Not overwhelming—but absolute.
Wei Rong's palm strike descended.
Chen Yuan raised both arms.
Impact.
Pain exploded through his bones.
He slid back several meters, boots screeching against stone.
The audience inhaled sharply.
"That's the difference."
"Foundation Establishment isn't negotiable."
The system reacted.
Pressure Exposure Logged
Structural Deformation: Within Tolerance
Chen Yuan forced himself upright.
He did not feel broken.
He felt… tempered.
Gu Wen shouted, "I can't disengage!"
Chen Yuan glanced over.
Fang Jie's spearwork was too tight—too refined.
Gu Wen was being slowly dismantled.
Chen Yuan made a decision.
He stopped retreating.
Wei Rong's eyes narrowed.
"A mistake."
Chen Yuan stepped into the pressure.
His qi circulation shifted, compressing inward instead of resisting outward.
The system aligned his posture.
Internal Load Redistribution Active
Wei Rong struck again.
This time, Chen Yuan did not block.
He redirected—barely.
The force still slammed into his ribs, but the angle changed.
Wei Rong's expression finally shifted.
"Interesting."
Chen Yuan paid the price.
Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
But Fang Jie faltered for just an instant—his rhythm disrupted by Wei Rong's altered timing.
That was enough.
"Gu Wen!" Chen Yuan called.
Gu Wen responded without hesitation.
He abandoned defense entirely, crashing forward with a reckless shoulder strike that forced Fang Jie back one step.
Only one.
But that step broke formation.
Chen Yuan lunged.
Not toward Wei Rong—
—but toward Fang Jie.
A single palm strike landed squarely on Fang Jie's chest.
The formation reacted violently.
Fang Jie — Severe Instability
Wei Rong cursed and turned—
Too late.
The adjudicator's formation flared.
Match Ended
Winner: Wei Rong & Fang Jie
Silence.
Then confusion.
Gu Wen blinked. "Wait—what?"
The adjudicator continued.
"Due to incapacitation of one participant after critical structural collapse, the match result is declared a conditional loss."
Chen Yuan exhaled heavily.
They lost.
Barely.
But—
Wei Rong looked at Chen Yuan with something new in his eyes.
"Body Tempering," he said slowly. "You shouldn't be able to do that."
Chen Yuan met his gaze calmly.
"I didn't win."
Wei Rong shook his head once. "No. But you will."
They were escorted off the arena.
No ridicule followed.
Only quiet whispers.
"He forced an elite duo to the brink."
"He took Foundation pressure head-on."
"That kind of adaptability…"
Gu Wen helped Chen Yuan sit down. "We lost."
Chen Yuan nodded. "Yes."
The system pulsed faintly.
Mutation Milestone Achieved
Foundation Compatibility: Emerging
Chen Yuan closed his eyes briefly.
From another arena, he felt a familiar presence.
Lin Xue.
She stood with a partner now—a tall woman with calm eyes and a dense aura.
Their names flashed briefly on a distant jade screen.
Chen Yuan opened his eyes.
So you've chosen too.
The staircase was narrowing.
And sooner or later—
They would stand on the same step.