The tension in the air was now a palpable thing, a thick miasma of envy and fear that clung to the tournament grounds. It did not go unnoticed by the three figures seated in the place of highest honor.
Elder Han of the Azure Lotus Sect took a slow sip of spirit tea, his glacial eyes calmly observing the three clan pavilions. He could almost feel the venomous intent radiating from the Bai and Yun sections, a stark contrast to the forced, brittle triumph emanating from the Li.
"The little snakes are stirring in their nests again," murmured Elder Mei, a faint, disdainful smile on her lips. "They see a phoenix among their chicks and their first instinct is to pluck its feathers."
Elder Kwan grunted, his arms crossed. "It is the way of small powers. They fear what they cannot control. The boy's display has shattered their fragile balance."
Elder Han set his cup down with a soft click. "Indeed. Their schemes are of no consequence to us. However..." His gaze lingered on Li Wei, who stood with an unnerving calm amidst the swirling undercurrents. "...this provides an unexpected opportunity. Adversity is the truest forge for talent. Let the snakes hiss. Let them even strike. It will reveal the boy's limits, his resilience, and his instincts when faced with true, life-threatening cunning. We will watch. We will see if the phoenix is truly fireproof, or if he is merely a bright flash soon to be extinguished."
Their decision was made. They would not intervene. The sect valued survivors, not just prodigies. This was now part of the test.
From the medical tent, a different kind of poison festered. Li Jin sat cross-legged trying to stabilize his injuries, his dantian aching from Bai Ye's final strike. But the physical pain was nothing compared to the searing jealousy burning in his heart. He watched through the tent flap as the Azure Lotus Sect elders observed the arena, their attention unmistakably fixed on Li Wei.
"He's the one they're looking at," he whispered, his voice raw with bitterness. "They didn't even glance my way when I fought. All my years of training, my cultivation... and they only see him. That waste... that freak!" His fists clenched, nails digging into his palms. The recognition he had craved, the validation that was rightfully his as the Clan Head's son and top disciple, had been stolen. In that moment, his hatred for Li Wei crystallized into something cold and permanent.
But there was another watcher, one whose gaze was not detached, but fiercely protective.
Li Kang stood apart from the main Li Clan pavilion, a solitary figure leaning against a stone pillar. His posture seemed relaxed, but every line of his body was taut as a drawn bowstring. His eyes, shadowed and hard, were not on his son, but on the pavilions of the Bai and Yun clans. He watched Clan Head Bai Feng's gesticulating fury and Clan Head Yun's icy, calculating stillness with the focus of a hawk tracking its prey.
He had spent years in the shadows, playing the broken, harmless cripple to protect his family. He had endured the scorn and the pity. Now, his son had stepped into the light, and with that light came every shadow in the forest, drawn by the brilliance.
He could feel their greed, their fear, their murderous intent. It was a language he understood all too well.
Let them try, he thought, the core of his being, the core of the former genius and Clan Head heir that had been suppressed for so long, now burning with a cold, quiet fire. Let the Bai send their brutes and the Yun their assassins. They see a prodigy to be eliminated. They do not see the father standing in the dark.
He made no grand gestures, issued no threats. But in his heart, a vow was forged in steel.
He had failed to protect his son from the world's scorn for sixteen years. He would not fail to protect him from its envy now. If any from the Bai or Yun clans made a move against Li Wei, they would quickly learn a painful, final lesson. The broken sword had been reforged in the fires of his son's awakening, and it was ready to draw blood once more.
A gong sounded, its resonance cutting through the tension and silencing the crowd. The senior Li elder stepped onto the central arena floor, his voice booming.
"The final round will now commence! The three finalists—Li Wei, Li Yue, and Bai Ye—will compete in a free-for-all. The last one standing in the central arena circle will be the champion!"
The three contestants moved to the center of the vast arena. Bai Ye, his arm bandaged, looked wary and calculating, his eyes darting between his two overpowering opponents. Li Yue stood with her serene composure, a deep pool of calm power, her gaze clear and focused. And Li Wei... he simply stood there, a placid lake hiding unfathomable depths, the weight of countless watching eyes—full of awe, fear, and murderous intent—seeming to have no effect on him whatsoever.
The final battle for supremacy had begun.