Tianlan was slipping out of consciousness when a familiar voice echoed faintly beside his ear, softly calling his name:
— Tianlan, you can't sleep here. You'll catch a cold.
Instinctively, he reached out, trying to grab that person's hand—
The next instant, he jolted awake, realizing that the scene around him had completely changed.
He let out a long breath and murmured,
"…Ah… so I was eliminated after all?"
At that moment, the voice of the Magus Clan Patriarch, Cang Song, echoed throughout the arena:
"Congratulations on passing the second stage! The next stage will begin in fourteen days. I'm sure all of you are exhausted, yes? Several days without proper food, right? The feast is ready—go enjoy yourselves and rest well!"
Not far away, the sound of footsteps approached. Two figures waved as they ran toward him.
"Whoa—he really made it! Hey—!"
The newcomers were Jianchen and Xuanye. They congratulated Tianlan as they reached him. Tianlan, still dazed, hadn't expected himself to survive. The agony and despair from that moment before death were still deeply burned into his mind.
From the stage, Cang Song noticed Tianlan was still standing in the arena. He curled his lips into a faint, amused smile.
"That little brat actually held on… what ridiculous—"
He didn't finish.
BOOM!!
A violent surge of mana erupted somewhere in the arena—
And a razor-sharp killing intent shot straight toward Tianlan like a frozen spear.
Tianlan's entire body went rigid.
He knew this killing intent too well—he had just felt it at the brink of death.
The enslaved Kuangyan glared murderously at Tianlan, roaring:
"—Impossible! What did you do!? You must have cheated!!"
Before the echo faded, his body twisted violently, transforming into the same pitch-black beast that had smashed Tianlan earlier.
With a feral leap, he launched himself forward like a rampaging monster breaking its chain, vicious claws swinging down to tear Tianlan apart—!
But the strike slammed into a barrier. Xuanye had deployed a shield in an instant.
Jianchen unsheathed his sword and rolled his neck, ready for a fight.
Xuanye frowned sharply.
"Stop it! Do you want to get eliminated here? Or do you want everyone to laugh at you?"
Jianchen was even more blunt, pointing his blade at Kuangyan.
"Or do you think you can take the two of us at once?"
The two stood before Tianlan—one in front, one behind. Tianlan could only stay in a defensive stance, bewildered and confused why they were protecting him.
Xuanye was repaying the meal Tianlan had given him days earlier;
Jianchen simply despised Kuangyan's behavior—Kuangyan had completely crossed the line.
Seeing his attacks blocked, Kuangyan roared and gathered mana into his right claw. It swelled grotesquely, sharpening, wrapped in surging energy. His eyes were blood-red—he had completely lost his mind.
With another enraged howl, he lunged again, claw tearing through the air—
At that exact instant, a thunderous, authoritative shout exploded:
—"ENOUGH!!"
A massive barrier dropped from the sky like a colossal hammer, smashing Kuangyan straight into the ground and carving a crater beneath him. When the barrier dissipated, Kuangyan lay unconscious, reverted to his original form.
The one who intervened was Cang Song, the Magus Clan Patriarch.
He glared at Kuangyan, voice cold:
"The second stage has ended. Private combat after the tournament is forbidden—attempted murder even more so. If this happens again—instant disqualification."
The Scarlet Lotus Patriarch, Hongjin, laughed lightly.
"Wow, the old man's actually angry. Didn't hold back at all."
The Spear God Patriarch, Tingqiang, remarked,
"That kid completely lost control."
The Fist King Patriarch, Zhenyue, nodded.
"Being injured by some unknown boy without mana… that must've crushed his pride."
The Bow God Patriarch, Fengyu, turned to the Beast King Patriarch, Kuangchen.
"You're okay with this?"
Kuangchen shrugged.
"He did violate the rules. If he wanted to fight, he should've waited for the third stage. Besides, it's his own fault for failing to finish the job. Consider it punishment."
—Back at the arena—
Xuanye watched the distant Cang Song. "Grandfather stepped in."
Jianchen sheathed his sword and glanced at Tianlan.
"You're really lucky… but be careful in the next stage. That lunatic definitely won't let you go."
Xuanye added, "Honestly… I think you should withdraw. You've already felt that 'death sensation'—very real. And he might use even more cruel methods next time."
Tianlan shook his head.
"Thanks for worrying about me. But I don't want to quit so easily. I mean, I can't actually die in here, right? Then there's nothing to fear."
Seeing that he wouldn't be persuaded, the two could only exchange a glance. After a few more words, they left.
Tianlan washed up at the dormitories, devoured a long-awaited feast, then returned to rest.
But a few hours later, the nightmare returned—
This time not a gorilla, but Kuangyan in his black-panther form.
Startled awake, Tianlan ran to the training grounds, repeatedly visualizing Kuangyan as his opponent. The result was always the same—he died, again and again, without even scratching Kuangyan's scales.
Only when he was so exhausted he couldn't move did he finally fall asleep.
—Elsewhere—
Cang Song continued maintaining and adjusting the phantasmal barrier.
Jianchen, meanwhile, was summoned by his father, Yaofeng—the Sword Saint Patriarch—to explain Tianlan's situation. Yaofeng told him what he had learned, leaving Jianchen utterly shocked.
—The following night—
Cang Song was still working on the barrier when a shadowy figure silently appeared behind him—Anrui.
He knelt on one knee and said respectfully:
"My lord, the item you requested has been found."
He presented a document with both hands.
Cang Song took it.
"Good. You've worked hard. You may leave."
As he read, his brows furrowed deeper and deeper.
"…This…"
Moments later, he immediately summoned the other clan leaders.
"Yaofeng indeed had no prior acquaintance with him. They had absolutely no connection."
Yaofeng shared the information he had received from Jianchen.
Then Cang Song handed the document around.
"You'll understand after reading this."
One by one, the clan heads finished reading—and each of their expressions tightened.
Cang Song spoke again:
"If you distrust my investigation, you may conduct your own."
The clan heads shook their heads.
"No need. We trust your reports."
The Scarlet Lotus Patriarch, Hongjin, frowned.
"But then… how did that boy learn that technique? Did Jianchen teach him? But you said they only met for a single day."
Yaofeng shook his head.
"No. Jianchen said he taught him nothing—and even learned his name only after meeting Xuanye."
Cang Song walked toward the window, turning his back to them with a faint smile.
"Perhaps… this is what they call talent."
—To be continued—