Chi Yao lay unconscious on the stone tiles, blood pooling beneath his broken jaw and shattered ribs.
The crowd surrounding the combat ring was silent—
Not out of respect.
Out of shock.
Even the wind seemed to pause.
"Chi Yao… lost…""Not just lost—he was crushed…""His ribs… his jaw…""That wasn't luck.""That was dominance.""That newcomer is… insane."
Multiple elite disciples swallowed hard.
For the first time—
they didn't see Lian Hong as a newcomer.
They saw him as a rising threat.
A rising blade.
A rising storm.
Zhou Shan clung to a pillar, shaking violently.
"BRO YOU WON—BUT WHY DOES IT FEEL LIKE WE JUST DECLARED WAR ON EVERYONE!!??"
Lian Hong stepped off the platform, breathing steady.
He didn't look at Chi Yao.
He didn't look at the crowd.
He looked at the Challenge Board.
Three more challenges.
Mu Yanting – 2 daysXu Jian – 4 daysShadow Mask – 6 days
He merely murmured:
"One down."
Reactions Across the Elite Group
Xu Jian approached first.
He didn't smile.He didn't mock.
He simply observed.
"You didn't kill him," Xu Jian said softly."You chose precision instead of brutality."
Lian Hong replied:
"Killing him would have been meaningless."
Xu Jian nodded.
"And that is what makes you dangerous."
He walked away, hands behind his back.
"That was a beautiful display of control.I look forward to our duel."
Mu Yanting's Warning
Rank 1 landed silently beside Lian Hong.
His presence warped the air.
"Good."
His tone was calm… but cold enough to freeze bone.
"But listen carefully."
Wind howled across the cliff as he spoke:
"You defeated Chi Yao because he was reckless.Because he lost his composure."
He met Lian Hong's eyes directly.
"I will not lose mine."
Lian Hong didn't blink.
"I expect you won't."
Mu Yanting examined him for several seconds.
Then left without another word.
But every disciple watching felt something heavy settle over the plateau.
Mu Yanting had just recognized Lian Hong as—
a real opponent.
The Crowd Splits into Camps
After the two strongest left, the elite disciples finally began to breathe again.
Their reactions split instantly into three groups:
1. Fearful/Neutral Group"He beat Chi Yao…""We should avoid provoking him…""He's too unpredictable…"
2. Envious/Hostile Group"He's stealing the spotlight.""He'll take our evaluation spots.""He needs to be crushed before he rises too high."
3. Opportunistic Group"We should befriend him.""He might become a core disciple.""Aligning with him now could be profitable."
Several disciples whispered toward each other, glancing at Lian Hong with new calculation.
Zhou Shan panicked.
"BRO YOU JUST CAUSED A FULL POLITICAL SHIFT IN ONE FIGHT—!!"
Instructor Wei Feng's Decision
Wei Feng knelt beside Chi Yao, checked his injuries, then stood and looked at Lian Hong with a complicated expression.
"You went harder than I expected."
Lian Hong answered:
"He tried to kill me."
Wei Feng nodded once.
"That is true."
He looked toward the sky.
"Your challenge tomorrow is different."
His gaze sharpened.
"Mu Yanting will not hold back."
That was not a warning.
It was a guarantee.
Wei Feng walked away, cloak fluttering, leaving behind a final quiet remark:
"Prepare yourself.Your real trial starts tomorrow."
A Dangerous New Reputation
As Lian Hong walked toward the exit, disciples parted.
Some avoided his gaze.
Others glared with jealousy.
But one thing was consistent:
Everyone recognized him now.
Everyone whispered his name.
Everyone would prepare for him.
Zhou Shan followed behind with a tiny voice:
"Bro… you have fans now. And haters. Mostly haters."
Lian Hong didn't answer.
He felt eyes following him.
Not from envy.
From danger.
Someone else was watching.
In the Forest Beyond the Plateau
A middle-aged man with a scarred jawline stood beneath the trees.
The same man who had coached Chi Yao.
He watched Lian Hong and whispered:
"You survived Chi Yao.So be it."
He turned to a masked disciple kneeling behind him.
"Inform the others.We proceed to the next stage."
The masked disciple bowed.
"Yes, Master Gu."
The man—Gu Xiang, an instructor aligned with a hidden sect faction—smiled faintly.
"Let's see how far the boy can go before we clip his wings."
He walked deeper into the woods.
Deep in the Inner Sect – The Jade Flute Echoes
A soft note floated through the air, carried by spiritual wind.
The young master with the jade flute sat atop a balcony overlooking waterfalls.
He listened to the report in silence.
Then lowered his instrument.
"So, he won without using killing intent."
He smiled.
A slow, predatory smile.
"Interesting."
He tapped the flute lightly.
"Six days left."
His smile widened.
"Let him grow."
Night – Lian Hong Returns to the Courtyard
Zhou Shan flopped onto the ground.
"Bro… I'm exhausted… and I didn't even fight…"
Lian Hong sat beneath the ancient pine tree again.
The wind was cold.
The courtyard was quiet.
Too quiet.
Lian Hong closed his eyes and began reviewing the fight.
Not the victory.
The flaws.
The inefficiencies.
The delays in motion.
The imperfections.
Then—
the system chimed.
[Battle Data Analyzed][New Passive Unlocked: Micro-Reflex Adjustment]– Reaction speed increased 11%– Footwork timing increased 9%– Predictive reading improved
Then another notification:
[Chi Yao Defeated – Bloodline Instinct Resonance +1%]
A faint warmth spread through Lian Hong's veins.
The dormant bloodline stirred slightly.
Not an awakening—just a whisper.
But enough to know:
Tomorrow's battlewould push it further.
Zhou Shan looked up anxiously.
"Bro… are you ready for Mu Yanting?"
Lian Hong opened his eyes.
His gaze colder than the night.
"I will be."
The world was watching.
Tomorrow, the storm grows.