The moment Lin Yi stepped through the radiant gate, the world around him changed. A soft ripple of light passed over his body as the scenery shifted.
The wilderness vanished.
In its place appeared a vast and breathtaking palace courtyard, filled with white jade floors stretched endlessly beneath his feet, polished so smoothly they reflected the golden glow of the sky above. Towering pillars carved from pure crystal rose toward the heavens, each one wrapped in elegant golden dragons.
A gentle wind drifted through the enormous palace grounds.
And then—
A melody.
Soft.
Ancient.
Ethereal.
It floated through the air like something that didn't belong to the mortal world.
The moment Lin Yi heard it, his heart suddenly relaxed.
All the tension inside his body faded. The anger he had been carrying since Wang Hao's match seemed to melt away.
For a fleeting moment, he felt nothing but peace.
His mind became calm.
Too calm.
