Gu Chen staggered back, a trace of blood forming at the corner of his lips. He wiped it away with the back of his hand, then let out a low laugh.
"…This is getting interesting."
Zhao Tian stepped forward.
The moment Gu Chen moved as well, the air between them seemed to split apart. His sword flashed, releasing a sharp blue arc that cut cleanly through the mist.
"Azure Edge!"
The strike came at terrifying speed, far beyond what ordinary disciples could follow.
But Zhao Tian didn't dodge.
He simply raised his hand.
The space in front of him distorted, as if an invisible barrier had formed in midair.
The sword struck—
—and stopped.
A sharp metallic sound echoed as the blade halted just inches away, blocked by something no one could see.
Han Qiao's eyes widened in disbelief. "…What the hell is that?"
Mei Ling's voice was low, filled with focus. "Concept… control over something unseen."
Gu Chen's expression sharpened. "So you're using a force-type concept…"
Zhao Tian didn't respond. He simply pushed his hand forward.
A deep explosion followed as invisible pressure surged outward. Gu Chen was forced back several steps, his boots scraping harshly against the ground before he regained his balance.
He steadied himself, then laughed again, this time with a sharper edge.
"…Good."
"Then let's stop holding back."
A faint blue glow spread across his sword, and the air around him grew colder, sharper, as if countless invisible blades were forming in every direction.
"Sword intent…" Mei Ling whispered.
Gu Chen stepped forward again, faster than before. His blade descended, but it was no longer a single strike. It split mid-motion, multiplying into two, then four, then eight. Afterimages filled the air, covering every angle, every direction.
Han Qiao sucked in a breath. "…How do you even block that?"
Zhao Tian finally moved.
Not backward.
Forward.
He stepped directly into the storm of blades and raised his hand once more.
The air collapsed inward.
For a brief instant, everything slowed—
Then it shattered.
A violent explosion rang out as every sword strike broke apart at once, like glass fragments scattering through the air.
Gu Chen's eyes widened. "…What—"
Zhao Tian was already in front of him.
Too close.
Too fast.
His hand came down.
The impact was brutal.
Gu Chen was slammed into the ground, the stone beneath him cracking and collapsing as dust burst into the air.
Silence followed.
Then a cough.
Blood spilled from Gu Chen's lips as he struggled to move, but his body refused to respond.
"…So this is… the difference…" he muttered weakly.
Zhao Tian stood above him, expression calm and completely unmoved.
"You're done."
Gu Chen let out a faint laugh. "…Yeah… looks like it."
Zhao Tian raised his hand—and brought it down.
Silence fell again, heavy and suffocating.
Han Qiao swallowed hard. "…That's it?"
Mei Ling didn't answer. Her gaze remained fixed on Zhao Tian.
Because now—
he was the only real threat left.
The remaining Azure Sword Pavilion disciples didn't hesitate. They turned and ran without a second thought, abandoning everything behind for the sake of survival.
Zhao Tian didn't stop them.
They weren't worth his time.
The hollow grew quiet.
Only four people remained.
Han Qiao.
Mei Ling.
Zhao Tian.
And Lin Xuan.
Behind them, the golden spring shimmered softly, as if waiting.
Zhao Tian turned slowly, his gaze sweeping across the group before settling on Lin Xuan.
"…You."
Lin Xuan met his eyes calmly.
"You've been watching this whole time," Zhao Tian said.
Lin Xuan shrugged slightly. "Didn't seem like I could help much."
Zhao Tian stepped forward. "Move."
Simple. Direct.
Han Qiao forced a laugh. "…Maybe we can talk about this?"
Zhao Tian didn't even look at him.
He raised his hand slightly.
An invisible force slammed into Han Qiao, sending him flying backward before he could react.
Mei Ling rushed forward immediately, but she met the same fate, her body thrown aside with a heavy impact.
Silence returned.
Now only two remained.
Zhao Tian.
And Lin Xuan.
The distance between them slowly closed as Zhao Tian walked forward, calm and absolutely confident.
"You should give up," he said.
Lin Xuan smiled faintly. "…You're right."
Zhao Tian paused.
Something felt wrong.
Then Lin Xuan moved.
It was a small step, almost careless, followed by a slight stumble as if he had lost his balance. Their shoulders brushed for the briefest moment.
Nothing more.
Zhao Tian frowned. "…Watch where—"
He stopped mid-sentence.
A strange, cold emptiness spread through his chest, sudden and unmistakable.
"…What…?"
At the same time, inside Lin Xuan's mind, the system erupted.
[Contact confirmed. Hidden protocol activated. System quest module unlocking.]
His vision blurred for a moment.
Then a clear sound echoed.
[System feature unlocked: Quest Module.]
Golden panels unfolded before his eyes, radiant and imposing.
[Welcome, host. SSS-rank system successfully initialized. Quest feature activated. Complete quests to obtain rewards, physiques, and abilities.]
Another screen appeared immediately.
[First quest generated: Absorb Yellow Divine Spring Water. Reward: Primordial Physique (initial awakening). Bonus: massive body enhancement. Failure: opportunity permanently lost.]
Lin Xuan's pupils shrank slightly.
So this is the system…
Before he could think further, Zhao Tian staggered back, a trace of blood appearing at his lips. His gaze locked onto Lin Xuan, and for the first time, there was unmistakable shock within it.
"…What did you do?"
Lin Xuan didn't answer.
Because at that moment, his body suddenly felt unbearably heavy.
The system's voice continued.
[Warning: host body too weak. Energy overload imminent.]
His vision blurred further. His legs gave out beneath him.
"…Tch…"
He fell forward—
straight into the golden spring.
The moment his body touched the water, the entire pond erupted. Golden light exploded outward, illuminating the entire hollow as the ground trembled violently and the air twisted under the pressure.
Zhao Tian's expression changed completely.
"…No—!"