Zhao Tian didn't give Lin Xuan time to think, and the moment the pressure around him stabilized, he moved again with far more intent than before. His figure blurred forward as the distorted air followed like a shadow, and this time there was no trace of testing left in his actions. The concept of fear condensed around his palm, invisible yet suffocating, pressing forward with a presence that targeted both the body and the mind at once.
Lin Xuan saw the attack coming, but more importantly, he felt the shift behind it. The instant Zhao Tian closed the distance, the pressure surged again, sharper and more focused than before, as if it had learned from the previous exchanges. It didn't just try to slow him down anymore; it aimed to disrupt him completely, to create that one moment of hesitation that would decide the outcome.
At the same time, the faint voice in his mind didn't fade. Instead, it became clearer, more stable, as if it had finally synchronized with the situation unfolding around him.
The moment Zhao Tian's palm descended, Lin Xuan stepped forward to meet it. As their attacks collided, the familiar mental interference surged into his mind again, stronger than before. The burning sect, the collapsing mountains, the suffocating helplessness returned all at once, vivid and overwhelming, trying to flood his thoughts and break his focus at the exact moment of impact.
For a fraction of a second, the pressure nearly took hold.
But then something intervened.
The force pressing into his mind dulled, not disappearing entirely but losing its sharpness, as if it had been filtered before it could fully affect him. Lin Xuan felt the difference clearly, and his body responded without hesitation, his fist continuing forward in a clean, uninterrupted motion.
The impact pushed Zhao Tian back a step, and for the first time, his expression shifted in a way that couldn't be hidden.
"That's not right," Zhao Tian said, his voice low as he steadied himself.
Lin Xuan didn't give him time to recover and stepped forward again, his movements smoother now, more controlled, as if something within him had aligned. Zhao Tian blocked the next strike, but the moment their arms met again, his brows furrowed slightly, his attention sharpening.
"My concept isn't taking hold the way it should," Zhao Tian said slowly, more to himself than to Lin Xuan.
Lin Xuan rolled his shoulder once and replied calmly, "Maybe you're overestimating it."
Zhao Tian didn't respond immediately. Instead, he stepped back, creating a small distance as he studied Lin Xuan more carefully than before. This time, his gaze wasn't focused only on his movements or his strength but on something deeper, something he couldn't see directly but could sense through the way his concept was being resisted.
"You're still at Body Strengthening," Zhao Tian said after a moment, his tone thoughtful. "Even at the fourth layer peak, this shouldn't be possible."
Lin Xuan said nothing, but his silence only made Zhao Tian's suspicion clearer.
Zhao Tian's eyes narrowed slightly as realization began to form. "So that's how it is," he said quietly. "It's not just your body."
There was a brief pause before he continued, his voice gaining certainty. "You have something on you. An artifact."
Lin Xuan's expression remained calm, though his eyes flickered faintly.
Zhao Tian noticed that reaction immediately, and a faint smile formed on his face. "I was wondering what it could be," he said. "A heaven-grade artifact, or something very close to it. That would explain why my concept isn't affecting you properly."
Lin Xuan shrugged lightly, as if the conclusion didn't concern him. "You're free to believe that."
Zhao Tian let out a quiet laugh, though his gaze remained sharp. "You're not even denying it. Either you're confident, or you don't think it matters anymore."
Lin Xuan met his eyes without hesitation. "Would it?"
Zhao Tian considered that for a brief moment before nodding slightly. "No," he admitted. "It wouldn't."
The air around him shifted again as he raised his hand, and this time the distortion behind him deepened further, becoming heavier and more defined. The pressure returned with greater intensity, but unlike before, it no longer spread outward. It focused entirely on Lin Xuan, pressing into him with deliberate precision.
"If you're relying on an external object," Zhao Tian continued, his tone calm but firm, "then I'll just push past it."
The pressure surged again, sharper and more concentrated, aiming directly at Lin Xuan's mind.
Lin Xuan felt it clearly, but this time the effect was different. The fear was still there, still present at the edges of his thoughts, but it no longer disrupted his actions the same way. Instead of resisting it blindly, his body adjusted, his breathing stabilizing as he accepted its presence without letting it control him.
He exhaled slowly, his posture relaxing just slightly as he steadied himself. "That's better," he said under his breath.
Zhao Tian observed the change without missing a detail. His eyes narrowed again, but this time there was no confusion left, only growing interest.
"You adapted," he said.
Lin Xuan looked at him calmly. "You said it yourself. It only works if I let it."
Zhao Tian stared at him for a moment, then smiled again, though this time it wasn't casual or amused. It was the smile of someone who had finally found something worth taking seriously.
"Good," he said. "Then let's see how far that adaptation can take you."
He moved again, faster than before, his attacks sharper and more refined. The concept of fear no longer acted passively but flowed into his movements, merging with each strike and making every exchange more dangerous.
Lin Xuan met him head-on, and their bodies collided again and again, each impact echoing through the valley with heavy force. This time, neither of them held a clear advantage, as both adjusted in real time, refining their movements with each clash.
Zhao Tian's attacks grew faster and more precise, while Lin Xuan's responses became cleaner and more controlled, his body adapting naturally to the rhythm of the fight.
Then, in the middle of another exchange, Zhao Tian suddenly pulled back half a step.
It was a small movement, but intentional.
Lin Xuan's eyes narrowed slightly as he noticed the change. "What now?" he asked.
Zhao Tian looked at him quietly, the distortion behind him stabilizing into something heavier, something more defined than before. "You've adapted to the surface of it," he said slowly. "And whatever you're using is helping you resist more than I expected."
Lin Xuan didn't respond, but his body remained ready.
Zhao Tian's gaze sharpened further. "But this concept isn't that shallow."
The air shifted again, and this time the change wasn't broader or heavier, but deeper. It felt closer, more precise, as if it was no longer surrounding Lin Xuan but directly targeting something within him.
Lin Xuan felt it immediately, something brushing against his thoughts again, but far more focused than before.
Zhao Tian's voice lowered slightly as he spoke. "Let's see if that artifact can protect you from this too."
Inside Lin Xuan's mind, the system responded at once, its presence becoming clearer as the pressure increased.
He clenched his fist slowly, his body instinctively preparing for what was coming next, because even without fully understanding it, he could tell that this time the attack wouldn't be something he could simply endure the same way.
The balance of the fight had shifted again, and whatever came next would decide whether his advantage would hold—or break completely.