The crowd's roar had barely died down when Elder Zhao's sharp voice rang out again:
"Next match: Jiang Chen versus… Li Qian!"
A ripple of surprise swept through the arena.
Li Qian—the Inner Clan's prodigy. Barely seventeen, yet already a Body Tempering Layer 5 cultivator, rumored to have unmatched speed and reflexes. Most younger disciples had never even seen him fight.
---
Jiang Chen's eyes flicked toward the entrance.
Li Qian walked onto the platform with a casual air, as if the assessment was nothing more than a leisurely stroll. But the aura surrounding him was deadly. It pressed against Jiang Chen's senses like a physical weight.
*So this is… a true Inner Clan genius.*
He didn't smile. He didn't hesitate.
He simply observed.
---
Li Qian's gaze met Jiang Chen's. There was no arrogance, no mockery—only a cold, calculating stare.
"You've grown strong," Li Qian said quietly, his voice carrying a subtle edge. "But I hope you understand… some boundaries are not meant to be crossed."
Jiang Chen's lips curved slightly. "Then I'll find out if that's true."
---
Elder Zhao raised his hand. "Begin!"
---
Instantly, Li Qian's body blurred. The speed was unlike anything Jiang Chen had faced before. Even with Shadow Step, he had to rely on his predictive instincts just to avoid being hit.
Strike after strike came—lightning-fast, precise, and relentless. Each movement carried a refined force that Jiang Chen had never experienced from a Layer 4 opponent.
*This is different from Jiang Lei…* he thought. *It's pure skill, perfected over years.*
---
Jiang Chen blocked, dodged, and countered, but the momentum of Li Qian's attacks forced him back. Every strike he parried drained his qi. The rhythm of the battle shifted constantly, and he couldn't afford a single mistake.
The spectators gasped. The faster Li Qian moved, the more impossible it seemed to follow him with the naked eye.
"He's fast… faster than anyone else here!" one whispered.
---
Jiang Chen's eyes narrowed.
Time to stop reacting.
He compressed his qi, calling forth **Primordial Body Layer 2's full power**. The golden veins glowed brighter, and a faint aura expanded outward. His speed increased subtly, but more importantly, his reflexes and precision sharpened to the peak.
*This is not just a battle of strength… it's a battle of perception.*
---
Li Qian's eyes widened slightly. "Ah… so you can keep up. Interesting."
They clashed again. Fists collided, qi exploding outward in a dazzling display. Each strike sent shockwaves rolling across the platform. Neither gave ground, and the battle quickly escalated to a level that shook the arena.
---
Jiang Chen studied his opponent. Li Qian wasn't just fast—he was unpredictable. Each feint, each misdirection, was calculated to probe, confuse, and overwhelm.
A subtle smirk appeared on Jiang Chen's face. "So… you're the real challenge."
He gathered qi into his palm, preparing for the first time to **unleash Primordial Strike in full**.
---
But just as he moved…
A shadow flickered behind him.
Not from the arena. Not from Li Qian.
Someone—or something—was watching.
A sudden chill ran down Jiang Chen's spine.
*This… isn't just a test anymore.*
---
The crowd gasped at the sight of a sudden ripple in the audience section. Several figures cloaked in black had appeared, their identities hidden—but their aura unmistakably powerful.
**Inner Clan veterans. Observing. Judging.**
Jiang Chen's eyes narrowed. "So the real test begins now."
Li Qian's expression didn't change, but Jiang Chen could feel a silent acknowledgment in his gaze: they were no longer fighting alone.
---
The system panel flickered:
**[Warning: Hidden Threat Detected. Opponent scaling extreme.]**
**[Mission Update: Survive the Inner Clan Prodigy Challenge.]**
Jiang Chen clenched his fists.
"Good," he muttered. "Finally… a battle worthy of me."
The air grew tense. The storm was about to break.