The arena had fallen into a heavy silence.
Not the silence of peace—but the kind that came before a storm shattered the sky.
Jiang Chen stood at the center, golden aura blazing like a miniature sun. Across from him, the Inner Clan elite slowly rose from the shattered ground, crimson qi flickering wildly around his body. The cracks beneath his feet stretched like spiderwebs across the arena floor.
This was it.
The final exchange.
Jiang Chen exhaled slowly, his gaze steady. His Phoenix Shadow Step had reached full mastery. His Primordial Body Layer 3 pulsed with immense strength.
And yet… something was still incomplete.
Primordial Strike… it hasn't reached its true limit yet.
His fists clenched. Golden qi surged, but instead of releasing outward, he compressed it inward—layer upon layer, refining it, sharpening it.
Not just power… refinement… evolution…
The Inner Clan elite's voice broke the silence.
"You've forced me this far… Jiang Chen." His tone was calm, but the intensity within it burned like fire. "So I'll respond with everything I have."
Crimson qi exploded outward. The air warped violently as his aura surged to its peak. Unlike before, this wasn't controlled—it was raw, overwhelming, and destructive.
A final technique.
A decisive strike.
Jiang Chen's eyes narrowed. He could feel it—the pressure, the danger. One mistake now… and everything would end.
System… assist me. Final evolution of Primordial Strike.
[Analyzing…]
[Conditions Met]
[Primordial Strike Evolution Path Available]
[Warning: High strain on body]
[Proceed?]
Jiang Chen didn't hesitate.
Proceed.
Golden light erupted.
But this time, it was different.
Instead of a blazing explosion, the qi condensed—shrinking, compressing, becoming denser, purer. A faint hum filled the air, like the birth of something ancient and absolute.
His fist began to glow—not with overwhelming brightness, but with a deep, radiant gold that seemed to contain infinite weight.
[Primordial Strike → Evolution Initiated]
[New Form: Primordial Strike — Origin Collapse]
Jiang Chen's heartbeat slowed. His breathing became calm. Everything around him… slowed.
So this… is the true form.
The Inner Clan elite moved.
A crimson streak tore across the arena, carrying enough force to shatter stone and tear apart defenses. His palm descended, wrapped in overwhelming destructive qi.
At the same moment—
Jiang Chen stepped forward.
No wasted motion. No hesitation.
Just one strike.
Primordial Strike — Origin Collapse!
The moment their attacks collided—
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Then—
BOOOOOOM!
The arena exploded.
Golden and crimson energies collided violently, forming a massive shockwave that tore through the entire platform. The ground shattered. Stone rose into the air before being pulverized into dust. Even the protective barriers around the arena trembled under the impact.
Spectators were forced back. Elders stood abruptly, their expressions filled with shock.
"This… this level of power…"
"Impossible…!"
At the center of the explosion—
Jiang Chen stood firm.
Golden qi radiated outward in controlled waves, his fist still extended. The energy around him was stable… absolute… dominant.
Across from him, the Inner Clan elite's crimson aura shattered.
His body was thrown backward, crashing heavily onto the broken arena floor. The remaining qi around him flickered… then faded.
Silence followed.
Jiang Chen slowly lowered his arm. His breathing remained steady, though his body trembled slightly from the strain of the technique.
Origin Collapse… it compresses everything into a single decisive strike…
Power… precision… inevitability.
The system panel appeared:
[Victory Achieved]
[Primordial Points +1000]
[Combat Experience +1200]
[Primordial Strike Evolution: Complete]
[New Passive Unlocked: Origin Insight]
[Next Cultivation Requirement: Primordial Body Layer 4]
The crowd erupted.
Thunderous cheers shook the arena as disciples and elders alike stared at Jiang Chen with disbelief and awe.
He had done it.
Not only had he defeated the Inner Clan's hidden elite—
He had dominated the final exchange.
The defeated elite slowly pushed himself up, coughing lightly. His eyes, once sharp and cold, now held only respect.
"You've won… Jiang Chen."
A pause.
Then, quietly—
"You're no longer just a prodigy."
His gaze deepened.
"You're a force the Inner Clan cannot ignore."
Jiang Chen met his gaze calmly.
"I didn't come here to be ignored."
High above, the elders exchanged heavy looks. The balance within the Inner Clan had shifted. A new figure had risen—one capable of shaking the very foundation of their hierarchy.
Elder Zhao narrowed his eyes slightly, a faint smile appearing.
"Interesting… very interesting."
Jiang Chen turned, his golden aura slowly fading. His expression returned to calm indifference, but his eyes…
They burned with quiet ambition.
This is only the beginning.
The Inner Clan was vast. Hidden experts remained. Greater challenges awaited.
And beyond this place…
An even larger world waited for him to conquer.
Final System Prompt:
[New Quest Available]
[Objective: Enter the Inner Clan Rankings]
[Hidden Objective: Uncover the Secrets of the Primordial System]
[Reward: Unknown]
Jiang Chen's lips curved into a faint smile.
Good.
Let the next challenge come.