No one spoke.
Not after what they had witnessed.
Han Wei was still alive.
Barely.
His breathing was unstable.
His aura… fractured.
But he existed.
That alone was enough to shift everything.
Su Yan stood beside him.
Her expression calm again.
But her eyes—
Different.
Not fear.
Not curiosity.
Calculation.
Lin Yue remained silent.
Watching me.
Closely.
Good.
They were all thinking now.
Chen Xu stepped back slowly.
Giving space.
Not out of caution—
But control.
System observed the surroundings. Attention focused entirely on you.
Chen Xu did not look away. As expected.
The balance had changed.
Before—
They feared the unseen.
Now—
They feared me.
Su Yan spoke first.
She rose to her feet, gaze steady. You interfered with it.
Chen Xu gave a slight nod. Yes.
Su Yan took a step closer.
Measured.
Careful.
Su Yan continued. You stopped it.
Chen Xu shook his head. No.
A brief pause.
Chen Xu corrected calmly. I disrupted it.
Lin Yue's grip tightened slightly.
Lin Yue spoke in a low voice. That should not be possible.
Chen Xu glanced at him.
Chen Xu replied simply. And yet it happened.
Silence.
Han Wei coughed.
A trace of blood at the corner of his mouth.
He forced himself to sit up.
Han Wei spoke with difficulty. That thing… it hesitated…
Chen Xu looked down at him.
Chen Xu answered calmly. Because it is learning.
Su Yan's gaze sharpened.
Su Yan spoke quietly. Then it will become more dangerous.
Chen Xu nodded.
Chen Xu agreed. Yes.
No denial.
No comfort.
Just fact.
The air grew heavier.
System spoke again. Multiple observers approaching.
Chen Xu lifted his gaze slightly.
Far beyond the village—
Several Qi signatures.
Stronger than before.
More disciplined.
Not minor sects.
Chen Xu smiled faintly. So it begins.
Lin Yue noticed the shift.
Lin Yue followed my gaze. More are coming.
Su Yan did not turn.
Su Yan spoke calmly. Not just reinforcements.
A brief pause.
Su Yan finished. Witnesses.
Chen Xu gave a faint nod.
Exactly.
The moment something cannot be explained—
It spreads.
And when it spreads—
Power gathers.
Han Wei forced himself to stand.
Unstable.
But determined.
Han Wei looked at me.
Han Wei spoke slowly. You… what exactly are you?
Chen Xu met his gaze.
A short silence.
Then—
Chen Xu answered. Someone observing.
Han Wei frowned.
Not satisfied.
But he did not press further.
Good.
Because the answer did not matter.
Not yet.
A sudden shift in the air.
Subtle.
But clear.
Chen Xu's eyes narrowed slightly.
Chen Xu spoke quietly. It is watching again.
Everyone froze.
Instinct.
Fear returned instantly.
But this time—
More controlled.
Lin Yue spoke in a low voice. Where?
Chen Xu did not point.
Chen Xu answered calmly. Everywhere.
Silence.
The pressure returned.
Different from before.
More focused.
More deliberate.
System detected targeting behavior.
Chen Xu smiled faintly.
Chen Xu spoke softly. Now you choose carefully.
No response.
But the pressure—
Shifted.
Toward me.
Lin Yue noticed immediately.
Lin Yue stepped forward. It is targeting you.
Chen Xu did not move.
Chen Xu replied calmly. Of course.
Su Yan's eyes narrowed.
Su Yan spoke quietly. Then move.
Chen Xu shook his head.
Chen Xu answered simply. No.
Silence.
That single refusal—
Changed everything.
The pressure increased.
Stronger.
Sharper.
Focused.
Not on the villagers.
Not on the sect disciples.
Only—
On me.
System issued a warning. Target lock confirmed.
Chen Xu remained still.
Chen Xu spoke quietly. Good.
Lin Yue frowned deeply.
Lin Yue spoke sharply. This is not the time to test it.
Chen Xu glanced at him.
Chen Xu replied calmly. This is the only time.
Before it becomes something worse.
A brief silence.
Then—
The fracture appeared.
Closer than ever before.
Right in front of me.
Not behind.
Not hidden.
Facing me directly.
For the first time—
It did not avoid.
It confronted.
The air twisted.
Space distorted.
But I did not move.
Chen Xu stared forward.
Chen Xu spoke softly. So you finally decide to face me.
System recorded anomaly escalation.
The fracture trembled.
Not violently.
But… uncertain.
Chen Xu narrowed his eyes.
Chen Xu continued. You hesitate.
The distortion flickered.
Then—
It surged.
Toward me.
Not to erase—
But to test.
The moment it reached—
Void Eyes activated.
No delay.
No hesitation.
The two forces met.
Not physically.
Conceptually.
The world trembled.
The ground split.
The air shattered.
Everything—
Paused.
For a single moment.
Then—
The fracture collapsed.
Gone.
Completely.
The pressure vanished.
Silence returned.
I remained standing.
Unharmed.
Behind me—
No one spoke.
Because they all understood—
This time—
It failed.
Chen Xu exhaled slowly.
Chen Xu spoke quietly. Not enough.
System responded. But closer.
Chen Xu nodded slightly.
Chen Xu looked forward again.
Chen Xu spoke calmly. You will try again.
Far beyond sight—
Something shifted.
Not retreating.
Not avoiding.
Waiting.
Adapting.
Chen Xu smiled faintly.
Chen Xu spoke softly. Good.
The game had changed.
No longer one-sided.
No longer hidden.
Now—
It was a confrontation.