The platform's boards trembled faintly beneath Ye Tian's feet. The rhythm of the duel had settled into his bones, each clash of staff and spear marking the steady build toward something inevitable. Luo Kai's breath came heavier now, though his stance remained sharp. The spear's point hovered just short of striking range, shifting in small, precise arcs as he searched for a clean way through.
Around them, the crowd had gone quiet. Even the whispers had faded. Dozens of eyes followed every movement, waiting to see if the outer sect upstart's streak would end here.
Ye Tian could feel the weight of their attention. The last fight had been a shock. This one… they were hoping for a fall. In their eyes, an outer disciple who rose too fast deserved to be cut down.
The Origin System's voice curled at the edge of his mind.
Extraction alignment… 94 percent.
He shifted his stance, not rushing. The moment would come.
Luo Kai moved first, a sharp flick of the wrists sending the spear darting for Ye Tian's collarbone. Ye Tian's staff rose, the steel caps ringing against the shaft in a clean block. The vibration rolled through his arms, but he used it, pushing forward into the weapon, forcing Luo Kai to step back or be driven off balance.
The thin ring of light marking the boundary flared briefly at their movement.
A murmur rippled through the crowd.
"Luo Kai's losing ground."
"No… he's just testing him."
"Testing? That looks like struggling to me."
Ye Tian advanced one measured step at a time. He was not chasing recklessly. Each strike, each shift of his grip, narrowed the space Luo Kai needed to breathe.
The Origin System pulsed again.
96 percent.
His heartbeat matched the pace of the fight. The air between them carried the faint scent of oiled wood from the spear, the tang of iron from the staff. Every sense was tuned toward the next opening.
Luo Kai's eyes sharpened, his stance tightening. The next attack came fast, the spear sweeping low then snapping up in a thrust aimed for Ye Tian's throat. Ye Tian spun the staff, catching the sweep and knocking it aside before angling the other end to intercept the upward strike. The clash echoed like a drumbeat across the yard.
Gasps broke from the nearest disciples. They had expected him to dodge. They had not expected him to control the pace so cleanly.
The Origin System stirred.
97 percent… alignment stable.
Ye Tian feinted, a quick flick of the staff's end drawing Luo Kai into a high guard. The moment the spear rose, Ye Tian shifted his weight and thrust for the unguarded midsection. Luo Kai twisted away, the movement crisp but not as fluid as before.
It was happening.
The rhythm of the fight had tilted. Ye Tian pressed forward, his footwork tightening the circle, his staff striking high, low, then diagonally in a flurry that forced Luo Kai to retreat to the platform's edge.
Sweat gathered at Luo Kai's temple. His breathing was heavier now, his eyes flicking between the staff's ends, trying to read the next strike before it came.
The Origin System's voice sharpened.
98 percent.
The crowd had stopped talking. The air felt heavier, drawn tight by the tension of two fighters closing on a single decisive moment.
Luo Kai lunged, spear aimed with perfect intent at Ye Tian's heart. It was the kind of strike that should have ended the fight.
Ye Tian stepped into it.
The staff caught the spear an inch before it touched his chest, the steel end locking against the wooden shaft. The impact sent a shudder through both weapons.
The system surged in his thoughts.
99 percent… extraction possible in three… two… one…
Now.
His left hand shifted on the staff, pulling the spear further off line, while his right hand made the smallest of motions, one the crowd would never notice. It was not a gesture meant for flesh and blood. It was for the system alone.
A faint ripple passed through the air, invisible to all but him.
Golden streams burst from Luo Kai's core, weaving through his limbs before tearing free in brilliant streams of light. They flowed toward Ye Tian's palm, burning cold and bright, twisting once before sinking into him completely.
The Origin System's tone rang with finality.
Low Grade Weapon Mastery System acquired.
It was like a door opening in his mind. In an instant, the weight and balance of every weapon within sight became clear to him. The staff in his hands felt alive, its movements flowing without thought. The racks beyond the platform hummed faintly in his awareness, each weapon revealing its strengths and flaws without him ever lifting it.
Luo Kai faltered. His precision slipped, his strikes losing the edge that had kept them dangerous. He did not know what had changed, only that something vital had been taken.
Ye Tian's advance became relentless. His staff moved in patterns that seemed impossible to predict, each strike cutting off an angle, each spin deflecting the spear before it could find space.
From the sidelines, voices rose again, louder now.
"He's faster."
"No… it's not speed, it's… perfect."
"He reads every move before it happens."
Luo Kai tried one last desperate sweep, but Ye Tian twisted past it, striking the spear just above the grip. The jolt ran up Luo Kai's arm, forcing his hand open. The spear clattered against the boards.
Ye Tian stepped in, the staff's steel cap stopping an inch from Luo Kai's throat.
The ring of light flared once, signalling the end of the duel.
For a heartbeat, silence.
Then the noise broke like a wave… cheers, shouts, and a low undercurrent of fear from those who knew this was more than a simple victory.
Ye Tian lowered the staff and turned away. Inside, the new system settled beside the others he had claimed, its hum a constant reminder of the path ahead.
This was only the beginning.