The deafening roar of the arena still reverberated in Edran's bones as he stepped off the stage. The victory felt clean… almost too clean. His breath was steady, but a faint pulse of strain in his meridians reminded him just how narrow the margins had been.
Behind him, Kael was carried away on a stretcher, face pale, qi scattered and unstable. The healers moved quickly, but the whispers that chased them carried no sympathy — only awe.
"Mid Stage Qi Condensation defeating Peak Stage?"
"It wasn't luck. His last move… I've never seen anything like it."
"That strike shattered Kael's defense like brittle wood."
In the shaded elders' pavilion, Elder Marath's eyes tracked Edran's retreating figure. "Mountain's Heart — Collapse. Not in our archives."
Elder Shuin's lips tightened. "Then either he was taught in secret… or he forged it himself. Either path is dangerous."
The other competitors, gathered near the waiting hall, had seen enough to know one thing — Edran Vale was no easy prey.
Reaching a quiet alcove, Edran exhaled slowly, letting the sound of the arena fade. His fight had burned through more qi than expected. Mountain's Heart was efficient in theory, but Kael's reckless, all-out final technique had forced him to amplify it beyond normal limits.
With a thought, he summoned his cultivation panel.
---
[Name]: Edran Vale
[Age]: 16
[Realm]: Qi Condensation (Mid Stage)
[Qi Reserves]: 78% / 100%
[Qi Type]: Earth (Primary) – ??? (Secondary: Sealed)
[Physique]: Dragon Vein (Dormant)
[Cultivation Technique]: Azure Dragon Breathing Art | Grade: Low Earth | Mastery: Intermediate
[Skills]:
- Mountain's Heart – Collapse (Earth) | Rank: Mortal High | Status: Mastered
- Stoneflow Step (Earth) | Rank: Mortal Mid | Status: Proficient
- ??? | Rank: Unknown | Status: Locked
[Condition]: Minor meridian strain (Recovery time: 2 hours)
---
His eyes lingered on the line that read Dragon Vein (Dormant).
The dormant state was both a blessing and a curse. When awakened, the Dragon Vein physique would not only refine his qi at terrifying speed but also allow his body to store power far beyond the limits of ordinary cultivators. But awakening it prematurely… would burn through his life like dry kindling.
And for now, Edran had no intention of letting anyone — not elders, not rivals, not even friends — know that the blood of dragons lay sleeping in his veins.
He dismissed the panel and leaned against the wall, feeling the rhythmic thrum of qi in his dantian. Azure Dragon Breathing Art was stable, steady, and precise — just the way he preferred. It didn't flare with the raw aggression of fire arts or the fluid unpredictability of water styles. It was earthbound… unshakable… yet with the coiled potential of a predator waiting for the right moment to strike.
From outside, the announcer's voice rose, calling the next fighters. The crowd roared again, but Edran's expression remained calm.
The competition was far from over.
And his true strength was still buried deep, waiting for the day he decided to let the dragon awaken.