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Chapter 34 - The Shadow of the Dragon

The shockwave of Kael's breakthrough rippled through the arena, forcing even seasoned elders in the stands to lean forward. His Qi, now thick and oppressive, rolled off him like the heat from a blazing forge. The faint golden sheen around his body marked him as an Early Foundation Establishment cultivator — a step that usually took years, seized in the span of a single battle.

Edran's expression didn't change, but inside, his organs felt like they were twisting. The air itself seemed heavier, resisting his every movement. He could feel the new density in Kael's Qi — each wave pressing into his meridians, slowing the circulation of his own Azure Dragon Breathing Art.

Kael grinned, his eyes alight with bloodlust. "It's over, Edran."

He vanished.

The next instant, a palm wreathed in condensed crimson Qi slammed toward Edran's chest. Edran barely managed to raise his sword in time, deflecting the blow, but the impact still sent him skidding back several meters, his feet digging grooves into the stone floor. His arms trembled from the force.

Too strong… this is the gulf between realms.

Kael pressed forward relentlessly. His movement had become sharper, faster — as if the entire arena was his hunting ground and Edran was merely prey.

"[Crimson Sunburst Palm]!" Kael's voice rang like a war drum. A blazing orb of Qi burst from his hand, forcing Edran to dodge to the side. The attack detonated behind him, melting a chunk of the reinforced arena floor.

The crowd roared at the display of raw power.

Edran forced himself to focus, drawing in as much Qi as his battered body would allow. "[Azure Dragon's Flowing Slash]!" He swung his blade in a sweeping arc, sending a torrent of deep-blue Qi toward Kael.

Kael met it head-on. His new cultivation allowed him to tear through the wave with a punch, dispersing it into harmless wisps. "Pathetic," he sneered.

Edran's breathing grew heavier. Every clash drained him faster than he could replenish his Qi. Even the Azure Dragon Breathing Art felt sluggish under Kael's oppressive aura. His legs were starting to weaken, his vision narrowing.

Kael struck again, this time with a spinning kick reinforced by Qi. The blow crashed into Edran's ribs, and pain lanced through his side. He staggered, coughing blood.

At this rate… I'll lose.

Kael's figure blurred, closing in for the final strike.

And then—

Something deep within Edran's core stirred.

A pulse. Slow, ancient, resonating through his bones. His heartbeat echoed in his ears, each thump heavier than the last. The Azure Dragon Breathing Art suddenly flared, its patterns shifting, expanding, pulling in Qi faster — too fast.

His vision sharpened. The roar of the crowd faded. And in its place… a deep, resonant growl.

Golden slit pupils burned in his eyes. Faint, scale-like markings shimmered along his forearms, fading in and out like illusions. The air around him shifted, charged with an unfamiliar weight — one that made Kael's own Qi waver for the briefest moment.

"W-what… is that?" Kael muttered, his instincts screaming danger.

Edran didn't answer. He stepped forward, his movement fluid and precise. The Azure Dragon Breathing Art no longer resisted Kael's oppressive aura — it drank it in, weaving it into his own Qi.

Kael gritted his teeth. "So you were hiding something!"

He launched another [Crimson Sunburst Palm], but this time, Edran didn't dodge. He channeled his Qi into his blade, the azure hue now streaked with faint gold.

"[Dragon's Fang Strike]!"

The clash split the air. Kael's attack shattered, the backlash sending cracks spiderwebbing across the arena floor. Edran surged forward, his blade grazing Kael's chest in a shallow but decisive cut.

Kael stumbled back, stunned — and that was all the opening Edran needed. He pivoted, delivering a precise strike to Kael's shoulder. The force knocked the other youth's weapon from his grip, sending it clattering to the ground.

For a heartbeat, silence.

Then Kael's knees buckled.

The referee's voice rang out, amplified by Qi: "Winner — Edran Vale!"

The crowd erupted into deafening cheers, but Edran barely heard them. The golden light in his eyes faded, the scales along his arms dissolving into nothingness. His strength drained away, leaving only exhaustion and pain.

He fell to one knee, his hand clutching his side. The Dragon Vein had gone quiet again, as if it had never awakened.

In the stands, cloaked figures watched in silence.

One of them leaned forward — a tall figure wearing a silver mask shaped like a dragon's face. Beneath the mask, unseen eyes narrowed.

"…The shadow of the dragon," the masked figure murmured, voice low and cold. "After all these years, it finally shows itself."

The figure straightened, turning away as the crowd continued to cheer for Edran. "Prepare the nets. The hunt begins."

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