The crowd had not yet quieted from Zhou Yan's humiliating defeat when Elder Jian's voice thundered again.
"Next challenger! Step forward!"
The array around the stone platform shimmered, signaling the continuation of the trial.
Kai Ren exhaled slowly, steadying his breath. Sweat clung to his back, and faint cuts burned across his arms, but his grip on the Spirit-Piercing Spear was firm. His heartbeat slowed into a steady rhythm.
He could feel eyes drilling into him from every direction—students, elders, even distant spectators who rarely paid attention to Outer Academy trials.
No turning back now. If I stop here, everything I've shown will be dismissed as luck. I must keep going. I must climb higher.
---
A tall boy leaped onto the platform. His robe bore the emblem of the Tiger Fang Pavilion, one of the academy's strongest student groups. His arms rippled with muscle, his jaw square, his aura steady like a drawn bowstring.
"Hu Chen," someone whispered. "Ranked 72nd in the Outer Academy. A peak Mortal Core cultivator."
Hu Chen looked down on Kai with thinly veiled disdain. "So you're the trash making noise today. Zhou Yan was too soft. I'll end this quickly."
Kai didn't answer. His eyes narrowed slightly.
The array pulsed. The fight began.
---
Hu Chen's aura flared as his fists glowed faintly with metallic sheen. He stomped once, stone cracking beneath his feet, then launched forward like a cannonball.
Kai tightened his grip. His spear thrust forward, swift as lightning.
Clang!
The tip struck Hu Chen's fist, sparks flying. The crowd gasped.
"He blocked a spear strike with his bare hands?!"
"Hu Chen cultivates the Iron Body Art! His defense is monstrous!"
Kai's expression sharpened. He twisted, unleashing a flurry of spear thrusts. Each strike carried speed and precision, aiming for vital points.
But Hu Chen's fists moved like twin shields of steel, blocking each thrust with bone-jarring impacts. His skin reddened from the pressure, but his grin widened.
"Is that all? Your spear is sharp… but not sharp enough!"
He roared and slammed his palm downward. The air cracked like thunder. Kai's spear trembled in his hands, nearly wrenched away.
---
> [Ding! Battle Assessment: Enemy defense exceeds weapon penetration.]
[Recommendation: Upgrade Weapon.]
Kai's pulse quickened. Do it.
> [Spirit-Piercing Spear → Bloodfang Spear.]
[Upgrade Complete.]
The weapon in his hands shuddered, its shaft darkening to a deep crimson hue. Jagged patterns etched themselves along its length, the tip gleaming with a hungry light.
When Kai thrust again, the spear howled like a beast.
Shhhk!
It pierced straight through Hu Chen's Iron Body defenses, stabbing into his shoulder. Blood sprayed.
Hu Chen's eyes went wide. "What—?!"
Kai twisted the spear free, his voice cold. "Defense means nothing before evolution."
With a final sweeping strike, he sent Hu Chen flying off the stage. The array flared.
"Winner: Kai Ren."
---
The arena shook with uproar.
"He broke through Hu Chen's Iron Body Art?!"
"That spear… it changed again!"
"What is he?!"
Kai breathed heavily, sweat dripping down his brow. His body ached, but inside him, a fire raged brighter than ever.
The system chimed again.
> [Victory Achieved.]
[Reward: +5 Upgrade Points.]
[Current Points: 12.]
Kai's grip tightened. Good. The higher I climb, the faster I grow.
But before he could rest, another figure stepped forward.
---
This time it was a girl, lithe and graceful, with long hair tied in a braid that swung behind her like a whip. In her hands was a pair of curved blades that shimmered with faint green light.
"Lin Yue," someone murmured. "Ranked 60th. Known for her speed and twin blades."
The girl's eyes were sharp, predatory. "I don't care what trick you're using. I'll cut you down."
The array pulsed. The fight began.
---
Lin Yue vanished.
Kai's eyes widened. Fast!
A glint of steel flashed toward his neck. He twisted instinctively, the blade grazing his shoulder. Pain lanced through him.
The second blade came from below. He jumped back, spear sweeping in a wide arc to block. Sparks flew.
Lin Yue didn't stop. She blurred around him, blades slicing from every angle, her movements unpredictable and precise.
The crowd gasped at the flurry.
"Kai can't keep up!"
"Lin Yue's speed is unmatched among the Outer Academy!"
Kai gritted his teeth. His spear slashed desperately, blocking strike after strike, but shallow cuts began to multiply across his arms and torso. Blood dripped, staining the stone.
She's faster than me. I can't win like this.
---
> [Ding! Host is at disadvantage.]
[Recommendation: Upgrade Speed.]
"Yes," Kai hissed.
> [Speed Lv.2 → Speed Lv.3.]
[Upgrade Complete.]
His body blurred.
The next time Lin Yue struck, Kai's spear moved first, intercepting her blade mid-swing. Their weapons clashed, the impact sending shockwaves.
Her eyes widened. "What—?!"
Kai pressed forward, his movements suddenly sharper, faster, precise enough to match her speed. His spear spun in a deadly dance, forcing her back.
Lin Yue gritted her teeth, unleashing a storm of blade strikes. Kai met them all.
Then, with one sudden burst, his spear thrust forward, catching her off guard. The tip grazed her cheek, drawing a thin line of blood.
The crowd roared.
"He matched her speed!"
"Impossible!"
Lin Yue's face paled. She hesitated. That moment was all Kai needed. His spear swept her blades aside, then hooked her ankle, sending her crashing to the ground.
He leveled the spear at her throat. "Yield."
Her jaw tightened. She glared at him for several seconds, but finally spat the word.
"I yield."
The array shimmered.
"Winner: Kai Ren."
---
The arena shook again.
"Two in a row!"
"No… three! Zhou Yan, Hu Chen, Lin Yue—all defeated!"
"He's unstoppable!"
The whispers grew darker.
"He's not trash… he's a monster."
Kai breathed hard, his chest rising and falling rapidly. His wounds stung, his muscles screamed, but his eyes blazed with determination.
The system chimed once more.
> [Victory Achieved.]
[Reward: +6 Upgrade Points.]
[Current Points: 18.]
---
Before the noise settled, a third challenger stepped onto the stage.
This one was different. He was calm, thin, with sharp features and eyes like daggers. A longbow rested in his hands, an arrow already notched.
"Ming Tao," someone whispered, voices hushed. "Ranked 45th. An archer prodigy."
Kai's expression hardened. An archer… that meant distance.
The array pulsed. The battle began.
---
Ming Tao moved the instant the light flashed.
Thrum!
An arrow streaked through the air, glowing faintly with spiritual energy. Kai twisted, barely dodging as it grazed his cheek.
Before he could recover—
Thrum-thrum-thrum!
Three more arrows flew in rapid succession, each faster than the last. Kai rolled, his spear whirling to deflect, sparks flying with each impact.
The crowd gasped.
"Such accuracy!"
"Kai's spear can't reach him!"
Ming Tao's lips curved into a thin smile. "Dance, trash. Let's see how long you last."
Kai gritted his teeth, sweat dripping down his brow. His body screamed from dodging, his breathing heavy. If I can't close the distance, I'll lose.
---
> [Ding! Recommendation: Upgrade Movement Technique.]
[Confirm Upgrade: Shadowstep → Phantom Step?]
"Yes!"
> [Upgrade Complete.]
Kai's body blurred, splitting into afterimages.
The next volley of arrows pierced through illusions, missing his true form. The crowd gasped.
"What movement technique is that?!"
"He vanished!"
Ming Tao's eyes narrowed. He fired faster, arrows forming a storm.
But Kai's figure danced between them, untouchable. In the blink of an eye, he closed the distance.
"Too slow," Kai whispered.
His spear struck. The shaft slammed into Ming Tao's chest, knocking the air from his lungs. The archer staggered back, bow clattering from his hands.
Kai's spear tip hovered at his throat. "Yield."
Ming Tao coughed, face twisted in disbelief. Finally, he dropped to his knees. "I yield."
The array shimmered.
"Winner: Kai Ren."
---
The crowd erupted into chaos.
"Three in a row—no, four!"
"He defeated Hu Chen, Lin Yue, and Ming Tao—back to back!"
"This is insane!"
The elders exchanged glances, their expressions shifting from curiosity to concern.
Elder Jian's eyes narrowed. This boy… what is he hiding?
Kai stood in the center of the platform, chest heaving, blood dripping from his wounds. Yet his eyes burned with a fire that refused to dim.
The system chimed.
> [Victory Achieved.]
[Reward: +8 Upgrade Points.]
[Current Points: 26.]
---
The arena fell into tense silence.
And then, slow footsteps echoed.
A new figure stepped onto the platform.
The crowd collectively sucked in a breath.
"It's him…"
"The top-ranked genius of the Outer Academy…"
"No… why is he stepping in now?!"
The boy's presence was like a drawn blade—sharp, suffocating. His robe was embroidered with golden thread, his aura vast and domineering.
"Li Shen," Elder Jian announced gravely. "Ranked 1st in the Outer Academy."
The arena shook with the uproar.
Kai's eyes narrowed. His grip on the spear tightened.
So… it begins.
The air itself seemed to tremble as Li Shen smiled faintly.
"You've made enough noise, Kai Ren. Now… I'll silence you."
The array pulsed.
The real battle was about to begin.