The clearing had long since stopped resembling a forest. What remained was a battlefield carved by violence—cracked earth, shattered trunks, and dust drifting slowly through the air. In the center of that destruction stood three figures whose presence alone seemed capable of shaking the mountain itself. Lin Ye, Gu Chen, and Zhao Tian had already pushed beyond the limits of ordinary outer disciples. Now, with the sun beginning its slow descent toward the horizon, their battle had entered its most dangerous phase.
Lin Ye wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his breathing steady but heavy. The fight had stretched far longer than he expected. Zhao Tian was stronger than anyone he had faced so far—stronger even than Gu Chen in terms of raw power. Yet Lin Ye felt something else now, something new stirring beneath his skin. The demonic bloodline within him had grown more active with every clash, responding to the pressure of battle like a beast awakened by the scent of blood.
Across from him, Zhao Tian stood perfectly calm despite the faint tear in his robe and the dust clinging to his sleeves. His eyes remained sharp and composed, the gaze of someone who had fought countless battles before this one.
"You've lasted longer than I expected," Zhao Tian said evenly. "Most people collapse after a few exchanges."
Lin Ye smirked faintly.
"I'm not most people."
Beside him, Gu Chen adjusted his stance quietly, his breathing slower than before as he gathered his strength. His body bore several bruises from the earlier exchanges, but his expression remained focused.
"His guard is perfect," Gu Chen said calmly, speaking just loud enough for Lin Ye to hear. "But his left side slows slightly when he counters."
Lin Ye's eyes flickered with interest.
"You noticed that too?"
Gu Chen nodded once.
That small exchange was all Zhao Tian needed to understand what they were planning.
"So you're analyzing me together now," he said. "Smart."
His aura surged again, pushing outward like a tidal wave.
"But it won't matter."
Without warning, Zhao Tian moved.
His speed was frightening—faster than before. In the blink of an eye he closed the distance, his palm descending toward Gu Chen with crushing force.
Gu Chen reacted instantly, stepping aside while redirecting the strike with his forearm. The impact still sent a shock through his entire body, forcing him to retreat several steps across the broken ground.
But the moment Zhao Tian committed to the attack—
Lin Ye struck.
Using Blood Shadow Step, he appeared directly behind Zhao Tian, his fist aimed at the exact opening Gu Chen had mentioned.
The blow landed.
A dull impact echoed through the clearing as Lin Ye's fist struck Zhao Tian's back, forcing the powerful cultivator forward half a step.
For the first time since the battle began—
Zhao Tian staggered.
Lin Ye grinned.
"Got you."
Zhao Tian straightened slowly.
When he turned around again, the calm expression had changed.
Not anger.
Excitement.
"…Good," Zhao Tian said quietly.
His aura exploded outward.
The pressure was immediate and overwhelming. The ground beneath his feet shattered as spiritual energy surged around his body like a violent storm.
Gu Chen's eyes narrowed.
"He's releasing everything."
Lin Ye felt it too.
The air itself grew heavy, pressing against his chest like an invisible weight.
Zhao Tian stepped forward again, his voice colder now.
"I wanted to see how far you two could go."
His gaze sharpened.
"But now the trial is almost over."
A terrifying surge of power erupted from his body as his spiritual energy condensed around him like armor.
"I don't have time to play anymore."
The clearing trembled as Zhao Tian launched forward again.
His strike came like lightning.
Lin Ye barely activated Blood Shadow Step, vanishing just as Zhao Tian's palm shattered the ground where he had been standing.
The explosion of force sent cracks racing across the earth.
Gu Chen counterattacked immediately, his palm slicing through the air with precise force aimed at Zhao Tian's ribs.
But Zhao Tian blocked it easily.
Then countered.
The impact sent Gu Chen flying backward, crashing through two broken trees before sliding across the ground.
Lin Ye's eyes sharpened.
"Gu Chen!"
But the rival cultivator quickly pushed himself up again, blood dripping from his lip.
"I'm fine," Gu Chen said calmly, though his breathing had grown heavier.
Lin Ye exhaled slowly.
Zhao Tian looked between them.
"Still standing?"
He smiled.
"Impressive."
Then he turned his full attention back to Lin Ye.
"You're the more dangerous one."
Lin Ye tilted his head slightly.
"Flattered."
But deep inside him—
The demonic bloodline surged again.
The system notification flickered faintly.
[Bloodline Awakening: 72%… 74%…]
His heart pounded harder.
His vision sharpened.
The urge to release everything returned stronger than before.
Lin Ye clenched his fist tightly.
Not yet.
He stepped forward again.
"Round two."
Zhao Tian laughed softly.
"You're stubborn."
The two collided again, their fists crashing together with explosive force. Shockwaves rippled outward, scattering dust and debris across the clearing. Each strike shook the battlefield as the two powerful fighters pushed their limits further.
Then Gu Chen joined again.
This time their coordination improved even more.
Lin Ye attacked relentlessly, forcing Zhao Tian to focus on defense while Gu Chen searched for openings with precise strikes. Slowly—very slowly—the balance of the fight began to shift.
But Zhao Tian refused to fall.
Instead, his aura grew even stronger.
"You think numbers will defeat me?"
His power surged again, forcing both of them back with sheer force.
The sun was now low on the horizon.
The trial would end soon.
And none of them intended to lose.
High above the battlefield, Su Qingyue watched the clash with narrowed eyes.
Her gaze focused on Lin Ye.
The demonic aura around him had grown noticeably stronger.
"…Seventy-four percent."
Her fingers tightened slightly.
"If he loses control now…"
She didn't finish the sentence.
Below, Lin Ye wiped the blood from his chin again, his eyes glowing faintly red as the power inside him continued to build.
He looked at Zhao Tian.
Then smiled.
"…Let's finish this."
The final battle of the trial was approaching its climax.
And only the strongest would still be standing when the sun finally set.