The arena did not erupt this time.
It trembled.
Where cheers once roared, now whispers spread like wildfire.
"Did you feel that…?"
"That last strike… it ignored defense!"
"And those assassins… who sent them?"
At the center of it all, Jiang Chen stood still.
Golden qi had faded to a faint glow—but something else lingered.
Something unseen.
[Tracking Signature Active]
The system interface flickered faintly in his vision.
Zhou Yan stepped closer, voice low.
"You feel it too, don't you?"
Jiang Chen nodded.
"…A mark."
Chen Yu frowned, scanning their surroundings.
"Then we're basically walking targets now."
"Not just targets," Zhou Yan added calmly.
"Confirmed threats."
The weight of his words settled heavily.
This was no longer a ranking battle.
This was a hunt.
Above the arena, the elders whispered among themselves.
Even Elder Zhao's expression had grown darker.
"This is no coincidence," one elder muttered.
"To deploy that level of assassin… inside the Inner Clan?"
But no one intervened.
Not yet.
Because something else was about to happen.
The gong sounded again.
But this time—
It carried a heavier meaning.
"Ranking Update!"
A glowing formation lit up the center of the arena, displaying names in shifting golden light.
The crowd leaned forward.
Inner Clan Rankings (Updated):
Rank 35 → Eliminated
Rank 33 → Eliminated
Rank 32 → Eliminated
Then—
A new name rose.
Rank 30: Jiang Chen
The arena went silent.
Then—
Exploded.
"Top 30?! Already?!"
"He just entered the Inner Clan!"
"This is insane!"
Chen Yu let out a whistle.
"Well… guess you're officially a big target now."
Jiang Chen didn't react.
His eyes were fixed on the next names above him.
29… 28… 27…
Then—
It stopped.
A new voice echoed across the arena.
Calm.
Clear.
"Rank 26 requests a match."
Silence fell instantly.
Lin Xue stepped forward.
Her blue robes flowed gently, but the aura surrounding her was anything but soft.
It was controlled.
Precise.
Dangerous.
Zhou Yan exhaled slowly.
"…That's not good."
Chen Yu smirked.
"Heh. Now THIS is going to be interesting."
Jiang Chen turned fully to face her.
Their eyes met.
For the first time—
There was no chaos.
No assassins.
No distractions.
Just two cultivators.
Lin Xue spoke calmly:
"You've drawn too much attention."
Jiang Chen replied:
"So have you."
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
"True."
She stepped onto the arena.
The temperature seemed to drop instantly.
A faint frost formed beneath her feet.
The system activated:
[Opponent Detected: Lin Xue]
[Rank: 26]
[Threat Level: Very High]
[Combat Type: Elemental Control — Ice Variant]
[Analysis: Highly Adaptive Opponent]
Jiang Chen's golden qi flickered in response.
Zhou Yan stepped back.
"I'll observe."
Chen Yu crossed his arms.
"No interruptions this time, hopefully."
But Jiang Chen knew better.
Because the system pulsed again.
[Tracking Mark Reacting…]
[External Observation Intensifying]
They're watching this fight closely, Jiang Chen realized.
Not just to kill… but to evaluate.
Lin Xue raised her hand slowly.
Ice condensed in her palm, forming a thin, elegant blade.
"I'm not your enemy," she said.
Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow.
"Then why challenge me?"
Her eyes sharpened slightly.
"Because if you can't defeat me…"
"…you won't survive what's coming next."
Silence.
Then—
She moved.
Faster than expected.
A streak of blue light cut across the arena.
Jiang Chen reacted instantly.
Golden Shadow Step!
But—
The moment he reappeared—
Ice had already formed beneath his feet.
Frozen prediction?!
Lin Xue's voice echoed softly:
"I don't just react…"
"I prepare."
Her blade struck.
CLANG!
Jiang Chen barely blocked, golden qi flaring violently as frost began creeping up his arm.
The crowd held its breath.
Zhou Yan's eyes narrowed.
"She's controlling the battlefield itself…"
Chen Yu grinned slightly.
"Now that's a real fight."
Jiang Chen pushed back, breaking the frost with a burst of qi.
A smile appeared on his lips.
"Good."
The system pulsed rapidly:
[New Combat Variable Detected: Environmental Control]
[Adaptation Required]
Golden qi surged again.
But this time—
More refined.
More controlled.
Because Jiang Chen understood something now.
This wasn't just about power.
It was about who controlled the fight.
Lin Xue stepped forward again, ice spreading with every movement.
And far above—
Luo Tian watched silently.
"…She's testing him," he murmured.
His eyes flickered with interest.
"Let's see… how far you've truly evolved, Jiang Chen."
Back in the arena—
Two forces collided.
Gold.
And ice.
And as the first true Top 30 battle began…
The shadows watching from beyond the arena grew restless.