The arena fell into a suffocating silence.
All eyes locked onto the battlefield where two rising forces stood—
Jiang Chen, the unpredictable anomaly…
and
Lin Xue, the frost sovereign of the Inner Clan.
The ground beneath Lin Xue shimmered.
Then—
It froze.
A thin layer of ice spread outward in all directions, creeping across cracked stone like a living entity. Frost climbed the edges of the arena, forming delicate—but deadly—patterns.
The temperature dropped sharply.
Breath became visible.
Movement became heavier.
Zhou Yan's eyes narrowed from the sidelines.
"She's not just using techniques…"
"…she's creating a domain."
Chen Yu frowned.
"So the longer the fight drags on… the worse it gets for Jiang Chen?"
Zhou Yan nodded.
"Exactly."
At the center—
Jiang Chen stood still.
Golden qi flickered around him, resisting the cold—but not completely negating it.
The system activated:
[Environmental Shift Detected]
[Frost Domain: Active]
[Mobility Reduced: 12%]
[Qi Circulation Efficiency: Decreasing]
Jiang Chen exhaled slowly.
So this is her true strength…
Lin Xue stepped forward, her movements calm, controlled.
Every step she took extended the frost.
Every breath she released sharpened the air.
"I told you," she said softly.
"If you can't defeat me…"
"…you won't survive what's coming."
Then she vanished.
A streak of blue light cut through the frozen arena.
Jiang Chen reacted instantly.
Golden Shadow Step!
But the moment he reappeared—
Ice spikes erupted from the ground.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Jiang Chen twisted mid-air, narrowly avoiding the lethal spikes, but his footing faltered upon landing.
Lin Xue was already there.
Her blade descended.
CLANG!
Golden qi collided with ice.
Frost spread along Jiang Chen's arm again—faster this time.
"She's accelerating the domain," Zhou Yan muttered.
Chen Yu clenched his fists.
"Then he needs to end it fast."
But Jiang Chen didn't retreat.
Instead—
He smiled.
"Interesting…"
The system pulsed rapidly:
[Adaptive Analysis Intensifying]
[New Combat Variable: Domain Control]
[Countermeasure Development: In Progress]
Jiang Chen's golden aura shifted.
Not stronger—
But tighter.
More refined.
Lin Xue's eyes flickered.
"…You're adjusting."
Jiang Chen stepped forward.
This time—
He didn't dodge.
He walked into the domain.
The frost surged instantly, climbing his legs, slowing his movement.
But he didn't stop.
"Domains…" he said calmly.
"…are just extended techniques."
Lin Xue's gaze sharpened.
"Then break it."
She raised her hand—
And the entire arena responded.
Ice spikes.
Frozen winds.
Blades of frost converging from all directions.
A complete assault.
The crowd held its breath.
Jiang Chen closed his eyes.
For a brief moment—
Everything slowed.
The frost.
The air.
Lin Xue's movements.
All of it… clear.
The system flared:
[Full Combat Synchronization Achieved]
[Primordial Strike — Phase Shift: Ready]
[New Insight: Domain Core Detected]
Jiang Chen's eyes snapped open.
There.
He moved.
Phoenix Shadow Step!
Not away—
Forward.
Through the storm.
Ice tore at his body.
Frost cracked beneath his feet.
But he didn't stop.
Lin Xue's eyes widened slightly.
"You're… charging through it?"
Jiang Chen appeared in front of her.
Golden qi condensed violently.
Not outward.
Inward.
Smaller.
Sharper.
Deadlier.
"Primordial Strike…"
"…Phase Shift."
BOOM!!!
The strike didn't clash with the ice.
It bypassed it.
And struck directly—
At the core of her domain.
For a split second—
Everything froze.
Then—
Crack.
The frost shattered.
The domain collapsed.
Ice dissolved into mist.
Lin Xue staggered back slightly, her blade trembling for the first time.
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Then—
The crowd exploded.
"He broke it!"
"That was a domain!"
"He shattered it head-on!"
Chen Yu laughed loudly.
"HAHA! That's insane!"
Zhou Yan, however, remained quiet.
"…No."
His eyes stayed fixed on the arena.
"He didn't overpower it…"
"…he understood it."
At the center—
Jiang Chen stood, breathing steadily.
Faint frost still lingered on his clothes.
Lin Xue looked at him.
Long.
Carefully.
Then—
She lowered her blade.
"I see."
The arena fell silent again.
"You pass."
Gasps spread instantly.
"She conceded?!"
"What?!"
Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow.
"That's it?"
Lin Xue's expression softened slightly.
"If you can break my domain…"
"…you can survive what's coming."
She turned, stepping away from the arena.
But before leaving—
She paused.
And said quietly—
"The mark on you…"
"…it's not just for tracking."
Jiang Chen's eyes narrowed.
"What do you mean?"
Lin Xue didn't turn back.
"It's a signal."
"…for something much worse."
The system pulsed violently:
[Warning: Unknown Activation Condition Linked to Mark]
[Threat Level Escalating]
High above—
Luo Tian smiled faintly.
"…Now it begins."
Jiang Chen stood still.
Golden qi flickering.
Mind racing.
The ranking battle…
Had just crossed into something far more dangerous.