The night passed more quietly than any of the nights before it. For once, there were no violent surges of Qi tearing through meridians. No sudden spikes of heat or cold forcing control through sheer will. Only balance. Only rhythm. Qin Yue woke before dawn. The dormitory was still dark, the faint gray light of early morning just beginning to seep through the windows. Most of the other students were still asleep, their breathing soft and even. She sat up slowly. For a moment, she didn’t move. She simply observed. Her Qi. It moved differently now. Before, every circulation felt like resistance. Like something inside her body was always slightly out of place, always slightly wrong. Now— It flowed. Smooth. Clear. Obedient. She lifted her hand slightly and focused. A faint layer of frost gathered at her fingertips. No shaking. No delay. No pain. Her eyes softened slightly. “…So this is control.” For the first time since entering the academy— She felt complete. Tan

They didn’t rush back. That was the first difference. A few days ago, Tang Mo would have already been halfway to the academy gates, dragging Qin Yue along and shouting about points and promotion. Now— They walked. Steady. Tired, but composed. --- The forest gradually thinned as they moved outward. Light returned first. Then sound. Distant voices. Wind through lighter branches. The normal rhythm of the academy creeping back in. Tang Mo stretched her arms above her head as they walked. “…I can’t feel my shoulders.” Qin Yue glanced at her. “You say that every time.” “Yeah, but this time I mean it.” She rolled her arm once and winced. “…That bear hit harder than the last one.” Lu Chang didn’t turn. “You blocked it incorrectly.” Tang Mo stared at his back. “…You’re seriously correcting me right now?” “Yes.” She let out a short laugh. “…Unbelievable.” But she didn’t argue further. Because she knew he was right. --- They reached the academy gates just as the a

The arena didn’t calm down after the first round. If anything— It grew louder. The weaker participants had been eliminated quickly. What remained now were students who could actually fight, students who had trained for this moment, students who were no longer just testing themselves—but trying to win. Tang Mo leaned against the stone railing, watching the ongoing matches. “…They’re getting better.” Qin Yue nodded. “The movements are tighter.” Below them, two students clashed in the center of the arena. One used a spear, the other a pair of short blades. Their exchanges were faster than before, more deliberate. Each strike had intent behind it. No wasted motion. No hesitation. Tang Mo exhaled slowly. “…Good.” Qin Yue glanced at her. “You’re enjoying this.” Tang Mo smirked. “Of course.” She pushed herself off the railing. “This is the first time I don’t feel like I’m about to lose control halfway through a fight.” That alone was enough. --- Lu Chang stood slightly

The arena had changed.No longer loud.No longer chaotic.Now—Every sound carried weight.Only a few participants remained, and each one radiated pressure strong enough to silence the crowd without effort.Tang Mo stared at the board as the next matchups appeared.Her smirk slowly faded.“…Now it’s real.”Qin Yue didn’t respond immediately.Her eyes were fixed on a single name.“…Chen Yu.”Tang Mo glanced at her.“You know him?”Qin Yue nodded slightly.“He’s ranked among the top outer disciples.”That alone said enough.---The board finalized.Qin Yue vs Chen YuTang Mo vs Zhao FengTang Mo clicked her tongue.“…Guess we don’t get easy matches anymore.”Lu Chang finally spoke.“Good.”Tang Mo shot him a look.“…You enjoy this too much.”He didn’t deny it.---“Next match!”“Qin Yue vs Chen Yu!”The moment the name was called—The atmosphere shifted.Even the spectators leaned forward unconsciously.This—Was different.---Qin Yue stepped into the arena.Across from her stood Chen

The arena had changed again.It was no longer loud with excitement or filled with scattered chatter. The earlier rounds had burned all of that away. What remained now was something sharper.Expectation.Pressure.Silence with weight.---Only four participants remained.And everyone in the arena knew their names.---Tang Mo stood still, her usual restless energy noticeably restrained. No pacing. No stretching. Just her eyes, fixed on the massive stone board at the center of the arena.It shifted slowly.Deliberately.As if even the mechanism understood the importance of what it displayed.---Then—It stopped.---Tang Mo vs Chen Yu---A ripple passed through the audience.Not loud.Not chaotic.But unmistakable.This was the match.---Tang Mo exhaled slowly through her nose.“…So it’s him.”Her tone was calm.But her eyes—Sharp.Focused.---Qin Yue stood beside her, arms lightly folded.“You saw how he fights.”Tang Mo nodded once.“…Yeah.”Images replayed in her mind.The speed