Nona Lian fell silent for a moment, her icy gaze gleaming with a deepening flicker of interest as she looked at Wang Chen. The courage emanating from the young man before her was no mere blind arrogance, but absolute confidence belonging to a practitioner who truly held the reins of his own destiny.A faint, immensely captivating smile bloomed once more upon Nona Lian’s crimson lips. She nodded slowly, acknowledging the steadfastness of Wang Chen’s soul."Remarkable..." Nona Lian murmured softly. "Rarely have I seen anyone among the younger generation possess a mind as serene as still waters in the face of imminent destruction. Your courage truly impresses me, Wang Chen."She took a step back, flicking the sleeve of her white-and-silver gown with an exceedingly graceful motion, then continued in a tone now more relaxed yet filled with certainty."However, even though the threat lurking in the darkness is real, there is one thing that can allow you to breathe a slight sigh of relief,"

Wang Chen withdrew his inner vision from within his Dantian, exhaling slowly to neutralize the chilly aura enveloping his body. He had just turned around and taken a step toward the door to open it...When suddenly...BANG!The sandalwood door was forcibly thrown open from the outside before Wang Chen's fingers could even touch the handle!Miss Lian, who had apparently lost her patience when her knocking went unanswered, burst inside with a face full of urgency. She crossed the threshold with a swift, impulsive step.At that exact moment, Wang Chen—who was also stepping forward—could not halt his momentum in time.STEP!The distance between them evaporated in the blink of an eye. Wang Chen's tall frame and Miss Lian's graceful body collided unexpectedly!Positioned so closely, Miss Lian reflexively tilted her head up, while Wang Chen's slightly lowered head inadvertently slid forward—causing Wang Chen's lips to land squarely on Miss Lian's smooth, porcelain forehead!SMOOCH...Silence

Upon hearing Gu Qingcheng's nonchalant words, Lady Lian whipped her head around sharp. Her clear eyes widened, flashing with immense shock. She had been busy conversing with her master all night long."What?! One of the elders from the main Wang Clan... was killed by Wang Chen?" Lady Lian whispered, her voice trembling slightly. "Isn't an elder of the main Wang Clan at least at the Five-Star Heavenly Fighter Realm?! How could a One-Star Heavenly Fighter Realm cultivator..."Gu Qingcheng crossed her arms, the corner of her lips curving into a subtle, confident smile. "The Wang Clan covered up the news tightly to save face, but back then, I saw it with my own eyes. Wang Chen didn't just kill him, Lian... He obliterated him without a trace, even though he ended up unconscious as a result. You're worrying about the wrong person. Those nineteen sheep on that stage... they are the ones who should be praying that Wang Chen still holds a shred of mercy."Lady Lian was stunned. She turned her

Silence fell once more as realization washed over the thousands of spectators. Whispers regarding Wang Chen's origins blew like a piercing, icy wind through their hearts. A youth from a remote branch clan on the fringes of the Eastern Continent—someone who had always been looked down upon by the geniuses of the big cities—had just swept the entire arena clean with a single wave of his hand.Atop the half-destroyed stage, the five youths who remained standing were frozen stiff.Liu Yun gripped the handle of his broken sword with a violently trembling hand. Blood dripped from the corner of his lips, yet his gaze was locked in sheer horror upon the black-robed youth at the center of the stage."D-Damn it... How could it turn out like this?! My father's plan was supposed to go smoothly... But he... he broke it without taking a single wound that we could poison together!" he exclaimed in abject terror within his heart.Beside him, Ye Feng leaned against one of his cracked heavy axes, his c

Elder Gu's announcement shattered the absolute silence enveloping the entire grounds. Before the audience's cheers could fully erupt, two beautiful figures flashed rapidly through the air, landing gracefully right beside Wang Chen.Gu Qingcheng stepped forward with a faint smile—a rare sight on her beautiful face that was usually as cold as ice. Her clear eyes gazed at Wang Chen with an unhidden gleam of admiration."I knew you could do it, Wang Chen," Gu Qingcheng whispered softly, warmth clearly emanating from her tone. "An incredible display of dominance."Beside her, Lian—a petite girl with sparkling, bright eyes—immediately did a little hop of joy. Disregarding the remaining wisps of ancient dragon aura that were still terrifying to others, she patted Wang Chen's shoulder quite hard."Junior Wang! You were so cool just now! That flick of your hand... BHOOM! Swept everyone clean away! I’ve been holding my breath this whole time!" Lian exclaimed cheerfully, causing the tense atmosp