Silence fell for a few moments after Rayan's words, but it didn't last long—mocking laughter echoed from some of the crowd.
The White Tiger Sect Elder waved his hand dismissively.
"Bold, are you? But boldness alone means nothing in this world. Let's see if you deserve even an ounce of respect."
He turned to one of his disciples and said,
"Ling Fei, step forward and teach this boy a lesson."
From within the crowd, a tall young man stepped out. His narrowed eyes gleamed with overconfidence, and a smug smile curled on his lips. He wore a white robe embroidered with the tiger emblem and radiated fierce combat energy.
"What an honor! My opponent is the leader of some unknown sect? No matter—this will be over quickly."
On the other side, Rayan remained calm, his eyes glowing coldly. He glanced up at the Heavenly Dragon still hovering silently in the sky above, watching everything unfold.
"So, you want to test the strength of the Celestial Sect? Very well... I'll make you regret underestimating it."
—
The two opponents faced each other in the central arena, where hundreds of disciples and elders had gathered to witness the confrontation.
The Elder of the White Tiger Sect raised his hand to signal the start of the match.
"Begin!"
The moment Ling Fei heard the command, he launched forward at incredible speed, leaving a violent gust in his wake. His fist, coated in golden energy resembling tiger claws, shot straight toward Rayan with force enough to shatter a boulder.
"Die!"
But just as his fist was about to connect—
Rayan vanished.
"What?!"
In the blink of an eye, Rayan reappeared behind Ling Fei. Without giving him a chance to react, he gently tapped the disciple's shoulder.
BOOM!
Ling Fei's body smashed into the ground with terrifying force, creating a massive crater in the middle of the arena as dust and rubble exploded upward.
A deadly silence fell over the scene.
"W-what just happened?!"
No one could believe what they'd just witnessed. Even the White Tiger Sect Elder froze. Ling Fei—one of his strongest disciples—had been defeated with a single strike?
Rayan stood motionless, his icy gaze sweeping over the crowd.
"Are these the disciples you want me to fight? If so... don't waste my time."
—
In a corner of the arena, the Elder of the Severing Sword Sect watched with wary eyes. A sense of danger stirred deep inside him.
"This youth... is no ordinary cultivator. If we're not careful, the Celestial Sect could spell disaster for us all."
Yet the other elders remained unconvinced.
The White Tiger Sect Elder, after a long pause, burst out in fury.
"Impossible! You mock us?! If you think you're so powerful, then fight me yourself!"
Rayan looked at him calmly—and for the first time, he smiled.
"You want to fight the leader of the Celestial Sect? Fine..."
At that moment, the air trembled, and a new notification appeared before Rayan:
[Leader Challenge: Defeat the Elder of the White Tiger Sect to enhance the reputation of the Celestial Sect in the Mortal World!]
Rayan dismissed the message, then took a single step forward.
"Come then... and I'll show you the real difference between us."
—
End of Chapter