The crowd had barely quieted after Su Chen's illusion-breaking victory when the arena began to shift again.
Rings of fire spiraled inward from the outer glyphs, reshaping the battlefield. Pillars of obsidian rose from the ground, crackling with red-gold embers. This was no ordinary trial stage—it was an arena forged for battle, not show.
The announcer's voice thundered above.
"Final Trial Candidate: Xue Mo of the Outer Sect. Combat alignment—Spirit Pact Class. Danger rating: Grade A."
"Opponent: Su Chen, Inner Disciple Candidate. Danger rating: Unranked… Potential: Unmeasured."
The crowd stirred.
"Xue Mo?" someone murmured. "Didn't he disappear two years ago?"
"I thought he was expelled..."
Su Chen's eyes narrowed. He remembered Xue Mo—an awkward outer sect disciple with poor cultivation talent but a fierce temper. He was never strong, never noticed.
So why did the air feel wrong now?
A figure stepped onto the platform from the shadows.
Xue Mo had changed.
Gone was the hunched, uncertain boy. In his place stood a tall, lean man with wild crimson eyes and long hair that shimmered like burning coals. His spiritual aura was twisted, pulsing erratically—unstable, yet powerful.
The ground beneath him sizzled as he walked.
Yue Ling, watching from the balcony, frowned. "He made a pact. I can feel the spirit's hunger… It's not a normal one."
Su Chen activated his internal scan.
> [Alert: Foreign Spirit Signature Detected – Class: Forbidden Flame]
Warning: Soul Corruption present. Pact stability: Low. Host Mind Integrity: 63%
So that's what this was.
A gamble. Xue Mo had sacrificed his future for instant power.
"Su Chen!" Xue Mo's voice was gravel now. "I don't want to kill you. But I have to win."
Su Chen raised a brow. "For what?"
Xue Mo's eyes flared. "For acknowledgment. For all of us they ignored. I was laughed at, beaten, forgotten. But now—now they see me."
His body convulsed, and flames burst from his back like wings. Not pure fire—something darker. The flames clung to the air like oil, distorting space.
Su Chen didn't flinch.
He spoke calmly. "You think power given is the same as power earned? That pact is eating your mind."
Xue Mo sneered. "Better a mind devoured than a life forgotten!"
The bell rang.
The duel began.
Xue Mo moved first—exploding forward, wreathed in burning arcs. The flames screamed as they moved, warping the air around them. He thrust his hand toward Su Chen's chest, claws formed from pact-fire.
Su Chen dodged, narrowly avoiding a direct hit—but the flame grazed his arm.
> [Status: Minor Corruption Detected – Cleansing Initiated]
System Protection Holding: 92%
The pain was real. The corruption tried to cling to his spirit.
Su Chen retaliated with a burst of violet Qi, sending a shockwave through the arena. But Xue Mo absorbed it—literally. The flames ate the energy and grew stronger.
"That's the pact," Yue Ling whispered, horrified. "It devours all spiritual essence. If he gets stronger from your attacks…"
Su Chen realized it too.
This wasn't a fight he could win by brute force. He needed to be clever.
"Your power doesn't belong to you," he called out, circling around.
"It's mine now!" Xue Mo screamed, charging again.
Su Chen jumped backward, landing on one of the obsidian spires. "Then let me show you what it means to wield true control."
He extended two fingers, gathering Qi—not in a blast, but in a seal.
> [Technique: Binding Glyph – Spirit Lock Variant Activated]
Golden runes spiraled from his fingertips, forming a cage midair. When Xue Mo lunged again, Su Chen redirected his momentum—forcing him into the trap.
The runes snapped shut, catching Xue Mo mid-dash.
He screamed. Flames surged outward in retaliation, burning against the seal. The spirit inside him shrieked—a hollow, ancient cry that didn't sound human.
> [Forbidden Flame Resistance: 76%]
Cracks formed in the cage.
Su Chen's breathing slowed. He had seconds before it broke.
He formed another hand sign. A silent chant.
> [Qi Technique: Meridian Sever]
A small orb of energy condensed in his palm, aimed not at Xue Mo—but at the chain visible behind him. A spiritual tether, barely perceptible—linking Xue Mo's soul to the forbidden entity.
Su Chen launched the orb.
It struck.
The chain snapped.
Xue Mo convulsed violently as the connection severed. The flames screamed—then collapsed inward, howling in agony.
Su Chen leapt away just as the explosion burst outward.
When the smoke cleared, Xue Mo was on the ground, unmoving but alive. The fire had vanished.
The crowd was silent.
Then the announcer spoke:
"Winner: Su Chen. Trial complete. All three opponents defeated."
> [System Update: Reset Anchor Stabilized – Tier: Bronze]
New Ability Unlocked: Flame Immunity (Partial – Forbidden Class)
Reputation: Rising Prodigy – Noted by Elder Division
Later, as medics carried Xue Mo away, Su Chen knelt beside him.
"You could've become strong the right way."
Xue Mo opened one eye, half-conscious.
"I didn't have time… people like you don't need shortcuts."
Su Chen didn't respond immediately.
Then he said quietly, "Everyone has demons. Some just learn to reset them."
And with that, he stood and walked away—toward the sect gate where the elder representatives waited.
This trial was over.
But the real battles were just beginning.