Morning training at Shrek Academy resumed as usual.
Tang San moved through the courtyard with controlled precision, Blue Silver Grass weaving effortlessly around wooden dummies. His control was perfect—every movement efficient, every breath calculated.
Yet his mind wasn't fully here.
That pressure last night…It wasn't a beast. It wasn't a teacher.
His eyes drifted toward Lin Chen.
Lin Chen stood near the edge of the field, hands behind his back, watching Zhu Zhuqing spar with Dai Mubai. He wasn't guiding. He wasn't correcting.
He was simply present.
That alone altered the rhythm of the fight.
"Tang San."
Grandmaster's voice cut through his thoughts.
Yu Xiaogang stood beside him, eyes narrowed behind his glasses.
"You felt it too," the master said quietly.
Tang San nodded. "Yes."
Yu Xiaogang followed his gaze. "Lin Chen released something last night."
Tang San frowned. "You know?"
"I suspected," Yu Xiaogang replied. "But now I'm certain."
He paused, then asked the question Tang San had been avoiding.
"Can you see his limit?"
Tang San opened his mouth.
Then closed it.
His spiritual power—cultivated through the Mysterious Heaven Technique—was sharper than most. He could sense fluctuations others missed.
But Lin Chen…
There's no waveform, Tang San realized.It's like staring into a lake with no ripples.
"I can't," Tang San admitted.
Yu Xiaogang sighed softly. "That's the problem."
Before Tang San could respond, Zhao Wuji shouted, "Pair training! Tang San—Lin Chen!"
The courtyard froze.
Every head turned.
Tang San's heart tightened—not fear, but tension.
"…Yes," he said.
Lin Chen stepped forward calmly.
They stood ten meters apart.
No hostility.
No arrogance.
Just two prodigies facing one another.
"Begin!"
Tang San moved first.
Blue Silver Grass burst from the ground, twisting toward Lin Chen's legs. At the same time, his first soul ring flashed.
"Blue Silver Entanglement!"
The vines surged—
And stopped.
Not frozen.
Not destroyed.
They simply… lost intent.
Lin Chen lifted a finger.
The frost-white lotus appeared briefly behind him, petals shimmering.
The entanglement unraveled, grass retreating as if embarrassed.
Tang San's pupils shrank.
Domain influence… without full release?!
He reacted instantly, throwing hidden weapons mid-spin—Dragon Beard Needles slicing through the air.
Lin Chen stepped forward.
One step.
The needles passed him.
Not missing.
Choosing not to exist where he stood.
Tang San skidded back, breath sharp.
Lin Chen stopped.
"That's enough," he said calmly.
The courtyard was silent.
Zhao Wuji swallowed.
Yu Xiaogang closed his eyes.
Tang San stared at Lin Chen, heart pounding.
"…You weren't attacking," he said quietly.
"No," Lin Chen replied. "I was measuring."
Tang San clenched his fists. "And?"
Lin Chen met his gaze, expression steady.
"You're impressive," he said. "For this era."
The words weren't insulting.
That made them heavier.
Tang San exhaled slowly.
"I don't plan to fall behind," he said.
Lin Chen smiled faintly.
"Good," he replied. "That's how you survive."
The system shimmered unseen.
[Key Variable Acknowledged: Tang San][Fate Deviation Increased]
Tang San watched Lin Chen walk away.
For the first time since arriving in this world—
He understood something clearly.
He isn't my rival, Tang San thought.He's the storm the era will have to endure.
High above, fate twisted again.
And somewhere in Spirit Hall—
A watcher finally opened their eyes.