The arena floor trembled before Jade Mountain Titan even stepped forward.
Each footfall was heavy.
Measured.
Intentional.
His body looked carved from granite—broad shoulders, thick arms, veins like ropes beneath stone-toned skin. A faint earthen aura pulsed around him, dense and oppressive.
The crowd roared his name.
"Jade Mountain!"
"Crush him!"
Lin Feng stood opposite him.
Smaller.
Looser.
Rolling his neck like he was about to stretch before a jog.
System activated immediately.
[BOSS ANALYSIS – JADE MOUNTAIN TITAN]
Realm: Martial Adept Stage 5
Primary Attribute: Earth Reinforcement Body
Strength: 55
Defense: 63
Speed: 28
Combat Rating: 395
Passive: Stone Skin Layer
Reduces blunt force by 40%
Probability of frontal assault success: 12%
Probability of survival after direct collision: questionable
"Suggestion: Avoid being hit."
Lin Feng nodded seriously.
"Excellent advice."
Across the arena, Liu Xueyi watched without expression.
Zhao Tiansheng stood behind her.
"He will either surprise you… or get buried."
She replied calmly.
"Both are interesting."
Round Begins
A gong echoed.
Jade Mountain Titan did not rush.
He simply walked forward.
Pressure rolled ahead of him like a slow-moving avalanche.
Lin Feng activated Chaos Flow.
He moved lightly—circling.
Spinning once.
Testing.
The Titan suddenly lunged.
The ground cracked beneath his foot.
His fist came down like a falling boulder.
Lin Feng slipped sideways—
Too slow.
The shockwave alone blasted him backward.
He rolled twice before regaining footing.
Dust filled the air.
The crowd cheered wildly.
"Flatten him!"
System flashed.
[IMPACT WARNING]
Minor internal vibration damage
HP reduced
Comedic Resilience activated
"Observation: That was not the main punch."
Lin Feng coughed.
"…I noticed."
First Attempt – Chaos Fails
He surged forward.
Chaos Flow Lv8 activated.
Spinning low kick—
Connected with Titan's calf.
Nothing.
It felt like kicking a tree trunk.
Titan didn't even flinch.
He grabbed.
Lin Feng barely twisted away as a massive hand scraped across his sleeve.
If caught—finished.
XP +20 (minor strike)
Probability of victory dropped to 27%.
The Titan spoke for the first time.
"You are light."
Lin Feng grinned.
"You are heavy."
Titan charged.
Avalanche Mode
Stone aura intensified.
[TECHNIQUE DETECTED – EARTH PRESSURE DOMAIN]
Movement speed reduced by 18% within 5-meter radius
Ground stability increased
Escape difficulty: High
Lin Feng felt it immediately.
His footwork slowed.
Air felt thicker.
"System."
"Yes."
"I think the mountain is cheating."
"It is using technique."
"Same thing."
Titan's elbow came sideways.
Lin Feng ducked—
But the aura clipped him.
He skidded hard across the arena floor.
Blood touched his lip.
The crowd roared louder.
Adaptation Begins
Chaos Instinct flickered.
Micro-adjustments.
Subtle shifts.
Lin Feng stood slowly.
Breathing deeper.
He stopped smiling.
Not joking now.
System pulsed.
[ADAPTIVE ANALYSIS IN PROGRESS]
Earth Pressure Domain operates in pulses.
Interval between full compression waves: 3.2 seconds.
Recommendation: Move between pulses.
Lin Feng's eyes sharpened.
"…You're saying dance between heartbeats?"
"Correct."
He grinned again.
"Oh that's fun."
Earthquake Awakens
Titan stepped forward.
Pressure wave expanded.
One—
Two—
Three—
Lin Feng moved at 3.1.
He slipped inside the compression window.
Titan's eyes widened slightly.
First clean entry.
Lin Feng struck—
Elbow to ribs.
Pivot.
Palm to sternum.
Spin.
Heel to jaw.
Combo Chain Activated
XP +80
Stone Skin penetration: 9%
Titan staggered half a step.
Half a step was huge.
The crowd shifted.
Azure Cloud Sect disciples screamed in shock.
Zhao narrowed his eyes.
Liu Xueyi leaned forward slightly.
Mountain Responds
Titan roared.
Full aura eruption.
The ground beneath him rose slightly—elevated stone platform forming naturally.
[SECONDARY PHASE ACTIVATED]
Defense increased
Impact absorption 55%
Shockwave radius expanded
Probability of survival if struck directly: 41%
Lin Feng inhaled slowly.
"…Okay."
Titan slammed both fists into the ground.
The arena floor split.
Shockwave exploded outward like a collapsing cliff face.
Lin Feng was launched airborne.
For a moment—
He was weightless.
The crowd gasped.
This was the end.
Chaos Instinct Evolution
Mid-air.
Time slowed.
System voice softened.
"Survival threshold exceeded."
"Chaos Instinct responding."
[EVOLUTION IN PROGRESS]
Chaos Instinct Lv2 → Lv3
New Effect: Mid-air trajectory correction
Micro-muscle adjustment unlocked
Lin Feng twisted mid-air.
Rotated.
Used falling debris as stepping stones.
Actually stepped—
On broken stone.
The crowd went silent.
He launched himself downward.
Momentum Surge + Chaos Flow + Adaptive Counter.
Everything.
All at once.
He became a spinning drill of chaos.
He struck Titan's shoulder joint—
The one momentarily exposed from ground slam recoil.
CRACK.
Stone aura flickered violently.
Critical Structural Hit
Defense penetration 28%
XP +160
Fist Points +120
Titan staggered.
For the first time—
He dropped to one knee.
The Silence
The entire arena froze.
Jade Mountain Titan.
On one knee.
Against a Stage 4 mud-covered lunatic.
Lin Feng landed roughly.
Breathing hard.
Vision slightly blurred.
Titan slowly rose again.
But his aura was weaker.
Shoulder trembling slightly.
He stared at Lin Feng.
"You… move like disaster."
Lin Feng wiped blood from his mouth.
"You stand like target practice."
Titan charged.
One final clash.
No techniques.
Just raw power.
Their fists collided.
Shockwave blasted outward.
Dust swallowed the arena.
When Dust Settled
Two figures stood.
Barely.
Titan swayed.
Lin Feng swayed more.
Then—
Titan's knee buckled.
He collapsed backward.
Arena erupted.
Azure Cloud Sect disciples lost their minds.
The Southern Realm spectators stared in disbelief.
Zhao Tiansheng exhaled slowly.
Liu Xueyi's calm mask cracked—
Just slightly.
Interest.
Genuine interest.
Victory
The tournament elder raised his hand.
"Winner — Lin Feng of Azure Cloud Sect!"
The roar was deafening.
System chimed triumphantly.
[BATTLE RESULTS]
XP Gained: 420
Fist Points Gained: 250
Chaos Flow Lv8 → Lv9
Momentum Mastery Lv3 → Lv4
Hidden Sync Rate: 35%
New Passive Unlocked:
Seismic Impact (bonus damage against high-defense opponents)
Title Updated:
The Unbreakable Fool → The Walking Earthquake
Effect: Intimidation bonus against defensive fighters.
Lin Feng looked at the unconscious Titan.
Then at the screaming arena.
Then at his shaking hands.
He laughed weakly.
"I… beat a mountain."
System responded calmly.
"Correction. You became one."
Across the arena—
Liu Xueyi's gaze did not leave him.
For the first time—
The Phoenix's flames flickered.