The clash didn't stop.
It sharpened.
Lin Feng stepped forward again, his opponent already moving to meet him. There was no hesitation now, no testing phase left between them. Both understood—
This wasn't a warm-up.
The man's strike came low this time.
Faster than before.
More precise.
Lin Feng shifted his stance slightly.
Not retreating.
Not fully blocking.
Redirecting.
Their arms met—
A sharp deflection.
And in the same motion—
Lin Feng stepped in.
Too close.
His fist drove forward.
The man twisted his body at the last second—
Barely avoiding a direct hit.
But the force still caught him.
He slid back several steps.
Not defeated.
But shaken.
"…You're not holding back," the man said quietly.
Lin Feng smirked.
"…You shouldn't either."
No anger.
No arrogance.
Just truth.
The man exhaled slowly.
Then—
His aura changed.
Subtle.
But real.
He adjusted his stance.
More grounded.
More focused.
"Good," Lin Feng thought.
Because now—
This was a fight.
Around them, the platform had become a web of controlled chaos.
Every pair engaged.
Every movement deliberate.
No wasted energy.
No wild attacks.
This wasn't about showing off.
It was about proving something deeper.
Lin Feng felt it again—
That presence above.
Watching.
Not interfering.
But judging.
"…Yeah," he thought.
"Now I get it."
This wasn't just about factions.
This was a selection.
And suddenly—
The fight in front of him mattered even more.
His opponent moved again.
Faster.
The distance between them closed instantly.
A strike aimed at Lin Feng's chest—
Lin Feng didn't block.
He stepped into it.
Took the impact—
Partially.
And returned one of his own.
THUD!
The exchange was clean.
Direct.
Both stepped back.
Neither falling.
Neither yielding.
A brief pause.
Then—
They moved again.
This time—
No restraint.
Lin Feng's movements grew sharper.
More efficient.
Less force.
More control.
The difference from before—
Clear.
He wasn't just reacting anymore.
He was dictating.
Every step.
Every shift.
Every angle.
His opponent noticed.
And adjusted.
But not fast enough.
Lin Feng slipped past his guard—
A single opening.
That was all he needed.
His fist drove forward.
Clean.
Direct.
BOOM!
The man was sent back—
Sliding across the platform.
He caught himself—
Barely.
Still standing.
But the difference—
Was clear.
Lin Feng stepped forward again.
Not rushing.
Not pressing wildly.
Just—
Advancing.
"…You're done," he said calmly.
Not a taunt.
A statement.
The man stared at him.
Breathing heavier now.
Then—
Slowly—
He lowered his stance.
"…I yield."
Simple.
Clear.
The moment he said it—
The pressure between them vanished.
Lin Feng stopped.
Didn't strike again.
Didn't push further.
Because this—
Wasn't that kind of fight.
He turned slightly.
Scanning the platform.
Others were still fighting.
Some evenly matched.
Some already decided.
And then—
His eyes found her.
Su Yao.
Her opponent was strong.
But it didn't matter.
Because she wasn't just winning.
She was controlling everything.
Every movement.
Every strike.
Precise.
Efficient.
Untouchable.
Lin Feng watched for a moment.
"…Yeah."
"She's on another level."
As if sensing his gaze—
She moved.
One final strike.
Clean.
Her opponent dropped—
Not unconscious.
But unable to continue.
And just like that—
She finished.
No wasted motion.
No extra effort.
She stepped back.
Calm.
Unchanged.
Their eyes met again.
This time—
Longer.
More aware.
Not just acknowledgment.
Recognition.
Lin Feng smiled slightly.
"…Guess I've got work to do."
Around them—
The remaining fights ended one by one.
Until—
Silence returned.
The platform settled.
The energy in the room shifted again.
Not tense.
Not chaotic.
But—
Focused.
Because now—
Only a few remained standing.
Lin Feng.
Su Yao.
And two others.
The older man at the center stepped forward once more.
His gaze moved across them.
Measuring.
Weighing.
Then—
He spoke.
"Good."
Just one word.
But it carried weight.
"You will continue."
No explanation.
No hesitation.
Just—
Expectation.
Lin Feng exhaled slowly.
"…Of course we will."
Because now—
This wasn't just a test.
It was a narrowing.
A selection.
And he was still in it.
Cliffhanger
As the four remaining fighters stood on the platform—
The air above shifted again.
Stronger this time.
Heavier.
Closer.
Lin Feng felt it clearly now.
Not just watching.
Deciding.
"…Yeah," he thought.
"This just got serious."
And across from him—
Su Yao took a single step forward.
The next round—
Was about to begin.
And this time—
There would be no easy matches.