The moment Lin Shuan's words fell—
"…you talk too much."
—the air itself seemed to tighten.
For a fraction of a second, everything stilled.
Then—
it exploded.
Yan Lie's eyes sharpened, the hint of surprise instantly replaced by excitement. Not anger. Not irritation.
Excitement.
A grin spread wider across his face, almost feral.
"Good."
His voice dropped, deeper now.
"Finally… someone interesting."
BOOM.
Black lightning erupted violently from his body, tearing through the surrounding air like enraged serpents. The ground beneath them shattered further, cracks spreading like fractures in reality itself.
Lin Shuan released his grip.
Not because he was forced to—
but because he chose to.
He stepped back once.
Calm.
Measured.
But Yan Lie—
vanished.
Not fast.
Not quick.
Gone.
The next instant—
CRACK!
A streak of black lightning tore through the space where Lin Shuan had been standing.
But he was no longer there.
A faint blur.
A shift.
Minimal movement—
maximum efficiency.
Yan Lie reappeared behind him, already mid-strike, his leg sweeping with terrifying force.
Lin Shuan raised his arm—
BOOM!
Impact.
The force rippled outward, flattening the surrounding grass and sending dust spiraling into the air.
For a moment—
they remained locked.
Yan Lie's strength surged through the strike, lightning crawling along Lin Shuan's arm like venom.
But—
it stopped there.
It didn't spread.
It didn't penetrate.
It simply—
stalled.
Yan Lie's grin twitched.
"…you're blocking it?"
Lin Shuan didn't answer.
He moved.
A slight twist of his wrist—
a shift of weight—
and suddenly Yan Lie's balance broke.
Not violently.
Not obviously.
Just enough.
Lin Shuan's palm shot forward—
aimed at his chest.
Yan Lie reacted instantly.
BOOM!
Lightning exploded between them, forcing separation.
Both figures slid back across the ground, leaving trails of destruction behind them.
Silence followed.
Heavy.
Electric.
Yan Lie stood still, his lightning crackling more intensely now. His eyes locked onto Lin Shuan—not casually anymore.
Focused.
Sharp.
Calculating.
"…you're not One-Star."
It wasn't a question.
Lin Shuan remained expressionless.
The faintest trace of frost lingered in the air around him.
Unseen.
But felt.
Yan Lie exhaled slowly.
Then—
he laughed.
Not loudly.
But genuinely.
"This is good."
Another step forward.
"Really good."
His aura surged again, stronger this time. The black lightning began to condense, not spreading wildly anymore—but compressing around him.
Refined.
Controlled.
Dangerous.
"You know…" he said, voice lowering, "most people try to hide their strength."
A pause.
His eyes gleamed.
"But you…"
"...you hide something else."
The air trembled.
Lin Shuan didn't deny it.
Didn't confirm it.
He simply stood there.
Silent.
And that silence—
was heavier than any answer.
Yan Lie moved again.
This time—
faster.
Faster than before.
The ground beneath him shattered as he launched forward, lightning trailing behind him like a storm unleashed.
He struck—
once.
Twice.
Three times.
Each attack faster than the last.
Each one aimed to kill.
Lin Shuan moved with him.
Not matching speed—
but predicting it.
Minimal movements.
Precise angles.
Every strike was blocked.
Redirected.
Avoided.
Their clash became a blur.
Lightning versus silence.
Explosion versus control.
The forest around them began to collapse under the pressure. Trees shattered. Stones cracked. The very ground trembled beneath their movements.
Then—
Yan Lie changed.
His attacks stopped being direct.
They became erratic.
Unpredictable.
Lightning split into multiple arcs, striking from different angles at once.
Illusion?
No.
Speed.
Pure, overwhelming speed.
Lin Shuan's eyes narrowed slightly.
For the first time—
he adjusted.
His body shifted, frost beginning to gather faintly along his fingertips.
Not released.
Not yet.
But ready.
Yan Lie appeared above him—
and struck down.
A vertical strike infused with condensed lightning, tearing through the air like a blade.
Lin Shuan didn't dodge.
He stepped forward.
Into it.
And in that instant—
he released it.
A fragment.
Just a fragment—
of the Frost Divine Heart.
The world changed.
The temperature dropped violently.
Lightning met frost—
and froze.
For a single impossible moment—
black lightning crystallized mid-air.
Yan Lie's eyes widened.
"...what—"
CRACK!
The frozen lightning shattered.
Lin Shuan's strike followed immediately.
It landed.
Direct.
Yan Lie was sent flying.
He crashed through two trees before stopping, sliding across the ground.
Silence.
Dust settled slowly.
Then—
Yan Lie stood up.
Slowly.
Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
But—
he was smiling.
"…that hurt."
His voice was quieter now.
But heavier.
He wiped the blood casually.
His aura flickered—
slightly unstable.
Lin Shuan stood still.
But inside—
his energy shifted.
That strike had not been free.
The Frost Divine Heart had responded—
but it demanded balance.
Control.
Too much—
and even he would suffer.
Yan Lie noticed.
Of course he did.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"…so you're not untouchable."
A grin returned.
Sharp.
Predatory.
"Good."
He stepped forward again—
but slower this time.
Measured.
Then—
he stopped.
Silence stretched between them.
The tension remained.
But the intent to kill—
faded.
Yan Lie exhaled.
"…this isn't the place."
Lin Shuan didn't respond.
Yan Lie chuckled softly.
"If we keep going…"
He glanced around.
"…we'll both lose more than we gain."
A pause.
Then his gaze sharpened again.
"But make no mistake."
His voice dropped.
Cold.
"If you meet me in the arena—"
Lightning flickered once more around him.
"…you will die."
No arrogance.
No exaggeration.
Just a statement.
He turned.
Just like that.
And began to walk away.
After a few steps—
he stopped briefly.
"…don't die before that."
Then—
he vanished.
Gone.
The forest fell silent once more.
Lin Shuan remained where he stood.
Unmoving.
Until—
a faint tremor ran through his body.
Blood surfaced at the corner of his lips.
He wiped it calmly.
No expression.
But the truth was clear—
he was injured.
Not heavily.
But enough.
That last exchange—
had cost him.
He exhaled slowly.
Then—
without hesitation—
he moved.
Not deeper into danger.
But to a hidden area nearby.
A narrow hollow between twisted rocks.
Shielded.
Concealed.
Safe—
for now.
He sat down.
Cross-legged.
His breathing steadied.
Then—
his hand moved.
From within his storage—
one by one—
Energy Crystals appeared.
Dozens.
Small.
Large.
Dim.
Bright.
All of them—
gathered from his hunt.
Unlike others—
who absorbed instantly—
Lin Shuan had stored them.
Refined them.
Waited.
For this moment.
His eyes closed.
"…now."
One crystal rose.
Entered his body.
Absorbed.
Then another.
And another.
The process began.
Slow at first.
Then faster.
Energy surged through his meridians, flowing into his core, reinforcing it, expanding it, stabilizing it.
The One-Star foundation—
began to change.
Cracks.
Expansion.
Pressure.
His body trembled slightly.
But his control—
never broke.
More crystals.
More energy.
The flow intensified.
His aura—
still hidden—
began to deepen internally.
Denser.
Sharper.
Stronger.
Then—
it happened.
A shift.
A breakthrough.
Not explosive.
Not violent.
But absolute.
His Energy Core—
evolved.
Two-Star.
The energy stabilized instantly, settling into a new balance.
Stronger.
Far more stable than before.
Lin Shuan opened his eyes.
A faint glow faded within them.
He exhaled.
Slowly.
"…better."
But he didn't stop.
He continued refining the remaining energy.
Not for breakthrough—
but for foundation.
Strengthening it.
Perfecting it.
Time passed.
Then—
he stood.
Fully stabilized.
Injuries suppressed.
Energy controlled.
His gaze lifted toward the deeper forest.
Now—
the real decision.
Where to go.
What to take.
What to hunt.
He analyzed quickly.
Spirit Herbs were limited.
Guarded.
Dangerous.
Participants would begin clashing soon.
Which meant—
two paths.
Hunt beasts—
grow steadily.
Or hunt people—
grow faster.
Lin Shuan's eyes narrowed slightly.
Then—
he chose.
"…both."
He stepped forward.
Silent.
Cold.
Controlled.
Into the deeper mist.
Where stronger beasts lurked.
Where stronger warriors hunted.
Where—
the real game—
was just beginning.