The arena was deathly silent. No one had expected this outcome.

Wang Renshu—the prodigy of the Outer Sect—had lost.

Lin Xuan stood there, blood dripping from his wound, his chest rising and falling heavily. The golden energy flickering around him slowly faded, leaving only exhaustion in its wake.

"I… lost?" Wang Renshu muttered, staring at his shattered sword in disbelief.

The crowd erupted.

"This… this is insane!"

"Lin Xuan actually defeated Wang Renshu?!"

"Is this the true power of the inheritance?"

Even the elders watching from above showed expressions of interest. A mere outer disciple defeating one of the strongest in his rank? This was not something that happened often.

THE AFTERMATH

Zhao Feng rushed forward. "Brother Lin, are you alright?"

Lin Xuan gave a small nod. "Just… tired."

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He could still feel the lingering warmth of the energy he had used, but something about it felt unstable. Like it wasn’t meant to be controlled yet.

Wang Renshu, still kneeling, clenched his fists. His pride had taken a massive hit, but after a long silence, he let out a breath and looked up at Lin Xuan.

"You won fair and square," he admitted, his voice steady despite his loss.

Lin Xuan nodded. "It was a good fight."

A faint smile crossed Wang Renshu’s face. "Next time, I won’t hold back."

Lin Xuan chuckled. "Neither will I."

EYES IN THE SHADOWS

Up in the elder’s pavilion, a few figures watched the battle’s conclusion with sharp eyes.

An elder with a long white beard stroked his chin. "This Lin Xuan… he is growing at an unnatural pace."

Another elder, dressed in dark robes, smirked. "Perhaps the inheritance is guiding him. Or perhaps… he was always meant to be more."

At the very back, a figure in silver robes leaned against the wall, their expression unreadable.

"So, he’s finally stepping into the real stage…"

The figure turned, disappearing into the darkness.

A NEW CHALLENGE APPROACHES

Lin Xuan barely had time to rest when a disciple in dark robes approached him, bowing deeply.

"Senior Brother Lin," the disciple said with urgency. "The Inner Sect has summoned you."

Lin Xuan’s expression turned serious. The Inner Sect?

He exchanged a glance with Zhao Feng.

"Looks like your troubles aren’t over yet," Zhao Feng said with a smirk.

Lin Xuan sighed. "When are they ever?"

As he turned toward the Inner Sect’s grand staircase, he couldn’t shake the feeling…

This was only the beginning.