The divine clang of the ceremonial bell echoed nine times across the Desolate Heaven Capital.

It signaled the official opening of the Dragon and Phoenix Competition.

Imperial Arena – Outer Circle!

The massive Imperial Arena spanned several li in every direction.

Forged from Profound-grade materials and reinforced with powerful arrays, it could withstand even Soul Formation Realm battles.

Participants were ushered into the Inner Preparation Grounds, a wide courtyard just beyond the coliseum gates.

Each major sect and clan had their designated waiting area separated by spiritual barriers.

Public Selection Participant Waiting Area!

There were about 10 participants who had won and had been selected as the participants of the Dragon and Phoenix Competition.

Many were already satisfied and didn’t think they would advance even one more round, as their strongest was in the Mid Nascent Soul Realm—excluding Nie Fengzhuo.

Their goal had already been achieved which was to win and get selected as participants for the Dragon and Phoenix Competition.

While on the other hand, it couldn’t be more different for Nie Fengzhuo.

He was finally going to see Bai Xueqing, the one who humiliated him when he was at his lowest, and was going to face her.

Despite what Bai Zihan said, his objective hadn’t changed.

He was still going to challenge and win against Bai Xueqing.

Heaven Sword Sect Waiting Area!

Lin Xuan calmly tied his long hair behind his head, his fingers methodical, his movements sharp and clean.

Though he stood among some of the most renowned young elites of the Desolate Heaven Empire, his expression remained indifferent.

His eyes swept across the various groups: the glacial calm of the Celestial Jade Hall, the thunderous aura from the Crimson Thunder Palace, the proud eyes of the Li and Zhao disciples.

But he paid them no mind.

He didn’t care for anyone here—except for two people.

Bai Xueqing stood a short distance away, arms folded, her aura cold and immovable.

And beside her—

Chu Ziyan, adjusting the silver hairpin in her bun, whispering something to a Heaven Sword disciple.

Lin Xuan walked over, the surrounding disciples instinctively stepping aside.

“Young Mistress,” he said calmly, bowing slightly.

“It seems like Young Master will be arriving late, and since we are already in the participant arena, meeting with him at the moment would be difficult.”

Chu Ziyan froze mid-sentence. Her eyes twitched.

“How many times do I need to repeat myself? Don’t call me that!”

She said under her breath.

Lin Xuan straightened.

“You are Young Master’s fiancée. So, I must address you properly.”

“We’re here as disciples of the Heaven Sword Sect. Just… call me Senior Sister or something.”

Lin Xuan’s brow furrowed ever so slightly.

“That would be inappropriate.”

Chu Ziyan pinched the bridge of her nose.

“It’s not inappropriate. It’s normal.”

Lin Xuan didn’t waver.

“As you say, Young Mistress.”

“You—!”

Bai Xueqing, standing nearby, let out a cold snort.

“Just let him call you what he wants, Ziyan’er. It’s not like people don’t already know.”

Sigh!

“And just why is he not participating?”

“Who knows? He does what he wants anyway.”

Bai Xueqing replied.

“Anyways, it must be something like the competition is beneath him or something.”

Chu Ziyan said. With Bai Zihan’s personality, she knew it would be something like this or similar.

As for the rumors about him being scared, there was no way she would believe it—even if Bai Zihan himself said so.

With his strength, it was more a question of whether he would bully others rather than being afraid of them.

Even those so-called geniuses under 30 were afraid of him—let alone those under 25.

Lin Xuan, meanwhile, stood silently behind them like an unmoving shadow—gaze calm, back straight, utterly undisturbed by the commotion around him.

He would’ve objected to even a small blemish on Bai Zihan’s name, but since it was Bai Xueqing and Chu Ziyan saying it, he said nothing.

***

Crimson Thunder Palace Waiting Area!

Lei Zhensheng leaned against a wall with his arms crossed. Lightning flickered across his shoulders like twitching serpents.

“Tch,” he muttered. “The Bai Clan sent their second-rate disciples?”

A youth behind him laughed.

“Maybe Bai Zihan really is scared. Can’t say I blame him. After all, you are participating.”

Lei Zhensheng cracked his knuckles.

“I was in seclusion for a few months and everyone started to think that he was some kind of invincible person. I was looking forward to decimating him.”

Lei Zhensheng looked a bit disappointed.

“A pity. But whatever. My target is still here!”

“Indeed! Crushing Bai Xueqing would be good enough to have your fame spread far and wide.”

Although Bai Zihan’s fame had risen rapidly, it was only recent. Before him, it was Bai Xueqing whose talent was said to be one of the strongest.

So, for one looking to be crowned the strongest of their generation, she was someone that must be defeated.

This would also silence those who claimed that younger generations had surpassed the older ones.

“I will show them what it means to fight against me!”

Lei Zhensheng said excitedly as his Thunder Qi flared.

Celestial Jade Hall Waiting Area!

Shui Lian’er sat in silence, a jade lotus blooming beneath her. Her eyes were closed, and a soft frost clung to the air around her.

One of her junior sisters whispered, “Senior Sister Lian’er… it seems like that Bai Zihan is not really going to participate.”

“Is that so?”

She said softly.

“I thought I would get to challenge him—the one said to have defeated Mo Tianji. Pity!”

“Hah? That must be a lie! You know how fearsome that devil is. How could it be possible for a junior like Bai Zihan to defeat him?”

Shui Lian’er’s junior sister continued.

“Even the Senior Sister and Brother who went to the Ancient Ruin said that they don’t know about that. Those Bai Clan members must be the ones spreading those lies!”

Well, of course they wouldn’t admit it.

Because admitting it would also mean admitting how they were humiliated and threatened by Bai Zihan in the Ancient Ruins.

Nobody wanted to remember just humiliation and so they collectively decided to forget about it.

Those people, after reporting back to the clan, went straight into seclusion.

And of course, before they went, they didn’t admit they were defeated by someone younger—or that their lives had been hanging by a thread under Bai Zihan’s threat.

They simply feigned ignorance.

Li Clan Waiting Hall!

Every disciple looked at a single person, their expressions full of confidence.

And it was none other than Li Meiying, the Li Clan Leader’s daughter.

Li Meiying stood at the edge of the terrace, her long black and red robes fluttering slightly in the wind.

Behind her, several younger Li disciples were seated, talking in hushed tones—their anger and humiliation from the last war still simmering.

“I still remember that battle…”

One of the younger Li disciples muttered, his voice tight with suppressed rage.

“We lost dozens of our best that day.”

“They didn’t just defeat us. They humiliated us. Our banners were trampled… our elders forced to retreat. Some of our kin never came back.”

Silence hung for a moment, thick with shame and fury.

“This time, we’ll take it back.”

The others straightened.

“This time, the Dragon and Phoenix Competition belongs to us.”

“Although it’s a pity that Bai Zihan isn’t participating, at least we can defeat other Bai Clan members.”

“We’ll show them that it was a fluke. That the Li Clan still deserves to be number one!”

“Let them remember that we were always stronger!”

Their words burned with conviction now, their auras flaring subtly in response. Confidence surged in their hearts—but all of it pointed toward one figure:

Li Meiying!

As she stood at the front, her expression calm but sharp, all eyes turned to her—filled with expectation, trust, and something more.

Hope!

She was their spearhead. Their redemption. The one who would carve the Li Clan’s name back into glory.

Li Meiying didn’t say anything but stood tall with confidence.

(F**K! How do you think I will win?)

On the outside, she was full of calm and confidence—but inside, it couldn’t be more different.

Panic! Fear!

She was feeling almost every negative emotion.

(What revenge? Do you think I’m stronger than Li Ming?)

Li Ming was someone stronger than her—and look at what happened to him.

There was no way she could defeat someone that even Li Ming couldn’t.

She felt very lucky that during the war with the Bai Clan, she had been in seclusion. Otherwise, she thought, she might have been the one in a wheelchair instead of Li Ming.

(Fortunately, that devil isn’t participating.)

Obviously referring to Bai Zihan.

Although others claimed it was a pity he wasn’t participating, she considered it their good fortune.

Otherwise… who knows?

She might end up just like Li Ming.

Of course, she couldn’t show her true self to others—as the beacon of hope and confidence for her fellow clan members.

“Don’t worry. Victory is already mine!”

She said with confidence as other disciples cheered.

Zhao Clan Waiting Hall!

Unlike the neighboring waiting halls where conversations stirred and anticipation buzzed, this room was eerily quiet.

There was no laughter, no light banter—only the weight of resentment and long-nurtured grudges.

Every Zhao disciple seated behind Zhao Chen carried the same look in their eyes: cold focus and quiet fury.

They weren’t here to enjoy the Dragon and Phoenix Competition. They weren’t even here to win.

They were here to redeem themselves.

The memory of their defeat—of the Bai Clan trampling their alliance, of elders wounded and disciples slain—still lingered like a fresh wound.

It had been one of the darkest years in Zhao Clan history.

The pressure was suffocating. No one needed to speak it aloud—everyone already understood.

There was no room for error. No space for mercy. No tolerance for failure.

Vengeance burned in their blood.

The Bai Clan had humiliated them.

Now, it was their turn to prove they still deserved to stand among the Empire’s greats.

Zhao Chen’s gaze remained fixed on the arena below, as if trying to carve their victory into reality through sheer will alone.

This wasn’t a tournament for them.

It was war!