Morning sunlight streamed into the colossal Grand Arena, scattering frost into glittering shards that drifted across the stone. Eight hundred thousand seats loomed above the arena floor, packed with students, nobles, and instructors. Five thousand examinees stood at its heart, the air tense with anticipation. Frost-tipped banners fluttered on marble pillars, each emblazoned with the sigil of Central—the seven-pointed star.
The murmurs of the crowd rose like a storm tide, all centered on a single name whispered again and again.
"Feng Jian."
From the upper tiers, nobles leaned forward, disbelief on their faces."He's not from Central," one gasped."Then how… how did he break Lisa Draconis's record?""She held it with one hundred and ten years of Natural Ki. He had—one hundred and forty?""That's impossible. Outsiders don't surpass Central bloodlines."
Lisa herself sat in silence, her silver-trimmed robe falling in neat folds, expression unreadable. She gave nothing away, her black eyes fixed on the arena below. Ava, bright and full of curiosity at her side, fidgeted with nervous energy.
"Lisaaa, doesn't this bother you at all?" she whispered.Lisa's reply was a soft murmur. "Records are meant to be broken.""But still, the number one spot—that's supposed to belong to Central elites. Not… him." Ava leaned closer, eyes sparkling. "Don't you even want to see what he'll do next?"Lisa's gaze lingered on Feng. "I already am."
On the floor, Jian stood apart, the cheers and murmurs washing over him like waves against stone. Maria glanced at him, pride softening her features, but he barely noticed. His mind was elsewhere, his focus locked inward.
The panel of the Asura System hovered before him, bathed in ethereal light only he could see.
┏━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━┳━━━━━━━━━━━━━━┓┃ CLASS: ARCANE ┃ ★★★★ ┃┃ DEX : 65 ┃ STR: 45 ┃┃ INT : 55 ┃ AGI: 20 ┃┃ Natural Ki : 140 yrs┃ (Abundant) ┃┃ Wind Ki : Advanced King (8★) ┃┃ Dark Ki : Novice King (1★) ┃┗━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━┻━━━━━━━━━━━━━━┛
He inhaled slowly. Class Arcane… not Arcanist. The detail mattered. Mark's words returned in fragments:
"The Asura System isn't just a measure of power. It grows with you. The blades, the system, even your skill paths—everything evolves."
Maria's voice too, in memory:
"You'll only wield those twin blades at their full potential once the Asura System awakens. Until then, they'll feel incomplete."
And now, standing here, he finally saw what they meant.
🌿 Wind Ki Tree – "Wind Dance"
The system unfolded like a scroll. Branches of green light bent and curved, forming the outline of a dancer's steps. Each node pulsed faintly with Wind Qi, inviting him closer.
Dance I: Leaf Splitter – Sharp, singular strikes, like severed leaves.
Dance II: Dancing Leaves – A flowing flurry, blades weaving like autumn winds.
Dance III: Whispering Gale – Swift steps that carried the body as lightly as air.
Dance IV: Spiral Drift – Twin blades spun into tornado arcs.
Dance V: Storm's Embrace – Wind and Natural Ki entwined, the dance evolving.
Dance VI: Sky Piercer – Dual thrusts splitting the air above.
Dance VII: Roaring Tempest – Sweeping dual-blade storm fueled by both Ki types.
Dance VIII: Heavenfall Waltz – Ascending storm column, elegance and destruction bound.
Dance IX: Eternal Cyclone – The peak art; endless, consuming wind.
Jian's hand trembled slightly at the sight. It was not just power. It was… artistry.
⚔️ Gale Style – Twin Blade Arts
Another path emerged, edges outlined in jade light. The Gale Style emphasized dual-wielding, each chapter pairing with the dances.
Early chapters focused on Wind Ki alone.
But from Chapter 5 onward, Natural Ki merged in, strengthening body and blade.
A core skill glowed faintly: Dual Wielding (Passive).
🌑 Dark Ki Tree – ???
Then came the shadows. A second branch of the skill tree flickered, unstable. Icons pulsed and vanished, hidden behind a shifting mist. Only fragments showed.
Node 1: ???
Node 2: ???
Node 3: ???
The presence of the Dark element was undeniable, but its shape… unknowable.
What are you hiding from me? Jian wondered, his breath quickening.
Around him, whispers carried across the floor.
"Outsider or not, he's already set the highest Natural Ki in decades.""He stole Central's crown.""Lisa Draconis will crush him next year. Just wait.""No, look at his calmness. He doesn't even seem to care for the glory."
Zheng, standing further back, clenched his fists until his knuckles whitened. His eyes burned with resentment. That spot should've been mine. He doesn't belong here. He stole it.
Above, Lisa remained silent, her gaze fixed on Jian. Ava shifted uncomfortably."Lisa, aren't you going to say anything? He broke your record."Lisa's voice was soft, detached. "I was simply holding the place until someone stronger arrived."Ava blinked. "That's… not what I expected you to say."Lisa finally turned her head, her expression unreadable. "Because you don't understand. Strength isn't the record—it's what you do with it."
Jian closed the panel at last, drawing a steady breath. The system had revealed enough for now. He didn't bask in the whispers or the shock. His eyes only lingered on the arena gates ahead, where the trial awaited.
Let them whisper, he thought. The Asura System… that's where the real journey begins.
The frost winds carried his words away as silence fell over him, a single figure standing firm in the storm of expectations.
⚔️ End of Chapter 9