Shuyan's gaze swept over the group one by one, finally lingering on Luo Qinghan, who remained calm and enigmatic. Yet, there was an uncontrollable flicker of intrigue in his eyes.
Perhaps sensing something strange in Shuyan's gaze, Luo Qinghan slowly turned her wheelchair. She subtly adjusted the hem of her dress, just as she was about to speak—only for a figure clad in a golden gown to step in front of her.
Shuyan withdrew his gaze, somewhat surprised, but his attention was quickly drawn to the blonde woman before him.
The blonde woman first turned around and whispered something to Luo Qinghan. When she got no response, she turned back with a helpless smile. Then, she looked at Shuyan with a charming grin and said teasingly:
"Hello, little brother. I'm Tian Ling, Qinghan's older sister. You must be that genius with the Ultimate Martial Soul, right? Tsk tsk, I'd heard from Wang Lin and the others that you were even prettier than Qinghan. I didn't believe it at first, but now that I see you... you're honestly a handsome little heartthrob."
Shuyan's expression stiffened slightly, but then he chuckled helplessly. Looking at Tian Ling, his eyes sparkled with mirth as he replied softly:
"Auntie, you flatter me. At most, I just look like a pretty boy. But comparing looks with a girl? That's really not something I care about."
Hearing the word "Auntie," Tian Ling's face visibly darkened. A trace of hostility appeared in her eyes as she clenched her pale fists. She snapped, somewhat exasperated:
"Don't call me that, kid. I'm only seventeen—blooming with youth! I just look a bit more mature. The word 'auntie' has nothing to do with me."
"Oh really?"
Shuyan sized her up again and chuckled lightly.
Tian Ling's pink fists clenched tighter. Despite not being deliberately seductive, her curvaceous figure radiated allure. But what drew the most attention was her uniquely youthful yet mature face—like a young housewife, blending girlish charm with sultry grace. It was… dangerous.
Sensing Shuyan's teasing tone, Tian Ling's expression gradually returned to normal. She glanced at Xu Jiujiu beside Shuyan and deliberately dragged out her words:
"So, Princess of the Empire, is your little lover's 'soft rice' tasty? If it is, how about you share him with big sis? Don't worry, I'll sleep in the middle—you two won't fight over him. Sounds tempting, doesn't it? Want to consider it?"
As she spoke, she even winked cheekily at Xu Jiujiu.
Xu Jiujiu gave a helpless smile in response, just about to say something when a cold voice rang out beside them:
"Tian Ling, what's the point of all this nonsense? Don't waste time. Either we fight or I go back to training. I don't have time to play these childish games with you."
Everyone turned toward the source of the voice—and their eyes landed on a tall girl with a black ponytail.
The girl's aura was chilling—so cold it even surpassed Luo Qinghan's in its lack of emotion. She stood there like a block of ice, the air around her seemingly several degrees colder, sending a chill down the spine.
Still, her appearance was striking. Her features were bold and refined, her face brimming with sharp, heroic beauty—a face that radiated aggression.
From her, Shuyan felt a familiar presence. It was a type of cold, impartial righteousness—an impersonal, absolute aura akin to natural law. It reminded him of someone he'd met once before: Qian Gu Chaoshen. Or more accurately, it was a shared trait among all martial soul users of the Coiling Dragon Rod—some simply gave off stronger impressions than others.
Noticing Shuyan's gaze, the girl let out a disdainful snort, her eyes flashing with open provocation. Her tone was sharp and hostile as she spoke:
"So you're the so-called genius with the Ultimate Ice martial soul? You don't look like a genius. More like an arrogant brat. I'd love to see how strong your so-called Ultimate Ice really is—enough to make you think we'd ever bow to you?"
Shuyan met her provocative stare with only a light smile, then replied calmly:
"Is that so? I don't know how strong I am exactly—but I'm definitely more 'substantial' than you. Don't you think so?"
Qian Gu Yueyin was momentarily stunned. Then, following Shuyan's line of sight, her face instantly flushed red whether from shame or rage, it wasn't clear. Her eyes burned with fury as she suddenly raised her head. The sound of grinding teeth was sharp and piercing.
In the next moment, a dark-golden rod appeared in her hand. Her voice rang out again—icy, edged with fury:
"Very well. You've succeeded in pissing me off. If you can walk out of this arena today, I'll take your surname!"
Golden light flashed—Qian Gu Yueyin had already rushed in front of Shuyan, swinging her rod with full force. A faint sonic boom echoed through the air, showing just how terrifying the power behind her strike was.
Shuyan pushed Xu Jiujiu aside with one hand and casually shifted his body. The fierce wind from the strike sent his long white hair billowing, but his expression remained calm and unbothered.
Seeing her full-powered attack so easily dodged, Qian Gu Yueyin paused, then her expression darkened further. She spun the Coiling Dragon Rod with increasing pressure—each move filled with deadly intent. As time passed, her attacks became faster and heavier, the rod blurring into afterimages.
Luo Qinghan's group had already retreated to a safe distance. Snow Empress and Ice Empress appeared behind Xu Jiujiu and moved with her to the viewing platform, their eyes fixed on the unfolding scene below.
Perhaps due to the mounting intensity of Qian Gu Yueyin's strikes, Shuyan's relaxed demeanor finally faded. His gaze followed the arc of her weapon—watching its motion and trajectory. Suddenly, he struck out.
With what looked like a simple punch, his fist landed squarely on the Coiling Dragon Rod.
Boom!
Qian Gu Yueyin's hands trembled from the impact. Overwhelmed by the force, she was hurled backward along with her weapon, crashing into the ground in a cloud of dust.
Shuyan looked up at the rest of the group, smiling faintly as he beckoned them with a curled finger.
"Come at me together. I don't feel like wasting time. Let fists do the talking—words won't change anything."
"Show me your full strength. Let me see if you're truly worthy to follow me to the top of the continent and witness the vast world beyond… or if this right here is where your journey ends."