Li Yan calmly followed his gaze. The young spear wielder continuously launched fierce attacks, forcing his opponent backward with overwhelming momentum.
After several breaths, Li Yan spoke. "His movements are smooth. But he relies too heavily on brute force. If his opponent remains calm..."
"He'll eventually expose an opening."
Ji Hao nodded thoughtfully before turning his attention back toward the arena.
Li Yan remained silent.
He had already seen the flaw.
Now, it was only a matter of whether the other disciple would see it in time.
Almost as if in response to Li Yan's evaluation, the spear user suddenly lunged forward, thrusting aggressively.
His opponent sidestepped at the last possible moment. A sword instantly stopped against the spear wielder's throat.
The battle ended.
Ji Hao blinked. Then he laughed softly. "You predicted it exactly."
Li Yan smiled faintly. "It wasn't difficult. He allowed his emotions to dictate his attacks. The moment that happens..."
"The outcome becomes increasingly predictable."
Ji Hao thoughtfully nodded.
The battles continued.
Although most of the techniques displayed in the arena no longer held significant value for Li Yan's cultivation, each disciple possessed distinct habits, strengths, and weaknesses.
Observing those differences still broadened his understanding of combat.
Occasionally, he commented upon a disciple's footwork.
Sometimes, he pointed out subtle flaws within a sword technique.
At other times, he remained completely silent, allowing Ji Hao to analyze the battle himself before quietly discussing the conclusion afterward.
Without realizing it…
Their casual conversation gradually became another lesson.
****
As time passed, the semifinal matches gradually concluded. The finalists of all four ranks were decided.
Ji Xin advanced without much difficulty. Soon afterward, the White-Rank Championship concluded.
The Yellow-Rank Final followed.
Facing an opponent nearly his equal, Mu Fan displayed remarkable composure throughout the battle.
Rather than seeking a swift victory, he patiently waited for the decisive opportunity before ending the match with a single precise strike.
The Yellow-Rank Championship belonged to him. Thunderous applause echoed throughout the arena.
Not long afterward…
The Azure-Rank Final officially began. Ji Xin stepped onto the arena amidst countless cheers. Standing opposite her was the strongest remaining Azure-Rank disciple.
The battle proved far more intense than many had expected. Both sides exchanged techniques continuously.
Sword Aura flashed repeatedly across the arena. For dozens of exchanges, neither gained a clear advantage. Only when Ji Xin finally unleashed her Sword Intent did the balance collapse completely.
The invisible pressure accompanying the Sword Intent instantly disrupted her opponent's rhythm.
Seizing that fleeting opening, Ji Xin's sword stopped cleanly before her opponent's throat.
The head referee immediately announced the result. "The winner…"
"Ji Xin!"
The arena erupted into applause once again.
Finally…
The Brown-Rank Championship brought the Annual Competition to its conclusion. It was also the longest battle of the tournament.
Neither participant possessed an overwhelming advantage. Both repeatedly pushed beyond their previous limits, refusing to yield despite their mounting exhaustion.
Only after an exceptionally fierce exchange did the victor finally emerge. The audience responded with equally enthusiastic applause.
The competition had officially concluded.
****
After the announcement of the champions, Ji Xin walked toward the Azure-Rank spectator area.
Before long, she arrived beside Li Yan and Ji Hao.
Ji Hao smiled warmly. "Congratulations, Xin'er."
She smiled in return. "Thank you, Elder Brother."
Her eyes then shifted toward Li Yan.
The smile upon her face became even brighter. "Senior Brother Li."
"I suppose I can continue learning swordsmanship from you now?"
Li Yan looked at her quietly for a moment. Then he gave a slight nod. "You may."
Ji Xin immediately laughed. "I knew you weren't actually going to abandon your student."
Li Yan calmly corrected her. "I've never accepted you as my disciple."
"…" Ji Xin stared at him before rolling her eyes helplessly. "You really do know how to ruin a perfectly good moment."
A faint smile finally appeared on Li Yan's face as he shook his head.
Even Ji Hao couldn't help laughing. "Alright. Let's return."
The three quietly left the spectator area together.
As they walked toward the teleportation portal, the excitement surrounding the Annual Competition gradually faded behind them.
With another year of competition concluded, the Shadow Haven Sect slowly returned to its usual rhythm.
****
The following day marked the official distribution of the Annual Competition rewards.
Rather than immediately returning to his usual cultivation routine, Li Yan remained within the Shadow Haven Sect's assembly area.
Early in the morning, he walked toward the Core Hall.
One after another, the disciples who had finished between second and tenth place in the competitions of all four ranks gathered to receive the additional rewards Li Yan had promised before the tournament.
Unlike the Sect's rewards, which consisted of resources and opportunities, Li Yan's rewards came entirely in the form of Shadow Points.
The amount varied according to each disciple's final ranking.
Although the exact figures varied, each recipient received a reward sufficient to excite the surrounding disciples.
As for the four champions…
Sect Leader Ji Hong had already summoned them to receive their reward of entering the Ancient Techniques Hall.
Li Yan therefore entrusted their promised Shadow Points to Dan Jian, the senior disciple responsible for managing the Core Hall's reception table.
"Senior Dan, the champions' rewards are here."
Dan Jian accepted the transaction through his dark gold badge before smiling. "I'll personally deliver them."
Li Yan nodded. "I'll leave it to you."
Afterward, he fulfilled the remaining promises he had made during the competition.
At the Techniques Hall, he paid the twenty thousand Shadow Points required for Mu Fan's Mortal-Tier High-Level cultivation technique.
Soon afterward, he arrived at the Exchange Hall.
Without hesitation, he settled the cost of the fifty Darkness Qi Stones Ji Xin had chosen as her reward.
By the time Li Yan finally stepped out of the Core Hall district, he had spent nearly six hundred thirty thousand Shadow Points.
To many disciples, that amount represented an unimaginable fortune.
To Li Yan…
It was simply the cost of honoring his word.
****
Rather than returning immediately to his residence, Li Yan walked leisurely through the assembly area.
Groups of disciples had gathered throughout the open square. Some exchanged insights gained during the Annual Competition.
Others discussed their battles inside the Pagodas.
The atmosphere throughout the Sect remained unusually lively.
Before long, several younger disciples cautiously approached him. "Senior Brother Li…"
"I have a question about sword footwork."
Li Yan stopped walking. "Go ahead."
The disciple quickly demonstrated the movement that had been troubling him. Li Yan watched once, then calmly pointed out a minor flaw in his posture and the timing of his steps.
The disciple's eyes immediately brightened. "Thank you, Senior Brother!"
Not long afterward, another disciple approached. "I've been struggling to control my Darkness Element during battle."
Li Yan offered several concise suggestions.
Soon, a third disciple stepped forward, seeking advice on spear techniques.
None of the questions were particularly profound.
None required lengthy explanations.
Yet Li Yan answered each one with the same patience and seriousness he devoted to his own cultivation.
As the afternoon gradually passed, more disciples quietly gathered around.
Some listened.
Some asked questions.
Others discussed their own understanding after hearing Li Yan's explanations.
Before long, several small discussions naturally formed throughout the assembly area.
Combat techniques. Cultivation. Elemental control. Experiences from the Pagodas. Occasional laughter echoed beneath the ancient trees.
Watching the lively scene unfold before him, Li Yan quietly stepped beneath the shade of one of those towering trees.
For a brief moment…
He simply stood there.
Silently observing.
The determination within the younger disciples' eyes. The excitement filling their conversations. The confidence they had gained from challenging themselves during the Annual Competition.
A Sect did not grow stronger because of a single genius. It grew stronger because every generation inspired the next to pursue greater heights.
A faint smile unknowingly appeared on Li Yan's face.
His decision to offer those rewards…
Had been worthwhile.
As the sun gradually descended beyond the mountains, the gathering slowly dispersed. The disciples returned to their residences.
The lively discussions gradually faded. Peace once again settled over the Shadow Haven Sect. Only then did Li Yan quietly leave the assembly area.
His pace remained as steady as ever.
Tomorrow…
Everything would return to its familiar rhythm.
Qi cultivation.
Body cultivation.
Soul cultivation.
Swordsmanship.
Alchemy.
Craftsmanship.
Nothing about his own routine would change.
Yet as disciples walked back toward their residences throughout the Sect, many unconsciously glanced toward the distant figure slowly disappearing.
Some quietly clenched their fists. Others silently renewed their determination.
Without realizing it, many of them had found another reason to cultivate.
Li Yan, however, never looked back.
For him…
The path ahead still stretched far beyond the horizon.
*****
More than a month passed quietly after the Annual Competition ended.
As expected, life within the Shadow Haven Sect gradually returned to its familiar rhythm.
The excitement surrounding the championship, the two Hidden Level breakthroughs, and Li Yan's generous rewards slowly faded into stories discussed only occasionally among the disciples.
Every hall within the Sect remained as busy as ever.
The elders resumed their daily responsibilities.
The disciples returned to cultivation, training, and missions.
Before long, it was as though the excitement of the Annual Competition had become nothing more than another chapter in the Sect's history.
Li Yan likewise immersed himself in his disciplined routine.
***
The afternoon sun hung high above the Tier-4 Hunting Ground.
Warm rays filtered through the dense canopy, illuminating leaves drifting gently on the breeze.
The peaceful scenery contrasted sharply with the battlefield beneath it.
Several enormous Tier-4 Magical Beasts lay scattered across the forest floor.
Some bore precise sword wounds. Others had clearly been defeated through overwhelming physical force alone.
The faint scent of fresh blood lingered quietly throughout the surrounding area.
Standing calmly among the fallen beasts was Li Yan. Despite the fierce battle that had just taken place, his azure robes remained almost spotless.
Only the blade in his hand carried fresh traces of blood.
He calmly surveyed the battlefield before returning the sword to its scabbard. "Five."
"All defeated within three breaths."
He hadn't even needed to use Sword Intent or any offensive technique.
There was neither pride nor satisfaction in his voice. It was merely another observation. This improvement had not appeared overnight. It was simply the result of countless ordinary days spent repeating the same routine without interruption.
After efficiently collecting the Beast Cores and storing the bodies inside his Storage Ring, Li Yan found a nearby boulder and quietly sat down.
With a flip of his hand, a Qi Replenishment Pill appeared.
He swallowed it before closing his eyes.
His Spiritual Sense quietly expanded over the next two hundred meters, carefully monitoring every movement as he began recovering his exhausted Qi.
The medicinal energy gradually spread through his meridians.
Within his lower dantian, the Qi Core quietly rotated as the depleted Qi steadily recovered.
Everything proceeded as usual.
Several minutes passed.
Gradually, Li Yan sensed the Qi circulating within his Qi Core becoming increasingly refined. It slowly compressed toward the center.
His expression remained completely calm. There was no urgency. No anticipation. His foundation had become incomparably stable.
Another minute quietly passed.
Then, the compressed Qi suddenly rotated several times faster than before.
A gentle fluctuation spread naturally throughout every meridian.
The familiar bottleneck quietly dissolved.
Without resistance.
Without instability.
Within the Qi Core, a small sphere of condensed Qi naturally separated before drifting outward. It quietly entered the circular orbit surrounding the Qi Core.
There, it joined the seven identical spheres already revolving steadily around it.
The eighth Qi Node had formed.
A wave of pure Qi quietly spread throughout his body, nourishing every meridian before gradually calming once again.
Only then did Li Yan slowly open his eyes.
A faint stream of air escaped his lips. "Qi Channeling Realm (Stage-8)."
He carefully experienced the subtle changes.
The amount of Qi stored within his Qi Core had increased once again. More importantly, the circulation of Qi throughout his body had become smoother than before.
Everything had advanced exactly as expected.
Li Yan slowly stood. His gaze gradually shifted toward the deeper regions of the Tier-4 Hunting Ground.
For nearly a year, this hunting ground had served as both his training ground and battlefield.
Every valley.
Every stream.
Every hunting route.
They had all become familiar to him.
After so many months of continuous training, the Tier-4 Hunting Ground no longer provided the pressure his combat skills required.
He quietly considered the matter. "My body has adapted. My cultivation has advanced. My combat experience has matured."
He paused briefly before arriving at the only reasonable conclusion. "There is no reason to remain here."
His path forward had become obvious.
It was time to face stronger opponents.
Without another moment's hesitation, Li Yan turned toward the teleportation portal.
It was time to return to the Sect and go to his next destination.
The Tier-5 Hunting Ground.