The sky above Frost City blazed with the radiance of the tournament arena. The energy barrier shimmered faintly, holding back the immense waves of aura from countless cultivators gathered around. The moment had finally arrived — the long-awaited clash between Tang Xan and Duo.
The crowd roared as both fighters stepped into the center of the arena, the echo of their footsteps merging with the pulse of spiritual energy in the air. Tang Xan's calm yet sharp gaze locked onto Duo's cold, frost-blue eyes.
"Ready?" Duo asked, his voice carrying an icy edge.
Tang Xan nodded slightly, his tone steady. "I've been ready since yesterday."
They both moved at once. The clash began not with words but with force — their hands met midair, fingers tightening in a raw test of strength. Tang Xan's arm glowed faintly with light energy, while Duo's was coated in shimmering frost aura. The ground beneath them cracked as the two forces collided, the balance of heat and cold forming a swirl of mist around them.
Each pushed harder, veins standing out, their auras expanding in waves. It was as if two opposing worlds were pressing into one another — light against frost, warmth against the cold of a frozen mountain.
Then, at the same instant, both of them leapt backward and charged again. Their fists collided with a blast that shook the arena floor. Dust and spirit light spiraled outward as cheers erupted from the crowd.
"Tang Xan! Tang Xan!" shouted one half of the arena."Duo! Duo!" answered the other.
The battle continued with growing intensity. Duo formed a spear of frost energy and hurled it forward. Tang Xan tilted his head slightly, avoiding the deadly spear by inches, his eyes gleaming. He took a deep breath, the faint golden aura flickering around his arms.
"Wind Slash!" Tang Xan shouted.
The wind obeyed. A blade of condensed air shot forward, slicing through the frost mist. It struck Duo's leg with full force, sending him tumbling backward across the arena. Dust burst up as he crashed to the ground, groaning.
The audience gasped. Tang Xan's attack had been fast — too fast for ordinary eyes to follow. But before Tang Xan could move closer, he sensed something strange. Duo's aura was… changing.
As Tang Xan gathered his light energy, preparing to unleash his next strike, Duo suddenly lifted his head. His eyes gleamed a deep, unnatural blue, and the faint frost around his body turned into thick, icy fog.
"You think it's over?" Duo growled. "That was only my human strength."
Tang Xan paused, frowning. "What do you mean?"
Duo grinned, and his voice deepened as if echoing from the mountains themselves. "When I'm pushed to the edge… the beast inside awakens."
In an instant, Duo's form began to shift. His skin shimmered like crystal, his limbs extended, and the frost aura grew violent. The air turned colder and colder until even the audience began to shiver. A massive fox-like creature, with glowing blue fur and claws sharp as blades, stood where Duo had once been.
The Frost Beast Form had awakened.
Tang Xan clenched his fists, his breath forming mist in the freezing air. "So that's your true power..."
The beast's deep voice rumbled. "Let's see how long you can stand against me now!"
Before Tang Xan could respond, Duo blurred forward — his speed multiplied. He appeared in front of Tang Xan and slashed across his arm with his frost claws. Blood splattered onto the icy floor.
Tang Xan gritted his teeth and countered with a punch, but Duo caught it midair, twisting it aside and blasting a Frost Burst directly into Tang Xan's chest.
The explosion threw Tang Xan backward like a ragdoll. He crashed against the barrier, leaving a deep imprint before sliding down. The audience gasped — Tang Xan's body trembled, his lips bleeding, and his aura dimmed.
The Frost King sitting among the elders leaned forward. "That beast power… it's dangerous. If the boy can't defend, he'll die."
Rose, standing in the crowd, gripped her hands tightly. "Tang Xan… please get up."
The lion spirit inside Tang Xan — Leo — stirred faintly, his voice echoing within Tang Xan's mind.Tang Xan… you can't let the frost consume you. You promised me to be strong.
Tang Xan, breathing heavily, looked up. "Leo… I know. I won't fall."
Duo laughed, his fangs gleaming. "You're strong, but you can't win. My frost will freeze your light forever!"
Tang Xan slowly pushed himself up, his hand pressing against the cracked ground. His aura flickered again, faint but steady. "You… hurt me," he said quietly. "But that's what gives me strength."
The wind began to rise around him. His golden aura returned, brighter than before. He took one step forward — the air trembled. Another step — the ground began to crack beneath his feet.
"You think you're the only one who has something sealed away?" Tang Xan said, his voice growing stronger. "You showed your beast form… Now it's time I show mine."
A faint glow spread from his chest, spreading through his veins like molten light. His hair lifted in the energy surge, and his eyes turned radiant white. The sky darkened above the arena, and lightning danced through the clouds.
Duo hesitated for the first time. "What… is this power?"
Tang Xan's fists clenched as golden sparks danced around him. "You wanted to test me, right? Then let's see how strong I really am!"
The energy around Tang Xan burst outward in a radiant explosion of light. The frost air melted instantly, steam rising from the ground. The aura was overwhelming — it made the elders on the stands stand up in shock.
"T-This energy… he's unlocking a seal!" one elder shouted.
The barriers around the arena began to flicker violently. The crowd stepped back, some shielding their faces from the blinding glow.
Tang Xan screamed as his aura rose to its limit. "First Seal — Release!"
A beam of light shot upward into the sky, piercing the clouds. The arena shook like an earthquake, and every cultivator in Frost City felt the surge of divine power. The frozen air around Duo shattered, breaking his frost control. The giant fox stumbled backward, his eyes wide.
The ground beneath Tang Xan glowed with ancient symbols. The aura swirling around him formed massive golden wings of light. His presence was no longer human — it was divine, almost godlike.
Duo tried to move, but his legs refused to obey. "T-this power… impossible!"
Tang Xan raised his hand slowly. His voice was calm but filled with restrained fury."You wanted to see my strength. Now see it — and remember it."
The light gathered around his fist. The sound of energy compressing filled the air, as if the world itself was holding its breath. Duo roared and charged forward, releasing frost storms from every direction. But before he could reach Tang Xan, a blinding flash erupted.
The arena vanished in white.
A single impact. A single sound. And then — silence.
The crowd opened their eyes. Dust filled the air. The frost beast form had vanished, and Duo lay on the ground, unconscious. The frost energy dispersed into the wind.
Tang Xan stood in the center, his aura slowly fading, his clothes torn, and his chest heaving. He looked up, his eyes calm once more.
The judges stared in disbelief. The instruments beside them flickered — the reading was beyond their scale, showing nothing but symbols of error.
Everyone knew what that meant. Tang Xan had broken the limits again.
He turned toward the crowd and exhaled. The barrier shimmered back into place, and the light wings behind him faded slowly. He whispered softly, "Seal one... complete."
And with that, he fell to one knee, exhausted but victorious.
The arena roared."TANG XAN! TANG XAN!"
The sound echoed through Frost City, a name carried by the winds of destiny.
Far above, unseen in the clouds, a faint golden light lingered — a divine trace, a sign that the path of the light god had only just begun.
End Of Chapter 19