"I will fight!"
Shen Xun'er declared, and with a single, effortless leap that left a faint trail of crimson sparks in the air, she vaulted over the perimeter and landed squarely in the center of the makeshift arena.
The stone beneath her boots remained entirely undamaged, showcasing a refined control of her force that drew murmurs of intrigue from the front rows of the gathered crowd.
She stood tall with her chin raised, her hair swaying against her back, and looking directly at the towering bronze-armored cultivator across from her, she clasped her fist with casual grace.
"Shen Xun'er," she declared, her clear, ringing voice carrying across the entire platform. "5th Stage of the Nascent Soul Realm."
Her words were simple and direct. She deliberately didn't state her origins, omitting any mention of the Imperial Academy, the upper realms, or the lineage of the Shen Clan.
