The pressure did not ease.
It grew heavier.
With every exchange.
With every strike.
Xu Tian stood his ground.
But the weight pressing against him continued to build.
Stronger.
Sharper.
Relentless.
The man in front of him moved again.
Fast.
A direct strike.
Xu Tian reacted.
Their arms collided.
A sharp impact echoed.
This time-
Xu Tian's stance shifted.
Just slightly.
The difference was clear.
The man saw it.
"…You're reaching your limit," he said.
Xu Tian didn't respond.
But his breathing slowed.
Not out of exhaustion.
But focus.
The energy inside him moved faster.
Clear.
But unstable.
Close.
Very close.
The next attack came.
Xu Tian stepped forward.
Not back.
Their strikes collided again.
Harder.
Sharper.
The force pushed outward.
Xu Tian held.
But only barely.
The man pressed again.
Another strike.
Then another.
Each one heavier.
More controlled.
Xu Tian blocked.
Redirected.
But his movements were tightening.
The margin was shrinking.
The space between success and failure narrowed with every exchange.
"…Not enough," he thought.
The energy inside him surged.
Not outward.
Inward.
Condensing.
Aligning.
The man stepped in again.
Closing the distance completely.
A direct strike.
Xu Tian reacted.
But this time-
The impact landed.
Clean.
A heavy force pushed him back.
Two steps.
Then three.
The ground cracked beneath him.
The shock traveled through his body.
The crowd reacted.
Louder now.
Xu Tian steadied himself.
His chest rose once.
Then settled.
His gaze remained steady.
"…Almost."
The man didn't wait.
He moved again.
Faster.
Stronger.
His presence pressed down harder.
Trying to overwhelm.
Trying to end it.
Xu Tian felt it clearly.
Like a weight pressing against his entire body.
Restricting movement.
Breaking rhythm.
The next strike came.
Xu Tian stepped forward.
Into it.
Their arms collided.
A sharp sound echoed.
The force spread through him.
But this time-
Something changed.
The energy inside him responded.
Not violently.
Not suddenly.
Smooth.
Clear.
It flowed through his body.
From his core.
To his limbs.
To every movement.
Xu Tian's eyes sharpened.
"…There."
He felt it.
That point he had been reaching for.
That edge just out of reach.
Now-
Within grasp.
The next moment-
He moved.
Faster than before.
Cleaner.
More precise.
The man reacted.
But this time-
He was late.
Xu Tian's strike landed.
Solid.
The impact echoed sharply.
The man staggered back.
One step.
Then two.
His expression changed.
For the first time-
Surprise.
Xu Tian didn't stop.
He stepped forward.
Closing the distance instantly.
Another strike.
Then another.
Each one sharper.
Each one guided.
The energy inside him flowed naturally.
Without resistance.
Without hesitation.
The man tried to recover.
He blocked.
Redirected.
But the control was gone.
The rhythm had shifted.
Xu Tian pressed forward.
Not recklessly.
Not wildly.
But with certainty.
Each step calculated.
Each strike deliberate.
The man stepped back again.
Three steps this time.
The crowd reacted.
Louder.
The shift was clear.
Xu Tian didn't chase blindly.
He maintained control.
Maintained pressure.
The advantage was his now.
"…You broke through," the man said.
Xu Tian didn't deny it.
He felt it clearly.
The barrier that held him back-
Was gone.
Xu Tian stepped forward again.
The man attacked.
Desperate.
Faster.
Stronger.
But no longer controlled.
Xu Tian met it.
Their strikes collided.
This time-
The man's stance broke.
Completely.
He was pushed back.
Forced to retreat.
Xu Tian moved again.
His next strike landed cleanly.
The man staggered.
Nearly losing balance.
The arena fell into a brief silence.
Xu Tian stopped.
Just slightly.
Not out of hesitation.
But control.
The man steadied himself.
His breathing heavier now.
His gaze locked onto Xu Tian.
No longer calm.
No longer testing.
"…Enough," he said.
Xu Tian remained still.
But ready.
The man exhaled slowly.
Then lowered his hand.
"…You win."
The words were clear.
Simple.
The tension broke.
The arena reacted.
Voices rose.
Movement returned.
Xu Tian stood quietly.
The energy inside him settled.
Calm.
Stronger.
Clear.
More stable than ever before.
He adjusted the children in his arms.
Then looked at the man once more.
"…That's it?" he asked.
The man gave a faint smile.
"For now."
Xu Tian understood.
This was not the end.
Only the beginning.
He turned slightly.
Looking around the arena.
The eyes watching him had changed.
No longer curiosity.
No longer caution.
Now-
Interest.
Recognition.
Because this time-
He was no longer just another outsider.
He was someone they would remember.