The noise faded behind him.
Step by step.
As Xu Tian left the arena.
The air outside felt different.
Colder.
Quieter.
Less controlled.
The crowd thinned quickly.
Most remained inside.
Watching.
Waiting for the next match.
Xu Tian walked forward without hesitation.
The path ahead was narrow.
Stone walls on both sides.
Old.
Worn.
The town felt older here.
Less maintained.
Less watched.
Xu Tian noticed immediately.
"…Different."
The children rested in his arms.
The boy still slept.
The girl's eyes moved again.
Slower this time.
Then-
They stopped.
Xu Tian felt it.
A shift.
Subtle.
But clear.
"…So it begins."
He didn't stop walking.
But his awareness sharpened.
The air behind him moved.
Soft.
Controlled.
Not loud enough for most.
But enough for him.
One step.
Then another.
Three figures appeared behind him.
Blocking the path back.
Another stepped forward ahead.
Four total.
Xu Tian stopped.
Slowly.
The space around him closed.
Not rushed.
Not aggressive.
Deliberate.
"…You followed me," Xu Tian said.
No answer.
The man in front stepped closer.
His presence was steady.
Not weak.
Not careless.
"You caused trouble inside," he said.
Xu Tian's voice remained calm.
"They challenged me."
"That doesn't matter."
Xu Tian already expected that.
"…Then this is about reputation."
The man didn't deny it.
"It's about balance."
Silence followed.
Xu Tian adjusted the children slightly.
The girl didn't move.
Her grip steady.
The man stepped closer.
"You don't belong here," he said.
Xu Tian met his gaze.
"…And yet I'm still standing."
The air tightened.
The three behind him shifted.
Positioning.
Not attacking yet.
Waiting.
Xu Tian understood.
"…You want to test me."
The man's expression hardened.
"No."
A brief pause.
"Remove you."
The air grew heavier.
The intent was clear now.
No hesitation.
No warning.
Xu Tian exhaled slowly.
"…That's faster than I expected."
The man moved.
Instantly.
A direct strike.
Xu Tian shifted.
Avoided.
The strike hit the wall behind him.
Stone cracked.
Fragments fell.
The other three moved at the same time.
Coordinated.
Xu Tian stepped forward.
Into them.
Not back.
His movement caught them off guard.
His strike landed first.
One man staggered back.
Xu Tian turned immediately.
Another attack came from the side.
He blocked.
Redirected.
Countered.
The impact pushed the attacker back.
But not far.
"…Stronger than before," Xu Tian thought.
The man in front attacked again.
Faster now.
Xu Tian moved.
The space was tighter.
More restricted than the arena.
Less room to avoid.
More pressure.
The next strike came.
Xu Tian stepped inside it.
His counter landed cleanly.
The man's stance shifted.
But he didn't fall back.
The other two closed in.
From both sides.
Xu Tian reacted.
Fast.
Precise.
Block.
Turn.
Strike.
The movements flowed.
Natural.
But the pressure increased.
Four opponents.
No space.
No distance.
Xu Tian felt it clearly.
"…This is different."
The man in front spoke again.
"End it."
The others moved immediately.
All at once.
Xu Tian's eyes sharpened.
The next moment-
Everything accelerated.
Strikes came from all directions.
Xu Tian moved.
Step.
Turn.
Avoid.
But one hit connected.
A sharp impact against his shoulder.
Not deep.
But enough.
Xu Tian shifted.
Adjusted.
His stance lowered slightly.
More stable.
The energy inside him moved.
Faster.
Clearer.
The next exchange came.
Harder.
Sharper.
Xu Tian stepped forward.
Not back.
His strike landed.
One opponent staggered.
Then another.
The formation broke.
For a moment.
That was enough.
Xu Tian pressed forward.
His movements sharper now.
More direct.
More controlled.
The man in front blocked.
But the force pushed him back.
The balance shifted.
The narrow path filled with movement.
Dust.
Sound.
Impact.
Xu Tian didn't stop.
Because now-
This was no longer a test.
This was a fight he had to end quickly.
Before it turned worse.