The arena had not yet recovered.
Fragments of ice still melted across the battlefield, steam rising where Lin Xue's domain had shattered. The crowd buzzed with disbelief, still trying to process what they had witnessed.
A domain… broken.
And not by brute force—
But by understanding.
Jiang Chen stood at the center, unmoving.
But inside—
Nothing was calm.
[Warning: Tracking Mark Activity Increasing]
[Signal Strength Rising…]
[Unknown Response Imminent]
His eyes narrowed.
It's reacting…
From the stands, Zhou Yan and Chen Yu had already stepped closer again.
"This isn't over, is it?" Chen Yu muttered.
Zhou Yan shook his head.
"No… this feels like the beginning."
A cold wind swept across the arena.
Not natural.
Not from Lin Xue.
Different.
Lin Xue stopped mid-step.
Her expression changed for the first time—genuine alertness.
"…It's activating sooner than expected."
Jiang Chen turned to her.
"You knew this would happen."
She nodded slightly.
"Yes."
A pause.
"Just not this fast."
Then—
The sky darkened.
Clouds gathered unnaturally above the Inner Clan grounds. A heavy pressure descended, suffocating even the strongest disciples.
The elders stood abruptly.
"This aura…!" one shouted.
"It's coming from above the arena!"
Then—
The mark on Jiang Chen's arm burned.
[Signal Activated]
A pillar of dark light erupted from his position—shooting straight into the sky.
The entire arena froze.
"What is that?!"
"Is that coming from Jiang Chen?!"
Chen Yu stepped back.
"Okay… that's NOT normal!"
Zhou Yan's eyes sharpened.
"…We're too late."
From within the clouds—
Something moved.
A crack formed in the sky itself.
And from that fracture—
A figure descended.
Slowly.
Calmly.
Terrifyingly.
Black robes.
Silver markings.
Eyes devoid of emotion.
The moment his feet touched the arena—
The ground sank.
The system screamed:
[Entity Detected]
[Classification: Unknown]
[Threat Level: EXTREME — BEYOND CURRENT LIMIT]
Silence.
Then—
The figure spoke.
"Target confirmed."
His gaze locked onto Jiang Chen.
"Signal received."
The crowd panicked.
"Who is that?!"
"That pressure… I can't breathe!"
Even the elders hesitated.
Lin Xue's voice dropped.
"…An Enforcer."
Chen Yu blinked.
"An enforcer of WHAT?!"
Zhou Yan answered grimly:
"…A hidden faction."
The Enforcer stepped forward.
Every step cracked the arena further.
"You have exceeded acceptable growth parameters," he said coldly.
"Termination required."
Jiang Chen's golden qi surged instinctively—
But it trembled.
This pressure…
It's on a completely different level.
The system pulsed violently:
[Emergency Condition Triggered]
[Survival Probability: 12%]
[Recommendation: Escape or External Assistance Required]
Jiang Chen clenched his fists.
Run?
No.
His eyes hardened.
"Then come try."
The Enforcer moved.
And the world blurred.
BOOM!!!
Jiang Chen was sent flying instantly, crashing across the arena, tearing through stone like paper.
The crowd screamed.
Chen Yu's eyes widened.
"…He didn't even see that!"
Zhou Yan stepped forward—
But stopped.
"…We can't fight him alone."
Lin Xue raised her hand, ice forming instantly.
"Then we don't fight alone."
She turned—
Toward the stands.
"For once," she said sharply,
"…stop watching."
Silence.
Then—
Multiple auras ignited.
Han Wei stepped forward, grinning.
"Heh… now THIS is worth stepping into."
Another figure appeared beside him.
Rank 24.
A silent swordsman.
Then another.
And another.
The Top 30…
Were stepping in.
Back in the arena—
Jiang Chen slowly stood.
Blood at the corner of his mouth.
Golden qi flickering violently.
But his eyes—
Burned brighter than ever.
The system flared:
[New Condition Met: Extreme Combat Pressure]
[Hidden Function Unlocking…]
The Enforcer looked at him.
Expression unchanged.
"Resistance detected."
Jiang Chen wiped the blood from his lips.
Then smiled.
"Yeah…"
"…and it's only getting stronger."
Golden qi surged—
Wilder.
Deeper.
More ancient.
The air trembled.
Even the Enforcer paused.
For the first time—
A flicker of reaction.
"…Interesting."
High above—
Luo Tian watched.
But this time—
His smile faded slightly.
"…So it's begun."
The arena was no longer a battlefield.
It was war.