In a dimly lit chamber, its silence broken only by the soft flicker of a lone lamp's flame, six figures gathered. The heavy scent of incense drifted lazily in the air, casting an eerie calm over the scene. At the head of the table sat Bai Chen and the prince of Feng Yue, their expressions composed but eyes sharp. Surrounding them were four others—the rest of the prince's team. Yue Qian, Lin Shuang, He Yuze, and Mu Wensheng sat on their respective chairs, cloaked in faint qi but exuding quiet confidence.
After a long silence, the prince finally spoke, his voice calm and authoritative.
"Let's speak plainly. Shen Yuan—what do you all make of him?"
The others exchanged glances, hesitant to be the first to speak. Finally, Yue Qian cleared her throat. Her beauty was delicate, her presence graceful, but her voice carried sharp certainty.
"I believe he's bluffing, Your Highness. That 'secret power' he hinted at... nothing but theatrics. His cultivation has likely plateaued. I believe he's merely trying to mask his weakness by pretending to grasp something profound—most likely death comprehension. His use of Void Fire fits that narrative."
Bai Chen let out a soft scoff. "That's quite the confident assessment, sister Qian. But let me ask you this—why death? Just because Void Fire is involved?"
Yue Qian tilted her head. "Void Fire erases even the soul which is made of pure akasha. It carries an aura of stillness, silence… absence. That reeks of death."
The prince gave a short laugh—neither mocking nor kind. It was the kind of laugh one might give after hearing a clever lie from a child.
"You're mistaking surface with substance," he said. "If it were as simple as death comprehension, we'd all be enjoying the Storm Jade country. But we're not. We're here, in the middle of the night, discussing one man's potential."
"He makes you uncomfortable," Bai Chen added, glancing at the prince with an almost teasing grin. "Even you wouldn't be discussing him like this otherwise."
The prince's expression darkened slightly. "I dislike unpredictability. Shen Yuan is too calm. Too silent. I've seen arrogant geniuses and reckless prodigies... but he's neither. That silence of his? It's not ignorance. It's a calculation."
Mu Wensheng, the tallest of the group and a master of sound-based techniques, finally spoke. "I noticed something unusual when I observed him earlier. The spiritual fluctuations around his courtyard didn't follow normal flow. It was... inconsistent. Fragmented in rhythm. Either he's trying to deceive prying eyes—or something deeper is warping the space around him."
Lin Shuang, the group's formation expert, nodded slowly. "I caught that too. It's not a barrier technique. It's more like the laws of that space are different now. Either he's forming his own domain—or just stalling and trying to deceive others."
A heavy silence followed.
He Yuze, the most stoic among them, spoke in a low voice: "Could he be aiming for… causality comprehension?"
The air grew heavier.
Even Yue Qian looked shaken. "Causality is forbidden for a reason. Even understanding fragments of it brings consequences. It brings Heavenly Retribution, that is why no one dared to comprehend it before."
The prince finally leaned forward, his fingers interlocked.
"Whether it's death, causality, or something else... it doesn't matter. Shen Yuan cannot be allowed to continue existing unchecked. He has three days to break into the Elysian Realm, and I highly doubt he will. So—during the next phase of the competition, I'll end him. No hesitation. No politics. On the battlefield, it'll be clean and sanctioned."
"What if he does break through?" Bai Chen asked quietly.
The prince met his eyes. "Then I'll kill him anyway. With everything I've got."
No one said anything. They all knew that the prince wasn't one to bluff.
They also knew that even he sounded… uncertain.
Elsewhere, far from the plotting, the atmosphere was less suffocating—though no less serious.
Dong Chen and Xiang Xiaoli walked side by side down a paved path lined with lanterns. The air was damp with lingering spiritual qi, and thunder still rolled across the heavens above. Yet in the distance, the light and laughter of the local market cut through the gloom like a warm ember in winter.
As they passed a small square, they overheard a few mortal townspeople talking animatedly. Their conversation revolved around a strange newcomer who had caught the attention of a high-ranking steward—a man who sat in meditation for days without moving, with a fire in his eyes and darkness in his heart.
"…did you hear? Steward Yan personally gave guidance to a young man. They say he might win the entire thing…"
"…snow white hair, young, and calm like a storm ready to burst…"
Dong Chen smirked. "They're talking about Shen Yuan."
"Of course they are," Xiang Xiaoli replied softly. "Even the world lord seemed interested in him."
They didn't linger for long though. Soon, they arrived at Tang Jiyan's quarters, where Guo Bohai and Shi Meixiu were already seated around a table, discussing potential formations that might appear during Phase Two.
The two of them took a seat.
Guo Bohai leaned lazily against a pillar nearby, chewing on a toothpick. Shi Meixiu and Xiang Xiaoli sat to his left, while Dong Chen sat to Tang Jiyan's right.
Tang Jiyan looked at Dong Chen as he sat. "Anything?"
Dong Chen shook his head. "Still no movement. Shen Yuan's quarters remain under heavy silence. It's not a suppression field, though—more like the space has been warped. No spiritual energy leaks out, and attempts to spy in just… dissipate."
Xiang Xiaoli added softly, "Even the prince's quarters are quiet. No unusual presence. It's too still… like they're conserving energy just for Shen Yuan."
Tang Jiyan leaned back and rubbed his forehead. "So we're flying blind."
Shi Meixiu gave him a light nudge. "Brother Tang, you're worrying yourself sick. We've been over this. Shen Yuan isn't someone who moves hastily. If he's silent, he's plotting something."
"Or maybe…" Xiang Xiaoli hesitated, "...maybe he's stuck. What if he doesn't reach the Elysian Realm in time? What if the prince makes his move before then? We're strong—but not strong enough to take on a team of six Elysian Realm cultivators."
Everyone fell silent.
Guo Bohai finally spoke. "You're right. If Shen Yuan fails… we'll be picked off one by one. They'll start with the weakest—test the waters—and then crush whoever remains."
Shi Meixiu spoke again. "Which is exactly why I believe in him."
They all looked at her.
She smiled faintly. "Have you ever seen Shen Yuan panic? Ever seen him truly caught off guard?"
Tang Jiyan slowly nodded. "No. He always seems two steps ahead. But this… this might be the first time the gap between realms truly matters. Elysian cultivators can warp laws. It's not a realm you fake your way through."
Dong Chen crossed his arms. "True, but Shen Yuan doesn't fight like others. It's not just cultivation base—it's what he does with it. I wouldn't be surprised if he already has countermeasures in place. Hell, he probably predicted this conversation."
Everyone smiled slightly at that.
Xiang Xiaoli still looked uncertain, but then she asked, "So… if he doesn't reach Elysian Realm, are we all dead meat?"
A pause. Then Guo Bohai shrugged. "Maybe. But if it's Shen Yuan, even without breaking through, he'll find a way. He's not the kind to die silently."
Tang Jiyan looked out the window toward the darkened skies.
"The next phase begins in just a few hours," he murmured. "Win or lose, the game's about to start."
Meanwhile, the wind rustled through the bamboo grove outside. Thunder echoed across the sky. Somewhere far above, unseen, World Lord Han Bolin's lips curled into a smile.
"Let the game begin."
However in a dark room, Shen Yuan sat in the lotus position, his face almost pale, sweat covered. As if he himself is experiencing the effects of karma on himself. And then a large burst of energy came from him…. His body now glowing with an energy that looked like the sun itself.