At twelve, he had awakened the family beast—the Green-Scaled Flood Dragon. But something went wrong. His dragon's scales turned black, its essence corrupted. The transformation crippled his cultivation and left him shunned within his clan. Cast out, penniless, he wandered for years, surviving on scraps and low-tier beast hunts until, by sheer chance, he discovered a remnant drop of true dragon essence.

That drop changed everything.

It cleansed the corruption in his blood and transformed his beast into a higher form—the Azure Dragon. With that awakening, his power surged beyond mortal limits. By fifteen, he had reached the third stage of the Spirit Rank, earning him a place among the geniuses of the younger generation.

And yet… Tian Lei unsettled him.

He's not releasing even a trace of energy, Wu Long thought, narrowing his eyes. Either he's hiding his presence through a supreme concealment art… or he's something else entirely.

Unbeknownst to him, Tian Lei had yet to awaken his beast, his true resonance dormant within. The suppression of his magical circuits masked every hint of spiritual energy—making him appear deceptively ordinary.

But to someone like Wu Long, that quiet, unfathomable calm was the most dangerous thing of all.

"...That man," Wu Long muttered under his breath, "he might be the strongest one here."

His companion tilted her head. "Stronger than you, Brother Wu?"

A faint smile tugged at his lips. "Let's just say—if we fight, it won't be easy for either of us."

Tian Lei's gaze shifted subtly toward the youth across the arena. Activating his ocular spell, Mystic Eyes, faint golden runes flickered in his pupils as layers of energy peeled away from his vision.

So that's his secret… Tian Lei's thoughts sharpened. A Star-rank dragon beast—wind and water dual affinity. The phantom outline of the creature shimmered faintly around Wu Long's soul, coiled and proud, exuding power far beyond the average participant.

'A Spirit rank Cultivation stage'

'With that kind of cultivation,' Tian Lei mused silently, 'he's easily the strongest one here. But why would someone of that level enter a local qualifier?'

His eyes drifted briefly to the azure insignia on Wu Long's robes. Clearly sect-issued, polished and formal—something you wouldn't see outside major tournaments. That only made it stranger.

Maybe he's here as a spectator… or scouting. I didn't see him in any of the earlier rounds.

He exhaled quietly and withdrew his spell, golden light fading from his irises. The crowd's cheers pulled his focus back toward the arena.

Two combatants clashed fiercely on the golden stage—a thunder bird's electric cry echoing above as bolts of lightning carved across the air, colliding with the serpentine phantom of a massive black serpent that coiled defensively around its master. The platform shook under the impact, spirit energy scattering in brilliant waves of gold and violet.

Tian Lei crossed his arms, watching closely. A thunder attribute beast against a shadow serpent… interesting matchup.

The battle raged on, lightning and shadow tearing through the golden stage like two storms colliding.

Above, the Thunder Bird screeched sharply, wings bursting with yellow arcs of lightning that split the air. Opposite it, the Shadow Serpent hissed, its body flickering through coils of black flame, every strike leaving scorch marks across the platform.

Despite their intensity, it was clear—their masters hadn't achieved resonance. The beasts were fighting independently, driven by instinct and battle fury rather than synchronized unity.

Down below, their tamers clashed just as fiercely. The thunder cultivator swung his sword, channeling condensed lightning through each strike, forming jagged trails of golden light that shattered the air. His opponent answered with waves of dark flame, his twin blades weaving in arcs of black fire that devoured light itself.

Thunder and shadow collided in chaotic bursts, each impact shaking the barrier surrounding the arena. Neither could gain the upper hand—the power of lightning's speed met the resilience of shadow's endurance.

The audience watched in stunned silence, the sheer ferocity of the fight leaving them speechless.

"They haven't even entered resonance," one elder whispered. "That's pure beast instinct combined with raw mastery."

"Even without merging, their control is terrifying," another murmured.

The Thunder Bird dove, releasing a concentrated blast of lightning that struck the serpent squarely, but the Shadow Serpent twisted, swallowing the light in a vortex of black flame before retaliating with a snap of its jaws. The resulting explosion sent both beasts reeling, their forms flickering.

On the ground, their masters mirrored the clash—swords ringing, eyes blazing, mana flaring wildly.

Neither yielded. Neither broke.

But as the smoke settled and both beasts faded into shimmering silhouettes, the referee finally raised his hand.

"Match over—both combatants unable to continue. It's a draw!"

The arena erupted in applause.

As the dust from the last duel settled, the tournament pressed onward with relentless rhythm. One match after another erupted across the vast coliseum—roars, strikes, and explosions ringing like drums of war. Hours blurred into days, and the once-crowded field of fighters had thinned to a fraction of its former size.

By the third day, only eighty contenders remained, divided evenly among four grand arenas—each marked not by element, but by hue and prestige. The Golden Arena, the Silver Arena, the Bronze Arena, and the Iron Arena—four proving grounds where ambition clashed against destiny.

Floating above the central stage, the overseeing elder's voice rolled like distant thunder.

"The qualifiers will continue," he declared. "Each arena will fight until a single victor remains. Those four will advance to the Grand Finals."

Excitement rippled through the crowd. The air trembled faintly with spiritual energy as the next round began.

The Golden Arena lit first, its barrier shimmering as Tian Lei stepped forward. Across from him stood a lean youth clad in dark robes, eyes sharp and calculating. His name was Shen Du, a rising prodigy known for his ruthless precision and mastery over shadow techniques.

Behind him coiled his beast—a Shade Serpent, its form wavering like mist, scales glinting violet under the pale arena light.

Tian Lei, on the other hand, walked in without fanfare. No beast at his side. No aura flaring around him. He looked like someone out for a stroll rather than a duel.

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