I woke up in the medical tent, every nerve on fire.

"Don't move," Medical Disciple Wen's voice cut through the haze. "Your foundation damage is at forty-seven percent. You've been poisoned by Stage 9 toxins. And somehow you're still breathing despite all medical logic."

"Finals... when?"

"Six hours." Her expression was severe. "Lin Tian, you cannot fight. Your cultivation base is one more technique away from permanent collapse. Stage 8 to Stage 4 overnight. Is that worth a tournament?"

[MEDICAL ASSESSMENT: ACCURATE]

[FOUNDATION INTEGRITY: CRITICAL]

[ONE MORE MAJOR TECHNIQUE USE: 73% CHANCE OF PERMANENT DAMAGE]

[SHE'S NOT EXAGGERATING]

"Who won the other semifinal?"

"Chen Rou. Defeated Xiao Yue in four minutes, brilliant tactical victory." Medical Disciple Wen's tone softened. "Both Azure Peak disciples in finals means the sect wins regardless. You can forfeit with honor. Let Chen Rou take the championship. No one will blame you."

[FORFEIT: REASONABLE OPTION]

[AZURE PEAK WINS EITHER WAY]

[YOUR HEALTH: PRESERVED]

[PRIDE: INTACT]

[THIS IS THE SMART CHOICE]

Elder Hu entered, his expression unreadable. "I've spoken with the tournament officials. Given your condition, they'll accept forfeit. Chen Rou is already champion-elect if you withdraw."

"What does Chen Rou think?"

"She says she'll fight you if you insist on being an idiot." He sat beside the bed. "Lin Tian, you've proven everything you needed to prove. Defeated two Stage 9s with a damaged foundation. That's legendary performance. The sect's reputation is restored. You can rest now."

[ELDER HU: GENUINELY CONCERNED]

[PERMISSION TO STOP: GRANTED]

[NO ONE EXPECTS MORE]

But I thought about the Wanderer, watching from somewhere. Calculating whether I was threat or opportunity. Deciding if I needed to be eliminated immediately or could be dealt with later.

Every victory proved I was dangerous. But also that I was strong enough to maybe... survive him next time. Adapt. Grow.

Forfeiting now meant staying safe. But safe meant stagnant. And stagnant meant the Wanderer's next attack would find me still too weak.

"I'm fighting."

Medical Disciple Wen closed her eyes. "Stubborn fool."

"Determined fool," Elder Hu corrected. "There's a difference." He pulled out a jade bottle. "This is Essence of Restoration. Sect Master approved its use given the circumstances. It won't fully heal you, but it'll stabilize your foundation temporarily."

[ESSENCE OF RESTORATION: LEGENDARY-TIER MEDICINE]

[EFFECT: TEMPORARY FOUNDATION STABILIZATION]

[DURATION: 1 HOUR]

[AFTER EFFECTS: DAMAGE RETURNS, POSSIBLY WORSE]

[SHORT-TERM SOLUTION WITH LONG-TERM COST]

I drank it. Immediately, warmth spread through my cultivation base. The cracks didn't heal, but they stopped widening. Pain receded to manageable levels.

[FOUNDATION DAMAGE: STABILIZED AT 47%]

[TEMPORARY BOOST: COMBAT EFFECTIVENESS 68%]

[TIMER: 60 MINUTES]

[USE WISELY]

The final arena was different, formal, elevated, surrounded by formation arrays that would broadcast the fight to all five sects simultaneously. This wasn't just tournament finals. This was political theater.

Chen Rou stood opposite me, her expression conflicted. "You look terrible."

"Thanks. You look great."

"I'm serious. Your foundation is barely holding together. One technique could cripple you."

"I know."

"Then why?" Her voice cracked slightly. "Why risk everything for this?"

Because the Wanderer was watching. Because I needed to prove I could still grow stronger. Because stopping meant accepting limits I couldn't afford.

But I couldn't tell her any of that.

"Because you're my friend," I said instead. "And I need to face you at your best. Not win by forfeit."

[EMOTIONAL HONESTY: PARTIAL]

[BUT GENUINE ENOUGH]

Chen Rou's expression softened. "Then I won't hold back. Team 7 fights at full strength or not at all."

"I wouldn't want it any other way."

The judge, Sect Master Liang himself, stepped forward. "Tournament Finals. Lin Tian versus Chen Rou. Both of Azure Peak. Regardless of outcome, our sect claims victory. But for personal honor, for ranking, for legacy—fight well."

[FINALS: BEGIN]

Chen Rou moved first.

Not aggressive. Testing. A probing strike with her Azure Dragon technique, reduced power, checking my response time and defensive capability.

I deflected with Serpent's Flow, movements economical. Saving energy. My foundation couldn't sustain lengthy combat.

[COMBAT EFFECTIVENESS: 68% BUT DROPPING]

[ESSENCE OF RESTORATION: 56 MINUTES REMAINING]

[MAKE IT COUNT]

We circled each other, exchanging measured strikes. Chen Rou was Stage 9, fully healthy, experienced. But she knew my techniques, my patterns. Team 7 had trained together for months.

"Your Void Step timing is off," she observed, dodging my spatial displacement. "Half-second delay. The foundation damage affects your technique execution."

"Thanks for the tactical analysis."

"Just letting you know I notice." She accelerated, Azure Dragon manifestation appearing behind her. "So I can exploit it."

The spectral dragon surged forward. I used Void Step to evade, but Chen Rou had predicted the displacement. Her follow-up strike waited exactly where I appeared.

[PREDICTED MOVEMENT]

[SHE KNOWS YOUR PATTERNS TOO WELL]

[ADAPTATION REQUIRED]

I twisted mid-materialization, Serpent's Flow making my body flow around her strike impossibly. Not enough to fully evade, her fist grazed my ribs, sending pain through my damaged foundation.

[FOUNDATION DAMAGE: INTEGRITY DROPPING]

[ESSENCE STABILIZATION: STRAINING]

[TIME LIMIT: CRITICAL]

We separated, both breathing harder. This wasn't like fighting strangers. Chen Rou knew every technique I'd developed. Every habit. Every tell.

'System, she's predicting my movements. How do I counter someone who knows me this well?'

[DO SOMETHING UNPREDICTABLE]

[SOMETHING YOU'VE NEVER SHOWN HER]

[SOMETHING NEW]

Something new. But I'd trained all my techniques with Team 7. They'd seen everything.

Except.

Heaven's Judgment Palm, third form. I'd never successfully executed it. Barely practiced it. Too advanced, too dangerous, too much foundation strain.

But if Chen Rou didn't know it existed, she couldn't predict it.

[HEAVEN'S JUDGMENT PALM: THIRD FORM]

[HEAVENLY CATACLYSM]

[POWER: EXTREME]

[FOUNDATION COST: CATASTROPHIC]

[SUCCESS RATE: 31%]

[IF IT FAILS, YOUR CULTIVATION COLLAPSES]

[IF IT SUCCEEDS... MIGHT WIN]

"Chen Rou," I said. "Remember what you taught me in the Wastes? About showing respect by fighting at full strength?"

Her eyes narrowed. "Don't—"

"I'm showing you that respect now."

I gathered my Qi. Not the second form's concentrated beam. The third form required compression beyond anything I'd attempted, taking infinite reserves and condensing them into impossible density.

My foundation screamed. Cracks spread. The Essence of Restoration's stabilization shattered under the strain.

[FOUNDATION DAMAGE: 47% → 59%]

[WARNING: APPROACHING PERMANENT DAMAGE THRESHOLD]

[TECHNIQUE CHARGE: 34%...]

Chen Rou recognized what I was attempting. Her expression shifted to alarm. "Lin Tian, stop! That technique will destroy your cultivation!"

"Maybe." The power built, storm-gray energy crackling around my body. "But it'll be spectacular."

[TECHNIQUE CHARGE: 67%...]

[FOUNDATION: CRITICAL STATE]

[POINT OF NO RETURN: APPROACHING]

She launched her ultimate technique. "Azure Dragon: Heaven's Judgment!"

Her spectral dragon grew massive, solid, divine. Stage 9 power unleashed completely. Meant to knock me unconscious before I could complete my technique.

[TECHNIQUE CHARGE: 91%...]

[HER ATTACK: 0.8 SECONDS TO IMPACT]

[YOURS: 0.3 SECONDS TO COMPLETION]

[RACE CONDITION]

The dragon's claws reached for me. My technique hit critical mass.

"Heaven's Judgment Palm: Heavenly Cataclysm!"

Reality seemed to pause. The compressed Qi released in a pillar of storm-gray light that pierced the heavens. Not a beam. Not a strike. A declaration, raw power given form.

Chen Rou's dragon collided with my technique.

For one perfect moment, they were equal.

Then my infinite Qi reserves tipped the balance. The dragon shattered. The pillar continued, forcing Chen Rou to throw up emergency defenses.

The impact created a shockwave that cracked the arena floor. Protective formations strained. Spectators stumbled backward.

When the light cleared, Chen Rou stood—barely. Conscious, but clearly unable to continue. Her cultivation base intact but exhausted.

I collapsed immediately. Foundation finally giving out, unable to maintain consciousness.

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