The pain gradually subsided after the initial shock. For Nathan, this stab was nothing compared to Argentius' attack, let alone the Lava Drake.

  He smirked, despite blood trickling from the corner of his mouth and the aching in his neck from enduring blows since the beginning. Anger flashed in his voice.

  "I told myself I'd pummel that vile mouth of yours the moment I got the chance."

  Then, without giving his opponent time to react, he thrust both hands forward and pulled back with lightning speed.

  Reza was about to taunt after hearing those provocative words, but he only saw two black masses hurtle toward him with inconceivable speed.

  Nathan's elbows, covered in black stone, carried strength enhanced by passive skills and 33% Berserker as they crashed into Reza's shoulder and lower abdomen.

  Instead of the usual metallic clang, there was only a rushing sound as Reza activated his defensive mechanism using his water aspect mana. Yet that wasn't enough. Nathan's destructive power now rivaled Laurent Nyralith's technique, sufficient to make a Tier 3 cultivator puzzled.

  As the mana shield and water layer dispersed the impact, resembling a pond's surface when struck by a massive rock, the residual force sent Reza flying backward.

  Along his trajectory, the two areas hit by Nathan shattered like water bubbles, spraying blood behind him, accompanied by the cracking sound of breaking bones. He let out a high-pitched, agonized scream. His water-encased body bounced several times on the arena floor, dragging a distance before finally stopping. Reza's back slumped heavily on the arena floor.

  Nathan turned away, flashing a contemptuous smile at his opponent. Among the cultivators present, he was the only one with mind-disrupting skills. Through experience, he knew that the greater the force released, the more proportionally powerful the result.

  Triggered [Internal Trauma]. One credit given.

  At the same time, he marveled at the water splashes on the ground, the origins of Reza's ultimate move. He glanced around and took a deep breath of relief. Reza had planned to attack from many places. Luckily, Nathan was chosen as prey. His teammates, with their ragged appearance and depleted strength, would not be able to fight back

  Reza stood up, mouth dry-coughing. He raised his head, glaring at Nathan with indescribable fury. He had harbored resentment toward the chef since their time in Moirath Forest, when Nathan had captured all the attention from the two accompanying girls, especially Evelyn. Afterward, Evelyn showed even more interest in this disciple from Verdant Spire Sect, displaying obvious contempt for Reza after his humiliating defeat to the Nightmare Weaver.

  And that cry.

  That blatantly worried cry, revealing the connection between the two. A connection Reza had never achieved despite always presenting the best aspects of himself. This was why he no longer cared about using venomous words. Using honey-sweet words had no effect, so he would resort to extreme measures.

  What belonged to him must be his. Just as everyone poured resources into him, allowing him to reach glory.

  He would be the last one standing.

  Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!

  Evelyn burned her mana, accelerating icebolts that pierced straight into Reza's body.

  She frowned in confusion when the normally cunning Reza stood motionless, allowing her to attack without even attempting to dodge.

  Even Zhanyu flinched when his teammate made no move against such obvious projectiles. He tilted his head toward the Azure Lake Academy leader with wide eyes, shaking his head in exasperation.

  Talented teammates, but each one a fool. Truly a dilemma.

  Evelyn glanced at Nathan, guessing everything stemmed from him. Even now, he still held his own trump card. But the next scene made her upturned smile freeze.

  Nathan collapsed, kneeling on the ground, clutching his chest. His eyes widened in shock, not understanding what was happening. Blood gushed from his mouth like a fountain. Throbbing pains rippled through his chest. He tried to sense his body, discovering the source of his misery spreading outward.

  Reza's stab, he thought to himself.

  The wound left behind was spreading like a spider web, with a venomous snake head advancing straight toward his heart.

  Without further hesitation, he transferred the Titan transformation from his arms. His chest gradually became encased in breaking and healing stone. Most importantly, it penetrated his internal organs, battling the poisonous water Reza had left behind.

  "What's wrong, Nathan?" Zahra arrived, placing a hand on his shoulder.

  "Nate, tell me what's wrong," Zeryn glided over wearily, clearly drained from that final technique.

  Evelyn had also approached, saying nothing, but her hand was clenched tight.

  "I..."

  Before he could finish, his words were cut off by an explosion in his arm.

  His blood vessels bulged, the remnants from Laurent's energy beam bursting through his skin. In just a second, Nathan's arm shot out red streams of blood in all directions like a porcupine.

  He collapsed to the ground, feeling the world spin.

  He had reached his limit.

  "Laurent!" Zeryn exclaimed.

  The three finally understood that Nathan had been enduring pain from beginning to end, resisting through skills and his bloodline.

  "What should we do?" Zahra asked anxiously.

  Zeryn's eyes grew grim. The most viable and best option was to leave. But they had come so far. Three of their four opponents had been defeated. Victory was within reach, about to slip away. He wasn't overly concerned with the outcome, but Nathan had given his all. Plus the efforts of everyone else.

  Zahra nodded when she saw Zeryn's expression. Evelyn did likewise.

  Their teammate's body before them convulsed in waves, his mouth clenched so tight his gums bled. Nathan needed help.

  As Zeryn's hand nearly severed the bracelet, Argentius roared, its massive eyebrows warning everyone around.

  Zeryn was just a millimeter away from touching Nathan's bracelet with his Sword Intent. He half-closed his eyes in annoyance at the tiger monster.

  Argentius ignored him, only nudging its head against Evelyn's hand. Then it stood on its hind legs, covering its paws with wind power like a pair of gloves.

  Evelyn understood immediately. Her hand swept forward, tiny particles generated from her ice power coating Nathan's arm.

  A thin layer of ice gradually formed over his skin. Inside, the rage was slowed as blood encountered resistance and energy currents met opposition thanks to Evelyn's mana aspect.

  After a while, Nathan's body stopped convulsing. He finally regained clarity. These people were truly dangerous, living up to their genius reputation. Every attack required multiple layers to neutralize.

  His face was pale as he opened his tired eyes to look at Evelyn.

  "Thank you," his voice was barely audible.

  Evelyn nodded, her heart somewhat fearful. Nathan hadn't fully recovered since the Lava Drake. At full strength, his abilities would likely withstand even the strongest attacks from Laurent and Reza, something she wagered no one else here could do. Apart from the deadly weakness of only being able to attack at close range, his other aspects were truly comprehensive.

  The day he becomes Tier 2, she thought, what then? And with adequate food preparation.

  Nathan had depleted his food supplies on the journey, defending against The Pressuring Fall, and the Lava Drake. Had any remained, she guessed that mysterious armor using essence would have greatly helped him.

  "Ahem," Zhanyu cleared his throat, pulling Evelyn from her thoughts. "I'm still here if you dare think you've won."

  Nathan struggled to sit up, joining his teammates in looking up at the young man in dark blue robes adorned with stars, hovering in midair.

  "Three have been eliminated," Zhanyu calmly stated. "Well, your winning odds must be climbing steadily out there, hmm?"

  No one responded. Zahra and Argentius, still capable of fighting, tensed their bodies, preparing for what would come. Zhanyu's potential ranking before The Shifting Trials was first, above even Adrian. They had already met the fire-using monster, proving Zhanyu ranked second at most. No one could tell them the distance between first and second place. But even if they differed greatly, that wouldn't necessarily make things easier.

  "Everyone's already used their ultimate moves, haven't they?" Zhanyu smiled. "Then it's my turn. Are you ready? I didn't dare use it because once I release it, it doesn't distinguish between friend and foe. But as you can see, there's no strings on me now!"

  Everyone looked at Reza, who had vanished after his rescue bracelet activated, their spines chilling at the threat.

  Nathan struggled to his feet, his gaze noticeably unfocused. He and his teammates had pushed themselves to the limit just to break through Zhanyu's defensive wall. Now came the most crucial moment. Deep down, he felt some resentment. Just possessing a powerful mana aspect already placed one above others.

  Without realizing it, he had placed himself among the elite, daring to compare himself with top-tier existences like Zhanyu. Yet he himself hadn't even noticed this.

  The only one capable of defeating Zhanyu in a one-on-one battle here was Zeryn, who was looking around with curious eyes. The spatial fluctuations in the air became so pronounced that they were visible to the naked eye.

  Argentius' fur stood on end, instinct repeatedly warning of danger.

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  Zahra lowered herself, channeling mana throughout her body.

  Evelyn half-closed her eyes, a screen of white bolts swirling around her.

  The untouchable figure in the high sky, looking down like a god scorning mortals. His hand raised high, mouth muttering.

  "Spatial Distortion!"

  Blood splattered right before Nathan's eyes.

  Zahra, with a deep gash across her back that had penetrated both mana shield and armor, lurched forward unsteadily. Her face looked around in panic.

  Triggered [Tingling Sense]. One credit given.

  Triggered [Tingling Sense] x 2...x 3... x 4...

  Triggered [Adrenaline Boost]. One credit given.

  Triggered [Adrenaline Boost] x 2...x 3...x 4...

  Nathan lost all sense of direction, unable to distinguish the source that [Tingling Sense] was trying to warn against. Just like that, a Spatial Cut sliced across his chest, his body automatically reacting, falling backward, collapsing to the ground.

  On the other sides, Zeryn deployed swords surrounding himself, using the disruption each sword fed back to evade. Nevertheless, Space Aspect was proving its reputation. Even Sword Intent could be severed, as long as it affected the physical world.

  Evelyn heightened her vigilance, pushing her mind to its limits. She sent out her ice particles like Zeryn did, relying on feedback information to devise appropriate strategies.

  Argentius moved nimbly between Spatial Cuts. Its growl sounded distinctly irritated.

  Responding to the call, Zahra ignored her wound, rushing toward the tiger monster. Both cloaked themselves in wind power, charging straight at Zhanyu.

  The Spatial Cuts mercilessly interrupted the winds and tornadoes created by one person and one tiger. But using the flow, they could still close in on the highest-rated genius.

  Unfortunately, when they were just a flash away from contact, Zhanyu disappeared, teleporting elsewhere, folding his arms as he looked down at everything.

  As he'd said, Spatial Distortion didn't discriminate. It was even slicing at Zhanyu's own defensive dome. This might be because his control over Space Aspect remained incomplete. In the future, once this weakness was resolved, Nathan's team would have no chance of resistance if it were used from the beginning.

  Nathan awkwardly jumped back and forth with his heavy body, with terrible results. The wounds on his chest still had armor for protection, but other body parts were suffering terribly. His arm was sliced through the ice layer, causing old wounds to erupt, forcing Evelyn to refill it so he could resist.

  Zahra and Argentius roared in unison, using somersault techniques like when combining with Nathan, throwing each other at the enemy. But a large Spatial Cut blocked their path, slicing across Argentius' shoulder, causing it to crash down, recovering while still airborne.

  "Don't risk it, Argy!" Nathan shouted through the mental communication channel. "If you die, it's permanent! You don't have any insurance like us!"

  Argentius growled in displeasure. But it heeded the warning, not daring to act rashly anymore. Its whiskers quivered, eyes showing hesitation. It also wanted Nathan to grow stronger. Only then would the future path shown by its ancestors become easier to realize. It needed to act, help its partner gain any advantage within reach. Nathan had struggled to get this far, so it too must contribute.

  Argentius' eyes widened, one turning white, one completely black. It might not use the full Ying-yang Eye, but could employ a lesser form.

  The tiger's vision transformed, Zhanyu's seemingly random attacks suddenly revealing patterns. Invisible threads, complex patterns. But it could guess them.

  The majestic tiger beast leaped up, body bending, successfully avoiding a spatial cut. Its body moved as if automated, sometimes straightening, sometimes using wind to jerk sideways. Moving like this, it approached Zhanyu. Its claws flashed with the metallic gleam of mana aspect.

  A faint sound of shattering glass rang out as Zhanyu's defense broke. Having used most of his strength for Spatial Distortion, the number of walls had reduced to one. But teleportation remained.

  Whoosh!

  Argentius lost momentum when its claws grasped at empty air, catching nothing. It resignedly looked to the right, where Zhanyu had just appeared. The distraction and frustration cost it another cut across its lower abdomen.

  Shaking its massive head, it regained focus, continuing to pursue Zhanyu.

  Through the mental channel between them, Nathan glimpsed Argentius' vision. He finally understood the power his partner possessed. He briefly thought about the Fortune Flow that Lachlan had mentioned. Pushing unnecessary thoughts from his mind, he refocused on the battle.

  Zahra joined in, lightening the burden for the tiger monster. The constant Spatial Cuts still created difficulties for both. Nevertheless, they were succeeding in pressuring Zhanyu. He was continuously sweating, face pale, with a bright red liquid flickering at the corner of his nose.

  The genius of The Thousand Stars Pavilion was silently cursing. He never imagined his greatest challenge would be a monster. Those abnormal eyes even frightened him. As if they came from some power beyond comprehension. He suspected no one here was knowledgeable enough to understand where this white tiger originated.

  Simultaneously using teleportation, defense domes, and Spatial Distortion was creating a thousand-pound weight on Zhanyu's mind. Mana burned down to almost nothing.

  Zeryn, despite drinking mana-enhancement potions and clutching mana stones, couldn't respond quickly enough to the surrounding chaos. A Spatial Cut pierced his abdomen, pushing him closer to collapse. This was why he hadn't wanted to use Sword Brigade. It not only demanded profound understanding of Sword Intent, but the mana requirements exceeded what a Tier 2 cultivator could provide. Without a solid foundation, he would have let this skill backfire already.

  Yet consequences arrived anyway. He knelt with mana fatigue, only able to maintain subtle movements to evade. He couldn't help but respect Zhanyu. To use Spatial Distortion, he must have trained as arduously as Zeryn himself.

  Evelyn and Nathan continuously moved, keeping close to each other. They similarly contemplated ultimate failure. They had given their all, only to be defeated by a single person.

  Nathan sensed a clear decline in strength from Argentius. His partner was about to exhaust itself.

  "Go, Evelyn!" Nathan said.

  He had observed that the blue-haired girl wanted to act but always hesitated because of him.

  Finding a confirmatory glance from Nathan, Evelyn nodded, beginning to advance toward Zhanyu.

  Nathan looked toward Zeryn, lips curving into a weak smile as Spatial Cuts painfully sliced at them.

  "Protect my hand and leg, will you?" Nathan said when managing to get near Zeryn.

  "As long as you cover my ass," Zeryn confidently replied.

  The two coordinated their defense when they could no longer move. One used chest armor for protection, the other used his refined perception through Sword Intent to help Nathan avoid cuts to his hands, his most vulnerable point currently.

  "Bring me to him!" Evelyn said as she approached Argentius and Zahra.

  Then all three advanced with the tiger monster leading the way.

  Argentius, like Nathan earlier, followed strange trajectories to advance. The two girls followed with utmost precision.

  Evelyn's face was paler than usual, her red lips darkening, only her eyes still bright.

  Finally, all three reached Zhanyu.

  Just as he was about to move, he suddenly felt his body slow, his mana circulation meeting resistance. He widened his eyes at the newly arrived girl, her azure hair seemingly glowing.

  "Domain?" Zhanyu asked shakily.

  But he immediately received an answer like when the cultivator using Gravity mana aspect did after Evelyn absorbed Winter's Heart Drop. This was merely a lesser version.

  The main issue was that if so, it shouldn't interfere with Zhanyu's Space Aspect. Something stronger was being imposed. Something encompassing even laws.

  As if freezing both space and time.

  With that frightening thought, Zhanyu watched his protective dome torn apart, followed by a wind drill from Zahra.

  Unable to teleport or create illusions, Zhanyu took the full brunt of the attack.

  The winds compressed into sharp blades that tore through his mana shield, striking directly against Zhanyu's chest armor.

  Argentius didn't miss a moment, gliding in to swing its claws from behind.

  Blood sprayed like rain from Zhanyu's body. He clenched his teeth, enduring the pain, trying to reach his spatial connection. But he was dismayed to discover his hand covered in a glowing layer of ice.

  Evelyn's Domain had encompassed everything. Zhanyu glanced at the two who had just attacked him. Even they were falling rapidly after being mercilessly frozen.

  Like Spatial Distortion, Evelyn's skill didn't discriminate.

  Zhanyu's mouth opened wide, wanting to scream in defiance. Unfortunately, ice had completely covered his mouth, the cold penetrating his tongue, spreading to his organs.

  The bracelet activated as if without needing to be broken, an intervention from outside. Zhanyu vanished.

  Spatial Distortion dissolved, chaos ceasing in the arena.

  Evelyn stood motionless before plummeting headfirst.

  Nathan caught her gently after a jump. Her entire body went limp, soft in his arms.

  "I told you," Nathan grinned. "I'd need you sometime."

  Hearing this, Evelyn smiled.

  She allowed herself to lie in Nathan's arms, tilting her head, extending her hand to reclaim her power.

  The ice receded from Argentius and Zahra. Their eyes seemed to tell everyone they had just journeyed through hell and back. This cold was something they never wanted to experience again.

  Zeryn limped over, his leg exposing flesh where Spatial Cuts had sliced to the bone. He smiled at everyone.

  "Well, I must say I'm somewhat proud of our team," Zeryn said. "Everyone looks completely wrecked."

  "Gloriously wrecked," Zahra replied with hands on her hips, unable to hide her joy.

  Argentius snorted to attract attention. Its body seemed to shrink a notch, losing its imposing bulk. In response, it received a hug and head pat from Zahra.

  All four looked at the announcement board appearing in midair, finally delivering a conclusion.

  Their team had won.

  The final score was 3:1.

  Then the entire arena contracted like before. Their platform detached, rotating back to positions around the center, just below the crack.

  Around them were other teams that had already completed their matches. Many people were looking at Nathan's team with fearful eyes, some with admiration, some wary of future dangers.

  The battle between Nathan's team and Zhanyu's had lasted longer than other matches. Teams that had completed the fourth round could observe this battle unfold. The abilities of the four before them made contestants silently marvel.

  Especially the chef whom everyone had underestimated. Initially, they thought a chef wouldn't choose the path of combat. But the recent battle showed them not only fighting skills comparable to the best but also mental sharpness when attacking Laurent and Zhanyu, and limitless potential. As Evelyn assessed, they truly couldn't predict how terrifying Nathan would become once he reached Tier 2.

  From another perspective, the people here were all pondering whether, at the same cultivation level as Nathan, they had enough confidence to compete with him, let alone win.

  The clown who made himself a laughingstock in the soccer match had now risen higher than before in everyone's eyes.

  Nathan was no longer weak. He was strong. And this was demonstrated even more clearly when the central board displayed an announcement.

  Arena Phase Assessment Complete!

  Besides evaluation based on match outcomes, performance scores have been added for exceptional matches that exceeded all expectations.

  Here is the table of the final ranking!

  Congratulations to the top 8 teams!

  You now have permission to enter The Advancement Stream.

  Other contestants will be teleported out of this pocket dimension.

  The Shifting Trials end now.

  The platforms beneath the teams expanded, reconnecting into a complete block as at the beginning. The dividing wall for the path of creation also disappeared.

  On the other side, supporting profession cultivators looked over with curious eyes, waiting to see who would be the most outstanding individuals of this generation.

  Similarly, the combatants were eagerly seeking the most exceptional individuals to record information, hoping to connect and expand relationships for the future.

  The crack at the center expanded, floating down to the center of the field. The exit portal had opened.

  Young cultivators not in the top 64 dutifully departed, nodding and offering congratulations to the most outstanding.

  "You didn't disappoint me," Lachlan passed by Nathan's team, applauding continuously. "Worthy of the victory I gave up, right?"

  Without giving Nathan a chance to object, the notorious villain of Maelivar city and the entire Caelindor kingdom laughed loudly, disappearing with his entourage and allies.

  This was followed by congratulations for Nathan's team, with invitations and promises extended. Olive branches were unhesitatingly offered.

  Nathan stood straight, his eyes still incredulous as he looked at the announcement board hovering in midair.

  His team had achieved unexpected results.

  First place went to Adrian's team with a perfect 4:0 score.

  Second place surprised him by being led by Keira Valaine, also 4:0.

  Third place was none other than Zhanyu's team. Despite losing one match, their strength was undeniable.

  And the team ranking fourth above Nathan's only exceeded them through added performance points.

  This meant he was among the top 64 as part of the fifth-ranked team.

  The system mission had been completed.

  "Why didn't Nathan transform? Just doing that would have defeated everyone."

  "Zhanyu was this weak?"

  "Weak? Or is that Evelyn girl strong. You don't know the extent of her abilities. One Zhanyu had almost defeated five of them. Don’t forget about the monster."

  Comments became rampant as screens displayed The Shifting Trials results. Everywhere showed battle scenes of contestants with their unique specialties.

  The betting tables area was most lively with unceasing shouts.

  Commentators from each channel were analyzing, clearly pointing out strengths and weaknesses of each person for interested viewers. Simultaneously, future prospects were outlined after evaluating the potential they had demonstrated over the past seven days.

  Then everyone fell silent as contestants emerged from the portal reactivated fifteen minutes ago. Heavy faces, regrets, and resentment appeared one after another. But the silence wasn't because of the contestants.

  It was due to pressure from high-Tier Cultivators.

  Everyone felt an inexplicable lump in their throats.

  Only Darkan, hidden in the crowd, clenched his fist, eyes glancing at difficult-to-track movements between grandstands and buildings. Everything seemed focused on the center, Duke Kael Voss's castle.

  His gaze shifted from calm to determined, eyebrows straight as swords. His lazy, hunched back straightened, making everyone around seem to shrink a level.

  Hidden beneath the excitement and jubilation was an undercurrent just hours away from becoming a tsunami.