Finals Take the Stage

The morning sun rose high, its boundless golden light spilling across the Inner Sect Tournament's Grand Martial Arts Plaza.

Today marked the closing day of the Inner Sect Tournament, as the final match began.

The entire plaza was a sea of people, livelier than any previous round. The spectator stands were packed to the brim, and even many core disciples who rarely showed themselves had come to watch.

On the high platform, all the sect elders had taken their seats, their expressions solemn. Elder Zhang's brows furrowed slightly as he silently worried for Shen Yuan. A Meridian Opening Realm Middle Stage cultivator challenging someone in the Profound Communion Realm—the chasm in cultivation lay right before him. Winning would be easier said than done.

In the Longwind Society's seating area, Gu Changfeng sat in the seat of honor, his white robes fluttering lightly in the wind. He wanted to see just how far this disciple of servant origins, who had rejected his recruitment twice, could go. If Shen Yuan could force Xiao Wuji into a draw or even defeat him today, then his future would be beyond measure. If he suffered a crushing defeat, it would only prove that without the backing of a faction, a lone man could never amount to much.

On the stands opposite, Su Qingxuan had also quietly appeared. Clad in a plain white dress, her expression cool and detached, she sat silently in a corner, her gaze fixed upon the arena.

The waiting area.

Shen Yuan wore a fitted azure outfit, and the sword at his waist had already been replaced with the mid-grade Azure-Steel Longsword awarded by the sect. A faint cold gleam flowed across its blade. His eyes were closed as he quietly regulated his breathing, replaying the combat sequences of the eighth form