A Halberd Cleaves Heaven's Gate

Li Xuanqing returned to Wenying Pavilion with the might of a level seventy-one Soul Sage. The surging aura of a top-tier powerhouse had yet to settle completely, but it had already kindled an even fiercer flame in the hearts of the fifteen young Soul Masters—a flame inevitably tinged with an ever-clearer sense of urgency.

Three and a half months.

That countdown hung above their heads like a sword, reminding them all that the grand tournament which would draw the attention of the continent's greatest powers and determine the standing of the younger generation was fast approaching. In the training area, every thunderous collision of soul skills and every silence during tactical planning carried the weight of a race against time.

Li Xuansheng turned his gaze away from the fierce sparring match that had just ended and toward the figure standing silent as an iron tower in the corner. Li Xuanshu was slowly wiping down the Sky Phoenix Halberd in his hands. Its shaft was dark red, its blade gleaming bright, reflecting his resolute profile. In the match, he had torn through the layered defenses formed by Li Huajun's Profound Phoenix Shield and Li Mengchen's ice-poison domain with a single thrust, opening a breach for his team. His assault power was beyond question, but Li Xuansheng could see something deeper—the potential resting beneath that halberd's edge, waiting for the right opportunity to erupt in full.

Inside the quiet chamber, the only sound was the faint hiss of the sharp aura emanating from the gilded armor-breaking fruit as it sliced through the air. Li Xuanshu's gaze seemed locked on the dark-gold fruit, its surface covered in natural, slash-like patterns. Without realizing it, his breathing grew heavy and hot. As a Soul Master who regarded the way of the halberd as his very