Archaic Continent. Yangding Kingdom. Luori City.

Right now.

The arena was packed. People held their breath, fists clenched, eyes locked onto the stage like they'd pop out.

It was the final round of the four great families’ youth selection battle. No one wanted to blink, not even once.

But in that same moment, no one noticed a teenage boy, about sixteen or seventeen, slowly walking toward the edge of the crowd.

He stood tall, facial features sharp, though a little thin. Still, if one looked closely, they’d see raw power hiding beneath his tattered clothes—muscle and strength coiled tight like a storm held back.

Soon, he reached the outer edge and stopped.

“Three years… I, Tommie Lee, am back.” His voice quiet, calm enough to chill the spine.

He lifted his head. Deep, dark eyes shimmered like a storm brewing in silence.

On the stage, the two fighting didn’t escape his gaze. Evelyn Lee and Adrian Baxter—he knew them both.

“Evelyn… you’ve grown,” he murmured, a faint smile flicking across his face.

But the noisy chatter around him cut through the calm.

“Lee family’s hopeless this year. Not even a single top-ten spot, ha!”

“Yeah, the other families—Baxter, Grant, Mitchell—they’ve all left them in the dust.”

“If not for Harrison Lee holding it together, they'd already be out of the four clans!”

“Kid’s got guts, but she’s just fourteen… hasn’t awakened her martial soul. No way she can beat Adrian Baxter…”

Tommie’s smile disappeared. His brow twitched.

And then it happened.

On the arena stage—

Step by step, Evelyn stumbled backward, her face pale, blood trickling from the corner of her lips.

She was hurt. Just like the crowd said—she couldn’t match Adrian.

“Adrian Baxter… you court death.” Tommie's pupils shrank, voice icy cold. His aura shifted—dark, still, deadly.

“Make way. I’m with the Lee family,” he said flatly.

People in front of him were packed like ants. Getting to the podium’s Lee section wouldn’t be easy.

“Move? Who the hell are you?”

“Lee family? Then I must be Baxter blood.”

“What a joke. This brat think he's someone?”

Noisy jeering. Some even stood higher just to block his line of sight.

Tommie let a long breath out. Eyes returned to Evelyn, still wounded onstage.

“I said… MOVE.”

Each word cut like steel. Hidden killing intent surged out with them—roaring waves in a storm, invisible but overwhelming, crushing everything in its path.

The once loud crowd suddenly froze, as if boiling water had turned cold. Dead silent.

That killing aura—cold, sharp, suffocating—it hit hearts like a blade. Legs buckled. Fear spread like wildfire.

Hundreds turned their heads, staring at the one who radiated that pressure—Tommie Lee.

Those who'd mocked him moments ago? Faces drained of color, teeth clenched, trembling apologies spilling out as they scrambled to back away.

Three… then ten… then fifty… then hundreds. One by one, people backed off, clearing a path.

A straight line opened, leading directly to the arena.Tommie Lee gave a cold glance at the crowd parting for him, the word “thanks” stuck in his throat.

Strength ruled all.

If you were strong, people made way for you—it was only natural. If you were weak, mockery and humiliation were just as natural.

That was the brutal law of the Wild Ancient Continent.

He strode down the narrow path, his steps swift, but strangely, not a sound came from his feet.

All eyes locked onto him.

Who was this young man? Why did he carry such a terrifying killing aura? No one could sense his level, yet fear crept into their bones just looking at him.

Seconds passed. Then someone’s expression shifted, and they muttered in disbelief, swallowing hard, “T-Tommie Lee? He’s really back?”

Tommie Lee—only son of Harrison Lee, head of the Lee family in Sunset City.

Started cultivating at six. Broke into Qi Layer three at eight. Reached Qi Layer seven at ten. And by thirteen, already touching the peak of Qi Layer nine.

From weak to strong, cultivation ranks climbed through Qi Layer, Qi Sect, True Essence, Domain, Lifetaker, and Heaven-Human. Each with nine layers.

In a small place like Sunset City, no one in centuries had reached the Ninth Layer of Qi at thirteen—only Tommie had done it.

Everyone called him a prodigy, eclipsing every other so-called genius in the city.

His pace had been too fast. Most waited till fifteen or sixteen for Soul Awakening, but he entered early.

Awakening one’s soul was vital for all cultivators on the continent. And it happened only once in a lifetime.

A Soul Spirit boosted cultivation speed, increased combat ability, and granted gifted powers. Too important to ignore.

Soul Spirits were ranked from First to Ninth Tier. First Tier bore legendary beasts—Sky Phoenix, Ice Phoenix, Azure Dragon. Lower ones were trash like straw, dirt chicken, toad.

Three years ago, at thirteen, Tommie joined hundreds of youths for the Soul Awakening.

And failed.

No one could believe it.

Even if most people had poor Soul Spirits, they still had something. But Tommie had nothing?

That shocked the entire city.

Stranger still, after the awakening, Tommie didn’t show anger, pain, or regret. He simply said: “I didn’t fail. I just need time. I’ll return in three years.”

Then he vanished.

His words became a running joke in town. Everyone said he couldn’t take the blow and either ran off or killed himself.

No one expected this.

He was back.

Had he really not lied? Had he truly succeeded in awakening his Soul Spirit?

Tommie didn't care for the stares. He just kept walking toward the combat stage.

Around the stage, the Lee, Baxter, Grant, and Mitchell families were all too focused on the fight to notice him.

Suddenly, Harrison Lee bellowed, “Evelyn, if you can’t do it, come down!”Behind him, the elders, stewards, and younger members of the Lee Family were all visibly anxious.

Evelyn Lee was their only hope this generation. The outcome of this Four Families Elite Tournament was already taking shape. They’d rather see her admit defeat than get injured under Adrian Baxter’s hands.

“Autumn Wind Sword Art, Third Form—Sweeping Leaves!”

Evelyn acted like she hadn’t heard a word. Her pure, pale face was stubborn and unshaken.

She gripped her longsword one-handed, her delicate wrist twisting fast. The silver blade flashed, scattering bits of sword light.

Her feet tapped the platform quickly and rhythmically. That violet silhouette charged forward without hesitation.

She wasn’t backing down.

“She’s mastered the third form?” Harrison Lee muttered, a mix of surprise and joy flashing through his tightening aura. He almost moved to intervene.

The Autumn Wind Sword Art was the strongest among the dozen martial arts the Lee Family had. Even the second form was tough — few could reach it. And Evelyn had pushed it to the third?

This girl was a genius. She couldn't be allowed to fall here.

“Brother Lee, she hasn’t surrendered yet.”

The moment Harrison stirred his aura, the other family heads noticed. Jonathan Baxter snorted coldly, his face written with warning.

“A halfway decent girl, that’s it. What are you so wound up about, Harrison? Looks like the Lee Family really has nothing to show," Andrew Grant scoffed.

He then glanced at the four youths behind him — Gwendolen, Ryan, Waldo, and Lucas Grant.

This year, the Grant Family was on top. All four had secured top ten without breaking a sweat. Any of them could crush Adrian, let alone Evelyn. Andrew’s pride had grounds.

“Damn it…” Harrison cursed low, swallowing his anxiety.

On the Duel Platform, seeing Evelyn’s exquisite swordwork and unwavering will — her readiness to fight to the end — made Adrian Baxter’s cocky look crack a little.

The energy in his dantian had already begun to roll.

He was storing power.

Then—

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Swordlight shrilled through the air.

Evelyn’s fierce attack came like a storm. The glinting white blades grew large in Adrian’s shrinking pupils.

He stopped breathing, swallowed hard.

"Blackflame Beast Soul, awaken!"

A massive, blistering force surged up from him. A red-black phantom burst out — the fiery form of the Blackflame Beast Soul. It was made entirely of flames, blazing with savage energy.

The soul released like a caged beast, radiating mad, bloodthirsty might.

The Martial Soul’s power rippled across the field. Spectators close to the platform, especially weaker ones, felt it — tensing up unintentionally.

“Fire Fist!”

Adrian moved fast, guiding that flaming soul into his fist. The Blackflame Beast coiled around his arm like a gauntlet.

His face twisted with aggression. He swung forward hard.

Crackle—!

The Fire Fist crashed into the white sword lights, sparks flying.

The sword light shattered instantly — slashed apart by sheer force.

Then that terrifying Fire Fist kept coming, like a tiger pouncing downhill — unstoppable.

“Not good—!”

Evelyn's eyes widened, panic flickering in them. She couldn’t dodge. All she could do was pull back her sword and throw it up to guard her shoulder.

Clang!

The Fire Fist smashed into her blade. It broke—clean.

Half the sword buried deep in her shoulder. Blood splattered.

Evelyn flew back off the platform and hit the ground hard.

“Haha! Evelyn Lee, you’ve lost! Anyone else from the Lee Family dare challenge me, Adrian Baxter?”

Adrian laughed wildly, drunk on his own arrogance.Evelyn Lee had always been the strongest among the young generation of the Lee clan. Now that she’d been crushed so easily, it was as if the entire Lee clan had been defeated.

Harrison Lee and the others looked like they hadn't even heard anything—heads down, faces dark, rushing over to Evelyn and pulling out healing pills.

"Good! Good! Good!" Jonathan Baxter laughed heartily, then pointed straight at Harrison. "Anyone else from the Lee clan want a go at Adrian?"

Harrison stayed silent.

Adrian Baxter wasn’t even one of the top contenders—he ranked tenth in this year’s selection. And yet their best, Evelyn, couldn’t stand against him. Try again? What for?

On the stage, Adrian wasn’t done yet. He blinked lazily, sweeping a glance over the Lee clan juniors. "Anyone else from the Lees? Come on, I’ll give you three free moves."

Three free moves?

That got the crowd chuckling and throwing glances at the Lees.

“Lee clan, don’t play dead. Get up there!”

“Four great families? What a joke.”

“Getting mocked and still doing nothing?”

“Pathetic!”

...

“Clan leader, we can’t just cower, even if we’re no match for that bastard!” Sebastian Lee growled, voice hoarse, face twisted with rage.

He was second only to Evelyn among the Lee juniors, but he’d had the bad luck of facing Gwendolen Grant earlier.

"Clan leader, that bastard's way too arrogant."

“Let me fight him!”

“I beg you!”

...

One after another, the young Lees raised their heads, breathing heavily, yelling out their resolve to face Adrian.

“Shut up!” Harrison barked, eyes flashing.

He was furious too—the taunts cut deep. But reason held him back. No one among the Lees stood a chance against Adrian. Fighting now would just get them maimed or worse. The clan couldn’t afford it.

Seeing that Harrison had swallowed his pride once again, Adrian became even more reckless, shouting, “No one in the Lee clan! No one! You hear me? No one!”

Was there truly no one?

Harrison’s face turned pale, heart aching.

Yes, no one.

Not a single Lee had made it into the top ten. For one of the so-called four great families, it was humiliation at its worst.

Even the Baxter clan’s third-ranking Adrian could freely taunt them all—what a disgrace.

Though Harrison looked calm, his fists were clenched so tightly his nails dug into his palms.

“Is that it for today’s tournament then, Harrison?” Vincent Mitchell raised a brow and spoke up.

The Mitchells hadn’t done well the last few tournaments. But this year, three of their juniors had reached the top ten—he was more than pleased.

Why did people like him put so much weight on this selection?

Because winning held more than just honor.

The top ten earned the right to take the entrance test for Yangding Academy.

It was the finest martial academy in the entire Yangding kingdom, home to only the most gifted. Even as outer disciples, making it into the Academy was a badge of glory.

For clans like the Grants or Baxters, from small-tier cities, one admission could change their entire fate.

That made the top ten spots beyond precious.

While the Baxters, Grants, and Mitchells mocked the Lee clan—

“Little fool, does it hurt?”

Suddenly, a voice echoed out of nowhere.

Not loud, yet somehow... everyone heard it.