The judge's hand dropped.
A moment of silence.
Then-
**Lu Qiang charged.**
No hesitation. No warm-up. Just raw, brutal momentum.
Each of his steps cracked the arena floor, his fists glowing faintly with a heavy bronze light. He was fast for someone his size-a bull charging downhill. His first strike was a shoulder thrust aimed straight at Shadow's chest.
Shadow twisted.
**Thunder Step.**
He vanished in a streak of static light and reappeared two meters to the left.
Lu Qiang skidded, turned, and launched a wide backhand punch with enough force to bend steel.
Shadow ducked.
The wind of the strike roared past his hair.
He retaliated.
**Flash Blade Art: Pulse One.**
A clean, diagonal strike toward Lu Qiang's ribs.
The blade struck flesh.
**CLANG.**
It bounced off.
Shadow blinked.
His blade had struck - and done nothing.
Lu Qiang grinned. "Thought I was bluffing?"
His torso gleamed. Qi wrapped his body like armor, rippling with earth energy.
**Verdant Body Scripture.**
His defense was not just physical - it was spiritual. Reinforced muscle and bone, spiritual coating, and an instinctual guard refined through hundreds of battles.
Shadow leapt back.
Lu Qiang chased him, fists flying like piledrivers.
**BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.**
Each missed strike shattered stone, sending debris flying. Shadow danced between them using Thunder Step, but even his speed couldn't avoid the pressure entirely.
A fist grazed his shoulder.
Pain bloomed.
He spun and slid away, skidding across the stone, blood dripping from his sleeve.
Lu Qiang laughed. "All that speed, and you still get hit!"
Shadow said nothing. He wiped the blood and adjusted his stance.
> *If I can't break through... I'll have to go around.*
He closed his eyes.
A single breath.
Then-
**Flash Blade Art: Pulse Two.**
He surged forward. Feinted left. Slipped right. Slashed at Lu Qiang's thigh.
It connected.
A small cut appeared. Barely.
Lu Qiang stumbled.
"Tch... Lucky hit."
But Shadow had already circled.
Thunder Step triggered again.
He moved in bursts, circling like a hawk.
**Strike. Retreat. Strike. Retreat.**
He wasn't aiming to kill. Not yet.
He was **studying.**
Finding the points of articulation. Where muscle met ligament. Where Qi didn't flow right.
> *He's strong. But he's not perfect.*
Lu Qiang roared. "Stand still!"
He pounded both fists into the ground.
**Earthen Pulse Technique!**
The arena rumbled. A shockwave pulsed outward from his body, cracking the platform.
Shadow jumped, but the tremor still struck.
His balance broke.
Lu Qiang was waiting.
A punch rocketed forward.
It struck Shadow in the ribs.
**CRACK!**
Shadow flew back, coughing blood.
He rolled, stopped, and barely pushed himself up.
His chest throbbed. At least two ribs were fractured.
The crowd gasped.
Mei Rong narrowed her eyes. "That might be enough to end it."
But the Sect Master leaned forward.
"No," he whispered. "Look at his eyes."
Shadow stood.
Blood at the corner of his lips.
And still-he smiled.
He whispered to himself.
"I found it."
He inhaled deeply.
**Thunder surged.**
He stepped forward. Once. Twice. And vanished.
**Modified Thunder Slash.**
His blade hummed.
He didn't go for the chest.
He went for the side of Lu Qiang's neck - a point where skin stretched and muscle flexed.
The thunder screamed.
**BOOM.**
A blinding flash.
When it cleared, Shadow stood behind Lu Qiang.
His blade pointed downward.
Lu Qiang stood for a moment.
Then collapsed.
Unconscious.
Blood trickled from a thin, clean slash along his neck.
The judge rushed forward.
"Victory: **Shadow!**"
The arena exploded in cheers.
But Shadow stumbled.
His ribs ached. His blood boiled. His Qi trembled from overuse.
He exhaled, coughed, and smiled weakly.
Then walked off the stage.
Up in the pavilion, the Sect Master rose.
"Let the heavens bear witness. The Wall has fallen to Thunder."
---