The Supreme Eternal Prime God : 1000x System From Beginning

Chapter 16 – The Final Calm Before the Storm

The early morning sun cast long golden streaks across the towering pagodas and wide stone courtyards of Azure Dragon Academy, its warm glow illuminating the countless disciples who moved through the vast halls, their voices a mixture of hurried whispers and excited speculation, all of them speaking of the same thing—the upcoming Outer Court Selection Tournament, an event that had long been considered one of the most defining moments in a cultivator’s path, a battleground where only the strongest would prove themselves worthy of stepping into the ranks of the Inner Court, and where the weak would be trampled beneath the weight of their own shortcomings, their ambitions left shattered in the dust of failure.

Yet, despite the natural tension that accompanied such an event, despite the hundreds of names already inscribed upon the Tournament Notice Board, despite the rivalries that had begun to surface among those desperate to ascend, there was one name that overshadowed them all, one name that had sent shockwaves through the academy, shaking the very foundations of the Outer Court itself.

Xiao Lin.

In just a handful of days, he had done what no other disciple had accomplished in years—he had climbed from nothingness, from complete obscurity, from a status lower than even the weakest of mortals, and had forced his way into the highest rankings of the Outer Court, his strength no longer just a rumor, but a terrifying, undeniable reality.

And now, as the tournament approached, the question was no longer whether Xiao Lin would qualify for the Inner Court.

It was who among them would even dare to stand in his way.

A wave of disciples gathered in front of the Tournament Notice Board, their eyes scanning the freshly engraved text that detailed the official rules and structure of the competition, the weight of what lay ahead sinking into their minds with each word they read.

Outer Court Selection Tournament – Official Rules & Structure

• First Round: All participating disciples will be divided into groups of ten
  , and must engage in a free-for-all battle, where only the top three survivors of each group will advance.
• Second Round: The remaining disciples will then engage in one-on-one duels, eliminating their opponents until only the top twenty contenders remain.
• Final Round: The top twenty will face each other in a final test of strength, endurance, and skill. The top ten will be granted entry into the Inner Court, while the rest will be cast back down.

A murmur spread through the crowd, mixed reactions rippling through the gathered disciples as they absorbed the implications of the tournament’s brutal format—the first round alone would see more than half of them eliminated immediately, forced to battle in chaotic, uncontrolled skirmishes where strategy and cunning would matter just as much as raw power, where forming temporary alliances could mean the difference between survival and utter defeat.

And yet, despite the complexity of the tournament, despite the countless variables at play, despite the fact that not a single battle had even begun—everyone already knew who would emerge victorious.

Their eyes drifted toward the figure standing alone at the far end of the courtyard, his posture relaxed, his expression unreadable, his golden-flecked eyes calm as he studied the notice board with the indifference of someone who had already decided the outcome long before the tournament had even begun.

Xiao Lin.

His presence alone was enough to silence the whispers, enough to send a chill of quiet recognition through those who had once doubted him, those who had once mocked him, those who had once seen him as nothing more than a crippled disgrace unworthy of their notice—because now, as they stood in his shadow, they understood what they had refused to acknowledge before.

He was beyond them.

And tomorrow, in front of the entire academy, he would prove it.

Deep within the training grounds, Xiao Lin stood in quiet meditation, his breath steady, his Qi circulating smoothly through his meridians as he refined his battle instincts, his mind running through countless potential scenarios, visualizing every possible confrontation he might face in the tournament, every move his opponents might attempt, every flaw in their techniques that he could exploit, every opening he could create to end each battle before it even had the chance to begin.

He had long since abandoned the limitations of conventional combat.

His strength was no longer bound by the rigid structures of traditional martial arts.

He did not simply overpower his enemies.

He dismantled them.

And in the tournament, where countless eyes would be watching, where the academy’s strongest would be waiting for any sign of weakness, he would not allow a single moment of uncertainty.

Because this was not just about winning.

This was about establishing dominance.

A faint rustle of movement reached his ears, and he did not have to turn to know who had arrived.

Su Luo.

She stood a short distance away, her arms crossed, her expression carefully guarded, her presence like a winter breeze—cold, distant, yet carrying the faintest hint of something softer, something unspoken.

She did not speak immediately.

But when she finally did, her voice was quiet, yet firm.

"You’re planning to destroy them all, aren’t you?"

Xiao Lin exhaled, a small smirk playing at the edge of his lips.

"Should I not?"

Su Luo’s fingers tightened slightly around her sleeves.

"You don’t need to do this," she said.

Xiao Lin tilted his head slightly. "Don’t I?"

A pause.

Then, softer—"You’ve already proven yourself."

For the first time since his return, there was something almost vulnerable in her voice.

Something hesitant.

Something that told him that she was afraid.@@novelbin@@

Not for herself.

Not for the other disciples.

But for him.

She had seen too many people consumed by their own ambition.

And she did not want to watch it happen to him.

But Xiao Lin only smiled, turning to face her fully, his golden eyes unwavering, unshakable.

"Then I’ll prove myself again," he said simply.

Su Luo looked at him for a long moment.

Then, without another word, she turned and walked away.

Xiao Lin watched her go, his smirk fading slightly.

He understood her concerns.

But it didn’t matter.

Because tomorrow—nothing would stand in his way.

Not his past.

Not the academy.

Not even fate itself.

The tournament was coming.

And by the time it was over, Xiao Lin’s name would be carved into history itself.