The Supreme Eternal Prime God : 1000x System From Beginning

Chapter 22 – The Flames of Ambition Ignite

The atmosphere within the Grand Tournament Arena had shifted.

The second round of the Outer Court Selection Tournament was well underway, with powerful duels taking place across the massive stone coliseum, each fight a battle of skill, strength, and endurance as disciples clashed with everything they had, their bodies bruised, their Qi reserves running dry, their ambition pushing them to their very limits.

But despite the ongoing battles, despite the roars of combat, despite the countless eyes fixed on the warriors spilling their blood across the arena—none of it mattered.

Because the only fight anyone had truly cared about had already ended.

And its result had changed everything.

Xiao Lin sat at the far edge of the coliseum, his arms crossed, his expression unreadable as he leaned against the smooth stone railing, his golden-flecked eyes flickering with quiet amusement as he listened to the whispers that now filled the arena, the hushed voices of the Outer Court disciples who had once mocked him, dismissed him, spat on his name.

Now, they spoke of him with something else entirely.

Awe.

Fear.

Unease.

Because he had not simply won his duel.

He had erased his opponent.

Shattered him.

Made it clear that none of them—no matter how strong, how talented, how determined—stood a chance.

And that reality was beginning to sink into their bones like ice.

No one spoke to him.

No one even dared to approach.

They simply watched.

Like mortals standing before a rising god.

And Xiao Lin?

He found it amusing.

Because this—this was only the beginning.

Within the private viewing pavilion, where only the strongest of the Outer Court gathered, Huang Xue leaned forward slightly, his sharp gaze locked onto the battlefield below, his fingers tapping idly against the wooden armrest of his chair as he listened to the murmurs around him.

"He destroyed Jiang Hao with a single strike," one disciple muttered, voice hushed, uncertain.

"It wasn’t even a fight. He didn’t even try."

Another scoffed, shaking his head. "That’s the problem. If this is what he’s capable of now, what happens when he actually starts fighting seriously?"

Silence followed the words.

Because they all knew the answer.

Xiao Lin was going to win.

There was no stopping him.

No slowing him down.

No fighting him on equal ground.

The only question left—was whether or not they could survive in the same world as him.

And that thought was terrifying.

Far from the noise of the coliseum, deep within the Inner Court, where only the strongest resided, a quiet meeting was taking place in a secluded stone chamber, its walls lined with ancient scrolls, its floors adorned with golden carvings of dragons and celestial beasts.

Seated at the center of the room, beneath the flickering glow of enchanted lanterns, was a group of Inner Court elites, their expressions unreadable, their postures relaxed yet commanding, their eyes sharp as they studied the massive spiritual projection floating above the table—a live visualization of the tournament battles below.

They had been watching.

They had seen everything.

And now, as the second round unfolded, they sat in silence, contemplating the implications of what they had just witnessed.

Xiao Lin.

A name that should have meant nothing.

A name that should have been buried in disgrace.

A name that was now threatening to overturn everything they knew.

Finally, after a long stretch of silence, one of them spoke.

"He is dangerous."

The others nodded in quiet agreement.

"He is strong."

Another nod.

"Too strong."

A pause.

Then—

"We should eliminate him before it’s too late."

The words hung in the air, heavy with intent.

But before anyone could respond, a low chuckle broke the silence.

The others turned toward the speaker—the same Inner Court disciple who had observed Xiao Lin earlier, the same man who had taken interest in his fights, the same warrior who had seen something in him that the others had failed to understand.

He smirked, tilting his head slightly.

"Kill him?" he murmured, amusement lacing his tone. "Why?"

The first speaker frowned. "Because if we don’t, he will reach the Inner Court. And once he does, we will no longer be able to control him."

The smirk widened.

"Perhaps."

A pause.

"But tell me—why would we kill someone who could be useful?"

Silence followed.

And then, slowly, understanding began to dawn in the eyes of the gathered elites.

They had been looking at Xiao Lin the wrong way.

He was not an enemy.

He was an opportunity.

And opportunities… should not be wasted.

Meanwhile, within a secluded garden where the wind carried the soft fragrance of blooming jasmine, Su Luo stood alone, her arms wrapped around herself, her dark eyes filled with something unreadable as she gazed toward the distant coliseum, listening to the echoes of battle, the roars of victory, the whispers of names rising and falling like fleeting stars.

She knew what they were saying.

She knew what they were thinking.

And she knew what it all meant.

Xiao Lin was no longer the man she had once known.

And yet…

Her hands clenched slightly.

She wanted to believe.

She wanted to trust that beneath all of this power, beneath all of this terrifying strength, beneath the golden eyes that now seemed so distant—

The boy she had once loved was still there.

But she did not know.

And that scared her.

Because if he was not—

Then what had he become?@@novelbin@@

Back in the coliseum, Xiao Lin exhaled slowly, his golden eyes flickering as he glanced at the towering stone board where the next round of matches was being revealed, his name standing at the top of the rankings, his next opponent already decided.

The second round was nearly over.

And soon, only sixteen would remain.

The path to the Inner Court was narrowing.

The obstacles were growing fewer.

And as he stood there, listening to the whispers, watching the disciples shift uneasily in his presence, feeling the weight of the academy’s attention pressing down upon him—

Xiao Lin smiled.

Because he knew.

No one here could stop him.

And soon, the entire world would understand that as well.