The Supreme Eternal Prime God : 1000x System From Beginning

Chapter 4 – Tremors of a Rising Dragon

The weight of stunned silence still lingered over the Outer Court training grounds long after Zhao Yan’s defeated form lay motionless in the dirt, his chest rising and falling in ragged, uneven breaths as his mind struggled to comprehend the humiliating reality of what had just transpired.

For the longest time, he had been among those who delighted in ridiculing Xiao Lin, convinced that the once-promising genius was nothing more than a crippled shadow of his former self, doomed to live in obscurity. Yet, in mere seconds, he had been overpowered, choked, and tossed aside like worthless trash.

By someone who wasn’t even supposed to be able to cultivate.

The air around the training grounds felt thick, heavy with an unspoken tension as the gathered disciples exchanged uncertain glances, their earlier amusement at the thought of mocking Xiao Lin replaced with something else entirely.

Shock.

And beneath that, something closer to fear.

The very notion of a crippled cultivator recovering his strength overnight was unthinkable. Yet, what they had just witnessed was even more absurd—Xiao Lin hadn’t merely recovered; he had displayed a level of dominance that should have been impossible for someone only at the Third Level of Qi Gathering Realm.

If he was already this strong now…

Then what would happen once he advanced even further?

Uncertainty gripped them all, but if there was one thing every disciple present could agree on, it was this—Xiao Lin was no longer the forsaken cripple they had cast aside.

He was something else entirely.

And that terrified them.

Yet, not everyone was content to stand idly by.

"You’ve got some nerve," a cold, irritated voice cut through the silence, drawing the attention of the crowd once more.

Xiao Lin, who had already begun walking toward the training dummies to test his newfound control over his strength, paused mid-step, his golden-flecked eyes shifting toward the source of the voice.

A tall figure stepped forward from the watching disciples, his azure robes embroidered with the insignia of the Outer Court’s top-ranking cultivators, a visible mark of distinction that only those who had proven themselves in combat were allowed to wear.

Li Jian.

Sixth Level Qi Gathering Realm.

One of Zhan Kanzi’s trusted subordinates.

And by far, one of the most arrogant figures in the Outer Court.

The murmurs among the crowd grew louder at his appearance, many stepping back instinctively as they recognized the growing tension between the two.

"That was quite the show, Xiao Lin," Li Jian continued, his gaze scrutinizing, but laced with undeniable hostility. "I don’t know what tricks you’ve pulled to suddenly recover from being a cripple, but don’t mistake that for actual strength."

He took another step forward, arms crossed over his chest. "This isn’t a place for weaklings to act out of turn. You should know your place."@@novelbin@@

Xiao Lin said nothing.

There was no need to.

He simply looked at Li Jian—really looked at him—as if evaluating something insignificant, like an insect on the side of the road.

The silence stretched between them for an unbearable moment, until—

"Are you done talking?"

The words were spoken calmly, yet they struck with more force than any physical blow, and the reaction from the crowd was immediate.

Some disciples sucked in sharp breaths, others outright paled, their eyes darting between Xiao Lin and Li Jian, wondering if they had misheard.

Did he just—

Li Jian’s expression darkened instantly, his lips curling into a sneer. "You—"

But before he could utter another word, Xiao Lin moved.

A single step.

Fast. Unbelievably fast.

The very air trembled around him as he crossed the distance between them in a blur, appearing right before Li Jian before the latter even had a chance to react.

Then, a fist slammed directly into Li Jian’s stomach.

A deafening shockwave tore through the training grounds, the sheer force behind the strike sending Li Jian’s body hurtling backward, crashing into the stone pillar supporting the academy’s central platform. The entire structure shuddered violently, cracks splintering through the stone surface as dust and debris exploded outward.

Gasps of disbelief erupted from the crowd, several disciples stumbling backward in sheer terror.

Xiao Lin hadn’t even used a martial technique.

He had relied purely on his raw strength and speed.

And he had just obliterated someone two full levels above him.

Li Jian slumped to the ground, coughing violently, his hands clutching his stomach where Xiao Lin’s fist had landed. He could still feel the aftershock of the impact, as if his very organs had shifted from the sheer force of the blow.

His mind reeled in disbelief.

This can’t be possible.

He had been cultivating for years, refining his strength, mastering his techniques. Yet, Xiao Lin—a so-called cripple—had just tossed him aside like he was nothing.

The murmurs among the crowd grew even louder, panic lacing their tones.

"Did you see that? He—he defeated Li Jian in a single strike!"

"That speed… That power… How?!"

"This isn’t normal. This isn’t supposed to be possible!"

Yet, as the voices of the Outer Court disciples rang out in disbelief, there was one figure standing in the distance, watching in silence.

A young woman, her long dark hair cascading in delicate waves over her back, her robes pristine white, embroidered with intricate blue patterns that marked her as one of the Inner Court’s elite disciples.

Su Luo.

Her hands clenched slightly at her sides as she watched Xiao Lin from afar, her expression unreadable.

She had always believed in him. Even when the academy turned against him, when the Xiao Family abandoned him, when the world deemed him a failure—she had never once doubted that he would find a way to rise again.

But this…

This was beyond what even she had expected.

The man standing before her now was not the same Xiao Lin she had known.

He had changed.

He was stronger.

More dangerous.

And for the first time in her life, she felt awe… and the faintest stirrings of fear.

What exactly had happened to him?

Xiao Lin turned away from Li Jian’s motionless form, the lingering tremors of battle already settling within his core.

He had tested his strength.

He had announced his return.

And now, the academy knew the truth—he was not someone to be ignored any longer.

His next step was clear.

He would continue his cultivation, consolidate his foundation, and prepare for what came next.

Because this was only the beginning.

Zhan Kanzi. The Xiao Family. The sects that looked down on him.

One by one, he would rise above them all.

And by the time he was done, the entire Azure Kingdom would remember his name.

Xiao Lin had returned.

And this time—he would not be stopped.