The Supreme Eternal Prime God : 1000x System From Beginning

Chapter 5 – The Ice Beauty’s Doubt

The murmur of whispers did not die down even as Xiao Lin left the training grounds, his footsteps steady, unhurried, as if the world around him had ceased to matter. Yet, behind him, the echoes of his actions still rippled through the minds of every disciple present, their gazes filled with disbelief, uncertainty, and—above all—fear.

For years, they had dismissed him as nothing more than a fallen genius, a cripple unworthy of their attention. And now, in a single morning, he had shattered that illusion, crushing two of the Outer Court’s top disciples as though they were nothing more than insects beneath his feet.

The Xiao Lin they had mocked was gone.

And in his place stood something far more terrifying.

But while the Outer Court reeled from the impact of his return, there was one person who did not share their fear—only uncertainty.

Su Luo.

From the balcony of a tall, pagoda-like structure overlooking the training grounds, she watched as Xiao Lin walked away, her arms crossed, fingers gripping the embroidered sleeves of her inner court robes.

Her eyes, once filled with quiet warmth, now held a flicker of something else—hesitation.

She had always believed in him. Always.

Yet what she had seen today defied reason.

The boy she once knew, the one who had struggled, who had endured, who had promised to stand beside her despite his injuries—he was no longer the same.

His strength… his speed… the way he had annihilated Li Jian in a single move without a trace of hesitation… it was as if an entirely different person had taken his place.

And that unsettled her.

Not because she feared his power. No, Su Luo had never been one to fear strength.

But because for the first time… she was unsure if she still understood the man she had sworn her heart to.

A quiet gust of wind brushed against her, and her fingers loosened slightly as she made her decision.

She needed to speak to him.

The sun had barely risen past its highest peak when Xiao Lin arrived at his personal training courtyard—a secluded, rarely used section of the Outer Court, overgrown with moss-covered stones and forgotten training dummies long left to decay.

It was an isolated place, abandoned by most disciples after Xiao Lin had been crippled, left untouched except for the occasional breeze that carried fallen leaves across the cracked stone flooring.

Perfect.

Xiao Lin sat cross-legged in the center of the courtyard, exhaling slowly as he closed his eyes.

Now that he had tested his raw strength, it was time to refine it further.

While the power surging through his body was undeniable, his true advantage did not lie in brute force alone—it lay in absolute control.

His Supreme Divine Dantian was vast, boundless, and efficient, but raw power without refinement was like a flood without a dam—it could destroy everything, but it lacked precision.

He needed to hone his mastery over this new strength.

Releasing a slow breath, he circulated his Qi through his meridians, allowing it to flow freely before slowly, deliberately compressing it, refining its purity, ensuring that every strand of energy within him became more potent than the last.

Most cultivators relied on years of slow, careful refinement to achieve this.

But Xiao Lin was not most cultivators.

His Primal Codex Physique absorbed and processed Qi at a monstrous rate, and his Prime Golden Dragon Bloodline allowed him to exert unparalleled efficiency in controlling that power.

Within minutes, his flow of Qi became smoother, his internal energy sharpening like a blade honed to perfection.

He opened his eyes.

And then, without warning—

A voice.

"You’ve changed."

The words were spoken softly, yet they cut through the stillness of the courtyard with ease, carrying a weight far heavier than mere observation.

Xiao Lin did not turn immediately.

He had already sensed her presence long before she had spoken.

Her scent, a faint trace of winter jasmine, carried on the breeze. The almost imperceptible shift in the air as she moved closer. The rhythmic, steady heartbeat of someone who had mastered the art of self-restraint.

Su Luo.

He finally looked up, his golden eyes meeting her cool, unreadable gaze.

For a long moment, neither of them spoke.

Then, she took another step forward, arms still crossed as she studied him with an expression he could not quite place.

"Your strength," she said, her voice quieter this time. "Where did it come from?"

Xiao Lin’s gaze remained steady, but he could see it—the doubt, the quiet storm of emotions hidden beneath her composed exterior.

It was not a question of distrust.

It was a question of fear.

Not fear of him.

But fear of what his return meant.

"Do you not trust me?" he asked, his voice calm.

Su Luo’s lips pressed into a thin line.

"It’s not that." A pause. Then, softer, "I just… I don’t understand."

Xiao Lin exhaled slowly.

He had expected this.

Su Luo had been the only one who had never abandoned him. Even when the academy turned its back on him, even when the Xiao Family cast him aside, she had stood by him, unwavering.

But now, after seeing the sheer difference in him…

She questioned whether he was still the same person she had once sworn to stand beside.

"You will," he said at last, his voice steady. "In time."

Su Luo frowned slightly, dissatisfaction flickering in her icy blue eyes.

"You’re not going to tell me," she stated. Not a question—a realization.

Xiao Lin simply gave her a faint, knowing smile.

"I will," he murmured. "But not today."

A sharp breath, then a shake of her head, as if trying to push away the frustration simmering beneath her composed exterior.

"You’re infuriating," she muttered.

He chuckled softly, a sound that seemed to momentarily break the tension between them.

"I’ve heard that before."

Su Luo rolled her eyes, but there was something lighter in her gaze now—something that had not been there moments before.

Then, with one last glance at him, she turned to leave.

But just as she reached the edge of the courtyard, she hesitated.

"Xiao Lin," she said, not turning back.

"Hm?"

She was quiet for a long moment.

Then, finally—

"Whatever it is you’re planning… be careful."

And with that, she was gone, leaving only the faint trace of winter jasmine in the air.

Xiao Lin watched her disappear beyond the trees, the corners of his lips tilting slightly.

Careful?

No.

There was no room for caution on the path he had chosen.@@novelbin@@

If the world wished to stand in his way, then he would shatter it beneath his feet.

Because his next move had already been decided.

Zhan Kanzi.

The Xiao Family.

The academy itself.

One by one, he would remind them all who they had cast aside.

And by the time he was finished, there would be no one left who dared to doubt his name.

Xiao Lin had returned.

And this time—he was here to stay.