The Supreme Eternal Prime God : 1000x System From Beginning

Chapter 6 – A Challenge Before the Storm

The midday sun hung high above the sprawling halls of Azure Dragon Academy, its golden rays casting long shadows across the towering pagodas and wide-open courtyards where hundreds of disciples went about their training.

Yet, despite the usual bustling activity, a noticeable tension had settled over the Outer Court.

It had started as mere whispers, murmurs passing from disciple to disciple, but by noon, the rumors had taken full form—Xiao Lin had returned, and he had defeated both Zhao Yan and Li Jian in mere moments.

That fact alone should have been impossible.

A crippled cultivator, abandoned and ridiculed, suddenly reappearing with strength capable of dominating seasoned disciples?

It defied logic. It defied reason.

And more importantly—it threatened the existing hierarchy.

The Outer Court had long been ruled by a select few, individuals who stood just beneath the threshold of the Inner Court, powerful enough to enforce their will upon weaker disciples.

And at the head of that unspoken order sat Zhan Kanzi.

Though Zhan Kanzi himself had yet to respond to the growing whispers, his subordinates had taken notice, and now, a move was about to be made.

A challenge was inevitable.

And it came sooner than expected.

Xiao Lin had just returned to his secluded training courtyard, his mind still replaying his earlier conversation with Su Luo, when an unfamiliar presence entered his senses.

He did not turn immediately.

He had already sensed them long before they had reached the entrance—a group of disciples, their steps measured, their auras controlled yet filled with an unmistakable hostility.

Five in total.

All of them standing just outside the courtyard’s stone threshold, their expressions a mixture of arrogance and thinly veiled contempt.

At their center stood a broad-shouldered figure, his robes embroidered with silver streaks—a mark of an elite-ranked Outer Court disciple.

Wei Tong.

Seventh Level Qi Gathering Realm.

One of Zhan Kanzi’s most trusted enforcers.

The moment Xiao Lin turned, Wei Tong’s lips curved into a smirk, his arms crossing over his chest as he studied him with lazy amusement.

"So the rumors were true," he mused, tilting his head. "You really did crawl out of whatever hole you were rotting in."

Xiao Lin said nothing, his golden eyes calm, unwavering.

Wei Tong clicked his tongue. "Tsk, not even a proper greeting? You’ve gotten bold, Xiao Lin."

Still, he received no response.

The lack of reaction seemed to irritate him, and his smirk twisted into something sharper. "I’ll make this simple," he continued, stepping forward. "You’ve caused enough trouble in the Outer Court. Your little displays of strength might have impressed a few weaklings, but that ends now."

A thin piece of parchment was pulled from within his robes and tossed to the ground between them.

A challenge scroll.

Official. Public. Undeniable.

"The stage duels begin in two days," Wei Tong said. "You’ll be fighting me."

A challenge on the Dueling Stage—one of the most important traditions within Azure Dragon Academy.

It was a place where grievances were settled, where status was proven, where reputations were solidified through combat.

And once a challenge was accepted, there was no turning back.

Xiao Lin glanced at the parchment.

Then, for the first time since Wei Tong had arrived, he smiled.

The subtle curve of his lips was small, almost imperceptible—but it sent an unmistakable chill down Wei Tong’s spine.

"Good," Xiao Lin murmured, his voice calm, steady.

Wei Tong’s smirk faltered slightly. "Hah. At least you know when to accept reality," he scoffed. "Don’t worry, I’ll make sure to break a few bones—but I’ll leave you alive. Barely."

Xiao Lin’s golden eyes flickered.

"You should worry about yourself."

And with that, he stepped forward, brushing past Wei Tong and his lackeys without another word.

The moment the challenge was announced, the academy erupted into chaos.

By sundown, the news had spread like wildfire—Xiao Lin, the fallen genius, had accepted a public duel against Wei Tong, one of the strongest Outer Court disciples.

Many were convinced that this would be the end of his resurgence.

While he had displayed remarkable strength in his earlier fights, defeating Li Jian and Zhao Yan was one thing—but Wei Tong was an entirely different level.

A cultivator at the Seventh Level of Qi Gathering Realm was no joke.

His foundation was solidified, his battle experience honed through countless duels, and his backing under Zhan Kanzi ensured that he had access to top-tier resources.

The odds were against Xiao Lin.@@novelbin@@

And yet, within his secluded training courtyard, he remained completely unshaken.

Two days.

That was all the time he had.

And it was more than enough.

Seating himself in a meditative posture, he closed his eyes, focusing inward.

His Supreme Divine Dantian thrummed with power, the Qi he had absorbed and refined over the past day swirling like an endless vortex within him.

At his current level, he could already match those several tiers above him in sheer raw strength and precision.

But raw power alone was not enough.

If he wanted to dominate Wei Tong completely—to make a statement that no one could ignore—he needed to break through to the next stage.

Qi Gathering Realm, Fourth Level.

He inhaled deeply, drawing in the natural spiritual energy from the air, guiding it through his refined meridians, circulating it through his veins as he compressed and purified it into something stronger, denser, sharper.

Unlike other cultivators, who would require weeks of meditation and external resources to even attempt a breakthrough—Xiao Lin had the Primordial Dragon Refining Scripture.

And with it, every step on the cultivation path was perfected.

Time Passed: Four Hours.

A subtle shift occurred within his body, an invisible force clicking into place as his Qi surged to a new peak.

[Qi Gathering Realm: Fourth Level Reached.]

A sharp crack echoed through his bones as his physique strengthened further, his Prime Golden Dragon Bloodline responding to the increase in power, refining his muscles, fortifying his internal structure, reshaping him into something even more terrifying.

But he did not stop.

He continued to refine, consolidating his new strength, ensuring that his breakthrough was not just a leap in power, but a mastery over his own abilities.

By the time the sun had fully set, he opened his eyes once more.

Golden light flickered within them, sharper, more refined.

His aura had changed.

He was stronger.

And in two days, the entire Outer Court would bear witness to the difference.

Wei Tong thought this would be Xiao Lin’s downfall.

He had no idea that it would be his own destruction.