Lin Shu stepped onto the platform once more, body aching, Qi barely recovered from his previous fights. His breath steadied as his gaze fell on his next opponent. She looked young — ten, maybe eleven — with long bluish hair and eyes to match, like ice over a deep lake. A delicate face, almost doll-like, but Lin Shu didn't let that deceive him.
In her hands, she held a bow. A quiver full of arrows rested on her back. She stood there quietly, posture relaxed, her expression unreadable.
Lin Shu's eyes narrowed. A ranged fighter. That was already bad news. Closing the gap against an archer was hard enough — but what made his stomach sink was the feel of her Qi. Mid-stage Rank 1. She had far more Qi than him, and at that stage, her recovery rate would be faster too.
His fingers curled into fists. No room for mistakes. I'll need to close the distance fast.
A murmur rippled through the crowd. Lin Shu caught snippets of conversation.
"What an unlucky bastard…" someone muttered.
"Why? Who is she?"
"Han Yi," came the hushed reply. "The disciple of the Stone Path Hall's dean."
Lin Shu's heart sank.
Another voice chimed in, "Not just that — she's a Rank 4 talent. The dean raised her himself."
The dean's personal disciple… Lin Shu clenched his jaw. He was starting to understand just how hopeless this match was. Even if by some miracle he won, what would happen next? Would the dean let him walk away after humiliating his precious disciple? Lin Shu had no backing — no master, no clan. No one would defend him if he offended someone that powerful.
The instructor raised his hand. "Begin!"
Lin Shu moved instantly. Bone surged beneath his skin, wrapping his body in thick armor. This time, there were no blades — just raw defense. Ivory Monolith.
An arrow streaked through the air. He barely saw it. It struck his armor with a sharp crack, leaving a thin fracture across the surface. Another arrow followed. Then another.
Too fast!
Lin Shu dashed to the side, lightning flickering around his legs as he activated Lightning Steps. His body blurred, barely avoiding the next volley. Arrows rained down like a storm, each one shattering tiles where they landed. He weaved left, then right, each step draining what little Qi he had left.
Another arrow slammed into his shoulder. He stumbled. The armor held, but the cracks spread further. Lin Shu gritted his teeth and pushed forward, clawed gauntlets digging into the ground for balance. His only hope was to close the distance. If he could just get close enough—
Another arrow pierced the air. Then another. Lin Shu barely saw her draw the bowstring. Each shot was faster than the last, a constant barrage that never slowed. He threw himself into a roll, feeling the wind of an arrow grazing his cheek. His armor was already breaking apart, fractures running through the bone like spiderwebs.
He looked up — Han Yi stood in the same spot, calm, cold, and precise. She hadn't moved a step. Her expression was blank, as if this wasn't even worth her attention.
Lin Shu lunged forward, his body low to the ground. Another arrow struck his side, shattering his armor. Bone fragments scattered across the arena. Lin Shu crashed to one knee, panting. Blood trickled down his side. His vision blurred.
He gritted his teeth. Move! Just one more step!
The next arrow pierced straight through his shoulder. Ivory Monolith crumbled. Lin Shu hit the ground hard, gasping for breath. He tried to push himself up, claws scraping against stone — but before he could move, he heard the soft twang of her bowstring. He froze.
The next arrow would go through his throat.
His trembling hand slowly rose into the air. "I surrender," he rasped, voice hoarse.
The instructor immediately stepped forward, raising his hand to stop the fight. The tension in the air faded. The crowd murmured in surprise.
Lin Shu remained on his knees, head bowed, gasping for breath. His mind raced. He wasn't proud of surrendering, but he wasn't a fool. Even if he could fight back, what would it accomplish? Winning against the dean's personal disciple would only paint a target on his back. And besides…
He glanced at Han Yi, who was already walking off the platform, bow resting at her side. Her expression remained unreadable, as if the fight had been nothing more than a chore.
I never stood a chance.
Still, Lin Shu smirked bitterly. He clenched his fist, feeling the dried blood on his claws. He had made it to the top ten. He was in the institute now. No one could take that away from him.
As he rose to his feet, shaking off the pain, his eyes burned with a cold light.
Lin Shu stood outside the arena, the distant cheers of the crowd barely reaching his ears. His body ached, every muscle screaming in protest. The weight of his loss hung heavy over him, but his expression remained unreadable.
The fight was over. He had been eliminated from the tournament.
Yet there was no shame in his eyes. No regret. When the instructor declared Han Yi the victor, Lin Shu had lowered his head, turned, and walked away without a word. He didn't care about the whispers, the sneers, or the looks of pity. Let them talk. He was alive.
Lin Shu had pride — that much was true. But he had learned long ago that pride alone wouldn't keep him breathing. Pride wouldn't fill an empty belly. Pride wouldn't protect him when the strong came to crush the weak. He had learned to throw away his pride for survival long before this day came. If he had to crawl through the mud to survive, he would. If surrendering a hundred times meant he could live to fight again, then he'd throw himself to the ground without hesitation.
In the end, he didn't surrender out of fear. He surrendered because it was the only path forward.
That girl… Han Yi. She had been too strong. Mid-stage Rank 1, with enough Qi to outlast him no matter what he did. Her arrows were merciless, relentless, each one aimed to break him piece by piece. Lin Shu knew exactly how that fight would've ended if he had pushed on. Even if the rules forbade killing, no one ever said anything about crippling your opponent. One wrong move, and he'd have been left broken, unable to cultivate ever again.
No. Survival came first. As long as he lived, there would always be another chance.
Lin Shu's fingers curled into fists, claws digging into his palms. He stared out into the distance, watching the darkening sky. The cold wind brushed against his face, but he barely felt it.
Let them mock me. Let them call me a coward. I don't care.
He glanced down at his bloodstained gauntlets, feeling the weight of each fight on his body and soul. The pain was temporary. The humiliation was fleeting.
But he was still breathing.
And as long as he was alive… he would rise again.
Lin Shu stood silently as the instructor handed him his reward — 200 gold coins, a handful of low-tier Qi recovery pills, and a few low-tier healing pills. The gold barely registered in his hands. Compared to the wealth he'd already looted from Tan Bo, this was a small addition. The pills? He barely glanced at them. He already had better ones. These would be sold off at the first opportunity.
The competition ended with Han Yi taking first place, as everyone expected. The second, third, and fourth places went to disciples from local clans. Yun Qiu claimed second place, his every movement sharp and disciplined. Lin Shu didn't know much about his clan, but the way people murmured his name told him all he needed to know. Third place belonged to Wei Jian, whose calm and steady style made Lin Shu wary. It was the kind of confidence that came from knowing he had the backing to never be afraid.
Fourth place was more interesting. A wandering cultivator named Xie Lang. Lin Shu had watched his fights closely. Xie Lang fought like a wild beast, relishing the chaos. Simple-minded, some said, but Lin Shu saw the truth — it wasn't stupidity, it was instinct. The kind that only grew sharper with every fight.
The fifth spot went to a quiet boy named Ren Hao, barely twelve years old. Lin Shu hadn't noticed him much during the tournament. He kept to himself, silent and unassuming — but anyone who reached the top five was dangerous, quiet or not.
The sixth and seventh places belonged to twins — Yan Bai and Yan Hei. Their presence unsettled him. They moved unnaturally in sync, never speaking, never even glancing at each other, yet their attacks were perfectly coordinated. No one knew much about them, only that they appeared in Greenwood Hollow a few months ago. Lin Shu made a note to avoid them if possible.
In eighth place was a girl named Qiao Lan. Lin Shu barely remembered her fights. She was competent, but nothing stood out — at least not to him. The tenth spot belonged to a chubby boy named Xu Jin, son of a wealthy merchant. Lin Shu couldn't understand how someone that fat managed to cultivate. A cultivator's body was supposed to be strong and agile. Still, the boy made it through the competition. There had to be something more to him.
After the awards, the instructor led the new students through the institute grounds, explaining the rules. Lin Shu listened carefully.
Students could claim any empty house for themselves, but if they wanted a better one — say, one with stronger Qi concentration or special formations — they'd have to challenge the current owner.
Challenges could only happen once a month and only if the target wasn't on a mission or hadn't already been challenged three times that month.
The institute offered public lessons for free, but private lessons with instructors required payment. Lin Shu's lip curled at that. He wasn't planning to waste gold on lessons anytime soon.
The institute also contains a library. It held basic knowledge about cultivation, as well as secrets only clans or institutes had access to. Lin Shu mentally marked it down as a place he must visit.
Finally, the instructor asked if anyone had never been tested for their talent. Lin Shu was the only one who raised his hand. He was led into a separate building and made to step into a formation. Strange lights flickered beneath Lin Shu's feet, symbols pulsing in and out of existence. He felt something probing him, pulling at the very core of his being. Then, as quickly as it began, the formation dimmed.
The instructor barely looked at him.
"Rank 1 talent. If you want to know more, check the library. I'm busy." The man waved him off and walked away.
Lin Shu didn't linger. He had what he came for.
He chose a normal house at the outskirts of the institute — quiet and out of the way. He had no illusions of claiming a better one. Not yet. The stronger students would be closer to the center, where the Qi was richer. For now, this was enough.
As he stepped inside, the door creaked shut behind him. The room was dark and empty, save for a simple bed and a worn table. Dust drifted in the air, catching the dim light that slipped through the cracks in the window. Lin Shu collapsed onto the bed, his body aching from the fights. He ignored the dust cloud that rose around him.
His eyes closed, but sleep didn't come. His mind churned.
Ninth place. He clenched his fist. It wasn't enough. Not yet.
But he'd survived. He'd made it into the institute. That was all that mattered.
For now.