"Why did you let him join our team? He doesn’t look very strong," Ange whispered urgently into Grey’s ear, her eyes flicking toward the green-haired boy who stood a short distance away, nervously rubbing his hands together.

"I don’t know," Grey whispered back after a brief pause. "I just have a feeling about him. Besides, don’t worry, me and you are already more than enough for a team."

As he spoke, his warm breath brushed lightly against her neck.

Ange stiffened.

A faint heat crept up her cheeks, and her ears turned red almost instantly. She shook her head repeatedly, pretending to stretch her neck, doing her best to dispel the sudden embarrassment before anyone noticed.

At that moment, they still lacked two members.

Then, a loud and authoritative voice echoed throughout the underground chamber, reverberating off the steel walls and ceiling.

"You have ten minutes to form your teams!"

The atmosphere changed instantly.

The previously noisy hall became chaotic.

People rushed around frantically, shouting names, grabbing acquaintances, pulling strangers into temporary alliances. Some cultivators argued heatedly, others begged to be accepted, while a few stood frozen in place, panic written all over their faces.

Grey, Ange, and the green-haired boy moved together through the crowd.

The boy finally introduced himself in a low, awkward voice. "My name is Zayne."

As time ticked away, two girls approached them almost simultaneously.

One was a petite girl with soft pink hair and gentle features. She carried herself quietly, her spirit fluctuations steady but restrained. She introduced herself as Sylvia.

The other was a tall blonde girl with sharp eyes and an obvious air of confidence. Her name was Alice. From the way she glanced at Grey, it was clear she already disliked him.

By the time the booming voice echoed again...

"Time’s up!"

...their group had solidified.

Five people.

Grey, Ange, Zayne, Sylvia, and Alice.

Two boys. Three girls.

"You shall now enter the arena!"

The space around them warped violently.

In the blink of an eye, the underground hall vanished, replaced by an enormous combat arena.

The arena stretched more than a hundred meters in length. The ground was dark stone, etched with faint runes, and the entire structure sloped upward toward a raised platform at the far end.

Teams filled the space, lining the sides.

With each team containing five to seven members, there were slightly over fifty teams in total.

"Choose a team captain," the voice continued, "and take a token. When the number displayed matches yours, you will enter the arena."

Golden light streaked through the air.

Dozens of tokens flew outward at once.

Almost instinctively, Grey reached out and caught one midair.

The moment he did, Alice’s gaze snapped toward him, sharp and irritated. Her eyes burned with clear provocation.

She had wanted that token.

Which meant she had wanted to be captain.

Grey noticed her expression and could only smile wryly. He turned the token slowly in his palm.

17.

Their team was seventeenth.

That meant they would have time to observe.

High above the arena, a massive screen of light flickered.

The number 1 appeared.

The first team stepped forward.

Their expressions were proud, confident, almost arrogant. Spirit energy surged visibly around them. Every single member was at least at the seventh level of Qi Accumulation.

They were geniuses.

Grey narrowed his eyes and focused on the arena itself.

Only now did he notice the true danger.

The path upward was steep, and lining both sides were massive guillotines. Each blade was nearly five feet long, suspended ominously, their edges reflecting cold light.

"Go!"

The command rang out.

The first team charged forward without hesitation, sprinting up the slope as if it were a simple obstacle.

They didn’t even reach the halfway point.

The guillotines moved.

So fast that most people couldn’t even register their motion.

A heartbeat later, screams exploded through the arena.

Bodies were hurled violently across the stone floor. Bones shattered. Blood sprayed. Four members collapsed instantly, unconscious and broken.

Only one boy remained standing, his arm twisted at an impossible angle as blood poured from his mouth.

Before anyone could react...

The guillotines moved again.

The last boy fell.

"Eliminated! Next!"

A heavy silence descended.

Hearts pounded.

No one had clearly seen how it happened.

The second team’s number appeared.

They stepped forward, confidence replaced with visible fear. Unlike the first team, they moved slowly, cautiously, scanning the slope and the blades.

It didn’t matter.

The moment they advanced...

The guillotines struck.

"Eliminated!"

The third team followed.

Then the fourth.

Then the fifth.

Each was wiped out within seconds.

"Next!"

"Next!"

"Next!"

The cold voice echoed relentlessly, hammering into everyone’s nerves.

Fear spread like wildfire.

By the time the fifteenth team was obliterated, many cultivators were trembling openly.

It was then that Grey’s eyes brightened.

"When it’s our turn," he said softly to Ange, "stay directly behind me. Copy every step I take. No hesitation."

His voice was calm, eerily so.

Calm enough that even nearby teams overheard him.

Zayne smiled faintly, tension easing slightly.

Ange nodded without question.

Sylvia nodded as well, gripping her sleeves.

Alice scoffed and rolled her eyes, clearly displeased that Grey was issuing commands.

Grey ignored her completely.

When the number 17 appeared on the screen, Grey stepped forward without hesitation.

Ange followed closely behind him.

Zayne came next, then Sylvia and Alice.

Their composed demeanor immediately drew attention.

Grey reached up and slowly pulled his hood down.

The moment his grey hair and refined face were revealed, murmurs rippled through the arena. Several girls stared openly, stunned. Some boys scoffed loudly, irritation evident.

Grey didn’t react.

Sylvia glanced at him for a few seconds, then nodded faintly and looked away.

Zayne blinked in surprise, then offered an awkward smile.

Alice’s cheeks flushed red, and she quickly looked elsewhere.

Only Ange remained unaffected.

The voice rang out again, this time with a hint of anticipation.

"Go!"

In a high-level viewing room, the captain and Tyler stood before a massive screen.

On it, Grey led his team into the arena, his back straight, his steps measured, his eyes filled with nothing but determination.

Not a trace of fear.

"What do you think he’s planning to do?" Tyler asked quietly.

The captain didn’t answer.

His gaze was locked onto the screen, unblinking.

The silence stretched.

**☺️😉**