Following Xiao Ming's bold declaration, the trial world hung in fragile suspension, the air crackling with latent energy.
Xiao Ming's steady panting, however, was a stark contrast to the oppressive silence. The Yin and Yang Dragons coiled above him, their opposing auras filling the shattered space with a palpable tension.
The dragons' presence was overwhelming, their forms shimmering with an otherworldly brilliance that seemed to defy the very laws of existence.
But Xiao Ming was not done yet.
His trembling hands slowly clenched into fists, his resolve burning brighter than ever as he glared at the Shadow Phoenix's towering projection.
Blood dripped from his lips, his body battered and broken, yet his spirit remained unyielding. His eyes, though strained, burned with defiance, a fire that refused to be extinguished.