004 : The First Revenge.
The next morning, the Blazing Sky Sect's training ground was packed.
Today was the Inner Pavilion Selection.
Only the strongest outer disciples were allowed to participate, and those who passed would earn a place in the Inner Pavilion—a world of elite training, rare techniques, and powerful mentors.
Among the competitors stood Lin Tian.
Most disciples still doubted him.
"How is he even allowed here?"
"He only beat Mo Wu once. That's not enough to prove anything!"
"He'll fail immediately!"
Lin Tian ignored them, his golden eyes scanning the arena.
A massive stage had been set up, where disciples would fight one-on-one elimination matches.
Sitting at the judging platform was Elder Liu, along with a few other sect elders.
Elder Liu glanced at Lin Tian, his expression unreadable. "Let's see what this boy is truly capable of."
---
The First Match
A disciple stepped onto the stage, smirking.
His name was Zhao Feng, one of the top outer disciples.
"Lin Tian, I don't know how you got this far, but this is where you fall," Zhao Feng sneered.
Lin Tian remained silent.
The referee raised his hand. "Begin!"
Zhao Feng exploded forward, qi burning around his fists.
He was fast.
But to Lin Tian? He was slow.
The moment Zhao Feng's punch came near—Lin Tian grabbed his wrist.
SHHHHH!
Zhao Feng's qi drained instantly.
"ARGH!" Zhao Feng screamed, staggering back. His entire body felt weak as his energy was sucked away.
Lin Tian took a step forward.
One punch.
BOOM!
Zhao Feng was sent flying out of the ring.
The match was over.
Silence filled the arena.
The disciples watching were stunned.
"He… won in one hit?!"
"Did he just steal Zhao Feng's qi?!"
Elder Liu narrowed his eyes. "This boy's ability is dangerous…"
Lin Tian simply walked off the stage, indifferent. One fight down. Many more to go.
The Battles Continue
One by one, Lin Tian faced his opponents.
Each fight ended the same way.
Touch. Absorb. Strike. Victory.
Some tried to keep their distance. It didn't matter.
Lin Tian had already discovered something terrifying—
He could now pull qi from enemies even without touching them.
The more he fought, the stronger he became.
And then, he reached the final match.
The Final Opponent standing across from him was Xu Chen.
A genius at Golden Core Realm, Early Stage.
The gap between them was immense.
The crowd whispered:
"Finally, someone Lin Tian can't beat!"
"He's been lucky so far, but Xu Chen will crush him!"
Xu Chen smirked. "You've had an impressive streak, but it ends here."
Lin Tian met his gaze, unshaken.
"We'll see."
The referee raised his hand.
"Final match—begin!"
Xu Chen vanished.
BOOM!
A golden palm strike exploded toward Lin Tian's chest!
For the first time, Lin Tian actually felt pressure.
But instead of dodging—he smiled.
"Perfect."
At the last second, he stepped forward—straight into the attack.
Xu Chen's palm hit Lin Tian's chest—
And the moment it connected—
"AAAAAARGH!"
Xu Chen screamed.
His qi was being ripped away at an insane speed!
Lin Tian's power had evolved.
Now, if someone attacked him, they were the ones who would be absorbed.
Xu Chen stumbled back, his aura weakening.
Lin Tian didn't hesitate.
One strike.
BOOM!
Xu Chen crashed into the ground, unconscious.
The match was over.
The arena was completely silent.
Then—
"Winner—Lin Tian!"
Lin Tian stood in the center of the stage.
A nobody. A weakling. A disgrace.
Now?
He had crushed every opponent without a scratch.
No one could deny it anymore.
He wasn't trash. He was a monster.
Even Elder Liu was watching him differently now.
"This boy… may be far more dangerous than we expected."
As Lin Tian left the stage, he smirked slightly.
He had only just begun.
---
Lin Tian walked off the stage, his expression calm.
But deep inside, he was still processing what had just happened.
His final match against Xu Chen had revealed something shocking—
Devourer Qi had evolved.
Before, he had to touch his target to absorb their qi.
But now?
If someone attacked him, their qi would be drained on contact.
"So even defending myself can steal energy?"
This wasn't just a technique—it was an absolute advantage.
It meant that any fight was in his favor.
The stronger his opponent, the more power he could take.
"Then what's my limit?"
He clenched his fists.
If he kept growing at this rate, how long before no one in this sect could stop him?
As he reached the outer disciple quarters, he was met with dozens of wary gazes.
The same people who once mocked him…
Now looked at him with fear.
No one spoke.
No one blocked his way.
Even those who had insulted him before lowered their heads.
Lin Tian didn't acknowledge them. They no longer mattered.
But as he entered his residence, he sensed something.
A hidden killing intent.
Lin Tian smirked. "Finally."
He closed the door.
And waited the Assassins in the Night.
Hours passed. The moon hung high in the sky.
Then—
CRACK!
A shadow flickered through the room.
A blade sliced toward Lin Tian's throat.
But before it could reach him—
"Too slow."
Lin Tian vanished.
The assassin's eyes widened—
"What?!"
Before he could react, Lin Tian appeared behind him.
The assassin turned to strike—
But the moment their weapons met—
SHHHHHH!
His qi was instantly drained.
The assassin trembled, his strength leaving his body.
Lin Tian placed a hand on his head.
"Who sent you?"
The assassin gritted his teeth. "You think I'll talk?"
Lin Tian smirked. "No, but your qi will."
SHHHHHH!
The assassin's entire body withered, his qi completely absorbed.
In his final moments, his eyes were filled with horror.
"M-monster…"
And then, he was gone.
Lin Tian closed his eyes, sorting through the fragments of qi and memories he had taken.
Then, he smiled coldly.
"So the elders are afraid of me already?"
By morning, the news had spread.
Lin Tian had not only won the Inner Pavilion Selection, but had also survived an assassination attempt.
The sect elders were watching him now.
Some wanted to recruit him.
Others… wanted to eliminate him.
But Lin Tian didn't care.
He had only one goal now—
To rise to the top.
And if anyone stood in his way?
He would devour them all.
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