The Primordial Vessel System

The second round of the Qinghe Village Martial Trials had ended, and only a handful of competitors remained. The weakest had already been eliminated, leaving behind those with true potential.

Long Haochen sat at the edge of the trial grounds, his back against a tree as he closed his eyes to focus. The battles had given him valuable insights—not only into his opponents but also into himself.

His Void Step had been effective in evading attacks, but it consumed energy faster than expected. If a fight dragged on too long, he would be at a disadvantage. His Void Burst was powerful, but he needed to improve its precision. In combat, one wasted attack could mean the difference between victory and defeat.

I need to refine my technique.

He had barely rested when a voice called out.

"Long Haochen."

He opened his eyes to see Li Xueyan standing before him, arms crossed.

She studied him carefully. "You're stronger than I thought."

Haochen met her gaze. "Are you finally taking me seriously?"

Xueyan smirked. "We'll see. Don't get too comfortable—you haven't faced the real threats yet."

She turned and walked away, leaving Haochen to his thoughts.

She wasn't wrong.

The toughest battles were still ahead.

---

The Third Round Begins

The remaining participants gathered in the arena once more. The tension in the air was heavier now. Every competitor who had made it this far knew that from this point on, the matches wouldn't be easy.

Elder Li rose from his seat.

"The third round will now begin. Show us your true strength!"

The crowd roared in excitement as the first pair of names was called.

Haochen watched closely, analyzing the techniques of the other fighters. Each battle revealed new strategies and weaknesses. Some cultivators relied on brute strength, while others used speed and agility. A few even showed signs of advanced techniques that suggested they had been trained by outside sects.

Then—

"Long Haochen versus Wei Rong!"

Haochen stepped onto the platform. His opponent, Wei Rong, was a lean, sharp-eyed youth with a confident smirk.

"I've been waiting for this," Wei Rong said. "You're fast, but let's see how you handle someone who actually knows how to fight."

Elder Li signaled the start.

Boom!

Wei Rong moved first, closing the distance in an instant. He struck with a series of rapid punches, his speed almost matching Haochen's.

Haochen sidestepped, using Void Step to reposition. But the moment he reappeared, Wei Rong was already there, launching a fierce spinning kick.

He predicted my movement?!

Haochen barely had time to raise his arm to block. The impact sent him sliding back.

Wei Rong smirked. "You're not the only one with movement techniques."

Haochen exhaled slowly. This won't be an easy fight.

He adjusted his stance. Fine. Let's see who's faster.

---

Haochen vanished, reappearing behind Wei Rong. But his opponent reacted instantly, twisting around with a counterstrike.

Haochen ducked, barely avoiding the blow.

Their battle turned into a blur of motion—two figures flickering across the stage, clashing at high speed. Every time Haochen attacked, Wei Rong dodged. Every time Wei Rong struck, Haochen evaded.

The crowd held their breath.

"They're too fast!"

"It's like they're teleporting!"

Haochen could feel his energy draining. Void Step was strong, but using it continuously was exhausting.

I need to end this quickly.

He suddenly stopped moving, standing still.

Wei Rong hesitated for half a second—

And in that moment, Haochen struck.

Boom!

A fully charged Void Burst exploded forward.

Wei Rong barely had time to react before the force struck his chest, sending him crashing backward. He hit the ground hard, groaning in pain.

The referee stepped in. "Winner: Long Haochen!"

The crowd erupted in cheers.

But Haochen barely heard them.

His breath was ragged. That fight drained too much of my energy. If the next battle is even harder…

He shook his head. No. I'll push through.

He stepped down from the stage.

And waiting for him, arms crossed and smirking—was Bai Jiang.

--

Bai Jiang had been watching his fights with interest. Unlike the others, he didn't seem surprised by Haochen's strength.

"Not bad," Bai Jiang said. "But you're reaching your limit, aren't you?"

Haochen remained silent.

Bai Jiang chuckled. "You might have fooled the others, but I can see it. Your techniques are strong, but they're not perfect. If you fight me in this condition, you'll lose."

Haochen narrowed his eyes.

Bai Jiang turned away. "Rest up. I want you at full strength when we fight. Otherwise, it won't be fun."

Haochen watched him go.

Bai Jiang is dangerous. He's not just strong—he's confident. That means he has something to back it up.

The final rounds would be brutal.

But he wasn't going to stop now.

He still had one night before the last battles.

And he would make sure he was ready.