Kyrian nodded and headed toward the designated arena. A small crowd of around a hundred people had already gathered around the elevated ring, their eyes fixed on the combatants preparing to fight. Some whispered among themselves, placing bets on who would win.

His opponent was already waiting. He was a sturdy young man wearing green robes, holding a longsword that shimmered with Wind Qi.

He was at the Fifth Stage of the Core Formation Realm, one stage above Kyrian. His cultivation was fully unleashed, and he looked at Kyrian with obvious arrogance, his eyes sweeping over his opponent with disdain.

"My name is Han Wei," the young man said, his voice full of confidence with a hint of provocation.

"I’ll finish you off quickly. Those purple eyes of yours... some kind of special physique, aren’t they? That won’t help you against me."

Kyrian did not reply. He looked at the young man as though he were an ant, someone unworthy of more than a passing thought.

He remained calmly at the center of the ring, waiting, his hands hanging loosely at his sides.

The judge gave the signal.

"Begin!"

Han Wei charged immediately, swinging his sword in a swift and precise strike. His technique was fluid and well-practiced, he had clearly repeated that movement thousands of times. The blade sliced through the air with a sharp hum.

Kyrian merely glanced at it for less than a second. The complete trajectory of the attack became perfectly clear in his mind, every angle, every variation of force, every possible adjustment.

It was as if time had slowed down, as if he could see every particle of Qi flowing through the blade.

Instead of counterattacking with his eyes as he usually would, summoning lightning to instantly finish his opponent, he decided to test something new.

Kyrian directed the Qi from his two central cores into his eyes and toward his third dantian. For the first time in a real battle, he opened the path. The Qi passed through the third core like a filter, becoming refined, transforming, and then exploding throughout his entire body.

A surge of pure violet lightning erupted around him.

’Crack!’

Kyrian’s black hair shot upward violently, standing completely on end as bolts of lightning danced across his skin like a second layer of luminous armor.

Violet sparks leaped from his shoulders, his arms, and the tips of his fingers.

His speed increased dramatically. Pure Lightning Qi flooded every muscle, every meridian, every fiber of his being, filling him with an electric energy that resonated within his very essence.

Han Wei missed his first strike. His eyes widened in shock as his sword sliced through empty air where Kyrian had been only an instant before, the blade whistling uselessly.

"What?!"

He spun his sword and unleashed a technique with a shout of exertion, his Wind Qi surging.

"Furious Wind Slash!"

A razor-sharp blade of wind tore through the air toward Kyrian, so fast that it distorted the light around it, creating visible ripples. But Kyrian had already seen its trajectory, every curve, every fluctuation of the wind, every possible change.

With a single explosive step, Kyrian vanished from his original position and reappeared directly in front of Han Wei in the blink of an eye. The young man could not even perceive Kyrian’s movement, his eyes still trying to locate where his opponent had gone, his sword remaining raised in a belated defensive stance.

Kyrian’s index finger gently touched his opponent’s forehead.

The Wind Qi barrier Han Wei hastily raised was pierced like wet paper by the lightning. An arc of pure electricity shot from Kyrian’s finger and invaded the young man’s body, racing through his meridians like liquid venom, burning his entire system from the inside out.

’Zzzzzzzt!’

Han Wei convulsed violently, his eyes rolling back as the electricity coursed through his body, paralyzing every nerve, every muscle, every flow of Qi. His sword slipped from his hand with a metallic clang that echoed through the silent arena. He collapsed unconscious before he even hit the ground, his body falling like a sack of grain.

Silence filled the arena for two seconds. Only the wind blew across the ring, carrying the scent of ozone and electricity.

Then applause erupted from the small audience.

"Incredible! What speed!"

"Only one strike? That guy is strong!"

"His opponent was one stage higher, and he won with a single attack. His special physique must belong to the Path of Lightning..."

"Definitely a powerful physique... remember his name, he might be one of the tournament’s dark horses."

The judge sighed, looking at Han Wei’s unconscious body before turning toward Kyrian with renewed respect.

"Victory goes to Kyrian! He advances to the next round. Your second match will be tomorrow at the same time."

Kyrian gave a slight nod and stepped off the ring without saying a word. The lightning surrounding him had already disappeared, but the sensation of using his third dantian still pulsed within him, an electric vibration flowing through his meridians, a memory of power that would remain etched into his consciousness.

As he walked, he analyzed everything internally.

’I finally used the third dantian in battle.’

’It wasn’t using its own complete Qi, only the Qi from my two central ocular cores passing through it like a filter. Even so... it was enough to stir things inside it a little.’

He was satisfied. It was not complete consolidation, but it was progress, a step in the right direction, proof that his path was working.

He knew he could not rely solely on the third dantian in combat. The amount of Qi it contained was still far too small compared to that of an ordinary Core Formation cultivator.

Using only the third dantian in battle would be like fighting as a Qi Accumulation Realm cultivator against someone in the Core Formation Realm. His eyes would still assist him in battle, but the third dantian’s Qi alone would not be enough to inflict meaningful damage on an opponent whose cultivation was so much higher.

He needed more battles, more opportunities to test and use that dantian. That would allow it to consolidate more quickly so that he could resume cultivating, the key to unlocking the full potential of his new technique.

For the rest of the day, Kyrian explored the remainder of the newly built city. There were Formation competitions, but they did not interest him. He already possessed enough knowledge in that field for his current needs.

A Technique Comprehension Competition caught his attention, offering an unknown yet powerful technique as its grand prize, but it would not take place until five days later.

He considered it carefully, but he still had not decided whether to participate. He knew that with his level of comprehension, he had a good chance of winning. He would make his decision over the next few days.

As the sun began to set, painting the sky above the End Mountains in shades of orange and violet, Kyrian returned to the main city. One by one, spiritual lanterns lit up, creating a sea of light that spread through the streets like fallen stars upon the earth.

The streets became crowded once again, as people hurried toward the evening events with eager steps and excited voices.

It was time for the auctions.

Kyrian touched the VIP emblem on his chest and headed toward the Celestial Aurora Grand Hall.