Chapter 26: Xido’s Challenge

Li An stood at his doorway.

The door swung open.

A handsome yet eerily grim-faced youth stood before him, fists clenched so tightly they trembled—a portrait of barely contained fury.

“You’re Li An, right!?” The boy seethed.

“Can I… help you?” Li An frowned. “I don’t think we’ve met.”

“No, we haven’t. My name is Lin Zhou! The top-ranked student at Tianshui High!”

Lin Zhou sucked in a sharp breath, glaring daggers. “You’re the one who stole my spot in the Super High School League!”

Li An’s brow creased. “I prefer ‘earned’ over ‘stole.’”

Behind him, Frost Snow emerged, frost coalescing in her palm. Li An waved her off. “It’s fine. Let’s talk this out.”

“Talk?” Lin Zhou spat. “That league slot was mine! Give it back!”

Li An’s Star Terminal buzzed—an incoming call from the principal.

“Li An, has Lin Zhou come to you?”

“Yes.”

“My deepest apologies. After graduation, he learned the slot was no longer available and… well, we told him you were the reason. We didn’t handle it well.”

“Understood.” Li An nodded calmly.

“Lin Zhou is a good kid. This is my fault for not informing him sooner.” The principal sighed.

Li An hung up and met Lin Zhou’s burning gaze. “Do you know why the slot is mine?”

Before the boy could retort, Li An answered flatly:

“Because I’m Infinite-Grade.”

Lin Zhou paled. “What…?”

“That slot was never yours.” Li An shook his head. “Three years ago, I made a deal with the principal: exclusive resources in exchange for a guaranteed top-four finish—under Daoshi High’s banner.”

“Top… four?” Lin Zhou’s pupils shrank.

The Super High School League gathered elites from 200 million schools across the Human Realm. With single-elimination matches, reaching the semifinals meant winning 128 consecutive battles.

As an SS-Grade, Lin Zhou had fantasized about scraping into the top 5,000—if luck spared him from SSS-Grade monsters. But top four? Delusional!

“You think you’re the fourth strongest in the world!?” Lin Zhou’s voice cracked.

Li An gestured calmly. “Try me.”

Lin Zhou lunged, a prismatic sword materializing in his hand—his Five Elements Sword talent. Dual-cultivating Elemental and Physical Realms, he’d reached peak Third Realm.

To Li An, his speed was glacial.

A sidestep. A flick of the wrist.

Thud.

Lin Zhou crumpled like a ragdoll. No physical pain—just soul-crushing humiliation.

I’m nothing. A fly swatted by an Infinite-Grade titan.

He staggered up, tears streaking his face, and fled without a word.

Elsewhere

Lin Zhou sat in his favorite post-school diner, head bowed over untouched food.

Friends swarmed him.

“Zhou! What happened?”

“Are you okay…?”

Lin Zhou met their worried eyes—eyes that had sparkled as he promised to take them to the league’s grand stages. Now, those dreams were ash.

Before he could speak, every Star Terminal chimed in unison:

[Urgent Alert]

Demon prodigy Xido has issued a public challenge at Border Zone 67! A “fair duel” with a Human Realm genius. Supreme guardians present—students may observe. Assemble at school immediately!

A girl beside Lin Zhou whispered, “Go?”

Human genius… In Tianshui City, who else but… him?

Lin Zhou’s jaw tightened. “We’re going.”