A subtle shift in the air forced Lin Mei to throw herself sideways, just as a brilliant lance of flame struck the spot where she'd been sitting, scorching the cave wall black.

Heat seared the side of her face as she rolled to her feet, dropping into a defensive stance. The Veiling Mist Array shattered, its tokens crumbling to dust as the intrusion overwhelmed its modest capacity.

"Smart hiding spot," came a male voice from beyond the waterfall.

A figure stepped through the curtain of water, seemingly unbothered by the liquid passing through his flame-wreathed body. He was tall and broad-shouldered, wearing the outer disciple robes of Azure Peak Sect, though Lin Mei didn't recognize him personally. His cultivation aura pulsed with the unmistakable intensity of the late Seventh Stage Qi of the Condensation Realm.

"I'm Lei Zhong," he announced casually, as if they were meeting at a sect gathering rather than in this deadly realm. "Apologies for the abrupt introduction, but I prefer to strike first rather than exchange pleasantries."

Lin Mei maintained her stance, mentally calculating her options. Running was impossible, he would catch her easily, and the chase would likely attract attention from other competitors or whatever creatures might lurk in this realm.

"We don't need to fight," she said, keeping her voice steady. "The trial has barely begun. There's still plenty of time to find the exit, and more than enough slots for both our teams to advance."

Lei Zhong laughed, a sound utterly devoid of humor. "I might have considered that offer if circumstances were different." His eyes narrowed as he studied her. "But you're from the team with two ninth-stage cultivators, aren't you? Lin Mei, the herb garden girl."

Her heart sank. Of course he would know. It only made sense for teams to gather whatever intelligence they could about their competitors. And a breakthrough to the ninth stage wasn't something that could be hidden for long.

"If I eliminate you," he continued, flame dancing between his fingers, "your entire team will be disqualified. Much simpler than trying to face Wei Lin or your other teammate in direct combat."

"Pragmatic," Lin Mei acknowledged, shifting her weight slightly to position herself nearer to her second formation's trigger area. "But working together might also benefit—"

"Save it," Lei Zhong cut her off. "Everyone knows you're the weak link. Sixth stage, and a recent breakthrough at that. Your cultivation method isn't even combat-oriented, no wonder you need ninth-stage bodyguards."

The taunt stung, but before she could respond, Lei Zhong's hands traced a complex pattern in the air, and the flame between his fingers expanded into a brilliant sphere that illuminated the entire cave.

"Crimson Sun Palm," he whispered, driving the sphere forward with shocking speed.

"Flowing Shield," Lin Mei countered, drawing water from the river to create a barrier before her.

The fireball crashed into her shield with a thunderous hiss, generating a cloud of steam that filled the cave. Lin Mei immediately circulated her qi to enhance her senses, pushing her perception through the obscuring vapor.

Lei Zhong was already moving, circling to her left, three smaller fireballs forming around his right hand. "Ember Flight," he called, sending the projectiles curving through the steam toward her from different angles.

"River's Flow," Lin Mei murmured, her body suddenly seeming to liquify as she flowed between the incoming attacks with impossible fluidity.

The third fireball caught her sleeve as she twisted, instantly igniting the fabric. Lin Mei slapped the flames out with a water-coated hand and countered with her own attack. "Water Needle Rain," she called, converting her qi into hundreds of pressurized water needles that shot toward Lei Zhong from all directions.

He scoffed, a shell of flame erupting around him. "Flame Barrier." The water needles hissed into steam as they struck the shield, filling the cave with more vapor. "Is that really the best you can—"

His words cut off as Lin Mei abruptly charged through the steam, her hand trailing water that formed into a whip. "Flowing River Lash," she cried, snapping the water construct at his face.

Lei Zhong dodged, but the tip of the whip caught his cheek, opening a thin cut that immediately began to bleed. His expression darkened. "Enough playing around."

The temperature in the cave suddenly spiked as Lei Zhong's aura flared. "Crimson Sun Scripture: First Verse," he growled, his body glowing with internal fire. "Noon Zenith Inferno!"

The attack came not as a directed blast but as an omnidirectional wave of heat and flame that expanded outward in all directions. Lin Mei barely had time to cross her arms before her body, condensing all her remaining qi into a desperate defense. "Full River Immersion!"

Her body was briefly encased in a cocoon of water, but the sheer intensity of Lei Zhong's technique vaporized her protection almost instantly. The force of the blast threw her against the back wall of the cave, her robes smoldering and her exposed skin reddened as if sunburned.

Lin Mei slumped to the ground, struggling to catch her breath. The cave floor beneath her was scorched black, and small fires still burned along the walls. Lei Zhong approached slowly, clearly confident in his victory.

"I expected more from someone Wei Lin chose as a dao partner," he said, gathering flame for a finishing strike. "But I suppose even geniuses fall prey to love."

This story originates from NovelBin. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Lin Mei's vision blurred as she fought to remain conscious. Her qi reserves were dangerously low, and her body ached from the impact and burns. But as Lei Zhong stepped forward for the killing blow, a tiny smile curved her lips.

"You're right," she whispered. "Wei Lin is guided by his heart sometimes." She shook her head slightly. "But Ke Yin? He taught me that emotions shouldn't interfere with strategy."

Lei Zhong's brow furrowed in confusion, just as his foot crossed the nearly invisible line of the Tremor Response Array. The formation activated with a sharp crackle of energy, copper wires suddenly glowing blue as they released their stored power.

Lei Zhong froze mid-step, his eyes widening in shock as the formation's effect paralyzed him temporarily. It wouldn't last long against a seventh-stage cultivator, barely a second, but Lin Mei had already drawn her last reserve of strength.

"Water Needle Heart Pierce," she gasped, forming a single, concentrated spear of water that shot forward, striking Lei Zhong directly in the chest and penetrating his heart.

Lei Zhong's flame aura guttered like a candle in the wind, his expression frozen in disbelief as his body began to dissolve into particles of light.

"How..." he managed before completely dissipating, returning to the real world outside the Fallen Realm.

Lin Mei collapsed back against the cave wall, trembling with exhaustion. That had been entirely too close. If her formation had failed, or if Lei Zhong had been just slightly more cautious...

"Need to move," she murmured to herself, knowing the battle would have attracted attention. The cave was compromised, and she was in no condition for another fight.

She forced herself to her feet, gathering what remained of her formation materials with shaking hands.

Before she could leave the cave, a prickling sensation along her spine made her freeze. Lin Mei spun around, barely managing to throw herself sideways as a jagged bolt of lightning struck the spot where she'd been standing a heartbeat before.

"Impressive reflexes," came a female voice, a hint of genuine surprise in her tone. "Especially for someone in your condition."

A figure emerged from the shadows outside the waterfall, a young woman with hair styled in a tight braid and eyes that glowed with a faint purple light. Her outer sect robes were trimmed with silver thread that seemed to attract small electrical discharges with each movement.

"Thank you for eliminating that arrogant flame cultivator," the woman said, stepping into the cave with a predatory grace. "Lei Zhong has been insufferable since his breakthrough to the seventh stage. I've been looking forward to a someone putting him in his place, and who better than a lower ranked cultivator?"

Lin Mei began slowly backing away, desperately searching for any route of escape. Her qi reserves were nearly depleted, and her body still ached from the previous battle. She had no more formation traps, no hidden advantages.

"I'm Meng Jiao," the woman continued, purple lightning crackling between her fingertips. "And I've been observing your little hideout for some time, waiting for the right moment."

Lin Mei's eyes narrowed as she continued her cautious retreat. "Waiting for the winner to be weakened first? Not very honorable."

"Honor? In a tournament?” Meng Jiao laughed. “How naive. I'm here to win, not earn praise for my cultivation ethics." Her lightning-wreathed fingers flexed. "Besides, watching you fight was... educational. Always good to study potential opponents before engaging them."

"Glad I could provide a demonstration," Lin Mei replied dryly, trying to buy herself precious seconds to recover even a fraction of her qi.

"That formation trick was particularly clever," Meng Jiao acknowledged with a predatory smile. "But enough observations. You're with the team that has two ninth-stage cultivators, aren't you?"

Lin Mei's silence was answer enough.

"That's what I thought," Meng Jiao nodded. "Nothing personal, but eliminating you means eliminating the strongest competition in one stroke. That's an opportunity I can't pass up."

Without warning, she attacked, her hand extending as crackling purple lightning shot toward Lin Mei in a jagged arc. "Thunder Palm Strike!"

Lin Mei attempted to dodge, but her exhausted body responded too slowly. The lightning caught her square in the chest, sending her crashing back against the cave wall with a pained cry. Her muscles spasmed uncontrollably as the electrical energy coursed through her system, temporarily disrupting her qi circulation.

"Is that all?" Meng Jiao asked, disappointment evident in her tone. "I expected more of a challenge from someone who defeated Lei Zhong."

Lin Mei struggled to her feet, her breathing ragged. "You want a challenge?" she managed, gathering the pitiful remnants of her qi. "I'll give you one."

She feinted a direct charge, water gathering around her fists as if preparing for a close-quarters attack. "Flowing River—"

But mid-stance, Lin Mei pivoted sharply, abandoning the attack and diving toward the waterfall instead. Her body transformed into a streak of blue light as she poured her remaining qi into a desperate escape technique. "River's Embrace!"

For a heartbeat, it seemed she might make it. The waterfall was just three steps away, its dark waters promising sanctuary for her water-affinity cultivation. If she could just reach it, merge with the falling water, she might survive long enough for her teammates to—

"Predictable," Meng Jiao sighed, her fingers drawing complex patterns in the air. Lightning arced from her fingertips, splitting into a dozen jagged bolts that surrounded the cave exit. "Lightning Cage!"

The electrical net closed around Lin Mei before she could reach the waterfall. Purple electricity seared through her body, disrupting her qi pathways and locking her muscles in painful spasms. A scream tore from her throat as she collapsed to the ground, her escape technique shattering into useless wisps of blue energy.

"Better," Meng Jiao nodded, walking unhurriedly toward Lin Mei's fallen form. "At least you showed some tactical thinking. Flight rather than futile resistance."

The lightning cage flickered and dissipated, leaving Lin Mei sprawled on the cave floor, small electrical discharges still occasionally sparking across her body. Small burns marked her skin where the lightning had struck most intensely. She could barely move, her muscles refusing to obey her commands.

Meng Jiao approached slowly, lightning gathering around her right hand in preparation for a final strike. "Take comfort in knowing that your elimination accomplishes something significant," she said, voice almost gentle. "You've helped me take out the strongest team in the tournament. That's no small achievement, but I guess it doesn’t mean much when it’s your own team being eliminated."

Lin Mei closed her eyes, unable even to form a defense. All she could think was how she had failed her teammates after they had placed their trust in her. All their hard work, their preparation, their breakthroughs—all of it wasted because she hadn't been strong enough.

"I'm sorry, Wei Lin," she whispered. "I'm sorry, Ke Yin."

She steeled herself for the killing strike, the seconds stretching impossibly as she waited for the lightning to claim her and for the peculiar sensation of being expelled from the realm.

But the strike never came.

After a moment, Lin Mei forced her eyes open, confused by the delay. What she saw made her breath catch in her throat.

A figure stood between her and Meng Jiao, their back to Lin Mei as they held Meng Jiao's wrist in a seemingly casual grip. The lightning that had been gathering in the woman's hand now sputtered and died, unable to maintain coherence against whatever force this newcomer exerted.

Meng Jiao's face had drained of color, her previous confidence replaced by wide-eyed terror as she stared at her captured wrist. She struggled against the hold, her entire body trembling.

"What—" she began, but whatever question she intended died on her lips as the pressure on her wrist increased subtly, drawing a gasp of pain.

Lin Mei couldn't see the newcomer's face, but she would recognise that figure anywhere. A smile touched her lips despite her pain and exhaustion.

"Y-you came," she whispered.