Chapter 82: The Aftermath of Glory, Shadows on the New Path

The radiance of the relic gradually dissipated, and Ji Chen was bathed in the surging cheers, like a triumphant king.

Countless Ability Users were excitedly shouting his name, the waves of sound coming one after another, deafening, as if they were about to tear the entire sky apart.

He was like a lighthouse in the darkness, illuminating the hope in everyone's hearts.

But Ji Chen was not intoxicated by the glory before him.

His deep eyes, like the brightest stars in the night sky, swept across the faces of everyone around him.

A faint smile hung on his lips, as if he were accustomed to this surging praise.

But his keen perception was like a radar, capturing those discordant notes in the crowd.

Some veteran Ability Users were hiding behind the crowd, whispering to each other like a pack of hyenas waiting for an opportunity, ready to pounce and bite at any moment.

Ji Chen sneered in his heart; these old guys really couldn't hold back anymore.

"Hehe, it seems my popularity is really a bit too overwhelming." Ji Chen complained to himself, but on the surface, he maintained a calm and composed posture, as if everything were under control.

With his hands behind his back, he slowly walked down from the high platform. Every step was steady and powerful, landing without a sound, yet seemingly carrying an invisible pressure that made the surrounding crowd breathe cautiously.

Ji Chen felt those suspicious gazes that were like substance, and his fists clenched involuntarily.

The veins on the back of his hands bulged, making "crackling" sounds, as if mocking the stupidity of these old guys.

He knew that these old guys were wary of his rapidly growing strength and were even questioning the source of his power.

They must be plotting something, wanting to pull him off the altar and redistribute the interests of the Supernatural World.

Ji Chen cursed in his heart, burning with anger.

However, he still forcibly suppressed his emotions; he needed to first figure out the background of these guys before wiping them all out!

He looked around, his gaze like a torch, trying to find those poisonous snakes hidden in the dark from the crowd.

Just then, he saw a familiar figure standing at the edge of the crowd, with his back to him, as if avoiding something.

That figure was slightly thin, yet exuded an inexplicable sense of loneliness.

"Hey, Li Ming!" Ji Chen suddenly spoke. His voice wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly, carrying a hint of playfulness.

That back trembled slightly, as if somewhat surprised.

Then, he slowly turned around, and that familiar face entered Ji Chen's view.

"Ji Chen... you..."

Li Ming's face carried a hint of embarrassment and hesitation. He opened his mouth, seemingly wanting to say something, but then stopped.

Ji Chen looked at Li Ming's evasive appearance, his lips curling slightly, revealing an intriguing smile.

"Oh? It seems you have something you want to tell me?"

Li Ming's expression became complex. He hesitated for a moment before finally gathering the courage to say: "Ji Chen... we are all happy for you, but... the situation is different now, do you understand?"

Ji Chen's eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze revealing a hint of sharpness.

He didn't answer immediately, just continued to smile, listening quietly to Li Ming's words.

The surrounding Ability Users had already begun to whisper, occasionally casting strange looks, as if observing a silent contest.

"Of course I understand." Ji Chen's voice remained calm, but his tone carried a hint of firmness. "However, that doesn't change anything. I am Ji Chen, not a chess piece in your hands."

Li Ming was speechless, the embarrassment on his face becoming even more obvious.

He lowered his head, sighed softly, and then turned and disappeared into the crowd.

Ji Chen watched his back, his heart filled with complex emotions.

A good friend who once fought side by side was now distancing himself because of fear.

He stood alone on the street, the cold wind blowing by, bringing waves of bone-chilling cold, as if his heart had also become cold.

The neon lights on the street flickered, rendering a desolate atmosphere.

Ji Chen took a deep breath.

The next day, the Public Challenge Tournament of the Supernatural World was held as scheduled.

Ji Chen stood in the center of the arena, surrounded by dense crowds of spectators, their cheers like thunder, deafening.

He felt that familiar pressure, but his heart was incomparably clear.

Every challenger was easily defeated by him. He was heroic and spirited, his movements like flowing clouds and water, as if every dodge and shift were full of artistic sense.

The audience let out waves of exclamations, and the entire arena was filled with a heated atmosphere.

Just as Ji Chen was about to complete the last challenge, the corner of his eye suddenly caught an unusual black figure quickly flashing into the crowd.

His heart tightened, and the movements in his hands paused involuntarily.

"It's getting more and more interesting." Ji Chen's lips curled slightly. He calmly walked off the arena, preparing to meet the next challenge.

As soon as Ji Chen stepped off the arena, before he could even catch his breath, a black shadow darted out from the crowd like a ghost, lunging straight at his face.

That black shadow was extremely fast, carrying a biting killing intent, clearly aiming for his life.

The spectator stands instantly exploded, with exclamations rising one after another, as noisy as a vegetable market.

Ji Chen was quick-witted, dodging the fatal blow with a sideways move, and with a backhand, he whipped his leg fiercely at the black shadow.

The two instantly fought into a ball, fists and feet crossing, the muffled "bang, bang" sounds making people's eardrums ache.

The black shadow's moves were ruthless, each strike carrying the sound of wind breaking; it was clearly an experienced veteran.

Ji Chen didn't slack off either; his figure was as agile as a loach, always able to dodge attacks narrowly and seize the opportunity to counterattack.

The two went back and forth, fighting to a standstill, and the scene fell into a white-hot state.

The audience was so nervous they didn't dare to breathe, fearing they would miss any exciting moment.

They widened their eyes, as if watching a Hollywood blockbuster, their adrenaline soaring.

Some even took out their phones to start recording, fearing they would miss this battle of the century.

"Damn, what's the situation? This is looking for trouble!"

"Who is that black shadow? The strikes are too ruthless!"

"Go Ji Chen! Beat him into a pig's head!"

The spectator stands were buzzing with discussion, various voices mixed together, as noisy as a pot of porridge.

During the battle, Ji Chen took a moment to glance around; those old guys hidden in the dark all had gloating smiles on their faces.

He sneered in his heart; these old guys really couldn't hold back anymore.

However, he wasn't a soft persimmon to be squeezed at will.

Just as his thoughts were flying, a heavy punch from the black shadow smashed fiercely into his chest. Ji Chen grunted, his figure swaying slightly.

Intense pain surged into his heart instantly, but he didn't retreat because of it; instead, it ignited the fighting spirit in his heart.

He remembered Zeng Yue's cold eyes and that simple sentence, "I believe in you," and a warm current surged in his heart.

This power supported him, making him feel full of energy.

His eyes became even firmer, like a drawn sword, sharp and exposed.

"Is that it?" Ji Chen's lips curled slightly, revealing a look of disdain.

His figure moved, lunging at the black shadow like a leopard, his offensive becoming even more violent.

The sound of "bang, bang" collisions was endless, fists colliding with fists, producing dull sounds.

The black shadow finally couldn't hold on. Under Ji Chen's storm-like offensive, it retreated step by step, and was finally blasted away by a heavy punch from Ji Chen, falling heavily to the ground.

The black shadow struggled to get up, only to find its body powerless, and could only lie on the ground like a dead dog.

It widened its eyes, its face filled with disbelief, as if it couldn't believe it would lose to Ji Chen.

Ji Chen slowly walked to the black shadow, looking down at it from above.

He discovered that the black shadow was actually wearing a bizarre mask, making it impossible to see its true face.

He frowned, and a sense of foreboding welled up in his heart.

"It seems there is a bigger force behind this looking for trouble." Ji Chen narrowed his eyes and said in a low voice. The whole arena instantly quieted down, and a tense atmosphere permeated the air.

He slowly squatted down, reaching out to take off the mask on the black shadow's face. Just then, the black shadow suddenly erupted, letting out a shrill scream that made the surrounding people's eardrums ache.

Ji Chen jumped back violently, avoiding the black shadow's attack.

The black shadow missed its strike, quickly flipped up, and ran toward the crowd.

"Want to run? Not that easy!" Ji Chen snorted coldly.

Ji Chen stopped his steps. He frowned and looked around; the surrounding audience members were all blank-faced, as if nothing had happened.

He suddenly felt something was wrong; the battle just now seemed too smooth, as if everything had been arranged by someone.

He slowly raised his head and looked into the distance, feeling faintly in his heart that a bigger storm was waiting for him next. ===== CHAPTER 83 =====