High Martial Arts: Liver Becomes the Master of the Universe

Chapter 161 The Four Gods' Choice! The Colossal Beast of the Stars! The "Qin Beast" commands immense prestige!
As the groundbreaking analysis report from the "Hidden Dragon Ranking" spread like wildfire throughout the Glory Arena, Qin Feng calmly walked to the center of the arena.

The uproar surrounding him seemed to have no effect on him whatsoever.

My journey in the Rookie Cup has now come to a perfect end.

Third place.

Three thousand contribution points.

The goal set before the competition has been achieved.

As for the upcoming finals...

Qin Feng looked up, his gaze seemingly piercing through the dome of the Glory Arena, and saw the names hanging high at the very top of the battle list, like two insurmountable sacred mountains.

Zheng Dong, with a vitality index of 3120, has been enrolled for 93 years.

Chow Yun-fat, with a vitality index of 3080, has been enrolled in school for 102 years.

He knew very well that with his current strength, he had no chance of winning against these two "old monsters" who had cultivated the "Supreme Awakening Method" for nearly a century.

That's a gap that can't be bridged simply by a higher level of killing technique or combat wisdom.

That is an absolute, overwhelming gap that originates from the very level of life itself.

Forcing a fight is pointless except for wasting everyone's time and causing yourself to suffer another serious injury.

Having figured this out, a relieved smile appeared on Qin Feng's face.

He turned to face the referee on the high platform, the one with the highest authority in the match, and spoke loudly.

"referee."

"I voluntarily withdraw from the remaining matches."

"The upcoming final will be a showdown between senior Zheng Dong and senior Zhou Run."

"I'm not good enough, so I won't waste everyone's precious time watching the game."

His words were humble, yet carried an undeniable air of composure.

That was the most rational and carefree choice made after clearly recognizing the gap between oneself and one's opponent.

After a brief silence, no boos or doubts were heard from the audience.

Instead, there were bursts of good-natured laughter filled with understanding and admiration, and thunderous applause!
"Well said! That's the true demeanor of a strong person!"

"Having self-awareness! Being neither humble nor arrogant!"

"That's right! Rather than watching a one-sided, one-sided match, I'm much more eager to see what kind of earth-shattering sparks will fly between those two 'century-old monsters'!"

"Qin Feng! Well done! Although you gave up, in our hearts, you are already the uncrowned king of this year's Rookie Cup!"

The applause was thunderous and prolonged.

At this moment, Qin Feng's carefree figure and Bayan's composed back after his defeat slowly overlapped in everyone's hearts.

Victory is certainly something to celebrate.

However, the courage to do what is impossible, and the wisdom to refrain from doing what is impossible, are equally worthy of respect.

Despite the thunderous applause around him, Qin Feng felt little emotion.

At this moment, his thoughts seemed to transcend the barriers of time and space, returning to eleven years ago.

We returned to the morning star.

They returned to the stage of the equally highly anticipated inter-school league finals.

He remembered that time when he was about to have his final showdown with "Lei Yi".

Just like himself now, Shi Potian calmly walked to the center of the arena.

He calmly announced, in almost the same words, that he voluntarily withdrew and would stop at third place.

He said that the most exciting stage should be reserved for the ultimate showdown.

He said he didn't want to waste everyone's time.

Back then, I stood under the spotlight, the center of everyone's attention.

Shi Potian, amidst the applause, silently relinquished the stage to himself.

Before Qin Feng's eyes, it seemed as if Shi Potian's aloof yet pure figure from back then appeared.

In the blink of an eye, eleven years have passed.

Time flows on, and things change.

Now he has become the kind of person who gracefully exits the stage amidst applause.

History always repeats itself.

A complex smile involuntarily appeared on Qin Feng's lips, a smile that was a mixture of emotion, reminiscence, and boundless fighting spirit.

"but……"

His gaze returned to the empty final arena, his eyes becoming incredibly deep and resolute.

"Wait until the next session..."

"This championship title is definitely mine! Even if senior students Zheng Dong and Zhou Run still insist on holding onto it, I will fight them!"

He made a vow to himself in his heart.

The ultimate enlightenment method, at the fourth level of martial arts, takes an average of one hundred years to cultivate in the empire.

Qin Feng's goal is to complete the path that others need a century to traverse within thirty years!

After giving the referees and the entire audience a standard military salute once more, Qin Feng's figure slowly disappeared in the transmitted light.

……

When he returned to the audience, he was greeted by the excited and proud smiles of his friends.

"Boss! Awesome! Absolutely awesome!"

Bald Lei Meng was the first to rush up and give Qin Feng a bear hug, so excited he was almost incoherent, "Third place! You got third place! Holy crap! Although I expected it, it still feels like a dream!"

"Old Qin, I knew you could do it!"

Xiong Yanfu was also beaming. He shook his personal terminal and laughed smugly, "My betting platform made a killing this time! Don't worry, you won't lose a single penny of what belongs to you!"

Tie Mu and Yin Jing didn't speak, but silently gave Qin Feng a thumbs up, their eyes filled with admiration.

Qin Lan, on the other hand, looked Qin Feng up and down with the eyes of someone looking at a monster, clicking her tongue in amazement: "You always manage to redefine my understanding of the word 'genius'."

"Congratulations."

Shi Potian simply uttered those two words.

But Qin Feng could read the unspoken understanding and resonance between the two of them in his eyes.

"Seriously, boss,"

After his initial excitement, Lei Meng couldn't help but feel sorry for Qin Feng. "Your luck is just too bad. If it weren't for the fact that you ran into Zheng Dong and Zhou Run, those two old monsters who have been cultivating for almost a hundred years, with your strength, this championship would definitely be yours!"

He said indignantly, "Seriously, those who cultivate the 'Supreme Acupoint Opening Method' should be directly assigned to the Level 5 competition area! Competing with us Level 4 martial artists for spots is just bullying!"

"What do you know."

Qin Lan, who was standing to the side, smiled and shook her head upon hearing this.

As a seasoned student, she had a more thorough understanding of the school's rules.

"This is precisely a form of indirect support and encouragement from the school for those geniuses who choose to cultivate the 'Ultimate Enlightenment Method'."

She explained, "As you know, the cultivation of the 'Supreme Awakening Method' is extremely difficult, and the resources required are astronomical."

"That's why the school allows them to participate in the Rookie Cup as Level 4 martial artists until they are promoted. The purpose is to give them the opportunity to earn contribution points in this way to support them through this most difficult path."

Upon hearing this, Qin Feng nodded thoughtfully.

He remembered his contribution points account, which had been cleared to zero.

If it weren't for this Rookie Cup, he would probably have been worrying about how to earn contribution points for a long time to come.

The school's rule is indeed full of humane considerations.

Amidst enthusiastic congratulations and discussions, the central main arena of the Glory Arena once again shone with dazzling light.

The highly anticipated final is about to begin!
Everyone held their breath and turned their gaze to the stage.

Qin Feng was no exception.

His expression became incredibly focused, even bordering on... entranced.

When Zheng Dong and Zhou Run, those two "century-old monsters" with a vitality index exceeding three thousand points, appeared on the arena.

For the first time, Qin Feng truly and intuitively felt what a "gap" meant.

The two of them didn't even deliberately release any aura.

They simply stood there quietly, but the space around them seemed to be subtly and visibly distorted because it could not withstand their terrifying life force.

With each breath they took, it seemed as if they were resonating in sync with the energy dome of the entire arena.

Once the battle began, Qin Feng was captivated by what he saw, almost becoming completely engrossed.

That's no longer a competition of skills.

Zheng Dong's sword strikes are bold and sweeping!

Zhou Run's swordsmanship, however, is graceful and agile, like a gazelle hanging by its horns, leaving no trace.

What they were using were clearly true "level three killing techniques"!
It's more than ten times stronger than Bayan's swordsmanship when he first entered the "Control Realm"!
The battle lasted only five minutes.

In the end, Zheng Dong narrowly won the championship of this year's Rookie Cup.

Immediately afterwards, Qin Feng went to watch the competitions of the fifth-level "Harmony Realm" and even the sixth-level "Soaring Realm".

When they saw those level six "Soaring Realm" martial artists who could already combine their spiritual power with their killing techniques to unleash all sorts of incredible "level four killing techniques" and those unheard-of "spiritual secret arts", they were amazed.

Qin Feng felt an unprecedented longing and desire for a higher level of martial arts.

Level 4 is just the beginning.

The path of martial arts begins at the planetary level.

He clenched his fists tightly, and in his deep eyes, it seemed as if two flames were burning fiercely.

His journey is still long!
The focus of attention for all the star-level powerhouses on the mentor's platform high above the clouds had already quietly shifted from the arena where the outcome was already decided.

Their gazes, as if by prior arrangement, once again, almost imperceptibly, converged on the figure in the corner who remained calm and composed throughout, as if everything was irrelevant to him.

—Yu Han.

And his disciple Qin Feng, who had just won third place in this year's Rookie Cup in a stunning way and parachuted into the top 1,000 of the "Hidden Dragon List".

Previously, everyone's attention to Qin Feng was merely due to the curiosity brought about by Company Commander Zhou Xiong's order to "take special care" of him.

Now, having witnessed Qin Feng's incredible growth rate, his unheard-of four "Control Realm" killing techniques, and his composure and wisdom in calmly giving up when facing powerful enemies, everyone is now in awe.

This curiosity has completely transformed into an intense and profound interest.

"Cough cough."

The previously dignified and otherworldly Senior Brother Zhang coughed twice, breaking the silence.

He picked up his teacup, but his gaze drifted to Yu Han, and he smiled knowingly, "Junior Brother Yu Han, you've really struck gold this time. This little guy named Qin Feng has given us a truly amazing surprise."

"yes,"

The fiery female instructor, clad in crimson armor, chimed in, her bright phoenix eyes scanning back and forth between Yu Han and Qin Feng's seats below. "A breakthrough in the heat of battle, comprehending the fourth 'Control Realm' killing technique; and then, with a move like Dragon's Lair, cunningly defeating Bayan. This comprehension, this willpower, tsk tsk, even if we were young, we would be among the very best."

"good."

Another refined mentor clapped his hands in admiration, "The 'Hidden Dragon List' has been opened with a thousand new members! Yu Han, we are all so envious!"

For a time, various indirect expressions of praise could be heard from the high platform.

All the criticisms ultimately point to the same core issue.

While they lavishly praised Qin Feng's extraordinary performance, they kept sending the same message to Yu Han with their eyes:
Stop pretending! Just come clean!
—Such a monster, if you say he doesn't have any earth-shattering secrets, if you say that Company Commander Zhou Xiong personally called him out just because he's talented, only a fool would believe it!

Faced with the intense, gossipy gazes of his colleagues, Yu Han's eye twitched almost imperceptibly.

He picked up his teacup, intending to use drinking tea as an excuse, just like before.

But this time, he found that it wouldn't work.

Because everyone's eyes were fixed on him, as if he wouldn't be allowed to leave the chair unless he gave a reasonable explanation.

Yu Han sighed helplessly in his heart.

He put down his teacup, forced a calm smile, shrugged, and said in a matter-of-fact tone:
"Hehe, fellow senior brothers and sisters, haven't you all already given the answer?"

He pointed down to Qin Feng, who was chatting happily with his friends.

"You all saw it with your own eyes, Qin Feng, he's a genius, an absolute monster."

Yu Han's smile became increasingly "sincere".

"Think about it, the most difficult cultivation method, the 'Supreme Awakening Method,' only takes ten years for a student to reach a vitality index of 532 points. Furthermore, there are four 'Control Realm' killing techniques."

"Such talent, such a monster, to be valued by Lord Zhou Xiong and personally given special attention... isn't that enough?"

He tried to use Qin Feng's already obvious and astonishing talent as an excuse to get by.

However, this time, he miscalculated.

"not enough."

On the high platform, dozens of mentors almost unanimously shook their heads.

Their eyes were clear and firm, as if saying: Yu Han, don't treat us like fools.

The venerable Senior Brother Zhang said earnestly, "Junior Brother Yu Han, that's not how you calculate things."

"Admittedly, this Qin Feng is indeed a once-in-a-millennium prodigy. His sudden appearance at number one thousand on the Hidden Dragon List is enough to prove his potential. But..."

He abruptly changed the subject, his eyes becoming incredibly sharp.

"You need to know, among the 999 people ranked ahead of him, which one of them has less potential than him?"

"But we have never heard of Lord Zhou Xiong personally lowering his will for any one of them."

Senior Brother Zhang paused for a moment, then spoke slowly and deliberately, expressing what everyone was thinking.

"Therefore, Yu Han, talent is just a superficial thing."

"What we want to know is the deeper reason that truly moved Lord Zhou Xiong."

Yu Han's brain began to work at lightning speed.

His gaze swept back and forth across the faces of the mentors, each one brimming with a thirst for knowledge, before finally giving them a mysterious smile.

He sighed heavily, as if finally unable to withstand the pressure and ready to compromise. He picked up his teacup, took another sip, and then, in an extremely helpless tone, as if recounting a family scandal, lowered his voice and said:
"Sigh... Oh well."

"Since all of you senior brothers and sisters are so curious, I may tell you. However, please keep this a secret and do not spread it, so as not to... damage Lord Zhou Xiong's reputation."

Seeing Yu Han's "ready to drop some bombshells" stance, all the mentors' ears perked up instantly, their eyes gleaming with a burning desire for gossip.

On Yu Han's face, a complex expression appeared, a mixture of "unspeakable" and "human nature".

He spoke slowly, in a tone recounting long-forgotten memories:
"As you all know, Lord Zhou Xiong... spent his life on the battlefield, fighting for the empire for ten thousand years, dedicating everything he had to the empire and humanity."

"He had no children and never had a Daoist partner."

Upon hearing this, all the mentors nodded, their faces showing admiration.

This is something the entire empire knows.

Zhou Xiong was a true imperial hero and a role model for all soldiers.

"but……"

Yu Han changed the subject, his tone becoming even more mysterious.

"Humans are not plants or trees, how can they be without feelings? Although Lord Zhou Xiong has no direct descendants, his family was once a rather large clan on their home planet. Although they have suffered from war and their bloodline has been reduced, in the end... some distant relatives, who knows how many generations ago, have survived."

He paused, as if giving everyone time to process what he had to say.

Only then did they reveal the final "answer".

"This Qin Feng, it is said, his ancestors, going back tens of thousands of generations, his great-grandmother's cousin's uncle, and one of Lord Zhou Xiong's ancestors, seemed to have come from the same village."

"So, in all accounts, he can be considered... a distant relative of Lord Zhou Xiong, a distant relative of who knows how many generations, a junior relative who is related to him by blood."

By the end, Yu Han's face was filled with an "you all know" expression. "Lord Zhou Xiong was a selfless man throughout his life, but in the end, he couldn't bear to see his family's descendants being tarnished, so he... gave them special care."

"Ah, it's only human nature, it's only human nature."

After saying that, he picked up his teacup and drank again, as if to say, "I've said everything I can say, you can figure it out yourselves."

An eerie silence fell over the high platform.

All the mentors looked at each other, their facial expressions incredibly fascinating.

They were first taken aback, then suspicious, and finally... nodded thoughtfully.

"A descendant of a distant relative's distant relative?"

Senior Brother Zhang was pondering this relationship, which was as difficult as a tongue twister, with his brows furrowed.

"Lord Zhou Xiong was upright and incorruptible throughout his life, which is why he would never go to such lengths for a genius he had no connection with."

"On the other hand, it is precisely because he was selfless throughout his life and never considered anything for himself that, in his later years, out of a sense of obligation to continue the family line, he did what he could to care for and compensate his only surviving bloodline descendant, who was separated from him by countless generations..."

Senior Brother Zhang sighed with emotion.

The other mentors also came to their senses and chimed in.

"So that's it!"

"No wonder."

"So you're a distant relative of Lord Zhou Xiong."

The mentors' eyes gleamed.

They already had a clear idea of ​​what was going on.

Because everyone knows that Lord Zhou Xiong's home planet, located in a remote star system of the Empire, had already been the site of an alien war tens of thousands of years ago, and the entire planet was eventually wiped out.

Zhou Xiong's journey from the Star Guardian Army to completing his military service, then wandering the streets, and gradually growing into a black hole-level powerhouse is a widely circulated story, known even to these stellar-level powerhouses.

Yu Han preferred to fabricate such a flawed lie rather than tell the truth, and the reason is simple.

Because the truth cannot be told!
Speaking of it will attract the attention of evil spirits!
The Emperor's Chosen One!
Qin Feng is the Emperor's Chosen One!
Once this secret is revealed, the shock it will cause will far exceed the outcome of a rookie cup match.

The mentors all understood.

They all understood and stopped asking about it.

"Ugh."

Yu Han sighed.

He didn't want to hint at this to the teachers, but the scene of that day when Qin Feng was purifying the pirate camp and was targeted by that filthy and violent will in the subspace resurfaced in his mind.

—Khorne.

Simply by displaying boundless killing intent, he attracted the covetousness of that Blood God.

If Qin Feng were to cause any more trouble, that omnipresent gaze, filled with greed and malice, that roams the subspace dimension, would instantly cross the endless sea of ​​stars and focus on Qin Feng.

By then, it's likely that more than just Khorne will come knocking on our door.

Instead, the four evil gods have gathered together!
Just thinking about that scene sent chills down his spine.

If he really becomes one of the Four Gods, wouldn't he explode?
Lord Zhou Xiong must kill him!
Yu Han felt that he might not be able to protect Qin Feng on his own.

That's why he hinted at it to the dozens of mentors present.

Of course, the instructors at Canaan Star Martial Arts University are all stellar-level powerhouses with unwavering will, who have served the empire for tens of thousands of years, and are all trustworthy individuals.

Yu Han's implication was correct.

The mentors understood Yu Han's hint and began to pay attention, devoting some of their energy to watching Qin Feng.
-
With the final champion of the Level 6 "Soaring Realm" competition emerging in a breathtaking battle of mental strength, this once-in-a-decade event, which lasted for a whole week and captivated the hearts of millions of teachers and students across the Canaan Starry Sky Martial Arts University, finally came to a slow close.

The massive energy dome of the Glory Arena transformed back into a simulated blue sky and white clouds.

The noise, the frenzy, the fierce battle, the shouts... all of it gradually subsided, like the receding tide.

That night.

The activity level of the private forum of Canaan Starry Sky Martial Arts University is even several times higher than during the competition!
The entire fourth-level martial arts section of the forum was almost completely dominated by the name "Qin Feng".

Looking at the list of trending posts, eight out of the top ten are related to him.

Posts of all kinds, filled with shock and exaggeration, sprang up like mushrooms after rain, refreshing at a dizzying speed.

[Hot Topic No. 1: In-depth Analysis! From 0 to 1000, how did Qin Feng, the 'Uncrowned King,' accomplish in ten years what others take a century to achieve, and then suddenly appear on the 'Hidden Dragon List'?]

This lengthy analysis post, personally written by the forum's most famous "data expert"—"Keyboard Warrior"—had already garnered over 300 million views and more than a million replies within an hour of its release!

The post detailed every tiny step forward he made in his public record.

Next came a slow-motion analysis of his four "Control Realm" killing techniques, frame by frame.

From the swiftness of [Flowing Light Chasing Shadow], to the weight of [A Thousand Armies Surrounding], to the restrained yet explosive [Dragon's Hidden], and finally to the earth-shattering [Wind and Thunder Chasing Shadow] in the battle against Xiao Beichen!
Each killing move was thoroughly analyzed by the "Keyboard Martial God" using the most professional terminology.

The post concluded with a detailed, word-by-word analysis of the "Hidden Dragon List" report that had ignited the entire audience.

Especially regarding the potential level of "Starry Sky Behemoth," the author cited hundreds of ancient documents about Starry Sky Behemoths and published papers from the Imperial Biological Research Institute, ultimately arriving at a conclusion that sent chills down everyone's spine:
"...In conclusion, we can draw a conclusion that, though absurd, is closest to the truth: Qin Feng not only possesses the 'potential' of a star beast, but his very life essence, at the genetic level, is already infinitely close to that of a... true, pure-blooded, juvenile star beast! His human appearance may just be a... disguise!"

"No wonder he's a monster."

The comment section below this post has already exploded.

"Holy crap! You're amazing! This analysis is absolutely brilliant! I'd call you the 'King of Theory' of this year's Rookie Cup!"

"A cosmic behemoth! A real cosmic behemoth! No wonder! No wonder it had such terrifying stamina and strength! Everything makes sense now!"

"I'm dumbfounded... So, we're watching a giant star beast in human skin having a martial arts competition, right?"

"Upstairs, your analogy is absurd, but... for some reason, it makes a lot of sense to me!"

"I hereby declare that from today onwards, I am 'Qin Beast's' number one fan! Anyone who dares to criticize him, I will be the first to object!"

"Qin Beast! Qin Beast! Qin Beast!"

[Hot Post No. 2: A Recap of the Battle of the Century! A Clash of Masters! Qin Feng VS Bayan, the Final Battle – Who Will Prevail?]

This post was created by countless combat enthusiasts and tactical analysts.

They presented the complete video of Qin Feng's semi-final match against Bayan in a 360-degree holographic format in the post.

Viewers can pause at any time and observe every subtle movement and every flow of psionic energy between the two during the battle from any angle.

The comments section below was even more heated.

"Without a doubt, Senior Bayan is stronger! His [Willful Slash] is a true 'Control Realm' killing move, a perfect blend of will and power! If he hadn't chosen to defend at the last moment, Qin Feng would have been instantly killed by this one strike!"

"Bullshit! Do you even know what 'all's fair in war' means? Qin Feng's [Dragon's Lair] was a trap from the very beginning! He used himself as bait to force Bayan to make a choice! This is an absolute crushing defeat in terms of combat intelligence!"

"Stop arguing, you two upstairs. In my opinion, neither of them is stronger. Bayan's strength lies in direct, hard power, while Qin Feng's strength lies in his control of the battle and his courage to risk everything! They are both true powerhouses!"

"Agreed! There are no losers in this battle! Senior Bayan broke through his own limits, while Qin Feng won victory and respect! This is the kind of epic showdown we wanted to see!"

"Actually, it was Senior Bayan who lost."

"That's right, you bunch of noobs, you can't even see it clearly. If Bayan had continued to attack, Qin Feng would have been seriously injured, and he would have died. So he chose to stop and defend. He made the right judgment. Qin Feng could also have judged that, so Qin Feng chose to attack."

"Yeah, if it were you bunch of noobs, you'd probably be the kind of stupid villain who thinks he can kill the other person with one strike, but actually gets instantly killed, and then shouts how could this happen."

[Hot Post No. 3: A Heartbreaking Complaint! Just got back from a mission and missed the Rookie Cup, feels like I missed out on a fortune! Is there anyone kind enough to tell me who this Qin Feng is?]

Such "gossip help requests" posts also make up a significant proportion of the forum.

Students at Canaan Star Martial Arts University need to earn contribution points by completing various tasks in order to sustain their cultivation.

Many students, during the Rookie Cup, happened to be in a remote star system, carrying out long-term missions such as exterminating alien races or escorting caravans.

When they dragged their tired bodies back to school and opened the long-unused forum to see what news was on it, they were completely bewildered by the screen full of unfamiliar names.

"Qin Feng? Who's that? Is there such a person in our school? Ranked 1,000th on the Hidden Dragon List? That can't be true!"

"Damn, I remember before I went on the mission, the person ranked 1,000th on the Hidden Dragon List was a senior who was more than 300 years ahead of me! How could he just change like that?"

“I know Senior Bayan! He… he actually lost? He lost to someone I’ve never even heard of?”

When these students, belatedly realizing the situation, clicked on the video recordings of the matches, especially the thrilling duel between Qin Feng and Bayan, filled with confusion and shock, they were left bewildered.

Without exception, they were all plunged into the same prolonged shock and disorientation as the previous audience members.

Once they come to their senses, they will not hesitate to join the wave of discussion about Qin Feng, becoming new "word-of-mouth advocates".

For a time, the entire Canaan Star Martial Arts University was bustling with activity, whether students were on campus or on missions, whether they were senior students or freshmen.

Almost everyone is trying to understand, analyze, and discuss this sudden and extraordinary phenomenon in various ways.

The name Qin Feng spread like wildfire within a single day, becoming known to everyone.

He became famous throughout Canaan!

As the discussion grew, a brand new title quietly emerged and quickly gained widespread acceptance.

—【The Uncrowned King】!
"Although Qin Feng ultimately stopped at third place, everyone knew that if it weren't for the existence of those two unreasonable 'century-old monsters' Zheng Dong and Zhou Run, who else could have won the championship of this year's Rookie Cup Level 4 competition?"

"That's right! He defeated Bayan, defeated Xiao Beichen, defeated all the opponents he encountered! He only lost to 'time' and 'the rules,' but he did not lose to any of his 'peers'!"

"He is our year's true, and only, Rookie of the Year!"

This title is full of affirmation, but also carries a hint of regret.

But more than anything, it's a heartfelt, pure recognition and admiration for the strong.

It was like a unique medal of honor, personally bestowed upon Qin Feng by everyone.

From then on, a new legend began to circulate at Canaan Starry Sky Martial Arts University.

Legend has it that a man rose to prominence like a cosmic behemoth during the rookie cup.

He studied there for ten years, remaining unknown to the public.

Upon his birth, he swept away all the geniuses of his generation with his unparalleled mastery of the four "Control Realm" techniques. In the end, he stepped on the shoulders of veteran powerhouses and ascended the throne that did not belong to him.

Although he did not win the championship title, he is undoubtedly the uncrowned king in everyone's hearts.

The forum was abuzz with discussion.

In reality, the students of Canaan Starry Sky Martial Arts University all have their own pride, and posting random messages is just a way to relieve the anxiety of frantically carrying out missions and the boredom of monotonous cultivation.

No one would actually fanatically worship a genius unless they had truly been saved by him.

Those who claim to be the number one die-hard fan of "Qin Beast" are mostly just talking abstractly; in reality, they are comparing their own strengths and harboring a strong desire to catch up!
-
While the clamor and fervor of the outside world reached their peak on the private forum, Qin Feng, at the center of this storm, had already returned to his cold and absolutely quiet private dormitory.

For him, external glory was nothing but fleeting smoke.

What he cares more about is the most tangible benefit brought by this rookie cup.

He sat cross-legged on the futon in the center of the quiet room, closed his eyes, and quickly reviewed the scenes of the fierce battles of the past few days in his mind.

From his first encounter with Luo Cheng, to his staff duel with Xiao Beichen, and finally to his ultimate battle with Bayan where he risked everything.

Every detail of the battle, every opponent's killing move, and every application and insight into his own killing techniques were recorded in his mind as if by the most sophisticated instruments, playing, dissecting, and analyzing them repeatedly.

The battle with Bayan, in particular, touched him the most.

When Bayan broke through in the heat of battle and comprehended the [Free-Shot] technique, the sense of "control" that was perfectly integrated and unified gave him great inspiration.

While his own [Dragon's Lair] was a decisive blow, it also revealed its weaknesses: an excessively long charging time and overly obvious openings.

If one has faced an enemy who has known Ryuzo, they will not be easily fooled.

"Still not skilled enough."

Qin Feng calmly assessed himself in his mind.

Whether it's [Fierce Shadow Chasing], the newly comprehended [Wind and Thunder Shadow Chasing], or this trump card [Dragon's Lair], they are all just the prototypes of "self-created killing moves". There is still a long way to go before they are truly perfect.

After reviewing the situation, Qin Feng slowly opened his eyes, his gaze clear and bright.

With a thought, he opened the subspace network communication interface that had been silent for several days.

Almost the instant he logged on.

Ding--!
A crisp notification sound, accompanied by a prominent transfer notification, popped up.

The sender was Xiong Yanfu.

[Transfer Notification: User "熊炎万丈" has transferred 52,000,000 Imperial Coins to you.]

Immediately following was the chubby boy's message, which carried a hint of excitement and a desire to claim credit.

[Brother Qin! Did you receive the money? Hehe! I'll add all the profits from my betting platform to your 100,000 yuan principal profit, totaling 104 million. We'll split it 50/50; this is your share! Not a penny less!]

[This is a huge windfall! Those guys who bet on Bayan are green with envy! Hahaha, this is so satisfying!]

Looking at the long string of "0"s on the screen, even Qin Feng, with his composure, couldn't help but smile slightly.

Fifty-two million Imperial Coins.

This amount of money might not even buy him a basic psionic potion right now.

But for his family, who live far away in Qimingxing, it is a huge sum of money that will ensure they have enough to eat and wear for the rest of their lives and never have to worry about making a living again.

He could almost see his father, Qin Dahai, upon receiving the money, his expression a complex mix of shock followed by tears streaming down his face.

A warm feeling welled up in Qin Feng's heart.

Without the slightest hesitation or refusal, he directly clicked "Confirm Acceptance".

[Transfer received successfully. Your Empire Coin account balance is: 52,100,000.]

Any expression of gratitude would be too inadequate to express the depth of Xiong Yanfu's affection.

The best way to repay this kindness is to accept it without hesitation.

Sure enough, almost the next second after he confirmed receipt of the payment, Xiong Yanfu sent another message, clearly indicating that he had been waiting online.

However, this time, the tone of the message was no longer playful and smug, but rather carried an unprecedented sense of solemnity.

"Brother Qin, it's good that you received the money."

Honestly, after watching your match with Senior Bayan, I... got really worked up.

I used to think that cultivation was just a matter of following the steps; I figured my talent wasn't bad, and I'd advance sooner or later. So I spent most of my time figuring out how to make money and how to have fun.

But today, I realized how terribly wrong I was.

I suddenly realized that my past life had been far too comfortable and meaningless. Simply put, I didn't have the same ambition for martial arts as you.

So, I've made up my mind.

Starting tomorrow, I'm going to begin my intensive training.

[I didn't even make it into the top 100,000 in this rookie cup. But next time, ten years from now, I hope I'll be qualified to stand in the ring and fight you fair and square!]

Upon reading Xiong Yanfu's heartfelt words, Qin Feng's face revealed a relieved smile.

He knew that this seemingly carefree chubby boy also possessed a burning pride and passion for martial arts deep within his heart.

However, this fire had been extinguished by a comfortable life.

His appearance was like a gust of wind, completely blowing away the layer of dust and allowing the flame to burn brightly again.

This is a good thing.

Qin Feng stretched out his finger and slowly typed out a reply.

Keep going, let's encourage each other!

These two simple words contain the most sincere encouragement and expectations.

He believed that with Xiong Yanfu's wisdom and talent, once he truly made up his mind, his future achievements would be limitless.

According to big data analysis, the average advancement time for a genius like Xiong Yanfu, who comes from a wealthy family, has abundant resources, and practices "superior enlightenment methods," is about thirty years.

This is just an average.

If he can truly strive and fight as he said today, and then have some good opportunities...

Perhaps, within twenty years, he has a high chance of completing the transformation from level four to level five.

The path of martial arts is long and full of uncertainties.

No one can predict what the situation will be like ten years from now.

Qin Feng closed the chat window with Xiong Yanfu, feeling genuinely happy for his friend's awakening.

(End of this chapter)