High Martial Arts: Liver Becomes the Master of the Universe

Chapter 171 Winning First Place! Rookie King! The Shock Brought by the 360-Point Enlightenment After Forty Years!
With the final list of the top 64 in the Rookie Cup settled, the atmosphere at Canaan Starry Sky Martial Arts University has reached a whole new climax.

Starting from the top 64, every contestant who can stand on the stage can be called the elite of the elite, the best in their respective grade and circle.

They all have a vitality index of 570 points and possess one or more techniques for controlling the realm.

Every match that followed was a fierce battle.

—Apart from the combat platform where Qin Feng was located.

The competition to narrow down the field from 64 to 32 has begun.

Qin Feng's opponent was a prodigy who had been immersed in the fourth-level competition for over thirty years, and who had cultivated a second-level gun technique called "Rock Solid" to perfection. He also had three first-level killing techniques under his control, as well as more than a dozen first-level gun techniques at perfection.

Its vitality index is as high as 570 points. Its muscles are bulging and its aura is as deep and solid as a mountain. Just by standing there, it gives people a sense of indestructible weight.

The moment the starting bell rang, the senior student let out a roar, slammed his spear into the ground, and assumed a standard defensive stance, as if he had become one with the platform beneath his feet.

He knew very well that against an opponent like Qin Feng, whose speed was unbelievably fast, any fancy moves would be a death sentence. The only way was to remain unchanged and wait for the moment to counterattack with the strongest defense.

He waited.

He saw a fleeting afterimage.

Then there is no more then.

Under the watchful eyes of tens of thousands of spectators and hundreds of millions watching via subspace broadcast, Qin Feng's figure flickered slightly before appearing in front of the senior student.

There were no earth-shattering killing moves, no dazzling bursts of psionic energy.

He simply threw a punch.

That defensive stance of the "Rock Solid" spear technique, which the senior student had placed high hopes on, was as fragile as a windowpane in front of that seemingly ordinary fist.

"Click——"

The crisp sound of bones cracking even drowned out the noise at the scene.

The senior student, who specialized in defense, along with the high-strength alloy spear in his hand, was blasted away by an irresistible force.

The spear broke in two mid-air, and he himself, like a stone thrown by a catapult, traced a long parabola and disappeared beyond the platform.

As always, it was a single, instantaneous kill.

If the previous instant kills could be explained by the opponent's lack of strength, then this time, when a well-known tough guy known for his defense also met such an end, everyone fell silent.

Next up is the round of 32 to 16.

This time, Qin Feng's opponent was a female martial artist whose vitality index also reached 570 points and who was famous for her unpredictable movement techniques.

As soon as she stepped onto the stage, she left afterimages on the platform like a ghost, making it impossible for anyone to pinpoint her true form.

However, this speed was still too slow compared to Qin Feng's.

Game start.

The female warrior's figure had just turned into a phantom, attempting to harass Qin Feng, when Qin Feng had already moved faster than her.

His movements were even faster, more concise, and more direct than his opponent's.

With each step taken, the platform trembled.

Amidst everyone's horrified gazes, he pinpointed the opponent's location with unparalleled precision and delivered a swift chop to the back of the neck.

The movements were so gentle, as if it were just playful banter between friends.

But the female warrior, known for her speed, rolled her eyes and collapsed limply, only to be caught by the referee who appeared just before she was about to fall off the platform.

Another move.

Crisp and neat.

Then came the round of 16 to the quarterfinals, and the quarterfinals to the semifinals.

Qin Feng's path to advancement was so smooth that it became tedious, even boring.

No matter how many level-two killing techniques his opponents possess, or whether they have forged their own path and reached the realm of mastery, the outcome will be exactly the same.

He eliminated one opponent after another, who were considered monsters by ordinary students.

Qin Feng relied solely on the purest, most overwhelming power and speed.

This unreasonable power has brought the discussion about him on the subspace forum to a fever pitch.

The hotly debated post titled "[#Century Showdown# 'Old Scoundrel' Zhou Run vs. 'New Scoundrel' Qin Shou, Who is the True King of This Year's Level 4 Competition?" has been pushed to the most prominent position on the homepage, and the number of replies has exceeded ten million.

"I'm numb, I'm completely numb. After watching Qin Shou's matches, all the other players were ruthless individuals who had mastered the first-level killing techniques to the point of control, and what was the result? One punch, still just one punch."

"Upstairs, Qin Beast can definitely crush a high-grade Qi Opening Method, but he might not be able to beat Zhou Run. Even if he is the greatest genius of all time, after cultivating the Great Sun Qi Opening Method for forty years, he can only open two hundred Qi points, and at most his life force index will be just over 2000 points."

This reply expressed the sentiments of the vast majority of people and became the most solid theoretical basis for Chow Yun-fat's supporters.

"That's right! I completely agree!"

"That makes sense, but I always feel that Qin Shou... is hiding his true intentions too well. His nonchalant demeanor makes it seem like all of this is perfectly natural. This confidence doesn't seem fake."

"Because Qin Beast's battles so far have been nothing short of stomping on weak opponents."

"I'll say it again: the data doesn't lie. Zhou Runxue spent a hundred years cultivating the supreme Qi-opening method, filling all 360 acupoints—that's an indisputable fact. But Qin Shou only took forty years! Time is a fatal flaw! It's something no talent can compensate for! Unless he can tell me that he covered in forty years what others take a hundred years to do! Is that possible? That's unscientific, and even less in line with martial arts!"

The forum was abuzz with heated arguments.

Those who support Chow Yun-fat hold two irrefutable pieces of evidence: the "vitality index" and "cultivation time." Their logic is clear, their arguments are solid, and they have gained the upper hand in public opinion.

Those who support Qin Feng are more driven by intuition and an expectation that the "monster" will create a miracle.

Their arguments were nothing more than the same few sentences: "Qin beast is unreasonable," "We cannot judge him by common sense," and "He must still be hiding his trump card."

……

Amidst the uproar and media storm, the semi-finals quietly arrived.

The entire arena was packed, and the atmosphere had reached its peak.

The four finalists are Zhou Run, the "Old Laizi"; Qin Shou, the "New Laizi"; and two other highly respected and incredibly strong veterans from the fourth-level competition area.

However, the semi-finals left all the viewers who were looking forward to a fierce competition greatly disappointed.

In the first match, Zhou Run faced off against a veteran expert known for his sharp swordsmanship.

The powerful figure launched a relentless attack from the outset, his sword flashes transforming into a waterfall that swept across the entire arena.

Zhou Run simply stood there with a smile, letting the blade light slash at him. He didn't even activate his protective spiritual energy; relying solely on the strength of his physical body, he deflected all the blade light, which was powerful enough to split stone tablets, producing a series of crisp "clanging" sounds and scattering sparks.

Under the other person's horrified gaze, Zhou Run yawned and casually slapped him across the face.

The expert swordsman spun like a top and flew off the stage.

The second match, Qin Feng's, was equally unremarkable.

With just one move, he knocked his opponent out of the ring, ending the fight instantly.

The two semi-final matches ended even faster than the previous knockout rounds.

In this year's Rookie Cup, only Qin Feng and Zhou Run, two martial artists who practiced the highest-grade Qi Opening Technique, are in the first tier of the competition.

Everyone else is just there to make up the numbers.

When the final matchup list appeared on the central screen, the entire stadium erupted in a thunderous cheer.

[The Final Battleground]

【Matchup: K-4-9527 (Qin Feng) vs K-4-11011 (Zhou Run)】

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, two figures appeared simultaneously on the most magnificent and dazzling final battle platform, facing each other from afar.

The "old debtor" and the "new debtor" have finally met in a historic moment.

Chow Yun-fat still had that same smiling, somewhat cynical look.

He was wearing loose training clothes and looked Qin Feng up and down.

He broke the silence first, laughing, "Junior Brother Qin Feng, long time no see. Decades ago, you were still a naive freshman, and in the blink of an eye, you've become a strongman who can stand with me and compete for the championship. Time really flies."

His tone was familiar and friendly, as if he were catching up with an old friend he hadn't seen for many years.

He paused, then changed the subject, a smile appearing on his face: "I remember last time in the Rookie Cup, Junior Qin Feng voluntarily withdrew from the competition at a crucial moment, creating a legendary tale of an 'uncrowned king,' and leaving countless people in awe of your sportsmanship. I wonder... what are Junior Qin Feng's plans this time?"

His implication was self-evident.

"How about we do you a favor this time and let me have this championship contribution point that's so easy to obtain? I've been stuck at a bottleneck for years and I desperately need this money to buy breakthrough resources. I would be extremely grateful!"

These words were spoken half-jokingly and half-testingly, and their audacity brought knowing smiles to the faces of countless students watching the live stream.

No wonder he's Chow Yun-fat, no wonder he's a super scoundrel.

All eyes were on Qin Feng, eager to see how he would respond.

Qin Feng smiled upon hearing this.

His smile was calm and composed, without a trace of hostility.

"I withdrew from the competition last time because I was not skilled enough and couldn't beat them. There was no need to go up and humiliate myself."

He said it frankly.

Then, meeting Zhou Run's gaze, he slowly began to speak:
"However, this time... I'm a bit short on cash lately and want to earn some contribution points to buy a follow-up cultivation technique. So, I won't withdraw from the competition."

The conversation between the two was devoid of any tension or the solemnity that precedes a duel between powerful figures.

Their tone was as relaxed as if they were discussing the ownership of a cabbage in a market.

That "cabbage" is the 10,000 contribution points awarded to the rookie cup champion.

They all displayed a naked and undisguised possessiveness towards this huge sum of money.

After a brief silence, the entire subspace forum erupted in chaos!

"Holy crap!! What did I just hear?! Those two scoundrels! Those two shameless scoundrels! They really think the championship contribution points are theirs for the taking?!"

"This is outrageous! They're completely disregarding us other contestants! Although... although we really can't beat them..."

"This is hilarious! I'd call it a 'friendly negotiation between scoundrels'! Unfortunately, the negotiation broke down! Hahaha!"

"The key question is, what gives Qin Shou the confidence to say that? Zhou Run had the right to say that; he's a Grand Perfection expert with 3600 points. Where does Qin Shou get the courage to say 'I won't forfeit the competition'? He's openly challenging Zhou Run!"

"Yeah! I still don't understand! Qin Beast has only been enrolled for forty years at most! If he's so confident, could it be that he's really opened up all his cave shells in forty years?"

On the forum, a new wave of discussion erupted, more intense than ever before.

Qin Feng's sharp rebuttal completely ignited all the uncertainty.

Everyone could tell that Qin Feng wasn't joking.

He really intends to compete for the championship on Sunday.

The betting odds also underwent a subtle change because of this conversation.

Qin Feng's odds have been slightly lowered from the initial 1:6.5 to 1:5.8.

This means that a small group of people are beginning to waver.

They were willing to gamble their imperial currency on that one in ten thousand chance—gambling that this man named "Qin Beast" could create another unreasonable miracle.

Qin Feng is too confident!

Moreover, a person's name is like a tree's shadow!

The name of a monster is earned through one's own battles!
……

The atmosphere in the arena reached its peak after the two exchanged a brief conversation.

The deafening roar nearly lifted the sky from the entire arena.

Everyone craned their necks, waiting for the official start of this historic showdown between the "new and old deadbeats".

On the final battle platform, the atmosphere froze to its absolute limit.

"boom--!!!"

The referee's bell rang out like a thunderclap from the heavens!

This heralds the final battle that will determine the champion of this year's Rookie Cup Level 4 competition...

Let's officially begin!
The moment the bell tolled, time seemed to be paused.

The deafening roar of the entire arena seemed to vanish in that instant, and the world fell into an eerie silence.

On the final battle platform, the two men, standing a hundred meters apart, remained motionless, quietly awaiting the countdown to the start of the match.

The carefree smile on Chow Yun-fat's face had vanished, replaced by an unprecedented solemnity.

He held the sword in one hand, the tip pointing diagonally at the ground. His aura was like a volcano about to erupt, accumulating power in silence enough to burn the heavens and boil the seas.

He knew that, facing the confident Qin Feng, any slight underestimation of his opponent would be fatal.

Since he is confident, it must mean that Qin Feng's vitality index is very close to his, and the difference is definitely not significant.

On the other hand, Qin Feng was much calmer.

He held the gun in both hands, the gun barrels and his back maintaining a subtle parallel, his posture as upright as a pine tree.

His deep eyes were calm and still, without the slightest emotional fluctuation, as if what he was about to face was not a decisive showdown to determine the champion, but just an ordinary daily practice.

However, everyone knows that beneath this calm surface lies a terrifying storm.

The countdown is ticking slowly.

3--

2--

1--

"start!"

The referee roared.

Then,

The next moment——

There was no probing, no roundabout approach, and no unnecessary actions.

Qin Feng's figure moved!

His foot slammed down on the hard alloy platform, and the entire massive battle platform let out a muffled groan and trembled violently!
A visible shockwave exploded outwards from his landing point, spreading out like ripples!

Using this unparalleled recoil force, his body transformed into a black arrow, tearing through the air and creating a long, almost distorting vacuum tunnel, charging fiercely towards Zhou Run, who was a hundred meters away!

too fast!
It was so fast that it exceeded the dynamic vision capture limit of 99% of the students present!

They could only see a blurry black shadow that flashed by in an instant.

Zhou Run, as a strong person of the same level as Qin Feng, could see it clearly.

But it was precisely because he could see clearly that the horror in his heart became even more intense!
"What terrifying physical explosive power!"

The thought flashed through his mind.

He had anticipated that Qin Feng's vitality index would be close to his own, but he never imagined that the other party's pure physical strength could reach such an unbelievable level!

This is not the kind of power that a martial artist of his level could possess. It is more like a giant star beast wearing human skin launching the most primitive and savage charge!
However, Zhou Run is, after all, a king who has dominated the fourth-tier competition for decades and has experienced thousands of battles.

The shock lasted only a moment.

His extensive combat experience allowed him to make the most correct judgment in an instant.

Faced with such a powerful and fast charge, you absolutely cannot retreat! Once you lose the initiative and are completely overwhelmed by the opponent's momentum, there will be no chance of turning the tide!
"open!"

Chow Yun-fat let out a roar!

The alloy longsword in his hand emitted a clear, melodious hum.

He didn't choose defense, but instead chose to attack!
He wanted to use his strongest move to meet the opponent's sharpness head-on, attack against attack, strength against strength!

However, he was fast, but Qin Feng was even faster!
Just as Zhou Run unleashed his full power, preparing to unleash his most powerful sword strike, a cold, sharp edge, seemingly capable of freezing the soul, traversed the distance of space and rapidly magnified in his pupils!
That was the tip of a gun.

The gun tip is plain and unadorned, without any psionic lighting effects.

But this very tip of the spear seemed to condense all the sharpness and killing intent in the world, concentrating all power, speed, and will upon it.

In its presence, space seems to lose its meaning, and time itself seems to freeze.

The perfect finishing move of the Level 2 Gun Technique "Cold Glimmer" - [A Glimmer of Cold Glimmer]!
This is the ultimate killing move that Qin Feng finally comprehended after half a year of seclusion and more than 50,000 high-intensity battles in the Imperial Arena!
It is pure, ultimate, and back to basics—the thorn!

Chow Run's scalp instantly exploded!

A deadly sense of crisis, originating from the depths of his soul, made every hair on his body stand on end!

He clearly sensed that if he insisted on completing his charge and unleashing his prepared killing move, his brow would be mercilessly pierced by the spear before he could do so!
It was too late! In a flash, Zhou Run abandoned the idea of ​​counterattacking, forcibly interrupted the killing move he was about to unleash, and poured all his strength into the longsword in his hand, hastily holding it horizontally in front of his chest to block this earth-shattering spear!
"clang--!!!"

A deafening, piercing sound, as if it would shatter everyone's eardrums, suddenly exploded!

The spear tip struck Zhou Run's raised sword with perfect precision.

In that instant, a visible white sonic boom cloud spread out from the point of impact!

A terrifying shockwave transformed into a raging hurricane, sweeping across the entire battle platform!
Zhou Run felt as if he was not blocking a gun, but a meteorite that was condensed to the extreme and crashing at high speed!
A terrifying force, unlike anything he had ever imagined and impossible to resist, surged wildly into his arms along the sword!

“Crack! Crack!”

The light armor on his arms groaned under the strain, and countless fine spiderweb-like cracks instantly appeared on its surface!
He was completely out of control and flew backward!

With his feet, he plowed two deep furrows, several inches deep, sparks flying, into the hard alloy platform!

After sliding for dozens of meters, Zhou Run finally managed to steady himself. The tiger's mouth holding the sword was already bleeding profusely from the impact, and his entire arm was in excruciating pain, making it almost impossible for him to hold the sword.

His face was filled with disbelief and horror.

How can it be? !
Both have a vitality index of 3600 points, so why is the opponent's strength so much greater than mine?!

It truly lives up to its reputation as a machine capable of detecting explosions.

The rumor that Qin Feng had burst the potential testing chamber when he enrolled and was judged by the system to be comparable to an "embryonic star monster" once again surfaced in Zhou Run's mind.

However, things can change in an instant on the battlefield.

Qin Feng gave him absolutely no time to think or catch his breath!
With a single move, "A Glimmer of Cold Light," he successfully seized the initiative; this is just the beginning!
At the same moment Zhou Run was knocked back, Qin Feng had already pounced on him like a shadow, his alloy spear transforming into a roaring black dragon, unleashing a storm of suffocating and frenzied suppression!

That's the power of that single glint of cold light.

Once [A Glimmer of Cold Light] gains the upper hand, it unleashes a frenzy of spear strikes like a dragon, creating an extremely terrifying suppression!

"A thousand troops would flee in terror!"

Qin Feng let out a low shout, and his long spear swept horizontally with great force, carrying the supreme power to make ten thousand troops retreat, sweeping towards Zhou Run, who had just regained his footing, and cutting him in the waist!

The gun fired, accompanied by a thunderous roar! The air was sucked out with a deafening explosion!

"Damn it!"

Zhou Run cursed under his breath, ignoring the excruciating pain in his arm, and forcibly raised his longsword, crossing it in front of him to block the sweeping attack.

"clang!!"

There was another loud noise.

Zhou Run was once again forced back by the immense force, his spiritual energy surging.

Qin Feng's offensive, however, was like the Yangtze River, continuous and relentless, with each wave higher than the last!
"Flash of Light and Shadow!"

The trajectory of the spear suddenly changed, transforming from a sweeping horizontal motion into a series of incredibly swift and continuous thrusts!

In an instant, countless spear shadows exploded outwards, like a sudden downpour, covering all of Zhou Run's vital points from all directions! Each spear shadow was as fast as a flash of light, with tricky angles, making it impossible to defend against!
Zhou Run's pupils suddenly contracted!

He wielded his longsword into a silver light screen, and a series of dense clanging sounds, like raindrops hitting banana leaves, rang out wildly on the platform!
In just one second, the two had exchanged blows a hundred times!
Each impact made Zhou Run's arm go numb, and the cracks in his thumb and forefinger became even more severe.

As a cold weapon, the spear's advantage of "an inch longer, an inch stronger" was fully demonstrated at this moment!

Qin Feng always managed to launch his attacks from a distance that made Zhou Run extremely uncomfortable, and if Zhou Run wanted to retaliate, he had to risk rushing forward and break through that deadly net of gunfire.

However, Qin Feng's offensive would not give him such an opportunity.

"The Shadow Chaser!"

Under the cover of a barrage of gunfire, the most sinister and vicious spear light, like a hawk hunting its prey in the night, silently pierced Zhou Run's ribs from an unbelievable angle!

This is a fusion technique of the "Fierce Bird Fist" and the "Thousand Army Spear" killing moves, combining ferocity and speed!
Alarm bells rang in Zhou Run's mind. At the critical moment, he twisted his waist at an extreme angle, narrowly avoiding the fatal blow.

But the sharp tip of the spear still grazed his light armor, leaving a deep scratch that exposed bone, sparks flying!
Before he could even adjust his stance, Qin Feng's next move had already arrived!

"Wind and Thunder Chasing Shadow!"

The gunmanship shifted again!

The once light and agile spear tip suddenly became incredibly heavy, as if it were wrapped with invisible wind and thunder, carrying a violent and penetrating spiral force, and once again, it slammed into Zhou Run's sword!
Zhou Run could only grit his teeth and do his best to resist.

"boom!"

This time, he was unable to completely dissipate that violent force.

A dense, high-frequency vibrating internal force pierced through the sword and slammed into his chest!
"puff!"

Zhou Run felt a sweet taste in his throat, and he could no longer hold back the mouthful of blood, which he suddenly spat out.

Like a kite with a broken string, he was once again sent flying backward in a disheveled manner.

The entire battle, from start to finish, lasted only a dozen seconds.

However, the situation on the field has completely turned into a one-sided affair.

Qin Feng, with an absolute and unreasonable attitude, dominated Zhou Run from beginning to end!
Zhou Run, the "deadbeat" who once swaggered around the fourth-tier competition area and drove countless newcomers to despair, was now utterly powerless against Qin Feng! He could only passively and pathetically defend himself!

This scene plunged the entire arena and its millions of spectators into a deathly silence.

Everyone stared wide-eyed and gaped, as if witnessing a miracle.

Their minds have completely shut down.

What... what's going on?!

The script shouldn't be like this!
After a brief silence came an uproar, like a volcanic eruption, that was completely ignited!

"Holy crap!!! What did I just see?! Qin Beast... Qin Beast is beating up Zhou Laolai?!"

A student mustered all his strength and roared out those words, as if to release all the shock in his heart.

"What's going on?! What on earth is going on?! Why is Qin Beast's power so much more terrifying than Zhou Laolai's?! Aren't their life force indices the same?!"

"Monster! He really is a monster! He actually did it! Forty years! He really only took forty years to open all three hundred and sixty Great Sun Apertures! This speed is unprecedented and will never be repeated!"

This completely ignited everyone's passion!

"This is outrageous! Qin Shou truly lives up to his name! He can always effortlessly accomplish things that others couldn't do even after a lifetime!"

"No wonder! No wonder his power is so terrifying! A physical physique like a cosmic behemoth, plus a foundation of three hundred and sixty perfected acupoints! The combination of these two has created a pure, humanoid monster!"

On the forum, a senior member known for his tactical analysis posted a new comment, which was instantly liked and upvoted by countless people.

"The battle is no longer in doubt. Zhou Run has already lost. At the fourth level of the Awakening Realm, mental power cannot interfere with reality. The essence of the battle is still a contest of physical strength and technique. Qin Feng has gained an overwhelming advantage."

"A spear against a longsword inherently has the advantage of weapon length. Zhou Run's only chance to win was to use his greater experience to seize the initiative at the very beginning and drag the battle into his preferred close-quarters combat rhythm. Unfortunately, he miscalculated. He underestimated Qin Feng's determination, and even more so, he underestimated Qin Feng's terrifying explosive power."

"Qin Feng's opening move, 'A Point of Cold Light,' extinguished all of Zhou Run's hopes. Having lost the initiative and been suppressed by the ferocious attacks following 'A Point of Cold Light,' facing an opponent who completely overwhelmed him in strength, speed, endurance, and technique, Zhou Run no longer had any chance of breaking through that encirclement of spears."

"He's just fighting like a cornered beast right now."

……

The battle continues.

Just as the senior student analyzed, Chow Yun-fat's situation became increasingly difficult.

Qin Feng's offensive remained as fierce as the most violent storm, showing no signs of abating.

His breathing was long and steady, as if the previous fierce attacks were nothing more than a warm-up for him.

Zhou Run, however, was already panting heavily and covered in blood.

"Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!—"

On the platform, only the dense and crisp sound of weapons clashing, like a blacksmith's shop, remained.

Sparks, like a grand fireworks display, burst wildly between the two.

Each shot contains immense power capable of splitting mountains and shattering rocks.

Each strike carries an incredibly solid and penetrating force.

These forces, continuously and persistently, surged towards Zhou Run through the tip of the gun, ravaging his body and eroding his will.

He felt that his arms were completely numb and had lost all feeling.

The longsword in his hand, under the repeated violent impacts, was covered with cracks and emitted a mournful cry of unbearable strain.

Time passed by minute by minute.

One minute.

Two minutes.

three minutes.

After Qin Feng's relentless and frenzied pressure lasting for three full minutes and over a hundred rounds, Zhou Run's defense finally showed a fatal flaw.

His physical strength, mental state, and willpower have all been worn down to their limits.

Just as he made a blocking move, a barely perceptible hesitation occurred—

Qin Feng's eyes flashed with a sharp light!

He seized this fleeting opportunity!

"Wind and Thunder Chasing Shadow!"

It's the same move, a violent and incomparable killing move that combines the power of wind and thunder!
The spear transformed into a black lightning bolt, accompanied by a piercing shriek that tore everything apart, and once again slammed into Zhou Run's already shattered longsword!

This time, Chow Yun-fat was no longer able to perfectly deflect the force.

He could only watch helplessly as that violent, destructive force erupted completely from his own sword!
"Click——!!!"

A crisp cracking sound rang out, sending chills down everyone's spine.

The longsword, made of high-strength alloy, could no longer withstand the immense force and shattered into pieces in an instant!
Countless metal fragments shot out in all directions!

The unparalleled, violent force, after shattering the longsword, continued its momentum, pouring heavily onto Zhou Run's arms and chest!

"puff--"

Zhou Run's body jolted violently, as if struck by lightning.

The bones in his arms cracked with a series of teeth-grinding sounds, instantly shattering into pieces!

He was sent flying backward, tracing a horrific arc in the air before crashing heavily onto the edge of the arena, onto the invisible energy shield, and then slid helplessly to the ground.

He struggled to stand up.

But his broken arms could no longer support his body.

Fresh blood kept gushing from his mouth and nose.

He raised his head and looked at the figure who stood there slowly, gun sheathed, his aura still as steady as ever, like a god or demon.

His eyes were filled with shock, confusion, and a hint of... relief.

In the end, all the emotions turned into a deep bitterness.

He lost.

We lost, and we accept it wholeheartedly.

"I surrender."

Three words were uttered with difficulty from Zhou Run's blood-stained mouth.

His voice was hoarse, yet clear, carrying throughout the deathly silent arena.

When Zhou Run managed to utter the hoarse words "I concede," the entire noisy arena seemed to be muted, falling into an eerie, pin-drop silence.

Time seemed to stretch out infinitely at this moment.

On the platform, the shattered fragments of the longsword still radiated a scorching heat.

A strong smell of blood filled the air.

Zhou Run leaned against the energy shield at the edge of the arena, his chest heaving violently as he gasped for breath.

His two arms, twisted at an eerie angle, hung limply at his sides, blood dripping from his fingertips onto the ground, blooming into tiny, poignant blood flowers.

His face and body were covered in dust and blood, making him look extremely disheveled.

However, his eyes, which usually carried a hint of cynicism, were unusually bright at this moment.

He raised his head, his gaze piercing through the billowing smoke, and fixed intently on the figure standing a hundred meters away, slowly holstering his gun.

Qin Feng stood quietly, holding the alloy spear in his hand, which still gleamed with a chilling light, upside down with the butt of the spear resting on the ground.

His breathing was steady and long, and his expression remained unchanged, as if the thrilling, three-minute-long, violent attack he had just experienced was nothing more than a routine warm-up.

He showed no victor's elation, no condescending attitude; his deep eyes were as calm as a still pool, simply watching the loser before him.

Two medical robots glided steadily from both sides of the platform, ready to provide emergency treatment to Zhou Run.

"and many more."

Zhou Run raised his still-intact chin, signaling the medical robot to stop.

He struggled, using his back to lean against the energy shield to sit up straighter.

He looked at Qin Feng, the expression on his face, which had been contorted with pain, slowly relaxed, eventually turning into a bitter smile that was extremely complex.

That smile contained the bitterness of defeat, the resentment of being outmatched, and the regret of misjudging his own mistakes, but more than anything, it was a heartfelt awe and submission to absolute power.

"Pity……"

His voice, still hoarse, carried a strange penetrating power, clearly echoing in everyone's ears.

"At the start of the game, you should recognize that it is the killing move of the level 2 gun technique 'Cold Glimmer'. Its core is the word 'fast' and the word 'sharp'. It is a pure first-strike shot."

Zhou Run seemed to be speaking to Qin Feng, but also seemed to be talking to himself as he reviewed the battle.

"By the time I saw that glint of cold light, it was already too late. In that instant, I should have rushed in and attacked without hesitation, to fight for a mutually destructive start, instead of choosing to block. Once you gained the upper hand with that shot, I would have had no chance outside your guns."

He slowly shook his head and gave a self-deprecating laugh.

"Of course... it's all hindsight to say all this now."

His gaze swept over Qin Feng's body once again, which, though seemingly unremarkable, contained explosive power.

Even if I manage to get the first move, my chances of winning are still pitifully slim.

"You monster."

Zhou Run exhaled a long, long breath of foul air mixed with blood and foam, as if he wanted to expel all the resentment and frustration in his heart.

"I accept defeat wholeheartedly."

He leaned against the protective shield, looked up at the azure artificial sky made of energy, and a relieved smile appeared on his face. The smile was tinged with loneliness and self-mockery.

"After taking advantage of everyone here for so many years and acting like a tyrant... I never thought I'd finally slip up today."

This witty remark, so characteristic of his personality, made many students in the audience, as well as several mentors including Mulin on the platform, burst into laughter.

It also left many veteran students familiar with his style with mixed feelings.

An era has come to an end.

Just then, a cold, emotionless, electronically synthesized voice from the referee system resounded throughout the arena, bringing this ultimate showdown to a close.

"competition is over!"

"The ultimate winner is contestant number K-4-9527, Qin Feng!!"

This sound was like a signal.

A signal that instantly transformed the entire arena from utter silence to a frenzy of excitement!
"boom--!"

After a brief, 0.01-second silence, a massive roar, as if it would overturn the entire world, erupted from every corner of the audience!

"We won! Qin Beast won!"

"That's a real monster! That's Zhou Run! A king who has dominated the fourth-tier region for decades! And he just kept suppressing him from start to finish, without any chance to fight back!"

"Qin Feng, in just forty short years, cultivated the most difficult and supreme opening technique in the empire, the Great Sun Opening Technique, to the point of having 360 openings!"

"I finally understand! I finally understand why his power is so terrifying! A physical aptitude at the level of a star beast, coupled with the legendary, perfect martial arts foundation at the Great Perfection!"

"Well deserved! Well deservedly a monster! From this day forward, the nickname 'Qin Beast' will no longer be a joke, but the most fitting and highest praise for him!"

The entire audience was completely engulfed in a sea of ​​revelry.

Countless students stood up excitedly, waving their arms and shouting in the most primal way, venting the indescribable shock and admiration in their hearts.

They witnessed the birth of a legend!

A peerless genius who completed in just forty years what others might not be able to do in over a hundred years!
(End of this chapter)