High Martial Arts: Liver Becomes the Master of the Universe

Chapter 194 Fourth-Level Killing Technique Perfected! A terrifying rate of progress, another battle against Qin Yonglin!

Qin Feng held the [Raging Waves] in his hand, his gaze calm and serene.

"Then, let's get started."

Zong Yun's voice rang out.

Before he finished speaking, Qin Feng had already stepped into the circular gate marked "Planetary Surface Drop Channel" at the deepest part of the room.

With a cold, mechanical creak, Qin Feng's vision was enveloped in darkness, followed by a strong sense of weightlessness.

The drop pod he was in was like a cannonball, launched by the electromagnetic rails with terrifying acceleration toward the huge, yellowish-brown planet below.

boom!
The drop capsule crashed heavily onto the rust-red gravel, and the hatch popped open after the pressure was released.

A wave of scorching air, a mixture of metallic rust, sulfur, and the putrid stench of unknown creatures, hit you, making your throat dry.

Qin Feng took a step forward, the sand beneath his feet as hard as iron. Looking around, the whole world was shrouded in a dim, yellowish light.

Huge, deformed cactus-like plants stubbornly grow among the jagged rocks, towering green fortresses haphazardly piled up from scrap metal, huge animal bones, and solidified mud, exuding a savage and chaotic beauty.

"Waaagh!"

A roar filled with war fervor came from not far away.

A green-skinned boy, over two and a half meters tall and with bulging muscles, was charging towards him.

Its skin was a dirty green, and it wore a crude power armor pieced together from various scrap metals. Black smoke spewed from its joints, and it wielded a huge, seemingly modified warship armor plate as a killing blade.

It moves extremely fast, leaving a shallow crater in the hard ground with each step.

Qin Feng neither dodged nor avoided, but instead brandished the [Raging Waves] sword.

He wasn't wearing power armor, only a light combat suit.

But beneath that combat suit lies a terrifying physical body comparable to an "embryonic cosmic behemoth"!
when!
The slashing broadsword clashed violently with the dark blue-black gun barrel, unleashing a deafening metallic clang.

Qin Feng felt a tremendous force coming from the gun, and his feet slid back half a meter, carving two deep furrows in the ground.

The green-skinned boy was also forced back by the recoil, his eyes revealing a hint of confusion and an even more fanatical savagery.

A human who wasn't wearing a "can" actually managed to take a knife blow from it!

Qin Feng's eyes narrowed slightly. The shoddy power armor on this green-skinned creature greatly compensated for the difference between it and his own physical body, and even had a slight advantage in terms of pure impact force.

This is exactly what he wants!
The next moment, Qin Feng moved.

Instead of engaging the greenskin in a physical confrontation, he shifted his body to the side, his spear tip darting out like a venomous snake, and precisely pierced the neck gap of the greenskin's power armor at an incredibly tricky angle.

It's a move from the [Heavy Spear] killing style—[Heavy Thrust]!
puff!

The spear tip pierced through without any obstruction, exiting from the back of the green-skinned man's neck.

The green-skinned creature's roar abruptly ceased, and its massive body crashed to the ground.

[Proficiency: 113/1000]

Qin Feng drew his spear, shook off the blood from the tip, and looked toward the more green-skinned men in the distance, drawn by the sounds of battle.

His trial has officially begun.

……

In the desolate canyon, three green-skinned boys surrounded Qin Feng in a triangular formation.

Qin Feng moved nimbly in the confined space, his [Raging Waves] spear sometimes sweeping away fallen leaves like a whirlwind, sometimes striking with pinpoint accuracy like a serpent's tongue.

Every parry and every thrust deepened his understanding of "Heavy Gun".

The battle ended, and three green-skinned corpses lay at his feet.

[Proficiency: 417/1000]

……

The ruins of a destroyed imperial outpost.

Qin Feng and two other completely unfamiliar martial artists, also undergoing trials here, stood back to back, resisting the surging tide of green-skinned creatures.

The three of them did not exchange any words, but their cooperation was incredibly seamless.

One person wielded a tower shield for primary defense, while another used two explosive guns to provide suppressive fire. Qin Feng was the most lethal spearhead.

He seized every fleeting opportunity created by his teammates, his [Raging Waves] spear piercing the green-skinned man's head and heart time and time again.

When the last green-skinned creature fell, the three nodded to each other, then turned and disappeared in different directions.

On this planet, everyone is a passerby; the only common language is fighting.

[Familiarity: 622/1000]

……

Late at night, Qin Feng, covered in blood, was locked in fierce combat with an elite green-skinned creature over four meters tall that was driving a "canned killer."

This war machine is made up of heavy armor and a huge hydraulic arm, and its firepower and strength far exceed those of the ordinary green-skinned boy.

Qin Feng was swatted away by the giant mechanical claw, rolling more than ten meters on the ground, but he immediately got up and, ignoring the blood at the corner of his mouth, launched another charge.

Like the most tenacious hunter, he constantly moved about, using precise attacks to deplete the energy and structural integrity of the war machine.

Finally, he seized an opportunity, inserting the entire barrel of the [Raging Wave] gun into the gap in the cockpit of the "Canned Killer" and twisting it with all his might!
With a piercing metallic creak and a muffled bang, the war machine crashed to its knees and went completely out of commission.

[Proficiency: 889/1000]

……

A vast swamp of fungi.

Qin Feng inadvertently stumbled onto the route of a green-skinned war convoy.

More than twenty war trucks, made from various scrap materials and spewing thick smoke and flames, roared past.

In the center of the convoy, a green-skinned war boss with a vitality index of over 15,000 sat on a throne made of skulls, looking at him, the insignificant intruder, with a mocking gaze.

With just one glance, Qin Feng felt an overwhelming pressure, as powerful as a mountain, rushing towards him.

"escape!"

Zong Yun's teachings instantly resonated in his mind.

Without hesitation, Qin Feng turned and ran. He channeled his spiritual energy into his legs and rushed towards the complex terrain at top speed.

Behind them, the deafening laughter of the green-skinned men and the sounds of gunfire as they pursued them.

……

Whenever he was exhausted from fighting, Qin Feng would find a secluded cave or ruin to hide in.

He would generously take out top-tier psionic potions from the chapter's resource vault and gulp them down.

Warm and boundless energy quickly flowed through his limbs and bones, repairing damaged muscle fibers and replenishing his depleted sea of ​​spiritual energy.

After recovering, he will not immediately engage in the next battle. Instead, he will sit cross-legged, use his mental energy to shake his vital points, continue to cleanse his physical body, and then use the Ten Perfect Hands to recover.

After experiencing a life-or-death struggle, his body and mind were in a state of extreme excitement and hunger.

Practicing now is far more efficient than ascetic training in a quiet room!

The "Supreme Yuan Aperture" frantically absorbed the energy of the potion, transforming it into the purest life force.

His vitality index is increasing at a visible rate.

Vitality Index: 9350.0

……

Practice, then recover, then practice.

This seemingly simple cycle contains the most efficient growth secret.

Qin Feng's killing technique level and vitality index both soared at an unprecedented speed.

Combat is indeed the best catalyst for martial artists!
G12 war zone, a rocky desert.

Qin Feng is on the run.

He had a deep, bone-revealing wound on his left arm, caused by the chainsaw axe of an elite green-skinned beast.

At this moment, behind him, three "canned weapons" and a chasing squad of more than a dozen green-skinned boys were relentlessly pursuing him.

He had been hunted for a whole day.

My spiritual energy is about to run out, and a wave of fatigue washes over me.

The core of the "Heavy Gun" killing style lies in the word "heavy," characterized by its sweeping, unrestrained, and relentless attacks.

Its accompanying footwork, known as the "attack step," is filled with a relentless, step-by-step offensive and relentless pressure on the enemy.

This kind of movement is invincible when attacking, but it seems somewhat sluggish when escaping.

While desperately dodging bullets fired from behind, Qin Feng was frantically thinking.

"No...no! The core of 'offensive step' is not 'advance', but 'power exertion'! It's about mobilizing all the muscles, bones, spiritual energy, and even mental will to unleash the strongest power within a single step!"

"If it's about exerting force, why can it only move forward?!"

A single thought, like lightning, cleaved through the fog in his mind!

As Qin Feng was once again forced to scramble backward by machine gun fire, a startling light flashed in his eyes.

It's now!

His left foot, which was originally trying to deflect the force backward, did not roll smoothly upon landing, but instead defied common sense and stomped down sharply!
He incorporated the power generation technique of the "attacking step" into this step back!
boom!
Centered on his left foot, the hard rocky ground instantly cracked, and spiderweb-like cracks spread several meters away!

A powerful force traveled from his ankles, calves, and spine, instantly reaching his core.

He was like a bowstring stretched to its limit, suddenly released at this moment!
Qin Feng did not retreat. Instead, he twisted his body suddenly and lunged forward in a manner that defied the laws of physics!
With this earth-shattering step, the [Raging Wave] in his hand transformed into a black lightning bolt that tore through the air!

The deadly move he had originally planned for offense—the heavy thrust—and this retreating, desperate counterattack "attack step" were perfectly integrated at this moment!
[Kill Method: Heavy Gun (Level 4)]

[Realm: Dacheng]

[Proficiency: 1/10000]

puff!
The lead "canned killer" didn't even have time to react before its thick cockpit armor was pierced through like a hot knife through butter by this [heavy stab] imbued with a new will!

Qin Feng's figure passed through the wreckage of the "canned weapon" without slowing down, and then pierced the chests of the two green-skinned boys behind it!
The entire pursuit team paused for a moment.

Qin Feng landed, slowly turned around, and felt the smooth, unhindered flow of power within his body. A smile finally appeared on his lips.

"Heavy Gun," a masterpiece!

Confidence surged to its peak at this moment!
He ignored the remaining green-skinned creatures and instead turned his gaze to the center of the G12 war zone—the lair of the war boss with a vitality index of 18,000.

A crazy idea popped into my head.

"Perhaps I can now..."

Half an hour later, Qin Feng arrived at the foot of the hill, which was made up of countless war debris.

"Roar!!"

With an angry roar, the war boss, which was over six meters tall, leaped off its throne.

Its heavy, junk armor was covered with enemy skulls, symbols of honor. It carried no weapons, but its massive, hammer-like fists were the most terrifying weapons in themselves.

"Well done!"

Qin Feng was filled with fighting spirit. He pushed the "Attack Step" and [Heavy Thrust] he had just mastered to their limits, becoming one with his spear, transforming into a streak of light, and piercing straight into the heart of the war boss!
Faced with this earth-shattering blow, a hint of disdain flashed in the eyes of the war boss.

It didn't even bother to throw a punch; instead, it casually, as if shooing away a fly, thrust its thick, armored elbow forward.

Bang! ! !
Qin Feng felt as if his [Raging Waves] spear had struck a divine mountain that was hurtling towards him at the speed of light.

An indescribable and irresistible terrifying force surged wildly along the gun barrel.

He and his spear were sent flying hundreds of meters away by the force of the elbow, tracing a tragic parabola in the air before crashing heavily into a distant mountainside.

"puff!"

He coughed up a mouthful of blood, feeling as if all the bones in his body were about to fall apart.

He struggled to crawl out of the rubble and saw the war boss walking slowly toward him, each step making the earth tremble.

An absolute power disparity!
Qin Feng's mind cleared instantly, and his newly surged confidence was shattered by that elbow strike.

The difference in vitality is too great! I'm not wearing power armor, while the war boss is. I can't beat them right now!
Without saying a word, he turned and ran, putting his newly mastered "offensive footwork" to the extreme in his escape, disappearing into the complex Gobi Desert terrain in the blink of an eye.

……

The crushing defeat did not dampen Qin Feng's spirit; instead, it made him more aware of his shortcomings.

In the days that followed, he became even more insane.

He fought alongside many unfamiliar teammates, conquering one green-skinned position after another.

His "attacking footwork" and "heavy thrust" became increasingly skillful and refined.

He no longer focused on the moves themselves, but began to perfectly integrate the aggregation modules of mental power and psychic energy into every exertion of force in his footwork and spear techniques.

His footsteps were sometimes as heavy as mountains, taking root wherever they landed;

Sometimes as light as a feather, leaving no trace on the snow.

His gun, when needed, can unleash its strongest penetrating power;

When needed, it can also transform into the most agile silk threads to entangle the opponent.

His every breath, every heartbeat, seemed to perfectly match the rhythm of "Heavy Gun".

This feeling of completely integrating spirit, energy, moves, and footwork has gradually become his muscle memory and his fighting instinct.

Vitality Index: 12100.0

Vitality Index: 15400.0

Vitality Index: 17800.0

[Proficiency: 1250/10000]

[Proficiency: 5180/10000]

[Proficiency: 7950/10000]

The final month of the trial.

G12 war zone, in front of the lair of the war boss.

Qin Feng walked slowly, alone, holding the [Raging Waves] weapon.

His aura had undergone a dramatic change since he first arrived.

If eleven months ago he was a sharp blade with its edge fully exposed, now he is a divine weapon hidden in its sheath, all its sharpness concealed within, yet it is even more dangerous and unfathomable.

On his personal panel, two key numbers have reached a whole new level.

Vitality Index: 18000.0

[Proficiency: 9919/10000]

He has reached the same starting point as the war boss before him!

"Roar!"

The war boss clearly still remembered the little guy it had knocked away with an elbow a few months ago. It sensed a threat of equal strength emanating from the other party, which made it feel provoked and angry.

It roared, grabbed a huge metal totem pole beside it, and slammed it down on Qin Feng like a straw!

This time, Qin Feng did not confront the opponent head-on as he had last time.

His feet initiated an "attack step," and his figure flickered like a ghost, narrowly dodging the earth-shattering blow.

The battle breaks out instantly!
This is a true, fierce battle between equally powerful individuals.

With its heavy powered armor and immense power, the War Boss delivers powerful and sweeping attacks with every strike.

Qin Feng, on the other hand, brought the techniques of "Heavy Gun" to their fullest potential.

The fierce battle lasted for hundreds of rounds.

The entire hill was leveled by the aftershocks of their battle.

Qin Feng had more than a dozen new wounds, but the fighting spirit in his eyes grew stronger and brighter.

He could feel that, through that final layer of paper, the ultimate secret of "Heavy Gun" was beckoning to him.

Another thrilling confrontation.

The war leader seized an opening in Qin Feng's defenses and launched a massive power armor attack straight at his face.

It's now!

Instead of retreating, Qin Feng advanced. The instant the fist struck his body, he poured all his spirit, will, and spiritual energy, along with all the insights he had gained over the past eleven months, into the [Raging Waves] in his hand.

The world before his eyes seemed to slow down at that moment.

He saw the patterns on every armor plating on the War Boss's fist, the subtle tremors of its muscles, and the flaws in the operation of its Wagh force field in its moves.

[Proficiency: 10000/10000]

[Realm: Perfection]

Qin Feng thrust out with his spear. [A heavy thrust].

This shot was both heavy and fast. From the force generated by the footwork to the rotation of the spine and the thrust of the spear tip, all the movements were combined with incredibly skilled mental power—psychic energy aggregation.

puff.

The spear tip easily pierced through the war boss's indestructible power gauntlet, through its steel-like skin and bones, and precisely pierced its heart.

The war leader's movements froze.

Its massive body swayed and then crashed to the ground.

Qin Feng stood beside its corpse, his eyes shining with an astonishing light.

The trial is over.

A figure appeared silently behind him; it was Zong Yun.

He looked at the scene before him, at Qin Feng, and a sincere, approving smile appeared on his face.

"Well done, junior. A perfect year, that's incredible. Let's go, we should head back."

……

When Qin Feng and Zong Yun returned to the G-735 martial arts room, everything was exactly the same as when they left.

But Qin Feng knew that he was completely different now.

He quickly packed up his belongings and put all the remaining potions back into the subspace storage unit.

The two stood on the A8 subspace teleportation platform once again.

A silver light appeared.

When Qin Feng opened his eyes again, what came into view was the familiar and magnificent scene of the Canaan Star Martial Arts University teleportation platform.

The silvery spatial energy slowly dissipated, and the magnificent and familiar scene of the teleportation platform reappeared before our eyes.

Qin Feng took a deep breath.

The scorching smell of "Meat Grinder-III," a mixture of blood and rust, was gone from the air. In its place was the clean, precisely filtered scent of Canaan Starry Sky Martial Arts University, with a hint of cool metallic texture.

It's like an eternity.

"call……"

Standing beside him, Zong Yun let out a long sigh of relief. He turned his head and looked at Qin Feng with a complex mix of emotions, including amazement, emotion, and even a hint of disbelief.

"Eleven months."

Zong Yun's voice was slightly hoarse, "From a vitality index of 7500 points, it soared all the way to 18000 points during the 'first major limit.' He painstakingly trained a level four killing technique from the 'minor achievement' stage to the 'perfect' stage."

He looked Qin Feng up and down, and finally shook his head and said, "Junior Brother Qin Feng, I have carried out hundreds of guardian missions and mentored all kinds of geniuses, but I have never seen... such a monstrous talent as you."

"As expected of a monster-level aptitude that could cause the physical body detection chamber to explode, coupled with the legendary 'top-grade Yuanqiao'... the speed at which this vitality index increases is as simple as drinking water."

Zong Yun's tone was full of emotion. He sighed, half-jokingly and half-seriously, "Compared to your 'top-grade Yuan Aperture,' those of us who chose 'superior Yuan Aperture' back then, our life force increases at a snail's pace."

If I had known the gap would be this huge, I would have been determined to risk everything to try and forge a top-grade Yuanqiao (a type of internal energy cultivation technique).

Now, I really regret it.

Although his words were somewhat sarcastic, his envy was genuine.

"You flatter me, senior. I was just lucky."

Qin Feng smiled and responded calmly.

"Hey, you're still so modest."

Zong Yun waved his hand, clearly not believing his explanation of "good luck," and his expression changed from sighing to serious.

"Alright, enough chit-chat."

Zong Yun smiled and said, "The mission is over, but as your senior, I still have some things to say."

He paused, organized his thoughts, and his expression became serious.

"Regarding the path after the fourth level of killing technique is 'perfected'."

"Have you ever wondered why killing techniques above level four have such a qualitative change in power? The core of it lies in the use of the 'mental power-spiritual energy aggregation module'."

"This module is essentially a fixed energy construction formula. Guided by mental power, it instantly aggregates and stimulates the spiritual energy within your body in the most efficient and destructive way."

Zong Yun looked at Qin Feng and asked, "But have you noticed that this module operates in a 'sequence'?"

"Hmm." Qin Feng nodded, seemingly lost in thought.

Of course he noticed.

The core of the Heavy Gun's killing move, Heavy Thrust, is an incredibly complex energy circulation process. It must be guided step by step in strict order to unleash its devastating power.

"That's right, it's about the order."

Zong Yun affirmed, "The modules of the Level 4 Killing Technique are constructed according to the sequence of your body's power generation. It starts from your feet, transmits to your waist and abdomen, then flows through your arms, and is finally released by the weapon. It is a linear, single-threaded process."

"And what is the true mark of 'perfection'?"

Zong Yun's gaze suddenly sharpened. "It's not that you're skilled at using the killing move, but that you've thoroughly mastered this 'formula,' and can apply it to your every move, even... to other low-level killing techniques you've already mastered!"

In Qin Feng's mind, the last scene of him killing that green-skinned boss with 18,000 points of life force flashed by.

That seemingly simple [heavy thrust] actually contained his complete understanding of "Heavy Gun".

He did not completely follow the fixed sequence of force exertion around his whole body. Instead, he directly grafted the core part of the "Mental Power-Psionic Energy Aggregation Module" into the explosive force exertion at the moment of "Attack Step". Combined with the penetrating will of [Heavy Thrust], the destructive power of that strike increased exponentially!

It turns out that it wasn't just about improvisation, but rather the inevitable path to "perfection".

Even within perfection, there is a world of difference.

Zong Yun's voice continued, like a resounding bell, striking Qin Feng's heart.

"After you truly reach 'Perfection', the next step in your cultivation is to thoroughly understand and comprehend this fourth-level 'spiritual power-psychic energy aggregation mode', and then apply it to all the lower three levels of killing techniques that you have already cultivated to the 'control realm'."

"That's why schools require us to master as many different types of killing techniques as possible during our early stages, and to push at least a few of them to the 'Mastery Realm.' Because the stronger your foundation, the more terrifying the power you can unleash after you reach 'Perfection'!"

Zong Yun's eyes gleamed with wisdom: "Think about it, when your level two spear technique [Wind and Thunder Chasing Shadow] can be enhanced with the energy aggregation module of a level four killing technique, is what it thrusts out still a level two killing move? No! It can unleash destructive power comparable to a true level four killing move! That's the truly terrifying aspect of the 'Perfect' realm!"

"I see."

Qin Feng suddenly realized the truth, and everything became clear.

A brand new, broad road leading to a higher realm unfolded clearly before him.

All his previous accumulations—those dozen or so level one, two, and three killing techniques that he had honed at Qiyi High School, in the Newcomer Cup, and through countless missions, which had already reached the "mastery level"—would become fuel for his leap in strength at this moment!

Having figured this out, his thinking immediately jumped to the next stage.

"Senior,"

Qin Feng pressed further, "What about the 'Control Realm' above 'Perfect'?"

"Uh--"

This question seemed to suddenly choke Zong Yun.

His composed expression, that of a seasoned expert, froze instantly, revealing a hint of obvious embarrassment.

"Well... cough cough, I'm not too sure about that either."

Zong Yun scratched his head, somewhat embarrassed, and said, "I myself have only recently reached the 'Perfect' stage, and I'm still a long way from the 'Control Realm'. I haven't experienced it firsthand, so I dare not speak recklessly, for fear of misleading others."

He then added, as if trying to save face, "However, I can tell you that in every 'Starry Sky Cup,' those who ultimately win their respective regional championships are all monsters who have cultivated a level four killing technique to the 'Mastery Realm.'"

"All I know is that for killing techniques above level four, breaking through from 'perfection' to 'control' is hundreds of times more difficult than breaking through to the control realm with killing techniques of the lower three levels. The specific secrets are probably only known to the true geniuses and mentors."

Seeing Qin Feng's thoughtful expression, Zong Yun immediately changed the subject to make up for the awkwardness.

"However, although I don't understand the 'Control Realm', I can tell you in advance the essential differences between level 5 and level 6 killing techniques and level 4 killing techniques. I have studied this."

"All ears!"

Qin Feng's eyes lit up instantly.

Regarding higher-level killing techniques, Senior Liang Youchu and the others had mentioned them before, but at that time his level was not high enough and he was confused by what he heard. Now that he has reached the perfection of the fourth level of killing techniques, listening to them again will definitely give him a different feeling.

"Ah."

Zong Yun cleared his throat and resumed his inscrutable demeanor. "Do you remember the 'order' issue we were talking about earlier? The Level 4 killing technique is single-threaded; it can only execute one 'mental power-psychic energy aggregation' process at a time."

"And the core requirement of the Level 5 killing technique is 'one mind doing ten things at once'!"

"In other words, you need to simultaneously construct and operate more than ten 'spiritual power-psychic energy aggregation modules' within your body at the same instant! This places extremely abnormal demands on the strength, resilience, and control precision of your spiritual power."

Generally speaking, only by cultivating one's mental strength to a level of 30 or higher, and undergoing massive amounts of extremely tedious and arduous training, is it possible to even begin to grasp the basics.

"As for the level six killing technique..."

Zong Yun's face showed a hint of longing and awe. "That is 'One Mind, One Hundred Uses'! It requires the simultaneous construction of hundreds of aggregation modules in an instant! The most basic requirement for mental strength is 100 points."

Moreover, its difficulty is not simply ten times that of a level five killing technique, but rather an exponential increase—it's a completely different concept.

"Doing ten things at once...doing a hundred things at once..."

Qin Feng silently repeated these words in his mind, his eyes shining even brighter.

This time, he understood completely.

From single-threaded to multi-threaded, and then to ultra-large-scale parallel computing, this is the essence of advanced killing techniques!

A crystal-clear path to advancement, from level four 'perfect' to level five, and then to level six, was fully presented in his mind.

"Alright, junior, I've covered all the essential information. I won't bother you any longer so you can go back and digest it."

Zong Yun patted Qin Feng on the shoulder and laughed, "I need to hurry to the mission center to hand in my report and collect my guardian reward. Oh, by the way, one last reminder."

"The latest 'Starry Sky Cup' martial arts competition is about to officially open for registration. If you want to participate, you should contact your mentor as soon as possible and not miss the registration deadline."

"Okay, thank you, senior."

Qin Feng expressed his gratitude sincerely.

"Haha, it's nothing. Looking forward to your performance at the Starry Sky Cup! Goodbye!"

Zong Yun smiled nonchalantly, waved to Qin Feng, then turned and strode away, his figure quickly disappearing into the crowd at the teleportation platform.

Qin Feng watched him leave, then immediately opened the personal terminal on his wrist.

He found that familiar name in his contact list—Yu Han.

A brief and clear message was sent out instantly through the subspace network.

[Student Qin Feng has applied to participate in the latest 'Starry Sky Cup' Martial Arts Competition.]

A notification tone sounded softly on the personal terminal indicating that the message had been successfully sent.

Qin Feng stood quietly on the bustling teleportation platform, seemingly oblivious to the surrounding noise. His mind was completely absorbed in planning and anticipating the future.

Starry Sky Cup.

He had finally obtained his ticket to this grand event, which he had learned about from his mentor Gu Yue and which had been elevated to a level concerning the future of martial arts.

hum.

Almost as soon as his thoughts were turning, his personal terminal vibrated again.

The response was incredibly fast, as if the other party had been waiting for his message all along.

Qin Feng tapped the light screen, and the familiar, minimalist chat box popped up.

[Yu Han]: Received. I have registered you for the Level 6 Martial Arts Tournament.

[Yu Han]: The departure time is one month from Imperial Standard Time. Please assemble at the Canaan Main Teleportation Platform A129 area on the day of departure.

[Qin Feng]: Thank you, mentor.

The message was sent, and almost without delay, a new reply popped up.

【Yu Han】：1.

Then, Yu Han's profile picture went dark, indicating that he had gone to handle other matters.

"..."

Qin Feng looked at the number "1" that represented all the affirmative meanings such as "received", "okay", and "understood" and couldn't help but chuckle.

His mentor was always so concise and efficient.

He closed the chat window with his tutor and then noticed that several avatars in the contact list were flashing red dots indicating unread messages.

He casually opened the group message, which was from Long Yu, Nisang, and Ning Jing.

[Long Yu]: Junior Brother Qin Feng, congratulations on emerging from seclusion. We all watched your battle with Senior Qin Yonglin, and it left a deep impression on us. In the past year, the three of us have all made progress. Now that the Starry Sky Cup is about to begin, how about we get together? I'll be waiting for you at the usual place.

Below were comments from Nissan and Ning Jing.

[Nissan]: Qin Beast! Come quick! I feel like I can take on ten of them right now!
[Ningjing]: Come quickly.

Qin Feng's lips curled up slightly, a warm feeling washing over him.

Just as he was about to reply, he saw a message in another group.

Upon opening the message, I found it was a message from three close friends.

[Shi Potian]: Qin Feng, I heard you've emerged from seclusion. Congratulations. Xiong Yanfu, Tie Mu, and I have discussed it, and the three of us will not be registering for the Starry Sky Cup this time. The Shi Dang incident made us deeply aware of the inadequacy of our foundation. We plan to continue our seclusion, devoting all our energy to improving our Vitality Index. I wish you great success on your journey and hope you achieve a good ranking!
The words convey sincere blessings.

Qin Feng remained silent for a moment.

He could completely understand Shi Potian and the others' choices.

The betrayal and fall of their closest friends left them with indelible wounds, but also made their desire for power even purer and more urgent.

For them at this stage, steadily improving their core strengths and vitality is indeed a better choice than participating in competitions.

Qin Feng thought for a moment, then quickly typed on the virtual keyboard, replying one by one.

The reply to Shi Potian was: "Understood. Take care of yourselves too."

The reply to Long Yu and the others was even simpler: "Received, coming right away."

After replying to all the messages, Qin Feng didn't waste a moment. He quickly determined the direction and set off towards the Fearless Zone, the exclusive area of ​​the Fearless Battle Group.

……

The Fearless Zone is located in the heart of Canaan Starry Sky Martial Arts University. The architectural style here is more rugged and austere than that of the public areas.

Qin Feng navigated the streets with practiced ease and arrived at the entrance of a shop called "Iron Fist Tavern".

This is one of the most popular gathering places for members of the Dauntless Chapter.

He pushed open the door and entered; the tavern was as lively as ever.

Countless powerful members of the battle groups sat together in small groups, loudly discussing missions, cultivation techniques, and the upcoming Starry Sky Cup, with the clinking of metal goblets filling the air.

Qin Feng's gaze swept across the entire venue, and soon he spotted three familiar figures in a booth in the corner.

Nissan, with his blond hair like a lion, was holding a huge wine glass and boasting to Long Yu, spitting as he spoke, drawing frequent glances from people at the surrounding tables.

Long Yu, with his gentle and refined demeanor, listened quietly with a smile, nodding occasionally and using his eyes to stop Nissan's overly exaggerated movements.

Beside him stood Ning Jing, his face cold and stern, like an iceberg that had stood for millennia.

He was meticulously wiping his long whip, which he never parted with, with a clean white cloth, oblivious to everything around him, as if his world consisted only of himself and his whip.

The aura emanating from the three of them had become more refined and profound compared to a year ago.

Clearly, this year of arduous training has led to significant progress for them all.

Qin Feng strode over.

Almost the instant he approached, Ning Jing, who was wiping his long whip, suddenly stopped.

His sharp, hawk-like eyes instantly locked onto Qin Feng.

"Zheng!"

He suddenly stood up, a fierce fighting spirit soaring into the sky, heading straight for Qin Feng!

"Qin Feng!"

Ning Jing's voice was as concise and direct as ever, filled with an undeniable sense of pressure: "Come on, spar with me! I've improved tremendously this year!"

As soon as he said this, not only their table, but also the members of the battle group who were drinking at several other tables all turned their attention to him, their eyes filled with excitement and anticipation.

"Hahaha--"

Nissan's signature hearty laughter rang out. He put his arm around Ning Jing's shoulder and winked at Qin Feng, saying, "Qin Beast, you've finally arrived! You have no idea, this kid just recently mastered his Level 4 Killing Technique to the 'Minor Completion' stage, and he's incredibly arrogant right now! Hurry up! Go teach him a lesson and show him why flowers are so red!"

Long Yu, who had been silently smiling, also stood up. He looked at Qin Feng gently, a hint of a smile in his eyes, confirming Nissan's statement:

“Nissan is right. Ning Jing has indeed just broken through and is at the peak of his confidence. Junior Brother Qin Feng, it seems that we won’t be able to drink in peace without a fight tonight.”

"Great! I'm on fire right now!"

Qin Feng smiled and was about to nod in agreement.

At this moment, a man stood up from the crowd and laughed loudly, "Wait a minute! Brother Ning Jing, let me spar with Brother Qin Feng first, shall we?!"

This person was none other than Qin Yonglin, who had previously fought Qin Feng and defeated Qin Feng's [Qian Yuan] with the Tianyuan Staff!
(End of this chapter)