High Martial Arts: Liver Becomes the Master of the Universe

Chapter 206 The Starry Sky Cup Begins! Another Imperial Golden Nail! The Chosen One!
Canaan Starry Sky Martial Arts University.

Iron Fist Tavern.

This is one of the most beloved gathering places for the students of the Fearless Battle Group, always bustling with activity day and night.

The air was filled with the rich aroma of high-energy liquor, the smoky scent of synthetic barbecue, and the lingering smell of gunpowder emanating from the warriors.

The energy screen played highlights of exciting duels from the Imperial Arena on a loop. Every exquisite kill or ferocious exchange drew cheers and whistles from the tavern.

The young students gathered in small groups, their faces brimming with youth and ambition. They talked animatedly about their recent mission rewards, newly learned killing techniques, rankings in the Canaan Tower, and which senior had achieved amazing results in the Star Cup qualifiers.

Beside them, some older students, with more composed demeanor and sharper eyes like hawks, sat quietly in a corner, sipping from large metal goblets. Their silence contrasted sharply with the surrounding liveliness, a composure and tranquility honed through countless battles.

Deep inside the tavern, there was an inconspicuous four-person booth, but the atmosphere was completely different from the surrounding hustle and bustle.

Qin Feng sat there quietly. Twenty years of almost complete seclusion for revenge and reflection had brought about a dramatic change in his demeanor.

Its former sharpness has now been completely concealed, transformed into a deep, abyss-like stillness.

He was dressed in the most ordinary black combat uniform, without any faction insignia, and sat there quietly, like a rock thrown into the sea, unmoved by the surging waves around him.

If it weren't for the red and white skull hanging from his waist, polished to a bloody sheen and exuding an eerie aura, probably no one would give him a second glance.

"You've finally decided to show your face."

A deep, resonant voice rang out, and Nissan sat down opposite Qin Feng with an air of authority.

He was even more muscular than he was twenty years ago, his bulging muscles almost bursting out of his combat suit, but his eyes were even more profound, clearly showing that his years of hard training had also brought him great benefits.

Following closely behind, Long Yu, with his wiry build and sharp aura, and Ning Jing, who remained as steady as a mountain but whose eyes shone with divine light, also took their seats.

The four reunited, and without much small talk, a single glance between them spoke volumes.

The surrounding noise seemed to be shut out by an invisible barrier, and the four of them formed their own world, talking quietly.

"Qin Feng, it's been over twenty years since I last saw you,"

Ning Jing spoke first, his gaze fixed intently on Qin Feng, "I wonder what your current strength is?"

This is his biggest concern.

Among martial artists, strength is the most direct form of greeting.

Twenty years ago, Qin Feng had already demonstrated superhuman potential, and now his strength must be another earth-shattering spectacle.

Upon hearing this, Qin Feng simply smiled calmly. Before he could speak, Long Yu spoke up first.

Long Yu's gaze swept over Qin Feng, finally settling on the strange skull at his waist. He picked up his wine glass and laughed, "This should be Shi Dang's head, right? To be able to completely kill Shi Dang, one can imagine his strength."

He paused, then continued his analysis: "To be able to kill Shi Dang back then, Qin Feng must have already reached the level of a ninth-level extreme martial artist."

Moreover, given this guy's nature of never suffering losses and always planning carefully before acting, once he leaves seclusion, he will undoubtedly have made overwhelming progress.

Therefore, I guess that Qin Feng should have already pushed his Dao Foundation to the theoretical limit of level nine, which is the fourth major limit of 108,000 points.

And... his mental strength should have reached the required level as well.

Long Yu's analysis was meticulous and logically sound.

He knows Qin Feng too well.

He concluded, "His sudden emergence suggests a clear goal: to achieve a good ranking in the next Star Cup, then apply for graduation and move on to a broader stage."

"Hahaha!"

Upon hearing this, Qin Feng finally couldn't help but burst into laughter, "Long Yu, you really understand me! It's true, I plan to get a ranking and then apply for graduation, and then participate in the Cosmic Genius Battle. What about you guys? How has your strength improved in the past twenty years?"

Upon hearing Qin Feng's admission, even though they had already guessed it, Ning Jing and Nissan's pupils still contracted slightly.

The fourth major deadline!

That is the ultimate perfection realm that a level nine martial artist dreams of, representing the ability to begin attempting to become a planetary life form.

The three of them have only just surpassed the third major limit of 72,000 points.

"We're not as twisted as you."

Nissan grinned, revealing a set of white teeth. "I've spent the last twenty years in seclusion, honing my killing skills only occasionally by taking on some high-difficulty missions."

"The three of us possess only the golden standard of human aptitude. Although we all have top-grade Yuan Qi, our life force growth rate is far slower than yours, a 'Starry Sky Beast.' Currently, we've all just recently broken through the third major limit, firmly stepping into the threshold of a ninth-level extreme martial artist, and are striving towards the fourth major limit."

Long Yu and Ning Jing nodded slightly, indicating that this was indeed the case.

They were among the top geniuses in Canaan, but compared to Qin Feng, the difference in their cultivation speed was still despair-inducing.

But this did not arouse their jealousy; on the contrary, it was an inspiration. Having such a dazzling comrade-in-arms only gave them more motivation to catch up.

"correct,"

Thinking of another purpose of this trip, Qin Feng asked, "How much do you know about the rules of the latest Starry Sky Cup, and the so-called 'Cosmic Genius Battle'?"

Although he had heard the importance of these terms from his mentors, he knew very little about the specific details, especially the brutality of the "Cosmic Genius Battle".

Upon hearing this question, Long Yu, Nissan, and Ning Jing exchanged glances, their expressions turning serious.

Finally, it was Long Yu who spoke, his voice unconsciously lowering a few decibels: "Regarding the Cosmic Genius Battle, my father was fortunate enough to participate back then. Although he was eliminated in the small battle zone, he learned some inside information because of it."

Seeing that the three of them had their ears perked up, Long Yuqing cleared his throat and said in a deep voice, "First of all, the 'Starry Sky Cup' we are participating in should be called the 'Ultimate Warriors Legion K-739 Star Sector Selection Competition'. In this selection competition, only those who make it into the top one thousand will be qualified to obtain a ticket to participate in the 'Cosmic Genius Battle' after graduation."

"The 'Cosmic Genius Battle' is far more brutal than imagined, and it is divided into two stages: the 'small battle zone' and the 'large battle zone'."

"The first phase is the small-scale war zones. The top 1,000 geniuses from our K-739 sector will face off against the top 1,000 geniuses from all the sectors under the Ultramarines Chapter in a massive virtual battlefield. Do you know how many such sectors our Ultramarines Chapter controls?"

Long Yu held up a finger, a hint of shock in his eyes: "Billions of star zones! That means the number of participants in the small battle zones alone is billions of K, an astronomical number. And among such a terrifying number of geniuses, only those who fight to the end and rank in the top one million can qualify to enter the major battle zone."

The hustle and bustle of the tavern seemed to vanish completely at that moment, and Ning Jing and Nissan's breathing became somewhat heavy.

In the vast Star Sector, a thousand of the most outstanding geniuses from each sector gather together, with only one million spots ultimately being filled.

This is beyond the word "cruel"; it's like paving a bloody path to the top with the bones of geniuses.

Qin Feng was also silently calculating the number in his mind. Even though his will was as firm as iron, he couldn't help but feel a little palpitation at this moment.

The Ultramarines Chapter is just one of the millions of chapters in the Imperium of Mankind.

The selection process within a single battle group alone involves sifting through trillions of geniuses to select a million winners.

The gold content is so high it's breathtaking.

Long Yu's voice grew increasingly solemn: "Those who can fight their way out of the small war zones are all monsters among monsters, prodigies among prodigies."

And what they will face is the second phase—the war zone.

"The Great War Zone, as the name suggests, is where all the top one million geniuses from our human empire's so-called 'Million War Group' who have passed the selection of their respective 'small war zones' are gathered together for the final showdown."

You can imagine how grand it would be, and how tragic it would be.

If… I mean if you can achieve a relatively high ranking on that final stage, then you will receive the highest level of resource allocation and cultivation from the human empire—a true meteoric rise. For the cultivation of such geniuses, even a black hole level is merely the starting point.

After he finished speaking, a long silence fell over the booth.

The impact of this intelligence was simply too great.

The so-called "Starry Sky Cup" is nothing more than a tiny, insignificant ticket to this cosmic event.

The real stage lies in the distant depths of the starry sea, where the most brilliant minds of all human civilization collide.

"No wonder……"

Qin Feng muttered to himself, "To cultivate someone with the full power of the empire... that is indeed worth risking everything for."

He looked up at his three comrades: "And you? Are you planning to participate in the latest Starry Sky Cup?"

The three of them, Long Yu, and others, looked at each other and shook their heads in unison.

"I have no such plans."

Long Yu frankly admitted, "The three of us have only just advanced to the ninth level, and our training in the Killing Technique realm is far from sufficient. With our current strength, even if we were to participate, it would be difficult for us to break into the top one thousand."

Since I can't get a ticket to the Genius Battle, going there would just be a waste of time. After all, I've already seen everything I needed to see last time.

Nissan and Ning Jing nodded in agreement.

Without absolute certainty, they would rather take time to reflect and wait for the next opportunity than make futile attempts.

"I see."

Qin Feng nodded slightly, indicating his understanding.

He checked the time on his terminal; there were still five years until the opening of the latest Star Cup.

This period of time is enough for him to hone his skills to a whole new level.

“My next plan,”

Qin Feng looked at his three close friends and said calmly, "I'll use these five years to hone my killing techniques and gain as much practical experience as possible against opponents of various styles and killing techniques through the Imperial Arena. Then, I'll compete in the Starry Sky Cup and apply for graduation."

His tone was calm, but the determination it conveyed was undeniable.

"it is good!"

Long Yu slammed his hand on the table. "Before you graduate, how about you try to conquer the Canaan Tower one more time? Take a picture after you reach the 901st floor? It would be a perfect ending to your Canaan career!"

Nissan and Ning Jing also showed anticipation in their eyes.

However, Qin Feng slowly shook his head.

"No."

He said in a deep voice, "I will collect all the contribution points from Canaan Tower. As for whether I can take a picture at the top of the tower, that depends on luck. I won't deliberately linger there just for that record."

"and……"

Qin Feng's gaze swept over his three close friends, his expression becoming more serious. He said, word by word, with a solemn tone, "That's just an empty title."

At this point, his voice carried an unprecedented solemnity and warning, a bloody lesson he had extracted from Zhou Xiong's "ideological and political education" and his own nearly twenty years of facing chaos.

"In this cruel universe, the gaze of evil gods is everywhere. Battle, honor, hope, life, and even the pleasures we easily overlook in our daily practice can all attract the gaze of evil gods and become hooks that lure you step by step into the embrace of chaos."

Qin Feng's eyes sharpened.

Everyone must pay attention in the future!

For example, if you become overly engrossed in the honor, fame, and vanity that come with becoming stronger, and enjoy the feeling of being the center of attention, then without realizing it, you may be targeted by Slaanesh, and Khorne's whispers may be ringing in your ears.

Once a breach occurs in one's defenses, the outcome... is often incredibly tragic.

He thought of Shi Dang, his former companion who had ultimately become a monster craving blood.

Upon hearing these words, the relaxed expressions on Long Yu, Nissan, and Ning Jing's faces instantly vanished, replaced by solemnity.

They all knew that Lei Meng's death and Shi Dang's betrayal were painful experiences that Qin Feng had gone through. Qin Feng's emphasis on giving them these instructions meant that they were based on his own hard-won experience.

This is the most poignant warning.

"We understand."

The three nodded in unison, their expressions solemn.

The road ahead will not only involve fighting against visible enemies of all races, but also an eternal struggle against the temptations that originate from within.

After parting ways with Long Yu, Nissan, and Ning Jing, Qin Feng did not linger in the noisy Iron Fist Tavern.

He walked through the clamor of voices and the intermingling gazes to return to his dormitory at the Dauntless Legion's base, a place he hadn't visited for nearly twenty years.

The room was furnished as simply, or rather, simply, as it had been when he left.

A standard alloy bed, a meditation cushion, and a personal terminal embedded in the wall—nothing else.

He sat cross-legged on the futon, his consciousness connecting to his personal terminal and bringing up the Imperial Trading House.

[Contribution Value Balance: 328,210]

This huge sum of money was the spoils he had obtained over the past four years while hunting down Shi Dang in the chaotic star field and incidentally eliminating countless interstellar pirates and imperial wanted criminals. Even after deducting the cost of exchanging for the level six killing technique "Shattered Star", it was still a huge sum of money.

Qin Feng's gaze slowly swept across the dazzling array of exchange lists, finally settling on the "Level 7 Killing Techniques" category.

With a sudden thought, he looked up the detailed introduction and exchange price of the level seven killing technique.

Even the most basic level 7 killing technique costs as much as one million contribution points.

Qin Feng was not surprised by this.

As the core combat method of martial artists, the difference between the levels of killing techniques is as vast as heaven and earth.

Level 1 to Level 3 killing techniques are the foundation of martial arts, emphasizing the pure control of one's own strength and moves.

Level four to six killing techniques mark the beginning of the path to transcendence.

Its core lies in "multitasking," using mental power to control psionic modules and unleash destructive power on the physical level that far exceeds its own basic life force.

The fourth-level killing technique requires "one mind doing ten things at once," which is the foundation.

The fifth level of killing technique requires "one mind doing ten things at once" to gradually reach a higher level.

The sixth-level killing technique that Qin Feng is currently cultivating, "Shattered Star," has a cultivation threshold that is the daunting "One Mind, One Hundred Uses."

A martial artist needs to split their mental energy into hundreds of threads and simultaneously control a hundred miniature psionic modules to perform precise aggregation and fission down to the atomic level, thereby condensing terrifying energy capable of piercing through starship armor on the tip of a spear or the edge of a fist.

This is purely an ultimate sublimation at the physical level.

The seventh-level killing technique, however, has entered another dimension.

It is known as the "Planetary-level Killing Technique" and is exclusive to planetary-level powerhouses.

Its essence is based on the level six killing technique "One Mind, One Hundred Uses" and incorporates the cultivation method of top-level meditation, perfectly combining pure physical attack with intangible mental impact.

The attack not only possessed devastating physical power, but also brought with it overwhelming mental pressure.

The weak don't even need to be hit; the mental impact contained in that killing technique alone is enough to cause their consciousness to collapse and their soul to dissipate.

This is a qualitative transformation.

As for the higher-level level eight killing techniques, also known as "stellar-level killing techniques," they involve relying on spiritual understanding to condense "true meaning."

The ninth-level killing technique, also known as the "galaxy-level killing technique," can even create its own "domain." Within this domain, the mental energy impact is vast and turbulent, making it extremely terrifying.

That was a distant realm that Qin Feng could not yet imagine.

"One million contribution points..."

Qin Feng closed the exchange list, feeling no emotion whatsoever.

His goal was clear: to secure a place in the top 1,000 of the upcoming Starry Sky Cup and obtain the ticket to the "Cosmic Genius Battle".

This goal doesn't require him to fight those truly top-tier geniuses to the death, nor does it require him to master a level seven killing technique right now.

He has now reached the "fourth limit" of the theoretical limit of a level nine martial artist, with a vitality index of 108,000 points. His foundation is far stronger than that of others of the same level.

In addition, the level six killing technique "Shattered Star," which has reached the "Mastery Realm," is sufficient to handle most situations.

What he needs most right now is not a higher level of killing techniques, but a massive amount of practical experience in fighting against opponents of the same level.

He needs to familiarize himself with the level six killing techniques of various schools, witness the combat wisdom of the millions of geniuses within the empire's territory, and hone his terrifying strength into the purest and most efficient killing instinct.

It would be better to accumulate contribution points and prepare for future planetary-level advancements.

Once this thought was made, Qin Feng had no more doubts.

His consciousness withdrew from Canaan's internal network and instead immersed itself in a wider and more vast virtual world.

——Subspace Network·Imperial Arena.

hum!
It felt as if my soul had been instantly ripped from my body, and an endless torrent of data flowed before my eyes like a dazzling galaxy.

The spirits and wills of hundreds of millions of human martial artists converged and collided within it, producing a deafening roar.

The next moment, Qin Feng's consciousness descended onto an ancient stone platform that floated in the boundless void.

This is his personal preparation space.

On a whim, he brought up the arena's matchmaking settings.

[Vitality Index Locked at: 108,000.0]

[Weapon Template Selection: Spear]

[Equipment Template Selection: Light Alloy Armor]

[Mode: Ranked Match]

[Matching begins...]

……

Time loses its meaning in the tedious and pure battle.

Five years have passed in the blink of an eye.

For the students of Canaan Star Martial Arts University, these five years may be one or two long-distance missions, one deep seclusion, or several breakthroughs.

For Qin Feng, these five years have been a relentless battle.

the first year.

Imperial Arena, Ranked Ladder Matches.

Holding an ordinary standard-issue spear, Qin Feng unleashed a bloodbath in the lower ranks with an almost savage and pure style of attack.

His opponents came from various star systems of the empire, including direct disciples of various martial halls, veteran soldiers who had retired from the military, and tribal warriors who grew up on wild planets.

The level six killing techniques they practiced were incredibly diverse and bizarre.

Some people's swordsmanship is like a phantom, capable of unleashing hundreds of sword lights that are indistinguishable from real ones within a fraction of a second, making them impossible to defend against.

Some people use wide, sweeping strikes, each one containing the immense power of a landslide, enough to shatter a small meteorite head-on.

There are also martial artists whose movements are unpredictable, like a wisp of smoke, silently closing in on their opponents and delivering a fatal blow.

Qin Feng's spear technique has no unnecessary frills, only the most extreme thrusts, sweeps, and slashes.

No matter how exquisite his opponent's moves, he only needed one shot. One shot to destroy them!
In just six months, after tens of thousands of intense matches, Qin's rank skyrocketed, eventually reaching the rank of 9th Dan with 300 points.

Then, his winning streak came to an abrupt end.

From that day on, Qin Feng's good days came to an end.

Anyone who can reach this rank is a monster.

What's even more terrifying is that everyone here has cultivated at least one, or even several, level-six killing techniques to the same "mastery level" as Qin Feng.

Qin Feng's fundamental advantages were infinitely weakened under the rules of equal vitality.

His crushing doom is gone.

……

The third year.

Qin Feng began frantically studying his opponent's combat videos.

He encountered a warrior wielding a heavy shield, whose ID was "Unbreakable".

That man's defenses were truly like an insurmountable mountain range.

His level 6 killing technique, "Wall of Sighs," can transform mental energy and psionic power into a protective force field with extremely strong resilience.

Qin Feng's incredibly powerful killing move, [Shattering Star], struck the surface, but could only create ripples.

Qin Feng added him as a friend and engaged in thousands of duels with hundreds of "Turtle Shell" style martial artists of this rank.

He went from not knowing where to start to gradually figuring out how to do it.

Then, find the slightest flaws in the opponent's defensive force field transitions to thoroughly understand their combat tactics.

Finally, in one of the duels, Qin Feng successfully broke through the opponent's shield wall with a long-charged [Qian Yuan] attack.

……

Fourth year.

Qin Feng's fighting style began to change.

He no longer just charged in recklessly.

When facing an assassin-type opponent with the ID "Thousand Faces", he even gave up taking the initiative to attack.

That opponent's movements and killing techniques incorporated principles of optics, psychology, and spatial perturbation, making him appear as if he had thousands of clones on the battlefield, each one lifelike.

Qin Feng closed his eyes.

He abandoned his attempt to track the other person visually, instead focusing all his attention on the most subtle perceptions of the surrounding space.

The flow of wind, the disturbance of energy, the gathering of murderous intent.

After being killed hundreds of times, the golden nail on Qin Feng's brow bone began to flash, and a brand new golden nail mark condensed.

Two gold nail marks!

Qin Feng did not notice the appearance of the golden nail mark.

He entered a state of enlightenment, his mental energy spreading out, and gradually, amidst the chaotic illusion, he captured the killing intent of the opponent's true form a mere 0.001 seconds before it appeared.

The spear moves like a dragon, striking first even when it is behind.

He won that battle.

……

fifth year.

In the chat channel of the Imperial Arena's ladder ranking match at the [Ninth Dan] rank, the ID [Qin] has already gained some fame.

All people knew was that he was a madman, a complete battle maniac.

[Qin] is online almost 24/7, tirelessly initiating one duel after another.

He could challenge a shield warrior hundreds of times in a row in order to break through the shield warrior's defense.

You could also stand still and get killed continuously for an entire day just to get used to an assassin's movements.

His win rate has remained around 55% for many years, which is not high, but no ninth-dan master who has fought against him dares to underestimate him in the slightest.

Because everyone understands that the person behind this ID isn't actually trying to rank up.

Qin Feng was like a dry sponge, frantically absorbing everyone's combat experience, turning those bizarre killing techniques into resources for his own growth.

Five years.

Qin Feng engages in more than 500 high-intensity matches every day on average.

Including previous matches, Qin Feng's total number of matches has reached an astonishing one million or more.

Inside the dormitory, Qin Feng slowly opened his eyes and exited the Imperial Arena.

His eyes were as calm as an ancient well, yet deep within them seemed to hold the birth and death of countless stars.

Qin Feng brought up his final Imperial Arena panel.

[ID: Qin]

Wins: 551, 875

Losses: 460, 625

[Win rate: 55%]

[Self-introduction: A practitioner of the Thousand-Army Spear technique]

[Enemy rating (9999+)...]

Qin Feng did not click on the messages from his opponents.

He simply stared at the numbers on the panel, feeling the tremendous transformation that five years of arduous training had brought him.

Although his realm and killing techniques have not changed, his actual combat power is now vastly different from what it was five years ago.

He slowly got up and pushed open the dormitory door.

The Starry Sky Cup is about to begin.
-
The airport of Canaan Star Martial University has long been occupied by massive military transport ships.

Qin Feng followed the crowd and boarded one of the ships heading to the main arena of sector K-739.

Outside the porthole, the familiar campus scene quickly receded into the distance, turning into a speck of dust in a sea of ​​stars.

The entire journey was tedious and fast-paced. Qin Feng kept his eyes closed the whole time to rest and adjust himself to his peak condition.

When he opened his eyes again, a magnificent building, enough to dazzle any first-time visitor, was already suspended in the starry sky.

This is a giant arena city built on the foundation of an asteroid belt.

The main stadium of the ninth-level martial arts arena, which Qin Feng is about to visit, is a skyscraper made entirely of dark gold alloy. Its height is enough to pierce through the thin planetary atmosphere, and its width stretches for hundreds of kilometers.

Official data shows that the main arena of this building is large enough to accommodate more than 50 million martial artists to watch the competition at the same time.

The preparation area within the venue, which is designated for participants, is so vast that it is almost the size of a city.

At this moment, all the official event channels within the "local star region," as well as hundreds of millions of private live streaming rooms in the subspace network, are all pointing their cameras at this place.

A grand event that will determine the landscape of talent in the star sector for the next decade is about to begin.

Qin Feng walked down the gangway alone and joined the steel torrent composed of pure level nine martial artists.

He sensed the powerful, restrained, or sharp auras surrounding him, but his expression remained unchanged.

Five years of honing his skills in the Imperial Arena had made him accustomed to the so-called "aura of the strong."

He didn't talk to anyone and went straight to his seat in the preparation area.

This is a spacious square where tens of thousands of participants sit in twos and threes, adjusting their equipment or meditating with their eyes closed.

Qin Feng chose a secluded corner to sit down, and just as he was about to enter a meditative state, a familiar yet somewhat unfamiliar voice rang in his ears.

"Holy crap, Qin Feng?!"

Qin Feng opened his eyes, looked in the direction of the sound, and was slightly taken aback.

A tall, muscular young man, as imposing as an iron tower, stood before him, his face filled with unbelievable surprise.

The young man had an honest face, but his eyes gleamed with shrewdness. He was none other than his long-lost friend, Qian Duoduo.

Time seemed to have been paused at that moment.

The last time we met was in high school. Back then, Qian Duoduo was a chubby little boy with baby fat on his face.

Now, he has long since shed his youthful naiveté, and his bulging muscles fill out his combat uniform, exuding a powerful aura.

"Little Fatty?"

Qin Feng stood up, a long-lost smile appearing on his face.

"Hey, I told you not to call me Little Fatty!"

Qian Duoduo grinned and gave Qin Feng a bear hug.

The two belong to different competition zones, so their chance encounter here was a delightful surprise.

"You've gotten quite a bit stronger in all these years."

Qin Feng patted his broad shoulder and said with emotion.

"That's right, I haven't been idle these past few years."

Qian Duoduo proudly puffed out her chest, "But you, you're still the same as ever. That thing hanging on your waist is so conspicuous that I hardly recognize you."

The two sat down and began to share their recent situations.

Qin Feng learned that after graduating from Qimingxing University, Qian Duoduo was admitted to a top 100 martial arts university, and he did not neglect his martial arts training.

He chose a steady and reliable "superior enlightenment method," which, although it was fast in opening and closing the mind, slowed down after level six.

"I've just advanced to the seventh level of martial artist, and my vitality index has barely reached 18,200 points. I can't compare to a monster like you."

Qian Duoduo scratched his head.

When he heard Qin Feng casually say that he had reached the ninth level, the "fourth major limit," Qian Duoduo's pupils still contracted sharply, even though he was mentally prepared.

He remained silent for a long time, and finally gave Qin Feng a strong thumbs up.

"As expected of you!"

A thousand words are contained within.

After a brief reminiscing, Qian Duoduo quickly switched back to his most proficient role as the "intelligence officer."

"Qin Feng, your goal this time is definitely to be among the top 1,000 in the Level 9 competition area and get that ticket to the Cosmic Genius Battle, right?"

Seeing Qin Feng nod, Qian Duoduo's expression also turned serious.

"Then we need to be careful. Starting from our Level 7 Martial Artist competition area, the competition mode has basically been fixed. It's all 1V1 arena matches. Losing one match means immediate elimination. It's simple and brutal."

These official selection competitions, which are held very frequently, generally use this format for efficiency, similar to the inter-school leagues we played in at Qimingxing back in the day.

He paused, then continued his analysis: "The ninth-level competition zone is the real den of dragons and tigers. None of those who can come here are pushovers."

Based on the intelligence I've gathered, there are two essential conditions for consistently breaking into the top 1,000.

"First, you must cultivate at least one level six killing technique to the 'Mastery Realm'. This is the most basic threshold; otherwise, your attack power will not be able to break through the defense at all."

"Secondly, and more importantly, you must have extremely rich practical experience."

Because your opponent could come from any galaxy and practice bizarre killing techniques you've never heard of before.

Without sufficient experience to handle such situations, it's easy to make a fatal mistake.

Qin Feng listened quietly, understanding the situation.

The five years of arduous training in the Imperial Arena were precisely to make up for this second weakness.

"Among the powerful individuals I know, there are a few you need to be especially careful of..."

Qian Duoduo opened his personal terminal and began to introduce the favorites to win the competition to Qin Feng.

The two chatted as they waited for the match to officially begin.

……

at the same time.

On the top floor of the main stadium, in a room with a minimalist, even shabby, decor.

The walls here are made of a special material that can absorb all light and energy fluctuations. From here, one can look down at the tens of millions of contestants below, while the outside world cannot see anything inside.

Inside the room, a dozen burly martial artists stood quietly in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window, their gazes piercing through the layers of space and landing on the vast preparation area below.

They were all wearing the Ultramarines Chapter's standard blue power armor, but no helmets, revealing weathered faces etched with determination and coldness.

One of the most striking common features is that above their brow bones, at least three bronze or rust-colored alloy studs are driven in in an almost barbaric manner.

—Wan Zhan Ding.

Each one represents a glorious victory worthy of being recorded in history; it is a symbol of honor and seniority.

Among these people, there was a figure that Qin Feng recognized very well.

It was Zhou Xiong, the company commander of the 7th Combat Company of the 7th Sub-Regiment of the Ultimate Warriors, a black hole-level powerhouse.

"Zhou Xiong, you're really good at hiding things!"

A burly man with a prosthetic left eye and four battle nails embedded in his brow bone nudged Zhou Xiong with his elbow, his tone full of sarcasm, "Such a promising talent has emerged from the Canaan Star System, and you haven't said a word? If our 'War Commander' hadn't casually mentioned it a couple of days ago, would this genius have been secretly lured away by your Seventh Division?"

"that is!"

Another person chimed in, "You, a company commander, want to monopolize a genius of this caliber? Your appetite is too big!"

Listening to the accusations, both overt and covert, from his colleagues, Zhou Xiong shook his head, feeling both amused and exasperated.

"Everyone, it's not that I want to keep this to myself, but it's a matter of great importance."

He said in a deep voice, "As you all know, our training principle is that we cannot give these children too much influence or interference before they graduate from university. We can only provide necessary 'ideological and political education' to prevent them from going astray."

"Of course we knew! That's why we waited until he was almost graduating before coming here!"

The one-eyed burly man laughed loudly, "You think you're hiding well? I knew all along!"

A burst of good-natured laughter rang out in the room.

"Speaking of which, this kid is about to graduate, right?"

Someone steered the conversation back on track, asking, "I wonder which sub-group he'll choose in the future, or if he'll be directly recruited by the main group?"

"What's the point of having a cosmic genius battle?!"

An impatient company commander said, "The small war zone doesn't have many resources, so it won't help geniuses of this level improve, and there's not much point in fighting there."

I think we should just admit them through special admissions! They're graduating soon anyway, so we can give them the green light.

"The top-tier resources the major war zone can provide, our sub-regiment can grit our teeth and give them to us too! This Qin Feng, our twelfth sub-regiment wants him!"

"Get lost! Your Twelfth Division just snatched a good prospect last time, now it's our Third Division's turn!"

"Stop arguing, it depends on the child's own wishes."

Everyone chimed in with their own comments, but the focus of the conversation remained on the young man in black sitting quietly in the corner below.

In the end, everyone's attention fell back on Zhou Xiong.

The one-eyed, burly man asked the question that everyone present was most concerned about, and his voice became a bit more serious.

"Zhou Xiong, tell me the truth. Is this Qin Feng a nail in the coffin, or a nail in the coffin?"

The noise in the room vanished instantly, and you could hear a pin drop.

Zhou Xiong remained silent for a moment before slowly uttering two words.

"One nail."

Upon hearing this answer, the atmosphere in the room immediately relaxed.

"One nail... that one nail can indeed give it the green light directly."

Someone breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Just join the sub-team after graduation. There's no need to fight in that small war zone of the Cosmic Genius War."

"Yes, although we don't know who he will ultimately choose, it's still our team's decision."

"What a pity, it's not a second nail."

Some people sighed with regret.

"What a waste!"

The one-eyed strongman immediately retorted, "If it's rated as a second-tier nail, then the news can't be kept secret at all!"
When the time comes, those hungry wolves from other battle groups will pounce on us as soon as they smell the scent. It's hard to say whether it will be our Ultra Warriors Battle Group's turn!

Besides, the potential of a nail is that it might become a second nail in the future!
As long as you survive and grow, you'll take off sooner or later!

These words were agreed upon by everyone present.

Just then, a sharp-eyed company commander spotted the ornament on Qin Feng's waist and exclaimed in surprise.

"Damn, look at this kid! He's already wearing the demon's head as a trophy! So arrogant! So cocky! I love it!"

"Haha, just my type!"

"We have to be wild!"

"..."

(End of this chapter)