High Martial Arts: Liver Becomes the Master of the Universe

Chapter 356 Ascending to the Top in One Step! Reaching Number One! Where did this prodigy come from?!
As the breathtaking seven-million-game winning streak of the Azure King came to an end, an eerie silence descended upon the entire waiting platform.

That colossal stone monument, towering into the void of the universe, resembled a silent giant, mercilessly mocking the overestimation of those who came after it with its densely packed yet unattainable names.

A seven-million-game winning streak—a feat that would be epic in any universe or star system—is here so rare that it doesn't even qualify to leave a trace on the very end of the stone tablet.

This stark contrast instilled a chill and awe in every powerful figure present, a feeling that emanated from the depths of their souls.

"Even a supreme genius like the Azure Heaven King, who walked the path to godhood and proved the Dao through strength, could not leave his name... The value of the Heroes' Monument on Martial Fighting Mountain is terrifyingly high."

A king from another race muttered to himself, his voice filled with disbelief.

"Terrifying? It's more than just terrifying!"

A veteran King beside him shook his head and smiled bitterly, “You only know that the Azure Heaven King is powerful, but you don’t know that this stone tablet records all the challengers throughout the countless years since the establishment of Martial Fighting Mountain. How many extraordinary talents are among them? How many geniuses on the path to divinity? Even… how many unparalleled figures who eventually became Emperors or even the legendary Lords of the Universe also came here to undergo trials in their youth!”

These words were like a bucket of cold water, extinguishing the last bit of hope in everyone's hearts.

Yes, compared to the endless historical river of the entire universe, the Azure King is indeed dazzling, but he is just a ripple in the ocean.

Amidst this solemn atmosphere, another figure slowly walked towards the entrance of Martial Arts Mountain.

This person, dressed in a gray monk's robe, with a solemn and dignified appearance, was none other than the stone Buddha who had arrived earlier but had been standing quietly in a corner, seemingly isolated from the world.

At this moment, his aura was completely different from when he was in the Crimson Forbidden Land. The sharpness of his former half-step divine forbidden state had been completely concealed, replaced by a harmonious, profound, and unfathomable kingly pressure.

He had already successfully broken through and advanced to the level of a king over the years.

"It's the Stone Buddha! That prodigy of the Stone Clan's Zen sect!"

"He's been promoted to king! I wonder what kind of record he'll achieve?"

"The divine genius who has been promoted to king has a foundation far stronger than ours, but I estimate he is not as strong as the Azure King, since he did not walk the path to godhood."

Another burst of discussion erupted from the crowd.

After all, the Stone Buddha's former reputation as a divine being was too great, and even though he had just been promoted, everyone's expectations for him were instantly raised to the maximum.

The stone Buddha ignored the surrounding chatter, calmly stepped into the portal, and disappeared.

In an instant, everyone's eyes were drawn to the smooth, mirror-like surface of Wudou Mountain.

A glimmer of light appeared, signifying the official start of the stone Buddha's challenge.

The spot of light climbed upwards at an astonishing speed.

one million!

Two million!
three million!
Its ascent was even faster than that of the previous genius ranked ninety-first on the King Ranking, demonstrating the unparalleled solid foundation of a genius after advancing to the Divine Forbidden Realm.

However, after the Light Spot broke through four million consecutive wins, its speed began to slow down significantly.

Four and a half million...

Four million eight hundred thousand...

Finally, after barely breaking the five million mark, the light spot suddenly paused and then dimmed.

The next moment, the figure of the stone Buddha was teleported out, still with that calm and composed expression, as if the five million consecutive wins were neither a surprise nor a disappointment to him, but simply a result he had already expected.

He didn't linger on the platform, only glancing casually at the figure in the corner made entirely of precision metal before quietly retreating into the crowd and concealing his presence once more.

"A five-million-game winning streak..."

"On par with that prodigy ranked ninety-first on the King's List."

"While it's not bad, it's still two million games behind the Heavenly King."

"It seems that even for the most talented geniuses in the Divine Forbidden Realm, challenging this Martial Fighting Mountain is no easy task. There are also differences between the different paths of the Divine Realm."

Everyone was filled with emotion.

The stone Buddha's performance once again provides evidence of the terrifying difficulty of Wudou Mountain.

It's like the most precise and ruthless yardstick, nakedly measuring the true combat strength of every prodigy, without any tricks.

After witnessing three renowned geniuses, whose names resounded throughout the region and even the universe, successfully complete the challenge, the atmosphere on the platform became increasingly oppressive.

Many of the powerful figures who were initially eager to become kings have now calmed down and begun to reassess their strength.

Just then, the old, mechanical notification sound rang out again.

"The next challenger, Vanguard."

As soon as the words were spoken, a figure slowly emerged from the corner of the platform.

It was a mechanical life form made entirely of an unknown silver-gray metal.

His body was sleek and powerful, with every joint shimmering with precise energy. His eyes were composed of two pure red crystals, devoid of any emotion.

It is Qin Feng's mechanical embodiment—the Vanguard.

His appearance did not cause the same huge sensation as that of the Azure King and the Stone Buddha.

The powerful figures present merely glanced at him casually.

"The Machine Race? I've never heard of any prodigy from this race named 'Vanguard'."

"His aura is very ordinary. He seems to be just an ordinary king, or perhaps he has only recently been promoted."

"Looks like another one here to broaden his horizons, probably only at the level of a million-win streak."

To everyone else, this was just another ordinary challenger. After witnessing the unparalleled performance of the Azure King, such a plain and unremarkable appearance was hardly of any interest to them.

Qin Feng controlled the body of "Vanguard," ignoring all the discussions around him.

He walked step by step toward the light gate of Wudou Mountain, experiencing the wonderful sensations brought by this brand-new body.

Then, unnoticed by anyone, he stepped through the portal leading to endless battle.

Light and shadow rotate, the universe changes.

When Qin Feng's consciousness finally stabilized within the avatar of "Vanguard," he found himself in an endless starry arena.

There is no heaven or earth here, no boundaries, only pure nothingness and eternal solitude.

"This feeling……"

Qin Feng's heart stirred slightly, "It's very similar to the internal space of the Blood God Tower, and it also has a similar concept to the Holy Tower of the Holy Academy."

Based on external information and his own current experience, the Martial Arts Mountain before him seemed to be more pure—it tested the most fundamental and comprehensive "combat ability".

Just as he was pondering, countless points of light began to converge in the void ahead, quickly condensing into a phantom exactly like him.

Whether it's the body shape, energy fluctuations, or even the metallic texture that makes up the body, everything is imitated perfectly.

"The first battle begins."

A chilling will resounded throughout the space.

The shadow moved.

Its movements were devoid of any fancy moves, just a standard mechanical punch—fast, accurate, and ruthless—aiming straight for the vanguard's core.

Qin Feng did not dodge.

He raised his right arm in the same manner and met the attack.

"clang!"

A clear, melodious sound, like the clash of divine metal, echoed through the void.

At the center of the collision between the two metal fists, a visible ripple of energy spread outwards.

The next instant, the phantom shattered from the fist's edge, turning into countless points of light that vanished without a trace.

"As expected, the first battle was just a test."

Qin Feng withdrew his fist, carefully sensing the feedback from the attack.

The power transmission method of the mechanical body, the operating efficiency of the energy circuit, the vibration frequency of the alloy armor... all the data streams flowed through his consciousness like a waterfall, deepening his control over this avatar.

This body is a masterpiece he personally forged over a century, using a vast amount of divine materials and countless top-tier mechanical race secret techniques obtained from the Holy Academy.

Every component and every circuit reflects his understanding of the "ultimate" principle.

Before he could savor the moment any longer, the second phantom had already solidified into a form.

This time, the phantom's strength had increased significantly, and it now wielded a high-frequency vibrational battle blade.

The battle broke out again.

Qin Feng did not rush to achieve quick results, but instead regarded this challenge as the best training ground to familiarize himself with this brand-new body.

Sometimes he would use pure physical strength to clash with the phantom, testing the ultimate load-bearing capacity of the alloy armor; sometimes he would activate the energy core within his body to release energy cannons of various forms, testing the stability and intensity of the firepower output; and sometimes he would transform, simulating different weapon forms to practice close combat skills.

On the external platform, the light representing the "vanguard" is climbing upwards at an extremely steady pace.

100,000... 500,000... 1 million...

At first, no one noticed him. But when his winning streak easily surpassed three million, exceeding that of the local prodigy, and continued at an outrageously steady rate of increase, someone finally realized something was wrong.

"Huh? That mechanical race called 'Vanguard' has surpassed three million!"

"His speed has hardly changed! You see, from the beginning until now, the speed at which his light spot moves has been almost a straight line! This shows that the difficulty of achieving three million consecutive wins is still a piece of cake for him!"

"How is this possible? How could an unknown mechanical race possess such strength?"

Discussions arose again on the platform, this time tinged with surprise and curiosity.

Inside Martial Arts Mountain, Qin Feng's consciousness was completely immersed in analyzing his own power.

"The power of the Twin Masks is indeed mysterious."

As he easily tore a phantom wielding two swords to pieces, he calmly analyzed the situation in his mind.

"This mechanical avatar, because it was constructed by splitting off half of my soul essence and using the [Twin Masks] as its core, can almost be seen as two different manifestations of the same entity as my human self. But ultimately, there are still essential differences."

Qin Feng clearly sensed that, in terms of pure physical strength, this mechanical body was slightly inferior to his human ultimate body, which had been tempered by the Nine-Colored Divine Lightning, fused with the Void Black Flame, and forged into a "Silver-White Body".

This "inferiority" does not refer to inferior materials; on the contrary, every type of divine metal used in this body is an extremely rare treasure in the universe.

However, the potential of the human body lies in "evolution" and "infinite possibilities." Every time it is broken and rebuilt, every time it is tempered to the limit, it can bring about a qualitative leap.

The strength of a mechanical body is essentially fixed from the moment it is created.

"Of course, this is not absolute."

Qin Feng's thoughts raced.

"If I were to spare no expense and integrate that piece of [Weeping Divine Gold] into this avatar instead of reserving it as the core of a future grand formation, then the strength of this avatar would instantly soar to an unbelievable level."

It is likely that only a Saint-level expert could personally arrive and shake it in the slightest.

But doing so would be tantamount to sacrificing limitless future possibilities for immediate combat power, weakening the ultimate ceiling of my 'Path to the Limit'. It would be a losing proposition.

【The Weeping Divine Gold】is one of the thirty-six most powerful divine golds in the universe. It is the key to his advancement to the King level and one of the cores of the supreme array foundation he envisions for carrying his "Ultimate Great Dao".

This plan must not be shaken.

"However, the true strength of the machine race does not lie in the physical strength of individual combat."

Qin Feng's thoughts drifted in another direction.

He recalled the top-level secret techniques about the machine race that he had read in the Holy Academy.

"Give me enough time and resources, I can create an army of billions of machines, from the most basic combat units to 'Star God' level war behemoths comparable to marquises or kings. Then, using myself as the 'main brain,' I can amplify the power of all units through secret techniques like the 'Divine Scripture of the Unity of All Machines,' linking the power of all units into a unified whole..."

A grand war scene appeared in his mind.

"At that time, I alone will be a pinnacle civilization. I will steadily and surely occupy a star sector and transform it into my absolute domain."

Within my domain, the energy network is endless, the weapons of war are ever-evolving, and defensive arrays are spread throughout the void.

"After developing for hundreds of thousands of years, let alone a Golden Emperor, even if dozens of top-tier Imperial-level beings like the Golden Emperor joined forces to break in, they would be trapped and killed by my Mechanical Calamity."

This is the advantage of the Mech race.

They are better suited for positional warfare and are more adept at "nationwide warfare".

The longer a company develops, the deeper its accumulated foundation becomes, and the more terrifying its strength becomes.

"And my human form represents the other extreme."

The contrast with Qin Feng becomes increasingly clear.

"The body of the Ultimate God King is impervious to all laws, and can break through all laws with sheer force. Its advantage lies in its super high mobility and individual strength. It can go anywhere in the world. One person and one gun can cut through the heart of an entire race. The two have completely different advantages and disadvantages, which complement each other perfectly."

One is in charge of the interior, the other is in charge of the exterior.

One is suitable to stay in the rear and develop gradually, serving as the most solid trump card.

A weapon suitable for venturing out into the world, seeking opportunities, and serving as a sharp blade in battle.

"Playing both sides simultaneously, this move was the right one."

Qin Feng's mind was clear.

This trial at Wudou Mountain gave him a deeper and more concrete understanding of his future path.

In the short time he was deep in thought, the number of points of light outside had quietly broken through the five million mark!

"Five...five million!"

A gasp of surprise, like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirred up a thousand waves on the waiting platform.

All eyes were fixed on the light spot that represented the "vanguard," which was still rising steadily, their gazes filled with shock and disbelief.

"He broke five million! He's tied the record of Stone Buddha and that prodigy on the King's List!"

"My God, who is he? His speed hasn't changed at all from start to finish! This means that even an opponent with a five-million-game winning streak poses no threat to him!"

"Monster! Yet another monster! It's one thing for a prodigy like the Azure Heaven King to appear on the path of the gods, but where did this mechanical race come from? Could it be... also a hidden cultivator on the path of the gods?"

At this moment, no one dared to underestimate this mysterious mechanical race known as "Vanguard." He proved his strength to everyone in the most direct and ruthless way.

Those powerful figures who had previously thought he was just "coming to broaden his horizons" now felt their faces burning with embarrassment.

Inside Wudou Mountain, Qin Feng had completely completed the familiarization and evaluation of the mechanical avatar.

The battles that followed had lost their meaning as "trials" for him; they had become pure challenges.

"Then let me see where the limits of this Martial Arts Mountain really are."

With a thought, Qin Feng instantly mobilized the energy core power within "Vanguard" to its maximum.

His original steady fighting style was completely gone, replaced by a devastating and domineering destructive force.

Faced with the formed phantom, whose strength had reached the peak of an ordinary king, he no longer engaged in any unnecessary probing or maneuvering.

On the vanguard's silver-gray body, countless intricate energy patterns suddenly lit up, and his arms instantly reconstructed and combined, transforming into two giant planet-destroying cannons that shimmered with an aura of destruction.

"boom--!"

Two thick, blazing white torrents of energy, powerful enough to pierce through stars, instantly engulfed the illusory figure in front of them at speeds exceeding the speed of light.

Without screams or struggles, the powerful phantom, along with a large area of ​​the void around it, was completely evaporated and annihilated by this attack.

Instant kill!

Starting with a six-million-win streak, Qin Feng completely rewrote the rhythm of the battle.

On the external platform, all the people saw was that the light spot, which was originally moving at a constant speed, suddenly accelerated after breaking through five million!
Its rate of ascent is several times faster than before!
Six million!
Six and a half million!
Seven million!
When the light spot surged past the seven million mark, matching the previous record set by the Azure King, the entire platform fell into a deathly silence.

Everyone held their breath, their hearts pounding.

They are witnessing a historic moment!

"It's a tie! He's caught up with the Heavenly King's record!"

"He's still rising! His speed hasn't slowed down at all! My God, he's about to surpass the Azure King!"

Under the watchful eyes of countless tense, excited, and shocked people, the point of light did not stop for a moment, but boldly crossed the threshold of seven million and launched an attack towards an unprecedented height!
Seven million one hundred thousand!

Seven million three hundred thousand!
Seven and a half million!
Inside Wudou Mountain.

The enemy Qin Feng was facing had become so powerful that it was terrifying.

These phantoms are no longer isolated entities; they begin to display all sorts of incredible abilities.

Some phantoms seem to be composed of pure laws, able to draw upon the power of the universe's origin with every gesture; some phantoms can split into thousands of clones to form battle formations for siege; and some phantoms possess bizarre mental techniques that can directly attack the challenger's soul.

The battle began to become difficult. For the first time, damage appeared on the body of "Vanguard".

Deep, bone-revealing slashes and holes scalded by energy silently testified to the ferocity of the battle.

However, Qin Feng's eyes, or rather his two red, crystalline eyes, remained completely unmoved.

His brain at this moment is like a highly sophisticated supercomputer.

He instantly captured, analyzed, and calculated the optimal response to every phantom's attack pattern, energy frequency, law fluctuations, and movement trajectory.

His body transformed into the most perfect killing machine, achieving the greatest results with the least cost.

When his winning streak reached 7.8 million, he encountered a phantom whose strength was comparable to that of a peak-level King.

The opponent wielded a giant axe and employed a domineering and unparalleled plundering law that was extremely similar to that of the Plundering Emperor.

One of the "vanguard's" arms was severed by the opponent in a head-on clash.

But at the very moment the arm broke off, Qin Feng activated the self-destruct mechanism inside the severed arm, causing it to explode.

The violent energy surge instantly blasted the phantom figure, causing it to stagger.

Seizing this fleeting opportunity, "Vanguard's" remaining left arm transformed into a spiraling spear with extreme penetrating power, piercing precisely through the core of the phantom with an attitude that disregarded spatial distance.

Victory still belongs to him!

Seven million nine hundred thousand!
Seven million nine hundred and fifty thousand!

7.99 million!

He is just one step away from the legendary eight-million-game winning streak.

At this moment, his body was already in a terrible state. The energy core issued an overload warning, and his metal body was covered with cracks, as if it would disintegrate at any moment.

Finally, the phantom image of the 7,999,999th scene solidified into a physical form.

It was a phantom composed entirely of chaotic light. It had no fixed form, yet it exuded a terrifying aura that could make even top-tier emperors tremble.

It seems to represent the concept of pure "destruction".

The battle broke out.

Qin Feng pushed the performance of this mechanical avatar to its limit.

Laws, energy, physical body, computational power... everything was transformed into the purest fighting instinct.

The battle lasted for three days and three nights.

Finally, when "Vanguard" transformed its remaining half-body into a final energy source, charging towards the chaotic phantom in a suicidal manner, a violent explosion that resounded throughout the entire space accompanied the phantom being completely erased.

Victory!
The 7,999,999th session is approved!

However, before Qin Feng could catch his breath, the phantom of the eighth millionth scene had already begun to condense.

That was an aura that... surpassed the limits of being a king and faintly touched the realm of "emperor"!
At this moment, the "Vanguard" was truly at its last gasp, unable to even maintain its most basic form.

Facing this last invincible enemy, Qin Feng felt no regret, only peace.

He voluntarily gave up resisting.

With a flash of light, his figure was teleported out of Wudou Mountain.

……

On the platform, the figure of "vanguard" quietly appeared.

His broken body was completely repaired by the power of the rules of Martial Fighting Mountain the moment the teleportation was completed, and he still looked cold and precise, as if everything he had just experienced was just a dream.

Qin Feng's consciousness swept over the perfectly intact avatar, and he sighed softly in his heart.

"Pity."

He muttered to himself, a voice only he could hear.

"If it were my true human form, with the characteristics of the 'Ultimate Body'—breaking and rebuilding, growing stronger with each battle—and the domineering power of the 'Primordial Furnace'—which devours everything, this eight-millionth phantom would be easily crushed. This mechanical body is ultimately slightly inferior in 1v1 combat."

He glanced at his challenge token, which showed that there were still more than 99,000 years left before the 100,000-year challenge deadline.

"There's still plenty of time, so there's no rush."

Qin Feng had made up his mind.

This challenge made him realize the shortcomings of the mechanical form.

Next, he planned to leave this place to find some resources that could enhance his understanding of the laws.

Once my understanding of the power of the laws has improved, I will challenge this final stage again.

He raised his head and looked at the huge stone tablet.

At that very moment, atop the stone tablet, a divine light burst forth!

The first line, which was originally empty, was now imprinted with a brand new name, in a domineering manner, its brilliance even overshadowing all the names below!
First place: Vanguard!
Record: 7,999,999 consecutive wins!

Having done all this, Qin Feng ignored the frozen atmosphere behind him, controlled the body of "Vanguard", turned around, took a step, and his figure disappeared into the vast universe, clean and swift.

Qin Feng's avatar, "Vanguard," departed, like a shooting star piercing the eternal darkness, coming silently and leaving without a trace.

However, the dazzling trail he left behind was deeply imprinted in the void outside Martial Fighting Mountain, and even more so in the soul of every King-level expert present.

That monument to heroes, which has looked down upon all living beings like a god since ancient times, is now shining with unprecedented brilliance.

The words "First Place: Vanguard" at the very top seem to have been written by the very origin of the universe, with each stroke containing an overwhelming and awe-inspiring pressure.

A winning streak of 7,999,999.

This number, like an unimaginably majestic mountain, weighs heavily on everyone's hearts.

After a deathly silence that lasted for more than ten breaths, almost freezing one's soul, a deafening roar, a hundred times more intense than ever before, finally erupted from the waiting platform!

"A...a completely new history! We...we have actually witnessed the birth of an unprecedented record!"

A powerful king from the troll race, his mountain-sized body trembling slightly, roared in a hoarse voice.

"Just one win away! Did you see that? He's only one last, and most insignificant, win away from that legendary ultimate reward!"

Another winged king unfurled his magnificent wings of light and shouted excitedly, his voice so shrill it almost pierced eardrums.

"Insignificant? You call the legendary eighth millionth level, which no one has ever been able to cross, 'insignificant'?"

A powerful figure immediately retorted with a cold laugh, but his eyes were also filled with undisguised shock. "However, you're right... This is indeed the closest any challenger has ever come to success throughout history! So close... it seems almost within reach!"

Fanaticism, excitement, shock, bewilderment, awe... a complex mix of emotions intertwined, collided, and fermented in the hearts of thousands of powerful figures who had been crowned kings, ultimately converging into an ultimate question that no one could avoid.

"Do you think that within the next 100,000 years, it's possible for him... this 'vanguard', to actually fight the final eight millionth match?"

This question, like a star that has been detonated, instantly pushed the atmosphere on the platform to its peak.

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"

An ancient-looking, seemingly ancient king from the previous era shook his head decisively. He said in an unquestionable tone, "I have lingered in the Tianheng Star Region for over 300 million years and have personally witnessed at least 8,000 to 10,000 peerless geniuses."

Among them are many extraordinary figures who have embarked on the path of divinity and even possess cosmic wonders.

Among them, the strongest only managed a winning streak of 7.9 million, not even qualifying to reach the heights 'Vanguard' has reached today!

He paused, a hint of awe for history flashing in his cloudy eyes: "Since its founding, how many eras has Wudou Mountain spanned? How many brilliant names that once illuminated an era are recorded on this monument to heroes? Has anyone ever successfully broken the eight million-win streak?"
No! Not a single one! This means that the final hurdle wasn't prepared for those at the King-level at all! It was an insurmountable chasm, a chasm, an absolute barrier set up by the Master of Martial Arts, symbolizing 'the limit' and 'the impossible'!

His words carried weight and drew nods of agreement from many powerful figures.

“That’s right, I’ve also heard the elders in my clan mention a secret.”

A king from a top-tier clan interjected, "It is said that there was once a king of extraordinary talent who walked the path to godhood."

He wanted to seize a great opportunity in the final moments of his life.

He fought his way through countless obstacles, but ultimately fell before the eight millionth illusory figure, dying with regret.

"Even a powerful Emperor-level expert couldn't overcome this hurdle; I don't believe a newly promoted King-level expert can."

"I also think the chances are slim."

Another mechanical race king, known for his calmness and analytical skills, had data streaming rapidly in his eyes. "According to our race's database analysis of tens of millions of years of data from Martial Peak, the higher the winning streak, the steeper the curve of the phantom's strength improvement."

From 7,999,999 matches to the 8,000,000th match, this seemingly small difference actually represents a vast leap in strength, potentially exceeding the total number of matches from the first to the 7,990,000th match!

Pessimistic sentiments, like a dark cloud, quickly enveloped the platform.

The weight of history, the failures of countless predecessors, and the philosophical significance behind that obstacle are like towering mountains, making it impossible to see any hope of success.

However, where there are dark clouds, there are also lights that try to pierce them.

"I object!"

A young, ambitious, and sharp-witted human king retorted loudly, his eyes burning with fierce flames: "You use historical experience to judge a person who created history, which is the biggest paradox in itself!"

Before the emergence of 'Vanguard,' who could have imagined that someone could push a winning streak to such terrifying heights? Who could have imagined that someone could suddenly appear at the top of the Heroes' Monument leaderboard?

He looked around, his voice growing more impassioned: "History is meant to be broken! Conventions are meant to be overturned! The fact that he has come this far proves that he has the potential to break all impossibilities!"
You said that final hurdle was an insurmountable barrier, but he's standing right in front of it! You said it was a sheer cliff, but he's already climbed to the top!

"More importantly,"

The human king held up a finger, his eyes gleaming with wisdom. "You've all overlooked the most crucial factor—time! He still has nearly 100,000 years left to challenge!"

What does 100,000 years mean to us kings? It means infinite possibilities!
His decision to leave temporarily indicates that he has a clear understanding of his current abilities and a well-defined plan to improve them.

When he returns on the last day of the 100,000-year period, how terrifyingly advanced will his strength be? At that time, he might very well create this final, and greatest, miracle!

These words were like a thunderclap, cleaving through the gloom that had shrouded everyone's hearts.

Yes, time!
For a peerless genius who has already reached the pinnacle of the King-level realm, ten thousand years is enough time for any miracle to happen!

"That makes sense! If he can make history once, why can't he make it a second time?"

"That's right! I suddenly feel that we might really have a chance to witness the birth of the ultimate legend of Martial Arts Mountain!"

"I choose to believe in 'Vanguard'! He has already proven with his strength that he is the epitome of miracles!"

For a time, the platform was divided into two distinct factions.

One faction firmly believes that the ironclad laws of history are unshakeable and that the "vanguard" will ultimately perish at the last hurdle.
The other faction chose to believe in miracles, thinking that this mysterious genius who appeared out of nowhere was destined to write the most perfect ending to this myth.

The two factions argued endlessly, quoting classics and getting carried away, turning what should have been a platform where the strong waited quietly into a place more chaotic than the most bustling marketplace in the universe.

……

In this noisy and frenzied ocean, there is a solitary reef that remains absolutely calm no matter how the wind and waves crash against it.

Stone Buddha.

He remained standing in the corner of the crowd, as if separated from the bustling world around him by an invisible barrier.

He did not participate in any discussions, nor did he comment on the astonishing victory.

His gaze pierced through the noisy crowd, crossed the platform's boundaries, and stared blankly at the deep void where "Vanguard" had just disappeared, as if trying to find a long-lost answer in that endless darkness.

For the first time, a feeling called "confusion" was revealed in those eyes, which were polished by divine stones over millions of years.

"is it him?"

A faint, almost imperceptible sound escaped from his throat, more of a self-examination and self-criticism than a question.

This thought, like a magical vine sprouting from the deepest part of his soul, grew and spread wildly, entangling every inch of his thoughts once it appeared.

"No...how is that possible?"

He slowly and forcefully shook his head, as if trying to shake this utterly absurd idea out of his mind.

"Qin Feng... is dead."

The stone Buddha murmured to itself, repeating this universally acknowledged fact over and over again.

"The Heavenly Mystery Sect personally confirmed that its original Dao and soul imprint were completely reduced to nothingness in the earth-shattering self-destruction in the Kurgan Star Abyss. Its form and spirit were annihilated, and not even a trace of its true spirit dissipated."

This is the most complete death in the universe, irreversible by any means. Even the legendary supreme beings who control spacetime cannot retrieve something from absolute nothingness.

His logic is clear and cold, and every step is flawless.

Qin Feng's demise was not an ordinary battle death, but a final curtain call that would be written into an immortal legend and watched by the entire universe.

He faced over fifty emperors alone, slaying one and severely injuring thirty-six, ultimately ending his legend with a spectacular self-destruction.

That kind of death was too perfect, and too decisive.

So resolute that it left no room for any possibility of resurrection.

but……

The stone Buddha's gaze unconsciously returned to the monument to heroes.

The name "Vanguard" kept expanding and shrinking in his pupils.

Scenes, one after another, overlapped with the figure from the depths of his memory: the one in the blood-red forbidden land, wielding a long spear, daring to fight against ten thousand armies with just one spear, and confronting the divine forbidden land.

Their external forms, races, and power systems are all completely different.

One is a body of flesh and blood.

One is a mechanical body.

But the domineering will hidden deep within, quietly emanating from it, revealed a startling similarity that made his heart tremble!

"Coincidence?"

For the first time, the stone Buddha's brows furrowed tightly.

"The universe is vast and full of wonders. It's not impossible for two unparalleled geniuses to emerge, each walking the path to the limits of their respective fields..."

He tried to convince himself with reason.

However, another, deeper thought lingered in his mind.

He remembered the purpose of his trip.

A cosmic marvel—[Dou]!
The reason he came to this perilous Martial Fighting Mountain, where the Stone Clan Zen Sect had secretly laid a trap, and the reason he was willing to risk being discovered and eliminated by the sect to compete for this opportunity alone, was fundamentally due to the deal he made with Qin Feng outside the Blood Forbidden Land.

He provides clues about the [Battle], while Qin Feng will help him break free from the shackles of the sect in the future.

It was an equal collaboration based on the strength and potential of both parties.

However, Qin Feng died.

He had no choice but to come by himself.

"If...if Qin Feng were still alive, given his personality, he would never miss this grand feast of 'fighting'."

He might even arrive here before me, and in his 'fierce god' reputation, he'll rightfully annihilate all who covet it, then take the treasure.

A complex light flashed in the stone Buddha's eyes, containing reminiscence, regret, and even a trace of loneliness that he himself was unaware of.

"It was because he died that our deal fell through."

That's why I had no choice but to choose this most difficult and dangerous path, to personally enter the fray, and with my newly promoted, meager King-level strength, to gamble for that sliver of hope right under the noses of those old monsters in the sect.

His mutterings revealed a deep sense of helplessness.

For Qin Feng, death was not only the loss of a potential and powerful ally, but also the complete severing of his previously clear path to breaking the deadlock.

Now, he can only venture out alone, walking on thin ice.

Thinking of this, the absurd doubt in Shi Fo's heart was finally overwhelmed by the heavy reality.

"It can't be him."

He slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, as if trying to expel all the confusion and uncertainty in his heart.

"This should just be another equally impressive newcomer. The Machine Race... the vanguard... I'll remember that."

The stone Buddha forcibly pulled back his chaotic thoughts, and his stone eyes regained their deep and calm state, like an ancient well without a ripple.

He stopped dwelling on that impossible answer.

For him, the most urgent task is to figure out how to find a flaw in the inescapable trap set by the Shizu Zen sect and snatch the prize from the jaws of this newly crowned, unfathomably powerful first-place winner of the Heroic Monument.

Regardless of whether Qin Feng is the "vanguard," he has become his biggest and most formidable competitor in his quest for the [Fight] character artifact.

(End of this chapter)