High Martial Arts: Liver Becomes the Master of the Universe

Chapter 44 The Emperor's Chosen

Thunder Martial Hall, spectator stands.

On the screen, the gunman with the ID "Qin" dodged Zhou Yu's desperate counterattack with an unbelievable footwork.

Just as he twisted his body to the limit, about to draw his gun, at that very moment...

Above his left brow bone, a barely perceptible glimmer of dark gold light flashed and disappeared like a shooting star.

The light was so faint and so fleeting that, to the students who were completely absorbed in the intense battle, it was nothing more than a fleeting illusion amidst the interplay of light and shadow.

However, for the seven or eight Martial Hall experts sitting in the front row, this scene was like a star being thrown into the calm lake of their hearts!

Swah——

Almost simultaneously, seven or eight figures stood up abruptly from their seats!
Each of them stared wide-eyed, their faces filled with disbelief and shock, intently watching the figure on the screen who had already delivered the fatal blow and stood there with his gun holstered.

The air seemed to freeze at this moment.

One of the strongest men, who had a goatee and appeared to be the oldest, slowly turned his head and looked at a cold-faced middle-aged martial artist beside him with a questioning gaze.

The middle-aged martial artist did not speak, but nodded very slowly and solemnly.

He then looked at another burly man, as big as a bear.

The burly man returned the look with an affirmative glance, his Adam's apple bobbing as if he were forcibly suppressing something.

Seven or eight pairs of eyes met silently in the air, each reflecting the same shock and confirmation.

They weren't mistaken.

After confirming this, everyone slowly sat back down, but their straight backs and tightly clenched fists silently spoke of their inner turmoil.

They did not exchange words on the spot, but continued to stare at the light screen with an unprecedented, intense and complex gaze until the battle was completely over.

……

On the stage, the outcome is already decided.

After Zhou Yu finished giving the military salute, his figure turned into specks of light and completely disappeared.

Inside the virtual connection pod, Zhou Yu slowly opened her eyes.

Her face still bore the flush of a fierce battle, and although her eyes held a hint of defeat, they also reflected a greater sense of satisfaction and joy at having met her match.

Her consciousness withdrew from the Imperial Arena and came before the powerful figures of the Martial Hall, bowing respectfully.

"I failed the assessment."

"It doesn't matter."

The leading goatee-bearded powerhouse waved his hand, his voice much gentler, "Your performance in this battle has exceeded our expectations. Victory and defeat are common in war, especially since you encountered an opponent you shouldn't have met at your level."

"I request a break. I want to review what I learned in the battle and watch the recording a few more times."

Zhou Yu's voice was firm, and her eyes shone with a thirst for knowledge.

"it is good."

The powerful man with the goatee agreed without hesitation, "Go, and contemplate this enlightenment. This moment of enlightenment will be far more valuable to you than the outcome of an assessment."

"Thank you."

Zhou Yu bowed again, then sat down cross-legged on the spot, pulled up the battle video of the Imperial Arena, and immediately entered a state of focused review.

Seeing her absorbed in the moment, the several Martial Hall experts exchanged glances, and an invisible network of mental communication was instantly established between them.

"...The Nail of Favor, I'm not mistaken, am I?"

The voice of the powerful man with the goatee resounded in everyone's minds, trembling slightly.

No, we saw it all.

The stern-faced middle-aged martial artist immediately replied, "That is the Nail of Favor!"

"Damn it!" The burly man's voice boomed like thunder. "No wonder he's so ruthless! I was wondering how someone who's never learned the Nine-Fold Thunder Blade could have such a thorough understanding of it, even more so than Zhou Yu, and how he could pinpoint every flaw so accurately... Turns out he's the Emperor's chosen one, a genius handpicked by the Emperor."

"Where's his information? Get it immediately! Is he a martial artist from our Thunder Battle Group's territory? Which martial arts school's prodigy is he?"

Another martial artist asked eagerly.

"It's already been checked."

A tall, thin martial artist in charge of intelligence immediately replied, his voice tinged with barely concealed disappointment, “He doesn’t belong to us. His registration location is on the Pegasus Arm, Venus. That’s the territory of the ‘Extreme Battle Group.’ He comes from a place called ‘Qiming First Martial Arts High School,’ and their martial arts hall seems to be called ‘Starry Sky Martial Arts University,’ which is quite different from our model.”

“The Extreme Battle Group…” The goatee-bearded powerhouse stroked his beard, his eyes filled with complex emotions. “We can’t let him go to waste. Seventh Brother, you’re in charge of contacting the person in charge of the Extreme Battle Group over there and sending over the combat video of this ‘Qin’ along with our assessment. Such a genius must receive the highest level of attention.”

"Yes, teacher, I'll take care of it right away."

The middle-aged martial artist, referred to as Seventh Brother, respectfully agreed.

"Speaking of which, the school model of the Extreme Battle Group does seem to be more likely to cultivate top geniuses."

A relatively young martial artist lamented, "We've been promoting the 'Emperor's Meditation Method' for a long time, but very few people have paid attention to it."

"Tch, most of those trained in the school system are hothouse flowers, they've never experienced real blood and fire, all looks and no substance."

The burly man retorted dismissively.

"That's not quite right," the goatee-bearded strongman said slowly. "As far as I know, the Martial Arts Academy of the Limitless Battle Group also has brutal practical training courses, and even sends students directly to border planets to fight against alien races. On the contrary, our martial arts school model relies too much on the students' family background and personal self-discipline, burying countless geniuses from humble backgrounds. That 'Qin', if he had been born here, probably wouldn't even have had the chance to touch the threshold of the 'Thousand Army Spear'."

"That's true, but...where would we get that much money?"

Someone gave a wry smile and pointed out the core problem: "The Extreme Battle Group is stationed at the front-line star sector year-round, with countless experts, numerous military achievements, and overflowing wealth. They can directly transform planets into military academies... the students even have guaranteed resources. If they have money, of course they can do that. We poor battle groups tried to copy their school model, and you all know what a mess we ended up in. We don't even have guaranteed resources; we have to fight for the resources meant for geniuses."

These words silenced everyone.

Ultimately, everything requires resources.

An experimental reform by a high-level martial arts expert, or even a failed interstellar war, can directly impact the education policies of countless generations on various educational planets for thousands of years to come...

Qin Feng was born at a good time and in a good place.

"This kid was born in a good place at a good time."

"Who says it isn't?"

"Contact the Extreme Battle Group, that's all." ...

the other side.

Qiming First Martial Arts High School, Public Martial Arts Room.

Qin Feng had no idea what kind of waves his ranking match would stir up in a distant galaxy.

At this moment, he, like Zhou Yu, was also immersed in the exhilarating battle video.

He froze the frame on the moment he used the "Dragon Soaring" movement technique to dodge Zhou Yu's close-range slash.

He zoomed in on the image and slowed it down to the limit.

In that critical moment, a faint golden light did indeed appear on his left brow bone, like a dying ember, flickering for less than a hundredth of a second.

He paused the video, reached out, and carefully touched his brow bone.

Smooth skin, flat bones, nothing at all.

He then brought up his system panel.

[Refining Technique: Emperor's Meditation Method (Beginner)]

[Effect: Nail of Favor x1: Your speed in practicing meditation is slightly increased.]

He recalled the feeling of that moment.

A cool current surged from deep within his brow, instantly spreading throughout his brain, making him more focused than ever before. His thinking speed seemed to have broken through its limits, and every movement of his body was at his command, entering a mysterious and profound state of selfless enlightenment.

"So this is the true purpose of the 'Favored Nail'..."

He deduced that this passive effect could only be triggered with a certain probability under extreme conditions of high mental concentration.

Having confirmed that this thing was not harmful to him, but rather a huge benefit, Qin Feng stopped worrying about it and focused his attention back on reviewing the battle video.

Once, twice, three times...

He calmly analyzed every action and decision he and Zhou Yu made from an outsider's perspective.

His marksmanship, Zhou Yu's knife skills, the strengths and weaknesses of both sides, the rhythm of the battle...

after an hour.

Qin Feng exhaled a long breath, his eyes shining brightly.

All the experiences and insights from that battle have been thoroughly digested and absorbed by him, transforming into the most solid foundation on his path of martial arts.

He brought up his personal panel.

[Killing Technique: Thousand Army Spear (Minor Mastery)]

[Proficiency: 418/1000]

"A sudden realization actually increased my proficiency by more than 300 points..."

This number surprised even him.

This is almost equivalent to the sum of his hard work over the past two weeks.

"That shot that 'repelled a thousand armies' was still not perfect enough."

He savored the memory of that final, decisive strike.

"If I had been a fraction faster and concentrated my power a fraction more back then, and instead of pursuing a sweeping attack, I had focused on the ultimate 'point,' perhaps... I could have mastered the second killing move of 'Thousand Army Spears.'"

The prototype of that move had already appeared in his mind.

"Flash of light and shadow... just one step away from the finish line."

He put away the panel and exited the battle recording.

As soon as I logged out, a system notification popped up from the Imperial Arena.

【Greetings, esteemed martial artist "Qin".】

Congratulations! You have successfully completed your placement match.

Your rank is rated as: First Rank

Your starting score is: 0

[Ranking Rules: Once you reach 300 points in Rank 1, you can unlock the Rank 2 promotion tournament.]

[Note: Winning points and losing points are based on your performance in each match, and are not solely determined by wins or losses.]

Wishing you great success in your military endeavors!

He opened his profile.