Chapter 171: Winning First Place! Rookie King! Opening Three Hundred Acupoints in Forty Years

Chapter 171: Seizing First Place! Rookie King! The Shock of Opening Three Hundred and Sixty Apertures in Forty Years!

When the list of the top sixty-four in the Rookie Cup was finalized, the atmosphere at the entire Canaan Starry Sky Martial Arts Academy had been pushed to a new climax.

Starting from the top sixty-four, every competitor who could stand on the arena was considered an elite among elites, a standout in their respective grade and circle.

All had a life force index of 570 points and mastered one or more methods at the control level.

Every subsequent match was a fierce struggle for dominance.

—Except on the combat platform where Qin Feng stood.

The match for the top thirty-two from the top sixty-four began.

Qin Feng’s opponent was a prodigy who had immersed himself in the fourth-level division for over thirty years, cultivating a second-level spear technique, "Rock," to perfection. He also had three first-level killing methods that had reached the control level, and over a dozen first-level spear techniques at perfection.

His life force index was as high as 570 points, his muscles knotted, his aura heavy as a mountain. Standing there, he gave off an indestructible sense of solidity.

The moment the bell signaling the start of the match rang, the veteran let out a roar, planted his spear on the ground, and assumed a standard defensive stance, as if he had merged with the platform beneath him.

He knew well that against an opponent as fast and unfathomable as Qin Feng, any flashy move was a path to death. Only by remaining still and responding to changes with constancy, using the strongest defense to await the moment of counterattack, could he succeed.

He waited.

He saw an afterimage.

And then, there was no "then."

Under the gaze of tens of thousands of spectators in the arena and billions of eyes watching through subspace broadcasts, Qin Feng’s figure merely flickered, and he appeared before the veteran.

No earth-shattering killing move, no dazzling burst of spiritual energy.

He simply, straightforwardly, threw a punch.

That defensive stance of the "Rock" spear technique, which the veteran had placed his hopes in, was as fragile as window paper before that seemingly ordinary fist.

"Crack—"

The crisp sound of bone breaking even drowned out the noise of the scene.

That defense-specialized veteran, along with the high-strength alloy spear in his hand, was blasted away by an irresistible force.

The spear broke into two pieces midair, while he himself, like a stone flung from a catapult, traced a long parabola and vanished beyond the platform.

Again, a one-move instant kill.

If the previous instant kills could be explained by the opponents’ lack of strength, then this time, when a recognized, defense-oriented tough nut met the same fate, everyone fell silent.

Then came the match for the top sixteen from the top thirty-two.

This time, Qin Feng’s opponent was a female martial artist with a life force index also at 570 points, known for her bizarre footwork and elusive movements.

As soon as she stepped onto the platform, she pulled afterimages across it like a ghost, making it impossible to lock onto her true form.

Yet, before Qin Feng, this speed was still too slow.

The match began.

The female martial artist’s figure had just turned into a phantom, attempting to circle and harass Qin Feng, when he struck first, arriving before her.

His movements were even faster, simpler, and more direct than hers.

With one step, the platform trembled.

Under the horrified gaze of all, he precisely captured her true form and delivered a hand knife, gently striking the back of her neck.

The motion was so soft it seemed like a playful tap between friends.

But that speed-oriented female martial artist rolled her eyes back, her body went limp, and she collapsed, caught just before falling off the platform by the referee who appeared in time.

Another one-move finish.

Clean and decisive.

Then came the matches for the top eight from the top sixteen, and the top four from the top eight.

Qin Feng’s path to advancement was so smooth it became monotonous, even tedious.

No matter how many second-level killing methods his opponents had, or whether they had forged their own path to the control level, the result was invariably the same.

He eliminated one after another opponent who were considered monsters in the eyes of ordinary students.

What Qin Feng relied on was nothing but the purest, overwhelming power and speed.

This unreasonable strength pushed discussions about him on the subspace forum into a white-hot frenzy.

The hot post titled 【#Century Showdown# ‘Old Rascal’ Zhou Run vs ‘New Rascal’ Qin Beast: Who Is the True King of This Fourth-Level Division?】 had been pinned to the most prominent spot on the homepage, with replies breaking the ten-million mark.

“I’m numb, completely numb. After watching Qin Beast’s matches, all the rest are ruthless guys who’ve trained first-level killing methods to the control level. And then? One punch, still one punch.”

“Above, Qin Beast is definitely crushing the top-tier aperture-opening method, but he might not beat Zhou Run. Even if he’s a genius unparalleled through the ages, cultivating the ‘Great Sun Aperture-Opening Method’ for forty years, he can open at most two hundred apertures, with a life force index barely over 2000 points.”

This reply voiced the thoughts of the vast majority and became the strongest theoretical basis for Zhou Run’s supporters.

“Exactly! Fully agree!”

“That’s the logic, but I always feel that Qin Beast guy… is hiding too deep. His calm and composed demeanor makes it seem like all this is only natural. That confidence doesn’t seem fake.”

“Because Qin Beast’s battles so far have simply been bullying the weak.”

“I still say, data doesn’t lie. Zhou Run has cultivated a top-tier aperture-opening method for a hundred years, filling all three hundred and sixty apertures—that’s an ironclad fact. And Qin Beast? He only used forty years! Time is a fatal flaw! No talent can make up for it! Unless he can tell me that in forty years, he walked a path that takes others a hundred years! Is that possible? It’s not scientific, and even less martial!”

On the forum, the debate raged on.

Supporters of Zhou Run held the two ironclad proofs of “life force index” and “cultivation time,” with clear logic and solid evidence, dominating public opinion.

Supporters of Qin Feng, on the other hand, relied more on intuition, a hope for a “monster” to create miracles.

Their arguments boiled down to a few lines: “Qin Beast doesn’t play by the rules,” “You can’t judge him by common sense,” “He must still have cards up his sleeve.”

…

Amid the storm of heated public opinion, the semifinals quietly arrived.

The entire arena was packed to capacity, the atmosphere already heated to its peak.

The top four were “Old Rascal” Zhou Run, “New Rascal” Qin Beast, and two other veterans of the fourth-level division, highly respected and immensely powerful.

Yet the process of the semifinals left all spectators who had anticipated fierce clashes deeply disappointed.

In the first match, Zhou Run faced a veteran strongman known for his fierce saber techniques.

That strongman launched an offensive like a tidal wave from the start, his saber light turning into a waterfall sweeping across the arena.

Zhou Run, however, just stood there with a smile, letting the saber light hack at his body. He didn’t even activate his protective spiritual energy, relying solely on his physical strength to deflect the saber light that could split rocks, producing a series of crisp “clink-clank” sounds and sparks flying.

Under the opponent’s horrified gaze, Zhou Run yawned and casually slapped him.

That saber-wielding strongman spun like a top and flew off the platform.

In the second match, Qin Feng’s contest was equally unremarkable.

With just one move, he knocked his opponent off the platform, and the match ended instantly.

Both semifinals ended even faster than the previous elimination rounds.

In this Rookie Cup’s fourth-level division, only Qin Feng and Zhou Run, both martial artists cultivating top-tier aperture-opening methods, were in the top tier.

Everyone else was just running alongside.

When the final match lineup appeared on the central screen, the entire venue erupted into a thunderous roar of cheers.

[Final, Ultimate Battle Platform]

[Match: K-4-9527 (Qin Feng) vs K-4-11011 (Zhou Run)]

Under the gaze of tens of thousands, two figures simultaneously appeared on that most magnificent and dazzling final battle platform, standing far apart.

The "Old Rascal" and the "New Rascal" had finally met in a historic encounter.

Zhou Run still wore that grinning, somewhat cynical expression.

He was dressed in loose training clothes, sizing up Qin Feng from head to toe.

He broke the silence first, smiling: "Junior Qin Feng, long time no see. Decades ago, you were still a greenhorn freshman, and now, in the blink of an eye, you've become a strong enough contender to stand beside me and vie for the championship. Time waits for no one."

His tone was familiar and warm, as if catching up with an old friend not seen for years.

He paused, then shifted the topic, a smile spreading across his face: "I recall that during the last Freshman Cup, Junior Qin Feng voluntarily forfeited at a critical moment, creating a legend of the 'Uncrowned King' and winning countless admirers for your grace. I wonder... what plans does Junior Qin Feng have this time?"

His implication was clear.

"Why not do me a favor again, and let your senior have this easily won championship contribution points? I've been stuck at a bottleneck for years, and I need this money to buy breakthrough resources. I'd be most grateful!"

These words were half-joking, half-probing, and so thick-skinned that countless students watching the live broadcast couldn't help but smile knowingly.

Truly Zhou Run, truly the super big rascal.

Everyone's eyes focused on Qin Feng, eager to see how he would respond.

Upon hearing this, Qin Feng also smiled.

His smile was calm and serene, with no hint of hostility.

"Last time I forfeited because I wasn't skilled enough to win; there was no need to go up and humiliate myself."

He said frankly.

Then, meeting Zhou Run's gaze, he slowly spoke:

"But this time... I'm a bit short on funds myself, and I want to earn some contribution points to buy a follow-up technique. So, I won't be forfeiting."

Their conversation had no trace of tension, no pre-battle solemnity or gravity between powerful opponents.

Their tone was as relaxed as if they were haggling over a cabbage at the market.

And that "cabbage" was the ten thousand contribution points awarded to the Freshman Cup champion.

They both displayed a naked, undisguised possessiveness toward that fortune.

After a brief silence, the entire subspace forum exploded!

"What the hell!! What did I just hear?! These two rascals! These shameless rascals! They really think the championship contribution points are already in their pockets?!"

"Outrageous! They completely disregard us other contestants! Although... although we really can't beat them..."

"I'm dying of laughter! I call this 'friendly negotiation between rascals'! Too bad the negotiation failed! Hahaha!"

"The key is, what gives Qin Beast the right? Zhou Run has the confidence to say that—he's a 3600-point Great Perfection powerhouse. Where does Qin Beast get the nerve to say 'I won't forfeit'? He's openly challenging Zhou Run!"

"Exactly! I still can't figure it out! Qin Beast has only been enrolled for forty years at most! He's so confident—surely he hasn't opened all his acupoints in forty years?"

On the forum, a new wave of heated discussion raged more fiercely than any before.

Because Qin Feng's confrontation had ignited all uncertainty.

Everyone could see that Qin Feng wasn't joking.

He truly intended to contend with Zhou Run for the championship.

And the betting odds shifted subtly after this exchange.

Qin Feng's odds dropped slightly from the initial 1:6.5 to 1:5.8.

This meant a small number of people were beginning to waver.

They were willing to bet their Imperial coins on that one-in-ten-thousand possibility—that the man called "Qin Beast" could once again create an unreasonable miracle.

Qin Feng was too confident!

And besides, a man's reputation casts a shadow!

The name "monster" is earned through battle!

...

The atmosphere in the arena reached its peak after the brief exchange.

The roaring waves of sound nearly tore the sky off the arena.

Everyone craned their necks, waiting for the historic showdown between the "Old and New Rascals" to officially begin.

On the final battle platform, the tension solidified to its utmost.

"Boom—!!!"

The referee's bell crashed like a thunderbolt from the nine heavens!

Proclaiming that this highly anticipated final battle, which would decide the champion of this year's Freshman Cup Level 4 division...

Had officially begun!—

The moment the bell fell, time seemed to freeze.

The roaring tumult of the entire arena appeared to be sucked away in that instant, plunging the world into an eerie silence.

On the final battle platform, the two men stood a hundred meters apart, motionless, quietly awaiting the countdown to the match.

Zhou Run's cynical smile had vanished, replaced by an unprecedented gravity.

He held his sword in one hand, the tip angled toward the ground, his entire aura like a volcano about to erupt, gathering in silence the power to burn the heavens and boil the seas.

He knew that against a confident Qin Feng, any trace of underestimation would be fatal.

Since he was confident, it surely meant Qin Feng's vitality index was very close to his—the gap was definitely not large.

On the other side, Qin Feng was even calmer.

He held his spear with both hands, the shaft subtly parallel to his spine, his posture as straight as a pine.

In his deep eyes, there was no ripple, no emotional fluctuation, as if what lay ahead was not a peak duel deciding the championship, but just another routine training session.

Yet everyone knew what terrifying storm lurked beneath that calm surface.

The countdown ticked slowly.

3—

2—

1—

"Begin!"

The referee roared.

Then,

The next instant—

No probing, no feinting, no wasted motion.

Qin Feng’s figure moved!

His foot slammed down hard on the rigid alloy platform, and the entire vast combat stage let out a muffled groan, shuddering violently!

A visible shockwave erupted from his point of impact, blasting outward like ripples in a pond!

His body, harnessing that unparalleled recoil force, transformed into a black arrow loosed from the string, tearing through the air and carving a long, almost light-warping vacuum tunnel as it charged ferociously toward Zhou Run, a hundred meters away!

Too fast!

So fast it exceeded the dynamic visual capture limits of ninety-nine percent of the students present!

All they could see was a blurry black shadow that flashed and vanished.

But Zhou Run, as a powerhouse on par with Qin Feng, could see it clearly.

Yet precisely because he could see, the shock in his heart grew all the more intense!

“Such terrifying physical explosive power!”

That thought flashed through his mind.

He had anticipated Qin Feng’s vitality index being close to his own, but he never imagined the other’s pure physical strength could reach such an inconceivable level!

This was nothing like the power a martial artist of his grade should possess; it was more like a star beast cloaked in human skin, launching the most primal, savage charge!

However, Zhou Run was, after all, a king who had dominated the fourth-level arena for decades, a veteran of a thousand battles.

His shock lasted only an instant.

Rich combat experience allowed him to make the correct judgment instantly.

Faced with a charge that combined both power and speed, retreat was absolutely forbidden! Once the initiative was lost and the opponent’s momentum completely suppressed him, there would be no chance of turning the tables!

“Break!”

Zhou Run let out a roar!

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

He did not choose to defend—instead, he chose to counterattack!

He would use his strongest killing move to clash head-on with the opponent’s edge, meeting offense with offense, strength with strength!

But fast as he was, Qin Feng was faster!

Just as Zhou Run was channeling all his power and preparing to unleash his ultimate strike, a cold, sharp edge that seemed to freeze the soul itself had already crossed the distance and was magnifying at terrifying speed in his pupils!

It was a spear tip.

A plain, unadorned spear tip, devoid of any spiritual energy light effects.

Yet that single spear tip seemed to condense all the sharpness and killing intent in heaven and earth, gathering every ounce of power, speed, and will upon itself.

Before it, space itself seemed to lose meaning, and time stood still.

Second-level spear technique “Cold Gleam” ultimate move—[One Point of Cold Gleam]!

This was the supreme killing move Qin Feng had finally comprehended after half a year in seclusion, engaging in over fifty thousand high-intensity battles in the Imperial Arena!

It was a pure, ultimate, and unadorned—thrust!

Zhou Run’s scalp exploded!

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

He clearly sensed that if he insisted on completing his charge and unleashing his prepared killing move, his brow would be ruthlessly pierced by that spear before he could act!

Too late! In a flash of lightning, Zhou Run abandoned the idea of counterattacking, forcibly interrupted the move he was about to launch, poured all his power into the longsword in his hand, and hastily crossed it before his chest to block that earth-shattering thrust!

“Clang——!!!”

A sound like metal striking metal, sharp to the point of piercing everyone’s eardrums, exploded with a roar!

The spear tip landed with pinpoint accuracy on the flat of Zhou Run’s raised blade.

In that instant, centered on the point of impact, a visible ring of white sonic boom clouds burst outward!

The terrifying shockwave turned into a violent hurricane, sweeping across the entire combat platform!

Zhou Run felt as if he were blocking not a spear, but a high-speed, densely compressed meteor!

A monstrous, overwhelming force he had never imagined surged through the blade and into his arms!

“Crack! Crack, crack!”

The light armor on his arms groaned under the strain, its surface instantly splitting into countless fine, web-like cracks!

His entire body, uncontrollably, flew backward!

His feet plowed two deep, spark-scattering furrows inches deep into the hard alloy platform!

After sliding dozens of meters, Zhou Run barely managed to steady himself, but the tiger’s mouth of his sword hand was already bloodied, his entire arm throbbing with piercing pain, nearly unable to hold the longsword.

His face was etched with disbelief and shock.

How could this be?!

With both at 3600 vitality index, why was the opponent’s strength so vastly superior?!

No wonder he was the one who burst the testing machine’s physical potential.

The rumor of Qin Feng, upon enrollment, overloading the potential detection pod and being judged by the system as comparable to an “embryonic star beast,” once again surfaced in Zhou Run’s mind.

But on the battlefield, things changed in an instant.

Qin Feng gave him no time to think or catch his breath!

The move [One Point of Cold Gleam] had seized the initiative—this was only the beginning!

The moment Zhou Run was knocked back, Qin Feng closed in like a shadow, his alloy longspear transforming into a roaring black dragon, unleashing a storm-like, suffocating, frenzied suppression!

This was where One Point of Cold Gleam excelled.

Once [One Point of Cold Gleam] seized the first move, it was followed by a mad, dragon-like spear onslaught, an utterly terrifying suppression!

“Thousands Yield!”

Qin Feng gave a low shout, sweeping his spear with immense force and momentum, carrying the unstoppable might of an army routing, aiming at Zhou Run’s waist as he barely regained his footing!

The spear moved, and wind and thunder rolled! The air was torn with a piercing crack!

“Damn it!”

Zhou Run cursed under his breath, ignoring the searing pain in his arm, forcibly raising his longsword and crossing it before him to block that sweeping strike.

“Clang!!”

Another thunderous sound.

Zhou Run was once again sent staggering back by the immense force, his spiritual energy churning.

But Qin Feng’s assault was like a great river, unending and surging wave after wave!

“Flowing Light, Chasing Shadow!”

The spear’s trajectory suddenly shifted, from a sweeping, wide-arc strike to a series of rapid, consecutive thrusts!

In an instant, the sky full of spear shadows burst apart like a sudden downpour, enveloping all of Zhou Run’s vital points from every direction. Each spear shadow was swift as flowing light, striking from tricky and unpredictable angles.

Zhou Run’s pupils constricted suddenly.

He swirled the longsword in his hand into a silver curtain of light, and a continuous cascade of metallic clangs rang out frantically across the platform, sounding like a torrential rain pelting banana leaves.

Within a single second, the two had exchanged blows over a hundred times.

Every collision left Zhou Run’s arms numb, tearing the web of his thumb even worse.

The long spear, as a cold weapon, perfectly demonstrated the advantage of an inch longer, an inch stronger at this very moment.

Qin Feng always managed to launch attacks from a distance that made Zhou Run extremely uncomfortable, and if Zhou Run wanted to counterattack, he had to risk rushing forward to break through that deadly web composed of spear shadows.

However, how could Qin Feng’s onslaught give him such an opportunity?

"Screaming Owl Chasing Shadow!"

Under the cover of the spear shadows filling the sky, an exceptionally sinister and vicious spear gleam, like a predatory owl hunting in the dark night, silently thrust toward Zhou Run’s flank from an unimaginable angle.

This was a fusion technique combining the killing moves of the Fierce Bird Boxing and the Thousand Army Spear, possessing both cruelty and swiftness.

Alarms blared in Zhou Run’s heart, and at the absolute critical moment, he twisted his waist at an extreme angle, narrowly evading this fatal strike.

But the sharp spear tip still grazed past his light armor, leaving a deep gash that exposed bone, amidst a shower of sparks.

Before he could even adjust his stance, Qin Feng’s next move arrived.

"Wind and Thunder Chasing Shadow!"

The momentum of the spear shifted again.

The originally nimble spear tip suddenly grew incredibly heavy, as if wrapped in invisible wind and thunder, carrying a violent and penetrating spiral force as it slammed once more into Zhou Run’s sword blade.

Zhou Run could only grit his teeth and exert all his strength to resist.

"Boom!"

This time, he failed to completely deflect that violent force.

An exceptionally solid dark force, carrying high-frequency vibrations, surged through the blade and slammed heavily into his chest.

"Puff!"

A sweet taste rose in Zhou Run’s throat, and a mouthful of fresh blood could no longer be suppressed, spraying out violently.

His entire body, like a kite with a severed string, flew backward miserably once again.

The entire process of the battle, from beginning to now, had only lasted a dozen

It was the same move again—a savage, unrivaled killing strike, fused with the power of wind and thunder!

The spear transformed into a black bolt of lightning, carrying a piercing shriek that tore through everything, and once again, it slammed ferociously onto Zhou Run’s already crumbling longsword!

This time, Zhou Run could no longer perfectly deflect the force.

He could only watch helplessly as that wild, destructive energy erupted fully upon his blade!

“Crack——!!!”

A crisp sound, enough to make everyone’s scalp tingle, rang out.

That longsword, forged from high-strength alloy, could no longer withstand this immense force, and in an instant, it shattered into countless fragments!

Shards of metal shot out in all directions!

And that irresistible, savage force, after shattering the sword, did not diminish, but poured fiercely onto Zhou Run’s arms and chest!

“Pfft——”

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

The bones in his arms emitted a series of sickening, grating cracks, instantly shattered into powder!

His entire body flew backward, tracing a mournful arc through the air, before crashing heavily against the edge of the arena—the invisible energy barrier—and then sliding helplessly to the ground.

He struggled, trying to stand.

But his broken arms could no longer support his body.

Blood streamed from his mouth and nose, unceasingly.

He lifted his head, gazing at the figure who was slowly withdrawing his spear and standing upright, his breath still as calm as ever, like a god or demon.

His eyes were filled with shock, confusion, and a trace... of relieved release.

In the end, all emotions dissolved into a deep, bitter taste.

He had lost.

Lost, with complete acceptance.

“I... concede.”

These three words, from Zhou Run’s blood-filled mouth, were uttered with difficulty.

His voice was hoarse, yet it rang clearly throughout the entire deathly silent arena.

When those three hoarse words—“I concede”—were painfully spoken by Zhou Run, the whole clamorous arena seemed to have a mute button pressed, plunging into an eerie, pin-drop silence.

Time, at this moment, seemed stretched infinitely.

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

A thick smell of blood permeated the air.

Zhou Run leaned against the energy barrier at the arena’s edge, his chest heaving violently, gasping for breath.

His two arms, twisted at a grotesque angle, hung limply at his sides, blood dripping from his fingertips onto the ground, blooming into small, desolate, bloody flowers.

His face and body were covered in dust and bloodstains, making him look utterly disheveled.

Yet, his eyes, usually tinged with a hint of cynicism, were now exceptionally bright.

He lifted his head, his gaze piercing through the drifting smoke, locking onto the figure a hundred meters away, who was slowly withdrawing his spear and standing still.

Qin Feng stood quietly, the alloy spear in his hand, still gleaming with a cold light, held lightly in reverse, its butt resting on the ground.

His breathing was steady and long, his face unchanged, as if the thrilling, violent assault that had lasted a full three minutes was nothing more than a routine warm-up.

He showed no ecstasy of victory, no condescending posture; his deep eyes were as calm as a still, rippleless pool, merely gazing at the defeated before him.

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

“Wait.”

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

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

He looked at Qin Feng, the expression on his face, twisted by intense pain, slowly relaxed, and finally turned into a bitter smile of extreme complexity.

That smile held the bitterness of defeat, the unwillingness of inferior skill, the regret of misjudgment, but more than anything, it was a heartfelt awe and submission to absolute power.

“What a pity...”

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

“At the start, I should have recognized that killing move from the second-level spear technique ‘Cold Gleam.’ Its core is one word: ‘speed,’ and another: ‘sharpness’—a pure first-strike spear.”

Zhou Run seemed to be speaking to Qin Feng, or perhaps muttering to himself in a post-battle analysis.

“When I saw that point of cold light, it was already too late. At that moment, I should have recklessly attacked, risking mutual destruction at the start, instead of choosing to block. Once you seized the first move with that spear, outside your spear’s reach, I never had another chance.”

He slowly shook his head, laughing at himself.

“Of course... saying all this now is just hindsight.”

His gaze swept again over Qin Feng’s seemingly unremarkable yet explosively powerful physique.

“Even if I had truly seized the first move, my chances of winning... would still be pitifully slim.”

“You monster.”

Zhou Run let out a long, long breath of turbid air mixed with blood, as if trying to expel all his unwillingness and frustration.

“Losing to you, I accept it wholeheartedly.”

He leaned against the barrier, tilted his head back, looking up at the azure artificial sky made of energy, a relieved smile spreading across his face—a smile tinged with loneliness and self-mockery.

“I’ve been leeching off this place for so many terms, throwing my weight around for years... I never thought I’d finally slip up today.”

This remark, so characteristic of his style, made many students in the stands, as well as several mentors like Mu Lin on the high platform, burst into laughter.

It also stirred mixed emotions in countless senior students familiar with his style.

An era had come to an end.

Just then, the cold, emotionless electronic voice of the referee system rang out across the arena, drawing the final curtain on this pinnacle duel.

“Match over!”

“The final victor—Contestant K-4-9527, Qin Feng!!”

This voice was like a signal.

A signal that instantly pushed the entire arena from extreme silence to extreme frenzy!

“Boom——!”

After a brief, infinitesimal silence, a deafening, earth-shattering roar erupted from every corner of the stands!

“He won! The Beast won!”

“This is a true monster! That was Zhou Run! The king who ruled the fourth-level arena for decades! And he was suppressed from start to finish, without a chance to fight back!”

“Qin Feng, in just forty years, has cultivated the Empire’s most difficult ultimate enlightenment technique, ‘Solar Enlightenment,’ to three hundred and sixty orifices!”

“Now I understand! Now I understand why his strength is so terrifying! A physique on the level of a star beast, paired with the legendary, most perfect martial foundation of the Great Perfection!”

“Well-deserved! A well-deserved monster! From today onward, the nickname 'Qin Beast' is no longer a jest, but the most fitting and exalted praise for him!”

The entire audience was plunged into an ocean of revelry.

Countless students rose to their feet in excitement, waving their arms, roaring in the most primal manner, venting the indescribable shock and adoration in their hearts.

They had witnessed the birth of a legend with their own eyes!

A peerless prodigy who, in merely forty years, traversed a path that others might not complete even in over a hundred years!

(End of this chapter)