Chapter 197: Official Tournament! Plundering Resource Packs! Meeting Cousin Again

Chapter 197: The Official Competition! Seizing Resource Packs! Reunion with Cousin!

Just as Qin Feng, along with hundreds of millions of geniuses, gathered on that virtual plain where a storm was brewing, silently awaiting the start of the preliminaries.

On countless different star systems and planets within the vast territory of the Human Empire, far, far away from the No. 1 arena planet, an unprecedented frenzy of watching the competition was also unfolding simultaneously.

The "Stellar Cup," as the most extensive and prestigious martial arts event for the younger generation officially hosted by the Ultramarines Chapter, had long surpassed the bounds of the martial arts circle, becoming a grand national spectacle that captivated the entire empire.

Official media from various star sectors and private streaming platforms all placed the live broadcast of this competition in the most prominent and crucial positions.

...

Venus.

Venus Metropolitan Area, Central Business District.

A skyscraper made entirely of crystalline glass, towering several kilometers high, rose from the ground. At its peak, a holographic projection cycled through four bold, flying characters—"Venus Watches the Games."

This was the largest and most luxurious public viewing center on Venus.

In a VIP box on the top floor, elegantly decorated with an excellent view, three figures sat quietly on comfortable floating sofas. Their gazes were fixed on the massive holographic screen that occupied the entire wall.

The screen was divided into countless small images, each corresponding to a young martial artist from Venus participating in the competition.

These three were Qin Feng's father, Qin Dahai; his uncle, Wang Ming; and his aunt, Li Juan.

Time had mercilessly carved deep marks on their faces.

Qin Dahai's change was the most noticeable.

His temples were already as white as snow, and the weathered wrinkles on his face were as deep as if carved by knives and axes.

Although his physique remained upright due to years of martial arts practice, the once sharp, eagle-like eyes had taken on a gentle and calm demeanor befitting an elderly man.

Wang Ming, sitting beside him, had aged relatively better.

He was now a well-known third-level power armor designer on Venus, successful in his career and living comfortably.

Yet even so, he could not fully resist the erosion of time. His meticulously styled hair was interspersed with many silver strands, and the crow's feet at the corners of his eyes were clearly visible under the light of the screen.

His strength had also reached the level of a fifth-level martial artist, similar to Qin Dahai. Both had practiced intermediate aperture-opening techniques, and their vitality indices had barely broken through the hundred-point mark.

However, he was a full ten years younger than Qin Dahai.

As for Li Juan, she also practiced martial arts and used various high-tech beauty products to maintain her appearance, but the fatigue and toil in her brows could not be concealed.

At that moment, the three of them stared intently at the screen.

Wang Ming and Li Juan's eyes swept back and forth across the many images, searching for the figures of their two sons, who had also succeeded and been admitted to the top hundred Star Martial Arts Universities.

Qin Dahai's gaze, however, remained locked on one particular image from start to finish.

In that image, a young man with a straight posture and a resolute face stood with his hands behind his back, waiting quietly.

Though the image was small, though separated by distant star rivers, the deep-rooted familiarity allowed Qin Dahai to recognize at a glance that it was his son, Qin Feng.

The atmosphere in the box was very quiet, with only the commentator's passionate voice echoing in the air.

"This time, our Xiao Hao and Xiao Jie have also signed up for the competition."

Wang Ming withdrew his gaze, breaking the silence with a hint of anticipation and worry, "I wonder if the two of them will have the luck to meet their big brother in the later rounds."

"Ah..."

Qin Dahai let out a complex sigh upon hearing this.

He turned his head, looking at his brother-in-law, who was ten years younger, and said with a mix of envy and emotion, "It's still these young lads who are forging ahead. So young, and their mental strength has already reached the standard, successfully stepping into the sixth-level 'Soaring Void Realm.' Unlike us two, in this lifetime, I'm afraid we'll never meet the mental strength requirement."

His words carried a hint of a martial artist's unwillingness, like a hero in his twilight years.

The path of martial arts was so cruel.

Often, a casual choice or a slight difference in thought in youth would have consequences that snowballed, infinitely magnified, eventually forming an insurmountable chasm.

The root of all this might trace back to the initial "streaming policy" when moving from middle school to high school.

If one failed to get into a martial arts high school, they had to abandon their martial arts dream and become an ordinary cog in the vast machinery of the empire.

Like the billions of ordinary people, they would attend regular universities, find ordinary jobs, then marry, have children, and toil for a living...

The pressures of life would gradually wear down the once passionate heart for martial arts.

More importantly, without the systematic training of a martial arts high school, it was difficult to develop the habit of daily meditation practice.

As age increased and physical functions began to decline, even if one managed to complete the aperture-opening and aperture-closing paths through resource accumulation, starting from scratch to cultivate mental strength—which required absolute focus and a mind free of distractions—would become extremely slow and as difficult as reaching the heavens.

Because the spirit could no longer be lifted, and it was even harder to calm the mind during meditation.

Qin Dahai and Wang Ming were the most typical examples.

However, for them, though there was inevitably regret in their hearts, there was not much unwillingness or resentment.

Because they knew in their hearts that this life had already been worthwhile.

They had witnessed Qin Feng grow from a young man on the brink of despair into a peerless prodigy whom even they now had to look up to.

Their own lives had also undergone earth-shattering changes because of Qin Feng's rise.

...

Qin Feng, Long Yu, Nissan, and Ning Jing remained standing still, waiting.

As time passed, the number of people entering this waiting space had reached a mind-boggling level.

The initial sparse crowd of a few thousand had long been swallowed by the endless tide of people that followed.

Looking out, the entire plain was filled with sixth-level martial artists of all shapes and sizes, exuding powerful auras.

More and more people, an ever-increasing multitude.

The entire space seemed to become a giant container being continuously filled with water—crowded, oppressive!

The air was thick with a suffocating stillness before the storm.

Everyone's nerves were tightly stretched.

Because they knew that when this space could no longer accommodate another person, the unprecedented, bloody preliminaries involving billions of geniuses would officially begin.

Time lost its meaning in this virtual space filled with oppression and waiting.

One day, two days, three days...

Qin Feng and the others had long forgotten how much time had passed.

They only knew that the endless plain beneath their feet had been completely filled by a sea of people.

The initially sparse figures had now converged into an impenetrable forest.

Billions of sixth-level martial artists from different star systems and civilizations stood shoulder to shoulder, forming a terrifying tableau that could suffocate anyone with trypophobia.

Eventually, it seemed this space had reached its carrying capacity.

Through the gaps in the crowded crowd, Qin Feng could see that at the distant edge of the plain, there was no longer just monotonous dark red earth. Instead, there appeared continuous mountain ranges, endless deserts, surging oceans, and various other complex terrain outlines.

Clearly, the battlefield of the official competition was far broader and more complex than they had initially imagined.

That majestic and cold electronic synthesized voice finally resounded through every corner of this world once more!

"Attention, all contestants."

“There is one hour remaining until the official competition begins. Please make your final preparations.”

“This area constitutes the entirety of the valid zone for the official competition. A high-intensity psionic barrier is erected at the boundary; do not attempt to leave the boundary area. Violators will be immediately judged as eliminated.”

“After the one-hour countdown ends, all contestants will be randomly teleported to any corner of the official arena.”

“Now, the detailed rules of the official competition will be announced.”

Hearing this, everyone held their breath, concentrating their minds to the utmost.

“The official competition rules are as follows:”

“First: Aside from the prohibition on wearing or equipping any form of ‘power armor,’ the use of psionic weapons and recovery potions is forbidden. Cold weapons are limited to sixth-grade alloy blades.”

“Second: During the competition, being defeated once in any manner will result in immediate system judgment of elimination and teleportation out of the arena.”

“Third: The competition will continue until the number of remaining contestants within the arena drops to one hundred thousand.”

“Please note: If a contestant is defeated by a coalition of multiple contestants, that contestant is likewise considered ‘defeated once’ and eliminated immediately.”

“Please note: Resource packs will randomly spawn within the arena. Examinees may store them in their subspace storage units. However, if a contestant is defeated, any acquired resource packs will be dropped, and additionally, acquired resource packs will be marked on the map.”

This final supplementary rule, like a heavy bomb dropped into a calm lake, instantly caused a subtle shift in the eyes of all contestants.

Those present were all battle-hardened, elite talents who had emerged from countless competitors; not one was a simple-minded fool.

As soon as this rule was announced, everyone immediately grasped the profound implications it contained.

“Allowing alliances… also allows being allied against.”

Ning Jing, who had remained silent all along, spoke first. His voice was as calm as ever, but his speech was slightly faster than usual, clearly indicating his mind was racing.

“This rule is a huge advantage for us, companions from the same school who know each other well.

It means we can legitimately form alliances, organize into teams, and advance or retreat together.”

“At the same time, it also means that ‘hiding’ and ‘lurking’ will become among the most important tactics in this competition.”

Ning Jing’s gaze swept across the boundless sea of people around them as he continued his analysis: “Look, the arena is so vast, and they’ve deliberately set up a ‘random teleportation’ mechanism. This suggests the organizers don’t want us to engage in large-scale frontal firefights at the very start of the competition.

If the four of us, after random teleportation, are fortunate enough to encounter each other, then our primary task will be to immediately ally and then find a concealed terrain to hide in.

This way, our probability of safely enduring until the one-hundred-thousand stage will greatly increase.”

“Exactly!”

Nissan also shed his usual carefree demeanor and said in a deep voice, “If we don’t meet, then each of us must try to keep a low profile, stay hidden, and avoid actively courting trouble.

After all, as we said before, this so-called ‘official competition’ is actually a brutal elimination round to the extreme.

Only by becoming one of that one hundred thousand can one truly step onto the stage of the Star Cup.”

“Moreover,”

A glint of sharpness flashed in Nissan’s eyes, “This rule has another implication for us.

It’s not that we fear battle, but we must avoid meaningless attrition.

Think about it: if we fight hard against a strong enemy, both sides suffer heavy losses, and then a few people suddenly pop up from the side and ‘steal’ us both, that would be utterly disgusting.”

He grinned, revealing a set of white teeth: “Of course, conversely, we… can also ‘steal’ others.”

“And those resource packs—they are a huge temptation, but they will also attract endless battles. Once obtained, you’ll be marked immediately.”

“…”

“Tactics, after all, are only something we need to focus on when our hard power is insufficient.”

Long Yu, who had been listening quietly with a smile, finally spoke up.

He patted Nissan on the shoulder and said in a tone brimming with confidence.

“To steadily enter the top one hundred thousand in this chaotic battle of billions, the most reliable thing is still one’s own strength.”

His gaze turned to Qin Feng, with a hint of appreciation and certainty in his eyes.

“To survive to the end, at the very least, your vitality index must reach the ‘First Great Limit’ of eighteen thousand points, and you must also cultivate a fourth-level killing technique to the ‘Perfection’ realm.

Once you can actively display this level of strength in battle, I guarantee that ninety-nine percent of contestants will actively choose to steer clear of you. No one with any sense would dare to provoke you lightly.”

“Therefore,”

Long Yu smiled at Qin Feng, “Qin Feng. These complex tactics are actually not that important for you.”

“Understood.”

Qin Feng nodded.

What Long Yu said was the truth.

……

The one-hour countdown, amid the anxious waiting of countless people, slowly came to an end.

The moment the last second hit zero, a soft, moonlight-like glow suddenly lit up across the entire vast plain.

The majestic electronic voice sounded for the last time.

“Countdown ended.”

“All contestants, please immediately agree to the subspace teleportation invitation sent by the system.

Upon agreement, you will be instantly teleported to a random area within the arena. Refusal will be considered automatic forfeiture of competition qualification.”

“To ensure fairness in the initial phase, within a radius of ten thousand meters around each contestant’s teleportation area, no other martial artists will exist.”

“Then…”

“The official competition begins!”

Almost the instant the voice fell, a translucent confirmation box reading “Agree to teleport?” simultaneously appeared before the eyes of Qin Feng and the other three.

Without a moment’s hesitation, the four of them chose “Yes” at the same time.

The next moment, the soft glow enveloping the entire plain blazed with sudden intensity!

Qin Feng only felt an irresistible, gentle spatial energy wrap around him. The scene before his eyes was torn apart and stretched in an instant, transforming into countless bizarre, colorful bands.

This sensation lasted less than a second.

When the light faded and his vision cleared, he had already left that suffocatingly crowded plain.

Qin Feng found himself in a dark, tranquil primeval forest.

All around were towering ancient trees, hundreds of meters high, requiring a dozen people to encircle.

The air was thick with a damp scent, a mixture of soil and decaying vegetation.

Silence.

A deathly silence.

In the dim forest, Qin Feng did not act hastily.

Like the most seasoned hunter, he immediately suppressed all his aura, merging his form into the massive shadow of a towering ancient tree, blending himself with the surrounding environment.

With a thought, he summoned the official arena map provided for this competition.

A huge, translucent three-dimensional holographic map instantly unfolded before his retina.

On the map, the complex terrain of mountains, rivers, forests, and swamps in his region was meticulously marked.

And in every corner of the map, countless red dots of varying sizes were flickering.

Among them, the vast majority of the dots were stationary, but a few were moving at an extremely fast pace.

"Resource packs..."

Qin Feng’s gaze fell upon those red dots, and he immediately understood their meaning.

These red dots represented the "resource packs" scattered across the battlefield by the event organizers.

And those moving red dots were presumably packs already seized by other contestants, being carried along as they moved.

On the map, the sizes of the red dots also varied.

Some were as tiny as specks of dust, densely covering the entire map;

Others were the size of rice grains, relatively scarce;

Even in certain core areas of the map, a few enormous red dots, as large as soybeans and radiating a dazzling glow, were marked.

Clearly, the size of the red dots indicated the level and value of the resource packs.

As for the specific locations of other contestants, the map bore no markings at all.

This undoubtedly added more unknowns and variables to this brutal selection.

Just as Qin Feng was carefully studying the map and planning his route, that majestic and icy electronic synthesized voice once again echoed across the entire arena.

[The competition arena is contracting—]

[Current contraction phase: Phase One.]

The announcement was brief and forceful.

Hearing this, Qin Feng immediately looked up toward the distant forest.

Through the dense layers of foliage, he could clearly see, at the far edge of the sky, a towering, pale blue translucent barrier slowly advancing toward the center of the arena at a visible, gradual pace.

That was the psionic barrier, the "poison zone" of this battle royale. "So there’s a mechanism like this."

Qin Feng’s eyes narrowed slightly. "This means everyone’s movement space will be continuously compressed over time. Hiding can only be temporary. In the end, all of us will be forced into the same area by this shrinking barrier. Then, large-scale combat will be inevitable."

"Add to that the appearance of resource packs—if just one person can’t hold back and makes the first move, the entire arena will instantly descend into chaos."

Having figured this out, Qin Feng harbored no more illusions.

He had to, before the chaos fully erupted, seize as many useful resources as possible for himself, while also quickly adapting to the rhythm of this competition.

His gaze returned to the map.

"My assets were nearly exhausted during my previous training. These resource packs are something I must fight for."

Qin Feng quickly began searching the map.

His goal was clear: find the nearest, lowest-level resource pack, scout the way, and get a feel for the situation.

Soon, he locked onto a tiny red dot, no larger than a speck of dust, just over a dozen kilometers from his location.

Resource packs of this level were the most numerous on the map, and the competition for them was presumably less intense—perfect for him to "whet his appetite."

"As long as I don’t run into a top-tier expert who has cultivated a fourth-level killing technique to the 'Mastery Realm,' with my current strength, I shouldn’t risk defeat."

Qin Feng’s mind was made up, and he hesitated no longer.

He suddenly exerted force from his feet, shooting out like an arrow from a bowstring, his figure leaving a trail of afterimages through the dark forest as he sped toward the marked location on the map.

...

Qin Feng arrived at his destination silently.

It was a valley with a rather treacherous terrain.

The lowest-level resource pack hovered quietly halfway up one of the peaks, emitting a faint glow.

It was a standard, half-meter-long silver-white alloy case.

Below that peak, a small-scale melee had already broken out.

About ten sixth-level martial artists were locked in combat, each pair restraining the other.

Their weapons varied, and the clash of blades and the roar of psionic explosions echoed through the valley from time to time.

Qin Feng’s figure, like a ghost, lurked behind a massive boulder on a distant cliff, calmly observing the battlefield situation.

These ten martial artists were all roughly equal in strength.

Their life force indices were all around ten thousand points, far from the bottleneck of the "First Great Limit."

As for the fourth-level killing techniques they employed, most were at the "Minor Accomplishment" stage—their moves, while powerful, still carried a hint of rawness, clearly not yet fully polished.

None of them knew each other.

Thus, the battle was exceptionally chaotic and delicate.

Everyone was wary of everyone else, wanting to defeat their opponents and seize the resource pack, yet fearing they would exhaust themselves and be taken advantage of by others, becoming the mantis that caught the cicada only to be preyed upon by the oriole.

For a time, the fighting was fierce, but no one could truly stand out and gain the upper hand.

Qin Feng watched for less than five seconds before he had analyzed the strength, fighting style, and even the habits and personalities of these ten individuals with near-perfect accuracy.

The moment had come.

Just as a blade-wielder and a sword-wielder clashed hard, both retreating and leaving a brief opening—

Qin Feng moved!

The boulder beneath his feet shattered instantly, and he shot into the air like a cannonball!

His figure traced a stunning arc through the sky, overtaking the ten martial artists locked in fierce combat below, and landed with pinpoint precision on the protruding rock halfway up the mountain!

He grabbed the silver-white alloy case hovering in the air.

It felt slightly heavy in his hand, with a cold metallic texture.

Qin Feng casually opened the case to find two rows of neatly arranged vials, each glowing with a different light.

Ten vials of Enhanced Type III Ultra-Concentrated Psionic Recovery Potion.

Ten vials of Enhanced Type III High-Efficiency Mental Recovery Potion.

"Hiss..."

Even with Qin Feng’s experience, he couldn’t help but draw a sharp breath at the sight of these two rows of potions.

Each vial of these potions cost as much as five hundred contribution points!

This tiny, lowest-level resource pack was worth nearly ten thousand contribution points in total!

"As expected of an official tournament hosted by the Limit Warrior Legion..."

Qin Feng marveled inwardly. "They’re truly unbelievably wealthy!"

Just as he was stunned by the generous reward, the ten martial artists below, who had been fighting, snapped back to reality.

They all stopped at the same time.

Ten pairs of eyes, filled with anger and resentment, locked onto the "interceptor" who had snatched the prize they had been fighting over for so long!

“Where did this brat come from?! Is he here just to steal our loot?!”

“Everyone attack together! Let's eliminate him first!”

“Leave the resource pack he's holding!”

After a brief moment of shock, a towering rage erupted.

These ten martial artists, who had been on guard against each other, reached an unprecedented tacit agreement in that instant!

They all turned at once, transforming into ten streaks of light, charging at Qin Feng on the mountainside from all directions!

Facing the siege of these ten, Qin Feng's face showed not a trace of panic.

He casually stored the alloy box into his subspace storage unit, and with his other hand flipped, the blue-black long spear [Raging Waves] appeared in his palm.

He was about to strike, to eliminate all these fellows from the competition.

But just then, his heart suddenly leaped!

An extremely terrifying, sharp aura that seemed capable of piercing the heavens flashed past from another direction in the valley!

This aura...

“So strong! Much stronger than Qin Yonglin back then; I'd say we're evenly matched, or maybe he's even stronger!”

Qin Feng's pupils contracted sharply.

In his perception, the owner of that aura was now hiding somewhere not far away, watching this scene with keen interest.

That soaring battle intent, though well concealed, could not deceive Qin Feng's equally sharp combat instincts.

“A top-tier martial arts fanatic... he's taken me as his prey.”

A clear thought flashed through Qin Feng's mind.

He was certain that once he made a move here and got entangled with these ten, that hidden observer would absolutely appear without hesitation when he was most exhausted, challenging him!

Although Qin Feng was not afraid of battle, now was not the time.

His primary goal was to securely enter the top hundred thousand, to see with his own eyes what that legendary “Enlightenment Stele” really was!

To engage in a life-or-death duel with a top-tier expert of the same level during this preliminary selection stage was simply too unwise.

With that thought, Qin Feng made an immediate decision!

He paid no more heed to the ten charging martial artists; instead, he pushed off with all his strength, spun around, and headed straight in the direction opposite that terrifying aura!

His speed was pushed to the limit; his entire form became a blurry afterimage, and in the blink of an eye, he vanished into the dense forest.

In the eyes of the ten martial artists below, Qin Feng's sudden “flight” undoubtedly confirmed their suspicions.

“Just a pushover! He's scared!”

“This kind of person is the worst! Won't fight head-on, just relies on speed to snatch things and run!”

“Chase him! Don't let him escape! Eliminate him!”

How could they ever imagine that the one they were chasing was a terrifying existence capable of annihilating them all in an instant?

They only thought of themselves as righteous “hunters” pursuing a despicable “thief.”

Thus, ten figures followed closely behind Qin Feng, madly giving chase into the depths of the forest.

What should have been a one-sided crushing, due to the sudden appearance of a powerful observer, turned into a slightly farcical chase.

Qin Feng did not choose to clash head-on with the hidden expert.

His goal was clear: advance.

So he chose the simplest and most effective tactic—run.

His form turned into a streak of light, darting swiftly through the treacherous mountain forest. Behind him, the ten martial artists, blinded by rage, pursued relentlessly like sharks scenting blood.

However, Qin Feng's “flight” was not a panicked, aimless escape.

The huge three-dimensional map remained clearly unfolded in his mind.

While evading the pursuers behind and avoiding the perception of the hidden expert, his route always unconsciously drew closer to those flickering, dust-sized red dots on the map.

...

Half an hour later, at the edge of a swamp.

Seven or eight martial artists were locked in fierce combat over a newly spawned resource pack.

At the most intense moment of the battle, a blurry afterimage, like a phantom, flashed past them!

“Who goes there?!”

Startled, by the time they reacted, the silver-white alloy box floating in midair had already vanished.

And that afterimage had already appeared a thousand meters away, rapidly disappearing at a speed they could never hope to match.

“Bastard! It's a loot thief!”

“Chase him! Don't let him get away!”

The seven or eight martial artists who had been fighting each other instantly united in common hatred and unhesitatingly joined the army chasing Qin Feng.

...

Two hours later, inside a volcanic cave.

Five martial artists had just jointly defeated a lava giant guarding a resource pack and were bickering over the spoils.

A figure, like a ghost, silently dropped from the shadow of the rock ceiling above them, snatched the resource pack, then lightly tapped a toe on the scorching rock and vanished again into the dark tunnel depths.

“...”

The five panting martial artists looked at each other, then erupted in earth-shaking roars.

“Aaaah! Don't let me catch you!”

...

Thus, over the next day, Qin Feng became the most efficient and most detested “resource pack hunter” on the entire field.

Relying on his extraordinary speed and perception, he roamed like a ghost through every corner of the battlefield.

He never lingered in battle, never engaged in direct conflict.

His only goal was to snatch the loot with lightning speed while others were killing each other over resource packs, both sides exhausted, and then make a clean getaway.

After one day, Qin Feng's results were nothing short of brilliant.

He had successfully, without shedding a drop of blood, intercepted a full ten of the lowest-level resource packs!

Their total value had accumulated to an astonishing one hundred thousand contribution points!

However, behind this brilliant achievement lay the ever-growing hatred he had attracted.

The spontaneously formed “pursuit army” behind him had snowballed from the initial ten to nearly a hundred!

These nearly a hundred talented martial artists from different star systems and different starry sky martial arts universities were now driven by a single conviction—catch that despicable loot thief and eliminate him!

Even more troublesome was that on the official map of the arena, as the number of resource packs on Qin Feng accumulated, the red dot representing him had grown from inconspicuous to a moving red spot the size of a grain of rice!

He had transformed from an ordinary contestant into a walking “mobile treasure vault” clearly visible on the map!

This undoubtedly drew the attention of even more people.

And so, a peculiar chase unfolded across the vast arena, playing out without end.

Qin Feng was like a cat playing a game of cat and mouse, leisurely “fleeing” ahead, while the nearly hundred enraged martial artists behind him, like hounds being toyed with, gave relentless pursuit.

Of course, Qin Feng never forgot that beyond that distant, faintly perceptible range, there was a true “viper” trailing him at just the right distance.

That hidden expert had not left either.

He seemed like a patient hunter, waiting for his prey to reveal the most fatal flaw.

“This guy… really has his eyes on me.”

Though Qin Feng felt a bit annoyed, he remained outwardly calm.

…

Soon, on Qin Feng’s map, a new resource pack respawn point appeared not far from him.

He repeated his tactic, suppressing his aura, and quietly approached.

It was a ruin covered by remnants of an ancient civilization.

The resource pack had spawned atop a half-collapsed giant temple.

At that moment, below the temple, two groups of martial artists were locked in fierce combat.

One side had six, working in perfect sync but slightly weaker in strength.

The other had only four, yet their power was clearly a cut above, almost effortlessly overwhelming their opponents.

The outcome was already certain.

Victory was only a matter of time.

Qin Feng lurked in the shadows, waiting silently.

He was ready, following his plan, to strike the moment they settled the fight and let their guard down, snatch the resource pack, and vanish far away.

But just as the six-man team was utterly routed and the four-man team was about to claim victory—

A shout, filled with uncertainty yet tinged with surprise and excitement, suddenly rang out from the battlefield!

“You… Qin Feng?! Big Brother?”

This cry, like a thunderclap from clear skies, made Qin Feng, who was about to spring into action, freeze mid-motion!

His steps halted almost imperceptibly.

Qin Feng’s gaze pierced through the chaotic battlefield, landing on the victorious four-man team.

Among them, two young faces, achingly familiar yet slightly strange due to the passage of time, caught his eye.

Their builds were taller and sturdier than he remembered, their childishness gone, replaced by the steadfastness and composure of martial artists.

But the contours of their brows and eyes were still unmistakable.

“Wang Hao? Wang Jie?”

Qin Feng murmured the two names under his breath, a hint of doubt and confirmation in his tone.

“Big Brother! It really is you!”

The moment Qin Feng responded, the uncertainty on the two youths’ faces was replaced by sheer ecstasy!

They rushed toward him in excitement, giving him a solid, powerful bear hug without a word!

This sudden scene left the other two, as well as the defeated opponents about to be taken away by referee martial artists, utterly dumbfounded.

“Ah Hao, Ah Jie, who is this?”

Besides Wang Hao and Wang Jie, the remaining four-man team included a male and a female martial artist.

The speaker was the tall, coldly elegant female martial artist.

In the earlier fight, Qin Feng had clearly seen that she was the strongest of the four.

Nearly half of the opposing six-man team had been crushed by her with overwhelming force.

It could be said that she was the key to this victory.

“Senior Wu Yue! This is my big brother!”

Wang Hao released the hug, his face brimming with uncontrollable pride and joy. He thumped his chest and announced loudly, “A student of Canaan Starry Sky Martial University!”

“Oh? So this is the genius big brother you two are always talking about.”

The female martial artist called Wu Yue raised a fine eyebrow at this.

Her sharp gaze swept over Qin Feng with obvious scrutiny.

Clearly, she harbored some skepticism about the praises Wang Hao and Wang Jie had heaped on their big brother in front of her.

But before anyone could exchange more pleasantries—

A series of hurried, chaotic sounds of breaking air came from the direction they had come, growing closer fast!

“Over there! That thieving bastard has stopped!”

“Quick! Surround him! Don’t let him escape again!”

Amid thunderous roars, the “pursuing army” of nearly a hundred furious martial artists, who had chased Qin Feng all day, arrived with menacing momentum!

(The chapter ends)