Chapter 206: Starry Sky Cup Begins! Another Emperor's Golden Nail! Chosen One

Chapter 206: The Starry Cup Begins! Another Emperor's Golden Nail! The Chosen One!

Canaan Starry Martial Arts University.

The Iron Fist Tavern.

This was one of the most beloved gathering places for the students of the Dauntless Warband, perpetually clamoring with noise regardless of day or night.

The air was a thick mixture of the rich aroma of high-energy liquor, the savory scent of synthetic barbecue, and the lingering smell of gunpowder clinging to the warriors.

Energy screens played continuous loops of highlight reels from the Imperial Arena, every exquisite kill or furious clash drawing bursts of cheers and whistles from the tavern.

Young students gathered in small groups, their faces radiant with youth and ambition, talking loudly about recent mission rewards, newly comprehended killing arts, the Canaan Tower rankings, and which senior had achieved astonishing results in the Starry Cup qualifiers.

Beside them, senior students with more settled temperaments and eyes sharp as falcons sat quietly in the corners, sipping from large metal tankards, their silence forming a stark contrast to the surrounding boisterousness—an introversion and composure honed from mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

In the deepest recess of the tavern, at an unremarkable four-person booth, the atmosphere was entirely different from the surrounding clamor.

Qin Feng sat there quietly, twenty years of near-isolated revenge and sedimentation having wrought a earth-shattering transformation in his temperament.

The sharp edge he once bared to the world was now entirely restrained within, turned into an abyss-like serenity.

He wore the most ordinary black combat uniform without any faction insignia, sitting there quietly like a reef cast into the sea, unmoved by how violently the surrounding waves surged.

Had it not been for the red-and-white skull hanging from his waist—polished to a bloody sheen and emitting an eerie aura—perhaps no one would have given him a second glance.

"You bastard, you've finally deigned to show your face."

A sonorous voice rang out as Nissan sat down across from Qin Feng with a grand, imposing posture.

He was even more stalwart than he had been twenty years ago, his knotted muscles nearly bursting through his combat uniform, yet his eyes had grown deeper, a clear sign that his bitter cultivation over these years had yielded immense rewards.

Following closely behind, the lean and sharp Long Yu, whose aura cut like a blade, and Ning Jing, still as steady as a mountain but with eyes gleaming with brilliant divine light, also took their seats.

The four reunited without excessive pleasantries; a single glance exchanged among them spoke volumes more than a thousand words.

The surrounding noise seemed to be partitioned off by an invisible barrier, the four of them forming a world of their own as they conversed quietly.

"Qin Feng, it's been over twenty years in the blink of an eye,"

Ning Jing spoke first, his gaze like a torch tightly locked onto Qin Feng, "I wonder what level of strength you possess now?"

This was his greatest concern.

Among warriors, strength was the most direct greeting.

Twenty years ago, Qin Feng had already displayed inhuman potential, and now his strength was bound to be an earth-shattering spectacle.

Hearing this, Qin Feng merely smiled faintly, and before he could speak, Long Yu broke in ahead of him.

Long Yu's gaze carefully scanned Qin Feng before finally resting on the eerie skull at his waist, lifting his wine cup as he smiled: "That should be Shi Dang's head, right? To completely slay Shi Dang, your strength can well be imagined."

He paused, continuing his analysis: "To slay the Shi Dang of that time, Qin Feng must have already reached the realm of a Ninth-Level Extreme Martial Artist.

And with this fellow's temperament of never taking a loss and only acting after planning, he wouldn't break his seclusion for nothing; since he has, it must be with crushing progress.

So I wager that Qin Feng has already pushed his Dao Foundation to the theoretical limit of the Ninth Level, which is the Fourth Grand Limit of one hundred and eight thousand points.

And... his mental power should have reached the standard as well."

Long Yu's analysis was tightly woven and logically sound.

He understood Qin Feng too well.

He concluded at last: "Appearing suddenly now, your goal is likely very clear—to take advantage of the next Starry Cup to secure a good ranking, then apply for graduation to head out onto that grander stage."

"Hahaha!"

Hearing this, Qin Feng finally could not help but laugh out loud, "Long Yu, you really do know me best! It is indeed so; I intend to secure a ranking, apply for graduation, and then participate in the Universe Genius Battle. What about you all? How has your strength fared over these twenty years?"

Upon hearing Qin Feng's admission, even though they had already guessed as much, the pupils of Ning Jing and Nissan still shrank slightly.

The Fourth Grand Limit!

That was the ultimate realm of perfection that Ninth-Level Extreme Martial Artists dreamed of, representing the threshold where one could begin to ascend to a Planet-Level Lifeform.

The three of them had only just surpassed the Third Grand Limit of seventy-two thousand points.

"We aren't as monstrous as you."

Nissan grinned, flashing a row of white teeth, "These twenty years were basically spent in bitter seclusion, occasionally taking on high-difficulty missions to hone our killing arts.

The physical latent talent of us three is only the golden standard for humans, and though we all have top-grade origin apertures, the speed of our vitality enhancement is far inferior to a 'Starry Behemoth' like you. Currently, we have all just broken through the Third Grand Limit not long ago, safely stepping over the threshold of Ninth-Level Extreme Martial Artists, and are working toward the Fourth Grand Limit."

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

They were among the topmost geniuses of Canaan, yet compared to Qin Feng, the gap in cultivation speed still induced a sense of despair.

But this did not breed jealousy within them; rather, it served as an incentive, for having such a cometary, dazzling comrade only gave them more drive to catch up.

"Right,"

Qin Feng thought of the other purpose of his trip and asked, "How much do you know about the rules of the latest Starry Cup, and that so-called 'Universe Genius Battle'?"

Though he had heard of the importance of these terms from his venerable masters, he knew very little of the specific details, especially the cruelty of the "Universe Genius Battle."

At this question, Long Yu, Nissan, and Ning Jing looked at one another, their expressions turning solemn.

Ultimately, it was Long Yu who spoke, his voice unconsciously lowering a few notches: "Regarding the Universe Genius Battle, my father had the honor of participating back then; though he was eliminated in the minor warzone, he learned some inside information because of it."

Seeing the three of them prick up their ears, Long Yu cleared his throat and said gravely: "First of all, the 'Starry Cup' we participate in should formally be called the 'Space Marine Warband Sector K-739 Selection Tournament.' In this selection tournament, only by placing in the final top one thousand will one be qualified to receive the admission ticket to the 'Universe Genius Battle' after graduation."

"And the 'Universe Genius Battle' is cruel beyond imagination, divided into two phases: the 'Minor Warzone' and the 'Grand Warzone'."

"The first phase is the Minor Warzone. The top one thousand geniuses from our Sector K-739 will compete alongside the top one thousand geniuses from all sectors under the jurisdiction of our Space Marine Warband within a massive virtual battlefield. Do you know how many such sectors exist under our Space Marine Warband?"

Long Yu extended a single finger, a hint of awe in his eyes: "Hundreds of millions of sectors! Which is to say, the contestants in the Minor Warzone alone number in the hundreds of billions—an astronomical figure. And among such a terrifying number of geniuses, only those who fight to the very end and rank in the top one million can obtain the qualification to enter the Grand Warzone."

The clamor within the tavern seemed to recede entirely at this moment, the breathing of Ning Jing and Nissan turning somewhat heavy.

Hundreds of millions of sectors, with the one thousand topmost geniuses from each sector gathered together, ultimately taking only one million spots.

This could no longer be described by the word "cruel"; it was simply using the bones of geniuses to pave a bloody path to the summit.

Qin Feng also silently calculated this number in his heart, and even with his mind as unyielding as divine iron, he could not help but feel a tremor of dread at this moment.

The Space Marine Warband was merely one among the million warbands of the Human Empire.

The internal selection of just a single warband required screening one million victors out of trillions of heavenly talents.

This gold standard was suffocatingly high.

Long Yu's voice grew increasingly grave: "Those who can fight their way out of the Minor Warzone are, without exception, monsters among monsters and prodigies among prodigies.

And what they will face next is the second phase—the Grand Warzone."

"The Grand Warzone, as the name implies, gathers all the top one million prodigies who passed their respective 'Minor Warzone' selections from under the banners of what our Human Empire calls the 'Million Warbands' for a final showdown.

You can imagine what a grand spectacle that will be, and how tragic.

If... I mean if you can secure a relatively high ranking on that ultimate stage, you will receive the highest level of resource tilting and cultivation from the Human Empire, truly ascending to the heavens in a single step; for the cultivation of such a genius, the Black Hole Level is merely the starting point."

As his words fell, a long silence enveloped the booth.

The impact brought by this intelligence was simply too immense.

The so-called "Starry Cup" was nothing more than the most insignificant admission ticket to this universe-level grand gathering.

The true stage lay in the distant depths of the starry sea, a collision of the ultimate geniuses of the entire human civilization.

"No wonder..."

Qin Feng murmured to himself, "Nurtured with the full might of the empire... that truly is worth betting everything on."

He lifted his head and looked at his three comrades: "And you? Do you plan to compete in the latest Starry Cup?"

Long Yu and the other two exchanged glances, then shook their heads in unison.

"No such intention."

Long Yu admitted frankly, "All three of us have just advanced to the ninth level, and our refinement in the art of killing is still far from sufficient. With our current strength, even if we did participate, it would be difficult to break into the top thousand.

Since we can't obtain the ticket to the Genius Battle, going would only be a waste of time. After all, we've already seen and experienced everything worth seeing during our last participation."

Nissan and Ning Jing nodded in agreement.

Without absolute certainty, they would rather choose to consolidate themselves and wait for the next opportunity than make futile attempts.

"I see."

Qin Feng gave a slight nod, indicating his understanding.

He glanced at the time on his terminal. There were still five full years until the opening of the latest Starry Cup.

This period, for him, was enough to polish his strength to an entirely new level.

"My plan from here on,"

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

His tone was flat, but the determination within it brooked no doubt.

"Good!"

Long Yu slammed the table heavily. "Before you graduate, how about we take on Canaan Tower again? Leave a mark after the 901st floor? It would be the perfect finale to your Canaan career!"

Nissan and Ning Jing's eyes also gleamed with anticipation.

However, Qin Feng slowly shook his head.

"No."

He said in a deep voice, "I'll withdraw all the contribution points from Canaan Tower. As for whether I can leave a mark at the top, that depends on luck. I won't deliberately linger for the sake of that record."

"And besides..."

Qin Feng's gaze swept over his three comrades, his expression growing more serious. He spoke word by word, with gravity: "That is nothing but empty fame."

At this point, his voice carried a note of unprecedented solemnity and warning—a bloody lesson he had distilled from Zhou Xiong's "ideological education" and his own two decades of facing Chaos directly.

"In this cruel universe, the gaze of the evil gods is everywhere. Battle, honor, hope, life, even the easily overlooked pleasures of our daily cultivation—all can attract the attention of the evil gods, becoming hooks to lure you step by step into the embrace of Chaos."

Qin Feng's eyes sharpened.

"Everyone must be careful from now on!

For example, if you become overly intoxicated by the honor, fame, and vanity that come with growing stronger, reveling in the feeling of being the center of attention, then without realizing it, you might catch the eye of Slaanesh, and the whispers of Khorne will echo in your ears.

Once a crack appears in your mental defenses, the outcome... is often utterly miserable."

He thought of Shi Dang, that former comrade who had turned into a monster craving slaughter.

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

They all knew that Lei Meng's death and Shi Dang's betrayal were pains Qin Feng had endured. That he placed such importance on this warning meant it came from his own blood and tears.

This was the truest of cautions.

"We understand."

The three nodded in unison, their expressions grave.

The path ahead would not only involve fighting against the visible enemies of myriad races but also an eternal struggle against the temptations that arose from within.

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

He threaded through the clamor of voices and intersecting gazes, returning to his dormitory in the Fearless War Legion's garrison—a place he had not seen for nearly twenty years.

The room's furnishings were as simple, or rather, as spartan, as when he had left.

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

He sat cross-legged on the cushion, his consciousness connecting to the personal terminal, and called up the Imperial Trading Market.

[Contribution Points Balance: 328,210]

This vast sum was the spoils he had amassed over the past four years while hunting Shi Dang in the chaotic star regions, incidentally wiping out countless space pirates and imperial fugitives. Even after deducting the cost of exchanging for the sixth-level killing technique *Shattered Star*, it remained a colossal fortune.

Qin Feng's gaze slowly swept across the dazzling array of exchange items, finally settling on the category of "seventh-level killing techniques."

With a thought, he checked the detailed introduction and exchange price for seventh-level killing techniques.

The most basic seventh-level killing technique was priced at a million contribution points.

Qin Feng was not surprised.

Killing techniques, as the core combat methods for martial artists, had gaps between levels that were as vast as heaven and earth.

First- to third-level killing techniques were the foundation of martial arts, focusing on precise control of one's own strength and moves.

Fourth- to sixth-level killing techniques marked the beginning of the transcendent path.

Their core lay in "multi-tasking," using mental power to control energy modules, unleashing destructive force at the physical level far exceeding one's basic life force.

Fourth-level killing techniques required "ten simultaneous tasks" as a foundation.

Fifth-level killing techniques required "ten simultaneous tasks," gradually improving.

And the sixth-level killing technique *Shattered Star*, which Qin Feng currently practiced, had a training threshold of the daunting "hundred simultaneous tasks."

A martial artist needed to split their mental power into hundreds of threads, simultaneously controlling a hundred micro-energy modules for atomic-level aggregation and fission, thereby condensing terrifying energy at the tip of a spear or the edge of a fist—enough to pierce starship armor.

This was purely the ultimate sublimation of the physical realm.

Seventh-level killing techniques, however, entered another dimension.

They were called "planetary-level killing techniques," exclusive to planetary-level powerhouses.

Their essence was to integrate the cultivation methods of top-tier meditation techniques on the basis of the sixth-level "hundred simultaneous tasks," perfectly combining pure physical attack with intangible mental impact.

With one strike delivered, it carried not only devastating physical power but also an overwhelming mental pressure like a tidal wave.

Weaker opponents, even without being hit, could have their consciousness collapse and their souls dissipate from the mental shock contained in the killing technique.

This was a qualitative transformation.

As for the higher eighth-level killing techniques, also known as "stellar-level killing techniques," they involved comprehending "true intent" through mental understanding.

And ninth-level killing techniques, or "galactic-level killing techniques," could even open one's own "domain," within which the mental impact was vast and torrential, extremely terrifying.

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

"A million contribution points..."

Qin Feng closed the exchange list, his heart undisturbed.

His goal was clear: in the upcoming Starry Cup, to secure a spot in the top thousand and obtain the ticket to the "Universal Genius Battle."

This goal did not require him to fight desperately against those truly top-tier prodigies, nor did it demand that he master a seventh-level killing technique now.

He has now reached the "Fourth Great Limit," the theoretical pinnacle of the Ninth-Level Extreme Martial Artist, with a life force index of 108,000 points, and a foundation so profound that it far surpasses his peers.

Coupled with his mastery of the Sixth-Level killing technique "Star Breaker," which has reached the "Realm of Control," he is more than capable of handling most situations.

What he needs most now is not a higher-level killing technique, but an immense amount of practical combat experience against opponents of equal strength.

He must familiarize himself with various schools of Sixth-Level killing techniques, witness the battle wisdom of billions of geniuses across the empire's territories, and refine his terrifying power into the purest, most efficient killing instinct.

Better to save his contribution points and prepare for the planetary level in the future.

With this thought, Qin Feng's hesitation vanished.

His consciousness withdrew from Canaan's internal network and immersed itself into a broader, more vast virtual world.

—The Subspace Network: Imperial Arena.

Buzz!

It felt as if his soul was instantly ripped from his body, as an endless torrent of data transformed into a radiant river of stars flowing before his eyes.

The spiritual wills of billions of human martial artists converged and collided within it, producing a deafening roar.

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

This was his personal preparation space.

With a thought, he called up the arena's matchmaking settings.

[Life Force Index Locked: 108,000.0]

[Weapon Template Selection: Spear]

[Armor Template Selection: Light Alloy Armor]

[Mode: Ladder Ranked Match]

[Starting Matchmaking...]

...

Time lost all meaning in the monotonous, pure battles.

Five years passed like a fleeting glimpse, gone in an instant.

For the students of Canaan Star Martial University, these five years might have meant one or two long-distance missions, a period of deep seclusion, or a few breakthroughs.

For Qin Feng, however, these five years were an unending, fierce struggle.

**First Year.**

Imperial Arena, Ladder Ranked Matches.

Wielding an ordinary standard-issue spear, Qin Feng unleashed a near-barbaric, pure, and extreme offensive style, stirring up a storm of bloodshed in the lower ranks.

His opponents came from every star domain of the empire—direct disciples of various martial halls, battle-hardened veterans retired from the military, and tribal warriors raised on desolate planets.

The Sixth-Level killing techniques they practiced were bizarre and varied.

Some wielded swords like illusions, capable of unleashing hundreds of indistinguishable sword beams in 0.01 seconds, making them impossible to defend against.

Others fought with grand, sweeping moves, each strike carrying the weight of an avalanche, enough to shatter small meteorites head-on.

There were also martial artists with ghostly footwork, like wisps of smoke, silently closing in to deliver a fatal blow.

Qin Feng's spearplay had no unnecessary flourishes—only the most extreme thrusts, sweeps, and strikes.

No matter how exquisite his opponent's techniques, he needed only one spear thrust. One thrust to break them!

In just half a year, after tens of thousands of high-intensity duels, [Qin]'s rank skyrocketed like a rocket, eventually settling at [Ninth Segment · 300 Points].

Then, his winning streak came to an abrupt halt.

From that day on, Qin Feng's good times were over.

Those who reached this rank were all monsters.

Even more terrifying was that everyone here had cultivated at least one, or even multiple, Sixth-Level killing techniques to the same "Realm of Control" as Qin Feng.

Qin Feng's foundational advantage was infinitely weakened under the rules of equal life force.

His dominance was no more.

...

**Third Year.**

Qin Feng began obsessively studying his opponents' battle recordings.

He encountered a martial artist wielding a heavy shield, ID [Impregnable].

That man's defense was truly like an insurmountable mountain.

His Sixth-Level killing technique, "Wall of Sighs," could convert spiritual power and psionic energy into a protective force field of extraordinary resilience.

Qin Feng's devastating move [Star Breaker] only stirred ripples upon impact.

Qin Feng added him as a friend and fought thousands of duels against over a hundred "turtle-shell" style martial artists at this rank.

From being utterly helpless at first, he gradually found his way.

Then he began to seek out the tiny flaws in the transitions of their defensive force fields, thoroughly deciphering their combat patterns.

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

...

**Fourth Year.**

Qin Feng's combat style began to transform.

He no longer recklessly charged and attacked.

When facing an assassin-type opponent with the ID [Thousand Faces], he even abandoned active offense.

That opponent's footwork and killing techniques integrated principles of optics, psychology, spatial disturbance, and more, making him appear to have a thousand clones on the battlefield, each lifelike.

Qin Feng closed his eyes.

He gave up using his vision to track the opponent, instead immersing his entire mind into the most subtle perception of the surrounding space.

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

After being killed over a hundred times, the golden stud above Qin Feng's brow flickered, and a new golden stud mark condensed.

Two golden stud marks!

Qin Feng did not notice the appearance of the golden stud marks.

He had entered a state of epiphany, his spiritual power radiating outward, gradually capturing the killing intent of the opponent's true body in the 0.001 seconds before it appeared.

His spear shot out like a dragon, striking after the opponent but arriving first.

That battle, he won.

...

**Fifth Year.**

In the chat channel of the Imperial Arena's Ladder Ranked Matches [Ninth Segment], the ID [Qin] had already gained some renown.

People only know that this is a madman, a thoroughgoing battle fanatic.

【Qin】 is online almost around the clock, tirelessly launching one duel after another.

He can challenge a shield warrior over a hundred times in a row just to crack his defense.

Or stand still and let himself be killed continuously for an entire day to adapt to an assassin's footwork.

His win rate hovers around 55% year-round—not high, but no ninth-rank expert who has ever fought him dares to underestimate him in the slightest.

Because everyone understands that the person behind this ID is not here to climb the ranks at all.

Qin Feng is like a dry sponge, frantically absorbing the combat experience of all his opponents, turning their myriad killing techniques into nourishment for his own growth.

Five years.

On average, Qin Feng engages in over five hundred high-intensity duels every single day.

Counting the matches before that, his total number of battles has reached an astonishing one million and more.

In his dormitory, Qin Feng slowly opens his eyes and logs out of the Imperial Arena.

His gaze is calm as an ancient well, yet deep within, it seems as if billions of stars are being born and dying.

Qin Feng calls up his final Imperial Arena profile.

【ID: Qin】

【Wins: 551,875】

【Losses: 460,625】

【Win Rate: 55%】

【Self-Introduction: Practitioner of the Thousand-Army Spear】

【Enemy Reviews (9999+)...】

Qin Feng does not click on those reviews from his opponents.

He simply gazes quietly at the numbers on the panel, feeling the immense transformation brought by five years of arduous training.

Now, though his realm has not changed and his killing techniques have not increased, his true combat power is worlds apart from what it was five years ago.

He slowly rises and pushes open the dormitory door.

The Starlight Cup is about to begin.

—

The spaceport of Canaan Starlight Martial University is already crowded with massive military transport ships.

Qin Feng follows the crowd aboard one of the vessels heading to the main arena in the K-739 star sector.

Beyond the porthole, the familiar campus scenery quickly recedes, turning into a speck of dust in the sea of stars.

The entire voyage is monotonous and swift; Qin Feng keeps his eyes closed throughout, adjusting his state to its peak.

When he opens his eyes again, a magnificent structure that would leave any first-time beholder breathless is already suspended in the starry void.

It is a man-made colossal arena city, built upon an asteroid belt as its foundation.

Even the ninth-rank martial artist sector Qin Feng is about to enter has its main venue—a skyscraper forged entirely from dark-gold alloy, its height enough to pierce the thin planetary atmosphere, its width stretching for hundreds of kilometers.

Official data shows that the main observation hall of this building can accommodate over fifty million martial artists watching simultaneously.

And the preparation zones allocated for contestants within it are so vast they are nearly equivalent to a city.

At this moment, all official tournament channels in "this star sector," as well as billions of private live-stream rooms in the subspace network, have their lenses aimed here.

A grand event that will determine the genius landscape of the star sector for the next decade is about to unfold.

Qin Feng walks down the gangway alone, merging into the steel tide composed purely of ninth-rank martial artists.

He senses the powerful, restrained, or sharply aggressive auras around him, his expression unchanged.

The five years of training in the Imperial Arena have long accustomed him to so-called "strong auras."

He does not exchange a word with anyone and directly finds his seat in the preparation zone.

It is an open plaza, where tens of thousands of contestants sit in small groups—some adjusting their equipment, others meditating with closed eyes.

Qin Feng chooses a secluded corner to sit down. Just as he is about to enter meditation, a familiar yet somewhat unfamiliar voice sounds in his ear.

"No way, Qin Feng?!"

Qin Feng opens his eyes and looks toward the voice, slightly startled.

A tall, burly youth built like an iron tower stands before him, his face lit with disbelief and joy.

The youth has a simple, honest face, but his eyes glint with shrewdness. It is his long-lost close friend—Qian Duoduo.

Time seems to press pause at this moment.

The last time they met was in high school, when Qian Duoduo was still a chubby little kid with baby fat.

Now, he has long shed his childishness, his bulging muscles straining his combat suit, radiating power.

"Little Fatty?"

Qin Feng stands up, a long-missed smile spreading across his face.

"Hey, I told you not to call me that!"

Qian Duoduo grins and gives Qin Feng a bear hug.

They belong to different sectors, so this chance encounter is a pure, unexpected delight.

"You kid, haven't seen you in years—you've gotten a lot stronger."

Qin Feng pats his thick shoulder, sighing with emotion.

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

Qian Duoduo puffs out his chest proudly. "As for you, you're still the same. That thing hanging at your waist is too eye-catching—I almost didn't recognize you."

The two sit down and begin exchanging news about their recent lives.

Qin Feng learns that after graduating from Qiming Star, Qian Duoduo was admitted to a top hundred Starlight Martial University and never let his martial arts training slip.

He chose a steady "superior aperture-opening method," which allowed rapid aperture opening and merging at first but slowed down after the sixth rank.

"I've just advanced to the seventh rank now, with a life force index barely reaching 18,200 points. No comparison with a monster like you."

Qian Duoduo scratches his head.

When he hears Qin Feng casually mention that he has already reached the ninth rank's "Fourth Great Limit," even though he was mentally prepared, Qian Duoduo's pupils contract sharply.

He is silent for a long moment, then finally gives Qin Feng a firm thumbs-up.

"As expected of you!"

A thousand words, all contained within.

After a brief catch-up, Qian Duoduo quickly switches back to his most adept role—"intelligence officer."

"Qin Feng, your goal this time must be the top thousand in the ninth-rank sector, to get that ticket to the Cosmic Genius Tournament, right?"

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

"Then you need to pay attention. Starting from our seventh-level martial artist division, the competition format is basically fixed—all 1v1 arena battles. Lose one match and you're eliminated outright, simple and brutal.

This kind of official selection tournament, held with such high frequency, almost always uses this format for efficiency, much like the inter-school league we played back in Qiming Star."

He paused, then continued his analysis: "The ninth-level division is the true dragon's den and tiger's lair. No one who comes here is a pushover.

Based on the intelligence I've gathered, to reliably break into the top thousand, there are two hard requirements."

"First, you must have cultivated at least one sixth-level killing technique to the 'Mastery Realm.' That's the most basic threshold; otherwise, your attack power won't even break through their defenses."

"Second, and more critically, you must possess extremely rich practical combat experience.

Because your opponent could come from any star system, practicing bizarre killing techniques you've never even heard of.

Without enough experience to handle them, it's easy to capsize in a ditch."

Qin Feng listened quietly, understanding in his heart.

These five years of grueling training in the Imperial Arena were precisely meant to fill this second shortcoming.

"Among the strong fighters I know, there are a few you need to pay special attention to..."

Qian Duoduo opened his personal terminal and began introducing the top contenders for this tournament to Qin Feng.

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

...

Meanwhile.

In the highest level of the main venue, inside a room with an extremely minimalist—even crude—decor.

The walls here were made of a special material that absorbed all light and energy fluctuations. From here, one could overlook the tens of millions of contestants below, yet the outside world could not spy a single detail within.

In the room, over a dozen burly martial artists stood silently before a massive floor-to-ceiling window. Their gazes pierced through layers of space, landing on the vast preparation area below.

They all wore the standard blue power armor of the Ultramarines Chapter, but without helmets, revealing faces weathered by countless battles, etched with determination and coldness.

The most striking common feature was that above their brow bones, in a nearly barbaric manner, were embedded at least three alloy nails of bronze or rusted color.

—Ten-Thousand Battle Nails.

Each one represented a glorious victory worthy of being recorded in history, a symbol of honor and seniority.

Among these people, a figure Qin Feng knew all too well was present.

It was Zhou Xiong, the captain of the Seventh Combat Company of the Seventh Sub-Chapter of the Ultramarines Chapter, a black hole-level powerhouse.

"Hey, Zhou Xiong, you really know how to keep secrets!"

A burly man with a prosthetic left eye and four Ten-Thousand Battle Nails embedded in his brow bone elbowed Zhou Xiong, his tone full of mockery. "A promising seedling like this appears in the Canaan Star System, and you don't say a word? If our 'War Master' hadn't casually mentioned it two days ago, would this genius have been secretly snatched away by your Seventh Sub-Chapter?"

"Exactly!"

Another chimed in. "You're a company captain, trying to monopolize a genius of this level? That's way too greedy!"

Listening to the veiled and open "accusations" from his colleagues, Zhou Xiong shook his head with a wry smile.

"Everyone, it's not that I want to hoard him, but this matter is of great importance."

He said in a deep voice. "You all know our Chapter's training doctrine: before these kids graduate from university, we cannot exert too much influence or intervention. We only provide necessary 'ideological education' to keep them from going astray."

"Of course we know that! That's why we're only coming now that he's about to graduate!"

The one-eyed burly man laughed heartily. "You think you hid him well? I've known about him for a long time!"

A wave of good-natured laughter filled the room.

"Speaking of which, this kid is about to graduate soon."

Someone steered the conversation back on track. "I wonder which Sub-Chapter he'll choose, or will the main Chapter recruit him directly?"

"Why bother with the Cosmic Genius Tournament!"

An impatient company captain said, "The small division has few resources and offers little improvement for a genius of this level. Fighting there is pointless.

I say we just admit him directly on special terms! He's about to graduate anyway, so we can give him the green light.

The top resources the big divisions can offer, our Sub-Chapter can grit our teeth and provide too! This Qin Feng, our Twelfth Sub-Chapter wants him!"

"Get lost! Your Twelfth Sub-Chapter just snatched a good seedling last time; this time it's our Third Sub-Chapter's turn!"

"Stop arguing; it depends on the kid's own wishes."

Everyone spoke in turn, the center of the conversation always the black-clad youth sitting quietly in the corner below.

Finally, all eyes fell back on Zhou Xiong.

The one-eyed burly man asked the question that everyone present cared about most, his voice turning a few degrees more serious.

"Zhou Xiong, tell me the truth. Is this Qin Feng a one-nail or a two-nail?"

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

Zhou Xiong was silent for a moment, then slowly uttered two words.

"One nail."

Hearing this answer, the atmosphere in the room immediately relaxed.

"One nail... For a one-nail, we can indeed give him the green light directly."

Someone sighed in relief and said, "He can join the Sub-Chapter right after graduation. There's no need for him to go fight in the small division of the Cosmic Genius Tournament."

"Yeah, though we don't know who he'll choose in the end, at least the meat stays in the pot—he's still one of our Chapter's people."

"Too bad he's not a two-nail."

Someone lamented with regret.

"Regret my ass!"

The one-eyed burly man immediately retorted. "If he were rated as a two-nail, the news couldn't be hidden!

By then, the wolves from other Chapters would smell the blood and pounce. Whether he'd even end up with our Ultramarines Chapter is uncertain!

Besides, a one-nail's potential might not become a two-nail in the future!

As long as he survives and grows, he'll take off sooner or later!"

These words won the approval of everyone present.

Just then, a sharp-eyed company captain locked onto a pendant hanging from Qin Feng's waist and let out an amazed exclamation.

"Damn, look at this kid! He's already hanging a demon's head as a trophy! Arrogant as hell! I like it!"

"Haha, he's my kind of guy!"

"You have to be arrogant!"

"..."

(The chapter ends)