16.12!
Compared to the 14.03 he had before the league tournament, it was a full increase of more than two points!
Part of this increase came from taking the potion and the resulting genetic evolution;
Part came from the "breaking and rebuilding" improvement spurred by the Extreme Medical Potion after his left arm was crippled;
And part came from the passive increase to his life force index from his Body Refining Technique over these past five days.
All in all, the gap between Qin Feng and the upperclassmen was shrinking.
Moreover, Qin Feng’s physical potential had already completely surpassed that of the upperclassmen. Below the level of a Planet-level Life Form, only Gold Standard Human III was stronger.
Zhou Xiong’s low voice, like scraping metal, once again echoed in the empty Martial Arts Room.
"Among your rewards, aside from my guidance this time and that genetic enhancement potion, there is also an admission ticket to the Qiming Thunder Pool."
"The Qiming Thunder Pool is a natural danger zone on Planet Qiming, but it is also a treasure trove. Inside, it contains a special type of Energy Crystal called ’Thunder Crystals.’ By absorbing the violent Thunder Power within the Thunder Crystals to temper your body, you can further increase your physical potential."
Zhou Xiong’s gaze sharpened. He looked at Qin Feng and said, word by word:
"Your current physical aptitude is ’Gold Standard Human II.’"
"I suggest you head to the Qiming Thunder Pool as soon as possible. Raise your physical potential to ’Gold Standard Human III’ there."
"Remember, you must accomplish this before your life force index breaks through 30.0. For a Martial Artist, the later you are in your development, the harder it is to improve your physical potential. Once you cross the 30.0 threshold, the price and resources required to advance from Level II to Level III will be ten, or even a hundred times what they are now."
Hearing this, Qin Feng’s heart clenched.
He committed every single one of Zhou Xiong’s words to memory.
This wasn’t just advice; it was invaluable guidance on the path forward from one of the Empire’s top powerhouses.
"Thank you for your guidance, Lord Zhou! I will commit it to memory!"
He bowed solemnly, his voice filled with the sincerest gratitude.
"It is nothing."
Zhou Xiong waved his hand dismissively. "It is a reward you have earned. My guidance is finished."
After thanking him profusely one more time, Qin Feng turned and left the Martial Arts Room that had allowed him to be completely reborn.
When he returned to the Qiming First High School’s viewing area, the atmosphere in the entire "Crown of the North Pole" arena was in the throes of a different kind of fervor.
The upperclassman tournament had already entered its final, white-hot stage.
Qian Duoduo and Shi Potian noticed him immediately.
"Old Qin! You’re finally back! How was it? Did you get some special treatment again?"
Qian Duoduo sidled up to him, his face full of curiosity.
However, when he got within three meters of Qin Feng, the playful grin on his face suddenly froze.
Beside them, Shi Potian subconsciously tensed up, a hint of vigilance appearing in his eyes.
Both of them felt an indescribable pressure emanating from Qin Feng.
It wasn’t the kind of pressure that came from a high life force index, but a deeper tremor originating from the very essence of life.
It was like an ancient human encountering a ferocious tiger with upturned eyes and a white forehead.
A primal fear and trepidation that rose from the depths of their bloodlines.
"Old Qin... your aura... how... how has it changed so completely?"
Qian Duoduo scratched his head, speaking in confusion.
Shi Potian, however, stared intently at Qin Feng and said in a low voice, "It’s pressure from a higher life-form level."
Hearing this, Qian Duoduo’s eyes darted around before he came to a sudden realization. He enviously threw an arm around Qin Feng’s neck, practically drooling.
"You sly dog, Old Qin! I knew it! You must have gotten your hands on something good!"
"Haha, I made some small gains."
"I’m so jealous!"
"..."
After chatting and laughing for a while, Qin Feng’s gaze also turned toward the arena platform in the center of the stadium.
He noticed that the upperclassman tournament was almost over.
Everyone still on the platform was a true monster.
Without exception, their life force indexes had all reached thirty points.
Furthermore, according to Qian Duoduo’s intel, every single one of them had mastered at least two, or even three, killing techniques that had reached the "Perfection" realm.
Qin Feng planned to watch closely and learn from the fighting styles of these top-tier upperclassmen.
However, after just one glance, he gave up.
On the platform, two figures moved as fast as if they were teleporting. With every exchange, all that could be seen were blurry afterimages and the dazzling sparks that erupted when their weapons clashed.
The speed of their attacks was just too fast!
So fast that even Qin Feng’s dynamic vision couldn’t track their movements at all; he could only hear the thunderous, violent collisions.
As for what techniques or skills they were using, he couldn’t understand a thing.
"...I can’t understand a thing."
Qin Feng couldn’t help but comment.
His comment instantly made Qian Duoduo, who was standing beside him, feel much better about himself.
"Haha! Old Qin, even a genius like you can’t understand it!"
Qian Duoduo slapped his thigh in relief and exclaimed, "I thought it was just us who couldn’t understand! I feel so much better now! These guys aren’t even human!"
"It’s mainly their speed," Qin Feng said with a sigh. "With a life force index of 30, their physical bodies are just too terrifying."
Unable to understand the techniques used on the stage, the three of them simply started to chat idly.
Shi Potian and Qian Duoduo told Qin Feng what had happened during the tournament over the past few days, focusing on their upperclassman, Sun He.
Sun He had been defeated by an upperclassman from Golden Dragon Martial High School. His opponent had been ruthless and almost killed him, causing quite a stir.
"After that, an upperclassman from our Qi Yi High School, Feng Ruyun, went and killed that guy from Golden Dragon Martial High School."
"Someone actually died. Sigh."
"..."
Qin Feng was stunned as he listened.
It seemed the battle for the General Star of Qiming was countless times more brutal than the so-called "Rookie King" competition. After all, the prestige of the two titles was on completely different levels.
Moreover, the upperclassman tournament had a different format as well.
"Old Qin, you’ll have to be careful next year."
Qian Duoduo chattered on, "If you don’t have the strength to dominate the field next year, but you’re a contender for the General Star of Qiming the year after, it’s highly likely the upperclassmen from other schools will try to kill you..."
"Don’t the teachers do anything?" Qin Feng asked, puzzled.
Shi Potian said, "Actually, if it’s a regular match, while fists and feet have no eyes, the teachers and referees will still intervene. They won’t let a student be killed on the platform.
"But if a student intentionally tries to kill someone, the teachers and referees won’t get involved with that student anymore. That’s a tacitly approved rule by the schools and the officials. Whether you can survive the opponent’s retaliation is all up to your own ability. Without a life force index of 30, it’s hard to leave the tournament alive."
"I see."
As the three of them talked, time passed quickly.
Soon, the dazzling upperclassman tournament came to a close.
The final title of "General Star of Qiming" was successfully claimed by an upperclassman from Star River Military Affiliated High School.
His name was Lin Xinghai.
He used dual blades, and his strength was immense.
After the tournament ended, the figure of Master Gu Yue appeared in the Qiming First High School’s viewing area.
He was smiling, and his voice, gentle yet clear, reached the ears of every student.
"All right, students. This year’s inter-school league tournament has come to a successful conclusion. Everyone, take a moment to rest, then exit in an orderly fashion, board the shuttles, and return to school."
Aboard the Planet-class Shuttle on the way back, the atmosphere was relaxed and cheerful.
Qin Feng, Qian Duoduo, and Shi Potian sat together, calculating the time.
"The upperclassman tournament ended a day ahead of the planned schedule," Qian Duoduo said, swiping across his terminal’s light screen. "That means there are only two days left until my monthly exam, and your private domain’s monthly settlement!"
"These next two days, we’ve got to go all out and climb the rankings! Every extra academic point we can get is a win!"
Shi Potian, who was beside them, also nodded in agreement.
He had taken third place in the freshmen tournament this time and also received a handsome academic point reward. If he could boost his rank, he would be able to upgrade to a B-rank contract in a few more months.
At this thought, Shi Potian glanced at Qin Feng.
They had an unspoken understanding and didn’t ask about Qin Feng’s reward for first place, but they estimated he would probably be able to upgrade to a B-rank contract this time.
’Comparisons are infuriating,’ Shi Potian lamented inwardly. ’I’m being left further and further behind.’
’Top ten thousand,’ Qin Feng thought to himself. ’I have to break into the top ten thousand of the private domain rankings in these last two days!’
Soon, the shuttle landed smoothly in the plaza in front of Qiming First High School’s Beikai Tower.
The students disembarked from the shuttle in an orderly fashion.
Without a moment’s delay, the three of them returned to their familiar dorm room, 402.
There was no needless chatter. Not a moment of rest.
The three of them returned to their respective rooms and began their individual training plans.
「Inside the room.」
Qin Feng’s consciousness had already sunk into the Subspace Network.
[Imperial Arena - Qiming First High School Second Year - Private Domain]
[Begin Matchmaking]