It takes ten thousand proficiency points to go from Great Accomplishment to the Perfection Realm.
And to go from Perfection to the next realm, Control, requires a full one hundred thousand points!
Qin Feng logged out of the arena and slowly opened his eyes in his private Martial Arts Room.
He reached out and gripped the three-meter Alloy Long Spear on the nearby weapon rack.
The moment he gripped the spear’s shaft, an unprecedented, wondrous feeling washed over him.
At that moment, the cold Alloy Long Spear no longer felt like an external object, but an extension of his own arm.
He could clearly feel every slight vibration of the shaft and could channel his strength to any point on the spear’s tip at will.
This feeling of it moving like a limb, of a complete connection between mind and weapon, was incredibly profound.
’In the Perfection Realm, a weapon is like an extension of your limbs...’
’Does this feeling have something to do with Mental Power?’
Qin Feng thought to himself.
He had a faint feeling that to cultivate a killing technique to its peak, purely physical training was no longer enough; a high degree of mental harmony was also required.
He didn’t dwell on this feeling for too long.
The Thousand Army Spear had reached Perfection. Next was to cultivate his second killing technique, the Fierce Bird Fist.
He put away the Long Spear, stood firm in the center of the Martial Arts Room, and began to comprehend the breathing method and Fierce Bird Posture of the Fierce Bird Fist, following the materials Master Gu Yue had given him.
This fist technique emphasized speed, ruthlessness, and precision. One’s movements had to be like a raptor striking, one’s punches like a bird’s beak pecking. Even the rhythm of one’s breathing carried a sharp, murderous intent.
Just ten minutes later.
[You have successfully comprehended "Fierce Bird Fist".]
[Killing Technique: Fierce Bird Fist (Entry)]
[Proficiency: 1/100]
’So that’s how it is...’
Qin Feng slowly relaxed his stance, a sharp glint in his eyes.
’Weapons truly are an extension of one’s fists and palms.’
He picked up the three-meter-long Alloy Long Spear again, but this time, he didn’t use the techniques of the Thousand Army Spear. Instead, he integrated the power-application techniques and rhythmic Body Technique of the Fierce Bird Fist into his spearplay.
The Long Spear in his hands sometimes moved with wide, sweeping motions like a raptor spreading its wings; sometimes it lunged like a sharp talon, vicious and cunning; and at other times, it jabbed like a bird’s beak, incomparably swift.
The originally grand and majestic spear art now had an added trace of ferocity and unpredictability.
And through this process of applying related principles, his proficiency in the Fierce Bird Fist soared.
Soon, it rocketed from its initial single point all the way to over 50.
’It must be because I’ve already cultivated one killing technique to Perfection and have vast combat experience, giving me a higher perspective. That’s why learning another killing technique of the same level is so fast.’
’This is a classic case of having a commanding perspective.’
At 6:00 PM, his killing technique training ended.
After eating a B-grade Energy Meal, Qin Feng once again threw himself into cultivating his Body Refining Technique.
Sweat soaked his clothes, and his muscles grew ever stronger through the cycle of soreness and recovery.
In the dead of night, after finishing his Body Refining Technique practice, he sat cross-legged and began cultivating the Emperor Meditation Method.
His Mental Power slowly grew within his sea of consciousness, washing away the day’s fatigue.
It wasn’t until late at night, when both his body and mind had reached their limits, that Qin Feng fell into a deep sleep.
This was his day.
Tedious, disciplined, and filled with sweat and exhaustion.
Yet it was also incredibly fulfilling and empowering.
It was exactly the same as his daily training routine in the dorm and the public Martial Arts Rooms before he became the freshman champion.
It hadn’t changed in the slightest.
-----------------
「Half a month passed in a flash, consumed by Qin Feng’s tedious yet fulfilling training.」
In a private, friends-only combat room within the Imperial Arena.
The figures of Qin Feng and Sun He were locked in an incredibly fierce close-quarters battle.
Unlike half a month ago, this time, neither of them was using a weapon. They were fighting bare-fisted, engaging in the most primitive and direct form of combat.
Sun He’s fists moved with wide, powerful swings, accompanied by the sound of wind and thunder. Every strike was heavy and forceful.
His combat experience was immense. His fists, palms, elbows, and knees—every part of his body had become a lethal weapon. His assault was relentless, an attempt to completely overwhelm his opponent.
However, his opponent, Qin Feng, was like an agile, fierce bird darting through a storm.
His movements were unpredictable, his fist technique fast, ruthless, and precise. It carried a sharp aura that could pierce through anything, and every strike targeted the weak points in Sun He’s defense.
The battle lasted less than five minutes.
In a fleeting exchange, Sun He was caught off-balance, his old momentum spent before he could generate new force.
Qin Feng seized this fleeting opportunity!
His gaze turned incredibly sharp. His right fist shot up from an unbelievable angle, like a raptor’s talon, and tore through Sun He’s defense!
Fierce Bird Fist’s killing technique—the Fierce Owl Technique!
THUD!
A muffled sound rang out.
Qin Feng’s fist landed squarely on Sun He’s chest.
Sun He’s body shuddered violently, then dissolved into countless specks of light, disappearing within the combat room.
...
Private Martial Arts Room B-17.
Qin Feng and Sun He opened their eyes at the same time.
Sun He sat on a chair opposite him. He looked at his own fist, then at the calm expression on Qin Feng’s face, and finally shook his head in resignation.
"You... Your progress is just too fast."
Sun He’s voice was filled with emotion. "The Fierce Bird Fist... have you even been learning it for a month? And you’ve already comprehended the killing technique, the ’Fierce Owl Technique’?"
"Haha, more like twenty-something days."
Qin Feng chuckled and stepped out of the recovery pod, feeling refreshed all over.
"And your life force index... your progress is just absurd."
Sun He’s expression grew particularly complex.
Just twenty-some days ago, when he had dueled Qin Feng with weapons, he had lost, but he was confident that their strength was evenly matched.
But in the pure hand-to-hand combat just now, he had felt a sense of powerlessness, of being completely crushed.
Every one of Qin Feng’s blocks carried an immense force that he found difficult to resist.
The other man’s strength seemed bottomless, giving him the illusion that he was completely immovable.
This wasn’t a fight between equals at all.
"Qin Feng, do you mind if I ask?"
Sun He finally couldn’t hold back his curiosity. "What... what exactly is your power level right now?"
"Life force index, 19.8."
"Thousand Army Spear is at Perfection, and Fierce Bird Fist is at Minor Accomplishment."
Qin Feng didn’t hide anything and answered truthfully.
"..."
Sun He’s mouth fell open, the expression on his face instantly freezing.
He was completely dumbfounded, staring blankly at Qin Feng as if he were meeting his junior for the first time.
Nineteen point eight?!
Half a month ago, he was at 16.5!
In this half a month... no, to be precise, in twenty-something days, his life force index increased by more than three points?!
And Thousand Army Spear at Perfection? Fierce Bird Fist at Minor Accomplishment, and he even comprehended a killing technique?
Sun He felt like his brain was short-circuiting.
"You... How long have you been enrolled?"
he asked subconsciously.
"Almost four months."
Qin Feng calculated the time and gave a precise answer.
"Holy shit..."
Sun He could no longer maintain his composure and let out a curse.
He was completely floored.
He, Sun He, had enrolled one year and four months ago—a total of sixteen months. After all that painstaking work, he had only just managed to cultivate one technique, the Heaven and Earth Staff, to Perfection, and his life force index had barely reached 18.9.
But Qin Feng, who had been enrolled for less than four months, had already surpassed him in every aspect.
This wasn’t genius anymore. This was a demon.
’What a freak...’
Sun He muttered to himself, looking at Qin Feng as if he were a monster in human skin.
After a long while, he finally digested this despairing fact, let out a long sigh, and asked, "What are your plans now?"
Qin Feng pondered for a moment before saying, "Continue to hone my strength and solidify my realm. Then, win next year’s ’Qiming General Star’."
His tone was calm, as if he were stating the obvious.
Hearing this, Sun He nodded heavily, his expression showing that he thought it was only natural.
"Yes, that’s exactly right!"
he said. "A genius like you really should compete for the ’Qiming General Star’ next year and graduate in the shortest time possible. The sooner, the better. At your rate of progress, spending even one extra year at the university is a waste. The improvement you can make in a year is more than what us senior students can achieve in several."
Sun He stood up, walked over to Qin Feng, and solemnly patted his shoulder.
"Junior, I’ll be waiting to see you reach the top next year. I wish you great fortune on your Martial Dao!"
With that said, Sun He turned and strode nonchalantly out of the Martial Arts Room that had dealt him such a heavy blow.
Qin Feng watched him leave with a slight smile, then calmed his mind once more.
He opened his own data panel and conducted a comprehensive review of his current abilities.
[Name]: Qin Feng
[Life Force Index]: 19.82
[Martial Artist Level]: Second Level Martial Artist
[Refining Methods]:
Intermediate Imperial Body Refining Method (Great Accomplishment)
[Proficiency]: 9530 / 10000
[Effect]: At the current realm, passively increases Life Force Index by 0.001 per hour. Body recovery speed and energy absorption efficiency are greatly increased.
[Note]: When the "Intermediate Imperial Body Refining Method" is raised to Perfection, you will undergo a [Life Evolution].
Emperor Meditation Method (Entry)
[Proficiency]: 88 / 100
[Effect]: Nail of Favor x1: The speed at which you cultivate meditation methods receives a slight Amplification.
[Killing Techniques]:
Thousand Army Spear (Perfection)
[Proficiency]: 1542 / 100000
[Effect]: Your control over long-handled weapons is greatly increased.
Fierce Bird Fist (Minor Accomplishment)
[Proficiency]: 132 / 1000
[Effect]: Your comprehension of fist-type killing techniques is increased.
[Mastered Killing Techniques]: Fierce Owl Technique
’My Intermediate Imperial Body Refining Method is less than five hundred proficiency points away from Perfection. When that happens, my life force index should break through 20.0, reaching the limit for a Second Level Martial Artist.’
’When the Body Refining Technique reaches Perfection, there will also be a [Life Evolution]. I wonder what the intensity of this evolution will be. Will it be enough to push my physical constitution directly to Gold-Standard Human, Grade III?’
’Even if it can’t, there’s still the opportunity with the Qiming Thunder Pool later.’
’Once my physical constitution is upgraded to Gold-Standard Human, Grade III, I can focus completely on charging toward the threshold of a Third-level Martial Artist: thirty points of life force index.’
’After that, it’s the Qiming General Star.’
’And then, Canaan Starry Sky Martial Arts University, and stepping into the Star Sea!’
Qin Feng had an exceptionally clear plan for his future.
His review complete, he once again immersed himself in diligent cultivation.