’Even stronger than a newly promoted Gold-Standard Human, Level III!’
’This is... a level beyond the textbooks.’
He took a deep breath.
If the Gold-Standard Human, Level III, was the limit for the human species under the current theoretical framework...
...then he had just broken that limit!
He felt like a Starry Sky Giant Beast that had just hatched, still in its embryonic stage of development.
Although his power was still weak, the very essence of his life was now completely different!
’I need to test just how strong I’ve become.’
Suppressing his shock, Qin Feng immediately made a decision.
There was only one most direct and effective method of testing—combat!
He opened his wrist terminal again, preparing to enter the private network.
Qin Feng discovered that the application he had just submitted to advance to the third year had already been approved.
[Dear student Qin Feng, your academic advancement application has been approved. Your current grade is: Third Year.]
[Your private network access has been automatically switched to: Third-Year Private Domain.]
The third-year private domain.
Here, the most elite and powerful geniuses of Qiming First High School were gathered.
Every single one of them was an extremely formidable upperclassman.
A fiery battle lust ignited in Qin Feng’s eyes as he pressed the matchmaking button.
[Searching for an opponent...]
[Third-Year Private Domain.]
[Matchmaking Pool: All third-year students.]
The wait was longer than ever before.
After nearly half a minute, the cold notification tone finally sounded.
[Match successful!]
The next second, the scene changed.
Qin Feng’s figure appeared on an even grander arena, styled after an Ancient Roman Colosseum and filled with an air of Iron Blood and slaughter.
Across from him, a tall and burly figure slowly materialized.
The man held a long-handled Horse-Slaying Saber, and his body radiated a terrifying aura.
When he saw the opponent’s face clearly, Qin Feng’s gaze sharpened slightly.
He had seen that face before.
Beside Sun He.
As the thought flashed through his mind, his opponent’s information appeared clearly before everyone.
[Name: Feng Ruyun]
[Life Force Index: 30.14]
[Killing Skills: Blazing Flame Saber (Perfection), Iron Wall Fist Technique (Perfection), Raging Wave Saber Technique (Small Success)]
On the grand, Ancient Roman Colosseum-style arena, as Feng Ruyun’s figure fully materialized, his sharp gaze immediately locked onto Qin Feng.
A hint of clear surprise flashed across his face.
"Qin Feng?"
He recognized this "King of Freshmen" who had just caused a huge stir among the upperclassmen.
"You’ve advanced to the third year?"
Feng Ruyun was a little surprised.
’It’s only been a few days, and he’s already broken the 20.0 Life Force Index threshold and entered the third-year domain?’
’That speed is indeed a bit unnatural.’
However, despite his surprise, what Feng Ruyun felt more was a burgeoning, deep interest.
He also wanted to personally test the mettle of this junior, whom Sun He had described as a "freak."
He said no more, simply drawing the Horse-Slaying Saber from his back, holding it in one hand with the tip angled toward the ground.
A terrifying aura, like a raging tempest, erupted from his body!
[Name: Feng Ruyun]
[Grade: Third Year (Class 1)]
[Life Force Index: 30.14]
[Killing Skills: Blazing Flame Saber (Perfection), Iron Wall Fist Technique (Perfection), Raging Wave Saber Technique (Small Success)]
At the same time, Qin Feng also saw his opponent’s stat panel.
A Life Force Index of 30.14! A standard Third-level Martial Artist!
Two Perfect Killing Skills and one Small Success Killing Skill!
Qin Feng’s heart sank instantly.
This was going to be a crushing battle, the likes of which he had never experienced before.
But the Combat Will in his eyes didn’t diminish; instead, it grew even stronger.
’How can I know the gap and see the path forward if I don’t fight a true expert?’
He tightened his grip on his Long Spear, raising his own aura to its peak.
The battle began the instant their eyes met!
Feng Ruyun was the first to attack!
The ground beneath his feet shook as he transformed into a blurry afterimage, crossing several dozen meters in an instant.
The Horse-Slaying Saber in his hand used no fancy techniques, only a pure, domineering overhead chop!
Before the blade even arrived, the sharp wind it generated forced the air to let out a piercing shriek!
This slash seemed as if it could split the entire arena in two!
Qin Feng’s pupils contracted violently.
’Too fast! So fast my dynamic vision can barely track it!’
’Too strong! The pure, oppressive force makes me feel like I’m facing a toppling mountain!’
He didn’t even have time to execute any refined techniques; he could only rely on his combat instincts, raising his Long Spear horizontally above his head and using all his strength to block the blow!
[Thousand Soldiers Guarding]!
CLANG—!!!!
A deafening metallic explosion, loud enough to rupture eardrums, echoed throughout the arena!
Qin Feng felt an irresistible, terrifying force, like the blast from an Interstellar Battleship’s main cannon, travel through the shaft of his spear.
His arms went numb instantly, and the web between his thumb and forefinger was torn open, dripping with blood.
His entire body was sent flying backward uncontrollably, as if struck by a high-speed train, his feet carving two deep trenches into the alloy floor!
A single blow!
His defense was almost completely shattered!
However, Feng Ruyun’s attacks were like an unending tide, giving him no chance to breathe.
Just as Qin Feng was regaining his footing, Feng Ruyun was already on him like a shadow.
He abandoned his Horse-Slaying Saber, and his left hand shot out, fingers spread wide, lunging for Qin Feng’s face with a scorching aura!
The True Intent of his Perfection Realm "Blazing Flame Saber" had long been integrated into his fists and palms!
Alarm bells screamed in Qin Feng’s mind. He forced his body to twist, trying to block with the shaft of his spear.
But Feng Ruyun’s movements were faster!
The hand, burning with energy, suddenly changed mid-air, shifting from a grasp to a palm strike. At an incredible angle, it bypassed Qin Feng’s Long Spear and viciously slammed into his chest!
Iron Wall Fist Technique!
BANG!
A dull thud.
The light armor on Qin Feng’s body shattered on impact!
As if struck by lightning, he spat out a mouthful of blood and was thrown backward once again.
Power, speed, technique... a complete and utter beatdown!
While mid-air, Qin Feng gritted his teeth against the intense pain, trying to adjust his posture and counterattack.
But Feng Ruyun had already sealed his fate.
Feng Ruyun gripped his Horse-Slaying Saber again, crouched slightly, then shot up like a fully drawn bow, the saber in his hand tracing a brilliant and deadly blue arc through the air!
The killing move of the Raging Wave Saber Technique—[Sea Splitter]!
The blue arc of light seemed to cross the distance of space, appearing before Qin Feng in an instant.
In Qin Feng’s eyes, all that remained was that brilliant, hopeless blue.
He... didn’t even have time to raise his spear to block.
Eight seconds.
From start to finish, only eight seconds had passed.
Within that blue arc of light, Qin Feng’s figure dissolved into a shower of light motes and completely disappeared.
...
In another combat preparation room in the third-year private domain, Feng Ruyun slowly sheathed his saber and logged out of the private network.
There was no joy of victory on his face, but rather a hint of contemplation.
"Eight seconds..."
He muttered to himself.
"His strength and speed are roughly equivalent to an ordinary Martial Artist with a Life Force Index of 25. His spearmanship is at Perfection, his defensive techniques are solid, and his Combat Will is top-tier."
"This rate of progress is indeed very fast."
Sun He’s words surfaced in Feng Ruyun’s mind again.
He shook his head.
"However, it’s still impossible for him to get the ’Qiming General Star’ next year."
"The gap is too big. He probably won’t even be able to beat me by then, let alone the few monsters ranked ahead of me."
"No matter what... he’ll have to wait until the year after next to even have a chance."
Feng Ruyun knew very well that with his two Perfect Killing Skills and one Small Success Killing Skill, he had only barely squeezed into the top ten of the current third-year class.
The competition for the "Qiming General Star" was far crueler than anyone imagined.
...
「Private Martial Arts Room B-17.」
Qin Feng’s face was a little pale, but his eyes were filled with unprecedented gravity.
A crushing defeat!
A complete and utter defeat, without a shred of suspense!
The experience of those eight seconds was deeply seared into his mind like a brand.
Before Feng Ruyun, his pride in his strength, speed, and technique seemed laughable and insignificant.
"The gap... is too wide."
Qin Feng took a deep breath. Far from feeling defeated, an even more turbulent fighting spirit ignited within him.
He didn’t rest, immersing his consciousness in the private network once more.
[Begin Matchmaking]
The second match: his opponent was a third-year female upperclassman who used dual swords, with a Life Force Index of 28.9.
The battle lasted for fifteen seconds.
Qin Feng was defeated after his opponent left over a hundred wounds on his body with her dazzling Swordsmanship.
The third match: his opponent was a burly man who specialized in fist techniques, with a Life Force Index of 27.5.
The battle lasted for twelve seconds.
Qin Feng’s Long Spear was brutally knocked away by his opponent’s pair of iron fists.
...
The fourth match, defeat.
The fifth match, defeat.
...
The thirty-second match, defeat.
In a single afternoon, Qin Feng experienced over thirty consecutive losses.
After advancing to the third year, fighting in the private domain was much more brutal than when he had first advanced to the second year!
Back then, although he still lost, he could occasionally rely on his skill and experience to trade blows with the lower-ranked upperclassmen.
But now, in the third-year private domain, he was almost completely helpless.
Not a single battle lasted longer than twenty seconds.
’Strength, speed, Slaughter Realm, combat experience... a gap in every single aspect.’
Qin Feng logged out of the private network, a clear understanding of the chasm between himself and the top third-year geniuses now in his mind.
But he was not discouraged.
A gap meant there was a goal to chase and motivation to move forward.
He stopped the pointless private domain battles and pulled up the 3D instructional video for the "Advanced Imperial Body Refining Technique" from Qiming First High School’s internal database.