[Connecting to the Imperial Arena...]
[Identity verification successful...]
"Vitality Index locked at 30 points."
"Equipment selected: Light Alloy Combat Suit, Standard Alloy Long Staff."
He didn’t choose the Long Spear, which he was most skilled with, but the long staff!
His Thousand Army Spear and Dragon Serpent Spear arts had both already reached the Control Realm.
But now, he needed to hone his skills, not just grind for points.
[Selection complete. Matching you with an opponent...]
BZZZZ—
The scene before him shifted, and in the next instant, Qin Feng found himself in a massive coliseum built in the style of Ancient Rome.
A hundred meters away, a burly Martial Artist wielding a giant axe began charging toward him with heavy strides!
Qin Feng’s gaze instantly turned cold and focused.
He gripped the heavy alloy long staff in his hands, feeling its weight and mechanics, so completely different from a Long Spear.
"Well then, let’s start here."
...
For the next month, Qin Feng completely immersed himself in the frenzied slaughter of the Imperial Arena.
At first, his use of the long staff was still somewhat clumsy. He often lost to all sorts of strange opponents simply because he wasn’t accustomed to the weapon.
But later, relying on his superior understanding of slaughter arts, he rapidly mastered every characteristic of the long staff.
Striking, smashing, thrusting, sweeping, flicking, parrying...
In battle after battle, win or lose, he furiously absorbed combat experience, and his proficiency with the Wind and Thunder Long Staff skyrocketed.
[Ding! Your ’Wind and Thunder Long Staff’ proficiency has reached ’Beginner’!]
[Ding! Your ’Wind and Thunder Long Staff’ proficiency has reached ’Adept’!]
[Ding! You have comprehended ’Wind and Thunder Thrusting Force’ in battle. Your ’Wind and Thunder Long Staff’ proficiency has reached ’Master’!]
Half a month later, during a duel against an agile opponent with dual blades, Qin Feng had a moment of inspiration as he executed a last-second dodge. The long staff in his hands suddenly erupted with a ferocious force. The tip of the staff whipped through the air, creating a visible shockwave and a terrifying sonic boom that sounded like a clap of thunder!
BOOM!
The agile opponent didn’t even have time to react before his light armor was smashed to pieces by the strike. He was sent flying backward like a kite with a snapped string, dissolving into a shower of light mid-air.
[Ding! Congratulations! During a battle at your limits, your ’Wind and Thunder Long Staff’ Slaughter Realm has successfully broken through to ’Perfection’!]
With that, Qin Feng added another powerful Perfection Realm slaughter art to his arsenal.
For the remaining half of the month, he continued to train in the Arena.
Relying solely on his sublimely mastered Wind and Thunder Long Staff, he was practically unstoppable in the lower-ranked matches, cutting down gods and buddhas alike.
His official rank also soared.
[Current Rank: Imperial Arena - First Rank (435 Points)]
’I’m less than a hundred points away from reaching Second Rank.’
Qin Feng looked at his rank points and thought to himself, ’And this is only while using the long staff. If I had used my Long Spear, which is already at the Control Realm, I’d probably be halfway through Second Rank by now.’
’Too bad the Wind and Thunder Long Staff hasn’t reached the Control Realm yet, but it’s close.’
"BEEP BEEP BEEP—"
Just then, the alert from his Intelligent Assistant, Hammer, pulled him from his immersed state.
"Master, the Canaan Newcomer Cup is scheduled to begin in less than twenty-four hours."
"Got it."
With a thought, Qin Feng exited the Imperial Arena.
The familiar, ice-cold chamber appeared before him once more.
A month of high-intensity combat had completely transformed the deathly stillness that had clung to him for three years into a soaring, vibrant battle intent.
He stretched his body, and his joints let out a series of crisp CRACKS and POPS.
"It’s time to come out of seclusion."
He opened his communication interface, which had been silent for three long years.
A massive flood of information instantly poured in like a tidal wave.
His gaze immediately locked onto a familiar name.
—Shi Potian.
He opened the message list and saw the reply Shi Potian had sent three years ago after receiving his message.
[Shi Potian: Okay. The path of the Martial Dao is like rowing a boat upstream; if you don’t advance, you fall behind. I look forward to seeing you again in three years. Let’s both strive hard!]
After that message, there was another one timestamped a month ago.
[Shi Potian: By my calculations, it’s about time for you to come out of seclusion. I’ve already registered for this year’s Newcomer Cup.]
Short, powerful, and filled with Shi Potian’s characteristic cool and pure demeanor.
A smile couldn’t help but appear on Qin Feng’s lips.
His close friend hadn’t changed.
Next, he saw messages from Lei Meng, Xiong Yanfu, Tiemu, and the others.
These messages had almost all been sent in the last few days, and their content was more or less the same.
[Lei Meng: Boss Qin! Are you out of seclusion yet? The Newcomer Cup starts tomorrow! All us brothers are waiting for you to come out so we can throw you a welcome-back feast and wish you a triumphant victory!]
[Xiong Yanfu: Madman Qin, if you don’t come out soon, we’re gonna come break down your dorm room door! Hurry up! I’ve already booked a table at Taotie Residence in the Food God District! We’re just waiting for the man of the hour to show up!]
[Tiemu: Qin Feng, waiting for you.]
Reading these messages, filled with such warmth and anticipation, a wave of comfort washed over Qin Feng.
Three years of seclusion, and his old friends were still the same.
It was a good feeling.
Without hesitation, with a slight flicker of his thoughts, he first typed out a line of text in the four-person group chat that Lei Meng and Xiong Yanfu had started.