Qin Lan, however, was sizing up Qin Feng as if he were some kind of monster, clicking her tongue in amazement. "You, my friend, always manage to redefine my understanding of the word ’genius.’"
"Congratulations."
Shi Potian uttered just that single word.
But Qin Feng could see in his eyes an unspoken understanding, a resonance that was unique to the two of them.
"Sigh, seriously, boss,"
After his initial excitement, Lei Meng couldn’t help but feel it was a pity for Qin Feng. "Your luck is just rotten. If you hadn’t run into Zheng Dong and Zhou Run this year—those two old monsters who’ve been training for nearly a century—the championship would have been yours for the taking!"
He continued indignantly, "Seriously! Anyone cultivating a Top-grade Acupoint Opening Technique should be sent straight to the Fifth Level Division! Having them compete with us Level 4 Martial Artists for a spot is just plain bullying!"
"You don’t understand."
Hearing this, Qin Lan, who was standing nearby, just smiled and shook her head.
She was a senior student, after all, with a much more thorough understanding of the academy’s various rules.
"On the contrary, this is the academy’s way of covertly supporting and encouraging the geniuses who choose to practice a Top-grade Acupoint Opening Technique."
She explained, "You know how difficult it is to cultivate a Top-grade Acupoint Opening Technique. The resources required are astronomical."
"That’s why the academy allows them to keep participating in the Newcomer’s Cup as Level 4 Martial Artists until they advance. The goal is to give them a chance to earn Contribution Points this way, supporting them as they walk this most difficult of paths."
Hearing this, Qin Feng nodded thoughtfully.
He was reminded of his own Contribution Points account, which had been completely emptied.
If it weren’t for this Newcomer’s Cup, he would have spent a very long time worrying about how to earn more Contribution Points.
The academy’s rule was indeed quite considerate.
Amid the crowd’s enthusiastic congratulations and discussions, the central main stage of the Glory Colosseum once again lit up with a brilliant glow.
The highly anticipated final match was about to begin!
Everyone held their breath, their gazes fixed on that stage.
Qin Feng was no exception.
His expression grew incredibly focused, even carrying a hint of... utter fascination.
When Zheng Dong and Zhou Run, the two "century-old monsters" with life force indices exceeding three thousand, appeared on the stage, only then did Qin Feng truly, viscerally understand the meaning of a "gap in power."
The two of them didn’t even intentionally release any aura.
They just stood there quietly, but the very space around them seemed to twist with minute, visible distortions, as if it couldn’t withstand their terrifying Life Magnetic Fields.
Every breath they took seemed to resonate in sync with the Glory Colosseum’s entire Energy Dome.
Once the battle began, Qin Feng was captivated, his spirit swaying, on the verge of being completely mesmerized.
It was no longer a competition on the level of mere technique.
Zheng Dong’s saber was all grand, sweeping movements!
But Zhou Run’s sword was elegant and agile, like an antelope hanging by its horns, leaving no trace to follow.
What they were using were, astoundingly, true Third-level Killing Skills!
They were more than ten times stronger than the saber techniques of Ba Yan, who had only just entered the Control Realm!
The battle, surprisingly, lasted only five minutes.
In the end, Zheng Dong won by a narrow margin, claiming the title of champion for this year’s Newcomer’s Cup.
Afterward, Qin Feng also watched the matches for the Fifth Level’s Meridian Union Realm and even the Sixth Level’s Soaring Realm.
He watched as the Level 6 Soaring Realm Martial Artists were already able to preliminarily merge their Mental Power with their combat techniques. They unleashed all sorts of unbelievable Fourth-level Killing Techniques, as well as Spirit Secret Skills he had never even heard of.
An unprecedented yearning and desire for the higher realms of the Martial Dao ignited within Qin Feng’s heart.
’Level 4 is just the beginning.’
’The path of the Martial Dao truly begins at the Planetary level.’
He clenched his fists tightly, and it was as if two flames were burning intensely within his deep-set eyes.
’My path is still long!’
-----------------
High above on the instructors’ platform in the clouds, the focus of the assembled Constant Star-level Powerhouses had already shifted away from the stage where the victor had been decided.
As if by silent agreement, their gazes converged once more, subtly, on the figure in the corner—the one who had remained perfectly composed from start to finish, as if none of this concerned him.
—Yu Han.
And on his disciple, Qin Feng, who had just claimed third place in the Newcomer’s Cup in a world-shaking fashion, airdropping directly into the 1000th spot on the "Hidden Dragon List."
If the attention everyone had previously paid to Qin Feng was merely curiosity stemming from Squad Leader Zhou Xiong’s order to "give him special attention," then now, after witnessing his unbelievable growth rate, his four unheard-of Control Realm killing techniques, and the casual wisdom he showed by forfeiting against a stronger opponent, that curiosity had completely transformed into intense interest.
"Ahem."
It was the same Senior Brother Zhang from before, the one with an ethereal, immortal-like bearing, who had broken the silence.
He lifted his teacup, his gaze flicking toward Yu Han as he smiled pointedly. "Junior Brother Yu Han, you’ve really struck gold this time. This young man, Qin Feng, has given us all a tremendous surprise."
"Indeed,"
A fiery female instructor in crimson Battle Armor chimed in, her bright, phoenix-like eyes darting between Yu Han and Qin Feng’s seat down below. "A breakthrough mid-battle to comprehend a fourth Control Realm killing technique, followed by that cunning Hidden Dragon move to crush Ba Yan. Tsk, tsk. That kind of comprehension, that mentality... even back in our day, he’d be one of the absolute best."