"Otherwise, we’d probably all be dead there by now."
Xiong Yanfu summarized, "So, in other words, Shi Dang is the one who saved all our lives!"
"I see."
Qin Feng nodded, the confusion in his heart clearing up.
No wonder Shi Dang was with Shi Potian and the others.
Fighting a life-or-death battle together is the fastest way for men to forge a bond of friendship.
He looked at Shi Dang, his eyes filled with genuine admiration and respect.
"Impressive, Shi Dang. To break through mid-battle and gain Control over your killing arts... your progress is truly astonishing!"
This praise from Qin Feng was heartfelt.
He knew full well how immense the pressure was when facing monsters like the Believers of Khorne—creatures born of pure slaughter.
To break through a bottleneck and achieve an epiphany mid-battle under such extreme pressure was proof enough that Shi Dang’s mentality and aptitude were of the highest caliber.
Hearing Qin Feng’s praise, a flicker of pride crossed Shi Dang’s determined face before he replied humbly, "Not at all. I’m still a long way from your level."
However, that humility lasted less than three seconds.
The next moment, the hint of bashfulness in his eyes was replaced by a fiercer, more scorching flame.
A flame called Battle Intent!
He raised his head, his gaze scorching as he stared directly at Qin Feng, and said in a heavy voice, "Qin Feng, twelve years ago, I stood before you, utterly powerless. You took me down in a single blow."
"For the past twelve years, you chose the path of secluded, arduous cultivation, pushing every last drop of your potential to its limit. Your strength must have grown immeasurably."
"But I chose a different path."
His voice grew impassioned and filled with confidence.
"I have undertaken hundreds of high-intensity, life-or-death missions, honing my skills on battlefields of blood and fire! I have personally slain tens of thousands of powerful enemies! My strength, my killing arts, have also been tempered over these twelve years, becoming something extraordinary!"
"So!"
Shi Dang took a sudden step forward, and a Battle Intent as solid as a mountain erupted from him with a roar!
"I want to fight you again!"
He stared intently at Qin Feng, each word seeming to be forced from between clenched teeth.
"Let’s see whose path is superior—your secluded cultivation, or my trial by combat!"
These provocative words instantly caused the atmosphere in the private room to freeze.
Xiong Yanfu and Lei Meng looked on awkwardly, unsure of what to say.
Only Shi Potian remained impassive, his expression as still as a deep well, as he silently lifted his teacup.
Qin Feng looked at Shi Dang, who was practically radiating Battle Intent, and his brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.
’But... ’
Qin Feng shook his head inwardly.
He remained silent for a moment before finally speaking, his tone calm yet tactful as he declined the request.
"Let’s just forget about it."
He looked at Shi Dang and said earnestly, "The gap between us might be a bit larger than you imagine. My current life force index has reached 1,730. This wouldn’t be a fair fight anymore."
He had no intention of showing off; he was simply stating a fact that he thought would persuade the other man to back down.
However, when the number "1,730" left Qin Feng’s lips...
The entire private room was plunged into a deathly silence.
It was as if someone had hit the pause button on everyone in the room.
Shi Dang’s blazing Battle Intent was instantly extinguished, as if doused by a bucket of ice water from the heavens, leaving nothing behind.
His mouth hung slightly agape, his expression frozen in a mask of utter, incredulous shock and horror.
"O... one thousand... seven hundred and thirty?"
His voice was dry, hoarse, and even distorted from the sheer shock.
It wasn’t just him.
Even the hand of the ever-composed Shi Potian, holding his teacup aloft, trembled slightly in mid-air.
Xiong Yanfu and Lei Meng looked as if they had seen a ghost, their eyes practically bulging from their sockets.
They knew Qin Feng was a monster and had long grown accustomed to his unnatural rate of progress.
But...
Twelve years!
To shoot up from just over five hundred to more than seventeen hundred?
The word "monster" was no longer enough to describe this!
This was nothing short of a miracle!
Seeing everyone’s dumbstruck expressions, as if their souls had left their bodies, Qin Feng actually felt a little embarrassed.
He chuckled, waving his hand dismissively. "It was all luck, just luck."
"In my opinion, the most effective ’playstyle’ at Canaan Starry Sky Martial Arts University is to clear the Canaan Tower and compete in the rookie tournament in the early stages. Use those methods to acquire as many Contribution Points as possible. Then, use those points to purchase top-tier resources for high-efficiency secluded cultivation. That’s the way to rapidly improve your strength."
"As for me, I just got lucky and managed to get more resources than everyone else early on. So, it’s only natural that my strength increased a bit faster."
He spread his hands and said, half-joking, "If we were all at the same level and only competed in terms of combat skill, I’m not so sure I could beat any of you."
Hearing this, Xiong Yanfu and the others slowly began to recover from their shock.
They all managed a faint smile, assuming Qin Feng was just being humble and trying to spare their feelings.
’Him, unable to beat us at the same level?’