The entire fight, from start to finish, lasted less than thirty seconds.
They had exchanged blows for no more than ten rounds.
And just like that, Ning Jing—one of the three top Level 5 Powerhouses in the Fearless Warband—was defeated.
The Virtual Space fell deathly silent.
Qin Feng retracted his Long Spear, watching Ning Jing in the distance without a word.
Ning Jing slowly got to his feet. He glanced down at the shattered armor on his chest, then looked up at Qin Feng, his eyes a whirlwind of complex emotions.
There was shock, horror, and utter disbelief.
As the pure white light of the Virtual Space faded from view and the familiar, solid sensation returned to the ground beneath their feet, the consciousnesses of Qin Feng and Ning Jing returned to the A-3 Strategic Conference Room in the real world.
The surrounding alloy walls were still cold, and the simulated Star River on the ceiling was still brilliant.
Long Yu and Nissan stood a short distance away, their faces a complex mixture of expectation and unconcealable shock.
Clearly, they had watched every moment of the brief and lopsided duel through spectator mode.
Ning Jing’s body swayed for a moment before he fully steadied himself.
Although virtual battles didn’t cause any physical harm, the impact of being crushed by pure power and the icy stillness of the spear at his throat left a lingering tremor running through his nerves.
He was silent for a moment, as if processing the immense shock of his defeat.
After a long moment, he raised his head, his eyes once again landing on Qin Feng.
This time, all the scrutiny, doubt, and wariness in his eyes had vanished without a trace.
In their place was a genuine acknowledgment and amazement for an absolute powerhouse.
"Your physical body... is too powerful."
Ning Jing spoke in a deep, hoarse voice that was nonetheless full of power, each word landing with weight. "That’s not power a human should possess. It’s like you’re a Starry Sky Giant Beast in human skin. In terms of pure physical attributes—strength, endurance, speed... I believe no one at our level in the entire Cannan Star Martial Arts University can surpass you."
He paused, as if searching for a more accurate comparison.
"Perhaps... only the true prodigies and Demons from the wider Cosmos could possibly compare with you in terms of physical potential."
This was extremely high praise.
Coming from a powerhouse as proud and demanding to the point of paranoia as Ning Jing, the praise carried immense weight.
"As for your fighting style,"
he continued, his tone frank as he admitted his inferiority. "It’s equally impressive. Grand and sweeping, yet with hidden subtleties. Your offensive Will is honed to an extreme. I accept my defeat wholeheartedly."
He admitted his defeat decisively, without any hesitation.
However, after acknowledging Qin Feng’s power, his expression grew solemn once more.
"However,"
his tone shifted, his expression becoming incredibly serious. "A Martial Dao duel is one thing, but a life-or-death mission is another. Our fight just now didn’t involve any attacks or defenses on the Mental Power level. I’m not saying this to make excuses for my defeat. The objective of this mission is to destroy a Chaos Altar and slay its Guardian."
Ning Jing’s eyes sharpened, as if he were lost in an unpleasant memory.
"I once had the good fortune—or perhaps misfortune—to undertake a similar, though slightly less difficult, mission. Those altar Guardians are, without exception, Fanatics who have been deeply blessed by an Evil God. Their strength may vary, but their Mental Power attacks are not to be underestimated. It’s a power that can directly contaminate and twist your very soul. It’s incredibly bizarre and terrifying."
At this, he glanced at Long Yu and Nissan before continuing, "The three of us, after so many years of arduous cultivation, have all reached the critical threshold of ’10’ in Mental Power strength. This level is enough for us to begin stirring the Primordial Acupoints in our bodies and break through to the Sixth Level of Soaring Realm whenever we choose. Combined with the Empire’s highest-grade mental protection modules, we’re confident we can hold our own on the mental level, even against an ordinary Sixth-Level Chaos Believer."
His subtext was clear: ’I acknowledge your physical prowess, but your Mental Power is still an unknown quantity. And that just so happens to be the deadliest aspect of this mission.’
"You don’t need to worry about that."
Long Yu stepped forward at the opportune moment and explained with a smile, "My power armor is equipped with the latest model of Life Field and Mental Power fluctuation detectors. I tested Qin Feng’s Mental Power strength five years ago, and it had already reached a value of 9. Now, five years later, given his rate of cultivation, I believe that even if he’s not at 10 yet, he must be infinitesimally close."
"Oh?"
Hearing this, a flash of surprise crossed Ning Jing’s eyes. The tension in his expression finally eased completely, and he nodded slowly. "That’s good."
An invincible physique, a top-tier fighting style, and Mental Power on the verge of meeting the standard.
A teammate like that couldn’t be described as merely "qualified." He was the perfect candidate for this "nightmare-level" mission, as if he’d been tailor-made for it.
With that, the last trace of doubt in Ning Jing’s heart vanished into thin air.
He pondered for a moment, as if gathering his thoughts, before finally deciding to speak plainly.
"Qin Feng, there’s one last thing."