"I don’t need the school’s so-called guaranteed spot that leads directly to the Ultramarines Chapter."
Feng Zhiyu’s voice grew calm again.
"I’m going to participate in the Cosmic Genius Battle. I’ll rely on my own strength to achieve a dazzling rank on the greatest stage in all of humanity. Then, I will walk through the gates of the Ultramarines Chapter with my head held high!"
"As for Shi Dang..."
An unconcealed, chilling killing intent flashed through his eyes once more.
"I will kill him, and that’s final!"
"Pinning the hope for revenge on a student who’s still developing? Master Yu Han, don’t you find that a bit absurd?!"
"Wait for Qin Feng to slowly mature before hunting down Shi Dang? Who knows what could go wrong in the meantime! What if Qin Feng fails? What if Shi Dang kills him instead?! Is that a responsibility you can bear?!"
In response to Feng Zhiyu’s powerful and rational critique, a smile finally bloomed on Yu Han’s face—the smile of a man with everything under control.
"Why can’t you have a little more faith in Qin Feng?"
Feng Zhiyu countered.
"Qin Feng is a genius. I’ve never denied that."
Feng Zhiyu said in a deep voice. His tone was devoid of any bias, completely objective.
"I’ve seen everything he’s done in the Fearless Warband. His growth rate and his Combat Will are nothing short of demonic. Given time, his future will be boundless."
"But, Master Yu Han, have you considered what kind of being he’s up against right now?!"
"That’s Shi Dang! A Fallen One, personally blessed by the Chaos Evil God, Khorne!"
Feng Zhiyu’s voice was filled with profound apprehension.
"We geniuses of the Empire cultivate the orthodox Martial Dao.
Every step of our growth requires immense time and resources to build and refine! But the Believers of Khorne don’t!"
"The speed at which these bastards who walk the Evil Dao gain power is, on a fundamental level, incomparable to us orthodox Martial Artists!"
"Shi Dang has already made a name for himself on the Empire’s borders!
He trades endless slaughter and sacrifice for the Evil God’s pleasure and boons. It’s said he’s already showing signs of becoming one of Khorne’s Chosen!"
"This is no longer some ordinary, fallen Chaos Believer! We must bring down a Heavy Fist, striking with overwhelming force to utterly destroy him before he fully matures—nip him in the bud!"
"Master Yu Han, you don’t have the authority to ’privatize’ such a dangerous target, saving him for your student, Qin Feng, to use as some so-called ’whetstone’!
Right now, millions of Martial Artists have already accepted the kill-on-sight mission for Shi Dang in the system!"
Despite Feng Zhiyu’s well-reasoned rebuttal, the smile on Yu Han’s face didn’t falter in the slightest.
He simply stated, in a calm voice, something that struck Feng Zhiyu like a bolt of lightning.
"First of all, you’re right. I don’t have that authority."
"..."
"Because I’m not the one who gave the order."
Yu Han gently set down his teacup and slowly uttered a name that was enough to shake the entire Cannan Star Martial Arts University to its core.
"It was Sir Zhou Xiong."
BOOM!!!
The name ’Zhou Xiong’ struck Feng Zhiyu’s heart like an invisible, impossibly heavy hammer!
His pupils instantly constricted to the size of a pinprick!
The color that had risen to his face from anger and agitation drained away in an instant, leaving him deathly pale!
Zhou Xiong!
A Squad Leader of the Ultramarines Chapter!
An unsurpassed Black Hole Level Powerhouse!
’How... could it be him?!’
In an instant, a tidal wave crashed through Feng Zhiyu’s mind!
Before, he had seen Yu Han’s actions as nothing more than a master overstepping his bounds out of favoritism for a disciple.
But now, with the name ’Zhou Xiong’ on the table, the very nature of the situation had changed fundamentally, cataclysmically!
This was no longer Yu Han’s personal Will.
It represented the Will of that Black Hole Level Powerhouse!
"Secondly," Yu Han said, looking at Feng Zhiyu’s fluctuating expression and continuing in his placid tone, "Qin Feng will, without a doubt, kill Shi Dang."
"I believe in Qin Feng."
"..."
"I don’t."
After the initial, immense shock, Feng Zhiyu slowly shook his head.
His once-unyielding stance had clearly wavered upon hearing the name ’Squad Leader Zhou Xiong’.
But reason still prevented him from accepting this seemingly absurd decision.
"Want to... make a bet?"
A faint, enigmatic smile played on Yu Han’s lips.
He looked at Feng Zhiyu and slowly asked, "In your opinion, what level of strength would Qin Feng need to possess to be considered qualified to kill Shi Dang?"
"Hmm..."
Hearing this, Feng Zhiyu sank into a brief moment of thought.
"Both of them are improving at a preternatural pace. This is essentially a race against time, a race of who can grow faster."
He looked up and said in a dead-serious tone:
"Qin Feng must absolutely crush Shi Dang in every aspect of his own growth rate. Only then will it be possible for him to catch up to and surpass that bastard."
"If... within twenty years, he can place in the top ten of the Level-Nine Division in the next Starry Sky Cup. Then, he would roughly possess the absolute strength needed to kill the Shi Dang of that same time period."