Chapter 181: The Fourth Great Limit Opens, Hengzhou Top Hundred First Place!

Freezing the account was the sole opportunity Qin Shi found, among ten thousand impossibilities, to defeat his opponent.

He sat on a robust asset of 1,700 Xu Kong Coins, more than even Ying Lin of the Ying Clan Direct Line.

Moreover, relying on the high-efficiency mining of the Xu Kong Meditation Method, he continuously increased his Xu Kong Coin holdings.

To the Entropy Sea Bank, Qin Shi was a high-quality client with enormous potential and broad prospects.

He was on a completely different level from Zhou Yuanchen, that Chosen Ox-Horse destined to become a miserable wage slave burdened with massive loans.

When Qin Shi learned that Zhou Yuanchen carried multiple loan projects from the Entropy Sea Bank, he specially consulted his dedicated customer service "Xiao Mei" and received a definite answer.

As long as Qin Shi was willing to pledge his own assets, he could, under the pretext of "investigating Zhou Yuanchen's source of funds," freeze the other party's account usage rights and temporarily suspend all benefits provided by the lending projects.

Naturally, the prerequisite for doing so was that Qin Shi must possess assets several times greater than Zhou Yuanchen's.

And he needed to obtain an extremely high credit rating from the Entropy Sea Bank; otherwise it could not be accomplished.

"Thanks to Lao He's Martial God Inheritance acting as guarantor for me. I heard the Entropy Sea Bank's highest-tier clients hold a 'Universe Card' and enjoy ultimate VIP services with a shockingly high limit; wonder when I'll qualify to open one."

Qin Shi's thoughts diverged, the corner of his mouth curling up; the moment he raised his hand and pointed at Zhou Yuanchen, the Entropy Sea Bank's Symbolic Emblem branded inside the other's body instantly dimmed, like a fire extinguished.

"A true genius? You're far too arrogant!"

Zhou Yuanchen sighed silently; Xiao Qin still didn't understand what manner of formidable existence he was about to face.

"Let you witness what a Professional Realm is... wait, my power, where did it go!"

The icy killing intent surging in his heart, and the repeated inner struggle like a battle between heaven and man, were replaced by shock in an instant.

The Entropy Sea Bank that had accompanied him since childhood suddenly fell silent.

All the "benefits" bestowed by the various loan projects vanished completely!

"My medical insurance quota, physical strength recovery, energy endurance, cultivation acceleration, double comprehension... everything, gone! Who stole the funds from my account?"

Zhou Yuanchen's heavily striding footsteps abruptly halted, his body turning rigid; the surgingly circulating Ten Directions Freezing Demon Path nearly caused his Qi to deviate.

His eyes were full of shock, bean-sized cold sweat dripping from his forehead.

It was as if the whole person had fallen into an ice cellar, a chill rising from behind.

Entropy Sea Bank!

Not only the relic his father left him, but also Zhou Yuanchen's greatest secret and reliance.

It was like a paralytic's wheelchair, already become an indispensable pillar of his life.

Once lost, it equaled never being able to move again!

【Your account has been frozen, please apply for unsealing promptly...】

A line of faint text flashed across Zhou Yuanchen's retina; the proud satisfaction of breaking through to Professional Level vanished in a blink.

With his understanding of the Entropy Sea Bank, an account freeze did not mean the debts were also written off in one stroke.

"Still have to repay loans, yet can no longer enjoy the buff benefits of the loan projects."

Zhou Yuanchen seemed cast into a dark abyss, a trace of despair rising in his heart.

"As expected, massive loans beyond one's capacity, huge debts, often turn a person into a ghost."

Sensing Zhou Yuanchen's violent emotional fluctuation, Qin Shi couldn't help but sigh with emotion.

As a Supernova of the Central City Education Bureau, Old Zhou's Dao Heart could not be called anything but firm.

From a very young age, he endured the high pressure of massive loans and the daily suffocation of compounding interest, yet still cultivated and studied tenaciously, successfully reaching Professional Level.

You should know, under such circumstances, over ninety percent of students would choose self-abandonment or total giving up.

Yet Zhou Yuanchen relied on the Entropy Sea Bank to forcibly fight out a path; he absolutely counts as a genius Xinli!

But facing such a heavy blow as an account freeze, he still inevitably lost his wits and turned gray with despair!

"Old Zhou, what a pity, you can only go this far."

Qin Shi couldn't maintain a long-term account freeze; he estimated roughly twenty minutes or so, so he had to fight fast and decide quickly.

At the end of the Great Rift Valley, Xu Sheng, as a Professional Level Third Stage, his perception sufficed to cover most of the Trial Ground.

"Very strange, Zhou Yuanchen's aura suddenly dropped a lot! This shouldn't be; logically, he just broke through the Hundred Point Threshold and is still in the Evolution Stage!"

Old Zhang in the wheelchair, however, seemed to know something; a smile appeared on his weathered face, his eyes holding both relief and admiration.

"Even though he walks the Old Martial Arts path, his thinking isn't stale and rigid; on the contrary he's very clever, knows how to utilize every means to create an advantage. This point is rather more like that rogue He Lanchan."

As an Old Generation Senior and veteran, this Nanhuang Dao Guan Master had experience charging at the Star Cup several times.

He deeply understood the importance of combat mindset; among the First Generation Ten Greats, few were stubborn blockheads who followed rules blindly.

Whether Qi Wuxiang, He Lanchan, or Kao Yun Chao, each more sinister than the last.

The only one barely qualifying as clear-moon-gentle-breeze and barely counting as human was probably Lian Yixing.

A pity he got led astray later too.

"Good, good. Xiao Qin isn't like Zhangyuan; this will let him walk farther."

Old Zhang sighed silently; his Second Disciple Shen Zhangyuan was originally also a top-tier Old Martial Arts seedling.

At fifteen he made his name in Hengzhou, exchanging pointers with the disciples of all major factions in Central City, beating many peers into heartfelt conviction.

Old Zhang had thought Second Disciple Shen Zhangyuan might die on the Star Heaven Road, or perish in some Great Forbidden Zone; he simply never anticipated he'd be schemed to death by the Ying Clan Direct Line, a good-for-nothing who didn't amount to much.

In terms of ability, ten Ying Qi wouldn't be Shen Zhangyuan's match, but life is only one; body destroyed means death!

"If Xiao Qin takes first place in the Top Hundred competition and wins the championship, I'll have no regrets either; should also settle this old account with the Ying Clan, save Ying Lin from always stirring up trouble."

Old Zhang's eyelids drooped; at his age he was already buried in yellow earth up to his neck, sustained solely by a single breath.

That bunch of peers, the dead are dead, the hidden are hidden, barely a few left.

"If Nanhuang Dao Guan can produce a Sun, this life of mine will have been worth it."

……

Qin Shi's figure was like the blazing sun; the accumulation of his Self-Cultivation Furnace burst forth, like a sun leaping out of a sea of clouds, radiating intense light and heat.

His current Qi Life Force was roughly around eighty-eight points; ever since participating in the Wilderness Trial, through constant combat and tempering, he stimulated his own Flesh Vitality.

"Just one step away, and I can cross over, jump to ninety points, and open the Fourth Great Limit!"

Qin Shi's spirit was incomparably condensed; those pair of eyes seemed to contain bright light, appearing extremely dazzling.

Before he made a move, he called out softly:

"Lao Zhou, if you don't perk up, you're going to get beaten."

Zhou Yuanchen, his will despondent, had hollow eyes; he slowly raised his head, gazing at Qin Shi who seemed like the blazing sun rising, and suddenly revealed a trace of a relieved smile.

Defeat the Xiao Qin before him, seize the Top of the Hundred Strong Competition, and even if he lost the Entropy Sea Bank's sponsorship, he could rely on the Central City Education Bureau's resource investment and the Martial Association's regard to minimize his own losses.

Zhou Yuanchen took a deep breath; countless scenes flashed rapidly through his Brain Sea — those were all his memories from childhood to adulthood.

No beauty, no warmth, no parents' shelter and protection.

"Study, do problems, cultivate, tutoring class, training course... I have always grown under heavy pressure, long since adapted! No matter what kind of predicament, it cannot knock me down!"

Zhou Yuanchen rekindled his Fighting Spirit; that Life Crystal condensed into a solid state within his body instantly trembled!

Strand by strand, seemingly substantial Light Radiance shone upon flesh and blood, penetrating through the body!

A cold moon brimming with frigid intent quickly shifted toward Qin Shi!

Boom!

Ten Directions Freezing Demon Path, one hundred percent activation!

"What fast speed!"

Qin Shi only felt a flash before his eyes; Zhou Yuanchen's figure turned blurry, remaining on his retina.

Yet the opponent's fist was already pressing straight for his face.

The airflow along the path, as if sensing the overflowing extreme cold energy, actually went "crack crack" condensing and freezing, turning into crystalline ice spikes, which were then instantly torn apart by the gale, exploding into puffs of powder drifting everywhere!

Thud!

Qin Shi crossed his arms, protecting his skull, blocking Zhou Yuanchen's this punch in the nick of time.

Arm bones hard as steel trembled slightly, like porcelain cracking, nearly shattering!

His whole body was smashed downward; his heels braced against the ground, forcibly stamping out spiderweb-like cracks!

"A Professional Realm's physical constitution is indeed extraordinary!"

Qin Shi operated his Self-Cultivation Furnace; surging, peerless Flesh Vitality filled his Hundred Aspects, instantly healing that bit of injury back to original.

He caught Zhou Yuanchen's descending heavy punch; the breath within his body turned hot and misty into smoke, blasting away the vast white frost clinging to his arms.

Then with a backhand he clamped onto Zhou Yuanchen's wrist, like a python turning over to viciously gnaw, preparing to use a grappling technique.

"What a solid center of gravity!"

A look of surprise jumped in Zhou Yuanchen's eyes; although he lost the Entropy Sea Bank's sponsorship, a Professional Realm's physical constitution was solidly right here.

This punch of his, yet unable to shake Qin Shi's Mortal Body center of gravity, thereby collapsing the opponent's stance and gaining the upper hand.

"Old Martial Arts' base values are truly outrageous!"

Zhou Yuanchen possessed the Unrelated State's blessing; his combat consciousness was extremely keen; the muscle groups of his two arms knotted and tightened, large tendons popping and jumping, like springs compressed to the extreme.

With a boom, like a cannonball leaving the barrel, he struck out fiercely once more!

Qin Shi's grappling move was instantly broken; his chest felt like it was struck by a rapidly spinning lead ball of ten thousand jun!

His body leaned back, chest caving in and contracting, letting the torrent-like terrifying punch force hit air, diverting away most of the damage.

"A Professional Realm genius indeed has strength!"

A trace of blood overflowed from the corner of Qin Shi's mouth; this was the first time he experienced a battle of this intensity.

Zhou Yuanchen had no obvious shortcomings in combat consciousness, on-the-spot reaction, or various aspects of physical constitution; some areas even led, and in two consecutive exchanges he showed a momentum of pressing Qin Shi to fight.

"Xiao Qin, the level of Qi Life Force is right here. You want to shake me, absolutely impossible!"

Walking out from the despondency, Zhou Yuanchen who swiftly recovered his Dao Heart only felt his Qi Life Force more condensed, more concentrated.

This allowed his every attack to exert one hundred percent of his strength.

"I wouldn't be so sure, Lao Zhou."

Relying on his Mortal Body that broke the Three Great Limits, Qin Shi chose to clash head-on with Zhou Yuanchen.

After two exchanges, he had already figured out the opponent's style.

Next, it should be his own turn!

Qin Shi clenched his five fingers; the furnace within his body seemed to break through some shackles, making the blazing sun formed by the overflowing and intertwining Qi Life Force even more blinding.

Strong wind blew the broken hair at his forehead; the black windbreaker billowed backward; the incomparably hard and broad "mountain top" seemed to be crushed by pressure, spinning.

Hundred Aspects Refining Momentum!

Qin Shi's opening move was the Hong Sheng True Transmission; the strong wind like a steel blade was swallowed by the punch eye, turning into a huge vortex, radiating terrifying cutting force!

Zhou Yuanchen's eyelid twitched, as if sensing danger; before he could even make his next reaction, Qin Shi's windbreaker hem pulled taut straight, his figure flashing before him like a sharp line.

After the Hundred Aspects Refining Momentum was activated, Qin Shi's speed approached the limit; even Professional-level Zhou Yuanchen failed to capture a clear trajectory.

Bang!

Swallowing the wind dragon, the fist driving the wild current pierced into the abdomen!

Zhou Yuanchen's eyes widened; his back arched high, his entire spinal column great dragon seemed about to bend and break, emitting a "crack" sound!

Pfft!

Zhou Yuanchen immediately vomited a mouthful of fresh blood; intense pain rushed to his forehead; he couldn't understand — even if it was a Mortal Body breaking three great limits, Qin Shi shouldn't be this fierce.

"Losing medical insurance quota makes fighting too inconvenient."

Zhou Yuanchen was struck dizzy by one punch, yet under the Unrelated State he still maintained a tenacious fighting spirit.

His throat contracted, the airflow hissing and surging wildly, like a huge wind tunnel!

In less than a fraction of a second, a cluster of intensely condensed extreme cold radiance burst outward!

Freeze Demon Roar!

The sound wave exploded, ice hail howled, and it boomed toward Qin Shi's head!

As an SS-Rank martial art, the Ten Directions Freezing Demon Path could be said to be balanced in both offense and defense!

Whether in ranged combat or close-quarters fighting, there were sufficient countermeasures!

"Fortunately, I prepared in advance!"

Qin Shi's thought flashed past; his Mortal Body became a furnace within the universe, all his pores opening and closing in an instant, billering heat steaming out in clusters!

The rolling cold current of the Freeze Demon Roar clashed with the blazing yang extremity of the Furnace Within the Universe, like two great dragons tearing and devouring each other; terrifying pressure spread like waves, even distorting the atmosphere.

"It's over."

Exerting all his strength, Qin Shi's bone marrow pumped out scalding blood slurry, which then circulated endlessly and accelerated, making him like a giant furnace over ten meters high, pouring thousand-degree crimson molten iron toward Zhou Yuanchen!

Even as a Professional Realm expert, facing Qin Shi's near-shameless behavior of purely comparing health bars and mana bars, Zhou Yuanchen expressed helplessness; even though he had implanted the Breath of the Throat, it was impossible to unleash the Freeze Demon Roar repeatedly.

The blazing heat and rolling cold current clashed; a palm reached out from the vast billowing smoke, and while Qin Shi unleashed the Furnace Within the Universe, he actually launched an offensive!

"It's over, Old Zhou, see you after the match!"

The moment Zhou Yuanchen heard the voice, his sight was already covered and shrouded by a vast shadow.

Immediately his head tilted back, he fell heavily to the ground, smashing out a clear human-shaped crater!

Then punch after punch!

Like an ancient mammoth stomping and trampling, it made Zhou Yuanchen's bones scatter apart, and his Life Crystal dimmed!

It lasted a full fifteen minutes before completely stripping the other side of combat power.

"Professional Realm, truly durable! Me at the Second Stage, fighting an ordinary Professional Realm expert seems fine."

Qin Shi took the opportunity to remove Zhou Yuanchen's wristwatch, activated the Electronic Marker, and summoned the Rescue Team.

He stood there silently, ignoring Old Zhou, who was sleeping very sweetly.

In the battle with Zhou Yuanchen, who had entered the Professional Realm, that invisible shackle inside him seemed to loosen.

"My Fourth Great Limit is the Skin Pass, right?"

Qin Shi closed his eyes; the radiance formed by Qi Life Force intertwined, like silver needles passing through flesh and blood, weaving smooth, soft clothing covering his whole body.

……

……

"The one eliminated is actually Zhou Yuanchen?"

At the Temporary Command Base, Chen Ruofu learned the result and almost jumped up excitedly.

"The Champion of the Hengzhou Bai Qiang Sai is Xiao Qin!"

Fang Butang held an enamel cup, his tone carrying envy:

"This time you've given the Patrol Department great face and stolen the limelight!"

Chen Ruofu's face turned red, looking very excited, though not completely losing composure; he said cheerfully:

"Xiao Qin is also winning face for the Tai'an Metropolitan Area, Old Fang! After all these years, it's time for us to hold our heads high once! Quick, quick, let the Tomorrow Group's weekly reporter come over! You and I joining forces can definitely create a Supernova not inferior to Yu Li!"

(Chapter End)