Chapter 448

'Drip!'

A string of data quickly appeared on the electronic screen—'150,812 kg!'

Lin Qi now felt the sheer terror of his punch, capable of shattering a small mountain.

Seeing the data, he smiled—150,000 kg of punch force equaled 150 tons.

After careful calculation, his punch force had increased by 2.95 times, just short of threefold.

But it was close enough; once he mastered 【Jin Guang】 thoroughly,

he could effortlessly unleash three times his punch force.

He was certain—his current combat power had already reached a threefold increase!

Given his physical constitution, doubling his strength would make his gun techniques even more devastating.

'Test speed again!'

Lin Qi activated the speed tester, planning to run two trials.

'Whoosh!!'

His entire body shot from start to finish like a streak of lightning.

'Drip!'

The electronic screen displayed the data—'111 m/s!'

Lin Qi glanced at it, returned to the finish line, and his body erupted in golden light as he activated his special ability once more.

'Shhh!!'

He vanished like a streak of golden light, leaving behind multiple afterimages.

'Drip!'

This time, the data on the screen surged dramatically—'327.4 m/s!'

Lin Qi nodded upon seeing the numbers.

Indeed, his speed had tripled—his special ability 【Jin Guang】

could also grant mastery over sharpness, though its strength lay in speed.

For instance, 【Jin Feng】 boosted strength by 1.5 times but speed by only 2 times.

【Jin Feng】 focused on strength enhancement, slightly lagging in speed.

Now he possessed two special abilities: 【Jin Feng】 and 【Jin Guang】.

Combined, they balanced strength and speed, amplifying their destructive power together.

Lin Qi thought silently: the next awakening had a 90% chance of being 【Jin Gang】.

Then he could achieve perfect equilibrium—hard and soft, balanced, reaching peak combat power.

He turned his gaze to his data panel:

【Name: Lin Qi (19)】

【Profession: Wu Zhe】

【Template: Yang Yang Jian, the Second Son of Heaven】

【Fusion Rate: 30%】

【Talents: Stomach Enhancement, Dragon Essence Tiger Vigor, Steel Bones, Ultimate Transcendence, Heart's Eye → Golden Eye, Jin Feng, Jin Guang】

【Martial Arts: Hunyuan Stance, Jin Gang Tiger Evolution Method, Baijin Sha Tiger Evolution Method】

【Secret Techniques: Five Forms Fist, Jin Gang Fist, Basic Gun Technique, Shattering Mountain Gun, Splitting Peak Gun, Shaking Mountain Gun, River and Mountain Gun, Lei Guang Body Technique, Lei Ying Instant Kill Step, Lei Jijiu Flash】

【Spirit Power: 3400 (Sixth Realm)】

【Blood Qi: 3200 (Sixth Realm)】

【Fist Technique: Fourth Rank 85%】

【Gun Technique: Fourth Rank 63%】

【Body Technique: Fourth Rank 56%】

……

Looking at his stats, Lin Qi felt even more confident about the Global Martial Arts Competition.

Even if his opponent was a Seventh Realm martial artist, he was certain he could defeat them and claim the championship.

He checked the time and told Xiao Chan to prepare breakfast.

Twenty minutes later, after eating, he entered the white virtual pod, logged into Chi Realm, and entered the Global Martial Arts Competition arena.

……

'Hum!!'

With a hum, Lin Qi materialized onto the Global Martial Arts Competition stage.

'Lin Lin Qi Ge!'

Jiang Tao greeted him; the others did the same—they had full confidence in his current strength.

Chu Yu also called him that; after being defeated by Lin Qi, he had never given up on surpassing him.

But now he realized surpassing Lin Qi was growing ever harder.

Especially when he met Lin Qi's gaze, his heart trembled, and fear arose involuntarily.

Lin Qi nodded in response, observing Chu Yu's reaction and sighing inwardly—it was still a virtual world, where his aura wasn't fully simulated.

In reality, everyone would notice his aura had changed drastically.

His gaze locked onto the arena, where the large projection screen overflowed with cheers for their nation's fighters.

Around him, distant students excitedly debated.

……

'Hummm!!'

As the clock struck 8:00 a. m.,

the arena projected the figure of Shanhe Wang, who spoke slowly, his voice booming like a bronze bell into every competitor's ears:

'Contestants, welcome to the fifth round of the Global Martial Arts Competition.'

'After five days of competition, we have narrowed the field to the top 250 fighters.'

'But today, we will crown the ultimate champion from these 250!'

At these words, Ivan from the Mao Xiong Nation—tall, with a prominent nose, sharp features, and handsome looks—smiled confidently.

He was certain he was the only one among the four SSS-tier geniuses from senior year to have broken into the Seventh Realm.

This championship was his for the taking.

Even if others among the remaining three had also reached the Seventh Realm, he wasn't afraid.

In the India audience section sat a tall, muscular, bald man with dark skin and ordinary features; his gaze was deep, his aura cold and heavy as a snow-capped mountain.

'Nitin, the championship rests on you this time.'

Beside him, a sharp-featured girl looked eagerly at him. Nitin nodded, clasped his palms, and fixed his eyes on Shanhe Wang:

'I will become a Ninth Realm martial artist and save India.'

In the Eagle Federation's stands, a towering two-meter-thirty black man, broad-shouldered and muscular, hugged a blonde woman beside him and grinned:

'Though Ivan from Mao Xiong Nation has reached the Seventh Realm, I still have every chance to win the championship.'

'Because my awakened ability is 【Earth Wall】, specifically designed to counter spiritual Nian masters—he can't break through my defense.'

'Jenos, you'll definitely become champion,' the blonde woman smiled.

In the Xia Guo's stands, Shen Heng, clad in a dark robe, clenched his fist with a confident smile.

The championship was his—no one could stop him.

Nearby, Lin Qi remained calm, his mind utterly still.

……

Shanhe Wang continued:

'Next, we proceed to the fifth round: 250 to 125. Only half will advance to the sixth round.'

!

'These 125 fighters will each receive 130 million Xia Guo credits and 3,000 kg of Grade Seven Catastrophe Beast flesh!'

Amid a tidal wave of cheers, Shanhe Wang waved his hand—his Mountain-River realm manifested, forming a new battle chart.

One hundred twenty-five matchups, one hundred twenty-five mountains and rivers, coalesced into a water-ink Taiji diagram floating before everyone's eyes.

Millions of eyes locked onto the chart, including Lin Qi's—he stared, memorized all 125 matchups in a single glance.

【Match 5: Lin Qi (Xia Guo) vs. Tracy Campbell (Eagle Federation)】

……

Seeing his opponent, Lin Qi exhaled.

Finally, he was facing an SSS-tier genius.

Most crucially, this SSS-tier genius from the Eagle Federation, Tracy Campbell, had awakened the special ability 【Jin Guang】.

By observing her use of 【Jin Guang】, he might deepen his own mastery of it.

As for the match outcome—it was already decided.

Tracy could not win.

……

In the Eagle Federation's stands, a woman sat beside Harvey—blonde hair, green eyes, sharp, refined features—she was Tracy Campbell.

Upon seeing her opponent was Lin Qi from Xia Guo, she smiled:

I've long wanted to fight Lin Qi from Xia Guo; perfect chance to eliminate him in the fifth round.

Nearby, Harvey said grimly: "Tracy, don't underestimate him."

"Lin Qi from Xia Guo isn't that easy to handle."

"You haven't seen his earlier matches—his strength is formidable."

Tracy tilted her long neck and said:

"Nothing impressive."

"He's only an SS-rank genius; there's a world of difference between him and us SSS-rank geniuses."

"If an SS-rank could defeat an SSS-rank, he wouldn't be SS-rank."

"Fine!"

Seeing this, Harvey fell silent—he'd been just as confident before losing to Lin Qi from Xia Guo.

……

The official fifth round began.

Lin Qi watched the matches on the arena, his gaze narrowing to only one stage.

It was a simulated Beast War arena: amid ruins, two competitors unleashed special abilities that clashed in midair.

By the fifth round, there were no truly weak competitors—nearly all were sixth-rank warriors.

The only survivors were Jiang Tao, Yu Yu Zhuoran, Li Li Hanjiang, Victor, Harvey, and a few other SS-rank geniuses who had mastered Minor Divine Arts.

But most would be eliminated in this round.

Fifteen minutes later:

"Puff~"

On the arena, Jiang Tao's stone armor was pierced by a sword, blood spraying from his chest.

In his vision stood a Japanese man, only 1.75 meters tall, with a sly face, sneering:

"You're too weak, Xia Guo man!"

"Train for another hundred years if you want to beat me."

"You—"

Jiang Tao, enraged by his opponent's arrogance, surged with fury—but he was already dead, dissolving into nothingness.

【Match 4: Hattori Sōsuke (Sakura) wins!】

Jiang Tao, teleported back to the spectator seats, fumed:

"That little Sakura brat Hattori is too arrogant."

"He's two years older than me and still dares to act like this—I'll crush him in a year."

Beside him, Chu Yu comforted:

"Jiang Tao, your current strength is already impressive."

"In two more years, you might even compete for the championship."

Jiang Tao looked at Lin Qi: "Qi-ge, if you face Hattori Sōsuke, beat him to death."

Lin Qi stood up and smiled: "I will."

"But first, I must defeat Tracy and pass the fifth round."

Jiang Jiang Miaoyin, with delicate features, smiled:

"With Lin Qi-ge's strength, defeating Tracy is a breeze."

Others nodded—Chu Yu had already lost, let alone Tracy.

Lin Qi nodded, engulfed in crimson light, soaring upward like a meteor as he descended onto the arena.

"Boom!!"

The crimson pillar vanished; two figures appeared twenty meters apart on the concrete ground, locking eyes.

Tracy had golden hair, green eyes, a statuesque figure, standing at 1.8 meters.

Dressed in a golden combat suit, she swung a battle sword in one hand, radiating intense sharpness.

She lifted her head, exuding innate confidence.

……

(End of Chapter)