Chapter 456: Battle Against Genos (Request Monthly Tickets)

As soon as the King of Shanhe finished speaking, the audience was filled with envy once more.

Ten tons of disaster beast flesh could last an ordinary martial artist for months.

It would greatly boost his bloodline value.

Senior Shen Heng and Ivan both smiled.

Although they had already broken through to the Seventh Realm, the blood of a Level Seven disaster beast would be less effective—but the quantity more than compensated.

Besides, there was also the flesh of a Level Eight disaster beast.

The Seventh Realm is already a high realm; breaking into the Eighth Realm requires years of effort.

Even as SSS-tier geniuses, they would still need several years to break through.

"BOOM!!"

As the King of Shanhe spoke, a vast expanse of land materialized behind him.

All spectators felt as if they stood atop an endless, heavy earth.

"BOOM!!"

Eight massive mountains erupted from the boundless land.

On each mountain stood a virtual figure, manifesting its corresponding special ability.

【Crimson Flame】【Jin Feng】【Psychic】

【Frost】【Earth Wall】…

The eight mountains faced each other, forming a new battle bracket.

Lin Qi immediately saw his opponent, for among the top eight, he alone had awakened a metal-based special ability.

【Match 4: Lin Qi (Xia Guo) vs. Genos Feratu (White Eagle Federation)】

…

After seeing his opponent, Lin Qi exhaled slowly.

He was finally about to face the strongest four.

To advance to the semifinals, he had to replace one of them.

It seemed clear now.

The four SSS-tier geniuses, the four semifinal slots—it felt as if they had been made for him.

Looking at the other three matchups, it was obvious: no overlaps.

【Match 1: Senior Shen Heng (Xia Guo) vs. Araki Yuukyu (Sakura Nation)】

【Match 2: Ivan Petrov (Mao Xiong) vs. Zhang Zhang Tianyang (Xia Guo)】

【Match 3: Niting Reddy (Tianzhu) vs. Lena (Germany)】

…

As soon as the bracket appeared, the King of Shanhe began to dissolve.

His voice reached every ear.

"Round Nine begins. Please welcome Senior Shen Heng from Xia Guo and Araki Yuukyu from Sakura Nation."

"Applause!!"

"Senior Shen Heng!!"

The stands erupted in thunderous cheers and shouts, especially from the Xia Guo spectators, all chanting "Senior Shen Heng."

Many supported Lin Qi, but none matched the crowd for Senior Shen Heng—he was a champion contender.

In comparison, Lin Qi fell short.

On the arena, the simulation remained a ruined wasteland; the concrete floor, under the AI voice's announcement, ignited the battle.

"BANG!!"

The violent clash of lightning and wind lasted only a minute before ending abruptly.

"BANG!"

"Puh~!"

The Sakura Nation fighter Araki was blasted backward, then pierced through the chest by a razor-sharp battle sword wreathed in lightning.

Blood sprayed through the air as he stared at Senior Shen Heng in awe:

"Is this the power of a Seventh Realm martial artist?"

Senior Shen Heng replied calmly: "It has nothing to do with the Seventh Realm. Even if you hadn't broken through, you still couldn't beat me."

"You…" Araki's face darkened.

Before he could finish, he dissolved into nothingness.

Senior Shen Heng listened to the applause from the stands—he now needed only two more matches to reach the championship.

Match One: Senior Shen Heng advanced.

…

Three minutes later,

On the arena, Ivan Petrov controlled three sharp silver daggers darting through space, whistling as they cut the air.

"Ding! Ding!!"

The daggers were made of special material; even Zhang Zhang Tianyang's water columns, condensed from flowing energy, were instantly pierced.

He could only resort to spear techniques, swinging his massive spear to barely defend himself.

"BANG!!"

Ivan surged forward, slashing with his battle blade—its blade aura engulfed the space, coordinating with the daggers to drive Zhang Zhang Tianyang back repeatedly.

"Puh~"

He stumbled, his reaction too slow—the dagger pierced his chest, killing him.

"Too fast…"

With those words, Zhang Zhang Tianyang dissolved into nothingness and returned to the stands.

Ivan looked toward the Xia Guo stands—his semifinal opponent would be Senior Shen Heng, and the champion would be him alone.

Match Two: Ivan Petrov of Mao Xiong advanced.

…

Four minutes later,

On the arena, the bald Niting Reddy stood calmly, his lithe body swinging a blue long spear.

In an instant, he thrust forward, and an endless aura of ice mountains emerged around him.

Simultaneously, the air temperature plummeted, freezing countless ice needles into existence.

"Ding! Ding!!"

Lena of Germany swung her battle blade, flames erupting from her body.

As she blocked the ice needles, the spear pierced the air, driving straight through her chest amid the ice.

Lena dissolved into nothingness, unwilling—her 【Crimson Flame】 should have countered 【Frost】.

Yet she still lost—the gap was too great.

In both physical conditioning and martial skill, she was inferior.

This was the unbridgeable chasm between SSS-tier and SS-tier.

Match Three: Niting Reddy of Tianzhu advanced.

"Applause!!" The Tianzhu spectators erupted—after so many years, they finally had a genius reach the semifinals.

This time, perhaps they had a chance at the championship.

"Senior Shen Heng, Ivan, Niting—all three SSS-tier geniuses have advanced."

"Only the White Eagle Federation's SSS-tier genius, Genos Feratu, remains."

"They four are in a league of their own."

"Lin Qi of Xia Guo has extraordinary talent, but he's too young."

"He'll undoubtedly be the strongest in next year's Global Martial Arts Tournament, but this year's top eight is his limit."

Many analyzed and reached conclusions; others countered.

Before the match even began, the stands were filled with heated debate.

In the White Eagle Federation stands, the Black man Genos Feratu stood up, his thick lips splitting into a grin, revealing white teeth.

He smiled confidently:

"It's my turn. I'll give Xia Guo's Lin Qi a proper lesson."

!

"I won't even charge him tuition."

"Genos, defeat Xia Guo's Lin Qi, reach the semifinals—two more matches, and the championship is yours," his beautiful blonde-haired, blue-eyed girlfriend laughed.

His beautiful girlfriend with golden hair and blue eyes laughed.

The next instant, Genos was engulfed in a crimson light column and shot skyward.

In the next instant, Genos was engulfed by a crimson light column and shot skyward.

In the Xia Guo stands,

Lin Qi slowly rose to his feet.

Jiang Tao chuckled beside him: "Everyone's saying the four SSS-tier geniuses are all here—except for White Eagle Federation's Genos Feratu."

Jiang Tao chuckled beside him: "Everyone's saying the four SSS-class powers are just missing Genos Ferrato of the White Eagle Federation."

"Nobody believes in you."

"But I believe you're the most promising of all in our Xia Guo—go eliminate this Genos."

"Let everyone see just how powerful you are."

Jiang Jiang Miaoyin also nodded and said, "Brother Lin Qi, we believe you can't possibly lose."

Lin Qi looked around and sensed that they didn't truly believe it.

It was only his past achievements that had given them a little confidence.

So he smiled confidently:

"One of the four spots in the semifinals will be mine."

As soon as he spoke, he was engulfed in crimson light, shooting skyward and descending onto the arena before the eyes of the entire crowd.

"BOOM!!"

"Lin Qi!!!"

"Genos!!!"

At the same time, the audience seats erupted with fierce shouts.

Spectators from both Xia Guo and the White Eagle Federation supported the fighters on the arena.

"Genos, smash Lin Qi from Xia Guo with your battle axe—we've hated him for a long time."

Lin Qi's former defeated opponents—Wims, Levin, Javier, and Tracy—could not help but tense up.

If Genos lost, the blow to the White Eagle Federation would be too great.

Every edition, the White Eagle Federation has never missed a semifinal spot.

Xia Guo was no less defiant.

"Go Lin Qi! Just a black guy—crush him!"

"I want to see two semifinal spots for Xia Guo!"

……

On the high-level spectator seats, numerous high-realm martial artists—even three Ninth Realm martial artists—had taken interest.

King Shanhe, Tian Dao Li Li Qifeng, and Beijiang Sword King watched Lin Qi.

They wondered whether he could set a new record.

……

On the arena

"BOOM!!"

The light pillar exploded violently, and two figures slowly stepped out from within, twenty meters apart.

Lin Qi stepped out wearing a black combat suit, holding a single rifle, tall and powerfully built, with perfect proportions.

Every muscle on his body was like refined steel forged a thousand times, radiating intense sharpness.

Opposite him, a massive, towering figure emerged—he was Genos Ferrato, the White Eagle Federation's SSS-tier genius.

Genos was known in the White Eagle Federation as "The Iron Tower."

He stood two meters thirty tall, nearly the same height as Viktor from Mao Xiong Nation.

His dark skin accentuated his massive frame; his muscles bulged thicker than an ordinary martial artist's thighs.

His jet-black skin shimmered with a metallic luster under the sunlight.

Dressed in a silver combat suit, his towering physique exuded overwhelming pressure, like a lion of the grasslands.

This was the unique aura granted by his cultivation method, The Steppe Lion King Evolution Art.

He looked down at Lin Qi, swung his silver battle axe, and grinned savagely:

"Lin Qi of Xia Guo!"

"You're an exceptionally talented genius, your strength is extraordinary."

"I know well that all your previous opponents fell before your absolute power."

"But soon, you'll witness what true absolute power means."

Lin Qi's expression remained calm. "Then let me see your power."

【Countdown:... 3, 2, 1】

【Ninth Round, Match 4—officially begins!】

Above the arena, a mechanical female voice announced in an intelligent tone.

"BOOM!!"

Violent aura erupted from both men.

"ROAR!"

The violent aura roared like two colossal Disaster Beasts—Lin Qi's Ninth Realm Disaster Beast, the White Gold Shahu Tiger.

Golden sharpness blazed across his body; golden patterns surfaced on his skin as his special ability 【Golden Edge】 activated.

His pupils blazed with golden light as his 【Golden Eyes】 fully activated.

This opponent was Genos—he had to take it seriously.

"ROAR!"

Opposite him, the towering Genos refused to yield; behind him, a colossal Ninth Realm Disaster Beast—the Steppe Lion King—materialized.

Brown light blazed across his body; brown patterns emerged, causing the concrete ground to tremble uncontrollably.

……

(End of Chapter)