Chapter 485 - 465: Unrivaled Among Peers

Chapter 485: Chapter 465: Unrivaled Among Peers

On the arena stage.

A projection of the King of Mountains and Rivers appeared. Looking out at the roaring, excited crowd, he spoke in a rare, booming voice.

"Spectators and contestants, after six days, the Global Martial Arts Tournament has now officially come to a close."

"At the same time, let us congratulate the contestant from Xia Country, Lin Qi."

"Appearing as a dark horse, he cut a swath through his opponents, constantly staging upsets to defeat his rivals."

"In the end, he even defeated the contestant from the Bear Country, Ivan Petrov, to successfully claim the final championship!"

"Now, let’s have our champion, Lin Qi, say a few words to everyone!"

The moment the King of Mountains and Rivers finished speaking, the arena transformed into a golden high platform. A golden trophy materialized out of thin air.

The entire trophy was cast from gold. It was carved in the shape of Blue Star, flanked by two crossed spears, and the base was clearly engraved with his name.

[Lin Qi]

"Lin Qi, it’s time for your acceptance speech."

Lin Qi looked up at the King of Mountains and Rivers standing beside him, and his breathing couldn’t help but grow heavy.

Unlike Vice-Principal Xu Wenji, the man before him was a genuine Ninth Realm Title Level Martial Artist.

The *Mountain and River Spear Technique* he was currently cultivating was this man’s own creation.

’Before I knew it, I’m now able to come into contact with Ninth Realm Martial Artists.’

He nodded. A microphone materialized out of thin air, allowing his voice to reach the ears of every member of the audience.

He glanced around at the tens of millions of spectators in the stands and began to speak slowly.

"I am able to be the champion today because of my parents. I’m incredibly grateful for their unconditional support."

"I thank the teachers from my old school for their dedicated instruction."

"I thank the Red Dome Martial Arts Dojo for giving me the conditions and resources to grow..."

"I thank Azure Sky Martial Arts Academy, and I thank my country..."

After listing a long string of people to thank, he originally wanted to say that he had won the championship all on his own through his own hard work.

But then he thought better of it. While he had worked very hard, his greatest support was the Talent granted by the template.

Without the Talent of Erlang God, it would have been utterly impossible for him to get this far.

The King of Mountains and Rivers couldn’t help but nod as he listened to Lin Qi’s acceptance speech. It wasn’t spectacular, but it was earnest.

It showed that Lin Qi had a grateful heart.

CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!

Once again, thunderous applause erupted from the audience.

"Lin Qi, you have the potential to become an SSS-level powerhouse. You are the future hope of our Xia Country."

"Don’t grow arrogant. You must continue to work hard!"

After offering these two lines of encouragement, the King of Mountains and Rivers’s figure began to dissipate.

Lin Qi nodded. He too dissolved into the void and was teleported back to the stands.

The 35th Global Martial Arts Tournament had officially concluded.

"Brother Qi, you’re awesome!"

The moment Lin Qi returned, the group erupted. Jiangtao was the most emotional, both shocked and overjoyed.

The others were much the same. Lin Qi could remain calm, but they didn’t share his composure.

Every one of them was utterly shocked. Lin Qi had actually won the championship.

He maintained his undefeated record in the tournament. Since his debut, he had never lost a single major competition.

No matter how talented his opponents were, they all fell to Lin Qi. It was like something straight out of a novel, manga, or movie protagonist’s script.

Throughout the entire Blue Star Martial Arts Calendar, there have been few figures this incredible.

And now, Lin Qi was about to become one of them.

Ivan Petrov was a Seventh Realm Martial Artist, already a High Realm Martial Artist.

And Lin Qi was only a sophomore! He’d only been in university for two years and already possessed the Combat Power of a High Realm Martial Artist.

It was hard to imagine just how powerful he would be by his senior year.

...

「A few minutes later, in the Martial Arts Room of the luxury villa at #36 Star Residence.」

WHIRRR!!

Lin Qi slowly stepped out of the Virtual Cabin!

He glanced at the time. It was already six o’clock in the evening.

"Little Chan, order two portions of vegetables and start making dinner," Lin Qi said.

"Yes, Master!"

Little Chan nodded slowly and quickly ordered the two portions of vegetables, while the smart robot began to operate, preparing a nutritional meal.

TSSS!!

It was now early May. Before the Global Martial Arts Tournament had begun, the rewards for April’s Disaster Beast Trial Tower had already been settled.

Therefore, he still had a large amount of Level 7 Disaster Beast Flesh, though Level 8 Disaster Beast flesh and blood remained scarce.

Fifteen minutes later, in the living room, Lin Qi sat at the dining table. The tabletop was already covered with plate after plate of dishes made from Disaster Beast Flesh, their aroma filling the air.

He replied to text messages while he ate, and also arranged with everyone from the Azure Sky Sixth Institute to come to the Celestial Vault Institute tomorrow to celebrate together.

After putting down his phone, he focused his gaze on his status panel.

[You fought Niting Reddy and witnessed new variations in spear techniques. Your comprehension of Spear Technique has deepened. Spear Technique +1%.]

[You fought Ivan Petrov and were pushed into a perilous situation, stimulating your potential. Your mastery of Spear Technique has advanced. Spear Technique +1%.]

[After fighting several experts, your Body Technique, *Thunder Extreme Nine Flashes*, has broken through. Body Technique +4%.]

[Spear Technique: Tier Four 63% → Tier Four 65%]

[Body Technique: Tier Four 56% → Tier Four 60%]

...

Looking at the improvements to his Spear Technique and Body Technique on the panel, Lin Qi sighed in admiration.

’It’s great to have competitions,’ he thought. ’Sparring with experts has a huge effect on honing one’s Martial Arts Skills.’

Just a few days in the Global Martial Arts Tournament had allowed his strength to improve immensely.

"Unfortunately, the Global Martial Arts Tournament is the biggest competition there is. There aren’t any more after this."

Lin Qi shook his head and sighed with regret.

After the Global Martial Arts Tournament, large batches of senior students would graduate and step onto the battlefield.

They would fight Calamity Beasts to the death and resist their invasion.

The situation was dire right now. There were more Calamity Beasts than they could kill, leaving no time for competitions.

Once on the battlefield, the competition *was* the battlefield. It was just a different way of competing.

’If I want to enter another competition, I’ll just have to wait for an alien invasion.’

...

「Half an hour later.」

Over 250 kilograms of Level 7 Disaster Beast Flesh and Blood had entered Lin Qi’s stomach, but he only felt about 80% full.

As his body transformed once again, his internal organs seemed to have undergone another evolution. It wasn’t just his Slaughter Tiger Bone that had transformed; the quality of his Fifth-grade Inner Organs had improved again.

His digestive ability had increased dramatically, allowing him to eat 250 kilograms of Disaster Beast Flesh and Blood in a single meal. His appetite was astonishing.

Many of the waste impurities would be expelled through his breath, pores, or when using the restroom.

The essence, however, was absorbed, promoting his body’s transformation.

He returned to the Martial Arts Room, sat cross-legged, and began his Cultivation of the Source Energy Cultivation Technique. His entire body grew warm as his Cultivation efficiency increased significantly.

’Soon, I’ll be able to claim the champion’s prize.’

Lin Qi secretly looked forward to the rewards for this Global Martial Arts Tournament. The last Global Freshmen Tournament had awarded him a Tier Six Combat Suit and a Tier Six Weapon.

That had saved him several hundred million.

That was treatment reserved only for the champion, and the Global Martial Arts Tournament was of an even higher level.

Besides money and Disaster Beast Flesh and Blood, there were bound to be other resources.

And those other resources were likely the most valuable part, with the money and flesh just being bonuses.

After a brief moment of thought, he completely cleared his mind of distracting thoughts and immersed himself fully in his Cultivation.

Although the Martial Arts tournament was over, his Martial Arts journey had just begun. He was still a long way from the Peak of the Sixth Realm.

...

「7:00 PM, outside the Disaster Beast Trial Tower.」

Several figures logged into the Disaster Beast Trial Tower one after another. This year’s Global Martial Arts Tournament had been a huge stimulus for the geniuses of the Celestial Vault Institute.

Especially Lin Qi, a sophomore genius, taking the championship.

It made quite a few of them feel ashamed.

"Lin Qi is already number one? When did that happen?"

Outside the Tower, someone shouted while looking at the projected Trial Tower rankings.

Many people turned to look.

Shen Heng, clad in a special-made ink-black robe that accentuated his tall, slender figure, also looked over.

When he saw that Lin Qi was already on the 17th floor, he had a sudden realization.

"So Lin Qi broke through a long time ago!"

He knew that for Lin Qi to surpass him, it meant his Spear Technique had already broken through to the Tier Four Late-stage.

That was far more impressive than Ivan, especially since Lin Qi was still in the Sixth Realm.

This achievement was even more outrageous than winning the Global Martial Arts Tournament or having two Awakened Special Abilities.

Because no one had ever done it before. Lin Qi was the first.

In the past, a Martial Artist’s Martial Arts Realm was always much higher than their Martial Arts Skills.

It was only with the development of Martial Arts that Martial Arts Skills began to catch up.

This led to the formation of certain Martial Arts conventions, one of which was that only a Seventh Realm Martial Artist could advance a Skill to the Tier Four Late-stage.

No one would intentionally suppress their Realm to wait for a Skill to break through.

Because there was no benefit to doing so; on the contrary, it would only delay their own Cultivation.

But now, that convention had been broken.

From now on, everyone would know that it was possible for a genius to break their Martial Arts Skills through to the Tier Four Late-stage while still in the Sixth Realm.

WHOOSH~

He let out a breath and walked into the Trial Tower.

’Both Ivan’s and Lin Qi’s Skills have broken through,’ he thought. ’I can’t fall behind anymore.’

...

「8:00 PM, in a large conference room at the Celestial Dome Tower.」

Seated at a massive circular conference table were Eighth Realm Martial Artists, all exuding terrifying auras. Among them, Xue Zhou’s aura was not the strongest.

Each one was a top-tier Martial Artist from the three great academies, the military, or the Ten Great Schools.

Behind them, rows of smart chairs were arranged in a Bagua-like pattern, occupied by Seventh Realm Martial Artists.

A large number of them were attending the meeting via projection.

At the very center sat Celestial Blade Liy Qifeng, whose domineering presence radiated an intense Sharpness.

Beside him sat the North River Sword King, also dressed in a gray robe.

Celestial Blade Liy Qifeng began to speak, his tone grave.

"The purpose of today’s meeting is to recount the process of our hunt for the Tenth-Level Calamity Beast."

The moment he finished, everyone nodded. Since there had been no news of a Ninth Realm Martial Artist’s sacrifice, it meant the hunt had been successful.

Liy Qifeng continued.

"This time, a total of ten Ninth Realm Martial Artists, including the Hall Master, traveled together to the northern region of the Otherworld to hunt the Tenth-Level Calamity Beast."

"Although we ultimately succeeded in killing it, the situation is far from optimistic."

The North River Sword King, sitting beside him, had his smart-life AI project a massive figure, accompanied by a large volume of data.

ROAR—

The behemoth roared, letting out a deafening sound.

Everyone stared with curiosity at the projected behemoth.

"So that’s a Tenth-Level Calamity Beast?"

...