"Ah--!"
A piercing scream echoed across the training ground.
Long Aotian's body was sent flying from the center of the arena like a tattered sack by Xiao Han's seemingly casual punch. He flew in an arc and crashed heavily onto the ground outside the arena, kicking up a cloud of dust. He was completely unable to fight and passed out.
It all happened in just a few breaths.
The entire training ground was deathly silent!
Whether it was the students and mentors in the audience or the bigwigs in the VIP seats, everyone was frozen in place, speechless and dumbfounded.
You could hear a pin drop.
Everyone was so shocked by Xiao Han's Shi Potian, overwhelming power that their minds went blank, completely unable to comprehend what was happening before their eyes.
That's Long Aotian! The top student at the Imperial Capital Academy, the owner of the SSS-level Purgatory Demon Dragon Martial Soul, and the undisputed strongest contender for this year's championship!
To think... to think that Xiao Han could defeat him so decisively, even humiliatingly, with just two punches?!
SSS+ Martial Soul temporarily upgraded to an unknown higher rank?
What is the pinnacle of martial arts techniques?
Just how many unbelievable secrets is Xiao Han hiding?!
What exactly is this seemingly ordinary F-rank dual-useless Martial Soul of his?!
In an instant, countless questions and shocks crashed into the hearts of everyone present like a tsunami.
On the arena, Xiao Han slowly withdrew his fist and stood still. The terrifying chaotic aura and eternal darkness around him gradually subsided, and he returned to his usual calm. It was as if the Shi Potian scene just now had nothing to do with him.
Only he himself knew what kind of heaven-defying trump card those thirty minutes of [Martial Soul Origin Awakening] and one hour of [Perfect Comprehension of Techniques and Martial Skills] were.
Now, he has won.
A clean and decisive victory, a truly exhilarating one!
The training ground remained deathly silent for several dozen breaths before erupting into a deafening roar, like oil gushing from a boiling pot!
We won!
"Two punches! Long Aotian was actually defeated by two punches!"
"Am I dreaming? That's Long Aotian! The top student in the academy!"
"Xiao Han! Xiao Han! Xiao Han!"
A cacophony of shouts rose and fell, sweeping across the entire arena like a tsunami. Countless eyes were fixed on the calm figure on the stage, filled with disbelief, awe, fervor, and a sense of voyeurism.
In the VIP section, representatives from various factions wore solemn expressions. The head of the Su Family's eyes flickered, as if he were plotting something. The instructors from the four universities whispered among themselves, exchanging shocked glances.
Lin Qingxia's tense body relaxed, but the shock in her beautiful eyes lingered for a long time.
She knew Xiao Han was extraordinary, but she never imagined he was this extraordinary! That sudden burst of power was beyond her comprehension.
While relieved, there was also a great deal of worry. "A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime." Xiao Han's revealed trump cards were too astonishing, inevitably attracting countless greedy eyes.
Standing on the arena, Xiao Han felt the surging power within him recede like a tide, replaced by a deep-seated weakness. The phantoms of his dual Martial Souls also dimmed, returning to their original forms.
He exhaled a heavy breath, and the tightness in his chest eased slightly.
He forced himself to remain composed, not letting himself show the slightest sign of distress.
We won.
It was achieved through a near-death experience.
The sense of elevation brought about by [Martial Soul Origin Awakening] and [Perfect Comprehension of Techniques and Martial Skills] was rapidly fading, but the profound mystery of briefly touching a higher level of power had been deeply engraved in the depths of his soul.
The referee's hands were still trembling, and his voice was wavering, but he managed to finish his sentence: "In the first semi-final match of the Imperial Capital Academy Grand Competition, Xiao Han... wins!"
The Federation network crashed.
Academy Grand Competition Imperial Capital
#Dark Horse Xiao Han #
#Two punches to defeat Long Aotian #
Such terms and phrases appeared out of nowhere, like a virus, topping the trending search lists.
Countless posts, videos, and analyses sprang up like mushrooms after rain, each attempting to dig up Xiao Han's ancestors for eighteen generations.
Xiao Han staggered off the stage, refusing everyone who tried to approach him. He even gave a vague answer to Instructor Qin Zhen's concerned inquiry.
He only nodded slightly to Xia Yubing and Luo Bing.
Luo Bing glanced at him, her lips moved, but she ultimately said nothing. However, she couldn't hide her resentment and vague fear.
Xia Yubing quickly took a few steps forward, wanting to say something, but swallowed it back; only the anxiety lingered.
He walked straight to his private courtyard.
The door slammed shut, shutting out all the noise from the outside world.
The next moment, it felt as if all the bones in his body had been removed. Xiao Han slid down against the door panel, his throat making hoarse breathing sounds like a broken bellows.
[Ding! Congratulations, host, for completing the semi-finals! You have successfully advanced to the finals of the Academy Grand Competition!]
[Rewards: One use of [Martial Soul Origin Awakening] (lasts 30 minutes), one use of [Perfect Comprehension of Techniques and Martial Skills] (lasts 1 hour), [Grand Finals Champion Gift Pack] (can only be opened after winning the Grand Finals).]
The cold, mechanical voice echoed in his mind, causing Xiao Han's tense nerves to relax slightly.
The trump cards that had been used up have actually been replenished!
This thing is his hard currency for winning the championship.
Not daring to delay for a moment, he struggled to move to the futon and sit cross-legged. His cultivation technique circulated on its own, greedily absorbing the energy particles between heaven and earth.
He closed his eyes, trying to capture and remember every strange feeling he had just experienced when his Martial Soul stirred and his fist techniques reached a divine level.
These three days were not just about recovery, but also about reflection and sublimation.
Meanwhile, in the conference room on the highest floor of the university.
The atmosphere was so oppressive it was almost palpable.
"Investigate! Investigate this Xiao Han to the death!" At the head of the table, an elderly man with white hair and beard, the academy's vice-principal, a powerful figure at the Martial Saint Realm, spoke in a voice devoid of warmth, "His Martial Soul is far beyond what a mere SSS+ can describe! That kind of temporary elevation in rank... I've never heard of such a thing!"
"And his cultivation methods, the martial arts techniques he uses, especially that set of fist techniques, the domineering intent within them that Obliteration everything, does not belong to any known lineage system in our Federation," a senior instructor added solemnly.
"Could it be that some lost ancient tradition has awakened within him?" some speculated.
"The possibility is not low. But to be able to forcibly stack two useless F-rank Martial Souls to this level, and even temporarily unleash a higher grade... this kind of inheritance is probably not just the legendary god-level, but even at least the saint-level!"
"No matter who he is, this kid must be in our hands! If he can't be used by us, we absolutely cannot let him fall into the hands of our rivals!"
A series of encrypted commands were issued from the conference room, and countless forces lurking in the shadows of the Federation began to quietly operate around the name "Xiao Han".
Outside Xiao Han's secluded courtyard.
A slender figure appeared silently; it was Lin Qingxia.
She stood outside the door, which was tightly shut, and the faint breaths coming from inside made her heart tighten.
"Come in, Mentor Lin." Xiao Han's voice came from inside, tinged with obvious fatigue.
Lin Qingxia pushed open the door.
Xiao Han sat cross-legged on the futon, his face as white as paper, but his breathing had become much more steady.
"You..." She took a few steps closer, the words on the tip of her tongue, but she didn't know how to ask, "Are you still holding on?"
Xiao Han opened his eyes, twitched the corners of his mouth, and managed a smile, "I won't die, just a little weak."
Lin Qingxia sat down opposite him, her slender fingers unconsciously curling up.
She was silent for a moment.
"Xiao Han, your mentor won't question you about what you have. But you need to understand that while you've made a name for yourself in today's battle, you've also put yourself in a very difficult position. Right now, countless eyes are watching you from the shadows."
Xiao Han looked at her without saying anything, waiting for her to continue.