National Finals! A Gathering of Geniuses—Who Will Be Champion?

The next morning.

The entire Yan Jing City seemed like a giant dragon awakening from slumber, bursting with unprecedented vitality and fervor.

Countless streams of people and vehicles converged from all directions toward the same destination—

Dragon Summer Country's largest comprehensive martial arts venue, the "Dragon's Nest"!

Today was the day of the highly anticipated National University Martial Arts League finals!

Outside the Dragon's Nest arena, the crowds had already formed a vast sea of people, with colorful banners fluttering everywhere.

Media reporters from all over the country, like sharks that had caught the scent of blood, packed every entrance so tightly not even water could seep through.

Cameras, long lenses, and hovering drones nearly blotted out the sky.

Inside the arena, every seat was occupied!

The enormous venue, capable of holding a hundred thousand people, was now completely packed with frenzied spectators and martial arts enthusiasts!

The thunderous roar of the crowd nearly lifted the Dragon's Nest's dome clean off!

"The finals are finally here! I'm so excited! Today is definitely going to be gods fighting!"

"Exactly! This year's competition is insanely high quality! In previous years, Marrow Cleansing Realm Fifth Level was enough to contend for the championship. This year, if you haven't reached Sixth Level, you can't even touch the door to the finals!"

"Who do you think will be today's champion?"

In the stands, countless people discussed the matter excitedly.

At the VIP seats in the front, several veteran commentators from major martial arts media outlets were also engaged in heated analysis.

"If you ask me, the hottest favorite for the championship has to be that monster from the Imperial Military Academy, Qin Zhan!"

A commentator wearing gold-rimmed glasses said with absolute certainty, "Twenty-one years old, Marrow Cleansing Realm Eighth Level! And apparently, he cultivates the Profound Grade Top Tier slaughter technique, the Dragon Elephant Subduing Prison Technique. One punch can flatten an armored vehicle into an iron pancake! He's practically inhuman!"

"I don't see it that way."

"Liu Ruyan from Magic City Martial Arts Academy is equally not to be underestimated! Although she's only at Marrow Cleansing Realm Seventh Level, her movement technique, the Phantom Lightstep, is unfathomably strange, and her 'Soul Chasing Deadly Sword' is incredibly fast! Qin Zhan may be fierce and powerful, but he might not even be able to touch the hem of her clothes!"

A beautiful female commentator beside him shook her head and offered a different view.

"Heh, have you all forgotten Shi Lei from God of War Academy?"

Another chubby commentator chuckled. "That guy's only at Marrow Cleansing Realm Sixth Level, but his King of Light Glazed Body is downright monstrous! In a match a few days ago, he endured the wild bombardment of a Seventh Level expert for half an hour, then drained all of his opponent's spiritual energy and ground him to death! A pure health tank wrapped in an iron plate—anyone who faces him gets a headache!"

"Those few truly are the hottest favorites to win the championship..."

Just as everyone nodded in agreement, marveling at the strength of these top geniuses, the gold-rimmed commentator abruptly changed tack.

"However, if we're talking about the biggest talking point and greatest variable of this league, it has to be that one from Capital Martial Arts Academy—Ye Xuan!"

The moment that name was mentioned, everyone nearby perked up!

"That's right! Ye Xuan! He's simply the biggest dark horse of this tournament!"

"Isn't that the truth? From an unknown Marrow Cleansing Realm Second Level fighter, he's fought his way through every obstacle, growing stronger against stronger opponents. Now, he's at least got the strength of Fourth Level! And his fighting style is just like a madman—utterly fearless of death!"

"I heard he's from a Blade of Grass background, without any backing at all! Now that's a true inspirational role model, a Child of Destiny!"

"Tsk, tsk, what a pity. If that even more monstrous Lin Yuan from Capital Martial Arts Academy had come to compete, what chance would any of them have? The match would probably end the instant he opened his eyes."

"Shh! Don't mention that name! He's not even in the same dimension! Let's stick to discussing mortals!"

Amid the overwhelming tide of discussion.

The lights suddenly went dark!

An enormous spotlight shone down upon the entrance to the competitors' tunnel!

Rousing music resounded throughout the arena!

"Ladies! Gentlemen!"

"Now, let us welcome our finalists with the warmest cheers possible!"

The host's voice traveled through the sound system to every corner of the arena!

"First! From the Imperial Military Academy! The future God of War of the military! Qin Zhan!"

A young man with a burly frame, stern features, and an iron-blooded, tyrannical aura strode out with the gait of a dragon and tiger.

Simply standing there gave people a suffocating sense of pressure!

"Second! From Magic City Martial Arts Academy! The rose in the dark night, the sprite of the arena! Liu Ruyan!"

Under the lights, a woman dressed in a red martial arts outfit, with a graceful figure and peerless beauty, appeared like a ghost in one corner of the ring, a deadly smile hanging from her lips.

"Third! From God of War Academy! Absolute defense, immovable as a mountain! Shi Lei!"

A man over two meters tall and built like a brown bear made the ring emit heavy, muffled thuds with every step, giving off an unshakably solid presence.

The competitors took the stage one after another. Every one of them was a dragon among men, a favored child of heaven!

And when the final contestant was about to appear, the cheers throughout the arena reached an unprecedented peak!

"Finally! Let us welcome the biggest dark horse of this league! The king of comebacks! From Capital Martial Arts Academy—Ye Xuan!!!"

Amid cheers like mountains roaring and seas crashing.

Ye Xuan, dressed entirely in black, slowly emerged from the tunnel.

Basking in the lights focused upon him by the masses, he felt countless worshipful, reverent, and fervent gazes upon him.

An unprecedented sense of satisfaction and lofty pride filled his chest!

This was everything he wanted!

This was the stage that belonged to Ye Xuan!

He raised his eyes, his cold gaze sweeping across Qin Zhan, Liu Ruyan, and the others on the ring. A wildly arrogant curve lifted at the corner of his mouth.

Marrow Cleansing Realm Eighth Level?

King of Light Glazed Body?

They were nothing but worthless trash!

He had now reached Marrow Cleansing Realm Fourth Level!

Once he claimed the championship tonight and obtained that generous reward, enough to let him break through once again—

The gap between him and Lin Yuan would be completely erased!

"Lin Yuan! You coward!"

"While you're hiding in your estate, trembling in fear, take a good look!"

"Today, I will ascend to godhood in a single battle!"