Shi Feng

A low gasp rippled through the Star Level section of the spectator stands.

"What was that just now? Does the Earth Domain have an attack like that?"

"I didn't feel much domain pressure, but that vibration... it's bizarre!"

"This Qin Zhao, the intel was wrong! He's definitely not just a one-layer domain!"

"That Lie Yuan has been at Planet Level for over two hundred years, and he's had his domain for more than a hundred years since comprehending it! That newcomer joined the Sacred Land less than a year ago, right? And he can crush Lie Yuan's century-plus of domain accumulation?"

The battle that followed became almost entirely Qin Zhao's personal showcase. Whether facing a Wind-style genius known for speed, a Metal-style powerhouse with devastating attacks, or tricky, troublesome Wood-style and Light-style opponents, none could withstand him.

Earth Pulse Guard granted him near-absolute defense at Planet Level, along with powerful environmental control. Shockwave transformed into an omnipresent death ripple—often before an opponent could close in or even launch an attack, they would be severely wounded internally by the unpredictable vibration force and instantly defeated.

He hadn't even used a shred of Law power. Relying solely on his deep understanding of the "Pulse of the Earth" Mystery and the combination of these two secret techniques, he displayed overwhelming strength.

His ranking soared. Victory after victory was as solid and unshakable as a boulder. Those who had initially looked down on this rising prodigy—both students and spectators—had long since shifted to shock and solemnity.

"His domain... is definitely more than one layer!" a Universe Level Core Student asserted.

"With power like that, his domain is at least five layers!"

"Looks like this Planet Level ranking battle has some real stakes. I wonder who's stronger—him or 'Shi Feng'?"

Shi Feng, the universally acknowledged strongest at Planet Level in Glacier Sacred Land, hailed from the top-tier "Ice Ripple Divine Realm"! According to intel, he had already pushed his domain to seven layers and cultivated an offensive secret technique to an extremely high level, making him the top favorite for first place in this ranking battle.

"I still think Shi Feng is stronger. Word is he's been settling at Planet Level for nearly three hundred years!"

"Don't forget Lie Yuan—didn't he also settle for over a hundred years? And he was still crushed by this Qin Zhao!"

"It's different. Lie Yuan's talent can't compare to Shi Feng's! Lie Yuan dawdled at Planet Level because once he breaks through to Star Level, he can't adapt to the competition there, and his resources would shrink fast—he was afraid of that and didn't dare breakthrough! But Shi Feng is different. He hasn't broken through to Star Level yet because a big shot gave him a condition for taking him as a disciple!"

"What condition?"

"To comprehend a sliver of Law while still at Planet Level!"

"..."

After a series of fierce battles, the final showdown was, without suspense, between Qin Zhao and Shi Feng.

The finals venue was a vast desert. Gale-force winds whipped up yellow sand, blotting out the sky and sun.

Shi Feng was tall and burly, his skin bearing a rocky luster. He wielded a massive rock warhammer, his gaze as steady as a mountain. Looking at Qin Zhao, he said in a deep voice, "Qin Zhao, your strength surprises me. But the Longke Race Bloodline Evolution Agent—I'm determined to have it!"

Qin Zhao replied calmly, "Let skill decide."

Without further words, the battle erupted instantly!

Shi Feng roared, and his earthy-yellow domain exploded outward, carrying an intent that fused "heaviness" with "sturdiness"—clearly, he had profound insight into the "Earth Element" direction of the Law of Earth! He took a step, and the entire desert seemed to tremble with him. His giant hammer descended with the force to shatter mountains and split the earth, aimed at Qin Zhao! Before the hammer even arrived, the terrifying pressure had already caused the surrounding sand to sink wildly!

Qin Zhao's eyes sharpened. He didn't dare be careless. He pushed Earth Pulse Guard to its limit, a thick light shield enveloping his body, while his feet rooted themselves, connecting to the entire desert ground. "Boom!" The giant hammer struck the light shield, producing a deafening roar. The shield rippled violently but ultimately held firm.

"He blocked it?"

A flicker of surprise crossed Shi Feng's eyes. This strike, infused with the "heaviness" intent of his seven-layer Earth Domain and backed by his third-tier Force weapon, the "Mountain Splitter Hammer," would make even an ordinary Star Level dare not take it head-on. Even if someone could block it, they'd be sent flying or severely injured.

Yet Qin Zhao not only took it head-on, but that seemingly thin earthy-yellow light shield, though violently rippling, was incredibly tenacious—it didn't shatter. It even channeled most of the recoil force into the ground beneath his feet, leaving him completely unmoved.

"What a powerful defensive secret technique!" Shi Feng's heart tightened. He shed the last trace of contempt. He could sense that Qin Zhao's domain level might be lower than his, but his understanding and application of power—especially in defense—was terrifyingly exquisite.

"Let's see how many strikes you can take!"

Shi Feng growled, charging again like a savage dragon. His giant hammer swung, conjuring a storm of hammer shadows. Each blow was heavy and forceful, drawing in surrounding Earth-type cosmic energy to create a zone of abnormal gravity, trying to overwhelm Qin Zhao's defense with sheer power and domain advantage.

"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"

A relentless barrage of hammer strikes rained down on the Earth Pulse Guard light shield like a tempest, producing ear-splitting explosions. The sand around the two kept collapsing, forming a massive crater. The shield trembled violently, ripples spreading as if it might shatter at any moment, yet it held on with stubborn resilience.

Inside the shield, Qin Zhao's expression remained calm. His feet seemed fused with the earth, continuously drawing on the land's power to replenish the shield's consumption. Though Shi Feng's assault was fierce, most of its force was skillfully deflected, dispersed, and channeled into the ground by Earth Pulse Guard. He was like a reef in a raging torrent—no matter the crashing waves, he stood unmoved.

"My turn." In the gap between another round of violent hammering, a sharp gleam flashed in Qin Zhao's eyes. The one who had been on the defensive finally moved. Instead of dodging, he faced the dense rain of hammer shadows and raised his right hand again.

"Shockwave: Thousand Fold Waves!"

This time, he held nothing back, pouring nearly seventy percent of his comprehension of the "Pulse of the Earth" Mystery into the attack! Not aimed at Shi Feng's body, but at the wildly swinging giant hammer and the core of the domain force field it stirred!

"Whoom—"

A condensed, profound earthy-yellow ripple spread silently. It carried no earth-shattering momentum, but possessed a strange penetrating quality and resonant frequency, instantly sweeping across Shi Feng's giant hammer and his Earth Domain.

"Huh?"

Shi Feng's expression changed drastically! He felt the Mountain Splitter Hammer in his hand suddenly become incredibly heavy, vibrating violently at high frequency, numbing his grip and nearly making him drop it! What unsettled him more was that his proud seven-layer Earth Domain, when brushed by that strange ripple, also began to fluctuate unstably—like a calm lake disturbed by a thrown pebble, rippling in all directions, its very structure subtly disordered!

Because of this vibration's influence, the momentum of his hammer strike toward Qin Zhao involuntarily stalled.

"How is this possible? This vibration attack can actually affect my domain and Force weapon?"

A storm raged in Shi Feng's heart. The domain was the key to comprehending Laws, and also the manifestation of one's will combined with Force to draw in cosmic energy—its structure was relatively stable. That the opponent's vibration force could trigger domain resonance and even interfere with it? This completely exceeded his understanding of offensive secret techniques!