Dust Settles

Shi Feng naturally had no idea that Qin Zhao wasn't using a simple attack technique, but rather a power that directly tapped into the essence of the Law of Earth—the Mystery of the "Pulse of the Earth." Vibration was, after all, one of the fundamental forms of existence for matter and energy, and triggering a resonance within the domain fell squarely within its capabilities.

Seizing this opportunity, Qin Zhao moved. He pressed down lightly with his foot, his form darting forward like a ghost, instantly closing the distance to Shi Feng. At the same time, both hands shot out, his ten fingers flicking in rapid succession!

"Sss! Sss! Sss! Sss!"

Streams of earth-yellow shockwaves, condensed as fine as needles, were no longer area-of-effect attacks but precisely aimed at Shi Feng's vital points and several key nodes in his domain's operation! These shockwaves were as thin as ox hair, yet they carried terrifying penetrative power and destructive vibrational frequencies.

Sensing the horror of this shockwave assault, Shi Feng was both shocked and enraged!

He forcibly steadied his massive hammer and domain, swinging the hammer to block while channeling domain power to form thick earthen walls before him. "Thud, thud, thud..." Most of the shockwaves were stopped by the walls, but the walls themselves rapidly cracked and collapsed under the high-frequency vibrations. Still, a few shockwaves pierced through the defense and struck his armor.

"Hmph!" Shi Feng grunted. Even with his armor weakening the blow, the strange vibrational force still seeped into his body, causing the Force within him to begin oscillating in sync, and his internal organs churned with discomfort. Though he endured it with his formidable physique and Force, not instantly losing combat capability like his previous opponents, it was far from pleasant.

"You've thoroughly angered me!" Shi Feng roared, a hint of resolve flashing in his eyes. Being constantly suppressed by an opponent whose "domain level was inferior to his own," and even taking light injuries, was something he couldn't accept.

"I was saving this move for a critical moment to finish off an opponent... Qin Zhao, forcing me to use this is something you can be proud of!"

Before his words faded, the already formidable aura around Shi Feng surged once more! The earth-yellow domain light around him blazed brighter, its range expanding sharply, its color deepening and growing heavier!

Seven layers... eight layers... nine layers!

Boom!

A domain pressure several times stronger than before crashed down! A Ninefold Earth Domain! The intent of heaviness, solidity, and bearing all things nearly materialized, and the surrounding sand compacted violently under this pressure, becoming as hard as metal or stone. The air itself seemed to freeze, making it hard to breathe.

"A Ninefold Domain! Shi Feng was hiding his strength!"

"Heavens! A Ninefold Domain at Planet Level! Is this his real trump card?"

"Qin Zhao's in danger now! A Ninefold Domain is invincible within the realm of domains!"

Gasps erupted from the spectator stands. A Ninefold Domain represented the pinnacle before the Law itself—one step further, and it would be the elusive threshold of the Law! The strength Shi Feng displayed far exceeded everyone's expectations.

"A Ninefold Domain... combined with my 'Thousand Mountain Collapse'! Be defeated!"

Shi Feng's momentum was overwhelming. Gripping the Mountain Splitter Hammer with both hands, the power of the entire Ninefold Domain seemed to converge at the hammerhead. The massive hammer emitted a chilling dark light, as if it had truly transformed into an ancient divine mountain on the verge of collapse, carrying the force of annihilation as it smashed down toward Qin Zhao! The power of this strike was several times greater than before! The cosmic energy around them seemed to form a vacuum under this hammer.

Facing this earth-shattering blow, a hint of seriousness finally flickered in Qin Zhao's eyes. The full-force eruption of a Ninefold Domain was indeed not to be underestimated. Relying solely on Earth Pulse Guard might not be enough to fully withstand it. Yet, that was all it was.

"A Ninefold Domain... not bad." Qin Zhao murmured to himself. As the giant hammer, seemingly capable of shattering mountains, descended upon him, he made a move that stunned everyone. He dismissed the Earth Pulse Guard light barrier he had been maintaining, and without assuming any defensive or evasive stance, he slowly raised his right hand, fingers slightly spread, and gently pushed upward toward the falling hammer.

"Has he gone mad?!"

"Taking the Thousand Mountain Collapse head-on under a Ninefold Domain?"

Countless spectators widened their eyes in disbelief.

Just as the giant hammer was about to touch Qin Zhao's palm—

"Buzz!!!"

A domain fluctuation far deeper, grander, and closer to the fundamental Law than the earlier "Shockwave" erupted from the center of Qin Zhao's palm!

This was Qin Zhao's own Ninefold Domain! There was no loud crash, only a low, soul-shivering hum that seemed to originate from the core of the world itself!

The Mountain Splitter Hammer, carrying the unmatched power of a Ninefold Domain, struck the invisible vibrational force field before Qin Zhao's palm and seemed to plunge into an unfathomably deep quagmire of vibration! The terrifying power condensed on the hammerhead dissolved, dispersed, and neutralized instantly, like snow melting under the sun, consumed by the high-frequency, profound, and omnipresent vibrations!

The dark light shattered, and the domain wailed!

Shi Feng felt as if he hadn't swung a hammer, but as if a mountain had collided with another, even larger divine mountain that was itself vibrating wildly! The backlash surged back like a tidal wave!

"Crack!" He heard the sound of his arm bones fracturing under the unbearable strain.

"Pfft!" Blood sprayed from his mouth, staining the armor on his chest.

The third-tier Force Weapon, the Mountain Splitter Hammer, let out a mournful cry as fine cracks appeared on its surface before it flew out of his grip!

As for Shi Feng himself, it was as if he had been struck head-on by an invisible star. He flew backward faster than he had come, tracing a long parabolic arc through the air before crashing heavily into a sand dune hundreds of meters away, forming a deep crater amid billowing dust. He completely lost consciousness.

The entire Martial Arts World fell into a dead silence. All spectators stared dumbfounded at the figure in the arena who slowly withdrew his hand and stood there, still calm and composed. Shi Feng, with his Ninefold Domain, unleashing his strongest strike, had been... so effortlessly, in a way they couldn't comprehend, instantly crushed?

What did it mean to smash rotten wood and shatter stale bones? This was the true meaning of it!

Though Qin Zhao's previous battles had also been one-sided, there had at least been some exchange of offense and defense. But this fight, against a Shi Feng who had unleashed his full power, revealed Qin Zhao's even more unfathomable strength! Especially that final, casual upward push—it completely exceeded their understanding of Planet Level power.

"Winner: Qin Zhao!" The grand virtual system's announcement rang out again, breaking the silence.

The next moment, a thunderous uproar and discussion erupted like a tidal wave.

"What... was that just now?"

"I didn't see clearly! How did Shi Feng's Thousand Mountain Collapse just fall apart?"

"It was vibration! An extremely profound application of vibration! It actually directly dismantled a full-power strike from a Ninefold Domain?"

"This Qin Zhao... just how far has his comprehension of the Law of Earth reached? Could it be..."

Someone thought of a possibility but dared not speak it aloud—comprehending a sliver of the Law at Planet Level? That was simply too shocking! And in this battle, Qin Zhao hadn't displayed any Law power, so most people could only speculate!

Qin Zhao paid no attention to the surrounding clamor. His gaze calmly fixed on the direction where Shi Feng had fallen. Shi Feng was a worthy opponent, but unfortunately, he had met him. At the Planet Level stage, he himself was an existence beyond the norm.

The Longke Race Bloodline Evolution Agent was settled. He turned and walked slowly toward the teleportation beam of light. His next goal was to use this Longke Race Bloodline Evolution Agent to break through the bottleneck of "First Line Flow" in one fell swoop.