Body power, 70 times?

The battle began. Xuan Shang struck first, his hands forming seals as the azure domain around him instantly churned, transforming into countless pliant, dense streams of water like innumerable tentacles. They did not directly attack Qin Zhao but instead tried to entangle, permeate, and dissolve any domain power that might emerge. This was the strategy he had devised against Qin Zhao's tactics—overcoming hardness with softness, using water's encompassing nature to counter that bizarre binding domain.

However, Qin Zhao simply raised his hand again.

"Black Stone Prison."

The dark yellow domain descended once more. This time, Xuan Shang felt unprecedented pressure. Originally, his Soft Water Domain—formed by solidifying the Origin Law of Water into his domain, much like Long Yun's technique in the original work—was enough to neutralize immense force impacts. Yet the moment the Soft Water Domain touched the Black Stone Prison, it was as if it had met its natural enemy!

It was not a violent impact but a terrifying, fluctuating pressure from all directions, and deeper still, a tremor and distortion that directly acted on the very structure of the Law of Water! Under that eerie fluctuation, his Origin Law of Water began to disintegrate and collapse on its own! Moreover, an invisible force burrowed into his sea of consciousness, attempting to disrupt his will, conjuring an endless abyss to swallow him whole.

Xuan Shang's face changed drastically. He frantically drove the law, trying to stabilize his domain while forcing his mind to stay clear. He did last longer than previous opponents, holding out for a full ten seconds within the Black Stone Prison! During those ten seconds, he tried every method, even unleashing his ultimate attack secret technique—an Extreme Cold Water Arrow aimed at Qin Zhao's body.

But that water arrow, condensed from his full power, slowed drastically upon entering the Black Stone Prison's range, its trajectory twisted, its power eroded layer by layer. By the time it reached Qin Zhao, only a faint chill remained, which Qin Zhao casually brushed aside.

After ten seconds, Xuan Shang's soul defense finally cracked under the relentless illusions and pulsing impacts, his consciousness blurring. In that instant of weakness, the Black Stone Prison's power erupted fully. He let out a muffled groan, closed his eyes in unwillingness, and his body dissolved into light.

[Qin Zhao, Victory! Points +1, Current Rank: 1st]

By defeating Xuan Shang, Qin Zhao had officially claimed the top spot! Before the perfected Black Stone Prison, even a genius like Xuan Shang, who had already stepped through the threshold of the Law of Water, could only hold out for a little longer.

In the Virtual Universe of the Noah Secret Realm, the final leaderboard of the Peak Ranking Battle was set. Qin Zhao's name hung high at the top, shining brilliantly. With an undefeated record, especially that despair-inducing "Black Stone Prison," he had indisputably taken first place.

When the news spread, it caused a massive stir not only among the Star Level geniuses but also reached the ears of higher-ups in the secret realm—some Immortal beings. Dual law thresholds, a self-created binding secret technique of such ferocity—this personal disciple of King Lanchen had displayed potential far exceeding expectations.

Thick Earth Continent, King Lanchen's Temple.

Qin Zhao stood respectfully below, awaiting his teacher's evaluation. King Lanchen sat above, a barely concealed smile of satisfaction on his warm, jade-like face.

"Not bad, my disciple," King Lanchen said, his voice carrying approval. "You did well in this ranking battle. That 'Black Stone Prison' has begun to take shape, cleverly combining the advantages of your Earth and Space laws with the preliminary Illusion Warrior techniques you've grasped. Among Star Level fighters, few can break this move head-on. With this, even in the upcoming universe-wide human genius battle, you're guaranteed at least a top-three finish."

Unlike most Immortals, King Lanchen encouraged his disciples to create secret techniques best suited to themselves. Even if his disciple's current realm was low, and the finesse of his self-created techniques far inferior to those casually crafted by an ordinary Immortal or even a World Lord, the ability to create one's own technique at least proved sufficient insight into the application of laws. This was irreplaceable on the path to strength!

Hearing such high praise from his teacher for his Black Stone Prison, Qin Zhao couldn't help but feel a flicker of joy. He bowed and said, "It's all thanks to your repeated guidance, Teacher. Otherwise, I'd probably still be stuck at the threshold of illusions."

King Lanchen nodded slightly but shifted his tone: "However, do not become complacent. The Universe Peak Genius Battle gathers the most monstrous Star Level talents from the entire human race over billions of epochs. Hidden dragons and crouching tigers abound, with endless tricks up their sleeves. Your 'Black Stone Prison' is strong, but it is not without flaws. If you encounter an opponent with an extremely powerful will, heaven-defying soul defense, or special means, this technique's effectiveness will be greatly diminished. Then, you'll need to rely on other methods to secure victory."

Qin Zhao's expression turned serious as he listened intently: "Disciple understands."

King Lanchen's gaze was piercing, as if he could see through every ounce of Qin Zhao's power flow: "From watching your battles, your law application and secret technique creation are top-notch. Your will and soul, tempered by the Thousand-Fold Illusion Heart Realm, far surpass your peers. But your basic force output is a clear weakness. And it's a weakness that, as a warrior, you really shouldn't have!"

"Basic force output?" Qin Zhao was slightly taken aback. He had indeed never deliberately trained in force techniques. Whether it was Shockwave or Earth Pulse Guard, or even his self-created Black Stone Prison, they focused more on law application and domain control. His physical force output had mostly grown naturally with his realm and daily cultivation.

"Correct." King Lanchen said with a hint of disdain, "Your current physical force output, as I see it, is around 35 times. In an ordinary universe country, that might be decent, but in the Noah Secret Realm, especially looking toward the peak genius battle, this level is merely mid-to-low. Many top geniuses have force multipliers above 50 times, and some special lifeforms or those with powerful bloodlines can reach 70 to 80 times even at Star Level!"

"Your law comprehension, mental will, and even secret techniques are undoubtedly top-tier! But this physical force output drags down your overall evaluation!"

"Force output is the most fundamental application of bodily strength. Higher output means faster speed, stronger instantaneous burst, and more precise energy control. Whether in close combat, movement techniques, or driving secret techniques, it's all connected." King Lanchen explained patiently, "In your final battle with Xuan Shang, if not for the absolute suppression of your Black Stone Prison, the force technique you showed when brushing aside his last water arrow was somewhat crude—you didn't fully neutralize its residual power. Against a stronger attack, that would be a weakness."

Qin Zhao suddenly understood. Reflecting carefully, it was true. He had relied too much on the power of laws and secret techniques, neglecting the most basic application of physical strength.

"The genius battle begins in a few months." King Lanchen looked at Qin Zhao, his tone turning serious. "These months, I will personally design a special training plan for you, with the core goal of making up for your deficiency in basic force output. I want you to raise your force multiplier to at least 70 times before the genius battle—reaching the average level of a true genius warrior!"

"70 times?!" Qin Zhao's heart shook. Raising his basic physical force output by that much in just a few months seemed impossible on his own. But since his teacher said so, he must have a plan, right?