Upper Capital Base City!

Xiao Wuhen paused, looked into Lin Ming's eyes, and asked meaningfully:

"Earlier, you asked whether people could be killed there?"

Lin Ming's gaze sharpened as he met Xiao Wuhen's eyes.

The smile at the corners of Xiao Wuhen's lips widened, carrying an almost cruel anticipation:

"Of course. As long as you have the strength, and you aren't slaughtering people out of pure malice, you'll be responsible for your own life and death in competitions and conflicts permitted by the rules. The Peak Martial Arts Hall has never minded internal competition. In fact, it even encourages it. Because only the strongest Gu King is qualified to represent the Martial Arts Hall and face the even more brutal world outside."

He patted Lin Ming on the shoulder and said no more. "You'll naturally learn the specifics once you're inside. For now, let's go to headquarters and get your paperwork done."

With that, Xiao Wuhen stopped and pulled a palm-sized silver metal plate from his robes. Pointing it toward a certain direction in the sky, he pressed it lightly.

An invisible wave spread outward.

Before long, a low, powerful engine roar came from the distant horizon.

A small fighter jet with a streamlined silver-gray body, about fifteen meters long and brimming with futuristic style, tore through the sky like a silver arrow. It arrived at astonishing speed and hovered steadily above the two of them.

The hatch beneath the fighter opened silently, projecting a gentle beam of traction light.

"Let's go." Xiao Wuhen stepped into the beam first, and his body was gently drawn into the fighter's cabin.

Lin Ming no longer hesitated and followed close behind.

The cabin was not especially spacious, but its decorations were simple and full of technological flair.

As the hatch closed, the fighter trembled slightly before accelerating sharply. It became a streak of silver light and vanished into the dusky Wilderness sky, racing northeast toward the heart of the Dragon Nation—Upper Capital Base City.

The inside of the fighter was exceptionally stable, and one could barely feel any jolts. Xiao Wuhen leaned back in a comfortable seat and closed his eyes to rest.

Lin Ming, meanwhile, looked through the window at the mountains, rivers, and ruined cities racing past below like miniature models. His heart refused to calm down.

A month ago, he had been a high school student struggling for the martial arts examination, betrayed by his closest relatives.

A month later, he was a Third Tier Warrior with countless lives on his hands, hunted by a Fifth Tier powerhouse, personally taken away by an Inspector of the Peak Martial Arts Hall, and about to enter the legendary Genius Trial Grounds.

Nothing was stranger than the twists of fate.

Who knew how long had passed—perhaps several hours. When an immense city appeared beyond the window, its countless lights glittering like a Star Sea and its towering buildings standing like a forest of steel, Xiao Wuhen opened his eyes.

"We're here. Upper Capital."

The fighter began to slow and descend, flying toward the city's central district—a vast complex shrouded in a pale-gold energy shield, where ancient, majestic architecture blended perfectly with cutting-edge technology. That was the Peak Martial Arts Hall Headquarters.

When the fighter passed through the pale-gold shield, Lin Ming clearly felt a gentle yet boundless mental force sweep across the aircraft before withdrawing. Clearly, the defenses here were extremely tight.

The fighter finally landed on a spacious platform within the headquarters grounds. The hatch opened, and Xiao Wuhen stepped out first, with Lin Ming following while carrying his spear.

What rushed toward them was a concentration of natural energy several times denser and purer than in South River and East Forest. Even one breath left them refreshed, while their vital energy faintly stirred.

From the distance came indistinct shouts, the clang of metal, and the explosive sounds of colliding energy. They were the sounds of Martial Arts Hall disciples cultivating and sparring.

The air was filled with an invisible atmosphere of competition and upward striving that made one's blood surge.

"Follow me. We'll handle your registration first."

Xiao Wuhen was clearly extremely familiar with the place. He led Lin Ming through several corridors to a square-shaped building constructed entirely from some kind of silver alloy, with elite Warriors guarding its entrance.

When the guards saw Xiao Wuhen, they immediately stood at attention and saluted. "Inspector!"

Xiao Wuhen gave a slight nod and led Lin Ming straight inside. The interior was equally simple. Few people came and went, but every one of them had a sharp presence and hurried footsteps.

The registration process was simpler than Lin Ming had imagined. It mainly involved verifying his identity and carrying out some basic tests.

The identity verification was completed quickly. Lin Ming's irises, fingerprints, and genetic fragments were checked against the Dragon Nation's citizen database, confirming that he was who he claimed to be.

As his sponsor and an Inspector, Xiao Wuhen possessed special recruitment privileges and directly bypassed the cumbersome application and review procedures.

Next came the basic tests. Lin Ming was taken to a room resembling a martial arts testing hall.

The first test was his age. A precision instrument scanned Lin Ming's bone age and cellular activity.

"Bone age: eighteen years and three months. Cellular activity: extremely vigorous, exceeding the normal threshold. Test passed." A cold electronic voice announced the results.

An eighteen-year-old bone age was not especially remarkable at the Peak Martial Arts Hall Headquarters, where geniuses gathered, but it was definitely young.

Next came the realm test. Lin Ming did not need to deliberately conceal himself and released a trace of his Third Realm, Fourth Level aura—the Fourth Level of the Golden Viscera Realm.

"Vital energy intensity: Third Tier, Fourth Level, mid-stage Golden Viscera Realm. Vital energy quality: exceptionally condensed, exceeding the standard for the same tier by 300 percent. Test passed."

The staff member responsible for recording the results glanced at Lin Ming in surprise. Vital energy quality exceeding the standard by 300 percent? That was not something an ordinary genius could achieve.

Next came the strength test. In the center of the room stood a metal pillar over two people tall, completely black and covered in sensing components. This was the strength tester.

"Use your strongest attack to strike the central target. You may use martial techniques, but not weapons," the staff member explained.

Xiao Wuhen stood to the side with his arms folded, a look of anticipation on his face. "Lin Ming, don't hold back. Let me see what you're made of."

Lin Ming nodded and walked up to the tester. He did not use the Silver Frost Spear, merely tightening his right fist.

The Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art circulated within him. His powerful, heavy, dark-gold vital energy surged, while the strength of the Indestructible Asura Body flowed through his muscles and bones. The intent of Mountain Splitter from the Heaven-Splitting Three Forms naturally condensed.

He held nothing back. Twisting his waist, he sank the floor beneath his feet slightly and threw a punch like a cannonball leaving its barrel, carrying the heavy force to split a mountain as it slammed into the red-glowing target at the center of the tester!

Boom—!!

A muffled, earth-shaking boom rang out! The entire testing room seemed to tremble slightly! Light flashed rapidly across the tester's surface as it let out a buzzing overload sound.

A moment later, the electronic voice announced:

"Peak striking force: 50,000 jin. Comprehensive assessment: strength burst level, Tier Four, Seventh Level standard."

Fifty thousand jin?!

The staff member recording the data trembled and nearly dropped the electronic tablet. He stared wide-eyed at the number on the screen, then at Lin Ming, as though he had seen a ghost.

Eighteen years old, Third Tier, Fourth Level, and a single punch worth fifty thousand jin?! This strength was already comparable to that of many Tier Four, Seventh Level or even Eighth Level Warriors! Was this body transformed from a ferocious beast?!

Although Xiao Wuhen had expected Lin Ming's strength to be extraordinary, his eyes still flashed with clear surprise and even greater appreciation when he heard "fifty thousand jin" and "Tier Four, Seventh Level standard."

"Good kid!" Xiao Wuhen stepped forward and heavily patted Lin Ming on the shoulder.