Enlightenment Space

Hearing Qin Hao's words, many of the new disciples swallowed involuntarily.

"Th-this guy's comprehension is actually that good?"

"In the time it takes an incense stick to burn, Qin Hao's Wandering Dragon Steps have far surpassed Pei Yangrong's!"

"Is he really a First-Grade Martial Soul? He's more like a monster!"

The crowd whispered among themselves.

The looks they gave Qin Hao had changed.

A genius deserved respect!

"Impossible!"

Pei Yangrong's eyes were bloodshot as he shouted angrily, "Qin Hao, you're trash with a First-Grade Martial Soul! How could you comprehend Wandering Dragon Steps to this level in the time it takes an incense stick to burn?"

"You cheated! Yes, you must have cheated! I won't accept this!"

Pei Yangrong could not accept it.

"Cheated? If you're capable, why don't you cheat your way to this level of comprehension?"

Qin Hao spoke calmly.

"You..."

Pei Yangrong was so furious he nearly coughed up blood.

If he could have reached that level of comprehension, how could things have turned out this way?

"Enough!"

The blue-robed steward barked, "Pei Yangrong, both sides agreed to the wager and signed a contract. There's no backing out! You lost, so honor the bet!"

"This..." Pei Yangrong's expression grew even uglier.

"Interesting. If my guess is right..."

Bu Yunfeng looked between Pei Yangrong and Qin Hao with interest, then asked meaningfully, "When you were comprehending Wandering Dragon Steps, did you enter some kind of special space?"

Everyone froze at his words.

Liu Ruoxue had also found it hard to believe. Now she seemed to realize something.

"Enlightenment Space?" The blue-robed steward's eyes widened in understanding. "Qin Hao, did you just enter Enlightenment Space?"

Enlightenment Space was an exceedingly rare state that one could enter only through a fortunate coincidence. Once inside, however, the speed at which one comprehended any martial technique increased enormously.

"That's right. There was a sort of hazy space."

Qin Hao did not hide it, though he offered no details.

"So that's it!"

Understanding dawned on everyone.

Many disciples looked envious.

"That kid's luck is ridiculous. He actually stumbled into Enlightenment Space."

"It wasn't entirely luck. Senior Brother Pei has a Fourth-Grade Wood-Attribute Martial Soul. Betting against a genius like him must have put Qin Hao under immense pressure. That pressure probably pushed him into Enlightenment Space."

"That's what I think too. Pei Yangrong was unlucky to lose, but then again, he wasn't..."

Enlightenment Space was by no means easy to enter.

Yet that state of comprehension was not restricted by Martial Soul grade. Even someone with a First-Grade Martial Soul had a chance of entering it.

"That worthless wretch..." Pei Yangrong's face turned green.

Liu Ruoxue shook her head. "Junior Brother Pei, there's no need to be like this. Qin Hao only managed to gain an initial grasp of Wandering Dragon Steps so quickly because he entered Enlightenment Space. In both Martial Soul and potential, you're far above him."

"Even if you can never enter the Martial Arts Hall, if you're strong enough and have sufficient Contribution Points, you can still obtain higher-level cultivation methods and martial techniques through other means!"

Pei Yangrong drew a deep breath and nodded gravely. "I understand!"

That was easy to say, but far harder to do.

Being barred from the Martial Arts Hall for life would affect him enormously!

Liu Ruoxue turned to Qin Hao and said coolly, "Qin Hao, it seems Pei Yangrong put you under so much pressure that you were lucky enough to enter Enlightenment Space when pushed to your limit."

"Unfortunately, that kind of luck won't last forever. You're still a worthless nobody with a First-Grade Martial Soul. Your world is destined to be no bigger than the bottom of a well. You'll never make it into the great halls."

"Senior Sister Liu is right!"

Pei Yangrong immediately sprang up and spat venomously, "Qin Hao, you piece of trash! I'll show you what endless pressure feels like. Just you wait!"

"Pressure?" Qin Hao laughed.

"Am I wrong?" Liu Ruoxue asked.

"You think too highly of yourself."

Qin Hao said calmly, "Liu Ruoxue, perhaps someone like Lei Zhen counts as a genius in your eyes. But you'll never know that a true genius is standing right in front of you. I won't give you another chance, though!"

Liu Ruoxue frowned and was about to speak when Bu Yunfeng's faintly amused voice rang out. "Junior Sister Liu, why bother arguing with a worthless nobody?"

"He's nothing but arrogant trash. I've seen far too many people who don't know the height of the heavens or the depth of the earth. Every one of them met a miserable end. Dying in the wilderness was the least of it."

Bu Yunfeng waved the folding fan in his hand and smiled faintly.

"You're right, Senior Brother Bu." Liu Ruoxue nodded and said no more.

Even though Qin Hao had joined the Myriad Phenomena Hall, Liu Ruoxue still did not think much of him.

"Then we'll wait and see!"

Qin Hao remained unruffled. "Steward, according to our wager, Pei Yangrong owes me five hundred Contribution Points. Sorry for the trouble, but please register that for me. I'd also like these two martial techniques."

"Qin Hao, you..." Pei Yangrong's eyes blazed, and the loss stung.

That was a full five hundred Contribution Points!

As the runner-up in Martial Extremity City's Genius Tournament, he had received only eight hundred Contribution Points. Losing five hundred in one stroke was bound to hurt.

"Very well!"

The blue-robed steward gave Qin Hao a long look, then took his three manuals to register them.

The three manuals were Wandering Dragon Steps, Sword-Sweeping Slash, and Nine Swords of the Azure Lotus!

Under the terms of the wager, Pei Yangrong would cover all five hundred Contribution Points needed to redeem Wandering Dragon Steps.

And as the winner of Tianshui City's Genius Tournament, Qin Hao was entitled to two Yellow Tier high-grade martial techniques—just enough to redeem Sword-Sweeping Slash and Nine Swords of the Azure Lotus.

"Wandering Dragon Steps and Sword-Sweeping Slash are registered. I'll register this one too. Hm... Nine Swords of the Azure Lotus?"

The blue-robed steward asked in surprise, "Qin Hao, are you sure you want to redeem Nine Swords of the Azure Lotus? You do know the prerequisite for practicing it, don't you?"

"I do," Qin Hao said. "To practice Nine Swords of the Azure Lotus, one must first master Sword Force!"

At those words, everyone watching inside the Martial Arts Hall looked astonished.

The blue-robed steward frowned. "If you know that, why choose Nine Swords of the Azure Lotus? You have only two rewards for Yellow Tier high-grade martial techniques. Do you want to waste one of your choices?"

Had Qin Hao already mastered Sword Force?

Few veteran disciples had comprehended Sword Force, let alone new ones.

Anyone who comprehended Sword Force before even entering the Myriad Phenomena Hall was a top-tier genius. How rare were talents like that?

"Thank you for the advice, but I'll take these three!" Qin Hao cupped his fists.

"Very well. You're on your own!" The blue-robed steward said no more and entered them into the register.

Greedy enough to be a snake trying to swallow an elephant! Liu Ruoxue thought disdainfully. She thought even less of Qin Hao now.