Hong Appears, Luo Feng Talks with Hong

"Could it be that my points haven't been updated yet?"

In the Central Plaza, Luo Feng kept his patience and continued scanning downward.

Luo Feng's expression grew darker and darker.

Only when he reached eighth place did he finally see his name.

Luo Feng narrowed his eyes slightly, and an inexplicable anger flared in his chest.

What was going on?

He had clearly followed the rules.

He had gone to the testing room to test his Punch Force Exertion Level, and had also challenged the Trial Tower in the Nine-Story Tower!

Normally, his data should have been uploaded to the system and updated in real time long ago!

But now, his position on the Black Dragon Ranking hadn't changed at all!

"Did the dojo's upper echelons suppress my results just like that? Even my Trial Tower results don't count?"

Luo Feng's fists clenched abruptly, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes.

Just as anger churned in Luo Feng's heart and he was preparing to demand an explanation from the Training Camp's upper echelons-

"Rumble!"

A low, terrifying sonic boom suddenly came from the distant horizon.

Luo Feng raised his head and looked in the direction of the sound.

High up in the distant sky, a tiny black dot had appeared.

"What's that? A fighter jet?"

Luo Feng narrowed his eyes slightly, straining to see into the distance.

But as the black dot rapidly grew larger, Luo Feng's pupils suddenly contracted.

That wasn't a fighter jet! It was unmistakably a person!

Only a few seconds later, the black dot fell like a meteor.

Bearing a terrifying, suffocating pressure, it crashed down at the edge of the Central Plaza!

The enormous impact made the entire plaza tremble violently.

Luo Feng stood where he was, his gaze fixed on the gradually dispersing dust.

When the dust had completely settled, a middle-aged man slowly came into view.

Luo Feng immediately recognized him.

Wasn't he the man who frequently appeared in major news media-

Hong, Earth's strongest fighter, whom martial artists across the globe regarded as a god?

At the sight of that figure, like a god descended to earth,

many of the students in the Central Plaza held their breath, their eyes full of fervor and awe.

Yet among the crowd trembling with excitement, Luo Feng alone went against the flow.

He didn't stop and gaze up like the others.

Instead, he strode straight toward Hong at the edge of the plaza.

His steps were steady, and the anger that had yet to subside burned in his eyes. He clearly meant to demand an explanation.

If this had been a few months ago,

before he had met Lin Mo and learned of the vastness of the universe,

then faced with Earth's strongest fighter,

Luo Feng would certainly have spoken with the utmost respect, like a mortal granted an audience with a god.

But now, everything was different.

Luo Feng's horizons had long since expanded beyond Earth's confines.

He knew full well how boundless the universe was.

He also understood how weak and primitive Earth's civilization was before it.

On top of that was the earlier injustice of his Black Dragon Ranking being deliberately suppressed.

All that remained of Luo Feng's attitude toward Hong

was a trace of courtesy and respect for a forerunner and a powerful fighter.

Luo Feng's footsteps sounded especially clear in the silent plaza.

At that moment, Hong, who had just landed, seemed to sense something.

His gaze, deep as the night sky, instantly pierced the crowd

and fell unerringly on Luo Feng.

Their eyes met.

The air around them seemed to freeze completely at that moment.

Finally, the faintest hint of warmth appeared on Hong's stern face.

He spoke first, his deep voice sounding in Luo Feng's ears:

"Luo Feng, I came here this time specifically for you alone."

"You must be dissatisfied. I understand."

Hong looked at the young man standing straight before him without a trace of fear and nodded slightly.

"This isn't the place to talk. Let's find somewhere quiet and have a proper conversation."

Luo Feng looked at Hong, the coldness in his eyes easing slightly, and gave a calm two-word reply.

"All right."

A moment later, the two arrived at a completely soundproof quiet room deep within the Training Camp.

On opposite sides of an antique tea table,

Hong, Earth's strongest fighter, and Luo Feng sat facing each other.

Hong put on no airs of superiority.

He personally picked up the purple-clay teapot from the table.

His movements flowed like clouds and water as he brewed a pot of tea, then poured a cup each for himself and Luo Feng.

The tea was clear and steaming, giving off a refreshing fragrance.

"Fine Longjing tea. Have a taste."

Hong spoke in an even tone.

"Mm."

Luo Feng didn't stand on ceremony and nodded.

He picked up his cup and took a sip, his expression still calm.

Setting down his cup, Hong got straight to the point.

"Your Punch Force Exertion Level is 12.8, and your Trial Tower Level is 6.9. I already know all the true figures."

"As for why your points on the Black Dragon Ranking haven't been updated, it isn't because the dojo wants to appropriate your results. It's because..."

Hong gave Luo Feng a long look.

"The strength you've displayed has completely exceeded the current framework of understanding in Earth's martial arts world."

"If we announced it rashly, it would only provoke doubts worldwide."

"Everyone would think there was a flaw in the Dojo of Limits' system."

"There's too much at stake, so the dojo's upper echelons ordered your ranking temporarily locked."

After explaining the reason, Hong leaned forward slightly.

His eyes shone with undisguised curiosity and inquiry.

"Luo Feng, I'm very curious. How did you do it?"

"An exertion level of 12.8 times."

Hong shook his head, a hint of amazement in his voice.

"Even the Nine-Layered Thunder Blade, the secret technique universally acknowledged to have the highest exertion level on Earth-

"Even if its creator, Thunder God himself, were to use it, he absolutely couldn't reach that figure."

Faced with Hong's probing questions, Luo Feng merely shook his head slightly.

His tone was mild but firm.

"Dojo Master, everyone has their secrets. I don't want to talk about that."

At those words, the atmosphere in the quiet room turned subtly awkward for a moment.

Hong's hand paused slightly as he held his teacup, and a flash of surprise crossed his eyes.

Across the entire world, of those who dared refuse him so bluntly,

Luo Feng was certainly the first.

But looking at Luo Feng's calm, unruffled eyes, which even held an air of absolute confidence,

Hong's surprise quickly gave way to acceptance.

He was a clever man, and a leader with a broad perspective.

He knew full well that since Luo Feng dared to be so unyielding,

it meant the trump cards in his hand were beyond imagination.

If Hong really used force or authority to press him for answers, he might not achieve his goal.

Instead, he would drive an extraordinary genius completely into opposition with the dojo and narrow their options.

"All right. Since you don't want to say, I won't ask."

Hong set down his teacup and smiled slightly, showing great magnanimity.

Seeing that Hong would ask no further, Luo Feng also got to the point.

"Since you've established the truth, Dojo Master, the resource rewards I should receive,

"and the ranking honors I'm due-I hope the dojo will deliver them in full."

"Naturally."

Hong nodded without hesitation.