The marquee event of the Rookie Competition, the intense spectacle of the squad battles. Then, Qin Fen appeared, using sheer, almost pure brute force—a fighting style entirely his own—that compelled the organizing committee to hastily revise the competition rules mid-event.

The massive stadium, holding tens of thousands, erupted in waves of **. The audience, unable to process what had just happened, felt cheated; having barely settled into their seats, the day's main events were abruptly over, leading to widespread shouts of demanding ticket refunds.

The committee members listened to the roar of the crowd, their faces etched with helpless, wry smiles. Normally, three paired squad battles would showcase intricate strategies, often lasting two full days without a definitive victor.

An instantaneous conclusion like today’s had simply never occurred in the entire history of the Rookie Competition.

Qin Fen left the arena and headed straight for his resting quarters. Last night’s deep-tissue healing session not only cured Lin Jia’s qi deviation but also provided him with significant inspiration, inadvertently causing a major boost in the control and vibration of his true energy.

The paper cup in his hand did not crumple into scrap paper at the slightest uncontrolled tremor of his internal energy, as it had done before.

Qin Fen held his wrist perfectly still, his motionless state resembling lifeless stone. The clear water inside the paper cup, untouched by wind or external force, began to ripple, layer upon layer, as if a human heart were hidden within the liquid, beating gently and causing the entire cup of water to sway.

One minute… three minutes… five minutes… ten minutes…

The paper cup remained completely intact, and the water within showed no change from its initial state, maintaining its concentric ripples without any sign of stopping.

After ten minutes, there was no trace of sweat on Qin Fen’s brow—a feat he wouldn't have dared to imagine attempting previously.

The progress gained from healing Lin Jia was unexpectedly vast! Qin Fen could even sense that he could now multitask. If his injured right arm were fully functional, he believed he could hold a water cup in each hand, simultaneously employing two external true energy vibrations.

Thirty minutes passed. Qin Fen confirmed that his fundamental external true energy vibration technique was flawless. He then shifted his focus to his injured right arm.

The Rookie Competition drew the most elite new recruits from across the entire planet. Figures like Caesar and Yang Lie each possessed distinctive, powerful auras. Despite their youth, they had already reached the peak of Seven-Star Warrior strength and achieved the realm of sonic boom. It was highly possible that under this intense pressure, they might break through to Eight-Star status.

The ringing of the bedside telephone interrupted Qin Fen’s contemplation. Zhao Huzi’s deep voice came through the receiver: “Qin Fen? Get down to the conference room.”

“Understood.”

Hanging up, Qin Fen felt a sense of strangeness. Zhao Huzi’s tone today was subtly different from his usual cadence, as if he were actively suppressing an emotion.

What could have happened? Qin Fen felt a prickle of curiosity. There couldn't be many things capable of causing such violent emotional fluctuations in a general, let alone forcing him to suppress them so strongly.

As he walked down the long corridor leading to the conference room, Qin Fen’s forward momentum suddenly halted. His eyes scrutinized the wall just outside the room with sharp caution.

Zhao Huzi was not alone inside; there was someone else! And a powerhouse at that! An exceptionally formidable master!

Held hostage? Qin Fen shook his head slightly. Although the energy signatures of the two men inside weren't perfectly harmonious, they hadn't reached the level of outright hostility, yet the atmosphere was undeniably strange.

Pushing the door open, Qin Fen immediately saw the person sitting next to Zhao Huzi.

This individual looked young, perhaps in his late twenties. His arms rested casually on the conference table, his back ramrod straight as a javelin. His gaze fixed on Qin Fen as he entered, reminiscent of a viper assessing its prey, faintly harboring a chilling, cold glint.

Martial artists possess incredibly acute senses. Qin Fen’s martial perception was far sharper than that of most warriors at his level. A mere sweep of the other’s eyes caused the hairs on his body to stand rigid, like a feral cat roused to anger, and his true energy involuntarily began to circulate.

That gaze felt like solid steel needles capable of inflicting actual harm! Qin Fen’s skin registered a faint, icy coolness, as if swept by a frigid current.

“General! Recruit Qin Fen reporting!”

Swish! Snap! Qin Fen straightened his already tall back again, snapping a perfectly standard military salute toward Zhao Huzi, his eyes fixed solely on the General, acting as if the white-robed martial artist wasn't even present.

A faint smile flickered in the white-robed martial artist’s eyes. To maintain military decorum under such intense scrutiny—impressive, very impressive.

Zhao Huzi’s expression was as unreadable as an ancient tree, showing almost no emotion, though the subtle tension at the corner of his brow betrayed a hint of satisfaction. Qin Fen’s reaction was certainly something for the long-faced man to be pleased about.

“Sit down,” Zhao Huzi commanded, gesturing toward a vacant spot not far away.

Qin Fen sat and noticed three books placed on the table before him:

Dragon Elephant Prajna Art Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms Vajra Indestructible Divine Art

Three martial arts manuals, three sets of supreme techniques! Qin Fen’s eyelids lifted involuntarily, revealing surprise that he couldn't quite mask in his pupils.

The white-robed martial artist observed with a flicker of curiosity. Did this young man possess such powerful mental fortitude that he could view such supreme arts and instantly revert to calm? Or did he simply not hold a true obsession with the martial path, hence his mild reaction after the initial glance?

A crisp telephone ring sounded. Zhao Huzi offered an apologetic expression, rose, and stepped out of the conference room to take the call.

Almost immediately, the phone on the white-robed martial artist’s person also rang. He rose expressionlessly and left the room as well.

The vast conference room was left with only Qin Fen and the three supreme arts.

Dragon Elephant Prajna Art? Qin Fen sighed inwardly. With his current level of internal energy, even if he wanted to switch to the officially promulgated supreme arts of the Federation, it would be difficult. Even if an entire manual set were placed before him, he could only look, not cultivate.

Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms? Qin Fen’s eyes lingered on the cover for several seconds. He wondered if this legendary, intensely fierce palm technique, said to roar like a dragon upon striking, could offer him some inspiration to supplement his Martial Emperor Dragon Fist.

Vajra Indestructible Divine Art? Qin Fen quirked his lips. Rumor had it that reaching a certain level in this technique meant true invulnerability to blades and spears—and the ‘spears’ here didn't mean ancient lances, but modern firearms!

It could block bullets! Qin Fen stared at the Vajra Indestructible Divine Art with yearning. Although legends suggested true masters could withstand cannons and artillery, the sheer defensive power of the Vajra Divine Art was undeniably formidable. Having such a hard defense for self-preservation would certainly be beneficial.

The conference room door opened again. The white-robed martial artist and Zhao Huzi returned in succession, their expressions differing, yet their eyes held the same questioning curiosity.

Qin Fen, drawing on the psychological knowledge learned from Sergeant Hao, could read the question in both their eyes.

“Why aren't you examining these three martial arts? Don’t you wish for the chance to study these supreme techniques?”

Qin Fen remained silent, as did Zhao Huzi. After a moment of silence, the white-robed martial artist’s lips curved into a refined, light smile, breaking the quiet in the room. “Qin Fen, are you suspecting these three ancient martial texts are fakes?”

“No,” Qin Fen shook his head. “The individuals who transcribed these three ancient arts were undoubtedly masters within the martial path. From the calligraphy on the covers, I can sense that the strength of the three scribes far surpasses my own; they are martial arts Grandmasters.”

The white-robed martial artist’s mouth opened slightly, a flicker of surprise crossing his pupils. To discern from the handwriting that the transcribers were Grandmasters rather than mere Patriarchs—if the young man wasn't just flattering them, then this insight was rare indeed.

“Since you know they are genuine ancient martial texts, don’t you want to look at them?” The white-robed martial artist’s sharp, sword-like eyebrows knitted together in an appealing frown. “During the Rookie Competition, they might help you secure the championship easily.”

“They could just as easily disrupt my state of mind.”

Qin Fen closed his eyes. They were strangers, without any established connection. Suddenly presenting three supreme artifacts before him—what else lay hidden behind this immense temptation? What he needed most now was to comprehend vibration and enhance everything he already knew, not to greedily acquire more.

“Heh heh…” The white-robed martial artist placed his hand over the three books and pushed them toward Qin Fen. “What if I told you I’m gifting them to you? No conditions attached—I’m giving them to you simply because I find you agreeable. You don't need to feel indebted to me, and I will never seek any repayment based on these three techniques in the future.”

“I apologize, but I have no interest in engaging in illegal activities.”

Qin Fen pushed the three sets of supreme arts back towards the white-robed martial artist, his eyes still closed.

“Why are your eyes closed!?” The white-robed martial artist’s voice suddenly sharpened with intensity.

“I fear I might not be able to resist the temptation,” Qin Fen replied with candid sincerity and a slight smile. “I am a martial artist; seeing supreme arts without being moved is impossible. But Federation law exists. I do not wish to violate the law because of these three techniques and have my cultivation crippled. Without these three arts, I still have a chance to stand at the pinnacle of the martial way. With them, I might very well lose everything.”

“Excellent,” The white-robed martial artist finally displayed an appreciative smile, nodding repeatedly. “Young man, do you know who I am?”

“No,” Qin Fen shook his head, opening his eyes to look at Zhao Huzi, who surely knew everything.

Zhao Huzi laced his fingers together, his usual arrogance absent from his face, replaced by a look of reverence. “This Mr. Bai Sheng comes from the [Sacred Martial Hall].”

The three words, [Sacred Martial Hall], leaped from Zhao Huzi’s mouth. Bai Sheng’s chest puffed out slightly, and his chin naturally lifted, radiating an aura of pride and self-esteem from within him.

The Sacred Martial Hall! The dream sanctuary for every martial artist in the entire Federation! It was rumored to house the most supreme ancient martial arts in existence, and one might even have the chance to meet martial artists on the level of mythical beasts and receive their personal guidance, becoming one of the exceedingly rare lucky few.