The training ground fell into a profound silence. Qin Fen stood exactly as he had at the beginning, making no move to stop the lighter martial artists as they fanned out to surround him.

The night wind whipped at the tattered military uniform draped over Qin Fen, stretching his silhouette long into the distance under the moonlight.

Excitement? Thrill? Qin Fen couldn't quite name the feeling churning within him, only sensing a deep thrumming in his blood, as if every single cell was brimming with the will to fight.

Participating in a recruit competition had certainly pushed his martial skills to a new height, but that was largely thanks to the intervention of a mysterious assassin. As for what he had gleaned from the actual sparring sessions of the competition, that knowledge was painfully sparse.

Having gone through the trouble of entering a tournament, it would be a massive waste not to learn something truly valuable! A slight smile played on Qin Fen’s lips as he slowly turned, his gaze sweeping over the six young masters. Even the weakest among them possessed Seven-Star strength; several others were at their peak, teetering on the very edge of a breakthrough. If a fight truly broke out, victory wasn't guaranteed at a hundred percent.

"Wait a moment..."

A roar laced with pure hatred erupted from the shadowed passage. Moradek strode out of the darkness, clutching his crimson-veined steel long spear. "Qin Fen, may I join as well?"

One against seven? And one of them was a martial artist nearly on the verge of reaching Eight Stars? Qin Fen raised an eyebrow slightly. If this addition came in, tonight’s fierce battle would become even more interesting.

"Fine, you join too." Qin Fen beckoned with a finger. Victory or defeat no longer held primary importance. He had secured several championships in this competition, cleared obstacles for the Air Combat Squad and the Mobile Armor Unit, meaning his merit points must be sky-high now. The true priority was to go all out and truly gauge the martial arts of recruits from across the globe.

Moradek hefted his spear and leaped into the encirclement. The steel spear flickered in his grip, instantly enveloping Qin Fen in a chilling, sharp killing aura.

Qin Fen couldn't help but give the slightly trembling crimson-veined steel spear an extra look. This cold, unyielding weapon, capable of piercing through an automobile with ease, was arguably the most dangerous element in this entire confrontation.

At close range, the destructive power of this great spear far exceeded the threat posed by a handgun.

Clang.

The sound of cold metal rang out. Another weapon, equally capable of commanding attention, awoke from its slumber in Brooks' sheath.

The gleaming blade reflected the bright moonlight, causing the hairs on Qin Fen’s body to stand on end before he even realized it. His focus snapped taut in an instant.

Facing so many young masters intent on dragging him down from the pinnacle, Qin Fen felt, for the first time, that this was vastly different from the friendly sparring matches he’d shared with those seasoned veterans. It was also worlds apart from the Four-Star group battles he’d engaged in within the War Net.

The veterans, despite fighting in a simulated combat state, still exercised caution in their movements. As for the War Net group battles involving Four-Star fighters, since getting hit merely meant temporarily vanishing from the network only to return in a few days without real physical harm, their mindset naturally remained much calmer.

Today was different! This was a fight with real steel and flesh, where every punch counted. His opponents were no longer veterans who held back; they were young men fighting desperately to stand at the apex of the new generation of martial artists! When they struck, the only possibility was an abnormal surge in their combat power—there was zero chance they would only exert eighty percent of their ability.

This was it! This was the feeling! Qin Fen closed his eyes in exhilaration, taking a deep breath. Since returning from the Golden Triangle, it had been too long since danger had clawed its way out of his very bones. His body had grown rusty; otherwise, he wouldn't have been so easily ambushed by that hidden assassin last time.

"Qin Fen, are you ready?" Caesar spoke slowly. As the attacking party, none of them wanted to take unnecessary advantage; where fairness could be maintained, they preferred to keep things equitable.

"I am ready!" Qin Fen’s laugh soared to the heavens, ringing with heroic grandeur. "All of you, come at once! Let me witness the sheer, devastating power unleashed when the heroes of the new generation combine forces!"

The seven young heroes offered no verbal reply. Every one of them was lost in deep concentration. To answer now would create a mental opening, a flaw through which Qin Fen might break their encirclement.

Seeing that they had ceased speaking and were only heightening their internal energy, Qin Fen roared with laughter, unleashing the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill inside his body without reservation, sending it surging madly through every meridian, every corner, every inch beneath his skin.

A low shout tore from Qin Fen’s throat. The seven recruits surrounding him started in shock, and even the onlookers gasped collectively. Bai Sheng abandoned his posture of casually resting one leg over the other, leaning forward to watch Qin Fen intently.

In that instant, Qin Fen’s Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill flowed freely throughout his interior. His muscles coiled and bulged; veins of azure pulsed beneath his skin, tracing the rush of blood, rising up like an intricate, crisscrossing spiderweb covering his entire body. Even his bones began to emit snapping, stretching sounds.

In the span of a breath, Qin Fen transformed from a young man barely over six feet tall into a figure approaching two meters, resembling a solid metal monster cast from dark alloy. The imposing presence of the strongman, Golden Lion Bada, standing before him now seemed diminished by comparison.

With this sudden transformation, the military uniform covering Qin Fen tore open again with a sharp ripping sound. The audible pulse of his muscles, synchronized with the ceaseless rush of blood through his vessels, included a faint, muffled thunder emanating from within. The ground beneath his feet, already battered beyond recognition by his previous movements, groaned again under a fresh wave of pressure.

What in the world was this? A colossal demonic ape ripped from an ancient mythological age? Astonishment gripped the crowd; Qin Fen's change was terrifying.

At this moment, Old Man Zhao suddenly laughed. The scene unfolding before him had suddenly become profoundly interesting. The seven young martial artists resembled the righteous warriors from a fantasy novel: they had swordsmen, spear-wielders, and pugilists, just lacking a mage and a cleric.

Standing in the center, Qin Fen appeared like the great demon king, stripped of all his subordinates, finally cornered in his fortress by the heroes, ready to be eradicated.

Bai Sheng stared at Qin Fen in disbelief. Whose technique was this? Qin Fen certainly practiced ancient martial arts! But how could any ancient martial art cause someone to transform into such a bizarre appearance?

Crack! Crack!

Qin Fen suddenly clenched his ten fingers with immense force. The air compressed and burst, the sound nearly rivaling the report of a small artillery piece.

As the two sharp reports of compressed air echoed, the hearts of the observers lurched violently. Qin Fen opened his eyes and let out a long, sweeping roar, his aura climbing relentlessly.

"Move!"

Caesar’s deafening shout cut through Qin Fen's rising roar. He could wait no longer. Allowing Qin Fen to continue bolstering his momentum meant that they might not even need to fight; they could be utterly demoralized by the sheer visual and auditory impact before the battle even truly began.

Swish!

The battle exploded into action. Though the seven young masters had never trained together in unit combat, they were all veterans who had walked a portion of the martial path, each possessing unique insights. When they moved, they naturally coordinated with flawless precision.

Moradek flicked his crimson-veined steel spear, tracing a fiery red arc through the air. The spear, sharp enough to potentially pierce the armor of a World War II tank, whistled as it sliced the air, using its length advantage to strike Qin Fen’s brow first. The intense chill radiating from the spear tip seemed to pierce the air directly to his forehead.

Strike.

Moradek had never viewed this as a mere contest; from the very beginning, his objective was clear: Kill Qin Fen! Avenge his two fallen comrades!

With killing intent radiating thickly, Qin Fen narrowed his brows and thrust his arm out, directly reaching to seize the spear.

A flicker of manic excitement ignited in Moradek's eyes. If Caesar could manage to strike the spear tip, Qin Fen certainly could too! Moradek had known this all along. The swiftness of his thrust was calculated so that he was already prepared to withdraw the spear the very moment it struck! The true threat, he knew, came from Brooks' battle saber, the weapon of an Eight-Star martial artist!

This spear thrust? Amidst the excitement and fervor in his eyes, a cold sneer played on Moradek’s lips. This initial attack was designed to exploit Qin Fen’s eager desire for revenge, luring him into misjudging the situation and grasping the spear.

Under normal circumstances, Moradek would never dare to prepare a retraction simultaneously with an outward thrust, as that would easily reveal his feint to Qin Fen.

But today was different! Qin Fen was facing seven top recruits from around the world simultaneously. Being pinned down by the individual auras of so many opponents meant that even if he were a Nine-Star or even a Ten-Star martial artist, the constant locking and enveloping of energies would lead to misjudgment and oversight.

What? Moradek suddenly started, shocked. His long spear was clearly being pulled back, yet he felt a counteracting force pulling it forward?

It had been grasped! Moradek’s heart jolted again. How could his spear, already prepared for withdrawal, be seized? Before he could react, a searing, hot pain shot through both his palms. The familiar spear was ripped from his grasp before he could even fully clench his fingers.

Qin Fen snatched the great spear and, without looking back, hurled it forward. The Damascus blade scraped against the spear shaft, showering a cascade of brilliant sparks. Brooks finally understood why Caesar had lost! What kind of power was this? Even the saber in his hand felt like it was about to be wrenched away!

Caesar was already upon him!

His newly gathered Nine Yang Divine Art was even stronger than before. His feet momentarily brushed the ground, and he surged forward like an out-of-control vehicle. The Annihilation of Nine Generations from his Imperial Fist hammered toward Qin Fen’s chest. The mighty fist strike created a sonic boom almost as loud as Qin Fen’s own outburst. If this punch landed, regardless of whatever body-protecting divine art Qin Fen practiced, he would be left clinging to half his life, if he survived at all.

The strongest European recruit, having been repelled by Qin Fen’s earlier punch, finally unleashed his true, full power. Driven by successive bursts of the Nine Yang Divine Art, he immediately followed up with the Annihilation of Nine Generations, a focused eruption of nine converging streams of true energy, resembling an ancient tyrant consumed by wrath!

Qin Fen’s brows furrowed. He had to admire Caesar’s timing; it was exquisite! He managed to coordinate his attack to land at the exact same moment as Alice’s Great Sage Splitting Branch from the Monkey Fist—not a fraction of a second off!

However, the truly terrifying one was Solomon, another young master renowned throughout the European recruits. His attack approached silently, like a shadow, perfectly mirroring Alice as he charged in from the flank.

Golden Lion Bada’s eyes burned with excited fervor. He felt fortunate that his minor injury earlier had slightly hampered his speed, allowing him to now maintain perfect synchronization with Alice’s offensive rhythm.

Four young masters attacked simultaneously from four directions. Even a human-shaped stake forged from solid iron would likely be smashed flat, let alone facing one more... no! One more Dragon! Little Dragon King Yang Lie had joined the fray! Qin Fen had never witnessed the Five Dragon Fist before. While his body matched the speed of the other four, his arms remained completely tucked in—a form of the Dragon: Hidden Dragon.

Any attack involving the movement of an arm inevitably reveals intent. By concealing his hands, he was like a dragon submerged in water!

Who would actually strike Qin Fen? Caesar leaned toward believing the Little Dragon King Yang Lie would connect, and he hoped it would be the American vanguard who struck! His Five Dragon Fist: Palm Hiding Dragon was practically an invisible, formless killing move.

Qin Fen repelled Brooks with a spear strike, then released the steel spear, using the recoil force of the blow to snap his arms back. Utilizing that same recoil force, his feet finally lifted off the ground where they had been rooted. His body rotated, and his two swinging arms resembled massive dragons bursting from the water.

The Martial Emperor Dragon Fist was not limited to a single move, yet no one had ever forced Qin Fen to use the second technique. This second move was specifically designed for group combat. Had he faced the Ninth on the Blood List with preparation time that day, the second move of the Martial Emperor Dragon Fist should have been unleashed.

Unfortunately, Qin Fen had been ambushed that day, leaving no time for this technique. Now, using it suddenly caused even Bai Sheng, who had refreshed his intelligence files on Qin Fen, to gape wide open once more.

Martial Emperor Dragon Fist: Yin-Yang Twin Dragons Without Measure!

As Qin Fen swung his two arms, they did not both follow the path of pure aggression. His right arm was fiercely rigid, as always, while his left arm flowed with a gentle softness akin to running water.

This form was a unique move Qin Fen derived from various dragon fist styles, fused with the concept of the Tai Chi Yin-Yang fish.

A fish that crosses the Dragon Gate will transform into a dragon! As Qin Fen unleashed his twin dragons, both hard and soft power converged within his single body. While he couldn't truly blend the hard and soft forces, deploying them simultaneously through separate arms produced an astonishing effect.

Qin Fen’s arms whipped around, like two giant dragons circling his body at high speed, tearing ruptures in the air. He appeared like an emperor guarded by two true dragons.

With his dragon-like arms, amplified by the power of the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill, Qin Fen was, to put it hyperbolically, comparable to a Jungle Ranger Mobile Armor unit that required no external energy source to operate!

With a violent spin, the twin dragons whipped out, meeting the fists and kicks of the five incoming young masters in a solid, crushing collision. In that moment, dust and debris scattered wildly across the arena, making the entire training ground seem to tremble. Closing one's eyes, one might have mistaken the scene for a clash between mobile armors rather than a brawl between young men.

In an instant, the cement veneer covering the ground was completely gone, leaving the underlying stony earth pitted and uneven, as if a road roller had just passed through.

This time, the five young martial artists truly committed every ounce of their strength to the assault, completely disregarding the potential injuries their collisions might inflict. The resulting destructive force was frighteningly immense.

Had any other fighter from the recruit competition been standing in the center, they would likely have been beyond the help of a hospital—one would simply call the crematorium for collection.

But the one standing in the center was none other than Qin Fen, the pinnacle of all fighters in the history of the recruit competition! His technique, the Martial Emperor Dragon Fist: Yang Twin Dragons Without Measure, stunned the onlookers. After every clash of fist against flesh, one of the young martial artists would inevitably be blasted backward!

In the blink of an eye, five figures shot backward in retreat. The space around Qin Fen was suddenly empty once more.

Ps:: A quick workout after dinner, and alas... over four thousand words... Tomorrow’s quota will certainly not be less than today’s. It’s the old saying: what goes around comes around, so I, Gaolou, will strive to repay all the owed word count within these next two weeks.

Yes! That’s the situation! Continuing tomorrow; today’s output really wasn't a full burst—it only covered yesterday’s deficit, leaving me only a thousand words short today...

Tomorrow, Gaolou will maintain this pace. At worst, I’ll just sit for another dozen hours. Bring it on! I must rise!