The Sun Rose

The police officers at the Tianbei City Police Department were astonished to find that the troublemakers of the Special Security Detachment, usually notorious for their tardiness, had actually arrived at the station compound before official hours.

Twice bested, and they’ve submitted? The Police Chief of Tianbei City stood on the top floor, shaking his head with a faint smile. "I know this bunch too well. They bet they’d follow orders, but what about outside of orders? It would be bizarre if they didn't fight back! Will they instantly fall in line just because someone earned their respect? Captain Qin, do you think you’re a primary school teacher?"

"Chief Han, does he truly have no way to command these rascals? I heard about his marksmanship yesterday…"

"If good marksmanship meant leadership, then the Little Sharpshooter Yu Xiao would have become the leader of that group long ago." Chief Han Jing watched Wu Hui file into the building. "Relax. Soon, very soon, you'll see these boys counterattack."

Three Minutes Later

A sudden cacophony of confused noise erupted from the roof of the three-story annex building, mixed with the shouts and cries of pain from Wu Hui and the others.

What was that…? The police in the main building stared curiously toward the third floor of the annex, its curtains drawn tight. Those rascals were never easy to handle; why were there screams and sharp cries coming from inside today? Were they trying to cover something up? Were they masking the cries for help from Captain Qin after he took a beating?

The chaos lasted for a minute before the third floor of the annex returned to silence, broken only by the muffled groans of Wu Hui and his men, blocked by the walls and prevented from spreading outside.

Lin Feng was bound to the floor by two iron chains, unable to move, watching his twenty-one companions suffer fates not much better: some clutching their stomachs, unable to stand, others bound hand and foot, their uniforms dyed in a riot of colors.

The worst off was Wu Hui. A black net dropped from above, enveloping him. The material, which looked deceptively weak, tightened with every struggle, instantly bundling him into a black ball of flesh.

Immobilized, Wu Hui watched Qin Fen. This newly appointed Deputy Detachment Commander, the young chief who had humbled the Little Sharpshooter Yu Xiao in a mere two contests, was now practicing the 24 Forms of Simplified Tai Chi in a small corner of the room, seemingly oblivious to the wretched state of the group.

Yu Xiao, slumped on a sofa, was also covered by a black net. Seeing Wu Hui's fate, he wisely chose not to struggle at all.

The men lay groaning on the floor, their eyes fixed strangely on Qin Fen. The appearance of these mechanisms was clearly linked to their new leader!

But how could the original hundred-plus mechanisms have been completely dismantled and new ones set up in just one night? And how could they have successfully evaded the detection of Wu Hui, the little tyrant of mechanisms?

Miserable! The men of the Special Security Detachment were used to setting traps for others; they had never suffered such indignity. In less than a minute, they had been utterly routed by their own traps.

Qin Fen finished the 24 Forms of Simplified Tai Chi and spoke slowly, "Who made those clumsy, childish little contraptions?"

Clumsy? Wu Hui desperately wanted to retort. Those mechanisms had once caused trouble even for Chief Han Jing and had successfully captured two notorious bandits. How could they be called clumsy?

Alas! Wu Hui sighed, looking at the black net covering him. Just this single black net surpassed the capabilities of all those previous hundred devices. He hadn't detected a single trap today. Compared to those, the old ones were indeed clumsy.

"Commander, I…" Wu Hui responded dejectedly. "I made all those little things by myself."

Qin Fen sat down, in no hurry to approach and release them. "Do you know what was wrong with your mechanisms and traps?"

Wu Hui thought seriously for a long time before answering, "No, sir."

"Because they weren't practical enough for combat," Qin Fen tapped the desk with his finger. "You have good imagination, but you didn't approach them from a utilitarian perspective."

Not practical enough for combat? Wu Hui felt helpless. In defeat, one must accept the verdict—if the commander said they weren't practical, then they weren't.

"If you're interested, I can teach you." Qin Fen stood up and flicked his fingers; the complex bindings on Wu Hui instantly loosened. "Go and untie the others."

As Wu Hui moved to free his comrades, his eyes never left Qin Fen. Where had this monster come from? He looked under twenty, yet his strength was boundless. His marksmanship was godlike, he could move swiftly carrying four thousand catties of weight, and now, even his mastery of traps had reached some kind of 'realm.'

Once freed from their snares, the rascals stared at Qin Fen with bewildered gazes. Had this young commander been studying every technique since he was in the womb?

"The first order of the day: as police officers, you must project an image of reliability. How can you let your hair grow this long? You have one hour to cut it all off…"

The twenty-two rogue officers froze. Haircuts? None of them had expected the very first order would be this.

"A bet is a bet," Yu Xiao stood up and was the first to walk toward the door. "We absolutely will not go back on our word."

Wu Hui snapped a salute. "Sir, we are going to get haircuts."

Forty minutes later, Tianbei City Police Department featured twenty-two men with completely bald heads! Walking under the sun, their scalps were so bright they could almost reflect the light!

The officers in the main building stared dumbfounded at the twenty-two bald heads swaggering toward the annex building behind the courtyard. A sound like shattering glass echoed from the upper floor of the main building.

No one had expected that these officers, who usually took meticulous care of their hair, would collectively shave their heads!

When the twenty-two bald heads stood before Qin Fen, even he was taken aback by the "spectacular" scene. This group certainly acted decisively.

Seeing the surprise in Qin Fen's eyes, Wu Hui and the others grinned broadly.

For the past two days, they had been consistently overshadowed by the new deputy commander, unable to lift their heads. Today, finally, in the matter of haircuts, they had managed to win a small victory, making up for the long hair they had sacrificed.

Knock, knock, knock…

A refined knocking sounded slowly. The twenty-two rogue officers turned their confused gazes toward the door. What was happening these past few days? Normally, no one dared approach them. Yesterday, a detachment commander arrived, and today, someone else was knocking?

Qin Fen's ear twitched slightly. The knocking sounded ordinary, but the rhythm was executed with perfect precision—each strike landed on the exact same spot, and the intervals between them were extremely steady.

"Excuse me, is Qin Fen here?"

The door was slowly pushed open. The rascals saw a young man with a refined appearance, an air of arrogance in his brow, and dressed in designer clothes step inside.

Qin Fen looked at the visitor with a bit of surprise. It was Ge Bing, the young elite he had clashed with before, the user of the Yin-Yang Electromagnetic Hand!

"Qin Fen. Long time no see." Ge Bing lifted his chin slightly, the scholarly veneer instantly replaced by a sharp, intense fighting spirit. "Do you remember? I said back then that I would definitely seek you out again!"

"No," Qin Fen replied curtly. "That day, I beat you into severe injury and unconsciousness. You couldn't possibly have said anything to me."

Ge Bing paused, a faint, self-mocking smile touching the corner of his mouth. The words he had thought upon his defeat had only echoed in his mind; they were never actually spoken aloud.

"I am here to challenge you," Ge Bing's fighting spirit did not diminish over the verbal sparring. "When are you free?"

"A challenge?" Qin Fen's eyes showed a flicker of surprise. "You still have the qualifications?"

"Of course," Ge Bing’s slightly raised chin bore a proud smile. "The Earth Martial God does not concern himself with the temporary success or failure of a challenger. Even if I lost to you last time, as long as I have the confidence to defeat you, I can challenge you again at any time."

Wu Hui and the others widened their eyes, staring at Qin Fen. So, their commander was the legendary Qin Fen, the one who dared to defy the Earth Martial God? The one who intended to take on all the young elites in the Federation and seize Song Wendong’s granddaughter?

"You can challenge me anytime?" Qin Fen squeezed out a sigh of exasperation. "What a headache of a proposition. How does one ever stop people from challenging them?"

"Stop them?" Ge Bing smiled. "It’s simple! If you receive an invitation to the Assembly of Heroes and win the championship, I believe no one will bother you with challenges anymore! Or…"

Ge Bing pointed toward the sky. "Become a master with a Divine Beast title! I hear the Black Tortoise title is still vacant. If you could become the Guardian Divine Beast of Saturn, then surely no one would pester you with challenges."

Qin Fen sighed. Winning the Assembly of Heroes or achieving a Divine Beast title—both were extremely distant goals. Contending for these titles involved not just the military establishment, but also people from the Sacred Martial Hall. Furthermore, those contests had no age restrictions.

"You are the Yin-Yang Magnetic Hand, correct?" Qin Fen tapped the desk lightly with his fingers. "Then the beach is the most suitable venue for utilizing your new martial art."

"Good!"

Ge Bing made no objection. He vaulted toward the window, braced his arms on the sill, and jumped out!

A height of three stories wasn't considered extreme for many martial artists; the twenty-two rogue officers in the room were confident they could jump down without injury.

However, they knew they couldn't jump down the way Ge Bing did.

The police in the main building watched Ge Bing leap from the window and immediately burst into a series of accolades.

As the young man leaped from the sill, his body didn't plummet like a lead weight; rather, he drifted like a piece of cotton fluff caught in the air. Though he couldn't escape Earth's gravity, he descended with surprising lightness and slowness.

Qin Fen nodded slightly. In the time since they last met, Ge Bing had clearly improved. The magnetic field generated by the Yin-Yang Magnetic Hand created a repulsive force against Earth's gravitational pull, significantly reducing his descent speed.

Jumping from the third floor? Qin Fen shook his head again. Carrying his four thousand catties of weight, if he jumped, and the water table was shallow, would he create an accidental fountain? Creating a crater would be truly humiliating.

He took the stairs instead!

The twenty-two rogue officers in the room exchanged glances. These young men, lovers of excitement, let out strange shouts and rushed out of the room, following Qin Fen.

"The new commander is actually that Qin Fen?"

"Truly unexpected! Is this the Qin Fen who dared to defy the Dao? I heard he became incredibly strong. Rumor has it he reached eight-star capability in the New Recruit Tournament, single-handedly dominating Brooks, the Little Dragon King Yang Lie, and the Great Emperor Caesar among the young heroes."

"So, you think that because I'm only six-star, I'm not worth your time?" Ge Bing's eyes snapped open, and the air between them seemed to slice with a bolt of lightning. "Have you forgotten? I possess a Bio-Beast best suited for my new martial art! Yes, the growth of my new martial art isn't light-speed, but don't forget my Bio-Beast."

A red dot suddenly appeared on Ge Bing's body. In an instant, this dot seemed to sprout fine roots, rapidly surging into his blood vessels and meridians.

In just a blink, Ge Bing’s fair complexion was covered in millions of fine red lines, and his body began to tremble violently. Red striations instantly appeared across his neck!

Simulated meridians quickly spread to every corner of Ge Bing’s body.

Bio-Beast Level Three Fusion: True Manifestation Fusion!

A trace of delight appeared in Qin Fen's eyes. Dealing with boring challenges was tiresome; it seemed Ge Bing genuinely promised a surprise today.

The fusion level of a Bio-Beast is different from the improvement of martial arts.

If the improvement of martial arts levels is gentle, then every upgrade in a Bio-Beast's fusion level is like a volcanic eruption.

Level Three Fusion of the Bio-Beast! Qin Fen remembered that experts like Lin Liqiang called this the True Manifestation Fusion.

Compared to the Level Two Fusion of the Bio-Beast—the Manifestation Fusion—the energy construct created by the third fusion was almost entirely solid, capable of forming specialized microwave energy shields. Of course, the stronger a martial artist's star rating, the more power they could bring to bear from a Bio-Beast at the same fusion level.

The sand on the beach was no longer undulating slowly; it began to churn violently, as if boiling water. The sand within a fifteen-meter radius of Ge Bing's body pulsed visibly, as if responding to a summons, completely defying the earth's gravity and beginning to whirl rapidly around Ge Bing, forming a colossal vortex of sand.

The scene from that courtyard with the red villa in Shengjing reappeared!

But… the might this time was untold times greater than before!

The golden sand completely obstructed the view of the rogue officers. All they could hear was the snap and crackle of electric sparks erupting from within the yellow whirlwind, accompanied by Ge Bing's voice, filled with fighting spirit: "Qin Fen, I hope you won't disappoint me."

The yellow vortex, stronger than a sandstorm, stopped instantly. The sand suspended in the air suddenly fell back to the ground listlessly.

Ge Bing, revealed once more, was now entirely encased in metal. This time, even his eyes were covered by metal, making him appear from the outside like a cast-iron automaton.

A Yin-Yang Tai Chi fish image, the size of a dinner plate, rotated slowly on Ge Bing's chest. This was not some high-tech projection; it was an energy shield materialized from Yin-Yang electromagnetic energy.

Qin Fen’s eyes held a hint of astonishment. What a marvelous Bio-Beast! Usually, the manifested forms of Bio-Beasts were animalistic. This Ge Bing’s Bio-Beast was as unique as his martial arts.

Qin Fen nodded repeatedly. Every time he fought Ge Bing, he felt something otherworldly. Ge Bing's martial arts were flashy and full of a futuristic sense, and now, not only were his new techniques cutting-edge, but his Bio-Beast was also praiseworthy.

"Bio-Beast…" Qin Fen clicked his tongue twice. Ge Bing was truly desperate; every fusion of a Bio-Beast was fraught with danger and difficulty. He had actually reached Level Three.

"My God…" Wu Hui swallowed hard. "Where did this freak come from? Six-star strength, and his Bio-Beast fusion looks incredibly powerful!"

"Yes, look at his new martial art," Lin Feng shook his head repeatedly. "The Yin-Yang Electromagnetic Hand! That stuff isn't cheap."

"And the density," Yu Xiao touched the gun at his hip. "Ordinary guns probably can't penetrate this metal shell of his. Forget taking a punch with flesh and blood; even reinforced concrete would be like tofu in front of him, right? Should we call an ambulance for the commander first?"

"Qin Fen!" Ge Bing clenched his ten fingers, the sound of colliding metal echoing for a hundred meters. Instantly, sharp iron caltrops protruded from his smooth arms!

In an instant, the iron shell covering Ge Bing was no longer just a simple defensive garment; it was now studded with sharp, protruding caltrops! Even without the Yin-Yang Magnetic Shield, this array of spikes was enough to give anyone serious trouble.

"Forget you being eight-star! Even if you were a nine-star master who practiced the Thirteen Iron Protectors to perfection," Ge Bing swung his arm powerfully, causing the air to whistle, "I could shatter it!"

Qin Fen nodded slowly. A peak six-star martial artist, having achieved Level Three Fusion of his Bio-Beast, could shatter the Thirteen Iron Protectors—an art that, when mastered, made a nine-star martial artist almost invincible. The sheer power of the Bio-Beast was formidable. It was no wonder the Federation invested so heavily in researching Bio-Beasts, and it explained why descendants of affluent families could stand at the pinnacle of the younger generation.

Without money, how could one acquire top-tier martial arts? Without money, where could one buy expensive Qi-solidifying and spirit-nurturing pills? Without money, how could one afford Bio-Beasts so costly they could cause instant bankruptcy?

"Ge Bing, you've given me a few more surprises, so I've decided to give you one in return," Qin Fen slowly assumed the stance of the Vast Fist style. "I’ll give you a chance: take three of my punches. If you can withstand them, you win."

Three punches? Ge Bing was stunned. The rogue officers in the distance were even more bewildered. Had their commander gone mad? Where did he get such confidence to bet on just three punches?

"Three punches?" Ge Bing stared at Qin Fen strangely. "If I take your three punches, it doesn't count as my win! I want to defeat you honorably."

"Not yet, not in your current state," Qin Fen sighed. "Although you surprised me, the passage of time has widened the gap between us. I believe the next time we meet, you won't even be able to block one of my punches."

As the words fell, Qin Fen let out a fierce roar!

The Dragon-Elephant Prajna Power erupted to its fullest. The sound of his massive heart beating was like war drums flying across time, and the rushing sound of blood in his veins faintly drowned out the sound of the slow ocean waves.

Stretching tendons, wrenching bones, swelling flesh!

In an instant, Qin Fen was once again transformed into an ancient demon god. Even if Zeus Mark stood before him now, he would appear frail in comparison.

Ge Bing's pupils constricted sharply. This overwhelming aura seemed to faintly surpass the surging ocean! How did he train? Nine-star? Stronger than the rumored eight-star?

Thinking at the speed of lightning, Qin Fen stomped his thick legs on the ground. The sand in a five-meter radius around his body turned into a spewing volcano, violently ejected high into the air by the immense impact force!

Whoosh…

Breaking through the airborne wall of sand, Qin Fen resembled an ancient demon god breaking free from a seal. The sound of his body friction with the air roared like a train speeding through a tunnel. Behind him, the golden grains of sand carried by the powerful airflow formed a long, golden tail.

Ge Bing could only see Qin Fen’s massive fist—a punch that seemed to command the entire world to submit beneath it!

Retreat? Impossible! Qin Fen’s speed was too great!

He moved the Yin-Yang Electromagnetic Shield on his chest directly in front of his fists and launched a Double Dragon Emerges counterattack, utilizing the equal and opposite repulsive force from the ground beneath his feet.

"A mantis trying to stop a chariot!"

The same thought flashed through the minds of the rogue officers.

The Yin-Yang Electromagnetic Shield, capable of resisting peak nine-star power without damage, shattered like brittle glass the moment it made contact with the surface of Qin Fen's fist.

The three forces of impact collided, and the air was forcibly compressed, sounding like ten massive drums being struck simultaneously by heavy hammers. The dispersed airflow scattered the agitated golden sand everywhere.

With no obstruction remaining, Qin Fen's powerful fist smashed squarely into Ge Bing's two fists. The immense force violently shook the sand in a ten-meter radius around them high into the sky.

Ge Bing felt as though his fists were striking not Qin Fen's fists, but the circular roller of a hundred-ton road paver. A fierce, unrestrained power surged through his entire body like a massive river.

A sound like myriad sharp blades slicing through the air echoed. A hundred glittering metal shards burst through the wall of yellow sand, flying out in all directions.

The Yin-Yang Force Hand had failed!

The moment the rogue officers registered this thought, a huge red object shot out from within the wall of yellow sand, flying at high speed, kicking up a faint trail of sand behind it, like the dust plume left by a car speeding over the beach.

Blood sprayed from every pore on Ge Bing’s body. His highly reinforced bones fractured instantly, and the powerful Bio-Beast was brutally forced into shutdown.

Forty meters!

Forty meters from one punch!

Ge Bing crashed heavily onto the beach, sliding another five meters before finally stopping his backward momentum. A mouthful of blood, only now released, erupted from his mouth in a violent spray.

The twenty-two hot-headed officers felt a chill run down their spines, an iciness that pierced deep into their very souls. Yesterday! If they had truly clashed yesterday...

Cold sweat beaded on the foreheads of the twenty-two officers, silently thankful that their Captain had shown restraint, otherwise the hospital would have gained twenty-two more severely injured patients today.

The sand wall fell, and Qin Fen appeared.

The ancient demon god’s body had normalized. **Gripping his body, he snatched up the heavy lead suit he had previously tossed onto the ground.

Qin Fen let out a long breath, leaped toward the distant Ge Bing, and simultaneously twisted his head back toward the stunned officers yelling, "What are you looking at! Call, get the ambulance!"

"Huh?" The group blinked, finally shaking off the lingering shock, and quickly began dialing their phones: "Hello? City Hospital? This is an officer from the Special Security Detachment of the Municipal Police Bureau, we currently require..."

Qin Fen reached Ge Bing’s location and rapidly flexed his fingers. That single punch had shattered three layers of defense; his protective qi barrier had been forcibly fragmented by one layer. This Ge Bing was indeed stronger than even the peak masters of the Nine Stars realm!

"You’re something else…" Ge Bing looked up weakly at Qin Fen, spitting out a mouthful of blood as he tried to speak: "Terrifying power. I am utterly defeated and convinced."

Qin Fen retrieved a red Resurrection Pill from his Dragon-patterned belt. Ge Bing had suffered severe internal injuries from that blow, and without timely medication, future complications were likely.

Ge Bing swallowed the pill, a flicker of surprise in his eyes: "Excellent medicine! I also have a green pill in my belt, useful for treating bone fractures. I’ll trouble you."

Qin Fen helped him take it as requested, only to hear Ge Bing continue, "To be honest, I had planned to challenge you later. Now it seems I was fortunate to come early, or I might not have even had the chance to pique your interest."

Qin Fen paused: "The reason you came to challenge me early was...?"

"Heh heh… cough…" Ge Bing managed a weak smile that aggravated his injuries, causing him to cough twice before continuing: "Why else? I heard that Shangguan Chuanqi, the Legend of Mars, has already announced he will join this challenge. Furthermore, Little Hades has declared he will be issuing a challenge to you soon."

"Shangguan Chuanqi? Little Hades?" Qin Fen clicked his tongue and nodded: "They finally can’t sit still."

"Indeed," Ge Bing chuckled lightly. "I was just afraid that after they finished with you, I wouldn’t have a shot. That's why I came."

"And now?" Qin Fen also gave a slight smile. "Do you still think I don't have a chance?"

Ge Bing managed a strained nod: "If what you just showed was your absolute limit, then your chances of winning are truly slim."

"And if that wasn’t my absolute limit?"

"What?" Ge Bing looked at Qin Fen’s serious expression, a faint hint of mockery crossing his own face: "Unbelievable, truly unbelievable. I thought that even against my current strength, I could at least force you to use your full power. Even if I were defeated by a single punch, I could have been proud. But now… hehe… I realize I have been left far, far behind you. By the way, you didn't use your Bio-Beast just now…"

"More than that…" Qin Fen smiled confidently. "Not only did I not use the Bio-Beast."

Ge Bing sighed and closed his eyes: "Alright, then I still maintain your chances aren't great. My previous estimation was that if you used the Bio-Beast, you might barely contend with Little Hades who doesn't use one. Remember, Little Hades is a descendant of an expert with the Divine Beast title. Since before he was even born, he has likely been aided by innate medicinal elixirs, and from birth, he would receive help from techniques like 'Pushing the Marrow and Washing the Blood.' The level of meticulous care he receives surpasses even that of us from the aristocratic families."

Qin Fen nodded; with that kind of support, unless someone was a complete fool, their strength wouldn't be lacking.

"A Divine Beast's child…" Ge Bing sighed. "The most terrifying part is that they don't even need to bother with the Sacred Martial Hall."

Qin Fen nodded repeatedly in empathy. In the short time since he acquired the liquid metal sphere, despite his innate deficiencies, his strength had rocketed upward explosively, leaving behind even those aristocratic children nurtured with vast resources.

Those descendants of Divine Beasts, starting with perfect innate conditions and receiving guidance from elders for more time—over these years, when they hit their own explosive growth phase, how terrifying must that power become?