The room, barely fifteen square meters, echoed only with the shocked breaths of Ren Tiansheng and the others. Gao Yuan looked at Qin Fen with eyes that were mostly dry; the confidence and pride honed from years of martial arts practice had collapsed in such a short span of time.

All martial artists who could enter the Saint Martial Hall possessed exceptionally strong martial talent, and Gao Yuan had always taken pride in having stayed there for so many years.

But now, the last shred of pride in Gao Yuan’s heart shattered along with Bai Sheng’s acknowledgment.

Ren Tiansheng’s stunned gaze quickly turned fervent. Control over the sixth-level Qi Shockwave! Perhaps he would never achieve it in his lifetime, but now, with a master who could help, stepping into Marrow Cleansing Nirvana might truly no longer be a dream.

Seeing Qin Fen remain silent, Gao Yuan sighed softly, slowly rose, and clasped his fists toward Qin Fen: “Old Ren can apprentice, and I also…”

Qin Fen, feeling the four pairs of fiery gazes, repeatedly waved his hands: “Senior Gao, you misunderstand, truly misunderstand! The reason I was silent isn't that I'm unwilling to help, but rather that you all overestimate me; I am somewhat overwhelmed by the honor. If you are willing for my help, then simply sit cross-legged.”

Ren Tiansheng and Gao Yuan looked at each other and asked simultaneously, “Who goes first?”

Control over the sixth-level Qi Shockwave—who wouldn't want the good fortune of trying this help first? How could there be any room for courtesy?

Qin Fen smiled, raising both arms, forming sword signs, and said, “Both of you, come up together.”

“What?”

Ren Tiansheng and Gao Yuan turned their heads in unison to look at Qin Fen and asked, “Master, what did you say? Together? Multitasking? You can still multitask?”

Qin Fen sighed with a wry smile. A martial artist not yet nineteen years old, whose martial arts had actually reached the Subtlety Realm. If this hadn't happened to him, and he had only heard someone else say it, he would have dismissed it as boasting.

“I… have reached Subtlety…”

Ren Tiansheng and Gao Yuan fell silent simultaneously. Could this young man possibly strike another person’s endurance for martial cultivation any harder? Reaching the Subtlety Realm before the age of nineteen—should he, who hadn't reached it by forty, just abandon martial arts, return to the countryside, and farm?

Qin Fen flicked his wrists, pointing his sword fingers at their Jianjing acupoints, simultaneously channeling his internal energy into both their bodies through divided focus.

The Saint Martial Hall? For the first time, Qin Fen felt he had come to the right place. If it weren't for the battle with that strange young man during the day, which gave him much insight; if it weren't for the significant gains from the battle at the 【Wu】 Pass; if it weren't for helping these people today improve their control over the Qi Shockwave—just by secluded cultivation, it would have taken at least another year to reach the Subtlety Realm.

In just two short days in the Saint Martial Hall, he entered the Subtlety Realm, a state that normally required a year of seclusion. Qin Fen couldn't contain his joy. If he could maintain this rate of improvement, perhaps he, too, could become a divine beast-level master in the future?

Ren Tiansheng's aptitude was no better than Bai Sheng’s. Even with Qin Fen helping guide him, it still took a full five hours to achieve control over the sixth-level Qi Shockwave.

“This… this is…” Ren Tiansheng stared at his hands in disbelief. The different Qi Shockwaves across every meridian were already exciting, but what excited him most was the varying intensity of the shockwaves.

The Saint Martial Hall also had differences in the required intensity for the Qi Shockwave specific to each meridian, but it was far less precise than the intensity Qin Fen was now providing.

This was a Qi Shockwave blueprint that required absolutely no modification or adjustment; one only needed to follow it! Ren Tiansheng could think of nothing but admiration.

“Hoo… done…”

Qin Fen leaned back weakly against the chair. Sweat was no longer confined to his forehead; it was continuously seeping from his back, legs, and feet. Multitasking to perform the Qi Shockwave control for two people was also a challenge for him.

While helping others, he could challenge himself, and Qin Fen didn't mind doing such things more often, as every session brought significant progress.

Bai Sheng looked at Qin Fen’s exhausted face and gently patted his companion’s shoulder: “Let’s come back tomorrow. Qin Fen is too tired today.”

Tired? Gao Yuan looked at the steaming sweat radiating from Qin Fen’s body and nodded repeatedly. No matter how profound this young man’s martial foundation was, his actual strength was only at the ten-star level. During the battle with the Martial Venerable earlier in the day, his Qi, stamina, and spirit had all been pushed to the absolute limit.

It wouldn't be surprising if an ordinary person fainted from exhaustion after fighting that battle. Yet, he could still move freely to help three people complete the lengthy Qi Shockwave process. If he weren't tired, he wouldn't be human.

Qin Fen slumped in the chair and looked at the three with feigned weakness: “Then, I won’t see you seniors out.”

“You rest first,” Bai Sheng nodded repeatedly. “You rest first.”

As the door closed, Qin Fen weakly pushed himself up using the back of the chair. Every bone and muscle in his body groaned with fatigue. The continuous intense fighting and self-challenging today had plunged his body into its first major exhaustion since Nirvana through Marrow Cleansing. All he wanted now was to collapse into bed and sleep, not even bothering to bathe.

“Tired, but I must cleanse.”

Qin Fen supported himself against the wall as he walked into the bathroom. He quickly washed up and then collapsed onto the bed to cultivate the 【Revival Art】 given to him by Song Jia. His stamina slowly recovered bit by bit.

“Rest well, regain your spirit, and go to the Pinnacle Technique Pavilion tomorrow,” Qin Fen mumbled groggily, closing his eyes. “The Saint Martial Hall truly has experts. That young man today truly made me realize there is always someone better beyond your reach…”

The room quickly fell silent. Qin Fen slept, his breathing even, and his name began to spread rapidly among the younger generation of the Saint Martial Hall.

“Qin Fen?”

“Who is Qin Fen?”

“The Qin Fen who defeated the Little Pluto Hades? He’s at the Saint Martial Hall?”

“Is that so? Outside, they are geniuses, but once they enter the Saint Martial Hall, they should be shown the difference between inside and out.”

“That might be difficult! I heard today that as mere basic-level martial artists from the Outer Saint Martial Hall, they severely dampened the spirits of the newcomers in the Inner Saint Martial Hall.”

“What’s more, I heard he defeated the senior martial artists who traditionally instructed newcomers.”

“More than that, he openly challenged the dignity of the Inner Saint Martial Hall, leading people to occupy the exclusive seats of the Inner Saint Martial Hall in the Lecture Hall.”

“These newcomers are too arrogant. It seems necessary to teach him a lesson…”

All kinds of rumors spread to the ears of many Saint Martial Hall martial artists overnight, and the undercurrent of martial combat began to stir slowly.

Sunlight streamed through the curtains into the room. The fatigue in Qin Fen’s eyes was replaced by excitement; a night of rest had returned his body to its peak condition.

Pushing open the window, Qin Fen closed his eyes and felt everything outside: the green grass, the gentle breeze, the trees. Even without opening his eyes, he could sense them clearly, as if he could feel their breathing.

Subtlety—this was the state after achieving Subtlety.

Although he had entered Subtlety yesterday, he had been too exhausted at that moment.

“Excellent!” Qin Fen lightly slapped the windowsill with both hands, gazing toward the distance of the Saint Martial Hall: “While I’ve just entered Subtlety and my body is in optimal condition, I should go to the Pinnacle Technique Pavilion.”

He took out his badge and, with slightly unpracticed movements, operated its functions.

“Excuse me, do you require access to the Pinnacle Technique Pavilion today?”

“Yes.”

“Please confirm the time.”

“Now.”

“Please select the electronic projection map.”

Qin Fen lightly braced one hand on the window frame and flipped out, landing downstairs. As a martial artist, descending this way was indeed convenient and time-saving.

Following the electronic navigation map, Qin Fen navigated through twists and turns until he arrived at the legendary Pinnacle Technique Pavilion of the Saint Martial Hall.

The architectural style of the 【Pinnacle Technique Pavilion】 was, as its name suggested, filled with an ancient flavor.

The massive pagoda, twenty-eight stories high, resembled an ancient temple from its exterior, much like the Scripture Repository of the Shaolin Temple in martial arts dramas.

The three large characters of 【Pinnacle Technique Pavilion】 were not overtly powerful, but they showed that the calligrapher possessed a deep martial arts foundation. However, the calligrapher, unlike those at the 【Wu】 Pass, did not show off by hiding martial principles within the characters for others to decipher.

“A style that feels familiar,” Qin Fen slightly furrowed his dual sword-like brows, “yet somewhat different.”

The main door of the 【Pinnacle Technique Pavilion】 slowly opened, and a martial artist, about forty years old, walked out. This man was stout, broad-shouldered, with a face like scorched soot, and his two eyes, like copper bells, stared at Qin Fen, scrutinizing him repeatedly.

“Kid, you’re new to the Saint Martial Hall, aren’t you? This is the Pinnacle Technique Pavilion, not a place open to just anyone.”

The rough voice boomed like muffled thunder; it wouldn't be strange if an ordinary person suffered from tinnitus upon hearing it.

Qin Fen shrugged nonchalantly. In a sacred martial arts place like the Saint Martial Hall, everyone believed their talent was no worse than anyone else’s, so it wasn't strange for a senior to put on airs; one just had to get used to it.

“Senior,” Qin Fen clasped his hands and said, “I am here to use the Pinnacle Technique Pavilion for twelve hours.”

“Twelve hours?” The big man’s expression darkened. “A newcomer has the right to use the Pinnacle Technique Pavilion? Do you think I’m that easy to fool? Get out immediately, and I can treat this as a well-intentioned joke. If I use the instrument to check you, I’ll beat you.”

Qin Fen took out his badge from his robe, held it up, and said, “When I entered the Saint Martial Hall, I luckily passed the Fog Bell trial of the Three Bells at the Stone Gate. According to the rules, as a basic-level martial artist of the Outer Saint Martial Hall, I am qualified to use it for twelve hours.”

“The Stone Gate? You completed the Fog Bell?” The man’s eyes, already like copper bells, widened another circle in that instant.

Qin Fen nodded; although that thing was hard to strike, it wasn't truly impossible to make it ring.

The man moved close to Qin Fen, circling him several times, his eyes scanning from his head down to his feet, and then back up from his feet to his head, his brow so furrowed it could easily crush a fly. “You are still a basic-level martial artist of the Outer Saint Martial Hall?”

Qin Fen nodded again. If the Inner Saint Martial Hall hadn’t had so many restrictions, joining it would have been better.

The man was silent for several seconds, then suddenly threw his head back and laughed loudly several times. He glared at Qin Fen with his copper-bell eyes wide open and roared, “Pah!”

The huge mouth expelled a torrent of spittle, causing the atmosphere several feet in front of the man to resemble localized rain.

Qin Fen slightly rotated his right ankle, engaging his waist power, and flashed sideways, avoiding the scattering spittle.

“Are you crazy, kid?” the man glared at Qin Fen. “If you had such favorable conditions, why didn't you join the Inner Saint Martial Hall? How could a basic-level martial artist qualified only for the Outer Saint Martial Hall possibly strike the Fog Bell? Forget the Fog Bell or the Paper Bell, even the Stone Bell…”

Qin Fen sighed. The higher the status of the martial arts holy land, the more arrogant its martial artists tended to be. Could it be that any martial artist who struck the Fog Bell or the Paper Bell must join the Inner Saint Martial Hall?

“Senior, you can contact the Saint Martial Hall now to verify.” Qin Fen’s expression could no longer maintain its initial politeness. If one could maintain politeness while being spat upon, they were a ninja, not a martial artist.

The man burst into laughter again and pulled out a badge identical to Qin Fen’s from his robe. “Kid, I am the guardian of the Pinnacle Technique Pavilion. The Saint Martial Hall transmits the data of anyone qualified to enter to me. If I scan you with this light beam, I'll know if you qualify. Leave now while you still can, or you will violate the rules of the Saint Martial Hall and be expelled.”

Qin Fen shrugged and raised his hand in a gesture inviting the man to proceed, standing perfectly still. The man pressed the badge in his hand, and a beam of light enveloped Qin Fen. He said with a chuckle, “Hahaha, I’ve seen plenty of people pretend to be calm like you. Now I’ll let you…”

“Fog Bell Clearer…” A mechanical and cold synthetic voice emanated from the man’s badge. “Qin Fen’s identity is correct. Qualified to use the Pinnacle Technique Pavilion for twelve hours…”

Qin Fen looked at the rigid facial expression of the burly man before him, slowly stepped forward, gently pulled the man’s body aside, and then swaggered into the Pinnacle Technique Pavilion.

Creak…

The massive door of the Pinnacle Technique Pavilion groaned and then slammed shut with a heavy thud, jolting the stunned man back to his senses.

“How is this possible?” The man turned his head, his eyes locked on the door of the Pinnacle Technique Pavilion, muttering blankly. “A basic martial artist from the Outer Saint Martial Hall managed to strike the Fog Bell? Rumor has it that no newcomer martial artist has ever been able to strike the Fog Bell of the Stone Gate Three Bells!”

The Pinnacle Technique Pavilion stored the martial arts insights of the Saint Martial Hall members. It held supreme internal cultivation techniques that couldn't be bought with money in this world, and martial skills that many outside martial artists had never even seen.

The Saint Martial Hall meticulously categorized these materials based on the martial artist’s realm, star level, the novelty of the ancient martial art, the school of thought, and their value. “【Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art】.” Qin Fen tapped his toes and ran towards the upper floors of the pagoda: “It should be in the Supreme Internal Cultivation section.”

As his martial foundation deepened these days, Qin Fen grew increasingly doubtful about the internal cultivation he practiced. Was the technique he practiced truly the legendary supreme art, the 【Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art】? Why couldn't his star level break through ten stars even with his intense practice? Compared to the speed at which Caesar and others progressed with their supreme internal arts, his current speed was too slow.

The deeper the martial foundation, the more explosive the burst phase of strength improvement should be. Yet, Qin Fen found that while his rate of improvement was astonishing, it still didn’t match the depth of his foundation.

When he couldn't find the reason anywhere else, Qin Fen began to suspect that the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art he obtained from the Extreme Scripture had problems.

The collection in the internal cultivation area was equally rich. This section did not contain electronic books; every single book was a manually copied manuscript.

Qin Fen was very clear on the difference between electronic versions and handwritten copies. Electronic internal cultivation manuals only showed the circulation routes, incantations, or some textual annotations. But handwritten manuscripts were different; besides having these functions, they possessed one feature entirely absent in the electronic versions: Shen Yun (Spiritual Charm/Essence).

Every internal cultivation book in the Saint Martial Hall’s Pinnacle Technique Pavilion had been personally hand-copied by martial artists who specialized in that technique. Every single character carried their understanding of that martial art.

They were like the characters at the Wu Pass—the handwriting itself carried martial principles, allowing the cultivator who held the text to better understand the essence of that martial art.

The Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art was quite famous even among supreme arts, and Qin Fen quickly found its location in the bookshelf section labeled ‘Force’ (Li).

Opening the book, a profound martial aura surged from the characters. Qin Fen’s spirit trembled slightly, and he quickly scanned the records in the book.

Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art First Level, Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art Second Level, Third Level…

The more Qin Fen read the records in the book, the more solemn his expression became. The documentation here was different from the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art he had learned!

While it wasn't entirely different, there were significant divergences.

This, this must be the real one.

Qin Fen’s arm, holding the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art book, trembled slightly. Those hands, which hadn't trembled even when lifting the colossal Thunder Cloud Storm, possessing remarkable stability, were shaking intensely at this moment.

Qin Fen could not help but tremble; his composure could not be maintained in the slightest.

The deeper his understanding of martial arts became these days, the sharper his eye for appraising martial arts grew. Combining this with various martial arts proofs, Qin Fen could assert with 100% certainty that the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art preserved in the Saint Martial Hall’s Pinnacle Technique Pavilion was absolutely genuine! It was definitely not some simplified internal cultivation version!

The cultivation method for the first two levels of the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art released by the Federation was also absolutely not a simplified version—those two levels were the true original Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art!

Then… a field of goosebumps the size of mung beans erupted across Qin Fen’s body, his scalp tingling from the chill rising upwards. His eyes stared intensely at the book, questioning himself: Then… what internal cultivation am I practicing?

Sigh…

A sigh echoed in Qin Fen’s mind.

This sighing sound was extremely familiar to Qin Fen. It should be the voice of the Master.

“What’s going on?” The book slipped from Qin Fen’s grasp and fell to the ground. The Master had only ever appeared when he was asleep; why was his sigh being heard while he was fully conscious today?

“Enter stillness…”

The Master’s simple three words carried a message. Qin Fen knew that as long as he entered meditation, he would get the answer to the truth.

Sitting cross-legged, entering stillness…

Qin Fen’s mind cleared completely, and the Master’s figure appeared before him.

The Master today was as elegant and dashing as ever, his every gesture exuding the demeanor of a peerless master like the White Tiger, undiminished in the slightest.

Qin Fen looked at the Master with a wry smile. Although he knew these great masters wouldn't harm him, being kept in the dark for so long made him feel awkward, always feeling like a fool.

“Kid, you're very confused, aren't you?” The Master’s smile held a hint of gentle kindness. “Actually, I should have told you this from the start, but it was necessary to keep it secret from you temporarily, which is why so much time has passed with you constantly being kept in the dark. First, look at some other supreme internal cultivation methods, and then we’ll talk.”

Other martial arts? Qin Fen curiously withdrew his gaze, stood up, and took out a book labeled 【Sumeru Mountain Force】 from the ‘Force’ bookcase—a technique as famous as the 【Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art】.

“This is…” After reading through it entirely, Qin Fen grabbed a copy of 【Nine Oxen and Two Tigers Strength】 and continued reading.

【Nine Yang Divine Art】, 【Mysterious Nether Divine Art】, 【Jade Maiden Heart Sutra】, 【Vast Yang True Understanding】, 【Yi Jin Jing】…

“This is… this is…” Qin Fen stared blankly at the floor, putting down the 【Yi Jin Jing】. These supreme internal cultivation methods each had their own merits, and many aspects were fundamentally contradictory. Being able to successfully cultivate even one of these peerless techniques was not easy.

“The true essence of these cultivation methods…” Qin Fen weakly set down the 【Yi Jin Jing】 and stared blankly at the floor. “They should fundamentally be contradictory and unable to merge! Why, why can I find familiar shadows of the essence of these supreme internal arts within the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art I practice? And it’s probably more than that…”

Qin Fen staggered and moved towards the Vajra Body Protection Divine Art, flipping through it quickly, his face revealing even more doubt and shock. “This, I can also find its essence here.”

Qin Fen looked up at the bookshelves lining the tower, stunned for a long moment. “Can all these martial arts be found within the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art I practice? Merging the essence of those contradictory techniques? Who is this person? Who possesses such ability?”

“Alas…”

The Master’s sigh sounded again. Qin Fen sat cross-legged and entered stillness once more, looking at the elegant, dashing, yet powerful Master and asking, “Master, is this your ultimate research achievement?”

“Me?” A faint self-mockery appeared on the Master’s face. “You flatter me. How could such a peerless divine technique be the result of my research alone?”

“Could it be that all of you…”

“It was the eight of us working together…” The Master sighed. “To put it simply, although you have only met seven of us so far, there were actually eight. You should still remember that I mentioned to you once before—there was another Poxian-level martial artist, right?”

Qin Fen nodded lightly. Over the past few days, he had heard the name of the expert at the Potian (Heaven-Shattering) level more than once, especially when the King of Perversion, Zeng Yicheng, had ranted about the master with such fury that it was hard to forget.

“Simply put, it’s about combining the Ultimate Canon we created—” The Master’s eyes sank into deep memory, his voice growing low, “—the Ultimate Canon, the Ultimate Canon! This set of canons contains countless supreme martial arts. Whoever obtains it will automatically have the internal cultivation method best suited to their overall aptitude chosen by the martial arts assistant. Theoretically, the internal art you are currently practicing is the one with the lowest probability of being chosen, because the conditions required for it are too harsh…”

Qin Fen waited in silence, letting the Master, who had lapsed into quiet contemplation, speak again.

“To put it simply, your internal cultivation technique is the ultimate martial art within the Ultimate Canon. I consider it the number one peerless technique in the world.” A glint of excited pride shone across the Master’s face. “This technique was created by the eight of us masters joining forces. It fuses the absolute essence of countless martial arts! Even essences that fundamentally contradict each other were forcibly integrated by that fellow’s immense wisdom. We named it the General Compendium of All Martial Arts!”

The General Compendium of All Martial Arts! The Master puffed out his chest with pride, his demeanor of a supreme expert radiating outwards, the latent pressure even surpassing that of White Tiger from that day.

After a brief silence, the Master let his pride subside, a faint bitterness touching his features. “It’s hard to say whether you are lucky or unlucky. If your overall aptitude hadn’t suited the General Compendium of All Martial Arts, and you truly only suited the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill, then you would have learned the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill. In that case, your foundation might be slightly weaker now, but your Star-level strength would certainly be more than just Twelve Stars.”

If Song Jia were here to hear this, she would immediately understand why, the very first time she saw Qin Fen’s back, she perceived shadows of multiple martial arts in his gait. Qin Fen, having just obtained the Ultimate Canon, lacked a strong enough foundation, causing many techniques to inadvertently leak out. As Qin Fen’s strength slowly increased and he forged his own path, those hidden elements were actually covered up.

Many martial arts are easy to learn but hard to master, while others are hard to learn but easy to perfect. The Master’s slightly helpless voice echoed again in Qin Fen’s mind, “But the General Compendium of All Martial Arts is too vast, containing too many essences, making it a technique that is both difficult to learn and difficult to perfect. Although I extol it as the peak supreme art in the world, it is not the smooth highway of martial arts. One wrong step, and you can stagnate forever, just like you are now.”

Qin Fen nodded gently. The General Compendium of All Martial Arts, a set of internal techniques that gathered the essence of countless martial arts across the world! No wonder the moment he saw that Jade Maiden Heart Sutra, he instinctively knew how to modify his own art. He had previously thought he was practicing the most refined material, so any martial essence that complemented the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra could naturally and instinctively be integrated into it.

“Whether this is a blessing or a curse for you…” the Master said slowly, “I didn’t tell you initially because I feared putting too much pressure on you, which might cause psychological blocks in your practice. I also feared that possessing a technique that commands the world might make you complacent, leading to even greater obstacles that would hinder your progress.”

Complacent? Pressure? Qin Fen shook his head. A man who had endured so many years of hardship had long since forged an unbreakable will. Could complacency truly cause such a massive psychological ripple in him?

“Now that you have discovered it…” The Master managed a wry smile, “Then I suppose I have to tell you. Observing you these past few days, you are not the type of person we were initially worried about.”

Qin Fen shook his head. The Master truly should have told him sooner. If he had understood the reason early on, he would have been psychologically prepared to discard his curiosity and suspicion. His strength might not be stuck at the mere Ten Stars now.

“Alright, kid,” the Master said with a casual wave, “I have solved your mystery. You can go attend to your other duties. The path of martial arts is not solely about internal cultivation; you should know that much.”

Qin Fen nodded, withdrawing from his meditation. He gazed up at the bookshelves filled with supreme internal arts. To others, they might be priceless treasures, but to him now, they were useless.

“Since that’s the case,” Qin Fen left the internal arts floor, “I’ll go check out the others. Punching, kicking, and insights will still be immensely helpful to me.”

In the Dragon Fist Chamber, Qin Fen found that the Dragon Fists here were far more numerous than any he had learned before. The room also contained countless notes and insights left by previous practitioners.

No hesitation! Qin Fen dove headfirst into this ocean of Dragon Fists! The collective experience of countless predecessors was far more efficient than agonizing over things alone. Many seniors here had been wildly imaginative, creating various strange manifestations of Dragon Intent.

A short passage, a lengthy annotation—each could grant Qin Fen boundless inspiration. Even those bizarre, imaginative ideas struck Qin Fen like a sudden revelation.

Twelve hours. Qin Fen soaked in the ocean of martial arts, transforming his entire being into a massive sponge, frantically absorbing the nourishment within the martial sea.

As time passed, Qin Fen could no longer afford to ponder while reading. Aside from truly pivotal insights, he resorted to forcefully memorizing the rest of the books first.

Because most Dragon Fists shared common principles, coupled with Qin Fen’s already good memory, he managed to commit a significant amount of martial wisdom to memory.

Ding dong…

“Your twelve hours are up. Please vacate the Supreme Arts Pavilion.”

Qin Fen reluctantly placed a note back on the shelf. There was so much more here he hadn't seen! Giving up felt genuinely difficult.

Join the Inner Sacred Martial Hall? Qin Fen repeatedly shook his head, batting the thought away. To join the Inner Sacred Martial Hall just for these notes would bind both his body and spirit.

The Dragon! It can be vast or minute, soaring through the nine heavens or plunging ten thousand miles into the sea—it must be free and unrestrained. If it accepts fetters, how can it still be a Dragon?

Qin Fen took a deep breath, casting the temptation to join the Inner Sacred Martial Hall from his mind. Under the watchful gaze of the burly guard protecting the Sacred Martial Hall, he swiftly departed.

“After today’s twelve hours, his mindset should have shifted dramatically, I imagine?”

In the monitoring room, Di Shitian gently rested his chin in his hand, his eyes alight with confident pleasure. No young martial artist, faced with the vast treasures in the Supreme Arts Pavilion, could possibly refuse.

Ferrero and the other section chiefs nodded lightly, agreeing with Di Shitian’s conjecture.

Martial artists capable of entering the Sacred Martial Hall all possessed decent martial aptitude.

The more innate talent a martial artist possessed, the more easily they became addicted to the boundless ocean of martial arts, and the harder it was for them to break free from that ocean.

Qin Fen’s talent was the best. Following past precedent, he should naturally be the most hopelessly entangled.

Di Shitian smiled, very pleased. The moment Qin Fen transferred to the Inner Sacred Martial Hall, he, as the protector of its rules and guardian of its reputation, would naturally receive the greatest rewards.

A faint envy flickered in Ferrero’s eyes. Di Shitian’s calculations were precise; the rewards he would gain would likely be comparable to the benefits of a Section Chief’s special privilege. Bai Sheng simply offered a wry smile and remained silent. Such logic might work for others, but it was difficult when applied to Qin Fen. If it worked consistently, then the single volume titled Martial given to him during the initial invitation would have been enough to draw Qin Fen into the Inner Sacred Martial Hall.

Qin Fen possessed a steadfastness of heart that others could barely comprehend. Bai Sheng firmly believed that Di Shitian’s scheme had failed.

Twelve hours passed, and the sky darkened once more. Qin Fen quickly ate a meal at the Sacred Martial Hall’s self-service restaurant. Due to the constant turmoil of the past two days, he hadn't managed a decent meal.

Returning to his room, Qin Fen felt no surprise seeing the young martial artists gathered there. He had sensed who occupied the room even before the door opened.

This was the further enhancement of his physical martial sense after reaching the state of Ruwai (Subtle Awareness).

Xue Tian was still sprawled on the small recliner next to the sofa. Caesar and the others were idly chatting while sipping nutrient water, only showing smiles when they noticed Qin Fen entering.

Qin Fen pulled over a simple chair. For the past three days, as the room's owner, he’d had little opportunity to sit on the sofa, relegated instead to the plainest little stool, watching a group of ruffians occupy the prime seating without any sign of yielding.

“Shouldn’t the fifty of you be in seclusion?” Qin Fen wasn't curious about their presence, but he was puzzled as to why they were here.

Caesar placed his nutrient water on the coffee table and said, “Qin Fen, give us a special training session tomorrow.”

“What?” Qin Fen looked at Caesar in astonishment, then at the other young men, all looking serious, making him even more curious. “This is the Sacred Martial Hall. Isn’t it easy to get special training? Besides, why the sudden need for it?”

“It’s all because of Yang Lie,” Xue Tian stretched languidly on the recliner, “You went to the Supreme Arts Pavilion today, so you don’t know what they experienced. During lunch, they overheard rumors about Yang Lie.”

“No way?” Qin Fen grimaced. “How long has it been since that woman took Yang Lie away? How much could his strength have improved?”

Xue Tian squirmed on the sofa like a grub, clutching his Iai sword. “You didn’t hear? Yang Lie has passed out seven times in this short period.”

“Seven times?” Qin Fen was deeply shocked. Yang Lie’s physical constitution and strength were definitely among the best of the younger generation. How long had he been under special training to pass out seven times? What level of intensity did that require? Could people actually die?

“Maybe you don’t know,” Xue Tian scratched his head. “I heard that woman is a lunatic. Despite being a top expert, a Section Chief of the Martial Discourse Department, she trains promising newcomers with insane fervor. The more potential they have, the crazier her training becomes. They say someone named the Martial Maniac passed out twelve times in one day—even worse than Yang Lie.”

“An average of once every two hours?” Qin Fen rolled his eyes, trying to calculate how that woman managed such terrifying numbers.

“But there is one thing worth confirming,” Caesar stated with grim seriousness, “Anyone who survives that woman’s training sees their strength surge in a very short time. Yang Lie has a good foundation; being subjected to such intense training, it’s hard for him not to improve.”

“Then you all…” Qin Fen suddenly slapped the table. “Are you doing this because of that so-called seven-day sparring match to determine rankings?”

Solomon nodded silently, and the other young martial artists wore equally serious expressions. The ranking they were currently vying for was third place. None of them wanted to be surpassed by someone else. Yang Lie’s recent surge had left them all feeling insecure.

“But…”

“Qin Fen, no buts,” Caesar raised a hand to stop him. “We’re relying on you these next few days. Don’t go easy on us. Whatever method you can think of to boost our strength, don’t worry about the difficulty or the danger—just bring it out.”

“Exactly!” Brooks took off his hat, the bright, gem-like pupils flickering with surging fighting spirit as he shouted, “We can lose to anyone, but we won’t lose to Yang Lie!”