At the Fifteen-Star level, consciousness entwined, defeating the enemy in two moves. Qin Fen slowly exuded the confidence built from his previous victory, mixed with an indescribable aura. The fierce fighting intent blazing within Yao Guang and Lian Wuguang seemed like a raging fire suddenly met by a downpour, instantly extinguished.

In that instant, the two felt an inability to truly see through Qin Fen. Despite possessing the exact same Fifteen-Star strength, they sensed something akin to confronting a swirling vortex of chaos.

The battle intent they unleashed found no purchase; crashing against Qin Fen, it was as if striking into a mound of thick cotton, unable to exert any real force. This realization left their own fighting will steadily diminishing.

In less than a single second, Yao Guang and Lian Wuguang straightened up with calm expressions, abandoning their imminent attack. No fight left!

At this moment, the gap between Qin Fen and themselves finally became apparent. No fight! Absolutely no contest; Qin Fen was simply too powerful.

Even at the same Fifteen-Star level, they were fundamentally separated by two distinct tiers. It was like being in the same university's Master's program, where some students could develop groundbreaking new research and enjoy material abundance, while others, holding the same Master’s certificate, were relegated to janitorial work in a minor unit.

"Kid, you won," Yao Guang said, his cold tone carrying a note of sincere concession as he nodded repeatedly. "Even if we used the Feng Lin Huo Shan formation, we couldn't fight you. Perhaps you would only need four moves to completely shatter our array."

Qin Fen smiled without speaking. Though he hadn't truly engaged the Feng Lin Huo Shan combined array, he suspected he could likely use just one move—the "Lingering Embrace"—to tangle all four of them up and toss them aside, needing no second move.

This was the foundation gained from personally witnessing the confrontation between the two masters, the Kylin Divine Beast! Qin Fen had not fully integrated the entirety of that battle’s accumulation, but his martial path had already taken a substantial leap, growing even faster than his progress under Ashura at the Holy Martial Hall.

The faster the ascent, the more incredible Qin Fen found it. Even if he required time to establish and then develop his potential, his life’s journey was undeniably uniquely blessed.

Even compared to Shangguan Chuanqi, whose mother was the Vermilion Bird Divine Beast, Qin Fen was certain that his acquired advantages, to a certain extent, surpassed Shangguan Chuanqi’s.

Shangguan Chuanqi, as the son of the Vermilion Bird, possessed wealth envied by the world, along with advantages visible to all—the offspring of a Divine Beast! Furthermore, this Vermilion Bird, in birthing a son, had specifically chosen the finest male genetics to complement her own, granting him a congenital advantage beyond imagination.

However, Qin Fen also knew that his advantage wasn't solely derived from the Black Hole-level experts in his spiritual space; there was another, often unseen, special benefit: the unique advantage left to him by his elder brother, Qin Zhan.

Whether encountering Squad Leader Hao and others in the army, or meeting the eternally powerful Martial Venerable—whose strength rivaled that of a Divine Beast—in the Holy Martial Hall, they had all encountered Qin Zhan. Because of Qin Zhan, they had all mentored him, imparting everything without reservation.

These mentors had appeared precisely when his strength needed the most guidance, providing perfectly timed instruction, which was far better than seeking tutelage from a collection of the strongest individuals.

Lacking in innate advantage but possessing unparalleled acquired superiority, Qin Fen felt his strength was rocketing upward like a launch. Why, then, did Teng's tone suggest he was still inferior to Shangguan Chuanqi? Little Hades, the Young King, was an outlier due to the specific nature of the Insect Warriors; according to Lin Liqiang’s tests, his power level was within expected parameters.

But Shangguan Chuanqi? Qin Fen couldn't fathom it. Even with superior congenital advantages, the balance should have been struck by Qin Fen's own acquired strengths. Why did Shangguan Chuanqi show no hint of apprehension?

Chichi, thrown heavily to the ground, was followed by Situ Nan, who braced himself with his arms. His joints cracked audibly as he pushed up, sounding like hundreds of firecrackers detonating inside his body.

Yao Guang and Lian Wuguang exchanged a look, seeing in each other's eyes increased surprise and astonishment. Qin Fen’s seemingly ordinary throw concealed such a ferocious joint lock technique that the impact simultaneously dislocated every joint in their bodies.

In just the instant of contact, not only were their opponents thrown down, but all their joints were effectively disassembled. What kind of martial foundation and technique was this?

Yao Guang began to consider: since Qin Fen could dislocate both their joints in a flash, he could very likely have instantly employed the Muscle Separation and Bone Dislocation Hand with crushing force to permanently cripple them without anyone noticing.

Chichi stood up, twisting his neck with loud pops from his cervical vertebrae. The crimson hue of his face was now overlaid with a pallid shadow of black. He had pushed his aura to the limit and unleashed multiple powerful moves, yet he was defeated by a simple touch, a wrap, and a throw, all while having his entire joint structure shattered in that single moment.

Reflecting on such a defeat, Chichi recalled that even against a Sixteen-Star martial artist, he had never suffered such a devastating loss.

Situ Nan shook his head repeatedly, sighing. This was his most brutal defeat since his debut. The high-voltage surge of ten thousand volts had been useless, and his iron-splitting staff was disarmed in a single move. He felt the effort of the past half-lifetime spent mastering the staff had been wasted.

Song Jia floated back cheerfully to Qin Fen’s side, hugging her now-normal arms. "Uncle, Ayiao shouldn't be so dejected. My Qin Fen is extraordinary."

"Extraordinary?" Yao Guang nodded in strong agreement. "Indeed, extraordinary! So young, yet a Sixteen-Star, with a martial foundation so deep its limits cannot be seen. A Martial Arts Master in name, yet every gesture possesses the flavor of a Grandmaster, almost perfectly innate."

Situ Nan stamped his foot, shaking his staff loose from the ground, grasping it in his hand. He lightly raised his thumb in praise. "Kid, your True Essence has achieved full integration and consolidation. I've only managed to gather and condense my Qi over many years; there’s no comparison."

Lian Wuguang, who had remained silent, pushed the others aside and walked towards Qin Fen in two long strides. His tiger-like eyes stared fixedly at Qin Fen for a long moment. His Iron Fútu suddenly swept through the air and slammed down. The black sky seemed to momentarily darken further, the massive Iron Fútu appearing to eclipse the entire heavens, like a true mountain crashing down upon them.

Qin Fen’s eyebrows twitched. He raised his hands, cupped his fists, and bowed lightly. Lian Wuguang's swing of the Iron Fútu was not an attack, but a transmission of teaching, or rather, a complete articulation of his understanding of the martial path through that single strike.

Immovable as a Mountain! When this immovable mountain finally moved, the result was guaranteed to be world-shattering. Qin Fen gazed at the Iron Fútu hovering above his head. Lian Wuguang’s star-level strength was the same as the others, but his comprehension of "Mountain" far exceeded the others' comprehension of their respective characters.

Every advantage has its weakness, and every strength has its long suit. Upon seeing Lian Wuguang's "Mountain" strike, Qin Fen gained an even deeper insight. This man's star-level strength and martial foundation were inferior to his own, but his understanding of "Mountain" contained a unique insight that even Qin Fen had not yet grasped.

After executing the Iron Fútu swing, Lian Wuguang paused no further, turning his massive frame and walking into the night. The other three exchanged knowing smiles, bowed to Qin Fen, and departed into the darkness.

Qin Fen looked at the radiant Song Jia beside him, then up at the surrounding night sky, smiling wryly. "Surely no one else is coming tonight?"

"Hard to say," Song Jia whispered, leaning into his embrace. "Martial Arts Masters who enjoy establishing sects and indulging in luxury are rare. Those who reach that realm are often captivated entirely by the allure of the Martial Dao. Because of this, many Martial Arts Masters end up joining the Xiong Tu Sect..."

Qin Fen drew Song Jia close, watching the stars. These Martial Arts Masters, rarely seen outside, he had just encountered four of them at once. The power and influence of the Divine Beasts were beyond the comprehension of outsiders.

"But it's alright," Song Jia’s smile was very sweet. "Uncle and Auntie don't like being the third wheel either."

Qin Fen chuckled bitterly. Those who had entered the Martial Arts Master realm truly understood the mindset of typical Martial Arts Masters; they were all possessed by an obsessive spirit regarding the Dao. Who knew if one of them might get carried away and show up to be an unwelcome spectator?

Qin Fen sat on the grass, holding Song Jia, and murmured near her ear, "I bought a house in the suburbs of Shengjing. It’s not very large, just over ninety square meters."

"Smaller is better," Song Jia murmured back. "A smaller house feels warmer."

A patch of dark cloud swiftly arrived, obscuring the bright moon and a large swath of stars. Only the light, soft breathing of the two remained in the mountainside.

The man and woman in the warm darkness were always bold. Traces of exposed skin dotted the mountainside. That night, no one else came to disturb them. The entire mountain range, and that clear, pristine freshwater lake, became their playground.

A pale grey light, like fish belly, appeared in the sky. Song Jia sat five-point toward the east, quietly absorbing the essence of heaven and earth that Kylin had mentioned.

Qin Fen floated quietly in the lake water. The greatest benefit of entering the Martial Arts Master realm was that the True Qi within his body circulated constantly, like circulating water, entering a state of instinctive self-cultivation.

Meditation for Martial Arts Masters usually served only two purposes: profound contemplation of the Martial Dao, or when one's Martial Dao reached its peak and they were preparing for a breakthrough.

Having unintentionally reached the Sixteen-Star level last night, Qin Fen had no need for immediate breakthrough meditation. He lay calmly on the lake surface, using the cool water to keep his mind sharper, allowing him to process the massive influx of information from the past few days.

Romance, practice, realization, and occasionally defeating any Martial Arts Masters who came to spar with an overwhelming single move sending them away.

Qin Fen lived a life that was nearly leisurely in the mountains. His martial foundation was steadily absorbed, his Sixteen-Star strength fully stabilized, and his Divine Fist Dao had been improved upon repeatedly.

In the mountains, time slipped by unnoticed. Thirty days passed in a flash without him realizing it.

Qin Fen emerged from the lake bottom and saw the usually aloof Auntie Song Jia—who never cooked for anyone else—had prepared lunch on the shore. This never failed to warm his heart.

Song Jia handed him a pair of bowls and chopsticks, resting her chin in her hands, watching Qin Fen eat with affectionate gaze. "Grandpa just sent a message. It only contained one sentence."

The projection function of the phone cast Kylin’s image. The majestic Divine Beast Martial Artist’s eyes were closed slightly as he spoke calmly, "It is time to go."

"Yes," Qin Fen nodded gently at the projection, though he knew Song Wendong couldn't hear the reply. "It is time to go."

"Right, time to go," Song Jia pulled a small bundle from the bushes, slung it over her shoulder, and looked at Qin Fen with a smiling face. "Shall we go?"

"What?"

Qin Fen was startled by Song Jia's attire; it was clearly the outfit of someone running away from home.

"That's right, running away from home," Song Jia’s eyes curved into crescent moons. "My friends always ask me why I love you so much yet never defy Grandpa. Like running away to find you to show him my protest. But they don't know, I really wanted to do that, but doing so would only harm you. What if Grandpa got angry and sent someone to kill you? Wouldn't I be a widow before I was even married? I wouldn't be satisfied with that outcome."

Song Jia hooked her arms through Qin Fen's. "It’s different now. You are my boyfriend. While it looks like running away, it can also be framed as traveling together. Besides, if Grandpa sends someone to kill you now, it won't be easy. Moreover, I am about to reach the Fourteen-Star level; I won't just be a burden like before."

About to reach Fourteen-Star? Qin Fen looked at the beauty beside him, secretly admiring the speed of her Star-level ascent. It hadn't been long, yet her power was escalating again. Her progress seemed almost comparable to his own at that age. He wondered just how high her activity level was.

"I wonder how they are doing?"

Qin Fen looked at Song Jia, and his mind drifted back to the group of brothers who had gone to the Holy Martial Hall with him. It had been a long time since they last met. He had just witnessed a battle between super-experts and his own martial foundation had thickened significantly. This time, surely, he could narrow the gap with Xue Tian?

Had the Little Dragon King Yang Lie and the others reached Fourteen-Star? Had they completed the Marrow Replacement and Metamorphosis? How were Lin Liqiang and the others? How was the research on the Insect Warriors progressing? He had shared the method to stimulate activity with him and Inzarota; what was their strength level now?

"What are you thinking about?"

Song Jia’s pale hand waved gently in front of Qin Fen’s face.

Qin Fen’s smile held a hint of joy. "Thinking of friends."

"Oh? Is it Qiangzi and the others? Oh, right!" Song Jia snapped her fingers, laughing happily. "And that lazybones Xue Tian!"

Qin Fen agreed with a vigorous nod. "Exactly, lazybones Xue Tian!"

"So, the first stop on our elopement is to see them?"

"No," Qin Fen's gentle smile turned chillingly cold. "Before that, someone needs to die."

"Kill someone?"

"Yes, kill someone." Qin Fen gazed at the quiet lake and said faintly, "A man from Hanzhou who repeatedly hid behind the scenes trying to kill me. As long as he lives, I live with a thorn in my side."