Na Chi’s sword-like eyebrows shot high on both sides. The jade-like powder on his face deepened with curiosity; he wanted to see who this young martial artist was, the one who had consecutively killed the Heavenly Gate’s Arhat of Descending Dragons, Han Zhongli, and Tieguai Li in such a short time.

Several martial artists wearing the Heavenly Gate insignia, along with research personnel, immediately gazed with apprehension toward the location from which the voice had originated.

Due to the intentional news blockade from the upper echelons of the Heavenly Gate, the martial artists below had only vague impressions of Qin Fen—that he was a veritable god of slaughter who particularly enjoyed eliminating Heavenly Gate members. The recent news of two grandmasters among the Eight Immortals being slain confirmed the existing rumors and obliquely proved Qin Fen’s terrifying strength.

The Eight Immortals of the Heavenly Gate’s Upper Grotto were always the true main force deployed by the sect. Some even suspected that, due to frequent combat, the strength of the Eight Immortals had surpassed that of Na Chi, Houzi, and the others.

Since this man had single-handedly slain two masters of the Heavenly Gate, these observers had no choice but to watch Qin Fen intently, while simultaneously casting hopeful gazes toward Na Chi.

In the room, the Martial Arts Master from the Founding Association possessed only a fifteen-star level of strength. In the eyes of ordinary people, he was akin to a deity, but in Qin Fen’s view, he posed absolutely no lethal threat. The only hope they could cling to was Na Chi, who was rumored to possess strength far exceeding that of the Eight Immortals.

At the end of the long corridor, Lü Dongbin, his face flushed, slowly emerged with He Xiangu. The look of guilt he’d worn upon first entering the base had now morphed into pure fury upon hearing Na Chi’s muttering.

Years of loyal service to the Heavenly Gate, only to have the Eight Immortals potentially sacrificed due to the current changing circumstances to contend with the evolution of the Insect Martial Artists—this was no longer disheartening; it was utterly soul-crushing.

“Oh?”

The Heavenly Gate martial artists were startled when they saw Qin Fen. Though this young man couldn't be called classically handsome with sharp features, he possessed an indescribable aura of heroism. He didn't exude the bloodthirsty malevolence of a demonic king; instead, there was an inexplicable composure and trustworthiness. If he were cast in a Hollywood film, he would be the perfect fit for the lone hero archetype.

Na Chi retracted his gaze from Qin Fen, settling it once more upon Lü Dongbin, a smile of surprise curving his lips: “Congratulations. It seems you are about to break through again.”

Lü Dongbin stared at Na Chi with a face like ancient pine, internally cursing the Heavenly Gate for this advancement. If he hadn't been dispatched to search for that new energy source and rare metal, he probably wouldn't have been beaten nearly to death by Qin Fen’s ferocious martial power, and certainly wouldn't have witnessed a higher level of Insect Martial Arts development.

All of this was enough to prompt advancement in the martial path, not to mention the Life-and-Death Pill! That peerless deadly elixir, worth untold billions, unattainable even with infinite wealth! Ingest it, and you either die or live! The survivor rapidly unleashes potential that was previously undeveloped or difficult to access.

Though the journey in the flying craft hadn't been long for Lü Dongbin and the others, their potential had been unknowingly stimulated. While they hadn't yet entered the explosive phase following the Life-and-Death Pill, they had already broken through the stagnation that had plagued them, rapidly advancing toward the nineteen-star level, toward the Earthly Dipper Realm.

The Eight Immortals had rendered monumental service to the Heavenly Gate over the years, only to be discarded like this in the end! Lü Dongbin desperately wanted to strike, to kill Na Chi right there! But he couldn't. Even if he recovered to his optimal condition instantly, he would still be no match for Na Chi; attacking now would only bring self-humiliation! This seemingly fair-faced, jade-like martial artist possessed true Earthly Dipper strength! Once, in a sparring match, he single-handedly defeated all Eight Immortals with only eight moves.

This was the true strength of the martial artists above the Eight Immortals within the Heavenly Gate! Just as Qin Fen defeated his enemies with effortless movements in the Natural Graveyard, Na Chi had been equally relaxed and masterful on that day.

He Xiangu unconsciously gripped Lü Dongbin’s thick hands, looking up with eyes full of deep affection mixed with a hint of reproach—reproach that Lü Dongbin had insisted on personally bringing Qin Fen and the others here. A simple set of coordinates would have sufficed. Now, running into Na Chi of the Heavenly Gate meant that perhaps none of them would make it out alive today.

Qin Fen’s eyes swept past Na Chi, landing directly on Dr. Luonna, standing not far behind him: “Are you in charge here?”

Luonna met Qin Fen’s gaze, his own eyes blazing with excitement, rubbing his hands back and forth incessantly: “Excellent material! Truly excellent material! Master Na Chi, if you can capture this person alive for me, I guarantee I can add another immensely powerful killing machine to the Heavenly Gate. I believe I can discover further avenues through him, thereby ensuring a hundred percent success rate in bestowing complete self-awareness upon your Heavenly Gate warriors in the future.”

“Is that so? Very well, I will capture him for you and be on my way. Since Yang Jian’s Howling Celestial Dog was killed by the King of Yama, that position has remained vacant. Sending him the captured subject as a replacement for the dog would surely make Yang Jian very happy, wouldn't it?”

Na Chi turned back, smiling as he agreed with Luonna, then slowly turned his head back to fix his gaze upon Qin Fen. Their eyes collided for the first time in this profound moment. Both men trembled slightly, surprise creeping into their pupils.

A confrontation between masters is not merely an exchange of glances; sometimes, it is a clash of spiritual martial intent. To put it philosophically, it is the momentary concentration of jing, qi, and shen into the eyes, fusing together to generate one's martial aura to instantly strike the opponent.

Na Chi’s fierce and sharp gaze could easily cause the livers and gallbladders of ordinary fourteen-star martial artists to rupture and lead to death. Even true fifteen-star martial masters, those with iron wills, often found their aura completely extinguished with a single stare, losing all will to contend.

This was the second time Na Chi had encountered a gaze like Qin Fen’s. It was calm and level, entirely lacking in sharpness or lethality; one might even say the opponent hadn't even deployed his gaze. It felt like the indifferent look one gives a passerby on the street.

Under normal circumstances, if a martial artist met Na Chi’s stare with such a look, their eyeballs might instantly redden, but that would be the least of it. Experts could instinctively reflect the power of the stare, clashing martial energies of jing, qi, and shen.

Yet, Qin Fen, from his appearance to the end of their gaze exchange, remained quiet and peaceful, offering no counter-stare whatsoever, as if he had not been subjected to an attack. His eyes were like a mirror; the stare Na Chi had projected was instantly reflected back, impacting his own eyes.

Hitting oneself—this sensation was deeply unsettling. The sword-like eyebrows Na Chi had raised lowered, refocusing on the center of his forehead. He studied Qin Fen with suspicious curiosity. How old was this man? Not yet twenty-five? That other man back then also seemed under twenty-five! Why were their gazes so similar? No! This man was even younger than that person back then!

Na Chi suddenly recalled that in the data provided by the Heavenly Gate, Qin Fen’s reported age was less than twenty years old—even younger than the man whose profound martial arts and pure strength he had encountered on Jupiter!

Given this, wasn't that previous man already the supreme genius hero martial artist in the world? Na Chi vigorously shook his head. Qin Fen must have mastered some special gazing technique! The Heavenly Gate's files recorded that he had once visited Qilin Mountain to pay respects to the Qilin and stayed there for a long time before leaving.

“That’s it!” A flash of realization crossed Na Chi’s eyes. “This Qin Fen must have learned a special gazing technique from the Qilin! I have already met the most talented martial artist—that young man on Jupiter that day! That astonishingly gifted warrior! It is absolutely impossible for there to be another martial artist this young in this era who can meet my gaze so calmly without employing any specific staring technique.”

“A martial artist should possess confidence; one who loses confidence cannot achieve greatness,” Qin Fen spoke slowly, taking a step forward. “However, never let that confidence turn into arrogance. A single word difference yields the gap between heaven and earth.”

“Arrogance? I’ve killed so many of the Heavenly Gate’s experts. I was planning on finding you at the military headquarters to kill you, but I didn’t expect you to deliver yourself here today.”

Na Chi lifted his head, his wrist turning as a round, golden hoop materialized in his palm. Except for the section he held, the rest of the hoop was lined with sharp blades. It was less like a circular metal hoop and more like a circular metal blade!

Qin Fen walked slowly, paying no attention to the weapon in Na Chi’s hand, his gaze fixed solely on Luonna to prevent him from using hidden mechanisms to escape or being killed by someone else. “Too many people have died today; I don't wish to kill any more. I didn't come here to kill today. Within the Heavenly Gate, I only intend to kill those connected to Tathagata, so he can experience the pain I felt from losing my master.”

“Kill?” Na Chi frowned. Did those words imply he didn't intend to kill him? That he was inferior?

The few members of the Founding Association felt heightened alarm as Qin Fen advanced without releasing any gangqi. Instinctively, they retreated repeatedly, trying to evade the immense aura that manifested without the need for overt martial force.

Du Zhanpeng emerged from around the corner, holding Du Peng, and sighed softly as he watched Qin Fen advance leisurely. As expected of the man who dared to claim himself the foremost young martial artist of his generation, he had now reached a stage where he could display his bearing without resorting to any martial power. He hadn't expected Du Peng’s death to stimulate him so deeply that his martial path had progressed even further since the Natural Graveyard.

Although this advancement couldn't be instantly converted into actual star-level strength, this experience would bring unexpected future benefits.

Of course, Du Zhanpeng frowned slightly. The current matter concerning Du Peng had solidified Qin Fen’s resolve to save his friend, which was the source of this effect. If Du Peng could not be rescued, perhaps this rising giant of the martial arts world would also be destroyed along with his friend’s irreversible plight.

Xiao Yao watched Qin Fen advance, her eyes instinctively jumping up to block him, only to find nothing in front of her. Qin Fen’s footsteps sounded behind her.

“Today, I don’t wish to kill many people. I just want the data I need,” Qin Fen walked calmly, his eyelids lifting slightly as he glanced faintly at Na Chi. “If anyone continues to obstruct me, I will kill them.”

A threat! The most blatant threat! Na Chi stared at Qin Fen, a chilling killing intent instantly rising on his face. Over the years, even Tathagata and the Jade Emperor had treated him with deference. Now, this young man who had just appeared was so arrogant! Regardless of how profound his footwork was when he instantly raised and retracted his gangqi, if he tolerated this today, his martial path would never advance again in this lifetime.

“Qin Fen!” Na Chi laughed uproaringly. “Since I began my career, I have roamed the world, and the number of people I’ve killed is countless! Those who dared to say they would kill me—there are eight hundred if not a thousand of them, and they are all repenting their arrogance in hell! You are so audacious at such a young age. I don’t know if it’s because your strength and fame have risen too fast, causing a mental imbalance, or what. But since you’ve threatened me so boldly, you will compensate for provoking me with your life!”

As the word “compensate” left his lips, Na Chi remained stationary, only his ankles suddenly rotated. Then, his legs split apart! Head down, chest tucked in! Without any visible preparatory movement, it seemed as if a pair of wheels had sprouted beneath his feet. Like a leopard charging at top speed, he lunged toward Qin Fen.

The speed of this step defied the imagination of Lü Dongbin, who knew him well. The explosive sound of air tearing accompanied his passage, echoing through the narrow passage. Coupled with the surging blast of qi, it instantly filled the entire corridor. Before the floor even shook, everyone felt the erupting Earthly Dipper qi pushing them back repeatedly. The few staff members with the weakest cultivation fainted instantly.

The Martial Arts Master behind the reinforced glass narrowed his pupils smaller than a pinhole! Yet, he still couldn't track Na Chi’s figure, relying only on the sound of air friction to judge Na Chi’s location. Simultaneously, he pushed the fifteen-star True Qi within his body to its limit to resist the imposing aura, which felt like the collapse of Mount Tianwang. The immense pressure accelerated his heartbeat.

This is an eighteen-star martial artist? As this thought flashed through the Martial Arts Master’s mind, Na Chi violently shook the Qiankun Ring in his hand, launching it out. It streaked with a golden afterglow like a meteor, heading straight for He Xiangu. Simultaneously, his left hand flicked, and the three-sectioned chain-linked spear behind him instantly assembled, aimed directly at Qin Fen’s chest for a thrust!

With decades of combat experience, the Qiankun Ring was thrown to distract He Xiangu, while the Fire-Tipped Spear executed the simplest and most direct thrust! The Great Dao can be complex, but it can also be utterly simple! Na Chi’s ring attack complicated the battlefield situation, while his spear thrust was deceptively straightforward.

Almost simultaneously, a dazzling red light shot out from Na Chi’s waist belt!

Aurora Mirror! A new piece of technology! Similar to a flashbang, but far more potent. It could instantly damage the opponent's vision, causing temporary blindness, but crucially, it wouldn't scatter the light and injure allies.

This was modified by Na Chi—the Hunyuan Ling! The dazzling white light could injure the eyes, but the red light possessed even greater penetration! This extreme red light was even more blinding than the white light.

Na Chi never underestimated any opponent. Qin Fen, the fastest-rising figure today, appearing unharmed after killing Han Zhongli and Tieguai Li, proved his strength.

Furthermore, he had visited Qilin Peak! Na Chi didn't fear Qin Fen, but he had to be wary of the Qilin behind him, the truly top-tier Grandmaster of Martial Arts in this era. If the techniques created by the Qilin were taught to Qin Fen, today’s fight might require more than just a few maneuvers.

Qin Fen closed his eyes. In his entire career, this was the first time he encountered someone integrating high technology with martial arts. His left hand shot out like a palm strike toward the tip of Na Chi’s spear. His legs paused slightly, sinking into a low horse stance.

Flesh against a weapon? Na Chi tightened his shoulders, settling into the horse stance, his spear tip thrusting forward, channeling all his strength into this one shot—it was as if he wasn't holding a spear, but a fire dragon roaring out of confinement!

Clang! The harsh sound of metal colliding instantly shattered all the floor tiles in the corridor, along with the highly protective steel-glass barriers. Blood violently spurted from the tiger’s mouth of both of Na Chi’s hands, his chest surging with blood, and his spear disintegrated into powder!

How is this possible? Na Chi never asked such a foolish question on the battlefield! The battlefield was full of variables, but this time he had to ask. His spear, capable of cleaving heaven and earth, should not have been resisted by Qin Fen’s flesh and blood, even with Earthly Dipper gangqi.

The red light had mostly dissipated. Na Chi finally saw what Qin Fen held in his palm: a piece of metal! A very strange metal. This metal was infused with Earthly Dipper gangqi, and in the collision with his own gangqi-infused spear, it emerged victorious.

New metal! Na Chi recognized the metal instantly. This object reflected absolutely no light within the red glow. Because of this characteristic, it effectively became invisible under the red illumination, causing his spear to shatter.

After shattering the Fire-Tipped Spear, Qin Fen’s slightly arched low horse stance transformed into the impact force of a dragon cannon. His body flashed like lightning toward Na Chi, his right arm extending forward from behind his body—it was a strike incorporating the vast, lonely power of the Million-Year Sealing of the Gods List of the Sahara!

A punch that charged forward relentlessly!

Na Chi decisively abandoned the remnants of his spear. All his gangqi erupted, and facing such vast power, it was as if even his bottleneck had broken, unleashing potential never before seen. He clenched both fists into the "Two Dragons Emerge from the Sea" stance to block Qin Fen’s Sealing of the Gods List.

Attack as defense! At this moment, Na Chi finally displayed why the Heavenly Gate martial artists dominated Saturn. The rumble of his eighteen-star Earthly Dipper gangqi shook the entire Mount Tianwang. Even Qin Fen’s all-encompassing Sealing of the Gods List made it difficult to find its true point of attack, often forcing the opponent into passive defense.

But Na Chi, this veteran powerhouse of the Heavenly Gate, used offense as defense, correctly finding the trajectory of Qin Fen’s assault—the Sealing of the Gods List, which no one had ever truly caught before.

The deafening collision of the two fists caused the entire Mount Tianwang to shake violently. The crack of breaking bone echoed through the air, followed by a blast of icy wind sweeping in from the end of the corridor, clearing away the swirling dust.

Luonna had already fainted amidst the tremors. Na Chi stood firm in a deep archer’s stance, staring intently at Qin Fen ahead. He slowly looked down at the massive fist hole that had appeared in his chest. His eyes showed disbelief for the second time. Both were eighteen-star level, yet he had been defeated! And defeated so thoroughly—his heart shattered, leaving no chance for a comeback.

Bang bang bang…

Na Chi’s body below his shoulders exploded in succession, clumps of blood splashing everywhere. His body slowly began to fall forward. In his mind, he replayed the sensation of receiving that punch—it felt like facing the entirety of the Sahara desert sand descending from the heavens, infinite and endless!

The Martial Arts Master behind the shattered glass stared, dumbfounded. This… this was a completely crushing battle! Qin Fen’s punch gave the impression that truly no one in the world could stop it! It was a feeling of absolute determination; his fist radiated a resolve that anyone blocking the path had foolishly chosen to be a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

Na Chi had utilized time, technique, and environment to their absolute maximum, yet he still stood no chance of victory against Qin Fen.

Just as Na Chi began to fall, before his body truly touched the ground, the arm that had grown from his bio-beast instinct suddenly flipped, and he drew a short spear from his trousers! The tip of the dazzling short spear erupted with a piercing gust of wind at extremely close range, aimed straight at Qin Fen’s heart!

A short spear forged from Martian Red-Patterned Steel! Its close-range burst was ferocious!

Na Chi’s heart, like Pei Chengjun on Mount Hanna that day, forcibly shifted his heart at the critical moment. If the sixteen-star Pei Chengjun could manage it, the eighteen-star Na Chi, possessing Earthly Dipper strength, could certainly do so! Moreover, he succeeded better than Pei Chengjun; even the latent power Qin Fen left in his body exploded, yet it failed to harm his heart.

Na Chi used his collapse to feign death, buying himself a moment to breathe and launch a sneak attack. He concentrated all his remaining power into one thrust, accurately locking onto the heart.

Qin Fen tossed aside the new metal in his left hand, and his five fingers moved like lightning in the “Lingering and Lingering, Lingering All Around” technique, wrapping around the short spear.

Hiss, hiss, hiss…

As the short spear was gripped tightly in Qin Fen’s palm, white vapor emitted from the friction, grinding forward another half-inch before being stopped.

This move, “Lingering and Lingering, Lingering All Around,” coiled around the shaft. Na Chi’s right arm and palm burned hotly, as all his strength seemed to be swallowed by this strange coiling motion, like a clay ox entering the sea.

“Take it! If I can’t take it back, I’m truly dead!” Na Chi roared, his legs stamping on the ground, his waist and horse unified as he poured all his strength into thrusting the short spear forward!

“Too bad you don't have the power of Superman.”

Qin Fen’s voice was calm and slow, sounding as if an ancient deity were preaching the Dharma, echoing across time and space from the primordial era. His five fingers tightened around the short spear, and with a surge of power from his forearm, he flicked it up, instantly lifting Na Chi completely off the ground.

Na Chi started in shock. He quickly released the spear, using the upward momentum to retreat backward. Behind him, Qin Fen had already punched open a path. If he could just exit Tianwang Peak, even severely injured, he could return to the Heavenly Gate first.

Lü Dongbin, clutching the Qiankun Circle aimed at He Xiangu, felt his heart clench as he watched Na Chi retreat. If this man escaped, having just wrestled with death against Qin Fen's onslaught, he might genuinely break through his bottleneck, making him even harder to deal with in the future.

A blinding white light flashed into Lü Dongbin’s vision. The crimson beam pierced through Na Chi’s forehead, exiting from the back of his skull, trailing a thin, visceral line of scarlet blood.

Na Chi had calculated everything perfectly, even anticipating that Qin Fen might use the short spear as a projectile weapon. He hadn't expected the speed to be so overwhelming that his currently weakened state could not possibly evade it.

Na Chi watched the red blood trickle down his brow, listening to Qin Fen’s voice, which emerged slowly from where he still stood: “Can the heart be opened? Can the brain be too?”

Bang! Na Chi’s body slammed heavily onto the ground; he was dead. His eyes were still fixed rigidly on Qin Fen, as if regretting that he hadn't managed to haul Qin Fen up and gift him to Yang Jian as an "Exhausting Dog" instead.

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