For any field to achieve a monumental leap forward, it invariably requires the emergence of geniuses who transcend the realm of ordinary prodigies! Inzarota and Lin Liqiang! Although neither is considered the absolute top authority in their respective fields, they are universally acknowledged as once-in-five-hundred-years super-geniuses for humanity. Many believe that any groundbreaking progress humanity makes in the future will inevitably be linked to these two; they are the destined kings of their future domains!

The top specialists from these two major industries exclaimed in unison, instantly drawing the curious and scrutinizing gazes of personnel from other sectors. Everyone permitted to join the Dragon Hall’s core membership had been meticulously selected by Zhang Xiangyang. Not only did they possess the highest sense of honor regarding the Dragon Hall, but virtually every single one was an elite within their field, often the elite of the elite.

A group such as this—each member possessed an unyielding backbone of pride! To truly admire and respect someone was a rare feat indeed.

Yet, the moment Qin Fen announced those names, astonishment swept through both camps. What did this signify?

Bio-Beasts and pharmaceuticals—these were among humanity's most cutting-edge industries, propelling the advancement of humankind.

Mobile Armors, starships, and new energy sources also led human progress, but even they could not overlook the Bio-Beast and pharmaceutical sectors, especially the former.

Several of Lin Liqiang’s papers had not only caused enormous repercussions in academia but had also piqued the intense interest of numerous news reporters.

"In the future, everyone can possess a Bio-Beast!"

"Bio-Beasts will no longer be expensive luxuries!"

"Escape the mortal threat of Bio-Beast fusion!"

"Bio-Beasts—the dream of eternal life and immortality!"

"Bio-Beasts—the possibility of survival in space!"

Lin Liqiang’s pronouncements and papers forced the academic community to concede the potential of his theories, yet everyone knew that every single topic he mentioned was the subject of countless researchers' efforts, none of whom dared to make such bold public declarations as he had. After all, vast sums of research funding had been poured in, yielding no truly epoch-making results to date.

In that instant, all the societal elites present had no choice but to fundamentally reassess their perception and valuation of Qin Fen. This founder of the Dragon Hall was not merely a powerhouse with formidable martial strength; his ability to secure geniuses surpassed common imagination, effortlessly attracting two towering talents without fanfare.

“Hall Master Qin, you aren't joking, are you?”

After half a day of shock, an elite talent specializing in Bio-Beasts, though certain Qin Fen wouldn't jest, couldn't help voicing the question on everyone’s mind.

“They are my friends.” Qin Fen recalled his high school classmates, Lin Liqiang and Inzarota, feeling a surge of emotion. Life was often miraculous; their connection began simply because Lin Liqiang sensed Qin Fen was different from the other classmates and found him agreeable. Who could have predicted it would evolve to this degree?

“I am thrilled to be able to learn alongside the most brilliant geniuses in the entire Federation!” The young woman wearing glasses extended her hand toward Qin Fen. “Thank you, Hall Master Qin, for granting me the opportunity to witness the pharmaceutical giant Inzarota up close.”

Momentarily, several researchers extended their hands, expressing their excitement over the prospect of a “sponsored tour” to Saturn.

Zhang Xiangyang swiftly booked the flights and contacted the families of those individuals. Any relatives wishing to accompany them to Saturn were welcome; those who preferred not to travel could opt to remain in the territories under Director Qin’s influence on Earth, with their personal safety guaranteed.

When it came to specific logistics, Qin Fen was entirely outmatched by Zhang Xiangyang’s expertise, so he ceded all control and mingled with the others. Being able to enter this Combat Web, even briefly, was a long-awaited event.

“Master,”

An excited voice broke the quiet of the large conference hall. At the far end of the crowd, a young martial artist executed several successive aerial leaps. His movements suggested incredible speed, yet they conveyed a strangely tranquil aura.

Qin Fen raised an eyebrow, looking at Ma Juntie, the disciple he had taken in at the Holy Martial Hall. In the six months since, his Star Rating had astonishingly reached Nine-Star.

Given their similar ages, when they stood face-to-face, the crowd suddenly noticed the completely different energies emanating from them. From Qin Fen, the young man, radiated an aura known as the bearing of a Grandmaster, displaying the genuine demeanor of an elder viewing a junior.

“Six stars to nine stars in half a year. Not bad.”

Qin Fen’s compliment once again drew gasps of amazement from many, who now looked anew at this core member who rarely appeared in the Sky Combat Web. In the past, many wondered about the background of this young man—what credentials entitled him to core membership?

Six-star combat strength escalating to nine-star in half a year. This speed of martial advancement was indeed sufficient qualification for core membership.

More people began to fantasize about their own descendants. If they could receive even a single pointer from Qin Fen, perhaps they too could see their Star Ratings soar like Ma Juntie’s.

“A Grandmaster is truly a Grandmaster; even his disciple advances so quickly.”

“Indeed. I just wonder if my own child has any aptitude for the Martial Way. If only they could receive…”

“Surely, our chances are much greater than those of the Dragon Hall descendants, right?”

“Precisely, precisely!”

Qin Fen listened to the low murmurs and began considering carving out time to guide the descendants of these members, or perhaps arranging for Ji Zhen Xuan Yi to hold sessions instead.

“Master, when I was at Eight-Star, I defeated Mark Zeus when he went all out at Nine-Star,” Ma Juntie exclaimed with excitement. “Uncle Bai has sparred with me frequently these past few days. Mistress Asura says that once I reach Ten-Star, she’ll take me to Special Training—she mentioned that Master’s strength also accelerated rapidly after undergoing Special Training.”

Mark Leith? Qin Fen offered a wry smile internally. The opponent from the New Recruit Tournament couldn't even defeat his disciple now. Life truly was full of surprises. What must Mark be thinking?

Asura? Special Training? Qin Fen looked at Ma Juntie’s flushed, excited expression and silently mourned for his disciple. The boy imagined Special Training as some kind of pleasure cruise, or like the usual excitement of reaching a high level. When the real Special Training began, he would have cause to cry. Qin Fen was sure it would be difficult to see such excitement on his face again.

“Very good. Keep working hard,” Qin Fen encouraged softly, patting Ma Juntie’s shoulder. “When the time comes, you can go see the Heroes’ Gathering as well.”

The Heroes’ Gathering was not an event restricted only to Martial Arts Grandmasters. Any martial artist could sign up to participate. Those stuck at a martial bottleneck could gain experience by sparring with peers of similar strength. Some found excellent employment by impressing influential figures. Others were taken as disciples by powerful martial artists based on their performance. In short, the Heroes’ Gathering was eternally a grand assembly for the entire Federation, a place where countless miracles were forged, and a venue where one might finally behold Divine Beast level martial artists.

“The Heroes’ Gathering?” Ma Juntie’s eyes shone with excitement, mirroring Qin Fen’s own expression when he first heard of it. “Master, I can go too?”

“It won’t hurt to look,” Qin Fen replied, patting his shoulder. “If nothing unexpected happens, I plan to attend as well.”

“Come, let me see how your Eighteen Movements of Innate Energy practice is progressing.”

The master and disciple ignored the setting and began practicing right there in the conference room. Zhang Xiangyang, having finished his tasks, watched the pair and chuckled softly. In a way, Qin Fen truly possessed the nature of a Martial Fanatic. Perhaps it was precisely this martial path ingrained into his very bones that led him to his current level of attainment?

After supervising Ma Juntie’s practice of the Eighteen Movements of Innate Energy, Qin Fen accompanied him to the Nine-Star arena within the Sky Combat Web. Concealed among the spectators, he watched several of his disciple’s matches, confirming that taking him as a disciple had been the right choice.

Ma Juntie was not just Nine-Star strong; he was daring and aggressive, his strikes and footwork fluidly varied, subtly forming his own unique martial style. Furthermore, in every fight, he deliberately engaged multiple opponents—be it one against two, one against three, or even one against four group battles. In Ma Juntie’s own words: “Master loves group fights the most, and as his disciple, I naturally shouldn’t lag behind in that regard.”

Qin Fen then gave Ma Juntie detailed instructions regarding the Bone Marrow Rebirth process upon reaching the peak of Nine-Star, and the necessity of contacting him immediately after achieving the ultimate control over Qi Oscillation upon reaching Fourteen-Star. Only then did he exit the Sky Combat Web.

Qin Fen held firm confidence in Ma Juntie reaching Fourteen-Star; the young man possessed excellent martial intuition, and barring any major unforeseen circumstances, it seemed entirely possible.

After leaving the Combat Web, Qin Fen relayed the happenings there to Lin Liqiang and Inzarota before entering secluded meditation.

The battle at the stadium concert had exposed Qin Fen to so much: the peculiar martial arts of the King of Terror, which stirred up a wave of pervasive fear; the musical roars of the Yafei and Yaxin sisters during their fierce clash; the profound emotions evoked by the crowd’s shouts amidst the music—that instant ignited the boiling blood, the soul-burning passion. His fighting style felt significantly different from his usual approach.

And then there was the attack of the Tathagata! A martial artist of the Heavenly Dipper realm. This was the first time since his debut that Qin Fen had encountered a Heavenly Dipper level master. That technique, the Myriad Buddhas Paying Homage, contained so much depth.

These were experiences and lessons that could only be acquired through chance encounters. Qin Fen became completely immersed in his inner world, his chest rising and falling rhythmically.

At almost the same moment, all the Martial Arts Grandmasters stationed at the entire base entered seclusion for refinement. The stadium battle, involving not only Qin Fen as the main combatant but also the observing martial artists, had been an exceptionally valuable experience for everyone.

This battle benefited not only those present but also the Grandmasters who watched the fight via broadcast, offering them considerable insight.

At this moment, virtually every expert above the Martial Arts Grandmaster level in the Federation chose to enter deep meditation. Such a martial feast was usually only encountered at the Heroes’ Gathering; no one expected to witness such spectacular combat at a mere concert.

Three days later, Saturn’s military base welcomed Xue Tian back. He returned covered in wounds, clutching a broken saber.

No one asked what Xue Tian had been doing, but the severity of his injuries—so bad that he couldn't even summon his Bio-Beast in time to return to base—indicated the gravity of the situation.

A day later, a Colonel temporarily managing the base received a piece of intelligence: Guanyin of the Celestial Gate had been attacked by an unknown assailant and was heavily wounded, forced into seclusion for recovery.

Guanyin critically injured? The Colonel’s mind immediately flashed to the heavily wounded Xue Tian resting nearby. He secretly speculated: Could this lazy, powerful soldier be involved?

Not long after, the Colonel received a report from the personnel he had dispatched. When Xue Tian returned to base, he had mentioned a coordinate, stating that “that thing” was too heavy for an artistic, handsome fellow like himself to handle manually, and asked someone to retrieve an item from that location.

Now, the item had been brought back. The Colonel stared at the massive iron contraption before him, confused about what it was—it resembled neither a sniper rifle nor a cannon, yet the arriving Lin Ling had somehow managed to haul it away.

The Colonel could not comprehend why Lin Ling, whose expression was always utterly devoid of emotion, had shown the slightest spark of light in his eyes upon seeing the large hunk of metal.

A week passed. Qin Fen slowly opened his eyes, feeling an unprecedented hunger gnawing at his stomach. Even Martial Arts Grandmasters were human, not deities capable of bypassing sustenance through cultivation.

Seeing Chen Feiyu standing there, Qin Fen clutched his famished stomach and asked, “Something’s up?”

“Let’s eat first,” Chen Feiyu replied, pushing the door open and stepping out of the room.

“Is it about the Insect Warriors?” Qin Fen walked alongside Chen Feiyu, noticing that this martial artist, who usually only focused on combat and never proactively sought him out, must have a reason. He immediately considered a possibility.

“Yes.” Chen Feiyu pushed open the mess hall doors, gestured for two nutrient meals, and sat down to speak. “Lü Dongbin gave us a coordinate. He said it’s an Insect Warrior base. Also, Xue Tian went to assassinate the God of Slaughter and happened to run into Guanyin. They fought, and both were severely wounded and are now in seclusion.”

Attacking Guanyin? Qin Fen raised an eyebrow in slight surprise. Guanyin was second only to Tathagata in the Celestial Gate. Had Xue Tian also stumbled upon some rare fortune recently? Otherwise, even with his prodigious talent, the speed of his strength increase was truly astonishing! What sort of fortune could it have been?

“Insect Warriors…” Qin Fen’s head suddenly snapped up. He glared at the nutrient meal on the table, nearly spitting out the mouthful he had just taken. It had been a very, very long time since he had “enjoyed” food this repulsive!

“This nutrient meal…” Qin Fen looked at the cook and asked, “Who is your master?”

“Mr. Inzarota,” the cook replied, his face beaming with pride.

Qin Fen looked seriously at the cook and said calmly, “Thank you.”

The cook was surprised. Had this base’s Lieutenant Colonel Qin not gagged? Colonel Yang Lie couldn't hold it in and sprayed it out! Xue Tian had even shouted that this was not food fit for human consumption. Even the most resilient Du Peng and Morad had nearly wept from the terrible taste. Yet Lieutenant Colonel Qin only frowned slightly and seemed fine? And why did he say thank you?

Qin Fen carefully scooped another spoonful of the nutrient meal, closed his eyes, and savored the awful taste. Everything from the rookie training camp flashed before his eyes: Squad Leader Hao’s wicked grin, Butcher’s sharpness, Gun King’s constant cursing, the lecherous nature of the Waste Squad leader, and…

Nourished by memory, the terrible taste suddenly seemed exceptionally delicious.

Seeing a trace of moisture in Qin Fen’s eyes, the cook secretly felt smug. It seemed Lieutenant Colonel Qin couldn’t endure this flavor either.

“It’s delicious,” Qin Fen declared, swallowing the rest of the food in hungry gulps, appearing to savor every bite. He stunned the cook completely. Looking up, he stated, “It’s only slightly inferior to Fat Chef’s cooking. Keep working hard.” (To be continued)