Since the Jupiter gathering will no longer host the Assembly of Heroes, perhaps Saturn will have to step up if such an event is to be held in the future?

The few Divine Beast warriors looked toward the martial artists gathered for the Assembly, all vying for the Divine Beast title. Even before reaching the true peak confrontations, the destruction already caused was immense. They were eager to witness the ultimate clashes between these participants.

The ultimate peak confrontations? Different Divine Beasts and spectators fixed their sights on different candidates for the final pinnacle match.

Zhu Que, Shangguan Shengyu, focused an admiring gaze upon his own son, Shangguan Chuanqi. Never before had anyone managed to cultivate a new martial art to such a profound level!

Qing Long quietly watched Qin Fen, who sat motionless on the ground. As Qin Zhan’s disciple, Qing Long possessed an unshakeable confidence in his master’s younger brother.

Under the watch of the crowd, two young men now stood in the center of the arena, an area long since turned to sand—a battle between members of the Qin Fen squad was brewing once more.

Many lamented the terrible luck of the Qin Fen squad, while also noting that such unfortunate luck required having a massive number of people qualify for the Assembly in the first place.

Clearly, the Qin Fen squad had more than enough members. While they might not account for half of all Assembly participants, a full third was surely an understatement.

For a single faction to account for one-third of all participants in an Assembly of Heroes—this had never occurred in the history of the event.

If the selection of Divine Beast warriors were based on organizational strength rather than the pure martial prowess of the individuals, any member randomly nominated by the Qin Fen squad could instantly claim the title of Divine Beast warrior.

Long ago, the title of Divine Beast warrior was never secured by the strength of one person alone; the strength of the forces they organized was an equally crucial component. However, the battle against the Queen Bee of Pandora's Space had forced the handful of Divine Beasts to choose a shortcut.

Tie Bing let out a soft sigh. This shortcut was by no means a good thing; the process of building an invincible force was also a crucial tempering of the heart.

"What rotten luck."

The quiet arena was suddenly shattered by Solomon’s bold declaration, instantly drawing everyone’s attention.

Xue Tian smiled, cradling his Iai-tō, and looked at Solomon. "Rotten luck?"

"Rotten luck!" Solomon raised a hand and pointed at Yang Lie, Brooks, and the others. "They can't beat me, but I can't beat you. What do you call that if not rotten luck?"

Everyone watching the grand event unfold via the network was stunned. While many had withdrawn since the Assembly began, Solomon was the first to openly admit inferiority to an opponent while simultaneously exuding absolute certainty that he could crush the young prodigies who had previously impressed everyone so thoroughly.

Qin Fen, seated on the ground, smiled without speaking. Ever since Solomon took the position of Family Head on Earth, his entire mental state had undergone a massive shift. Aside from becoming overwhelmingly frenzied in combat, he had become incredibly straightforward in his daily life.

Straightforward! Qin Fen sighed. Perhaps it was precisely because Solomon’s personality had become so intensely direct, entering a state of great wisdom masquerading as foolishness, that his temporary martial power indeed held a slight edge over Yang Lie and the others.

"Come on," Solomon suddenly spread his arms wide in a horse stance. "I promised my woman I would put on a spectacular fight for her."

Knowing he was outmatched, yet refusing to retreat? Many powerful warriors watched Solomon with envy. Such fortune was not available to just anyone.

Battles between top-tier warriors rarely allowed for holding back or preserving oneself; causing fatalities was the most common outcome. It was for this very reason that Qin Guang Wang and Tathagata had chosen to withdraw promptly, even knowing they stood no chance.

Fighting a powerful warrior without dying invariably offered some insight into the martial path. Of course, the prerequisite was that the weaker party had to unleash their absolute full strength during the confrontation.

Xue Tian was clearly capable of ensuring Solomon’s survival while simultaneously forcing him to unleash his full power. Such an opportunity...

Aside from the Divine Beast warriors and a few youths like Hades, who wouldn't envy Solomon for having made such a friend?

The instant the battle bell rang, Solomon materialized before Xue Tian like a ghost. He pressed down with his fingers formed into a Vajra Mudra toward Xue Tian’s chest, unleashing the furious demonic style using Buddhist martial arts! A vast, boundless power stirred the air into thunderous resonance, descending with the booming sound of a Buddha chanting his name.

Xue Tian kept his Iai-tō sheathed, transforming his arm into a blade for the Seven Star Immortal Thunder Cavalry Slash, once again activating his peerless replication ability, drawing looks of jealousy and envy from all the Martial Arts Masters.

Ultimate Techniques! Even if they weren't the absolute highest-tier techniques, they were unique martial skills considered the very lifeblood of a warrior! Normally, warriors might exchange insights with peers, but they would never reveal their most fundamental ultimate techniques!

Because of this, true, life-or-death bonds were rare among Martial Arts Masters.

However, Qin Fen’s group was different. Before they had truly ascended to the ranks of Martial Arts Masters, they had become bound by deep camaraderie under Qin Fen's influence, completely discarding the reservations others held. They not only shared martial insights but also offered their core ultimate techniques as references.

Aside from wives, what is yours is mine, and what is mine is yours—this had long been the unstated, yet rigorously followed principle of the Qin Fen squad.

The Seven Star Immortal Thunder Cavalry Slash, a technique exclusive to the Du family, now appeared in Xue Tian’s hands! Convention dictated that a member of the Du family would appear to kill Xue Tian, preventing the dissemination of Du family techniques and punishing the Du family member who leaked them.

It was precisely for this reason that the exchange of ultimate techniques among warriors was so difficult to foster. Yet, the Qin Fen squad completely shattered this tradition. Their formidable team strength, established long ago on Earth by seizing the leadership positions of various major families within days, had served as a declaration to the world: We are the strongest! To move against any one of us is to move against the entire entity!

Retrieving a technique from Xue Tian—even a Divine Beast warrior would have to carefully consider the power of the team behind Xue Tian before uttering such a thought.

Perhaps this team couldn't defeat a single Divine Beast warrior, but if scattered, causing massive turmoil on a Divine Beast warrior’s home planet—killing a few Star Lord Generals would hardly be difficult.

Even Divine Beast warriors had to think twice about targeting this team. What about other factions and powers? Exchanging martial ultimate techniques required not only the firm conviction of the individual warrior but also the backing of a powerful effort. And Tian (Tian Cha Cha/Xue Tian) had a force behind him that troubled the entire Federation, and even the Queen Bee of the Younu Zhui territory.

If possible, the Queen Bee would likely be very willing to sign a non-aggression pact with the Qin Fen squad for the time being.

In an instant, Solomon cycled through four different Buddhist mudras. Xue Tian suddenly used his arm as a blade, then shifted to a palm strike, manifesting Caesar’s Seal Fist out of thin air. He even used his arm as a spear, demonstrating the spear techniques learned from Morad right in front of Zhu Que.

The hundred Martial Arts Masters watching were deeply shocked. How could this be one person fighting? Xue Tian was absolutely not fighting alone—at this moment, the souls of Yang Lie, Morad, and Caesar seemed to possess him! He was not fighting alone!

The jealous glances had, at some unknown point, transformed into gazes of envy. Several Martial Arts Masters even secretly glanced at Qin Fen, sitting composedly nearby, wondering if they could approach Qin Fen after the Assembly to discuss joining the Dragon Hall and perhaps receive similar treatment.

No warrior ever wished to neglect improving their martial strength. Martial Arts Masters, having encountered the profound mysteries of the martial path, desired advancement even more than any other practitioner! This was why organizations like the Heavenly Gate, the Underworld, and even the Star Lord Generals existed.

With the presence of powerful warriors like Qin Fen and Xue Tian, along with Yang Lie, in the Dragon Hall, the addition of any Martial Arts Master would not feel like a demotion. On the contrary, many felt it would be an honor to become a part of it.

Different martial paths dictated different choices. For those Martial Arts Masters whose temperaments were not excessively extreme, many began to contemplate whether they should join the Dragon Hall after the Assembly. Compared to the fully matured systems of other Divine Beast warriors, the burgeoning and flourishing organization of the Dragon Hall offered far greater anticipation.

While everyone was lost in thought, Solomon was sent flying backward, his body ripped open in more than a dozen places. His defeat caused no surprise; Xue Tian was undeniably one of the brightest stars of this Assembly. If Solomon had won, it would have been cause for strangeness.

Just as the Martial Arts Masters remained expressionless, Yang Lie, Caesar, and even the defeated Solomon showed expressions of deep contemplation.

Xue Tian, just moments ago, had not fought with power exceeding Solomon’s; he had engaged purely with equal force, and yet, it was Solomon who was defeated.

After witnessing Xue Tian’s replication-style combat, Yang Lie and the others realized that the replication was, in retrospect, not entirely perfect. The techniques Qin Fen learned were heavily scrutinized and adapted, becoming almost unrecognizable. The techniques Xue Tian learned, however, showed almost no major change, yet a subtle, tiny variation, visible only upon close inspection, was the reason Solomon lost!

In an instant, Yang Lie and the others understood: Xue Tian’s fight was not just for Solomon; it was also a demonstration for the rest of them.

The dry, sandy ground suddenly whipped up several whirlwinds, drawing the golden sand into the sky. Air currents surged from every direction, and many Martial Arts Masters even felt a faint tremor beneath their feet.

Man and Heaven united—and not just one person achieving Man and Heaven unity!

The audience watching online had no idea what this bizarre scene signified, but the Martial Arts Masters and Divine Beast warriors present understood immediately: the majority of the Qin Fen squad had suddenly entered the realm of Man and Heaven Unity!

Shock and envy filled the eyes of all the Martial Arts Masters. Qilin frowned slightly, and a sliver of unusual astonishment flickered in his pupils. The martial prowess of these young men, setting aside their youth, had already reached terrifying heights. Under such terrifying conditions, they could still enter the state of Man and Heaven Unity? What were they planning? Were Qin Fen and Xue Tian not going to stop until they dragged all their Dragon Hall comrades up to the strength of Divine Beast warriors?

Three seconds! A full three seconds. Normally, three seconds was barely enough time to blink twice or thrice, but for the Martial Arts Masters watching today, these three seconds felt agonizingly long, stretching out like three years!

Even one second of Man and Heaven Unity was a considerable duration for a Martial Arts Master. Three seconds? Many people wouldn't dare dream of such a time span.

In those three seconds, the massive arena was so silent that even the sound of a single falling strand of hair would not escape the ears of the Martial Arts Masters.

People exchanged bewildered glances. Such martial talent was almost unheard of in the history of the Federation!

Judging purely by martial talent, these young people even surpassed Qilin and the others! While they might not necessarily reach the level of Divine Beast warriors, they were certainly destined for incredibly glorious futures! Becoming a Divine Beast was not something achievable by talent alone.

Three seconds. Yang Lie slowly opened his eyes, an intensely excited light shooting from them toward Qin Fen. "Old Qin, I am very much looking forward to it! I look forward to fighting you!"

Those brief three seconds had imbued Yang Lie with immense confidence.

"Yang Lie, I want to try cutting you one more time," Brooks murmured, gently stroking the battle saber laid across his leg, as if caressing the most beautiful woman in the world.

Yang Lie raised his sword-like eyebrow, a faint smile curving the corner of his lips. "Another fight? Fine. After I defeat Qin Fen, I’ll fight you."

The Martial Arts Masters looked at Yang Lie's confidently smiling face but felt no sense of absurdity. Three seconds—three seconds of Man and Heaven Unity. Just how powerful was Yang Lie now? Perhaps only the Divine Beast warriors could truly gauge it.

A giant golden light screen suddenly descended from the sky, shattering the crowd’s stupor for the third time and drawing everyone’s focus.

As the number of drawing matches increased, the remaining participants in the Assembly dwindled. Apart from the three remaining Star Lord Generals from the planet Venus and the Jade Emperor, the rest were overwhelmingly young generation warriors.

Xue Tian vs. Du Peng, Heavenly Emperor vs. Hades, Caesar vs. Yang Lie, Shangguan Chuanqi vs. Morad, Qin Fen vs. Niu Jinnui.

Qin Fen vs. Niu Jinnui! Almost everyone's eyes fixed on this final pairing! Not long ago, Qin Fen had just punched the Venus Star Lord General Kang Jinlong to death. Now, in his next match, he was facing another Star Lord General from Venus!

Attention quickly shifted to Hades. Although Kang Jinlong was dead, the three Star Lord Generals who had recently revealed secrets to him were also his...

Hades’ ice-cold eyes turned toward the broad-shouldered, massive Niu Jinnui standing nearby.

"Young Master," Niu Jinnui knelt on one knee, resting one fist on the ground, slowly bowing his head toward Hades. "Please grant me leave to fight."

Hades silently observed Niu Jinnui. They were all masters of the martial path. Qin Fen's current aura could justly be described as swallowing mountains and rivers; even a Star Lord General held no chance of victory.

This was the aura Qin Fen projected—the feeling of standing before a towering, insurmountable cliff—even when simply sitting quietly, demanding awe and reverence!

Hades didn't lift his eyelids, his tone calm and detached. "Your death will not inspire me."

A gentle smile graced Niu Jinnui's broad face, his thick voice carrying a sound of fatherly affection this moment. "Young Master, I truly hope that my death causes you no emotional disturbance. That would mean you are qualified enough to fight Qin Fen. Since that is the case, please, allow me to go into battle."

A suicide mission? The Martial Arts Masters stared at Niu Jinnui in shock. This was a genuine Star Lord General, not the impostor like the previous Kang Jinlong; this was a Star Lord General at his peak. Yet, he claimed his death was certain? Had Qin Fen grown so terrifyingly powerful?

In an instant, the greatest shock the Martial Arts Masters had felt while observing the Assembly vanished without a trace, completely overshadowed by the exchange between Niu Jinnui and Hades, which eclipsed even the effect created when Shangguan Chuanqi defeated Ksitigarbha.

Niu Jinnui rose without waiting for Hades’ reply, his thick neck supporting his large head as he looked up at the satellite in the sky, revealing an honest, simple smile. "Son, I don't know if you are still watching the New Star preliminary matches for the Assembly. If you happen to be free and watching the broadcast here, I want to tell you something. Remember, the young master standing not far from me is the Young Master. After I die, he is your Lord. You must become a Star Lord General and guard the Young Master’s side. I failed to protect my Lord; you must not be useless like me. Enough said, son. Goodbye."

On the golden, sandy arena, Niu Jinnui stood smiling, his astonishing Heavenly Astral Qi fully unleashed. His entire body resembled one of those gold-lacquered Arhat statues in a temple.

Golden Absolute White Tiger's ultimate technique—as a Star Lord General, he naturally received instruction from the White Tiger. Niu Jinnui immediately deployed his strongest defensive divine art, a White Tiger ultimate technique, clearly intending to face Qin Fen with his master's martial skill.

"You, come back," Hades stood up, a hint of anger coloring his expression, and worry faintly shadowed his brow.

Niu Jinnui looked back at Hades with the benevolent smile of a loving father. "Young Master, your heart is not yet hard enough. If it were the Old Master, seeing me go into battle, he would surely sit there unmoved and majestic..."

"I..." For the first time, Hades’ chest heaved violently, his eyelids twitching several times before he roared fiercely, "I am not my father, Hares! What does it matter if my heart isn't ruthless enough? That is my business, and I will handle it myself. Get down! I forbid you from fighting!"

"Young Master..." Niu Jinnui clasped his hands together, bowing slightly, his tone plain yet imbued with an inexplicable firmness. "Your old servant must depart. Please take care. This time, I cannot obey you."

"Then..." Hades took a step into the arena, his face as dark as a mass of accumulated storm clouds. "Then I suppose I’ll have to drag you down myself..."

"This Little King of the Underworld truly disappoints me..."

Amidst the crowd, a sharp, grating voice shattered the standoff between the two figures in the arena. Many people now noticed that Zhang Hao, the Insect Martial artist from the Founders' Society, had stood up. His blood-red eyes surveyed the crowd with arrogance, as if looking at insects.

"Hades, your heart has softened too much; you hold too much useless love. Your affection for your subordinates, for Song Jia, prevents you from reaching the pinnacle of Insect Martial Arts. You have wasted too many of my resources."

Zhang Hao slowly rose, stepping one by one onto the golden sand, his hands clasped behind his back, revealing a look of disdain. "This is not the result I desired. I want the strongest Insect Martial Artist. You disappoint me too much. I cannot let you ruin my research. Although taking over your body now is earlier than my plan dictated, there is no other choice."

Take over? Plan? Qin Fen raised an eyelid, watching as Zhang Hao pressed his palms together. His muscles writhed like thousands of eels, and a bead instantly formed on his forehead! Just like the bead that sprouted from the forehead of the Buddha statue in a temple.

"Spiritual Power?" Lin Liqiang suddenly jumped up. "Insect Martial Artists also pursue the path of Spiritual Power? I never thought Zhang Hao would be a master of Spiritual Power among Insect Martial Artists!"

Inzarota slowly rose in silence, a hint of fighting spirit appearing in his icy brow.

New Humans versus Insect Martial Artists—the different evolutionary paths of two races. Which was truly superior? The best method was to fight! The victor would naturally be the strongest!

Before this moment, Inzarota and Lin Liqiang were full of confidence, believing New Humans were superior because Insect Martial Artists couldn't cultivate Spiritual Power. But if Insect Martial Artists could also cultivate Spiritual Power, everything changed drastically! Only through battle could the answer be known!

In a flash of lightning, the bead between Zhang Hao’s eyebrows suddenly spread outward like an ultrasonic wave emitted by a bat.

Simultaneously, Little King of the Underworld Hades suddenly clasped both hands over his head, his face contorted in unbearable agony.

"Come on, come on, Hades, you are my most outstanding creation! Devote everything you have!" Zhang Hao's eyes held a near-maniacal fervor as he roared repeatedly, "Don't you want to become the strongest? Become my tool, become my puppet, and you will become the strongest! I am your master! Do you know the extent of the concealment I employed during your modification just to evade detection by the Kang Jin Long? Come! Be my puppet!"

The Martial Arts Masters in the arena, along with the countless spectators, were all stunned. No one had anticipated such an unexpected turn of events. Something strange seemed to have taken root in Hades's mind—something capable of putting him under someone else's control?

Awooooo...

Sounds that would give one nightmares if heard at night—roars resembling those of a beast—erupted continuously from Hades's mouth.

Veins, like thick serpents, snaked across Hades's body. He clutched his head tightly, his body hunched like a shrimp kneeling on the ground. The force exerted by his hands seemed aimed at crushing his own skull. White foam dripped incessantly from his terrifying lips.

"Stop resisting; it's useless," Zhang Hao murmured, as if coaxing a lost child. "Cease your struggle. Don't you crave strength? I can grant it to you..."

The battle saber in Brooks's hand flashed with cold light. If Qin Fen's arm hadn't blocked him, the Sky-Splitting Blade would surely have struck Zhang Hao.

Yang Lie watched Qin Fen's arm intercepting him, and his tightly clenched fists slowly loosened. With a grim expression, he turned and sat back down on the ground.

"Don't you dare interfere..." Zhang Hao’s lips curled into a maniacal smile. "Qin Fen is the clever one. What's installed in Hades’s head isn't merely for control. If you wish for my death, then he will certainly die before I do."

The Three Great Star Constellation Generals glared in fury, their eyes fixed on Zhang Hao like vicious beasts. Science was not something martial arts powerhouses could easily comprehend. However, the intervention of Lin Liqiang and Inzarrota, two of the world's top scientists, made everyone realize that Zhang Hao’s words were far more than a mere threat.

Divine Power—a new subject for the Federation, about which few had deep understanding. Lin Liqiang and Inzarrota were among the most authoritative figures in the Federation today. With them stepping in, who would dare to move now?

The Three Great Star Constellation Generals could only watch the suffering Hades in agony.

"Why resist? Just give up?" Zhang Hao's voice dripped with seductive temptation. "If you give up, I can grant you strength surpassing your father, White Tiger. If you give up! I can make you kill Song Jia, fulfilling the desire of your heart. If you give up, I can give you the power to defeat Qin Fen and kill Azure Dragon. You will become the strongest Insect Warrior..."

The painful roar instantly ceased...

For a moment, people forgot to breathe, staring tensely at the Little Pluto, Hades, kneeling quietly on the ground, his body utterly curled like a shrimp.

"I..."

In the silent arena, Hades knelt, his body trembling faintly. "I... I am the noble son of White Tiger..."

"I am Little Pluto Hades!"

His bowed body straightened like a steel spear. Little Pluto Hades held his fists tightly against his chest. The low murmur from his mouth had long since turned into a roar: "I am human! Even if my physical form has undergone tremendous change! My soul remains a noble human soul! I can sell my body for power, but I will never sell my soul! I will not betray love! I love Song Jia, I love my father! My soul will never permit me to commit such a foul act! Qin Fen, I will defeat you myself!"

"That's right!" Hades suddenly spread his arms wide with tremendous force, roaring aloud: "I am Hades! I am Pluto Hades! You must not... do not try to bind me with your despicable technology again! Even if you use technology to control my body, my soul will never allow it! Never! Never!"

In that instant, Little Pluto Hades stood tall on the golden sand like a prehistoric leviathan! A vast aura manifested, sending visible currents of energy scattering outward!

The furrow in Kirin's brow smoothed out. For the first time, a smile of recognition appeared on his face. He did something he had never done before: he applauded!

The Divine Beast Kirin’s action immediately drew applause from the Martial Arts Masters. Anyone could see the profound agony Hades had endured. If that torment were inflicted on another, many Martial Arts Masters questioned if they could withstand such a psychic assault.

"Hades is awesome!"

"This is the real Little Pluto Hades!"

"Hades! Hades! Hades! Hades! Hades!"

On the live broadcast, countless young people watched and listened to Hades's actions and words, instantly igniting the latent passion within them. Cheers for Hades converged into one mighty sound.

At this moment, even the satellites and massive interstellar warships began to assist. They activated all their loudspeakers. The grand chorus of encouragement and the roars transformed into the most formidable power in the world, blasting out through the speakers!

What is the strongest power in this world? The human heart. At this moment, Hades's actions resonated with countless people. Their shouts and roars echoed throughout Jupiter! Throughout the entire Federation!

Who was Song Jia? That no longer mattered. The young women of the Federation understood clearly: she must be the woman Hades loved most! A man stood up against Zhang Hao’s mental assault for the sake of his woman!

Women are emotional beings. They won't focus on whether you are right or wrong; they value true love more! Hades’s stand perfectly mirrored the hearts of women.

Men are creatures inherently filled with hot-blooded passion. If a man loses that passion, is he still a man? Hades’s pride, his soul, in that single instant, ignited the heroic fervor in their blood!

That’s right! So what if he’s an Insect Warrior? Hades's soul is noble! Hades is... Pluto! How could some petty Zhang Hao possibly control him?

Immense support gathered from all directions. Under the transmission of the collective will and spirit of the crowd, Little Pluto Hades’s figure seemed to swell continuously, and the aura within his body kept rising and rising without stopping!

The Martial Arts Masters experienced visual distortion. At this moment, Little Pluto Hades’s body was like a towering, ten-thousand-foot cliff, in no way inferior to Qin Fen!

Hades’s soul had exploded, detonating the spiritual energy of nearly every spectator!

Wind... suddenly appeared... Little Pluto Hades became the eye of a vortex... Unity of Heaven and Man!

The vast cheers were a sensation Hades had never known: the passionate roars of men, the deeply moving cries of women... the thunderous applause... They struck Hades’s soul like indelible marks of history!

At this moment, almost no one paid attention to Zhang Hao’s condition.

Lin Liqiang couldn't ignore it; he was the first to notice that Zhang Hao had died at some point...

The bead on his forehead had already exploded, as if Qin Fen had pressed a gun barrel against his brow and pulled the trigger, blasting a hole straight through his skull!

Repercussion...

Lin Liqiang knew this was a backlash of psychic energy... The powerful Insect Warrior, Little Pluto Hades, possessed an ability that Qin Fen lacked: Psychic Power! Only someone possessing Psychic Power could achieve this!

Perhaps the former Hades had not developed his Psychic Power, but that did not mean he didn't possess it. What else could Psychic Power be used for, besides controlling robots? Lin Liqiang was not entirely certain, but the existence of Psychic Power was definitely not good news for Qin Fen.

The only relief for Lin Liqiang was that Hades had only just developed this Psychic Power; he likely didn't even know he possessed it, let alone how to use it.

What did six seconds of the Unity of Heaven and Man signify? Few could answer that question.

Not long ago, Yang Lie and the others achieving the Unity of Heaven and Man on the spot had shocked all the Martial Arts Masters, even the Divine Beast Warriors showed expressions of astonishment.

No one expected that the staggering record they set would be shattered by Little Pluto Hades in less than a day, broken by double the duration!

Six seconds. Hades slowly descended to the ground.

His face was as cold as before, but there was no trace of killing intent emanating from him now...

'Slaughter Martial Way?' The Martial Arts Masters sighed internally. It seemed Hades had ultimately abandoned the Slaughter Martial Way. He was simply not suited for it...

"Congratulations..." Qin Fen stood up and gave Hades a slight bow. "Congratulations on achieving mastery in the Slaughter Martial Way. Superior to your father."

"What?" "What did Qin Fen say?"

Mastery in the Slaughter Martial Way? The Martial Arts Masters' eyes were filled with disbelief. Qin Fen was claiming that Hades had achieved mastery in the Slaughter Martial Way? And that it was more thorough than White Tiger Hales’s mastery?

"The Slaughter Martial Way is not the Emotionless Martial Way," Qin Fen slowly walked into the center of the arena and stated calmly to Niu Jin Niu, "You all took the wrong path, and White Tiger took the wrong path. Hades walked the correct path this time."

The Martial Arts Masters stared wide-eyed, their mouths agape at Qin Fen. They never imagined this rising star of martial arts would dare to critique a Divine Beast Warrior in front of all the martial artists in the world, and moreover, tell him he had taken the wrong path! They knew that several Divine Beast Warriors were standing not far away.

What Qin Fen said bordered on arrogant nonsense, yet the Martial Arts Masters felt no trace of arrogance emanating from him. Instinctively, they felt that what he said held truth.

What is the Slaughter Martial Way? Qin Fen was the most qualified person to answer this question! Deep within his mental space lay the true number one master of the Slaughter Martial Way in this era: Sha Po Jun!

Even if one hasn't eaten the pork, haven't they seen the pig run? Over time, Qin Fen had gained a deep understanding of the Slaughter Martial Way, especially since Sha Po Jun had repeatedly stated that the Emotionless Martial Way was not the Slaughter Martial Way. A practitioner of the Slaughter Martial Way only needed a will to kill, not an emotionless heart.

"You can step down," Qin Fen waved gently toward Niu Jin Niu. "What you all intended to do was nothing more than making Hades master the Slaughter Martial Way."

Niu Jin Niu stared blankly at Qin Fen, unsure of what to say for a moment. This composure, following Hades’s six-second Unity of Heaven and Man, this ease in every movement... this was too terrifying. For the first time, Niu Jin Niu felt fear! He hadn't feared being beaten to death by Qin Fen, but now he felt afraid facing him.

It was instinct; Qin Fen's sheer aura made him feel apprehension.

"Haha... Interesting, very interesting!" Xue Tian rose amidst hearty laughter, lightly tapping the ground with his feet before leaping into the center of the arena. Without even looking at Qin Fen or Hades, his Iaijutsu blade hissed from its sheath, pointing directly at Shangguan Chuanqi, who was seated outside the arena. "Come, come, let's set aside these rotten rules of the Heroes’ Assembly. Who cares about computer rankings or pairings? Do we still need to be controlled by some broken machine? Come on, let the two of us try."

A rebellion? A rebellion against the Heroes' Assembly? The shouting spectators, as well as the Martial Arts Masters intently watching the arena, were instantly frozen in place.

The Heroes' Assembly was the foremost event of the era, jointly established by the Divine Beast Warriors. Its rules were more binding than the decrees of ancient emperors; even the constitution could not interfere with the rules of the Heroes' Assembly.

A young martial artist had suddenly jumped out at this critical juncture, daring to openly disregard the rules of the Heroes' Assembly and choose his own opponent.

This abrupt change in events drew everyone's attention to Xue Tian and Shangguan Chuanqi. Countless people began to speculate: faced with Xue Tian, who completely ignored the rules, how would Shangguan Chuanqi react? Would he adhere to the rules of the Heroes' Assembly? Wouldn't that imply his spirit was inferior to Xue Tian's? Or would he also disregard the rules? Would he no longer desire the title of Divine Beast Warrior?

Various guesses swirled in different minds. People couldn't help but exclaim how unexpected this Heroes' Assembly was, compared to all previous ones!

Only a few with clearer minds focused their attention on the Divine Beast Warriors, eager to see how this group of the Federation's top experts would react to a madman like Xue Tian.

Kirin was smiling, and Vermilion Bird maintained her smile as well. The eyes of several Divine Beast Warriors held no fear or anger, but rather sparkled with appreciation and amusement.

What were Divine Beast Warriors? They were the most willful group of experts in this world. The reason previous Heroes' Assemblies only produced so-called 'Number Ones Under Heaven' but failed to produce successors to the Divine Beast Warriors was that those martial artists had all followed the established rules set by the Divine Beast Warriors.

If one didn't even possess the ambition to stand as an equal to a Divine Beast Warrior? If one lacked the nerve to look down upon the Heroes' Assembly, what qualification did they have to be called a Divine Beast Warrior?

If, in this Heroes' Assembly, everyone only fought desperately without challenging the deepest meaning of the Assembly, it was hard to say whether the ultimate victor would truly earn the title of Divine Beast Warrior.

"You wish to fight me?" Shangguan Chuanqi stood up and walked into the sandy arena. His every movement carried an air of lofty arrogance. "Very well. Even if you hadn't stepped forward, I would have done so to find a worthy opponent."

Shangguan Chuanqi glanced dismissively at the giant warship hanging in the sky, saying, "What right does this broken thing have to arrange my matches? Since you want a fight, I grant your wish!"