Chapter 94 An earthquake? No, wait!

Zhang Fan felt elated. Compared to risking his life fighting on the battlefield, this feeling of "reaping without sowing" was truly wonderful.

Moreover, by staying at the Research Institute, not only could he harvest attribute points, but he could also gain access to the Alliance's most cutting-edge research results.

The latest model of the "Nirvana" series high-grade healing medicine could repair severe internal and external injuries in an extremely short amount of time, almost equivalent to gaining an extra life.

The "Limit-Breaking" gene medicine (trial version) that had just passed its first phase of clinical trials was said to slightly increase the probability of Limit-Breaking warriors breaking through minor bottlenecks. Although the effect on him might not be significant, it was still incredibly precious.

Because the production volume of these medicines was extremely low, they were only supplied to a very small number of high-ranking officials and those who had made great contributions. Yet, thanks to the convenience of his status, Zhang Fan could always be the first to access them and even obtain a small quota.

...

Southeast War Zone, Command Center.

Tan Qiao listened to his subordinate's report on Zhang Fan's recent movements, a look of wry amusement appearing on his face.

"This Zhang Fan... has he really become addicted to staying at the Research Institute?"

"I heard he goes to the Research Institute on time every day, and is even more diligent in his research on beast corpses than many veteran researchers... Could it be that, just like my daughter Tan Yi, he is a research fanatic at heart?"

He rubbed his temples.

His daughter, Tan Yi, had more passion for research work than for combat.

"With Zhang Fan's talent, especially those two astonishing 'breakthroughs in the heat of battle'... he should belong to a broader battlefield, sharpening and growing faster amidst blood and fire, becoming a true pillar of our human race."

"I just hope he doesn't neglect his cultivation progress because he's obsessed with research... just like Tan Yi, sigh!"

In the current Alliance, although high-level researchers were highly desired and scarce, what was even scarcer were super powerhouses who could grow rapidly on the battlefield.

In his heart, Tan Qiao still hoped that Zhang Fan could roam the battlefield rather than burying his head in a laboratory.

...

Large flat apartment.

Zhang Fan sat cross-legged, his consciousness looking toward the panel.

[ Available Attribute Points: 1670 + 8376 = 10046 ]

After several days of routine corpse-looting, his attribute points had once again reached just over ten thousand!

"Finally, it's enough to upgrade the last secret technique to perfection as well."

"Upgrade! 'Dragon Elephant Eight Desolations Cinder Dragon (Fourth Heaven Entry Level)'!"

3210 attribute points were instantly injected.

In his mind, his insights regarding the Cinder Dragon manifestation and the Eight Desolations Shaking Prison soared rapidly to their peak! Twenty-two Cinder Destruction Dragon shadows roared!

The force field range of the "Eight Desolations Shaking Prison" also expanded to two hundred and twenty meters!

[ Dragon Elephant Eight Desolations Cinder Dragon (Fourth Heaven Entry Level) ] → [ Dragon Elephant Eight Desolations Cinder Dragon (Fourth Heaven Perfection) ]!

At this point, all of the cultivation techniques, martial arts, and secret techniques that Zhang Fan had practiced had all reached the Fourth Heaven Perfection level!

His strength already stood at the absolute peak of the Fourth Heaven "Sky-Shattering Realm"! Within the same tier, no one could compare to him!

Attribute points remaining: 10046 - 3210 = 6836 points.

"Over six thousand points..."

A gleam of light flashed in Zhang Fan's eyes.

"It's already possible to touch the threshold of the Fifth Heaven."

Promoting a main cultivation technique to the Fifth Heaven required 6420 attribute points; with his current attribute points, it was completely sufficient.

However, Zhang Fan still suppressed the urge to upgrade immediately.

He thought of Tan Qiao, as well as the evaluation of him by Tan Yi and others, "a genius who can frequently break through in the heat of battle".

Since others had given him this persona, why not go with the flow and maintain it well?

This way, others would be even less likely to guess that his improvements were actually brought about by looting corpses.

"These six thousand-plus points, I'll save them for now."

"As a trump card. When a critical moment arrives and I face a strong enemy, I'll break through in one go, deepening others' impression of my [Genius who breaks through in the heat of battle] persona."

A smile curled the corners of Zhang Fan's lips.

...

Xijing City, Xijing Martial Arts University.

The school belle Su Wan had just finished a practical combat course and was preparing to go back to bathe and rest.

Suddenly!

Rumble!!

The entire campus, and even the entire Xijing City, suddenly suffered a violent earthquake, shaking crazily amidst the tremors!

"An earthquake?!"

"No! That's not it! Look outside, quickly!"

Su Wan and her classmates rushed to the window and looked outside the campus.

They saw that at the perimeter of the campus, the earth had been torn apart by immense force, creating a circular fissure over a hundred meters wide and bottomless!

The fissure spread and closed rapidly, and in just over a dozen seconds, it completely cut off the entire Xijing Martial Arts University from the outside world!

It was as if a giant hand had forcefully dug out the martial arts university, turning it into an "isolated island" hanging alone above an abyss!

Roar!

A roar came from the depths of the circular fissure!

Immediately following that, a massive, hideous head resembling a lizard and a pangolin poked out from the edge of the fissure! With undisguised appetite, it scanned the panic-stricken young geniuses with "delicious" auras on the "isolated island"!

Overlord Class! Peak-form disaster-level beast!

Mentor Yang Qingshan, seeing this scene, felt his heart tremble; the thing he worried about most had happened after all!

Ever since he learned that an Overlord-class beast had appeared in Huanan City and enjoyed preying on human geniuses, he had had an ominous premonition.

These terrifying existences, which had been hiding in the underground world for many years, constantly evolving and accumulating power, were likely no longer able to hold back and were about to strike at the surface world, especially the gathering places of human geniuses!

And Xijing Martial Arts University, as one of the top institutions in the Southeast War Zone, was crowded with geniuses; in the eyes of those beasts, it was no different from an undefended "delicious buffet restaurant"!

"Earth Fissure... it's a disaster-level ability! It wants to trap us here to die, and slowly enjoy us!"

Mentor Yang Qingshan's voice was hoarse, filled with despair.

"Quick! Activate the highest alert! All faculty and students, assemble at the central drill ground! Rely on the fortifications and form a formation to protect yourselves!"

"Immediately, send a distress signal to the Southeast War Zone!"

The distress signal shot urgently toward the distance.

"I hope... it's not too late..."

Mentor Yang Qingshan looked at the terrifying, mountain-like figure slowly rising from the fissure, and then looked at the young faces behind him, all filled with panic yet still trying to force themselves to remain calm.

This time, could they really wait for reinforcements?

The giant eyes of that Overlord-class beast had already locked onto the most conspicuous, most delicious, and most potential-filled figures in the crowd, including Su Wan.

Southeast War Zone, Command Center.

Regional Director Tan Qiao looked at the red distress signal from Xijing City that was flashing continuously on the holographic screen, his brows furrowed tightly.

"An Overlord Class peak-form disaster-level beast... it has appeared again."

"Xijing Martial Arts University is surrounded; that is a gathering place for budding geniuses."

He pondered for a moment, his gaze firming up, and pressed the communicator: "Have Zhang Fan come to my office."

Soon, Zhang Fan's figure appeared at the office door.

"Regional Director, you were looking for me?"

"Sit." Tan Qiao pointed to the chair opposite him and cut straight to the point: "Something has happened in Xijing City. An Overlord Class peak-form disaster-level beast has appeared and surrounded Xijing Martial Arts University. The situation is critical; I need you to go there."

He paused, then added: "On one hand, I have seen your strength with my own eyes; you can confront that level of beast head-on. On the other hand..."

Tan Qiao looked at Zhang Fan, his tone carrying a hint of wry amusement: "You kid have been spending all your time at the Research Institute lately, you've almost become half a researcher. Young man, you still need to gain more experience on the battlefield; that is where you belong."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Fan's eyes instantly lit up!

An Overlord Class peak-form disaster-level beast?

He remembered clearly that last time he killed that Six-Headed Demon Octopus, it directly gave him eight thousand points of attributes! Plus the accompanying beast tide, it was fifteen thousand in total!

This was even more than what he could harvest in a week of daily corpse-looting!