To defeat you, I choose to burn my life!

After rejecting Gu Ningxue's "help" call, Lin Yuan's life returned to its former tranquility.

He didn't even bother to think about the trivial matters concerning the school team.

With a casual gesture, he had Uncle Zhong add the contact information of everyone on the school team to his blacklist.

The world was finally quiet.

Meanwhile, on the other side.

The flames of the National University League grew more intense by the day.

Having lost the "bug-level" existence that was Lin Yuan, Ye Xuan got his wish and became the most high-profile star on the school team.

He was like a tireless beast, slaughtering all opponents on the arena stage.

Relying on the secret arts taught by the Ultimate Ancestor and a fighting will far beyond ordinary people, he won one victory after another, leading the Capital Martial Arts Academy as they swept through the competition.

However, as the competition deepened, the opponents he encountered grew stronger and stronger.

Boom!

On the stage, Ye Xuan was sent flying backward by a massive force, rolling several times on the ground in a pathetic state before stopping.

His throat felt sweet, and a trace of blood overflowed from the corner of his mouth.

His opponent was the ace of the Magic City Martial Arts Academy, a muscular brute at the Marrow Cleansing Realm Fourth Level who possessed the "Indestructible Vajra" Physique.

The opponent's defensive power was perverted to the extreme!

It was as if he had put all his skill points into defense!

Ye Xuan's "Mountain Crushing Punch" hit him like a tickle; he couldn't break through the defense at all.

"Damn it!"

Ye Xuan gritted his teeth and climbed up from the ground, the frustration and anger in his heart almost erupting.

He realized he was wrong.

There were limits to challenging those at higher levels.

Against ordinary Marrow Cleansing Realm Fourth Level Martial Artists, he could crush them with the advantage of his Cultivation Techniques and experience.

But among those who could fight their way to this stage of the National League, which one was a pushover?

They either possessed special Physiques or cultivated top-tier techniques; every one of them was a favored child of heaven.

In front of these true Geniuses, his ability to challenge higher levels seemed somewhat insufficient.

The gap between him and his goal of "crushing the entire field" was glaringly obvious!

"Master! I need power! More power!"

Late at night.

In the hotel room, Ye Xuan roared unwillingly in his heart.

In his Sea of Consciousness, the Ultimate Ancestor remained silent for a long time before finally letting out a faint sigh.

"Brat, there is a path that can allow you to gain enough power to crush those of the same rank in a short time. However... the price is high."

"What path?!"

Ye Xuan's eyes instantly lit up, like a drowning man grasping at the last straw.

"This is a forbidden secret art called the Blood-Burning Dragon Transformation Art."

"This art can forcibly burn a portion of your life potential and martial Foundation, converting it into the purest cultivation, allowing you to break through your Bottleneck in an instant!"

"But the price is that your future martial path will become incomparably rugged. If you cannot obtain a massive amount of resources to compensate, the difficulty of every subsequent Breakthrough will be several times higher than that of an ordinary person!"

"And... it will continue to burn your life..."

The Ultimate Ancestor's voice became extremely solemn.

"I am willing!"

Ye Xuan answered almost without hesitation.

The future?

He could no longer care about that much!

He only wanted to win now!

He only wanted to gain power!

He only wanted to ruthlessly trample that high-and-mighty Lin Yuan under his feet!

If he couldn't defeat Lin Yuan, then his martial path was already broken anyway!

"Fine! Since your mind is made up, I shall lend you a hand!"

As the Ultimate Ancestor's voice fell, an incomparably vast and sinister stream of information flooded into Ye Xuan's mind.

"Aaaaaah—!"

Ye Xuan let out a roar of agony.

He felt as if his blood was burning, and his bone marrow and Meridians were being forcibly torn apart and reconstructed by a domineering force!

That pain was more intense than being cut by a thousand knives!

But at the same time, an unprecedentedly powerful force was also frantically growing within his body!

Boom!

Marrow Cleansing Realm Third Level!

Rumble!

Marrow Cleansing Realm Fourth Level!

Within a few short minutes, his cultivation was forcibly raised by two minor Realms.

It soared directly to the Marrow Cleansing Realm Fifth Level!

...The next day's match.

Ye Xuan once again faced the "Indestructible Vajra" Physique brute who had left him helpless yesterday.

"Brat, how are you going to tickle me today?"

The brute mocked him with a face full of disdain.

Ye Xuan was expressionless, only slowly raising his fist.

The next second, he moved!

His figure was as fast as lightning!

"What?!"

The brute's pupils shrank violently.

Before he could react, a fist wrapped in terrifying power had already slammed solidly into his chest.

Bang—!

A dull, massive sound!

That Protective Aura, claimed to be "Indestructible Vajra," was like paper, shattering instantly!

The disdain and mockery on the brute's face froze instantly, replaced by endless horror.

Crack...

Accompanied by the sound of bone-chilling fractures.

His burly body flew backward like a cannonball, smashing heavily below the arena stage.

His chest had caved in a large section, and he fainted on the spot!

One punch!

Just one punch!

The entire venue fell into a dead silence!

Everyone was shocked out of their wits by the terrifying combat power Ye Xuan displayed!

After a brief silence, there was a mountain-shaking cheer!

"This... how is this possible?!"

In the front row of the spectator seats.

A martial arts commentator suddenly stood up: "Yesterday he clearly couldn't even break the opponent's defense, how could he possibly blast the Magic City ace with the 'Indestructible Vajra' Physique off the stage with one punch today?!"

"That's the Vajra Body! It's said it can even withstand low-grade Magical Artifacts, how could it be beaten like this in one punch?"

"His power... just how strong has it become?"

...In the rest areas on both sides of the arena.

The contestants from other universities were in an uproar.

"Marrow Cleansing Realm Fifth Level?! He was clearly only at the second level yesterday, he broke through two minor Realms overnight? Is this something a fucking human can do?"

"This combat power is too ridiculous! At the Marrow Cleansing Fifth Level, he can defeat a Fourth Level with an innate Vajra Body in one punch. If he's allowed to grow to the Marrow Cleansing Realm Peak, who could stop him?"

"Capital Martial Arts Academy is really going to be Heaven-Defying this time! First there was Lin Yuan, and now Ye Xuan is this fierce... Fortunately Lin Yuan withdrew, otherwise how could this competition even be fought?"

...The sounds of discussion spread like a tide.

From the spectator seats to the contestant area, the way everyone looked at Ye Xuan changed—

Shock, wariness, curiosity!

And... an indescribable fear!

Ye Xuan only coldly swept his gaze across the crowd below.

Taking in all those shocked or reverent looks, a cold arc curled at the corner of his mouth.

This was the power he wanted.

Power sufficient to crush everything!

The subsequent matches completely turned into Ye Xuan's personal show.

Facing a seeded player who was the runner-up of the previous league.

As soon as the opponent assumed a defensive posture, Ye Xuan pierced through their Protective Aura with a finger wind after burning his blood.

It hit the shoulder directly, and the opponent surrendered with a scream!

Encountering a Wind Spirit Body Martial Artist skilled in speed, Ye Xuan directly activated his movement technique to the limit to overtake them, kicking them until their bones broke with a whip kick!

Even when meeting an opponent also at the Marrow Cleansing Fifth Level who cultivated top-tier defensive techniques.

He could still rely on the explosive power brought by the Blood-Burning Dragon Transformation Art to forcibly break the stalemate and end the battle within three moves... In just three short days.

Ye Xuan swept through all his opponents with the momentum of a hot knife through butter.

Every victory was clean and efficient, even more exaggerated than his previous goal of "crushing the entire field."

He was like a god of war returned from Hell, his whole body radiating a chilling aura that warned others not to approach.

Wherever he went, no one could stand in his way.

"Martial Arts Prodigy! Ye Xuan breaks two Realms in one day, defeats Vajra Body with one punch!"

"From Substitute to King! Revealing Ye Xuan's path of counterattack—is he the true future of Longxia's martial arts?"

"The greatest dark horse of the National League is born! Ye Xuan may win the championship with a perfect record!"

...Only Li Xuan'er.

Every time she saw Ye Xuan's eyes growing colder and hollower after a victory, the unease in her heart grew stronger.

She could feel it.

The Ye Xuan who used to be secretly happy about winning a single training match was drifting further and further away from her.

In his place was a stranger consumed by power and obsession.

And Ye Xuan didn't care about this at all.

His gaze had already bypassed the noisy arena and landed on that figure who had never appeared.

Lin Yuan.

Wait for me.

Once I take the national championship, I will come looking for you.

At that time, I will use this power exchanged for burning my life to completely tear apart your calm and indifferent mask, and let you know—

Who is the true favored child of heaven!