89: Chapter 89 The Strongest Shield? Then Break Through It

The referee's voice boomed through the loudspeakers across the entire arena, his near-screeching roar completely igniting the audience.

Lin Qi didn't look back at the motionless Su Feng on the ground and turned to walk off the stage.

At the railing by the tunnel entrance, Zhang Wei's three-hundred-pound frame was as agile as a monkey.

He vaulted over directly, rushed up to Lin Qi for a bear hug, but was shoved back by Lin Qi's foot against his stomach in disgust.

"Brother Qi! That was divine! That one finger strike was simply divine!" Zhang Wei beamed, his face flushed red as he waved the settlement slip in his hand.

"Do you know how much the odds exploded? We made a fortune on that last round!"

Lin Qi brushed some non-existent dust off his cuffs. "Basic operation, don't make a fuss."

Just then, a few figures approached from the side.

The leader was Zhao Lei, the Power-type Awakened in the Special Training Class who always followed behind Li Shaobai.

In the past, this guy always looked at Lin Qi with a condescending sense of superiority, thinking "Blank Slate" was synonymous with trash.

At this moment, the expression on Zhao Lei's face was fascinating—like someone who had been constipated for three days and finally found relief, mixed with a hint of awkwardness and obsequiousness.

"Um... Brother Qi." Zhao Lei rubbed his hands together, smiling stiffly. "That 'Acupoint Striking' move just now was too cool. Brother here was blind before and spoke a bit harshly; please don't take it to heart."

The few top students nearby, who usually had their noses in the air, also followed along with flattering smiles.

This is reality. At Longya Academy, having the biggest fist is the only truth.

When you are still struggling at the bottom, you are surrounded by villains; when you bare your fangs and stand at the peak, you are surrounded by smiling faces.

Lin Qi glanced at Zhao Lei, said nothing, just gave a faint nod, and walked straight toward the contestant tunnel.

This dismissal actually made Zhao Lei breathe a sigh of relief; at least he wasn't slapped in the face right then and there.

Inside the lounge, Old Man Mo was sitting with his legs crossed, holding that chipped red thermos, his wrinkles blooming with a smile.

Seeing Lin Qi enter, the old man didn't seem particularly surprised; instead, he tossed a new file onto the table.

"Forced paralysis of the central nervous system, using finger force to cut off the signal." Old Man Mo blew the steam off the cup's rim. "Did you learn this move in that 'dream' of yours too? Even I didn't know the human body had such switches."

Lin Qi picked up a water bottle and took a big gulp. "This is called Acupoint Identification. The human body has three hundred and sixty-five primary acupoints. That was the Fengchi Acupoint; it's used to treat headaches and fevers, but with enough force, it can also render a person unable to care for themselves."

"This theory is interesting." Old Man Mo mused. "If you could draw out this map of human meridians, the funding for the Ancient Martial Arts Research Department would probably increase tenfold."

"We'll talk about that later." Lin Qi turned his gaze to the big screen on the wall.

It was scrolling through the list of the final four. S-rank [Earth Giant] Shi Potian. S-rank [Hand of the Void] Li Qingxuan. S-rank [Sword Master] Li Shaobai. And the only outlier—the "Blank Slate" Lin Qi.

Except for Lin Qi, it was a clean sweep of S-rank talents; everyone was a monster.

"The lottery results are out." Old Man Mo pointed at the screen. The image froze. First match of the semi-finals: Lin Qi vs. Shi Potian.

Old Man Mo's previously relaxed brows furrowed, and his fingers tapped lightly on the table. "Bad luck. This big guy is the type you least want to encounter."

Lin Qi looked at the photo of the honest-looking bald guy on the screen. "How come?"

"This kid is an Earth-type variant, recognized by Longya Academy as the 'Strongest Shield'." Old Man Mo pulled up Shi Potian's data panel. "His talent [Earth Giant] allows his body to become rock, with ridiculously high physical defense. That's not all; he also has a built-in rebound damage effect. If you punch him, your own hand will ache for half a day."

"That's what you call a counter." Old Man Mo sighed. "Your attack methods are all physical contact; fighting this kind of iron lump covered in thorns is too disadvantageous."

Just as he was speaking, the lounge door was knocked. Knock, knock, knock. The knocking was dull and powerful, like someone beating a drum.

The door opened, and a bald young man as sturdy as an iron tower stood in the doorway. He was wearing an oversized combat vest, his skin a healthy bronze, his smooth head reflecting the light. It was none other than Shi Potian.

The atmosphere in the room stiffened. Old Man Mo squinted, thinking the other party had come to talk trash.

Who would have thought that Shi Potian would scratch his bald head, reveal a mouthful of big white teeth, and smile honestly. "Hello, classmate Lin Qi. I'm Shi Potian, your opponent in the next match."

This attitude left Lin Qi speechless. Whether it was Lei Meng or Su Feng, they would always come up with a barrage of mockery. Why did this big guy look like an honest neighbor coming over for a visit?

"Something up?" Lin Qi raised an eyebrow.

"Nothing much, just came over to say hello." Shi Potian's voice was loud and filled with sincerity. "I watched your matches and I'm very impressed. To get this far without a job panel, you're a real man."

As he spoke, he extended a large hand like a palm-leaf fan. "I'm not as arrogant as Lei Meng, nor as underhanded as Su Feng. I'm a simple person; I only know how to meet force with force. Next match, I hope we can have a great fight."

Lin Qi looked at that large, calloused hand and reached out to shake it. It was very strong, the palm dry and warm.

"Fine." Lin Qi's mouth curled slightly upward. "Then let's meet force with force."

"Hehe, that's good. I was afraid you'd run around like you did against Su Feng, and I wouldn't be able to catch you." Shi Potian let go of his hand and turned to leave. "See you on the stage."

Watching Shi Potian's back, Old Man Mo tutted twice. "This big dummy looks simple, but his heart is like a clear mirror. He's using words to block you, afraid you'll use guerrilla tactics."

"Doesn't matter." Lin Qi loosened his wrists, his joints cracking. "I actually want to test it too—whether his shield is harder, or my spear is sharper."

There is no defense in this world that cannot be pierced; if there is, it's because the force hasn't penetrated deep enough.

Half an hour later, the atmosphere in the arena reached its peak.

To cope with this semi-final match, the organizers had specially reinforced the stage overnight, replacing the ground with a higher-grade seismic alloy plate.

Lin Qi stood on the left side of the stage; opposite him was a "mountain."

Shi Potian didn't waste any words; as soon as the match started, he activated his ultimate move.

"Hah!" With a low roar, Shi Potian's skin rapidly turned gray and hardened.

A layer of heavy rock armor grew out from within his body. In the blink of an eye, he grew to three meters tall, turning into a complete rock giant.

That wasn't just a change in appearance; even the surrounding gravitational field seemed to become heavy. This was the true complete form of an S-rank talent.

"Lin Qi, watch out!" Shi Potian's voice became dull and heavy, as if it were coming from underground.

He took a step, and with every step he took, the stage would tremble. That huge rock fist was raised high, casting a suffocating shadow, and smashed down directly at Lin Qi's head.

There were no fancy techniques, just pure weight and hardness. The audience burst into gasps.

The range of this attack was enormous; there was no way to dodge it. In the VIP box, Li Shaobai sneered. "Let's see how you use Penetrating Force this time. An armor-piercing shell would only leave a dent on a rock layer of this thickness; it wouldn't be able to hurt the main body at all."

On the stage, the gale forced Lin Qi's hair to fly backward. But he didn't retreat, nor did he even put up a defensive stance.

Facing that giant fist capable of flattening an armored vehicle, Lin Qi took a deep breath, his chest expanding, his spine undulating like a dragon.

He performed an action that made everyone's scalp tingle. He didn't retreat but Advanced, his right foot violently shattering the ground, his entire body like a javelin shooting into the sky, rushing straight toward that giant fist.

His right fist was clenched tight, the middle finger knuckle slightly protruding. That was the "Phoenix Eye Fist" from Ancient Martial Arts, specifically used to break hard qigong.

"You want to meet force with force? Then I'll grant your wish!" Lin Qi's eyes were boiling with Battle Intent.