96: Atop the Forbidden City, the Champion's Challenge

While the aftermath of the Three Ancestors' shocking finger strike, like an invisible nuclear winter, plunged all top global powers into a prolonged period of reverent silence, a piece of news from an ancient Eastern aristocratic Family, like a giant stone thrown into a dead lake, once again stirred up a monstrous wave globally.

Global Martial Arts Headlines: The Qin Family of Huaxia, a guardian Family descended from the ancient Pangu Dynasty, officially announced to the world that in one month, at The Peak of the Forbidden City in Yanjing, the capital of Huaxia, they would hold a "Martial Arts Tournament of Prodigies for a Marriage Selection" for their sole heir, Qin Yubing!

This news, transmitted through the quantum communication network, was simultaneously pushed to every authorized terminal worldwide within a few seconds.

The victor will not only marry Qin Yubing, the peerless jewel of the Qin Family with an SSS-rank mythical gene [Taiyin Body], but will also receive the Qin Family's unreserved and full support!

As soon as this news broke, the world was shaken!

If the previous conflict between Lin Tian and the "Duke" was merely an undercurrent of struggle between two top powers, then the Qin Family's announcement directly brought a "Prodigy Hegemony" that could determine the future world order into the open, initiating a worldwide open conspiracy.

The Qin Family!

That was a behemoth even older and more mysterious than the Long Family! If the Long Family stood at the Peak of the world, suppressing the present age with its overwhelming dominance, then the Qin Family was a hidden guardian, lurking beneath the abyss of history, silently preserving the Human Race's civilization. Their power was never displayed openly, but no force dared to underestimate the terrifying Legacy originating from that ancient Imperial Dynasty.

What did it mean to gain the Qin Family's full support?

It meant a meteoric rise! It meant a Prodigy, originally at the top, would instantly possess the qualifications to contend with the Long Family's "Alpha" Lin Tian! And even, in some aspects, surpass him!

This was a gamble that could change the future world order! It was an ultimate Shura field, gathering the world's most elite young powerhouses!

For a time, all young Prodigies worldwide, harboring ambition and desire, whether they were long-famous peerless Prodigies or hidden inheritors like Dragons in the abyss, turned their gaze towards that ancient, legendary Eastern Imperial Capital—Yanjing...

Global Martial Arts Observation: Heroes rise together, who will dominate? — A review of strong contenders for this 'Martial Arts Tournament of Prodigies'

The reaction from major news media was the fastest; the world's top martial arts commentators and intelligence analysts immediately began to review the strong contenders for this "Martial Arts Tournament of Prodigies." Detailed analysis reports and odds rankings quickly dominated the hot searches on all platforms.

The camera quickly switched, like a cinematic montage, showcasing the participants of this upcoming grand event to the world one by one.

North America, Holy Mountain Headquarters

In a sacred hall composed of pure Holy Light, the "Holy Mountain" organization grandly announced that their "Twin Stars"—Adam and Kyle, whom they had cultivated with all their resources—would jointly travel to Huaxia to participate in this grand ceremony. On screen, Adam's aura grew deeper and more profound, as if he had merged with the entire space, each breath resonating with the Law. Beside him, Kyle, who had been publicly crippled by Lin Tian and made a laughingstock, had not only fully recovered from his injuries after the baptism of the "Holy Land"'s Spring of Life and the Awakening of the "Seraphim" Legacy, but his strength had also Broken Through to S-rank. The Holy Light surrounding him was no longer the brilliant glow from before, but a scorching white, imbued with a sense of judgment, which one dared not look at directly. In his eyes, as he looked at the camera, burned an undisguised flame of vengeance against Lin Tian.

Europe, Knights Templar

Within the ancient Holy Temple, located beneath the Vatican, a young man with golden hair as brilliant as the sun, wearing form-fitting armor crafted from mithril, slowly rose from prayer. He was Arthur, the Saint of this generation of the "Holy Temple." He drew the knight's longsword "Sword of Promised Victory," a Legacy passed down for millennia, from his waist. Its blade reflected his eyes, as pure as sapphires, yet filled with supreme Battle Intent. Facing the camera, he declared in elegant yet powerful ancient knight's language: "The Phoenix of the East should be guarded by the strongest and noblest knight. I will go to Huaxia to fight for the Holy Temple and for my personal honor."

South America, Phoenix Society

Deep within a mist-shrouded, isolated Amazon rainforest, a mysterious organization known as the "Phoenix Society," composed entirely of women and worshipping the Phoenix totem, also made a rare response. They would send their strongest "Saintess" to participate in the grand ceremony. Although no specific candidate or image was announced, the name of the organization itself represented a formidable power that could not be underestimated, capable of contending with any top power.

Surrounded by wolves, with powerful enemies like a forest!

However, on the odds rankings of all media and underground forums, while all these individuals were at the top, they were not the biggest favorites.

The real focus was only one. The man hailed as the "unbreakable barrier of the Golden Generation"...

Huaxia Military Special Report: The Declaration of Marquis Champion!

The camera focused on the Huaxia military's most secret "Zhenguo" unit training base, located ten thousand meters deep beneath the Kunlun Mountains.

A young man, wearing a black special general's uniform with five dazzling golden stars on his shoulders, representing the military's highest honor, was training shirtless in a super-gravity field simulating the edge of a black hole, undergoing inhuman extreme training. He did not use any fancy energy; he simply used his purest, meticulously honed Physical Body, with every punch and kick, to smash energy meteorites, whose density was comparable to a neutron star and capable of crushing an interstellar battleship, into basic particle streams.

He was the most dazzling legend of this generation of the Huaxia military, the youngest "Five-Star General," who single-handedly suppressed the interdimensional rifts on the border for ten years, achieving illustrious military exploits, and was exceptionally granted the title of "Marquis Champion" by the highest levels of Huaxia—Huo Qubing!

He was known as the "Battle Power Ceiling of the younger generation," a war machine born purely for combat and victory!

When he finished his training, turned off the gravity field, and took a high-protein energy drink from his adjutant, downing it in one gulp, facing a reporter's question about "whether he would participate in the Qin Family's grand ceremony," a hint of interest appeared for the first time on his resolute face, carved like by knife and axe, full of iron-blooded sternness and fortitude.

His gaze seemed to penetrate the camera, to pierce through endless space, directly meeting the gaze of a "rival" he had never met but had long admired from afar.

"Long Family's Number Zero?" His deep and magnetic voice, broadcast live globally, clearly spread throughout the world. "I've heard of his achievements in the War Emperor's Mausoleum; very impressive. Purifying the remnant soul of the Martial God, protecting the Human Race's Legacy, he has merit."

"I hope he comes."

"I will wait for him at The Peak of the Forbidden City."

He paused, and in his profound eyes, a tangible, monstrous Battle Intent erupted, capable of piercing the sky.

"I really want to personally test, to see who among us two is truly the... number one of this generation!"

These words were tantamount to a declaration of war! A final challenge issued by the military's strongest to the aristocratic Family's strongest, agreeing to an ultimate duel at The Peak of the Forbidden City!

The entire world completely erupted! Everyone's emotions were thoroughly ignited by this impending Peak showdown!

...[Protagonist Line: candle dragon Space Carrier, Bridge]

In stark contrast to the tumultuous clamor and fervent attention of the outside world was the eternal stillness within the candle dragon's bridge.

Lin Tian leaned back in the captain's chair, crafted from a solid piece of star iron and capable of withstanding a full-strength blow from a Demigod-Rank powerhouse, resting with his eyes closed. He had just finished the initial analysis of the "four symbols data disk" and the "authority chip," and had a preliminary concept for the "bronze gate" exploration plan.

Long Ling'er stood beside him, reporting the "turbulent events" of the outside world to him one by one, as if presenting a dry business report.

...In summary, at least five top powers no less formidable than "Holy Mountain" have sent their strongest heirs, aiming directly for the Qin Family's 'Martial Arts Tournament of Prodigies.' Among them, the military's 'Marquis Champion' Huo Qubing, has even issued an open challenge to you. Master, do we need to respond? Should we pressure the Qin Family to cancel this grand ceremony?

Lin Tian slowly opened his eyes.

There was no solemnity on his face, no hint of Battle Intent, not even a trace of interest.

Only a kind of... undisguised impatience, as if he had heard an extremely boring, even somewhat comical, joke.

A playful smile, full of ultimate mockery, curled at the corner of his mouth.

"Martial arts competition for a spouse?"

He said indifferently, in a tone that was self-evident, as if expounding some cosmic truth.

"Qin Yubing is my maid now."

He paused, and a cold, contemptuous glint, like looking at a group of flies oblivious to their impending doom, flashed in his deep eyes.

"Since when did her marriage become something for the Qin Family and a bunch of outsiders to decide?"