435: Chapter 435 Three Orbs of Light!

September 1st.

On an open space before a tent in Zhenhai City.

Vice Dean Lin Shui stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his aura calm as his gaze swept serenely over the scene ahead.

Before him stood a group of young faces in neat rows—precisely the martial arts university students who had followed him to support the Zhenhai Battlefield.

Today was the day they returned to school.

Qin Yan stood within the ranks, his eyes discreetly scanning the crowd.

Over twenty days ago, when they first arrived, they were greenhorns filled with excitement and apprehension.

Now, after nearly a month, each person seemed transformed—their eyes sharper, their auras more settled, their every movement carrying a steadiness tempered by blood and fire.

But the number... was slightly less than when they came.

Though not by much, it was indeed less.

A battlefield was, after all, a battlefield.

No matter how meticulous the protection or how cautious the deployment, casualties could never be entirely avoided.

Qin Yan sighed inwardly, yet did not dwell on sorrow.

Choosing the path of martial arts, one had long since been prepared for such realities.

However, Qin Yan's attention was soon captured by another matter.

"Where is Xiao Wangshu?"

He looked around but failed to spot that figure as cool and clear as the moon.

She was not in the formation, nor was she anywhere in the surroundings.

If other students might have perished on the battlefield, then for Xiao Wangshu, it was absolutely impossible.

Qin Yan understood this perfectly well.

With Xiao Shan, her fiercely protective grandfather, watching over her from behind the scenes, coupled with her own arsenal of extravagant life-preserving equipment...

That girl would find it difficult to die even if she tried.

She was probably delayed by some matter.

Qin Yan withdrew his gaze and thought no more of it.

"Alright."

"Since everyone is assembled, we shall now return to the university."

Lin Shui waved his hand grandly and took the lead, striding forward.

The group followed closely behind, slowly departing from this land along the path they had come.

Passing through the heavy city gates of Zhenhai City, undergoing the meticulous verification of the guard soldiers, they once again stepped into the passage connecting the battlefield to the campus.

After a brief darkness, their vision suddenly opened up.

The familiar sky, the familiar buildings, the familiar air.

Modu University of Martial Arts had been reached.

Lin Shui led the group onward, preparing to return to the college for subsequent arrangements.

But Qin Yan quickened his pace, coming to Lin Shui's side and speaking a few words in a low voice.

Hearing this, Lin Shui nodded slightly without further inquiry.

He merely waved his hand, indicating Qin Yan was free to go.

Qin Yan broke away from the group, watching as Lin Shui led the other students gradually into the distance, eventually disappearing at the end of the tree-lined campus path.

He withdrew his gaze, turned, and looked in another direction.

That was the direction of the Secret Realm Tower.

Qin Yan strode towards the Secret Realm Tower.

As he walked, he pondered in his heart.

Currently, his Qi Refining realm had reached the Fourth Rank Peak. The threshold to the Fifth Rank was but a single step away.

According to the rules of the Secret Realm Tower, every ten floors constituted a major checkpoint. Upon clearing it, rewards corresponding to the challenger's realm would be granted.

However, the distribution of rewards was only applicable to the situation of "clearing at the current realm."

Once he broke through to the Fifth Rank and then cleared the fortieth floor, that would not count as "clearing at the Fourth Rank."

Naturally, he would be unable to obtain the reward designated for a Fourth Rank Martial Artist.

"I must seize the moment now to secure the reward for the fortieth floor."

Qin Yan was resolute in his heart.

Moreover, he had a vague feeling—the rewards from the Secret Realm Tower, especially those from the higher floors, might hold some special benefit for his cultivation of the "Five Elements Primordial Scripture."

If he missed it due to a breakthrough, it might genuinely have an impact.

Though this was merely an intuition, Qin Yan would rather believe it than not.

Amidst his thoughts, he had already arrived beneath the Secret Realm Tower.

This ancient pagoda still stood there quietly, emanating an eternal aura of vicissitude.

A flash of light shone upon the giant tower.

Qin Yan's figure vanished from the spot.

...

Secret Realm Tower, Thirty-Fourth Floor.

The familiar challenge space, the familiar "blue figure"—a Fourth Rank Mid-Stage opponent cultivating the "Dark Ice Water Manual."

The last time he was here, Qin Yan was the one blasted away by the opponent.

But now...

Qin Yan gazed calmly at the blue figure opposite him, its aura steady and surrounded by swirling water vapor, a slight curve appearing at the corner of his mouth.

No superfluous movements, not even retrieving his long spear.

His figure flashed!

Like a black bolt of lightning, he instantly crossed several meters of distance, appearing before the blue figure!

Clenched fist!

One punch blasted forth!

"BOOM—!!!"

The terrifying 56,000 Ka of Qi and Blood poured out unreservedly within this single punch!

The blue figure had no time to react before being struck head-on by this violent fist force, potent enough to kill an ordinary Fifth-Rank Martial Artist!

"BANG!"

A loud explosion!

The blue figure's body shattered on the spot, transforming into scattered water-blue points of light that dissipated like misty rain.

One punch, instant kill.

"Nowadays, killing this blue figure is as easy as slaughtering a chick."

Light flashed, and Qin Yan's figure appeared on the thirty-fifth floor.

Thirty-fifth floor, green figure—a Fourth Rank Late-Stage opponent cultivating the "Evergreen Wood Vitality Technique."

"BANG!"

One punch.

Transformed into scattered green spiritual light.

Thirty-sixth floor.

One punch.

Thirty-seventh floor.

One punch.

Thirty-eighth floor.

One punch.

Thirty-ninth floor.

Still one punch.

Breaking through defenses like splitting bamboo!

Crushing the rotten and withering!

The Qin Yan of this moment was no longer the young student who had struggled bitterly at the Third-Rank Peak a month ago.

56,000 Ka total Qi and Blood, Fourth Rank Peak dual-path progression, first grade Destructions End Spear Qi enhancement.

Even utilizing only pure physical strength, within the Fourth Rank, he had already met few who could rival him.

Finally, the fortieth floor.

Space distorted, and Qin Yan stepped onto the platform of the fortieth floor.

At the center of the platform, a green figure stood quietly, emanating the terrifying aura of the Fourth Rank Peak!

However...

Qin Yan's eyes held not a single ripple of emotion.

Still that same punch!

Plain and unadorned, yet containing a terrifying force sufficient to shatter mountains!

"BOOM—!!!"

The green figure, unable to withstand even a single move, exploded violently under Qin Yan's punch!

Transformed into scattered green points of light, dissipating within the space.

This was the terrifying, peerless combat power of the current Qin Yan!

Within the Fourth Rank, he could almost be called invincible!

"Buzz... buzz... buzz..."

At the center of the space, familiar light spheres suddenly lit up.

Qin Yan looked up and was slightly taken aback.

This time, it was not two light spheres, but three!

Two were multicolored, one was golden.

The two multicolored lights were gentle, radiating the aura of the Five Elements.

And that golden light was even more dazzling, more sharp, emanating an incomparably keen and fierce aura.

A thought stirred in Qin Yan's heart; he had a vague guess as to what it was.

The golden light sphere moved first.

Like a stream of light, it shot directly into Qin Yan's body.

In the next instant, Qin Yan's mind exploded!