182: Chapter 182 Star Stone Acquired, Origin of Martial Arts, Mission Complete!

Lu Qingyun, having just slapped Mu Susu away, dusted off his hands as if nothing had happened.

He didn't even spare a glance in that direction; his gaze shifted back to the Divine Intent experts still locked in combat on the field.

Without a moment's hesitation, Lu Qingyun flickered and dove straight into the fray.

He spread out his Psychic Power, specifically targeting those who were battered, bruised, and on the verge of defeat.

One Psychic Power strike after another delivered the finishing blow, while system notifications flooded his mind in a frenzy.

The cold, mechanical notifications sounded incredibly satisfying to Lu Qingyun, even sweeter than the most heavenly music.

"Refreshing!"

Lu Qingyun felt a secret thrill, and his movements quickened.

He wove through the crowd like a ghost, exclusively picking off the weak and wounded, sparing no one.

In just a few moments.

Screams echoed throughout the arena as one figure after another was knocked out of the ring and eliminated.

In the center of the vast arena, only two people remained.

Lu Qingyun and an elderly man at the Peak Divine Will with white hair and a white beard.

Almost the instant only two people remained in the arena.

Five figures descended from the sky, landing steadily in the center of the field.

They were none other than Master Ming and the four other Dharma Form Grandmasters.

With the Dharma Form Grandmasters present, the entire arena fell instantly silent.

Master Ming's gaze fell immediately upon Lu Qingyun, his expression indescribably complex.

Lu Qingyun held his head up confidently and met Master Ming's gaze, showing not a hint of fear.

He knew exactly what was going on.

Mu Susu had exposed her identity as a Natural Demon Seed without any hesitation, yet these Dharma Form Grandmasters hadn't struck her down on the spot.

So, his own identity as the "Universe Invincible Tyrannosaurus God of War" was naturally as secure as a rock.

The two stared at each other, and the entire venue was deathly silent.

An intriguing tension filled the air.

After a long while, Master Ming slowly shifted his gaze. Emotions surged in his deep eyes, but in the end, he said nothing.

Lu Qingyun also took the opportunity to look away, instantly wiping the casual arrogance off his face.

He straightened his back, his eyes clear and innocent, with just the right amount of reservedness at the corners of his mouth—the spitting image of a well-behaved child who had never seen such a grand event and was honestly waiting to receive his prize.

He blinked his large eyes, sweeping them back and forth across the five Dharma Form Grandmasters; the meaning could not have been clearer.

"When are you going to give out the prize? I've been waiting for ages."

Seeing this, the purple-robed female Dharma Form Grandmaster on the high platform couldn't help but twitch the corner of her mouth.

Just a moment ago, he had slapped away a female demon who could crush a Peak Divine Will expert, and now he was pretending to be an innocent little rabbit. His speed at changing faces was faster than flipping a book.

The Grey-robed Elder, however, maintained a calm expression, as if he hadn't noticed Lu Qingyun's little schemes at all.

He raised his hand and tossed a small, silver, high-tech-looking box covered in intricate patterns through the air, sending it straight toward Lu Qingyun.

"The prize for first place in the Youth Group. Take it."

His voice was flat and indifferent, as if he weren't tossing out a mysterious grand prize that had the attention of the entire nation, but merely a stone from the roadside.

Lu Qingyun reached out and caught it steadily; it felt slightly cool to the touch and had a decent weight.

He didn't dawdle, flicking his finger to pop the lid open.

Hum—

In an instant, a gentle and warm magnetic field spread out from the box, like spring sunshine wrapped in the vapor of a hot spring, instantly covering most of the arena.

Everyone present felt their pores open up; their exhausted bodies and damaged meridians tingled with a warm, numbing sensation at that moment, as if every cell in their bodies was cheering.

"What is this? It actually has the effect of nourishing the physical body and Divine Intent!"

"My old injuries... they seem to have loosened up a bit!"

The remaining dozen or so Divine Intent experts changed expressions, their eyes filled with shock and greed.

Lu Qingyun had no interest in the reactions of others; his gaze was locked firmly on the contents of the box.

The stone was about the size of an adult's fist, deep dark blue in color, with tiny, star-like glimmers flowing across its surface, creating a dreamy, illusory effect as it shifted.

However, the edges were jagged, clearly not a complete piece, but rather a fragment that had been forcibly gouged from some massive object.

[Star Stone: Born in the starry sky, extinguished in the starry sky... possesses the efficacy to transcend the boundaries of life.]

[Ding! Unknown super-high-level energy object detected.]

[Warning: Host's current level is insufficient, unable to consume or absorb!]

The system notifications rang out one after another, and the smile on Lu Qingyun's face suddenly stiffened.

Level insufficient?

He suddenly recalled that when he first obtained the Spirit Crystal, he had received a similar notification.

But now he was already LV48, just one step away from the Dharma Aspect Realm, and even at this level, he couldn't consume this stone?

Then how immense must the energy inside this thing be?

Hundreds of millions? Or billions?

Lu Qingyun's heart pounded wildly, and his fingertips felt slightly hot.

He hit the jackpot!

This time he had truly struck it rich!

He didn't show a hint of it on his face, slamming the lid shut with a "clack." The silver box instantly cut off all magnetic fields and luster, blocking out the burning gazes of everyone present.

He then decisively put it away, his movements smooth and fluid, as if he were afraid someone might snatch it.

After doing all this, he turned his head to look at Master Ming, pointing his little finger at Mu Susu, who was staring at him with ill intent.

"Master Ming, this person has already been eliminated, so why is she still standing here? Shouldn't she be kicked out? The Martial Arts Tournament has rules; once eliminated, one should act like it."

His voice was clear and rang throughout the entire arena.

Everyone: "..."

Mu Susu, who had been staring coldly at Lu Qingyun, suddenly stiffened at these words.

She glared fiercely at Lu Qingyun, but her feet didn't budge. Instead of leaving, she took a half-step forward, and the indifferent pressure around her body dissipated faintly, as if she knew something and was clearly relying on it without fear.

Master Ming shook his head and did not follow Lu Qingyun's words to drive her away.

"In this National Martial Arts Tournament, victory or defeat is secondary." He swept his gaze across the arena, his voice deep and thick. "The real purpose is to select people."

"She, like you, has been deemed a person with the qualifications."

Lu Qingyun's eyes flashed.

Select people?

Select what kind of people?

Just as he was muttering to himself, he saw Master Ming raise his hand and wave.

An invisible force swept through, and all the remaining Divine Intent experts and staff in the arena who had not been recognized were gently but irresistibly sent out.

In the blink of an eye, only a dozen or so people remained in the vast arena.

After the clearing was finished, the Grey-robed Elder slowly spoke, uttering a few words:

"The qualification to enter the Origin of Martial Arts."

The moment his voice fell—

[Ding! Mission [Explore] completed!]

[Mission reward: Race Template Upgrade Count × 1 has been issued!]

The cold system notification exploded in his mind, Lu Qingyun's pupils constricted slightly, and wild joy instantly surged from the bottom of his heart!

Race Template Upgrade!

Finally obtained!

...