136: Chapter 136 Establishing Status
Silence. A deathly silence.
The entire Central Martial Arts Arena was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.
Everyone's gaze was dull as they stared at the two people on the arena stage.
Their brains had completely crashed.
What just happened?
Lei Qian's earth-shattering "Thunder God Descent," comparable to the full-force strike of a Grade 5 expert, just... vanished like that?
It was casually wiped out by a punch from the opponent that looked soft and weak?
This... this was no longer just a gap.
This was a crushing defeat!
It was a dimensional reduction strike!
On the arena stage, Lei Qian's body was still trembling uncontrollably and violently.
He kept his head lowered, not daring to look into Wang Pingan's eyes.
He felt his face burning with pain.
All his self-confidence and all his pride had been crushed to pieces by that single punch just now.
He finally understood now.
Why Instructor Shi Yan had looked at him with that expression, as if looking at an idiot.
It turned out that in front of a true monster,
he was really just a clown jumping up and down.
"I... I submit."
After a long while, Lei Qian squeezed these three words out from between his teeth.
His voice was hoarse, dry, and filled with endless bitterness and despair.
After speaking, he seemed to have been drained of all his strength; his whole being withered, and he slowly walked off the arena stage.
Wang Pingan watched his dejected back and shook his head.
Then, his gaze fell once again on the faces of the forty-eight "geniuses" below the stage, who had completely turned to stone.
"Is there anyone else who is unconvinced?"
His voice remained as calm and gentle as ever.
But this time, no one dared to have any doubts or provocations.
The moment they made contact with his gaze, everyone subconsciously lowered their heads, not daring to meet his eyes.
Are you kidding me?
Even Lei Qian, recognized as the powerhouse with the strongest attack power in the team, had been crippled by that person with a single punch.
If they went up there, wouldn't that just be pure suicide?
"Very good."
Wang Pingan nodded with satisfaction.
"Since everyone has no objections,"
"Then from now on, I am your captain."
"My rules are very simple."
"First, obey orders."
"Second, absolutely obey orders."
"Anyone who cannot do this can quit right now."
Although Wang Pingan's voice was not loud, every word clearly reached everyone's ears.
It was filled with unquestionable, absolute authority!
The entire team was silent as a grave.
No one quit.
And no one dared to quit.
"Very good."
Wang Pingan nodded again.
"Since everyone is on the same side now,"
"Then I won't stand on ceremony with you."
He cleared his throat and said in a tone filled with "earnest advice."
"This 'Human Federation New Generation Genius Invitational Tournament' is of vital importance to our Xuanyuan University."
"What we represent is the school's face and the school's honor."
"So I hope everyone can put in two hundred percent of their effort to strive for the best results!"
"Of course, effort alone is not enough."
"We also need... a little bit of 'tactics'."
A mysterious smile appeared on Wang Pingan's face.
"The first stage of this competition is a one-week survival elimination tournament on a primitive planet called the 'Star of Creation'."
"Our goal is very simple."
"That is..."
His gaze swept slowly over the face of every team member.
"Rob all their points!"
"Regardless of those so-called 'top monsters' or those seemingly harmless 'soft persimmons'."
"As long as they are breathing, don't let a single one go!"
Wang Pingan's voice was filled with cold, hunter-like cruelty.
All the team members below the stage couldn't help but shudder when they heard these words.
Only then did they realize.
Their captain, who seemed harmless and even a bit lazy,
was actually such a ruthless and vicious character at his core!
...
After using the simplest and most direct method to completely suppress this group of arrogant geniuses,
Wang Pingan's career as captain officially began.
In the following half a month or so,
he did not organize any joint training or tactical drills like the captains of other teams.
He only gave everyone one order.
"Go play by yourselves, don't bother me."
Then he plunged back into his Heaven Character Number One Villa and started a new round of "secluded cultivation."
This left those team members, who were originally full of awe for him, collectively confused once again.
This... what kind of move is this?
Sharpening the spear at the last minute—even if it isn't sharp, it will still shine!
It's already an emergency, how could you, old sir, be playing the role of an absentee manager again?
But this time, no one dared to have any complaints.
They could only silently carry out their final sprint training according to Wang Pingan's "instructions."
As for Wang Pingan, he lived a life like an immortal in his "palace."
His daily work was to study those few "divine skills" he had just acquired.
"Senluo Illusion Realm"!
"Starfall Flowing Light Body"!
And that brand new, infinitely possible "Talent Creation" function!
"System, query the specific rules of 'Talent Creation'."
Wang Pingan lay on the soft sofa, enjoying the massage service from the robot butler "friday" while issuing instructions to the system in his consciousness.
[Instruction received...]
[Detailed explanation of the 'Talent Creation' function:]
[This function can use the 'core materials' (i.e., various exotic treasures of heaven and earth) provided by the host, and consume a massive amount of pay-to-win points, to tailor-make a brand new, unique 'talent' for the host.]
[Talent ranks, from low to high, are divided into: F, E, D, C, B, A, S, SS, SSS, nine ranks.]
[The higher the quality of the core material, the more pay-to-win points consumed, and the higher the rank of the talent that can be created.]
[Friendly reminder: Once a 'talent' is generated, it will be bound to the host's soul, cannot be changed, and cannot be reversed. Please choose carefully, host.]
"So that's how it is."
Wang Pingan looked at the system's introduction, lost in thought.
To put it plainly, this function is just an upgraded version of "pay-to-win card drawing."
Except, what is drawn is not martial arts, but something more mysterious and essential: "talent."
For example, some people are born with a high affinity for fire elements, so their cultivation of fire-type techniques will be twice the result with half the effort.
This is "fire-type talent."
And Wang Pingan can now forcibly "create" this kind of talent for himself by consuming "exotic treasures of heaven and earth" and "pay-to-win points"!
"Then... does that 'core of spacetime' I obtained earlier count as an 'exotic treasure of heaven and earth'?"
A bold idea suddenly popped into Wang Pingan's mind.
[Ding!]
['core of spacetime' belongs to the 'SSS' grade super-tier exotic treasure of heaven and earth, and is one of the best core materials for creating 'spacetime-type' talents.]
[However, because the source energy inside this item has been completely consumed by the host, it can currently no longer be used as a 'core material'.]
Hearing the system's prompt, an expression of extreme heartache appeared on Wang Pingan's face.
"Damn it, what a huge loss!"
He was now regretting it so much that his guts were green.
If he had known this thing could be used to create "talents," he wouldn't have drained it dry no matter what!
That was a "spacetime-type" talent!
Just hearing the name, it sounded insanely awesome!
If he had managed to create it, wouldn't he have taken off on the spot?
"Forget it, forget it, let the past be the past."
Wang Pingan could only comfort himself like this.
After all, compared to his own life, a vague and ethereal "talent" was nothing.
He turned his attention back to the system panel.
Since "Talent Creation" couldn't be played for now,
he could only think of ways in other aspects.
He glanced at his massive balance of over six million pay-to-win points.
A more crazy and bolder idea grew wildly in his mind!
He wanted to break through!
He wanted to break through to Grade 6!