138: Subdue the Tiger and Break the Boundary

A person's name, a tree's shadow. As the first Martial Artist of this session to reach the Congenital Realm, although Qin Jin did not ask Candle Kite to publicize it, this matter was not a secret among S-rank students.

Once someone knew, the news would spread.

According to the rules of this arena, the ten people who remained on the stage would be the winners. Under this premise, many people wanted to challenge Qin Jin, the apparent number one.

Their gazes lingered. Above the arena, a clone of the referee Candle Kite appeared, and her voice rang out, asking, "Student Qin Jin, do you need treatment?"

"No need."

Qin Jin replied.

Having received his answer, Candle Kite's voice echoed on the platform.

"Arena entry is open. Please, the next challenger, ascend to Arena No. 1."

As her voice fell.

The barrier outside the teleportation halo dissipated, and figures moved forward.

Ye Pingan had not initially ascended the arena to become an arena master. Upon seeing Qin Jin choose Arena No. 1, he rushed over immediately. At this moment, without hesitation, he immediately rushed to the forefront, wanting to enter the arena and fight.

It was at this moment.

An arm stretched out, suddenly blocking his path.

Looking at the arm, Ye Pingan didn't hesitate at all. He extended his palm, and the next instant, accompanied by a muffled sound, their two hands clashed. Source power surged, and an imposing aura violently surged outwards.

Flames flickered in his eyes as Ye Pingan's gaze focused on the person in front of him.

The person blocking his way had a crew cut and a muscular build.

Fang Shuo!

The top scorer of this year's School Selection Examination.

The two of them blocked the very front. Seeing them clash, other students who were close behind wanted to seize the opportunity to ascend the arena.

Just as he took a step.

Two gazes converged simultaneously, coming from the two people in the conflict. With surging source power of different colors, they directly blocked the path of the others, their intention clear.

"Why are you blocking me?"

Flames flickered in Ye Pingan's eyes as he looked at Fang Shuo.

"Let me go first."

Fang Shuo's voice was deep and his expression calm: "Ye Pingan, consider it a favor I owe you."

He shifted his gaze, looking at Qin Jin, who was overlooking them from the arena above.

"I am the top scorer of this year's School Selection Examination."

"And Qin Jin is the top special recruit student."

"When I first entered the academy, I wanted to fight him to see what kind of person he was to be chosen by the academy in advance. Unfortunately, I was not as skilled as him. He had already entered the Congenital Realm, and I was certainly not his match at that time."

"Now, I have entered the Congenital Realm. I have been looking forward to this battle for a long time."

"Let me fight first. You can also use this opportunity to learn some of Qin Jin's Combat Methods, and then you'll have more confidence when you go on stage."

"Do I need these?"

Ye Pingan snorted coldly: "Fang Shuo, why don't I go first and let you understand him better?"

"You're just a latecomer. There should have been a battle between Qin Jin and me long ago."

Their gazes clashed, neither showing weakness.

Fang Shuo's eyes flickered. Looking at Ye Pingan, whose aura was constantly rising, he finally lowered the arm that was blocking Ye Pingan.

"You go first."

He stepped aside, standing beside the teleportation halo, but he no longer looked at the arena. Instead, he closed his eyes, and with his source power surging, he blocked off his surroundings, seemingly not intending to pay attention to the upcoming battle.

"He wants to fight Qin Jin fairly and doesn't want to understand his Combat Methods beforehand?"

Ye Pingan instantly saw through his opponent's intentions. His expression was indifferent, and he made no comment. He took a step and entered the teleportation halo.

The next instant.

He ascended to Arena No. 1.

A student ascending the arena meant the battle had begun.

Ye Pingan did not say anything.

The words he wanted to say had already been said. At this moment, ascending the arena, in Ye Pingan's view, was to continue the unfinished battle from when he first entered the academy!

The moment he ascended the arena, the flames in his eyes intensified. Around him, source power surged out, and scorching flames ignited. As his figure swept forward, the flames spread, and a fiery red aura engulfed the arena. In the eyes of the observing students, a blazing tiger formed of flames was seen galloping and roaring on the arena, charging forward fiercely.

Its maw was open, as if a real tiger's roar echoed through the arena.

All who enter the Congenital Realm are different.

After entering the Congenital Realm, Martial Artists gained more Combat Methods with the support of source power.

The flaming tiger instantly closed the distance, charging towards Qin Jin.

"Fire attribute, huh."

A thought flashed through Qin Jin's mind.

When Qin Jin first saw Ye Pingan, he had seen the aura the latter released, so he had some basic understanding of him.

And now.

Looking at the roaring fire tiger, Qin Jin raised one hand, and source power surged out. Above it, vaguely, a giant palm constructed of source power appeared. Towards the charging tiger, with his movement, he extended his hand and clenched.

This was not some Combat Method.

Rather, as the power of source power increased, the Martial Artist's control ability improved, allowing for the purest manipulation of source power.

When the power of source power reached a certain level, every action could be an attack.

The giant palm descended, gripping the tiger's head.

The moment it was grasped, Ye Pingan's movements abruptly ceased, as if he were bound, and a look of horror rose in his eyes.

He clearly sensed an unparalleled, immense pressure coming from all directions. In an instant, the tiger's head violently exploded.

That was because, in the clash of source power, he was at an absolute disadvantage.

The tiger's head exploding was just the beginning. In a short while, the tiger's body began to disintegrate. His source power couldn't even sustain itself for an instant. In the blink of an eye, the majestic fire tiger had already become a crippled tiger.

"How is that possible?!"

"His source power—"

Thoughts rapidly flashed through Ye Pingan's mind. His expression was somewhat distorted. At this instant, a fiery glow actually appeared on his chest, which even his combat suit couldn't conceal. The moment the fiery glow lit up, the surrounding flames surged, suddenly changing to an unusual, eerie blue, looking extremely mysterious.

Heart Fire!

The resistance from his source power increased somewhat.

"A Secret Treasure, or some kind of secret art?"

A thought flashed through Qin Jin's mind, but his face remained calm. At this moment, the Fire God in his Spirit Ruins looked down, as if piercing through the Spirit Ruins and glancing at Ye Pingan.

God of Fire.

All fires bow before me.

In that instant, the constantly surging eerie blue flames seemed to encounter a great terror, giving rise to fear. In an instant, they receded, violently retracting into Ye Pingan himself, constantly diminishing in the process. Above Ye Pingan, the giant palm condensed from Qin Jin's source power suddenly clenched into a fist at this moment.

With a silent explosion, the fire tiger was shattered. Ye Pingan's unleashed source power was either crushed or directly forced back into him. He violently spat out a mouthful of blood, his legs went weak, his face filled with horror, and he collapsed to the ground, losing consciousness.

The referee on the arena was Candle Kite.

The moment Ye Pingan lost consciousness, she made her judgment. Teleportation light enveloped his surroundings, already taking him to the treatment room.

On the arena, silence fell.

But within the academy, among countless observing students, an uproar arose.

"I haven't seen this student Qin Jin in any usual academy activities. He's too fierce."

"It's already over?"

"Ye Pingan could use such Combat Methods, he must have broken into the Congenital Realm, right? Is a Congenital Realm Martial Artist really that weak?"

The discussions continued.

Just then.

On the arena, Qin Jin's gaze shifted, looking towards the other students on the waiting platform.

He didn't speak. As his source power spread, a voice shaped by Divine Intent, like Han Miao's, rang out, echoing on the platform.

"Those who have not entered the Congenital Realm, do not ascend this arena, otherwise, bear the consequences."

Under the shaping of Divine Intent, an oppressive aura was contained within, and his voice continuously echoed.

"Those who have entered the Congenital Realm and are not afraid of defeat may ascend the arena and try."

These few words were spoken.

Qin Jin had agreed to Candle Kite's inquiry, and the arena was opened again.

Outside Arena No. 1, figures were dense.

But at this moment, many people felt a desire to retreat and quietly left.

According to the arena rules, losing a battle was not terrible, but if one was severely injured during a defeat and wasted too much time on treatment, it was also an invisible waste of opportunity.

S-rank students were familiar with each other. Most of them knew that Ye Pingan had broken into the Congenital Realm, but a Congenital Realm Ye Pingan was not even a match for Qin Jin in a single exchange.

While feeling shocked, they couldn't help but have more terrifying thoughts and conjectures in their minds.

At this moment.

The moment Qin Jin's voice fell, Fang Shuo opened his eyes.

He had sealed himself with source power and had not witnessed the battle between Qin Jin and Ye Pingan.

However, just as Qin Jin spoke earlier, his voice actually penetrated his source power and was clearly heard by him.

Looking back behind him, he already had a guess: "Ye Pingan lost, and he lost very quickly."

Arena No. 1, which had been crowded with students, quickly emptied out.

A serious expression appeared in his eyes. Fang Shuo took a deep breath and stepped into the halo.

His figure appeared within Arena No. 1.

At the same time, battles were occurring on all the other arenas.

Most students were observing the battles on the arenas in front of them, as the two combatants on the arena were very likely to be their next opponents.

But as Fang Shuo ascended the arena, almost all eyes on the platform couldn't help but gather.

Top Scorer of the Examination VS Top Special Recruit.

One was a tangible achievement, the other was a tacitly acknowledged fact.

This was undoubtedly eye-catching.

The two were completely different. After entering the academy, Fang Shuo was very active, joining student organizations and often sparring with other students, possessing strength and attitude befitting a top scorer.

In contrast, to outsiders, Qin Jin lived a reclusive life. Aside from some necessary courses, he was rarely seen.

But today, he had once again startled everyone with his brilliance.

Under countless gazes, Fang Shuo ascended the arena and did not immediately make a move.

He saw Qin Jin, who had been resting with his eyes closed, open his eyes. With a serious look, he said in a deep voice, "Qin Jin."

"Although I did not observe your battle with Ye Pingan, it seems now that you must be very strong."

"Therefore, I will use my full power."

"Full power?"

Qin Jin's eyebrows slightly raised.

Fang Shuo's suspected on-the-spot breakthrough and comeback during the final battle of the examination had left a deep impression on him.

He didn't say much, just extended his hand and said, "Please."

His voice fell onto the arena.

On the opposite side of the arena, Fang Shuo made no movement, merely closing his eyes, then suddenly opening them.

Within his eyes, a vortex flashed and disappeared.

As the vortex flashed, in an instant, a special mental world was created.

In this peculiar mental world, he was still on the arena, but the arena's surface was covered with a misty layer. At the other end of the arena, Qin Jin's figure suddenly appeared, also covered in mist, appearing illusory. In mid-air, vaguely, illusory butterflies swayed with the wind.

In this mental world, Fang Shuo attacked the misty Qin Jin.

At the same time.

On the real arena.

Fang Shuo also made a move, approaching Qin Jin.

Comparing the two levels, one would find that Fang Shuo in the mental world acted extremely boldly, pushing forward relentlessly, while Fang Shuo in the real world was full of caution as he advanced.

One was experimenting, the other was stalling.

Everything happened in an instant.

It was at this moment.

Within the mental world, as Fang Shuo's evolving Combat Method attacked, the illusory figure of Qin Jin solidified at this moment!

In this mental world, Qin Jin's voice suddenly rang out.

"This is—your Secret Treasure ability?"

His forward steps halted.

Fang Shuo's eyes rippled: "You weren't imprinted?!"

"Imprinted?"

"That's a very fitting description."

Interest rose in Qin Jin's eyes as he looked at Fang Shuo in the mental world, many thoughts crossing his mind: "Chi Wenwu once speculated that your ability to turn the tide in the examination was because you had comprehended the spiritual essence in advance, discerning the secrets of the Congenital Realm, thus achieving a complete comeback in one fell swoop."

"Now it seems he was completely wrong."

"You did not comprehend the spiritual essence in advance."

"But your Combat Method is even more extraordinary."

"You are a rare existence who awakened a Secret Treasure before entering the Congenital Realm."

"No—"

"It should be that the Secret Treasure was never hidden from the beginning of your birth, allowing you to be so extraordinary."

"In the final battle of the School Selection Examination, on the surface you were retreating steadily, but in reality, within your Secret Treasure, you were probing your opponent's various trump cards, and only after ensuring there were no surprises did you achieve a clean victory."

"You are right."

Having his information deduced by Qin Jin, Fang Shuo became more open: "I didn't expect you to be able to detect my imprint and for your Divine Intent to directly enter the mental world I created."

"Qin Jin, you are indeed very strong."

"However, you also gave me an opportunity."

At this moment, on the real arena, Fang Shuo himself stopped, no longer dividing his attention, and fully concentrated his power in the mental world: "Rashly entering my domain, you are too careless. I will definitely be the arena master of Arena No. 1!"

At that instant.

Fang Shuo raised his hand, his fingers together like a sword. In this misty mental world, sharp streams of light instantly converged, and at the same time, they attacked Qin Jin from all directions.

His source power was exceptionally active, deriving other Combat Methods within this mental world.

"Your domain, huh."

Qin Jin's expression remained unchanged.

But in his eyes, vast lightning reflected.

The next instant.

Centered on him, lightning erupted violently, raging through this misty mental world. The incoming streams of light were annihilated in an instant, and lightning impacted all directions. In just a breath, this misty world was already shattered.

This was a special mental world that Fang Shuo had established based on his own Secret Treasure, supplemented by source power.

This was indeed his domain.

But—

When a transcendent power appeared here, everything else was just empty talk.

No matter how many Combat Methods you possess, if you can't win, you just can't win.

As the mental world shattered, Fang Shuo's figure suddenly became illusory. He looked at Qin Jin, his eyes turbulent.

"This kind of power—"

"You're not a First Transformation, not even a Second Transformation, no—"

"How could this be?!"

His voice faded.

The constructed mental world shattered with a roar.

At the same time.

Bang.

Accompanied by a dull sound on the arena, in the eyes of the observing students, the two had not yet even exchanged blows, but Fang Shuo had already fallen unconscious, collapsing onto the arena.