153: Star Rising

Inside the crystal ball, time flowed significantly faster than in the outside world; the wasteland civilization developed rapidly, changing with each passing day.

That figure bowed his head, gazing at everything within. The crystal ball flickered, representing the cycle of day and night, and the passing of time.

"Another new cycle. I wonder if this time, useful results will emerge."

Amidst whispers that others could not hear, he held the crystal ball, took a step, and his figure vanished from where he stood.

The mist shrouding this area gradually dispersed at this moment, and the world became clear again.

...

The teleportation halo radiated light, and the surrounding environment changed.

When he reappeared, Qin Jin had already arrived in a massive plaza.

The surroundings fell silent for a moment, then burst into a cacophony of voices as all the participating contestants appeared here.

The next moment.

Above the plaza, a giant screen materialized, and at the top of the giant screen, the names of various academy dojos were listed according to their total scores.

At the very top, the first-place name occupied its own row, standing out, the gilded characters unusually brilliant.

First Place: Wu Yuan Academy.

Beside Qin Jin, the excited voice of a student rang out.

Qin Jin's gaze swept over; the second place was Tian Ce Academy.

Ling Shu Academy ranked third, and the seven major academies monopolized the top six places, until the seventh place, where a change occurred.

Seventh Place: Shou Zhen Dojo

Eighth Place: Jiu Zhang Academy

His gaze swept past, and Qin Jin's eyebrows slightly raised.

In modern society, compared to academies, dojos have a much narrower recruitment scope. For a dojo to be able to overpower one of the seven major academies in the team competition undoubtedly indicates that their heritage is extraordinary, and in this generation, remarkable individuals have emerged.

On the giant screen, the rankings continued to display for a period of time.

Then, the giant screen rippled, and its content changed into a list of individuals.

That was the top five hundred individual scores of this team competition!

Qin Jin's name was at the top of the list, followed by the Wu Yuan emblem.

As this list was displayed, above the sky, brilliant lights bloomed, forming strange beams of light that cascaded down.

The light beams were similar in color, all a serene deep blue, with shimmering light inside. At a glance, hundreds of light beams descended simultaneously, creating a magnificent spectacle. Each light beam had a clear target, projecting onto the contestants who had advanced to the individual competition!

Starlight fell from the sky. As the light enveloped his body, Qin Jin felt a sensation of being lifted. His body rose from the ground, ascending towards the sky.

"This is?"

He looked around, and amidst exclamations of surprise, the advancing contestants below simultaneously ascended.

Qin Jin seemed to understand something, and he looked up at the sky.

Those light beams came from outside the sky.

"It's the Dengxing Arena."

He reacted.

"It seems that this individual competition will follow directly after the team competition."

A thought flashed through his mind.

His body lifted from the ground, ascending into the high sky. During this process, under the shroud of light, his fundamental power was exceptionally active. Qin Jin clearly felt his recovery speed increase, his fatigue rapidly vanishing, and his condition returning to normal.

The Dengxing Arena, an extraordinary megastructure forged by the Federation.

Its capabilities were undoubtedly extraordinary.

Under the gaze of the other contestants below, the advancing contestants ascended into the firmament, entering the star sea.

The light beams were projected from the Dengxing Arena.

Compared to its initial silent appearance upon arrival, the Dengxing Arena now had lights flowing, illuminating the star sea. Above this arena-shaped megastructure, a giant screen appeared, projecting the situation inside.

The light beam approached the arena.

After a flicker of light in front of him, Qin Jin's figure appeared inside a changing room.

In front, a light screen displayed information.

[Please change into your competition attire and retrieve the equipment obtained within the civilization ruins]

[Only after changing can you proceed to the competition venue]

The competition attire hung nearby; it was a martial arts uniform convenient for combat. After Qin Jin changed, he pushed the door open, and the moment he stepped out of the changing room, a teleportation halo rose.

The next moment, he stepped onto solid ground.

Qin Jin's gaze immediately swept forward.

He had already arrived at the central area of the Dengxing Arena.

The internal central area of this Dengxing Arena was actually hollow, appearing like a cylindrical, deep star sea. Within this special star sea, there were peculiar creations resembling planets, from bottom to top. The lowest layer had the most planets, and as the height increased, the number of planet creations decreased.

When it reached the highest point, only one planet hovered.

It looked as if that planet was a crown.

They were currently in a large lounge, and all five hundred contestants present looked forward.

Just then.

In front of the lounge, a phantom figure appeared.

It was a man, dressed in a uniform, with an impeccably serious expression. His voice rang out.

"Welcome to the Dengxing Arena."

"I am the Dengxing Arena's artificial intelligence referee: Starchaser."

"Next, you will directly proceed to the individual combat of this Star Dome Breaking Limit Cup."

His voice was serious as he reached out and pointed behind him to the deep, seemingly hollowed-out star sea: "Each planet represents an arena."

"Once the battles officially begin, based on the Dengxing Arena's initial comprehensive assessment of both participating sides, you will appear on different arenas."

"Victories on the arena will earn special rewards from the Dengxing Arena."

"The losing side, if their performance is commendable, will also receive rewards."

"The higher the level of the arena, the richer the rewards."

"At the same time, delivering an excellent performance in battle can also raise the level of the arena for your subsequent battles."

"Now, there are ten minutes remaining until the battles begin."

"If you have any questions, you may ask them directly."

As his voice fell, a countdown appeared in the air beside him.

Among the group of contestants, a voice spoke first.

"What are the Dengxing Arena's initial assessment criteria?"

"It's talent, strength, and other comprehensive information."

Starchaser replied steadily: "Everything is based on standard data for the same age group within the Federation. As long as you are outstanding enough, you can start battling on higher-level arenas and obtain more rewards."

"Are there no spectators on the Dengxing Arena?"

"Due to certain special reasons, there are no live spectators for this competition."

"What aspects do the arena rewards involve?"

"This is confidential information of the Dengxing Arena; everything needs to be confirmed by yourselves."

"How are the two opposing sides determined?"

"By random allocation from the Dengxing Arena."

In a short time, many questions were raised.

Qin Jin stood still, listening quietly.

He did not ask any questions.

How could anyone who could enter the top five hundred be simple? Through their questions, he had already gained a basic understanding of the Dengxing Arena.

As for the rest...

It was just a battle.

Just then.

Not far from him, a voice spoke.

"Something feels off."

The speaker was Hua Jieyu, a second-year student.

Their positions after being sent to the Dengxing Arena were similar to their positions on the ground, surrounded by the advancing contestants from Wu Yuan. Now, as she spoke, the gazes of the others turned towards her.

Meeting everyone's gaze, Hua Jieyu lowered her voice slightly: "In previous Po Xian Cups, there was always a few days' interval between the team competition and the individual competition, giving contestants time to prepare."

"Now, however, they are directly consecutive."

"I'm afraid it's related to this Dengxing Arena."

Shi Luoshu's voice rang out, and a flicker of thought crossed his eyes: "The previous Po Xian Cups have never been held in this extraordinary venue either."

His gaze shifted, looking at the planet-like creations in front that represented different arenas.

"The individual competition is a knockout system, but the uniqueness of the Dengxing Arena means that as long as one has accumulated something, even if they encounter a strong opponent and are eliminated, they still have a chance to receive rewards."

"Being able to battle on this arena can be considered a benefit for us."

"Everyone."

He looked at the Wu Yuan students around him: "We have already successfully taken first place in the team competition."

"In the individual competition, we must also strive for the lead!"

Responses rang out.

Time passed by minute by minute.

During the process of leaving the planet and [Ascending to the Stars], the condition of these contestants had already recovered. As the start approached, they stopped asking questions and instead focused on adjusting their own states.

Just as the countdown completely ended.

Accompanied by a sound like a pendulum striking a bell, at this moment, within the arena area in front, those planet-shaped arenas simultaneously transformed!

Light flowed, like a grand curtain being unveiled. The bottom of the arena still resembled a planet, while the top transformed into arenas of varying sizes and appearances. It looked as if the planets were supporting martial arts arenas.

"Po Xian Cup Individual Knockout Tournament."

"Officially begins!"

As Starchaser's voice fell, halos of light rose beneath the contestants' feet, and their figures vanished.

When they reappeared.

They were already in the arena.

...

Inside the planet.

A giant screen hung in the sky.

Within the giant screen, the real-time situation of the Dengxing Arena was displayed. In the plaza below, in addition to the contestants, some academy teachers leading teams also chose to come here to watch the battles together.

Now, as the contestants ascended to the arena, exclamations of surprise rang out.

"Most of the students have appeared in the mid-to-high level arenas."

"While scores cannot fully reflect strength, anyone who can enter the top five hundred is certainly not simple; this is normal."

"Contestants have also appeared on the highest arena."

"Does this mean that, in the Dengxing Arena's initial assessment, these two are the most outstanding?"

"Not necessarily. The Dengxing Arena randomly assigns opponents. It sounds like it first determines the opposing sides, then conducts the assessment. Their ability to battle on the highest arena only proves that their [total assessment score] surpasses other contestants."

The discussions continued.

The giant screen was divided into sections, broadcasting the situation on each arena in real-time.

...

Teleported to the arena.

The moment he stepped onto the arena, Qin Jin subconsciously looked around.

The space inside this arena was wider than it appeared from the outside, allowing contestants to fully utilize their abilities. Transparent barriers surrounded it, protecting it while allowing a clear view of everything around.

A quick glance revealed no other arenas in the parallel direction.

Seeing this, Qin Jin raised an eyebrow.

"This is the highest arena."

His gaze fell on his opponent, a woman who currently showed a hint of surprise on her face.

Between the two, a light screen intercepted them, gradually dimming. The moment the light screen disappeared, the battle would begin.

Watching the light screen about to dissolve, Qin Jin reached out and said, “Qin Jin of Wu Yuan, please.”

The woman’s expression turned serious: “Qi Baige of Xing Xuan Academy.”

Xing Xuan Academy.

One of the seven great academies in the Corridor Star System.

As the two spoke, the light screen between them completely dimmed, and the battle began!

The moment the light screen dimmed, dazzling light burst forth from Qi Baige’s eyes, and source power surged, with a mental attack coming.

After a Martial Artist enters the Innate Realm, the two powers merge into one, but due to different innate talents, the methods they excel at will also vary.

The space before him darkened, and in his mental world, an irregular, small celestial body, like a meteor, appeared, trailing flames behind it like a fiery meteor, striking towards Qin Jin, impacting his mental world.

“This is…”

“Divine Intent?”

“What a peculiar evolution of Divine Intent.”

Thoughts flashed through his mind, and Qin Jin’s Divine Intent manifested. A golden-armored general stood holding a halberd, facing the incoming fiery meteor, neither dodging nor avoiding, meeting it head-on.

The next instant.

The great halberd stirred up thunder, slashing at the meteor.

Source power supported the spirit, and with one strike, cracks appeared on the meteor, which was then violently split back.

On the arena.

Qi Baige’s body went limp, falling forward. As she was halfway down, a teleportation light rose, and she was transported off the arena.

Wu Yuan Qin Jin… wins!

A soft glow enveloped Qin Jin, performing automatic healing on him. Within the glow, a ball of light emanating mysterious power appeared and entered Qin Jin’s body.

“This is…”

Qin Jin sensed it briefly: “It’s a transcendent factor.”

“And it’s an extremely pure transcendent factor, without any contamination.”

“Is this one of the rewards from the Dengxing Arena?”

As thoughts flickered, a teleportation halo appeared, and he returned to the resting area.

The elimination rounds proceeded one by one, and the next round of matching would only begin after all battles concluded.

Back in the resting area, sensing the transcendent factor that had integrated into his body: “The quantity is considerable, and with just a little effort, it can be converted into source power.”

“I wonder what the arena rewards are based on, and if the rewards on the same arena will change.”

Thoughts churned, and Qin Jin simply closed his eyes slightly, converting source power, waiting for the next round to begin.

At the same time.

Inside the planet, at the spectator plaza.

The battles on the highest arena attracted the most attention.

However, the battle began in an instant and ended in an instant.

“Was he directly instantly killed?!”

“How could a contestant who reached the highest arena be so vulnerable?”

“Wait, I have an idea. Qin Jin of Wu Yuan is the top scorer in individual points. Could it be that because of his own excellence, his rating was directly raised, causing him and his opponent to appear together on the highest arena?!”

“Very possible.”

“The individual competition started directly, which made me not think much, but now that I think about it, the top scorer in individual points for this team competition must be extraordinary!”

“The fall of the Divine Child must have been done by a participant. Could it be this Qin Jin? Is that why his points are ranked first?”

“Terrifying as such.”

The chatter was incessant.

After the team competition ended, some details were gradually revealed through discussions.

Dengxing Arena.

The first round of the elimination tournament ended.

The second round began.

After completing the ascent to the arena, exclamations rang out in the spectator area.

The image of the highest arena was at the center of the giant screen. At this moment, a familiar figure appeared on that arena.

Qin Jin!

Under the increasing attention of more and more people, Qin Jin defeated his opponent, who came from a dojo, with just one punch, advancing to the next round.

Top 125!

This time, he obtained a special substance from the Dengxing Arena that could cleanse the spirit.

Submerging his spirit into it brought a refreshing sensation.

The battle continued.

In the third round of the martial arts competition, there were byes and replacement slots.

However, due to the nature of the Dengxing Arena, while a bye advanced one's ranking, it might also cause one to miss out on rewards from the Dengxing Arena, so it couldn't be called entirely good or bad.

Replacement slots were determined by the Dengxing Arena, where one person was selected from the eliminated contestants to fill the 64-person quota.

In this round, Qin Jin encountered a Martial Artist from the Shou Zhen Dojo.

It was evident that the Shou Zhen Dojo Martial Artist, whose team ranking had surpassed one of the seven great academies, was brimming with confidence and fighting spirit.

Facing Qin Jin, the opponent chose to clash head-on.

Then, he transformed into a meteor, crashing into the barrier at the edge of the arena, and was teleported away.

Top 64.

This time, after the battle ended, an ‘Intent’ character was projected into his mental space. Sensing its effect, it could help Divine Intent grow.

The contestants in the spectator plaza, from initial shock and awe, gradually became accustomed and calmed down.

Because…

After several rounds, the arena levels of other contestants mostly changed.

But on the highest arena, Qin Jin was never absent.

“The fourth round has begun.”

“Good, good, good, Qin Jin is still fighting on the highest arena.”

“Wait… his opponent?”

“It’s the Spiritual Energy User from Ling Shu Academy!”

“Spiritual Energy vs. Martial Arts.”

“I’ve met this person; she’s very powerful.”

Discussions continued.

Dengxing Arena, highest arena.

Qin Jin stood on the left side of the arena, his gaze directed at his opponent, his eyes slightly narrowed.

Across the arena was a familiar figure.

Shu Yan.

A Spiritual Energy User. A few days ago, during the final decisive battle against the Saint, they had even joined forces and cooperated.

“Qin Jin.”

Across the arena, watching the light screen gradually dissolve, Shu Yan’s voice rang out: “I didn’t expect to meet you here.”

“It seems one of us will have to stop here.”

As her words fell.

The light screen dissipated.

The moment it dissipated, a flash of light crossed Shu Yan’s eyes. Spiritual energy was instantly activated, swirling around her, interweaving to form armor that covered her body.

At the same time, in her palm, spiritual energy gathered and intertwined, actually forming an object resembling a [sword staff].

Both materialized in an instant. As Qin Jin burst forth with speed and approached, Shu Yan lightly tapped her sword staff, and a beam of spiritual energy blasted towards Qin Jin.

Everything was completed in an instant.

Compared to the Spiritual Energy Users Qin Jin had fought in the ruins, her attack speed was significantly faster.

Although Qin Jin hadn't had time to ask Teacher Chu for relevant information since this individual competition followed the team competition, he had experience fighting Spiritual Energy Users. Facing the incoming beam, he didn't waste time dodging. Instead, he charged forward, his body erupting with power. Sky Thunder Body and Sky Fire Body activated simultaneously!

Thunder and fire intertwined, swirling around his body, forming a barrier.

As he charged forward, the spiritual energy beam struck.

Spiritual energy and source power clashed, consuming each other in explosions, and new spiritual energy beams arrived. Qin Jin’s body surged with thunder and fire, directly enduring the impact as he advanced.

His source power, having undergone multiple refinements, was of extremely high quality.

His figure like lightning, enduring the spiritual energy impact, closing the distance. Just as the distance between them narrowed to about twenty meters, Qin Jin’s speed slowed, and a suppressive feeling came from all around, as if he had fallen into a quagmire.

“Domain.”

“A domain constructed from spiritual energy?”

Thoughts arose in his mind. At this moment, Secret Treasure activated!

Behind Qin Jin, the scene of the Mountain and River Divine Tree appeared, his own power extending outwards in a peculiar way, and a domain formed!

The suppressive feeling eased.

As the domain expanded, Qin Jin’s power and spiritual energy clashed everywhere in the surroundings, with thunder and fire raging.

Domain against domain, Qin Jin’s speed increased. At this moment, he had already closed in on Shu Yan, his fists generating thunder and fire, striking directly.

With one punch, spiritual energy gathered into a shield in front of Shu Yan.

Fist strikes shield!

The shield shattered.

But at the same time, Shu Yan’s figure flickered, already disappearing from her original spot.

She reappeared at the other end, not far away.

“Within the spiritual energy domain, she possesses an ability like instant teleportation?”

Thoughts flashed through his mind. With Secret Treasure activated, Qin Jin also had sufficient perception of his surroundings. The moment Shu Yan disappeared, he had already turned, his fist not withdrawn, but transforming into a cannon muzzle. With source power as the main force and spiritual power as auxiliary, a torrent roared out.

Source Kill Cannon!

The torrent streaked across the sky. Shu Yan had just reappeared, raising her sword staff to intercept. Under the impact of the Source Kill Cannon, her spiritual energy rapidly depleted. It was at this moment that Qin Jin’s figure swept in.

Man and cannon attacked simultaneously.

The cannon shattered the armor, and the man struck the body.

This time, Shu Yan had no time to dodge. Her own fists were covered in spiritual energy, blocking the attack.

It seemed she had also undergone martial arts training.

Fists met fists.

Within Qin Jin, source power surged out, forming a beast shape, fiercely impacting the spiritual energy.

This was an ultimate showdown of raw power.

After a brief stalemate, the spiritual energy covering Shu Yan shattered with a bang, and her entire body was sent flying backward under the impact of the source power.

A spiritual energy glow flashed across her body.

Qin Jin keenly noticed that she was using spiritual energy to heal herself.

“The mechanism of spiritual energy is truly comprehensive.”

Thoughts rapidly crossed Qin Jin’s mind as he softly uttered.

“Explode.”

The source power impacting Shu Yan instantly burst open, and the power within engulfed Shu Yan.

Bang.

Accompanied by a dull thud, her body fell to the ground, enveloped by a teleportation halo.

The victor was decided.

Qin Jin lowered his eyes slightly.

“Domain, flash, healing, lock-on.”

“No wonder she’s a favored child of heaven.”

“If one’s own stats aren’t enough, facing such a Spiritual Energy User, the weaker ones would be directly defeated, and even stronger ones would be gradually worn down.”

Thoughts flashed through his mind.

Just then, a glow descended from above the Dengxing Arena.

The glow enveloped his entire body, and in Qin Jin’s mind, text and patterns appeared, firmly imprinted.

This time, the reward was no longer transcendent factors or special substances.

Qin Jin sensed the specific information in his mind, then it solidified.

This time, the reward he received was a secret manual!

[Stars Breathing Method]