229: Prototype

Amidst continuous tremors, spiderweb-like cracks appeared over the entire giant statue, and the stone skin rapidly peeled off, falling into the artificial star sea and dissolving into a halo, completely disappearing. Beneath the stone skin, a dazzling light bloomed.

The next instant.

The statue's figure emitted a dazzling light, illuminating all directions, and stepped forward, heading towards the naturally occurring arena within the checkpoint area!

With each step, his figure shrank a bit, and the light emanating from his body receded a bit. By the time he reached the front of the arena, he had transformed from a giant statue to a normal human size.

This scene captivated the attention of almost everyone in the checkpoint area.

Looking at this figure, many people's thoughts stirred, and they looked at the figure on the other side of the arena, at Qin Jin.

"Does this checkpoint to the fifth area have other hidden conditions?"

"Is this giant statue also a test subject? It looks like he is even the main body of [Martial Artist]."

"Who is this person, and how did he trigger all of this?"

Everyone's thoughts were complex.

In the Miracle Corridor, where they couldn't communicate with each other, everything was destined for them to explore on their own.

On the other end, the Martial Artist's statue body had already arrived in front of the arena. The moment he stepped onto the arena, the starlight arena beneath Qin Jin's feet began to expand at this moment, its area increasing several times over in the blink of an eye.

Martial Artist stepped onto the arena, his eyes filled with excitement, as if unsealed. His aura was high, his clothes billowed, erupting in layers. Judging solely from the aura he unleashed, he had indeed improved significantly.

Although it was only a brief glimpse, Qin Jin had already guessed the alteration of this checkpoint. The clones on each arena were responding to challenges and undergoing tests, but similarly... participants could also besiege the main body, which was this statue, to gain qualification to enter the fifth-level area.

After the four categories of physique, speed, and intent, participants now faced a test of combat power.

Under Qin Jin's gaze, the Martial Artist's aura continued to climb, power flowed out autonomously, and the ink-like power halo brought a deep pressure. He revealed a brilliant smile, eager to try, and said, "Please."

His voice was like thunder, echoing on the arena.

Qin Jin raised an eyebrow.

His voice rang out, reaching the Martial Artist's ears.

"Use your full strength."

The voice was calm.

"Full strength?"

The Martial Artist's expression paused, but he quickly reacted: "Those are the words you said last time."

"You are truly confident."

"Don't worry, I will use my full strength."

As his voice fell, there was a moment of silence on the arena.

Just a few breaths later, the two, who had fought multiple times before, seemed to have developed enough tacit understanding. At the same time, without any command, they attacked simultaneously.

Around the Martial Artist, the ink-like power halo rapidly spread. He took a step, his body moving with his will. As his power violently erupted, mysterious patterns emerged on his body surface. The next instant, his domain activated and, with the augmentation of his power, expanded dramatically.

His figure had already lunged forward during this process.

Within the continuously expanding domain, violent power constantly erupted. In an instant, an ink-colored storm seemed to appear on the arena, extremely ferocious, with power erupting within it like blades, sweeping across the arena, brutally destroying everything, and directly striking towards Qin Jin.

Qin Jin calmly watched all of this.

Everything happened in an instant. The storm engulfed the arena, and in the eyes of the many participants who had turned their attention, Qin Jin's figure was swallowed by the ink-colored storm in a mere flash.

"Did he lose just like that?"

"It seems the Martial Artist's statue body is far stronger than the clones on the other arenas. Just looking at the level of power unleashed, it's extraordinary."

"That's right."

"The test for the same checkpoint shouldn't have such a large disparity; there must be other hidden rules."

Those who could reach this point were not simple individuals; they conducted detailed analyses in their minds as they observed.

Everything happened extremely fast. In the very next instant, someone's expression changed, and their face showed a ripple of emotion!

Their gaze swept over.

The Martial Artist's domain spread, almost completely enveloping the entire arena. Within the ink-colored storm was extremely violent power, but at this moment, among the participants present, those with more outstanding spiritual perception seemed to hear the sharp sound of weapons being drawn from the arena.

The sound was fleeting, making people think it was an auditory hallucination, but in the next instant, they saw a divine weapon unsheathing within the ink-colored storm, extremely sharp.

"This is?!"

"Wait, this doesn't seem to be a real scene, but rather the power is too sharp and strong, affecting our spiritual senses, making us see the scene of a divine weapon unsheathing."

Amidst the words of shock in their hearts.

Inside the arena, enveloped by the ink-colored storm, Qin Jin made his move, facing the attacking Martial Artist.

Power continuously impacted his domain. His expression was calm, showing no ripples, but in an instant, various abilities had been activated and applied to himself. As the two systems continuously merged, everything came naturally. When the True Dragon Precious Technique was unleashed, combined with the Weapon Forging Manual, Qin Jin's aura had become extremely sharp. Above the faintly swirling dragon-shaped phantom around him, the dragon scales seemed to reflect myriad weapons.

He raised his hand, clenched his fist, and the surging power within him roared. Before him was the charging Martial Artist. Neither spoke much. In the next instant, fist met fist, clashing together.

There were no techniques, no strategies, only a pure collision of power!

Fists met.

At the moment of impact, the scene of divine weapons unsheathing in the eyes of outsiders became even more real. A flash of cold sword light, in an instant, enveloped the center of the ink-colored storm on the arena, as if a sword light flashed by, and a white line appeared!

This white line seemed to represent the gap between the two.

The moment the white line appeared, the storm broke, as if it had been cut in half.

This ink-colored storm was the evolution of the domain. The moment it broke, the power within it could no longer be contained and violently dispersed, but it caused no effect, because the white line that cut it, like a sword light, annihilated everything.

Observers with keen spiritual perception could no longer distinguish whether this was a real scene or a hallucination caused by powerful energy affecting their minds.

As the ink-colored storm was cut, a figure rapidly retreated, tumbling within the storm.

That was... Martial Artist!

He was not only retreating rapidly, but as his figure withdrew, a radiance spread around him, beginning to expand quickly. On his body surface, the stone skin formed by unknown power reappeared. As he retreated all the way, other ongoing arenas around him were accidentally interrupted, because the participants undergoing the checkpoint test found that the Martial Artist they were facing had disappeared.

His figure rapidly retreated and continuously expanded. By the time the ink-colored storm on the arena was completely annihilated, the Martial Artist's figure had returned to its original place, once again transforming into the giant statue.

To use an analogy, it was probably like being beaten back to his "original form."

The statue remained silent.

The arena beneath Qin Jin's feet collapsed at this moment, reverting to starlight. He stood with his fist withdrawn, looked at the Martial Artist in statue form, shook his head, and whispered, "Mediocre."

"The gap between you and me has widened."

This voice, controlled by power, was like a thread, unheard by outsiders, only reaching the Martial Artist's statue body.

The statue, which should have been unmoving as a mountain, trembled slightly at this moment.

At the same time, Qin Jin no longer lingered. He took a step and directly swept towards the deeper parts.

No Martial Artist dared to stop him.

The entire checkpoint area was silent. They watched Qin Jin's receding figure, wanting to engrave him deeply in their minds.

"Where did this formidable person come from?"

"His power can even affect spiritual senses. Could it be that some Martial Saint senior has also participated?"

"But doesn't the Miracle Corridor have a general age limit? Which Martial Saint could be so young?"

"I want to try it too."

Just as Qin Jin's figure completely disappeared, someone couldn't hold back. Following suit, they approached the statue and initiated a challenge.

The result... the statue attacked again, and the challenger was directly suppressed by the Martial Artist. Someone, not believing it, continued to challenge, but the outcome was no different.

Everyone present could confirm that this statue was far superior to the opponents on the arenas. After experiencing it personally, they were even more shocked by the scene they had just witnessed.

After successively defeating several opponents, the Martial Artist, in his statue state, stood still, but couldn't help but turn his neck, looking back towards the deeper parts.

"Why?"

A self-question arose in his heart, and his spiritual fluctuations made his emitted aura carry a hint of confusion.

"Last time it wasn't bad, this time it became mediocre."

"The gap between him and me has grown even larger."

"Why would a Martial Artist who cultivates diligently on his own grow faster than me, who adjusts data?"

Confusion continuously arose in his heart.

It seemed he had been beaten back to his original form.

But in reality, as a firsthand participant, he clearly knew what had just happened. The moment fist met fist, an even more astonishing power erupted around him, as if myriad weapons clashed against his body. Just like in the previous battle, his body was completely destroyed, autonomously triggering the Miracle Corridor's reconstruction effect, which led to the subsequent scene.

"I don't understand."

In his thoughts, the Martial Artist again defeated a challenging participant, and the confusion in his heart only grew... Leaving the checkpoint area and passing through another star ring, Qin Jin had already arrived at his final destination during the internal testing: the fifth-level area.

The surroundings were much sparser, with golden glowing light clusters. The moment Qin Jin set foot here, a light screen silently appeared before him, displaying information.

[Successfully arrived at Miracle Corridor Level 5 Area]

[You have obtained special privileges]

Raising an eyebrow slightly, Qin Jin examined it carefully.

Soon, the light screen dispersed. Qin Jin's heart stirred, and his spiritual power diffused. Before him, starlight converged, forming a gateway.

He stepped into it, and with a ripple, he had already arrived at another place.

It was the independent room where they first entered the Miracle Corridor.

Looking around, the seals on the five white, green, blue, purple, and gold gateways had all been lifted. Qin Jin had just returned through the golden gateway.

Above the room, a countdown timer now prominently appeared, in a static state.

[Special Privileges]

Through the previous information, Qin Jin had already understood.

In the Miracle Corridor, participants who entered the fifth-level area through their own independent abilities would all unlock an independent room. Each subsequent time the Miracle Corridor opened, they could directly proceed to the relevant area through the gateway, without needing to pass through checkpoint tests again.

As for the countdown timer above, it was even more special, obtainable only by participants like him who defeated the Martial Artist, or gained the Martial Artist's own recognition.

Each opening of the Miracle Corridor had a time limit. Every participant needed to strive for more within the limited time.

However, the currently static countdown timer in the independent space was specific to Qin Jin himself.

In other words, when the Miracle Corridor's "public time" ended, the Miracle Corridor would close, and all participants would exit. But as long as his personal countdown timer had not reached zero, he could continue to enter the Miracle Corridor, without needing to rush, until his personal time ended, at which point his journey in the Miracle Corridor would conclude.

"Those who perform exceptionally will receive more preferential treatment."

"This point is incredibly clear within the Federation; the Federation supports every talented individual."

Qin Jin's gaze focused on the static countdown: "Now, there's no need to rush at all. I can handle some matters first, then meticulously explore the fifth-level area."

"The number of participants this time is far too many. I wonder if anyone else will obtain this special privilege."

He shifted his gaze, looking at the sixth misty door on one side: "I've already entered the six-level area test. So, does that mean the six-level area is also open?"

With thoughts flowing, Qin Jin planned in his mind and did not re-enter the fifth-level area.

"Counting the time, Candle Kite should have already piloted the sailing boat to Crystal Branch Star."

"Perfect."

"After settling some things, I'll return to the Miracle Corridor and use the remaining time to try and conquer the six-level area."

He was always a person who firmly executed his goals once decided. After making his decision, his spiritual power diffused, and his body flashed, disappearing from his original spot.

When he reappeared.

He was already on the sailing boat.

Before him, the teleportation portal formed by the invitation letter dissipated, reverting to a letter. Unlike before, it no longer entered a locked state, returning to his spiritual world, glowing faintly, ready to be activated by Qin Jin at any time.

"Captain Qin Jin."

Moments after Qin Jin appeared, Candle Kite's voice rang out, and her figure flashed into view, her face adorned with a lively smile: "We have already arrived at Crystal Branch Star, currently docked at Port 37."

"According to the rules, you need to personally verify your identity before we can enter the planet's interior."

Qin Jin nodded.

He stepped to the porthole and looked out. The sailing boat was docked in the port. Looking down, an extremely peculiar planet came into view.

Rather than a planet, it was more like a colossal crystal nestled in the star sea. The planet's surface reflected dazzling colors, dreamlike and ethereal.

"This is Crystal Branch Star?"

Every Gaia Planet was distinctly different; this was something Qin Jin had already learned. Now... looking at this special, crystal-like planet, he couldn't help but make a connection.

"What will Lei Yu Star look like when it advances to Level 10?"

In front of him.

Candle Kite had already contacted the port. After several rigorous identity verifications, the navigation channel was confirmed, and the sailing boat sailed towards Crystal Branch Star.

The crystal encasing the planet's surface had sharp angles, making the entire planet appear solid. Just as the sailing boat was about to collide with the "crystal," a passage appeared ahead, as if the crystal wall had opened, and the starship entered it.

While observing the surrounding scenery, Qin Jin recounted the problems he encountered in the Miracle Corridor.

"Candle Kite."

"Do you know about civilization traces?"