95: Strength and Skill

The arena was located in the eastern part of the dormitory area, a small indoor venue. Qin Jin stepped inside after verifying his identity through his personal terminal.

Inside,

there was a traditional, ancient-style arena building situated in the center.

At this moment,

two figures were confronting each other below the arena.

One wanted to leave, the other wished to stay.

As Qin Jin approached, a voice called out from nearby.

"Qin Jin."

He looked over and saw Xie Wuhai waving at him. Not far from him were two other women.

One of them was Han Miao.

The other woman, dressed in a simple dress, had a beautiful and refined face, just as Xie Wuhai had described her in his message.

However, the moment Qin Jin's gaze focused on her, his brows subtly furrowed.

He sensed a peculiar feeling of neglect; even though his eyes were on her, his subconscious mind didn't want to pay her too much attention.

"Is there something extraordinary about her again?"

A thought flashed through his mind as Qin Jin strode closer.

"Qin Jin, you're finally here."

Xie Wuhai's tone carried an enduring excitement: "Let me introduce you. This is Bai Huaiyu."

He pointed to the woman with the refined face.

"Hello."

As he finished speaking, Bai Huaiyu looked at Qin Jin and spoke calmly.

Her voice sounded soft and had a unique charm.

"Hello, Qin Jin."

Qin Jin nodded in acknowledgment, his gaze turning to the two confronting each other in the distance. He softly asked, "What's the situation with those two right now?"

"The backgrounds of those two are quite extraordinary."

After arriving at the academy, Xie Wuhai had been busy befriending and getting to know the S-rank students who had arrived early. Although he faced many rejections, he also gathered a lot of information. He now spoke, "One is the Son of a Celestial Being."

He tilted his head, pointing to one of them: "His name is Ye Pingan. His father is a Celestial Being Realm senior who has been very prominent in our Corridor Star System in recent years. I heard he has begun secluded cultivation in the past few years and might advance further to the Seventh Realm."

The young man named Ye Pingan wore tight-fitting combat attire, and his eyes looked somewhat sharp.

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Xie Wuhai commented seriously: "Don't let the 'Ping'an' in his name fool you; his actions are anything but peaceful. He's been wild since he was young, but after stepping onto the Martial Arts path, he showed exceptional talent and was specially recruited as an S-rank."

"The other one is named An Shi."

"The 'Shi' as in 'world'."

"The An family is one of the well-known prominent families in our Corridor Star System. Although he isn't from the main branch, I heard he is highly regarded by the current Old Master An, so he's not to be underestimated either."

An Shi wore formal attire and had an extraordinary demeanor. Compared to Ye Pingan's sharpness, he appeared exceptionally calm.

"These young people with extraordinary family backgrounds have laid a solid foundation in Martial Arts since childhood. I heard these two knew each other when they were kids and even fought several times, all ending with Ye Pingan's defeat."

"When Ye Pingan first arrived at the dormitory area, he happened to run into us and immediately went to find trouble with An Shi."

"And then—"

Xie Wuhai spread his hands: "And then it's like this now."

Qin Jin looked at him: "You know quite a lot."

"Know yourself and your enemy, and you will never be defeated."

Xie Wuhai chuckled, a fighting spirit flashing in his eyes: "I've seen these two before and know a bit about them."

"But you, Han Miao, and Bai Huaiyu."

"I haven't interacted with you before, yet you managed to secure S-rank spots at the academy. That's really impressive."

He was not stingy with his praise. After speaking, he looked at the two in the distance and called out, "Hey!"

"You two, are you going to fight or not?"

"I'm waiting to watch."

"If you're not going to fight—"

As he spoke, he suddenly remembered something and looked at Qin Jin, battle intent surging in his eyes.

Seeing this,

Qin Jin nodded slightly.

Since he had agreed to come, he was naturally prepared to take action.

Xie Wuhai's tone showed excitement: "See? If you two aren't going to fight, then stop hogging the space and move aside quickly."

"Xie Wuhai, this has nothing to do with you."

Ye Pingan's eyes were sharp, his gaze like a knife as he looked over: "If you keep meddling, I'll beat you too."

"Then come on."

Xie Wuhai was not surprised but instead delighted, extending his hand in invitation: "I couldn't ask for more."

Just then,

at the front,

An Shi, in his formal attire, spoke.

"Alright, the arena is yours.

His voice was neither humble nor arrogant, his expression calm as he looked at Qin Jin and the others: "I've wasted everyone's time, my apologies."

With that said,

he immediately prepared to leave.

"Don't run."

As the voice sounded, Ye Pingan stomped his right leg, his body soaring, chasing directly behind An Shi. His hand, like a blade, chopped down towards the back of An Shi's neck.

At that instant,

An Shi also moved. He raised his arm, and as the hand-blade fell, he blocked it, grabbing the opponent's palm. With a slight turn of his body, using himself as a pivot, he redirected the force.

It appeared as if the two combatants were cooperating with each other.

Ye Pingan's body lifted, head down, feet up. His legs drew a perfect arc in the air before landing in front of An Shi.

Seeing Ye Pingan blocking his way, An Shi shook his head helplessly.

He reached up, grabbed his jacket, and flung it aside, letting it fall to the ground. His inner shirt was revealed, and he subtly rotated his wrists.

In front,

Ye Pingan's gaze became even sharper.

The next instant...

The two figures charged forward simultaneously, colliding in an instant. Fists and feet met, and the dull thud of bodies colliding echoed continuously throughout the indoor space.

You strike, I block; you kick, I evade. In a short amount of time, the two had collided countless times.

In the distance,

the four, including Qin Jin, stood and watched.

After observing for about twenty seconds, Qin Jin's brows slightly raised.

The two were fighting intensely. Qin Jin, having studied the great halberd with Zhang Zhenwu before coming to the academy, could now discern the intricacies and details of their sparring.

However, they weren't using their full strength.

Neither life energy nor mental power had been utilized; they were relying on their most basic physical attributes, reacting spontaneously, and employing the most fundamental martial techniques against each other.

Considering everything Xie Wuhai had said, Qin Jin was thoughtful.

"When they were young, they hadn't cultivated the Breathing Method and could only solidify their foundations and hone their martial techniques. When these two fought as children, it was probably in the same way they are fighting now."

"After losing like that, they remained unwilling, so when they meet later, they still only spar in this manner?"

"These two seem to be on a completely different path from me."

Qin Jin muttered to himself.

The former Mining Star didn't have such an excellent environment, and Qin Jin couldn't have professional teachers personally guiding him from a young age like these young prodigies from prominent families.

In terms of the most basic application of martial techniques, he was undoubtedly a bit lacking. Although he had been diligently cultivating the Fangtian Halberd recently, the time was still short, and his gains couldn't be called immense.

This was the impact of different backgrounds.

However, Qin Jin didn't feel the slightest bit disheartened by this.

Because, compared to 'skill,' Qin Jin believed his 'power' was far superior!

Beside him,

Xie Wuhai watched the two's intense clash and couldn't help but shout, "No, are you two flirting and falling in love here?!"

"Ye Pingan, haven't you learned any secret techniques? Use them quickly!"

"An Shi, go all out! If you cripple him for ten days to half a month, wouldn't you have some peace?"

He loved a good spectacle and was wildly egging them on.

"This has nothing to do with you, quiet!"

Amidst the battle, Ye Pingan couldn't help but yell out.

This was a genuine skill competition, where every mistake would be seized upon. The moment he was distracted by shouting, An Shi seized the opportunity, striking forward with a punch, forcefully pushing aside Ye Pingan's arm guarding his chest. His other hand formed a claw, stopping just in front of Ye Pingan's throat.

Fingertips touched skin, a chill spread, and his hairs stood on end.

Ye Pingan clenched his fist tightly, then released it.

"You lost."

An Shi stated, withdrew his hand, walked to the side, and picked up his jacket.

"Ye Pingan, how did you lose again?"

Xie Wuhai's voice sounded at the opportune moment: "I told you to use your full strength. How many times has this been? In my memory alone, it's already the fifth time. You haven't secretly challenged him again, have you? How many times have you been caught?"

Ye Pingan's previously relaxed hand clenched again. He looked at Xie Wuhai, exhaled deeply, his eyes extremely sharp: "You want to see me use my full strength, right? You come up, you do it!"

He pointed to the arena to the side.

"Oh?"

Seeing this, Xie Wuhai's eyes flashed with excitement, and he quickly said, "I know you're in a hurry, but don't be."

"First come, first served, understand? I'm a bit busy today. You can queue up and wait."

After speaking,

He turned his head to look at Qin Jin, and very seriously performed the dojo's challenge salute: "Qin Jin, shall we go first?"

"Okay."

Qin Chi nodded.

Just then—

At the front,

Ye Pingan's gaze swept over. Facing Qin Jin for the first time, the sharpness in his eyes lessened considerably, and he said seriously: "Qin Jin, is that right? Could you let me have this guy?"

"I already agreed to him."

Qin Chi calmly replied.

In front, hearing this, Xie Wuhai's eyes were filled with excitement. Impatient, he trotted all the way and ascended the stage.

After Qin Jin spoke, he passed by Ye Pingan.

Because he was coming to the academy, he was dressed in casual clothes. Now, as he stepped to the other side of the stage, he leaped onto it.

In the distance,

Bai Huaiyu and Han Miao walked over side by side, closing the distance to watch the battle.

An Shi draped his jacket over his shoulder and nodded slightly to the two women.

Although it was their first meeting, as fellow S-ranks and neighbors, they might even carry out missions together in the future, so his attitude was calm.

The two women responded.

An Shi walked next to Ye Pingan and shook his head: "Why bother? You know Xie Wuhai's temperament. Even if you beat him senseless today, he'll still be like this when you meet him next time."

"As classmates, you'll see each other every day in the future. Are you going to fight him every day? Wouldn't that just be playing into his hands?"

"If I don't beat him up, I can't vent the anger in my heart."

Ye Pingan looked up at the stage: "I don't care about anything else; I must deal with him today."

Upon hearing this,

An Shi sighed slightly and put on the jacket from his shoulder: "When this anger in your heart subsides, you'll be able to surpass me."

As his words fell,

Ye Pingan turned back to look at him.

His voice was uncharacteristically calm: "If I lose this anger, what good would it do to surpass you?"

"Would I still be Ye Pingan?"

Not far away,

Bai Huaiyu looked at the stage.

Her face was clear and beautiful, her features picturesque, truly a deserving beauty.

At this moment, her gaze lingered on the two people on the stage for a while. She lowered her voice slightly and asked: "Han Miao, who do you think will win between Qin Jin and Xie Wuhai?"

The question was asked,

But there was no response.

She looked at Han Miao, who stood motionless, facing the stage.

Because her eyes were closed and covered with a thin veil, it was impossible to tell if she was paying attention to the stage.

However, Bai Huaiyu keenly noticed that the girl's temples were throbbing rapidly.

On the stage,

The moment Qin Jin and Xie Wuhai both ascended, light screens suddenly rose from the four sides and the central area of the stage.

Many buildings in the Martial Arts Department had an ancient style, and this stage was no exception.

However, the materials used and the internal layout were unimaginably advanced, full of technological content.

The central light screen lasted for ten seconds before falling directly.

This indicated that the battle had begun.

However, neither Qin Jin nor Xie Wuhai made a move immediately.

Xie Wuhai stood at the other end of the stage, the excitement in his eyes fading as his fighting spirit quietly accumulated.

If he was very 'dynamic' before ascending the stage, then after ascending the stage, he quickly became 'static'.

"Qin Jin."

His serious gaze focused on Qin Jin, Xie Wuhai was like a different person from when he was below the stage: "Han Miao said you might be very strong."

"I also think you will be very strong."

"So, I will go all out. You must be prepared."

"This punch of mine will be very fierce."

Qin Jin stood at the other end of the stage.

Hearing the other party's words, his expression was calm. He simply extended his hand and said: "Please."

As the word 'Please' fell,

A sudden whoosh of air exploded.

Outside Xie Wuhai's body, life energy spread out, appearing translucent white, like a layer of white airflow enveloping his entire body. Above it, swirling currents rotated rapidly, pulverizing everything around him. His speed instantly reached its peak, moving forward relentlessly within the stage.

As he charged forward,

Lights successively appeared from the swirling currents enveloping his brow, chest, abdomen, palms, and feet. They flickered, as if his life energy was ignited!

Bright Heart Dojo, Five Mansions Secret Art!

With each light illuminating, Xie Wuhai's aura climbed a notch. After all five mansions were lit, his life energy surged around him, as if he were enveloped in a layer of brilliant white light.

During this process,

He arrived before Qin Chi, throwing a punch, unstoppable!

It was at this moment that

Qin Jin moved.

He raised his hand, clenched his fist, and as his life energy instantly exploded, within his Dantian, his Dao Foundation trembled slightly!

Inside the Spiritual Ruins, the spiritual power that had already transformed into his own strength surged out, instantly empowering his entire body.

The feedback power from the Spiritual Ruins was merely a minor aspect; the greatest improvement for a Spirit Void Realm cultivator lay in the Spiritual Ruins itself!

He threw a punch, not dodging or evading, meeting the challenge head-on.

If the previous battle was a competition of skill, then this battle was a collision of power!

The next instant!

Fist met fist, colliding on the stage!

The moment they touched, a deafening sound exploded.

That was the roar produced by the collision of different life energies!

And as this deafening sound rang out,

Another explosion occurred at the point where the fists met. A figure flew backward at a speed faster than he had arrived, not falling for a long time. After flying to the edge of the stage and hitting the light screen, he slammed onto the ground, sticking to the light screen.

Within the martial arts arena, silence instantly fell.

As that figure fell to the ground, an extremely soft healing light pillar descended from above the stage, enveloping the figure curled on the ground for emergency treatment.

The martial arts arena was utterly silent.

This stage appeared ancient, but it had many internal arrangements.

The direct activation of emergency treatment indicated that, according to the artificial intelligence set up by the stage itself, the outcome of this battle had already been decided.

Below,

Ye Pingan's gaze was fixed on the figure still standing on the stage.

That was Qin Jin!

"Qin Jin."

He murmured the name, then looked to his side: "Have you heard this name before?"

An Shi shook his head.

"Even if Xie Wuhai himself isn't necessarily that powerful, this gap is simply too huge."

Ye Pingan mumbled.

In his eyes, flames gradually rose.

Not far away,

Bai Huaiyu looked at the scene on the stage, a look of admiration in her eyes.

Just then,

Her ears twitched slightly, and she looked at Han Miao beside her.

The usually silent girl now parted her lips slightly, her voice extremely soft. If one didn't listen carefully, they would miss it entirely.

"He's indeed stronger."

"Not just Xie Wuhai, Qin Jin—Qin Jin is also stronger."

"How much time has passed?!"

Bai Huaiyu frowned slightly and leaned closer: "Han Miao, what are you saying?"

As if hearing the voice,

Han Miao emerged from her own world. She faced Bai Huaiyu, and although her eyes were tightly closed, Bai Huaiyu felt as if she was being watched. Her voice was slightly hoarse: "Xie Wuhai and I visited Qin Jin before we met you."

Her voice was very low, audible only to the two of them. She pointed to her eyes: "At that time, he gave me an extremely strong premonition of danger."

"But just now, after meeting again, that premonition disappeared."

"I've been trying to figure out why, but now, I can confirm."

"The root of everything is that Qin Jin has made an unimaginable improvement, and the extent of his strengthening has exceeded my warning!"

Bai Huaiyu fell silent.

Her gaze rested on the stage, and a strong interest rose in her eyes.

On the stage,

Looking at Xie Wuhai, who was enveloped by the healing light, Qin Jin stepped closer, preparing to check on Xie Wuhai's condition.

He still had many techniques he hadn't used, as this was not a life-and-death struggle after all.

As he moved forward,

In front,

Under the enveloping light, Xie Wuhai's body twitched.

He struggled to lift his upper body. Before he could speak, he couldn't help but vomit, spitting out a mouthful of dark, clotted blood that splattered like flowers on the ground.

After spitting out the clotted blood, he was still very weak, but he looked much more comfortable. He now raised his head, looked at Qin Jin, and his eyes were filled with shock.

"You—"

"You—"

"You've reached the Innate Realm?!"