Chapter 435: Former Rivals
Chapter 435: Former Rivals (Requesting Monthly Votes)
Numerous former adversaries also recognized Lin Qi.
The familiar sight of his black Battle Suit and his unyielding and fierce spear techniques stirred painful memories of their past defeats.
Miyamoto Kyonichiro watched Lin Qi effortlessly slay a sixth-level Disaster Beast, initially doubting his eyes.
His expression grave, he voiced his thoughts aloud, to which the others nodded in agreement.
"Lin Qi from Xia Kingdom has grown even stronger."
As a top-tier SS-Rank Genius from Sakura Kingdom, barely a step below the Sss-Rank tier, Miyamoto had only recently broken through into the Fifth Realm. Even with his Minor Divine Ability activated and pushing his full strength, he could barely manage to kill a sixth-level Disaster Beast. He couldn’t pull off what Lin Qi had just done—dispatching a sixth-level Disaster Beast without relying on any Special Ability or Minor Divine Ability.
Such power was something Miyamoto had only seen in Junior Sss-Rank Geniuses.
"Just how strong has Lin Qi become?"
Meanwhile, Viktor of Bear Republic and Havel of White Eagle Federation wore equally serious expressions.
"Lin Qi from Xia Kingdom has surpassed us by a wide margin!"
They could see it clearly—compared to last year, Lin Qi had grown immensely stronger. Even in the mixed Junior and Senior division Global Martial Arts Championship, Lin Qi had stood among the elite. Now, they seemed like distant shadows trailing far behind.
This reality left a bitter taste in their hearts.
They were all top-tier geniuses, yet a peer their age had left them in the dust. The frustration gnawed at them, but there was nothing they could do.
The first match lasted 40 minutes before concluding.
Out of 200,000 competitors, none had access to firearms or ranged weapons. Facing waves of Disaster Beasts, one by one, they were devoured without mercy.
[Qualifying Round Match One officially concluded!]
An hour later, space on the battlefield froze, and all Disaster Beasts dissolved into particles. A synthesized voice rang in the competitors’ ears as they were teleported back to their respective nations’ zones. Lin Qi was among them.
The past 40 minutes had taxed him. The endless waves of fifth- and sixth-level Disaster Beasts were relentless—nothing like the controlled hunts of the Disaster Beast Hunting Competition, which typically featured only a handful of beasts. Here, the simulation was brutal and unending, mirroring the real battlefield. The sheer number of Disaster Beasts made it impossible to kill them all.
In an actual battlefield, the danger would be even greater, with high-level Disaster Beasts capable of crushing someone underfoot without warning.
This preliminary round was essentially a drill. Sending inexperienced fighters straight to the frontlines would result in cannon fodder—dying without understanding why.
"Brother Qi!"
As Lin Qi returned, gasps echoed around him.
Guo Heng, Guan Shan, Wang Qiufeng, and others marveled at his performance.
"Brother Qi, you’re insane!"
"Killing sixth-level Disaster Beasts like chickens!"
Lin Qi chuckled. "Once you reach the Sixth Realm, you’ll do the same."
"Sixth Realm? Wait—Brother Qi, are you saying you’ve already broken through to the Sixth Realm?"
The group exchanged stunned glances. Even Awakened geniuses like Wan Ming and Yu Zhuoran were astonished.
How could he have advanced so quickly?
Was the Sixth Realm now so easy to achieve?
This was the power of an Sss-Rank Genius’s Innate Talent?
At this rate, Lin Qi had already reached the same Stage as Chu Yu. In less than a year, he’d overtaken him completely.
Chu Yu, watching from a distance, felt the pressure intensify. Lin Qi’s progress was accelerating too fast. Soon, there would be no trace of advantage left.
——
In a Vip area filled with Xia Kingdom’s elite martial artists, the Mountain and River King sat—a towering figure with a stern, unyielding face.
Watching the battle’s aftermath, he shook his head.
"At their current level, sending them to the frontlines would be suicide. They need more practical battlefield experience."
Deputy Principal Xu Wenji nodded nearby.
"Their participation in the qualifiers will help them grow, which will benefit them on the frontlines."
Others agreed. Survival was the top priority on the battlefield.
Hunting Disaster Beasts came second.
When fatigue struck, even top geniuses would retreat to base for rest—no shame in it.
——
The first round of qualifiers continued, but Lin Qi had already logged out.
Each 40-minute match, repeated 20 times, would take at least 13 hours—not counting meals or breaks. The two-day schedule gave Lin Qi ample time to train. Exiting the Neural Pod, he headed to the Gravity Chamber.
Since joining the Heavenly Dome Institute, they’d earned 90 hours of monthly training access. Three hours daily was more than enough for his needs.
His goals were clear: Awaken his second Special Ability and advance his Spear Techniques to the late Fourth-Circle stage, mastering the second Killing Move and passing the 16th floor of the Trial Tower.
If time permitted, he’d achieve it all.
With these advancements, the championship would be secure—even against Shen Heng’s Seventh Realm breakthrough.
——
May 3rd
After two days, the first round concluded.
Out of 20 matches, over 19.8 million competitors were eliminated.
Some had reached the threshold for the main event, only to falter due to misfortune or nerves.
At the Scarlet Realm’s Global Martial Arts Championship arena, competitors logged in and stood before a virtual Tiananmen Square, murmuring amongst themselves.
"Pity I panicked against the Disaster Beast Tide—I choked. If I had another chance, I’d make it!"
"You need to work on your mental toughness."
"One match left to go—just hold out, and we’ll qualify!"
——
With a thunderous roar, a figure clad in silver robes embroidered with green mountain-and-river patterns appeared—a projection of the Mountain and River King.
His presence was as imposing as a mountain, his face resolute.
"Two days have passed. The first preliminary round concludes."
"Congratulations to the qualifiers. Each will receive 20 million Xia Kingdom Currency."
This brought smiles to small nations’ competitors.
"Next, we begin the second preliminary round."
"The rules remain the same. Ten matches will be held, each with 20,000 competitors. When only 2,000 survive, the match ends."
"Out of 200,000 competitors, only 20,000 will advance to the main event."
"Those who qualify will receive 50 million Xia Kingdom Currency as a reward."
Fifty million? A colossal sum—many geniuses spent less than that in a year on cultivation resources. For most, this was a life-changing reward. Even wealthy families faced expenses: nations encouraged large families, and siblings often competed for resources. Few households could spare 50 million casually.
"I now declare the second preliminary round to commence!"
As the Mountain and River King’s voice echoed, two hundred thousand competitors heard a synthesized voice in their ears.
A crimson light enveloped them, transporting them to the battlefield. The Steel Great Wall reappeared, and an endless swarm of Disaster Beasts surged forth.
Though fewer competitors remained, the Disaster Beasts’ numbers stayed unchanged. The pressure was immense—those lacking strength would perish before the end.
Jiang Tao observed the battle, muttering, "Earning 50 million isn’t easy."
"Out of 200,000, Xia Kingdom’s competitors accounted for 40,000. Only 20,000 will advance—roughly 4,000 from Xia, 1,000 per elite academy. Each is an outstanding talent."
Others nodded. Without an A-Rank Genius title or being a senior-year standout, the reward was out of reach.
Lin Qi silently agreed—50 million was trivial to him, but vital to others.
His gaze sharpened as the first match concluded in 50 minutes.
The second match began.
Lin Qi was engulfed in crimson light, materializing outside the Steel Great Wall.
"Roar~"
Instantly surrounded, he activated his Body Techniques, weaving through attacks.
River and Mountain Spear Techniques erupted.
"Peng peng!!"
As fifth- and sixth-level beasts fell, he felt his spear and body techniques nearing their limits.
This pressure fueled his potential—his rigorous training finally bore fruit, transforming accumulation into breakthrough.
An hour later, he sensed a shift. His spear techniques radiated stronger intent, his body lighter.
The Thunderclap Nine Flashes evolved from three to four flashes.
His techniques had broken through.
【Match Two concluded: Survivors 2,000 / 200,000】
The 2,000 survivors advanced to the main event.
(End of Chapter)
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