At the highest point of the Glory Colosseum, on the circular high platform made of Pure White Jade that floated above the clouds like a Divine Hall, this earth-shattering spear thrust also stirred up ripples of its own.
This was the exclusive viewing gallery for the mentors of Canaan Star Martial Arts University.
Dozens of powerful beings, their auras as deep as the sea and their gazes as sharp as fire, were seated calmly.
Any one of them, if placed in the outside world, would be an expert capable of guarding an entire Star Realm.
But at this moment, they were just like the most ordinary spectators, sipping rare and fragrant teas from all corners of the Cosmos and watching with great interest the fierce battles unfolding on the tens of thousands of arenas below.
To them, these battles between Level 4 Martial Artists were like watching a group of toddlers who had just learned to walk, shoving each other aroundâimmature, yet full of vitality.
They werenât focused on victory or defeat, but on the talent, disposition, and uncarved-jade potential these "good saplings" displayed in battle.
"Haha, Junior Brother Wang, that boy under your tutelage, Lin Ye, is not bad. His âTidal Swordsmanshipâ already has a hint of your styleâa blend of hard and soft. It seems heâs put in a lot of hard work these past few years."
An old man in a cyan Daoist Robe said with a smile to the middle-aged mentor beside him.
"Senior Brother Zhang, you flatter me."
The middle-aged mentor called Junior Brother Wang stroked his beard and smiled, a trace of pride on his face. "The boyâs disposition is decent, but his comprehension is a bit lacking. He still hasnât grasped the essence of the âTidal Triple Wave.â Heâll need a few more years of tempering."
"There are indeed quite a few good saplings in this yearâs class."
Another mentor, a woman with a stunning figure in tight, crimson Battle Armor, lifted a glass of liquid that looked like burning flames. She took a light sip, her gaze sweeping over the scene below. "Especially those few who just broke through to the sixth level, the Soaring Realm. Their foundations are all exceptionally solid. The condensation of their Primordial Acupoints far exceeds that of their peers. They have a good chance of successfully breaking through to the planetary level in the future."
The topic naturally shifted from the senior students who had already made a name for themselves to the top geniuses in this yearâs newcomer tournament.
"Speaking of which..."
A rather scholarly-looking mentor suddenly turned his gaze to a figure in the corner of the high platform, someone who had been silent from the beginning, merely watching the battles quietly.
As soon as he spoke, the gazes of all the mentors on the high platform converged, as if by agreement, on the mentor named Yu Han.
Their gazes all subtly drifted down toward Arena 7 in Section A-03.
A pivotal battle had just concluded there. The victorâs name was Qin Feng.
"Yu Han, that young disciple of yours who received... âspecial attentionâ from Squad Leader Zhou Xiong, thatâs this Qin Feng, isnât it?"
Senior Brother Zhang, the one with the saintly bearing, finally brought the topic into the open, his tone laced with a hint of teasing. "That last match was rather interesting."
"Indeed, rather interesting."
Junior Brother Wang also nodded, a scrutinizing look in his eyes. "To defeat an opponent of Luo Chengâs caliber in a single move... that kind of strength canât be achieved just by having a high life force index. Itâs clearly the Control Realm."
"Itâs more than just âinteresting.â"
The fiery female mentor was even more blunt. "If Iâm not mistaken, heâs cultivating a âTop-grade Acupoint Opening Technique,â isnât he?"
"A Top-grade Acupoint Opening Technique!"
The moment those four words were spoken, the atmosphere on the high platform immediately grew several degrees more heated.
Everyone present was an expert, so they naturally understood the value represented by those four words.
"Ten years since enrollment, to cultivate a âTop-grade Acupoint Opening Techniqueâ to a life force index of over 500... Tsk tsk, that speed is terrifying."
"Yu Han, where did you dig up this treasure? Youâve hidden him well!"
"Come on, tell us, give us the scoop. Why did Squad Leader Zhou Xiong personally name him back then and insist you take him as a disciple? Whatâs his secret?"
In an instant, a tide of questions surged toward Yu Han.
They were all too curious.
Who was Zhou Xiong?
The Squad Leader of the Ultramarines Chapter, a peak black-hole level powerhouse who stood guard year-round on the front lines of the Empireâs war against the Alien Races and Chaos. A true big shot.
For such a being to personally send down his Will for a new student who had just enrolled, to designate a mentor for him...
This matter was no longer a secret in their small circle, but it had become an unsolved mystery.
Facing the probing and gossipy gazes of his colleagues, a faint, inscrutable smile finally appeared on Yu Hanâs perennially unchanging, stoic face.
"What secret?"
Yu Han shook his head with a smile.
Inside, however, his heart was in turmoil.
âOthers might not know, but for the past ten years, I myself have been silently watching this disciple who was âforcedâ on me.â
âI watched every mission Qin Feng accepted, every closed-door cultivation session he entered, and every recording of his fights in the Imperial Arena.â
âEspecially that time near the Y12393-a12 Mining Planet, during the cleansing of that inhuman Interstellar Pirate camp.â
âThe moment Qin Feng, overcome by boundless killing intent, was nearly bewitched by the Blood God âKhorneâ from the Subspace, his Will on the verge of sinking into depravity...â
âFar away at the Canaan Star Martial Arts University, watching it all through the Supervision Array, I had been on the verge of intervening.â
âI was going to forcibly pull Qin Fengâs Will back from the brink of corruption.â