Chapter 163: System

"A contestant has been killed."

In another notably larger control room, dozens of staff members were busily attending to their individual monitors.

Su Mai, Zhang Songbai, Wan Qingshan, Ying Yu, Qiao Feiyu, and others were gathered in a lounge next to the control room.

Some countries believed they had no hope of securing a spot in the top ten and were essentially playing the role of "accompanying runner." Therefore, they hadn't sent key figures to lead their team and weren't invited to this small gathering.

As a result, only twenty-two people were in the lounge.

"It's only the second day, and we've already lost four contestants, including a twenty-six-year-old Internal Cultivation Grandmaster!" Shao Shiguang, the representative from the Blackwater Kingdom, another powerful nation within the Federation, said with a hint of dissatisfaction.

"Given his potential, if it hadn't been for this accident, there was a high chance he could have become a Martial Saint in the future. If he had the chance to temper his will, he could have even refined his qi into Spirit and stepped into the Astral Cultivation realm."

"Nothing in the world ever goes so smoothly. No one knows if tomorrow or disaster will come first," said Ying Yu, taking a calm sip of tea. "Their deaths simply show they lacked the necessary strength and luck."

"Stay calm." Wan Qingshan smiled slightly. "In previous seasons of the World's Top Martial Competition, there were always a few, or even a dozen, casualties. There are 165 contestants engaged in intense life-or-death combat. Even the slightest misstep determines life or death. This is inevitable. They already knew this was a possibility when the invitations were sent out."

"Although it was anticipated, we didn't expect the current situation where they have to fight ferocious beasts without any reinforcements," Shao Shiguang replied.

"They still have the option to withdraw. If anyone finds this competition too dangerous, they can always quit. But if they don't want to miss out on the chance to become a Dragon Prince of the Dragon Gate Hall, they must accept the risks. The world doesn't offer such easy opportunities."

At this point, Zhang Songbai adjusted his attitude, and his tone became calm again.

Why? Because Yan Hongtu had already reached an impressive score of 457 points, surpassing the second-place competitor by a staggering 153 points.

In the competition zone, with no reinforcements available while hunting ferocious beasts, others would naturally become more cautious, leading to a decline in hunting efficiency. But Yan Hongtu was different.

Not only was Yan Hongtu highly knowledgeable about the habits of many low and mid-tier ferocious beasts, but he also had extensive wilderness survival experience. Under these conditions, his advantages were rapidly amplified.

It was clear that, as time passed, his lead in points would only continue to grow. He might even maintain his top position, dominating over the three Martial Saints, Zhao Yushi, the Great Sun Chosen One, and Cheng Yufeng, and securing a spot in the top ten round-robin matches.

"Mr. Zhang is right. Those who are dissatisfied can simply withdraw from the competition. We, the committee, won't force anyone to stay," Wan Qingshan added in agreement.

Shao Shiguang frowned slightly but didn't say anything.

Just then, on the large screen, which had previously displayed only thirty names, a new one suddenly appeared. Astonishingly, this name didn't just move up a spot or two, it had directly shot up from outside the top thirty all the way to eighth place in one leap!

This abrupt change left everyone momentarily stunned. When they saw the name, they all reacted with astonishment. "Li Pin!?"

Many eyes immediately turned to Su Mai. "That young prodigy the Tianyuan Society highly praised.... He actually made it into the top ten? I remember he's only twenty-three this year."

"Yes, twenty-three," Su Mai replied, also somewhat surprised. "To be exact, he just turned twenty-three recently."

"Impressive," Zhang Songbai commented from the side.

"It's been two days since the competition began, and Li Pin hadn't even made it into the top thirty before. How did he suddenly jump to eighth place? There's a gap of more than a hundred points between thirtieth and eighth!" exclaimed Ying Yu. Unable to help himself, he quickly asked, "Was there a data delay, or did he really earn such a large amount of points in one shot?"

Wan Qingshan immediately ordered an investigation into Li Pin's sudden surge in points.

Quickly, they noticed that Li Pin had gained 110 points in one go, their expressions turning into ones of shock.

"This score..."

"Among the ferocious beasts active in the Shadow Forest, only the Crimson-Tooth Tiger matches this score!"

Everyone was stunned.

"The mid-tier ferocious beast Crimson-Tooth Tiger!?"

Su Mai immediately stood up with eyes fixed on Wan Qingshan. "Wasn't the committee supposed to have cleared all the ferocious beasts mid-tier and above from this area? How could a Crimson-Tooth Tiger, which is comparable to an official Astral Cultivator, show up!?"

"They did clear them, but in an area spanning 100,000 square kilometers, who can guarantee a complete flush out? It's not unusual for new mid-tier ferocious beasts to enter the competition area in the days following the final sweep."

As Wan Qingshan spoke, he checked the location of Li Pin's wristband. "Besides... he's near the edge of the competition area, where the chances of encountering a mid-tier ferocious beast are higher."

Hearing this, Su Mai sat back down, feeling a slight headache.

Su Mai had deduced a personality model for Li Pin based on their recent interactions. According to his analysis, Li Pin seemed somewhat like a martial arts fanatic. Though he appeared perfectly normal in everyday life, the moment he engaged in a martial battle, he became instantly energized.

Such individuals were often referred to as "martial fanatics." Since they poured their hearts and souls entirely into martial arts, they found it easier to comprehend Martial Will than other martial artists. Because of this, Su Mai didn't bother to offer Li Pin any pointers or try to dissuade him from his ways.

After all, aside from Li Pin's enthusiasm for combat, he behaved like a normal person most of the time. At most, he'd show a bit of pride, which was typical of a genius.

Su Mai intended to wait for Li Pin to maintain this "childlike heart" until he fully grasped the essence of Martial Will, then guide him to tone it down.

However, to his surprise....

Li Pin had run to the edge of the competition area!? Were the thousands of ferocious beasts inside the competition area still not enough for him to kill!?

At this moment, Shao Shiguang suddenly spoke. "Wait, I have a question... Li Pin... he's only a grandmaster, right? How did he manage to kill a mid-tier ferocious beast like the Crimson-Tooth Tiger?"

He glanced around at the others present.

"In theory, a Martial Saint has the strength to kill mid-tier ferocious beasts, but those who can actually do it are always the ones capable of entering an extreme state in critical moments. Even then, they can only take down newly evolved mid-tier beasts at best. Against an elite among mid-tier beasts, it's certain death. Yet Li Pin... is a grandmaster!? Something doesn't add up here."

"Maybe he got lucky and came across a heavily injured mid-tier beast and then ambushed it. Don't forget, luck is also a part of one's strength," Wan Qingshan said calmly. "Didn't those four contestants who perished end up as beast fodder due to their bad luck?"

"To take down a mid-tier beast, even if it was severely wounded, still shows extraordinary courage and determination!" Su Mai looked at Wan Qingshan and laughed. "And considering Li Pin is only twenty-three, his future is limitless. I believe the spot for the Dragon Prince, which values potential, would be best suited for him."

As soon as he finished speaking, several people voiced their objections.

"Impossible!"

"He got lucky and killed a mid-tier beast. Are we really going to give him the title of Dragon Prince based on luck? That's too childish."

"It's only the second day, it doesn't mean anything. Su Mai, be patient."

Several voices spoke out one after another.

Wan Qingshan voiced his thoughts. "No need to rush. Let's wait and see how things play out. I acknowledge Li Pin's potential, but I still think that if we're selecting a Dragon Prince based on potential, it's best to pick from the top ten. If Li Pin can make it into the top ten, while it might not be a hundred percent guaranteed that the Dragon Prince title is his, at the very least, he'll have my vote."

After finishing, he immediately added, "Of course, if someone else manages to kill another mid-tier ferocious beast, that would be a different matter entirely."

"The top ten, huh?" Su Mai smiled at Wan Qingshan's promise. "Then let's wait and see how Li Pin performs."

***

Outside a cave, Li Pin was busy setting traps.

This was a temporary shelter he had chosen. Originally inhabited by a few Yeti, the place became his refuge after he killed them.

As for the traps he was setting... they were unlikely to cause fatal damage to any ferocious beasts, as he lacked the sufficient tools. Their true purpose was to serve as an alarm while he slept or rested, ensuring he wouldn't unwittingly become a meal for these creatures.

"Compared to sparring with Astral Cultivators, battling ferocious beasts in life-and-death situations pushes my progress more significantly."

As he set the traps, Li Pin reflected on the over ten battles he had fought over the past few days. At the same time, he divided his attention to assess his current state.

[Qi and Blood: 39.64], [Primordial Qi: 40.15], [Mental Spirit: 22.81]

[Internal Aura: 100/100]

[Innate Qi-Refining Technique: Qi-Refining Chapter: 29/1000, Foundation Building Chapter: 15/45000]

[Blood-Seething Secret Art: 38.18%]

During this time, he had perfected his Blood Renewal phase, but his physical growth had become extremely slow. Even though this phase of training had ended, his overall improvements were quite ordinary. Clearly, he had reached the limits of his body.

Next, he would need to refine his martial arts system while striving to forge his Martial Will to ensure that he could unleash Spirit Force at any moment.

"Martial arts system..." Li Pin thought about the techniques he was currently focused on. "Eight Enormities True Fire Force, Xuan Pin Gate, Five Elements Body-Refining Art, Blood-Seething Secret Art, Great Sun True Radiance Technique, Limitless Sword Technique, and Stars Overlord."

Several major techniques flashed through his mind. These included training methods, combat techniques, and nurturing methods.

Among the training methods, the primary ones were Xuan Pin Gate, Five Elements Body-Refining Art, and Great Sun True Radiance Technique.

As for combat techniques, he had the Eight Enormities True Fire Force, Five Elements Unity, and the Limitless Sword Technique he learnt from Lin Yuzhi.

Organizing the martial arts system meant integrating everything he had learned and forging a path that was uniquely his own.

"Training methods, combat techniques, and nurturing methods," Li Pin murmured.

For training methods, there was none more suitable than the Great Sun True Radiance Technique. Moving forward, he needed to integrate the Xuan Pin Gate from the Core Formation realm and the Five Elements Body-Refining Art from the Aura Cultivation realm into the Great Sun True Radiance Technique to complete it.

For nurturing methods, he would primarily rely on the Great Sun True Radiance Technique, Chaos Meditation Art, and Innate Qi-Refining Technique.

As for combat techniques, he had a wider range of options for it.

"The upcoming series of battles with ferocious beasts will be the perfect opportunity to discover my style in combat, develop a cohesive fighting system, and eventually reach the realm of great grandmaster."