A moment later, all commotion on the battlefield had subsided.

Teng Xiangqing stood dumbfounded, the residual Lightning Strength on his body arcing with sparks, like a leaky electrical circuit. He saw a figure calmly walking towards him through a series of human-shaped holes blown directly in front of him. The figure was over two meters tall, with reddish skin and muscles twisted tight like steel cords. A terrifying sense of oppression washed over him. It was like an active volcano, on the verge of erupting, moving towards him. Teng Xiangqing felt as if he were about to suffocate.

THUD—

The man walked into the room through the holes and casually dropped what he had been holding onto the floor.

In the room, the pupils of all the New Bloods, including Teng Xiangqing, contracted sharply at the sight of what lay on the ground. It was a Bloodthirsty Hyena! The A-rank Bloodthirsty Hyena that had nearly cornered their entire squad now lay limp on the ground, like a pile of trash or a puddle of mud. All the bones in its body seemed to be crushed. The breathing in the room seemed to stop.

The man simply glanced around the room, then walked over to the corner, picked up his backpack, and left immediately. It was as if he were merely passing by—he had come in, glanced around, and then departed.

Even after the man left, an eerie silence lingered in the room. It wasn't until much later that Teng Xiangqing's voice, strained and filled with disbelief, finally broke the silence.

"He's... a Pure Martial cultivator?!!"

「Several hours later」

Although the mission had been somewhat poached, as he only got to finish off the last Bloodthirsty Hyena, Lu Yuan still fortunately gained several hundred Experience Points. Even though the chances were slim, Lu Yuan was still concerned about similar incidents happening again. Thus, he hurried non-stop to the next A-rank mission location.

「Two hours later.」

Lu Yuan stood before an unmanned milk tea shop. After tapping the virtual icon in front of the door to confirm and swiping his wristwatch, a chilled lemon tea was automatically dispensed in less than a minute. The taste was no different from the lemon tea outside Smokeless City; only the presentation was far superior. The semi-transparent cup featured a design of a beach, ocean, and coconut trees. Shaking it made the little cartoon figures inside move.

I've cleared all eight A-rank missions. Time for a small reward: a milk tea for myself.

Lu Yuan finished the tea in two gulps, tore off the plastic film from the top as usual, and poured the lemon slices and ice cubes into his mouth, chewing them slowly and producing a satisfying CRUNCH CRUNCH sound.

Lucky me, I even managed to level up after all.

[Occupation: Fighter Lv. 9 (247/25,600)]

He gained another skill point and an attribute point. Unfortunately, in the subsequent battles, his three Crane Sect Sure-kill Skills hadn't triggered any lucky effects. But Lu Yuan was satisfied enough. He had now accumulated 2 skill points and 1 attribute point.

I'll save one point to unlock the first Core Skill of [Death Teller (Extraordinary)].

For the [Death Teller (Extraordinary)] Occupation, [Circulation of Death Qi] was already at Lv. 8 and had its advanced skill unlocked. What primarily prevented Lu Yuan from unlocking the Occupation Core were the two skills: [Crow Language] and [Death Omen Eye]. However, after using them for so long, [Crow Language] had reached Lv. 3, and [Death Omen Eye] was also at Lv. 2. He wasn't far from unlocking the core of his first Extraordinary Occupation Panel. Lu Yuan was preparing for a rainy day.

As for the other point...

Lu Yuan's eyes shifted slightly, and he directly added it to the [Fighter] panel. The Fighter's second Core Skill, [Special Burst]... and above that, the third Occupation Core Skill! Once [Special Burst] reached Lv. 4 and Ultimate Outburst was unlocked, it was considered maxed out. The third Occupation Core Skill emerged naturally—

[Unconquerable Instinct] Lv. 1: Instinct will drive you to seek opportunities for victory.

"Um..." Lu Yuan blinked as he read the skill's description.

Driven by instinct to pursue victory? What does that mean?

He attempted to activate this skill but felt no changes in his body. He figured it probably only activated during combat.

I'll test it out later. First, I need to find a place... to break the limit on my Intelligence.

"Just tell the virtual steward what you need, and the robot will quickly bring it to you."

"Thank you."

Lu Yuan watched the hotel serviceman leave, then turned to survey the room. The room was exceedingly simple and clean, with not even a single piece of furniture visible. Everything was concealed within the four walls and the floor, ready to be summoned at will. Lu Yuan hadn't rented the room to sleep, so he simply sat down on the floor.

He opened his Occupation panel and added the 1 attribute point directly to Intelligence. His Intelligence, originally 19, instantly became—[Intelligence: 20 (Break Limit: 1)]

At the same time, the sensation in Lu Yuan's mind, like something about to break out of its shell, vanished instantly. Then his mind felt as if it had been tightly squeezed by an invisible giant hand...

BUZZ—

His vision plunged into pure blackness.

Then... light!

An unprecedented sense of clarity hit Lu Yuan. The world before him seemed to have instantly upgraded from 1080p to 4K ultra-high definition. He could see the invisible seams on the wall he was facing. Following these seams, he could "see" every hidden technological mechanism within the walls, and his perception continued to extend in all directions... The vast Future Hotel was presented in his mind with absolute clarity, down to the finest detail.

A torrent of information flooded Lu Yuan's mind, yet he felt no sense of being overwhelmed or muddled. All colors, lights, sounds, smells, and thoughts were processed and organized flawlessly. In his mind, hundreds, even thousands, of thoughts sparked, collided, and then vanished every moment.

His Spiritual Power emanated unintentionally, activating all the hidden compartments and furniture in the room, causing them to emerge smoothly.

He tried to ponder martial arts. Instantly, countless memory fragments flashed through his mind like lightning. They were memories from his own battles or from watching others fight. The details within these memories were intensely magnified, streaking through his mind like brilliant meteors...

Lu Yuan watched as, on his [Fighter] panel, the experience bars for a host of technique-based martial arts skills, from basic to advanced, surged wildly as if on stimulants. In a short period, all of them made dramatic breakthroughs. The lesser ones rose by half a level, while some jumped a full two levels! That spectacular sight... Lu Yuan swore he would never forget it for as long as he lived! Only when the Sure-kill Skill [Spirit Crane Skill: Crane Shadow Floating in the Air] also rose from Lv. 1 to Lv. 2 did this frenzied surge of Experience Points finally cease.

Almost all the martial arts knowledge accumulated in my memory has been digested and absorbed...

Lu Yuan found the answer forming in his mind almost before the question itself. He tried a few moves in the air and clearly felt that his techniques now held far more detail; each move and stance had become much more refined. His openings were fewer when he executed moves, and a peculiar aura seemed to be slowly coalescing around him.

Old Liu once said that those with Brain Divine Power possess incredible comprehension and can master techniques at lightning speed... Do I officially possess Brain Divine Power now?

What Lu Yuan had just experienced... was genuinely like 'advancing a thousand miles in a single day'.

So this is what it feels like to max out a skill instantly. Of course, that requires sufficient prior accumulation... a deep foundation is necessary for such a powerful outpouring.

Lu Yuan rose from the floor, intending to properly test the range of his Spiritual Power now that he had broken a limit. However, he suddenly realized... the greatest change after breaking his Intelligence limit was to his Spiritual Power itself!

—His Spiritual Power had undergone a peculiar qualitative transformation!

Previously, Lu Yuan's Spiritual Power dispersed like rays of light; now, it seemed to have become somewhat gaseous, swirling around his body. When he focused it, the air around him seemed to thicken, and even the flow of time felt as if it were slowing down...

This feeling was incredibly familiar to Lu Yuan. A word leaped into his mind—

True Intention?!

「Elsewhere」

It was a spacious room. Huge floor-to-ceiling windows faced the never-fading neon lights of the Sum Nation. Fly Shuttles wove through the azure sky, converging into a majestic, broad river of silver-grey, like a dense steel canopy enveloping the colossal city.

Inside the room, a man in a gold and black uniform lounged in an office chair, a beer bottle frothing with white foam in his hand, leisurely watching a Mecha anime on the virtual screen before him. However, he didn't seem too interested. His eyelids drooped, his face clearly etched with the word 'boredom'; he looked as if he might nod off at any second.

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK—

A simulated knocking sound emanated from the virtual screen. The man raised his drink and took a slow sip, a light layer of white foam clinging to his lips. He smacked his lips, then wiped the foam away. After dawdling for a good while, he finally blinked and issued the command to open the door.

A young man in a black uniform, his left chest adorned with a Red Bear emblem, entered cautiously.

"Didn't I tell you... not to disturb me while I'm working?" the man began, his voice listless.

The sound of intense Mecha combat blared from the virtual screen, but the Red Bear youth seemed oblivious to it, respectfully replying, "Your Lordship, I know you are burdened with official duties, managing countless affairs daily. I wouldn't have dared to disturb you, but there's a matter... I believe Your Lordship might find it interesting."

"Ah..." The man in the chair sighed. He seemed about to say something but ultimately shook his head with an air of resignation. He said, "Alright, alright. Spit it out, then scram."

"Yes." The Red Bear youth nodded and quickly reported, "During this New Blood assessment, one of the New Bloods has completed an A-rank trial mission..."

"Is that all?" The man frowned. "A-rank missions might be a tad difficult for ordinary New Bloods, but since the missions were designed, they're naturally meant to be completed. What's all the fuss about?"

"It's a certain New Blood... who completed it solo." The Red Bear youth emphasized the word "solo."

"Oh?" The man's expression shifted slightly, a flicker of interest in his eyes. His posture in the chair changed from leaning back to sitting upright. "Solo clearing an A-rank mission? That's nearly A-rank strength. Which A-rank mission did he solo? A-minus? A? Don't tell me it was A-plus..." As he spoke, the man casually lifted his drink to his lips.

"All of them." The Red Bear youth replied, "He soloed all the A-rank missions."

PFFT!

The man sprayed a mouthful of beer all over the table. He slammed his drink down, then slapped the table and pointed at the Red Bear youth's nose, cursing, "Who the hell taught you to deliver news in dribs and drabs? Are you trying to give me a cliffhanger here? You want me to kick your ass?"

The Red Bear youth instantly fell silent, shrinking like a quail, quiet as a cicada in winter.

"Is there anything else? If so, spit it all out at once!"

"Nothing more."

"There better not be... or else, hmph..." The man shot the Red Bear youth a "fierce" glare. Then, as if jolted awake from a deep slumber, all traces of laziness and slovenliness vanished. He was instantly energized, his eyes shining brightly as he boomed, "Quick! Upload the mission video of that New Blood you mentioned. Let me see it! My luck's not bad! First time as chief examiner for the New Blood assessment, and I run into a little monster... This is practically a free performance bonus handed to me, haha!"

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