High Martial Arts: Grinding for the Supreme Talent

Chapter 332: Chapter 332: Divine Power

”What is... this?”

”I saw this yesterday. It’s a poll someone posted on the Red Realm forums, asking people to vote for who they think will win the championship.”

”It covers the entire globe—all the contestants from every country.”

Jiangtao explained from the side.

Lin Qi looked at the green screen. It displayed the portraits of 63 people, including himself—all the contestants who had advanced to the sixth round.

[1st Place: Yu Zhuoran (Xia Country), Votes: 1,000,000]

[2nd Place: Havier Wright (White Eagle Federation), Votes: 990,000]

[3rd Place: Victor Christopher (Mao Bear), Votes: 970,000]

[4th Place: Alex Freck (Sunset), Votes: 800,000]

[5th Place: Miyamoto Genichiro, Votes: 700,000]

...

Lin Qi scrolled down the list, finally finding his own name in 40th place with a measly twenty to thirty thousand votes.

The top three—Yu Zhuoran, Havier, and Christopher—had more than ten times his number of votes.

It seemed not many people thought he could take the championship.

”Those damn idiots. No one’s voting for you, Brother Qi! It’s only people from our Sixth Institute.” Jiangtao was very unhappy with Lin Qi’s vote count.

”Forget it. It’s just a poll.”

”The championship isn’t decided by votes.”

”Right now, it looks like Yu Zhuoran, Havier from the White Eagle Federation, and Victor from Bear Country are the most likely to win,” Lin Qi said, unconcerned.

’After today’s matches are over, the audience will naturally know who is stronger!’

”Esteemed audience and contestants!”

At the same time, particles of red light and shadow converged, and the projection of Vice-Principal Xu Wenji appeared once again.

He scanned the audience of nearly several million people.

He began to speak slowly.

”Today is an important day. We have now reached the fifth day of the Global Freshmen Tournament.”

”And today, we will determine the final champion of the Freshmen Tournament!”

”Without further ado, let us begin the sixth round!”

”After yesterday’s fierce competition, we currently have 63 contestants remaining!”

With a wave of his hand, Xu Wenji projected a large screen, and 63 names appeared on it.

At the same time, the giant Pyramid reappeared. It had now reached the 6th level, with only 63 virtual figures left.

”Looks like our Xia Country is still the strongest! We still have 15 people left!” Jiangtao laughed from the side.

Lin Qi nodded. Including him, Azure Sky Martial Arts Academy still had seven people: Yu Zhuoran, himself, Pei Jiu, Xiang Long, Song Qing, Huo Wanyang, and Xia Lian.

Nether Sea Martial Arts University also had four people, among them the SS-level genius Kong Ruoxuan and Li Hanjiang.

Shanyu Martial Arts University also had only four people. That made for 15 people in total, accounting for 23% of the remaining contestants.

This was the most out of any country, proving Blue Star’s strongest nation truly deserved its title.

”In the sixth round, one contestant will once again receive a bye, advancing directly to the seventh round.”

”I wonder which lucky contestant it will be this time?”

As Xu Wenji finished speaking, a giant golden egg materialized in his hand once more. This time, it contained only 63 names.

”BOOM!”

Under the gazes of millions, the golden egg spun for three seconds before suddenly exploding, revealing a virtual figure to everyone.

[Bye: Lin Qi (Xia Country)]

”Let’s once again congratulate the contestant from Xia Country, Lin Qi! He has received another bye and will advance to the seventh round.”

”He has also become the first contestant in the Global Freshmen Tournament to receive two consecutive byes!”

The moment Xu Wenji’s voice fell, the audience erupted in an uproar.

”Lin Qi from Xia Country... that guy’s luck is way too good, isn’t it?”

”I’ll admit that Lin Qi from Xia Country is skilled, but he’s not strong enough to make it into the top 32!”

”Why don’t I ever get that lucky!”

In the Tailande spectator section.

Sula, who had delicate features, watched Lin Qi receive the bye, a wave of irritation washing over him.

’On what grounds? He isn’t Awakened, and he’s not an SS-level genius. Why should he get a bye?’

Lin Qi’s good fortune reminded him of unpleasant childhood memories.

...

「In the Xia Country stands, at the Azure Sky Sixth Institute’s section.」

”Brother Qi, your luck is just insane!”

”I bet the audiences and contestants from other countries have some opinions about this!” Jiangtao laughed.

”If they have opinions, they can keep them to themselves,” Guo Heng said with a smile.

Lin Qi watched as his virtual figure on the Pyramid became the first to enter the seventh level.

He was also quite surprised to have received two byes in a row.

He hadn’t actually wanted a bye; he wanted to temper his strength by fighting against other experts.

But since he got one, there was nothing to be said.

[Please welcome the two contestants for the first match!]

The intelligent system’s voice announced loudly, and the sixth round’s 31 matches officially began.

The contestants in every match were top-tier geniuses, each with their own Special Ability.

Weapons were covered in colorful sheens of special Power. Powers of eight different colors—Gold, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth, Wind, Thunder, and Ice—appeared one after another before Lin Qi’s eyes.

Each Attribute could evolve into different Special Abilities.

For example, the most common Special Ability of the Metal Attribute was [Jin Feng].

It granted the Awakened tyrannical strength and an enhancement of extremely destructive Sharpness.

But it could also manifest as the two Special Abilities [Vajra] and [Golden Light].

These granted the Cultivator incredible defense and speed, respectively!

However, such Special Abilities were rare.

Normally, one would see common Special Abilities like [Red Flame], [Flowing Water], [Thunder], and [Heavy Earth].

In a match, these were just enhancements; the main factors were still the contestant’s own physical fitness and Martial Arts Skills.

The 31 matches proceeded quickly.

”That Victor’s strength is insane!” Jiangtao suddenly exclaimed.

Lin Qi looked toward the arena. In the middle of the ruin-themed battlefield stood an extremely large and burly man dressed in a black Combat Suit.

He stood at a shocking height of over two and a half meters. He wasn’t lanky but incredibly burly, like an upright polar bear.

Beneath his tight Combat Suit were muscles that looked like they were carved from hard megaliths.

He exuded an endless sense of pressure.

He swung a large, black War Axe with one hand, a brown Power covering its Axe Blade.

”BOOM!”

As the axe swung down, the air cracked and a fierce wind howled, as if even a mountain would be split in two by the blow.

His opponent was a two-meter-tall burly man wielding a Heavy Sword, but faced with the Giant Axe’s Heavy Slash...

”BANG!”

”CRACK!”

His entire body was forced to its knees. His bones shattered, and he spurted blood wildly before turning into nothingness and dissipating into the air.

Many in the audience were stunned.

”What kind of monstrous strength is that!”

”I remember that contestant Carl from the Sunset Empire also has considerable strength. His previous fights were all fierce and domineering. I can’t believe he couldn’t even withstand a single one of Victor’s axe swings.”

Jiangtao frowned. ”This Victor has Innate Divine Strength. With a build like that, there’s no way his strength could be weak.”

”And his Awakened Special Ability is [Heavy Earth]. They say this Ability has only one effect—heaviness. And weight is strength, granting its user terrifying power.”

”Brother Qi, you’re probably the only one who can match him in strength.”

Lin Qi’s expression was calm. He could also see that Victor was a being of pure strength.

Brute force conquers all techniques.

Even Huo Wanyang and Wei Peng, two geniuses with Innate Divine Strength, might not be able to compete with that level of power.

Even among those with Innate Divine Strength, there were differences in level, and this Victor was at the very pinnacle.

Perhaps Huo Wanyang would be able to contend with him in the future.

...