Chapter 1: A Fateful Encounter

Even the reporters from various martial arts publications often seek out individuals for duels, in order to experience the thrill of combat

The people around immediately burst into laughter, and apart from being famous for never participating in battles and only writing battle commentaries afterwards, Qin Fen is also well-known for his cowardice

"Quick..." The man barely had time to shout the word "flash" when Ye Xin's body suddenly erupted with a dazzling green light. The man who had just rushed into the alley to attack Qin Fen didn't even have time to make a sound; his body was rapidly disintegrated under the illumination of this green light. After the man shouted the last character of "flash...", his body had already completely shattered.

Qin Fen was also taken aback; how could he have agreed to it? Moreover, he was wagering a substantial amount of fifty dollars in such a high-stakes gamble

ID: 6 Yang Palm, Height: 1.87 meters, Arm Span: 1.91 meters, Utilizes the ancient martial art of Zhe Mei Shou, Two-Star Warrior, Record: 46 wins and 9 losses

Meanwhile, on the other side of the alley, the sound of intense fighting erupted again at the corner, and the man who had spoken first said urgently: "Don't worry about that kid, come over quickly and help take down Ye Xin! The electronic surveillance eyes of the Treasure Island are not just for show; the police could appear at any moment"

It is difficult to say, but I have heard that Song Jian's ancient martial art 'Bodhi Palm' has reached a considerable level of proficiency in the first stage

The Six Yang Palm silently pressed against the target, which was the red dot on the chest of the Battle Angel. This was a manifestation of the new martial technique, Magma Skill, not yet perfected; at the moment of execution, the critical point would momentarily reveal its position.

The hard metallic sphere, after a brief period of writhing, astonishingly transformed into a liquid form of metal

What exactly is going on

Listening to the admiration of those around him, Qin Fen yawned out of boredom and casually remarked, "The new martial skills of the Battle Angel will prevail"

Walking along Chongqing South Road on the treasure island, Qin Fen couldn't help but show a look of envy as he gazed at the magnetic levitation vehicles whizzing by in a continuous flow. Ever since humanity discovered the legendary ruins of Atlantis a century ago, technology has soared rapidly like a rocket into the sky, swiftly ushering in the era of interstellar navigation and colonization

The once bustling school gate suddenly became desolate, as everyone's attention had completely shifted to the playground. Qin Fen also came to watch the match, gazing at the Byzantine-style red brick building and deeply lamenting: a wealthy life is indeed much more carefree than a life of poverty, at least one does not have to work part-time after school, toiling for three meals a day and tuition fees. Meanwhile, these individuals engage in battles on the Sky Martial Arts Network all day long, and returning to reality does not extinguish their fighting spirit, as they establish one competition after another to expend their excess energy. Yet he has to manage not only his studies every day but also work to earn money, living a life that is simply more exhausting than that of a dog

Cough...

It is truly intense; I never expected such an exciting showdown on the free channel today! I really don't know who will emerge victorious in the end

The so-called new martial arts refer to the surgical modification of the human body by incorporating genes, or implanting a small machine or the internal organs of a super organism within the body, and even integrating high-tech power sources. ... Subsequently, not only can it unleash tremendous energy in conjunction with the new weapons in people's hands, but the greatest advantage is that as long as you have the financial means to undergo the surgery, there is ...

He picked up the cup of cold water on the table and gulped down two mouthfuls. Only then did he realize that despite rushing back all the way, he had not even breathed heavily. How could this be possible

Indeed! It is truly wonderful!

Those who come to the Sky Battle Network are either the poor seeking to learn the ancient martial arts from https://www.hetushucom.com in hopes of achieving success when they join the military in the future, or they simply regard this place as a training ground where they can enhance their combat skills without the risk of real injury

Qin Fen stared blankly, almost in a daze, gazing at the sky, recalling the series of unfortunate events he had encountered: merely passing through an alley could lead to an inexplicable injury to his spine, as if heaven deemed his misfortunes insufficient, ultimately placing a strange metal within his very organs

It can even be said that the martial arts left on Earth are merely simplified and elementary versions of the martial arts from Atlantis, lacking even one percent of the original techniques.

What is this? How can it remain intact even in the case of a 'uranium explosion'? Qin Fen curiously gazed at the strange metallic sphere, momentarily forgetting the pain of his crushed spine and the possibility of facing lifelong paralysis even after surviving.

Another person who intended to place a bet had just opened their mouth when the system announced: "Victory by technical knockout for the Battle Angel..."

In the interstellar age, people, in order to possess resilience and strong survival capabilities in the universe, as well as to evoke greater adaptability in the face of danger, have seen the martial arts that had long been reduced to mere fitness routines experience a revival, re-emerging in the world of humanity and summoning a new wave of vitality

The spectators continuously expressed their astonishment; this confrontation was truly intense, with a pace so rapid that it left one breathless

What is going on today? Qin Fen shook his head vigorously, initially feeling that the two-star experts below were like children at play, and now they actually agreed to gamble?

"What use is that? I heard that the Lewis family spent money on a new implantation surgery for him, and the newly purchased martial art 'Emergency Electric Demon Wolf Claw' has also reached the first stage of maturity. He is indeed a genuine one-star warrior"

"Will the Archangel win? I believe the Six Suns Palm can prevail." A person, who was pointed out by Qin Fen as having lost the previous day, spoke with a tone full of provocation: "The top expert in words, do you have the courage to bet with me?"

A sudden pain surged through Qin Fen, causing him to spit out a mouthful of fresh blood. At this moment, he clearly felt the breath of death gradually closing in on him, capable of reducing him to ashes in just a moment.

Entering the Sky Battle Network, Qin Fen adjusted himself to viewing mode and quickly accessed the free viewing channel of the training arena using the positioning system

The empty alley had no one to answer this series of questions. Qin Fen stood up curiously, checking his body once again

Swish

The intense pain caused him to gasp violently, and Qin Fen struggled to lift his head, just in time to see the man who had ambushed him approaching step by step

If I had known earlier, I should have taken more time to practice ancient martial arts. Otherwise, I wouldn't have ended up in this situation today

That's it! I will also bet fifty, buying six Yang Palms to win

Qin Fen gently rubbed his forehead. As a two-star ancient martial arts warrior, why did the two individuals before him, who should have been of comparable strength, appear to be fighting like children?

Sure, how about a bet of fifty dollars

Damn it! It must be the new warrior from Samsung! Qin Fen cursed inwardly, and immediately heard the sound of his spine breaking, akin to a porcelain cup crushed in the palm of a strongman, utterly fragile and shattered. The intense pain nearly caused him to faint. As that person threw him high into the air, Qin Fen flipped twice before crashing down heavily. The moment he hit the ground, a cloud of dust was kicked up, obscuring his vision and intensifying the pain in his spine.

Oh? You are quite the expert with words; you arrived late today

"Do you want to leave?" A cold, sinister voice suddenly echoed behind Qin Fen, as a hot and aggressive hand slapped against his back

Gulu ... ...

Unbeknownst to them, the setting sun quickly welcomed the arrival of nightfall. Due to the disruption caused by the 'uranium explosion' to the electronic surveillance in the alley, the police never discovered this astonishing scene

In less than a second, this icy and bitter landscape transformed once again into the hottest magma at the volcano's mouth, coursing through all the blood vessels and every organ in his body; it surged back and forth, bold and unrestrained. At this moment, the liquid metal seemed to be completely sliced and decomposed by this wave of heat, turning into countless tentacles that penetrated every organ within, as if taking root.

The speed of the Six Yang Palm is astonishingly fast, and in the blink of an eye, it has already approached the Battle Angel. The Folding Plum Hand has condensed a faint blue light, as if it has already touched the Battle Angel's critical point

At this moment, Qin Fen was filled with fear and trepidation, for just now, a single strike had destroyed most of his physical abilities. Even the simple action of closing his mouth was beyond his capability. He could only silently pray in his heart: I say, this is my mouth, and you, strange metal, must not treat this place as your home

In the distance, a few onlookers were engaged in conversation. After listening, Qin Fen could only shake his head and smile wryly. He couldn't help but ask: Is this really one of the three best high schools in East Asia? How is it that these students lack even basic discernment? Is the outcome uncertain? Can Song Jian defeat Lewis? Unless he violates the campus duel regulations and secretly takes the combat-enhancing "Fury Pill," otherwise, Song Jian is bound to lose

After reviewing the match schedule: ID Battle Angel, height 1.83 meters, wingspan 1.88 meters, utilizing the new martial skill Lava Technique Level 2, two-star warrior, with a record of 72 wins and 13 losses

I ... ...

For Qin Fen, who only observes without engaging in battle, the spectators here do not particularly favor him. After all, anyone can face defeat at some point, and when they hear Qin Fen's incisive comments during those moments, it is only natural for them to feel displeased, always wanting to find an opportunity to teach this verbal expert a lesson. However, since Qin Fen never personally enters the fray, the crowd can only resort to verbal jabs to regain a bit of their dignity.

Putting on the helmet of the Sky Battle Network, Qin Fen smiled gently. If the government were not seeking more channels to supply talent to the military, and if the country had not opened up eight types of free martial arts on the platform, along with distributing this basic equipment to everyone, he might have lost another avenue for making money

With the deciphering of another batch of stone slab inscriptions, people have learned a portion of new martial arts techniques: high-tech martial arts

At the entrance of Jianzhong High School in Baodao City, the excited shouts of a group of well-meaning individuals surged like waves, capturing the attention of students who were about to leave school. They all paused, their faces filled with astonishment and curiosity, and in almost an instant, they all dashed back into the school, heading straight for the scene of the incident—the playground

I also practice the Six Yang Palm

A crisp "FIGHT!" echoed across the training ground

Ye Xin, you are merely a new warrior of the three-star rank, and there is no escape for you. If you do not hand over the items stolen from the ruins of Atlantis, you will die here today

Things have already been sent out of Earth. Even if you kill me, it will be of no use

Qin Fen shook his head in disagreement with the crowd's cheers. Practitioners of new martial arts typically find ways to conceal their vulnerabilities, but the Battle Angel made no attempt to hide hers. It was clear that she intended to draw attention to the Six Yang Palm. Everyone knew that the attack point of the Zhe Mei Hand was bound to be its vulnerability, which in turn limited the advantages of this elusive martial art that excelled in speed. The Battle Angel could easily predict where the opponent's attacks would land.

I will die, but I will not let you obtain "it"! The man named Ye Xin roared, suddenly spreading his arms: "Uranium explosion!"

In this case, the outcome is difficult to predict

Oh no, is it really going to get serious? Are they about to fight? Qin Fen quietly assessed the situation, and not wanting to get involved in this inexplicable robbery incident, he cautiously began to retreat.

What the hell? Could it be that what I encountered just now was all an illusion? And what about that strange liquid metal?

Qin Fen looked on in confusion at the intense battle, wondering what was happening. How could the strength of the two-star warriors be so weak? In the past, when watching the duels of two-star warriors, Qin Fen calculated that even if he were to participate in the duel himself, he could only react to the moves as they came. Yet now, in the battles of these two-star warriors, regardless of who it was, even the slightest movement of a shoulder would allow him to instantly predict what kind of attack was coming, while also enabling him to quickly identify the weak points.

Looking at the clock on the wall, Qin Fen curled his lip. He was unlucky today and did not go to work. He should quickly log into the Sky Battle Network to write a few battle reports and earn some fees.

The metallic sphere suddenly began to move slowly, resembling a soft-bodied caterpillar that had long been resting on a leaf. In the blink of an eye, it seemed to move once more

A voice filled with a chilling intensity suddenly interrupted Qin Fen's thoughts. He slowly moved towards the corner of the alley, wondering to himself: Could it be that he had encountered a robber? At this thought, his body tensed slightly, and he quietly halted his steps. At that moment, another conversation echoed from the other end of the corner.

Why take risks for unknown dangers? Qin Fen advised himself. He decided to leave the alley quickly. Since his body was already fine, it was better to return home sooner.

The narrow alley, which had just witnessed fierce combat, instantly returned to its former tranquility. A metal sphere, the size of a fist, rolled away from Ye Xin, distancing itself slightly from the shattered flesh and blood, and rolled around the corner of the alley.

Indeed, the situation on the battlefield unfolded as predicted by Qin Fen. The two swift palm strikes of the Six Yang Palm's Folding Plum Hand were easily neutralized by the Battle Angel at critical moments, simultaneously drawing the Six Yang Palm into a confined combat zone, preventing him from utilizing his agile strengths. In an instant, the two entered into close combat, with fists, feet, and palm shadows flying in a dazzling display.

The levels are comparable. By the time the system sent the battle data, Qin Fen had already conducted a simple analysis in his mind. The Magma Technique belongs to explosive skills, with lethality ranking in the mid-range among second-level warriors. The Folding Plum Hand is a speed-oriented martial technique, with slightly weaker lethality, classified as a beginner skill of the advanced ancient martial art, Six Yang Palm.

Accompanied by a sudden sensation of cold and tingling, the liquid metal swiftly reached his abdomen. He opened his mouth wide, attempting to expel this impolite intruder through vomiting. However, the violent coughing strained the wound on his back, leaving him no choice but to silently acquiesce to this awkward encounter

The laughter of the crowd abruptly ceased, and those familiar with Qin Fen began to suspect whether his account had been hacked. The person currently using his ID was not Qin Fen himself. After all, every time Qin Fen appeared, he always utilized the system's confidentiality options to conceal his true appearance

Hurry and take a look! Song Jian from the first year of ancient martial arts is sparring with Lewis from the first year of new martial arts on the playground

Oh! Isn't this the foremost expert in hindsight? Haven't you always waited until after the battle to point out why the defeated lost? What has happened today?

Combat is not a matter of arithmetic; any unforeseen circumstances may arise. Even when Qin Fen is confident to a hundred percent, he refrains from gambling. Compared to others, he understands better the hardships of making money

Many people here have commented on Qin Fen's battles, and when they finally seized an opportunity, they eagerly began to place their bets. How much can one win? It doesn't matter! What is important is to make this somewhat unsophisticated man lose face significantly.

One second it is cold, the next second it is hot. This excruciating pain, which can incapacitate a person in half a second, caused Qin Fen to endure for ten seconds before he could no longer withstand such torment, and his head tilted as he truly fainted.

What is this? Qin Fen thought there was something wrong with his eyes, as he saw the metallic sphere writhing once again, as if some creature inside was trying to break free from its cocoon, but the exterior was as resilient as the thin membrane inside an eggshell

Before Qin Fen could react, the frequency of the metallic sphere's writhing suddenly increased, completely oblivious to the fact that a pool of blood beneath the sphere had vanished without a trace.

The winter nights arrive relatively early, and the school dismissal time is already at dusk. Groups of students walk along the path leading to the school gate, chatting and laughing, and the air is filled with a sense of relaxation.

Good! The audience in the channel immediately erupted in applause

恩

The rolling temperature of the liquid metal had not persisted for two seconds when it suddenly transformed into a glacier that had not melted for a thousand years. A strong and extremely cold aura rapidly spread to his limbs and bones, calming the previously intense feeling of agitation. However, in the blink of an eye, this coldness quickly coated Qin Fen's lips with a thin layer of frost

At this moment, the city's clock chimed ten times at a leisurely pace. Qin Fen suddenly felt the urge to go to the corner of the alley to verify once more, but recalling his previous unfortunate experiences, he ultimately stopped in his tracks

Qin Fen ran all the way back to the school dormitory in no time. The classmates in the dormitory had already lain down in bed, wearing helmets connected to the Sky Battle Network, continuing to fight in this network that is said to connect every corner of the world.

Qin Fen lightly nodded to those people, having long been accustomed to being referred to as the 'Master of Words'.

Fifty dollars? Cut it out! After all this time, I thought you would place a much heavier bet.

"Send out the Earth? Do you have that kind of time? For the sake of our past relationship, hand over the items, and I will make it quick for you"

The metal seemed to have sprouted eyes, moving in perfect harmony towards Qin Fen, and soon it crawled onto his chest. The liquid metal showed no intention of stopping; instead, it resolutely continued to inch its way towards his mouth.

In an instant, it felt as if a storm were raging within him, akin to boiling water continuously churning. A wave of blood surged up his throat, and he opened his mouth to spurt out a mouthful of fresh blood. Fortunately, having grown up in the countryside, his years of training endowed him with a resilience beyond that of ordinary people. Even at this juncture, he was still able to maintain a clear mind and avoid losing consciousness. For the first time, Qin Fen began to loathe this extraordinary resilience of his; perhaps losing consciousness would not be such a relief.

Placing small bets while watching others compete is a common practice among the spectators of the battles. Whenever the crowd places their bets, Qin Fen always intentionally or unintentionally keeps his distance from them, never participating.

The metal sphere, after colliding with the wall, rebounded and rolled back to his position, ultimately coming to a stop on the blood he had coughed up

Taking a deep breath, he silently summoned the remaining strength within his body. After sustaining severe injuries, a person can only maximize their chances of survival by maintaining steady breathing while waiting for medical personnel to arrive for rescue

As soon as Qin Fen appeared, someone immediately greeted him, and soon many others followed suit, mimicking the tone of the previous person in their greetings

You are right; the unpredictability of victory and defeat is what makes it interesting

When humanity opened the second layer of the Atlantis ruins, they discovered some ancient writings on it. After deciphering, it was revealed that thousands of massive mysterious stone tablets concealed sets of martial arts secrets. These martial arts bear striking similarities to many forms of martial arts found on Earth

I will also come ... ...

Its sudden emergence immediately sparked a wave of interest in ancient martial arts. However, people soon realized that the practice of ancient martial arts was relatively slow, and these advanced techniques were even more dangerous to cultivate than the original basic versions on Earth. A moment's inattention could easily lead to a deviation in practice, resulting in paralysis or even death by explosion of the body. Even in less severe cases, one could face the embarrassing situation of impotence, with some men even transforming into women overnight.

The War Angel let out a thunderous roar, and a red dot flashed across its chest, as a surge of red light, resembling molten lava, erupted from its exterior

These eight types of free martial arts are humorously referred to by the public as the Eight Major Civilian Martial Arts. They are: 'Zhe Mei Shou', 'Ban Ruo Zhang', 'Yi Zhi Chan', 'Shaolin Shi San Zhao', 'Ran Mu Dao', 'Shaolin Luo Han Quan', 'Hong Quan', and a set of esoteric internal skills that others would rather spend money on to learn other internal cultivation methods than practice, namely 'Long Xiang Ban Ruo Gong'

As a man, who does not wish to be the center of attention, who does not want to continuously improve oneself in battle, but... Qin Fen shrugged his shoulders, with all that physical strength for fighting, it would be better to find a job in reality, earning a little more living expenses, as filling one's stomach is the most important thing

After an unknown number of hours, Qin Fen finally woke up from his coma. The throbbing pain in his head made him involuntarily let out a faint groan. He slowly sat up and suddenly realized something, hastily feeling around his body with his hands: "What on earth is going on? Wasn't my spine broken? How can I sit up? And it doesn't hurt at all?"

You ask, will Song Jian win or will Lewis win

Liquid metal? How is that possible? Isn't this a new type of super metal that the government has been developing but has not yet succeeded in creating? Qin Fen stared incredulously at the liquid metal before him.

The liquid metal sphere paid no heed to his plea, showing no sign of stopping its advance. It continued on its own path, boldly crawling onto his tongue, joyfully quivering under the embrace of his taste buds. Before Qin Fen could react, the liquid metal had swiftly slid down his throat

Qin Fen is likely the only individual in the entire Sky Battle Network who has no combat record whatsoever. Since his debut, he has merely observed the battles of others, subsequently writing some combat commentary to submit to newspapers in exchange for a modest fee. As a result, he has become a special correspondent for the newspaper column "An Outsider's Perspective on the Craft," though he is not officially recognized as a special correspondent.

Qin Fen suddenly felt utterly disinterested; this duel held no suspense for him. He looked up, took a deep breath, and turned to run outside the school, lacking any interest in watching. As a poor student who had transferred from the countryside, he did not have the luxury of time to waste on the leisurely entertainment of duels like his classmates. After school, there was still much work waiting for him, and with the entrance exams approaching, he had yet to gather the tuition fees for his first year of university.