Ten minutes.
It took a full ten minutes before the people inside the stadium finally recovered from their shock.
Only then did they rise one after another and leave the venue.
Everyone—
From eighth-rank kings
down to fourth-rank little grandmasters—
All wore the same expression:
utter, profound shock.
When they recalled everything that had happened that day—
They realized:
Today had been far too earth-shattering.
Foreign geniuses had arrived in Kyushu with immense arrogance and momentum—
But before they could even show their true fangs,
they were crushed by Zhao Xuan.
One versus sixteen.
In a single day—
Sixteen geniuses from all over the world
fell to Zhao Xuan's fists.
And not just defeated—
Dead.
Sixteen geniuses.
Sixteen fourth-rank monsters.
Sixteen eighteen-year-old prodigies.
Sixteen youths so monstrous that they could fight, overpower, or even kill sixth-rank grandmasters—
Every single one—
killed by Zhao Xuan.
That alone was shocking enough.
But what truly stunned everyone—
Was the final, climactic duel between Zhao Xuan and Alexander.
Both were only fourth-rank—
Yet the power they unleashed
was comparable to seventh-rank lords.
That was a difference of two major realms.
Unthinkable.
Explosive.
And the climax of that final battle—
Was when Zhao Xuan defeated Alexander
and awakened Conqueror's Haki on the spot.
Conqueror's Haki was completely different from Observation and Armament.
Observation and Armament could eventually be awakened by anyone with enough talent, strength, spiritual power, and constitution—
usually after reaching seventh rank.
But—
Conqueror's Haki was different.
To awaken it—
one needed an unshakable belief in their own invincibility.
Kyushu had countless powerful beings.
Tens of millions of ability users.
But among all of them—
Those who awakened Conqueror's Haki
could be counted on one hand.
Even some ninth-rank emperors
could not awaken it.
This alone showed
just how rare and difficult the awakening truly was.
Yet—
Zhao Xuan awakened it.
A young fourth-rank grandmaster
awakened Conqueror's Haki.
And even more frightening—
His initial awakening already produced pressure strong enough
to affect eighth-rank powerhouses.
What did that imply?
Something explosive.
Something world-shaking.
Something that would shock all nations.
As the first day of the National Exam ended—
As the crowds left the Imperial Capital Stadium—
Everything that had happened today
spread throughout the capital like wildfire.
Within hours—
The entire Imperial Capital trembled.
The entire city boiled.
"Have you heard?! Have you heard?!"
"Heard what?"
"Today is the first day of the National Exam—do you know what happened?!"
"What happened?!"
"What's going on?!"
"Wang Ermazi, if you keep stalling I'll punch your teeth out!"
"Hahaha, don't rush, don't rush. Let me tell you—today's exam was insane!"
And so—
Wang Ermazi retold everything he had heard.
After hearing it—
Everyone froze.
Then—
WAAA!!
Uproar.
"Damn those arrogant foreign barbarians!"
"Hahaha! Good! So good! One versus sixteen—
that Zhao Xuan kid is too satisfying!"
"What?! He awakened Conqueror's Haki on the spot after defeating all the foreign candidates?!"
"…"
Within moments—
Zhao Xuan's achievement
spread rapidly through the entire capital.
His fame skyrocketed.
Even ninth-rank emperors
heard his name within hours.
"Hahahahaha! Remarkable! Absolutely remarkable!"
In the City Guardian's Manor—
In the study of Zhang Ping,
Kyushu's strongest ninth-rank emperor—
He laughed after reading the report:
"What extraordinary talent!"
…
Zhao Xuan knew none of this.
At this moment,
he was still in a deep sleep—
Sleeping soundly,
snoring like thunder.
He was exhausted.
Truly, utterly exhausted.
He slept for an entire day and night.
And in this time—
News of his one-versus-sixteen victory
and the awakening of Conqueror's Haki
spread not only through the capital—
But throughout the entire world.
After all—
The sixteen geniuses he killed
were all children or disciples of major figures from other nations.
Almost all of them had elders
at the eighth or even ninth rank.
The moment Zhao Xuan killed them—
Foreign ambassadors in the capital
sent emergency messages back to their countries.
By nightfall—
The world trembled.
"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!!"
"He killed my beloved child—he must die!"
"Hmph. If he dares leave Kyushu—
if he dares step into the Endless Sea—
there will be only one path for him:
death!"
This world was unlike Zhao Xuan's previous life.
There was only one ocean—
the Endless Sea.
Limitless.
Boundless.
It was said even ninth-rank emperors who could fly
had attempted to cross it—
only to return defeated.
All countries bordered the Endless Sea.
Everyone could enter it easily.
Every year, nations sent countless ability users
into the Endless Sea.
Even civilian adventurers formed parties to enter—
risking death willingly.
Why?
Because the Endless Sea was filled with—
Ancient ruins
Rare herbs
Heavenly materials
Sea-stone ores
Even divine medicines that healed ancient injuries
And the deeper one went,
the richer the spiritual energy became.
This was why
all high-rankers
and all geniuses
chose to enter the Endless Sea.
But—
Communication devices failed there.
Signals did not work.
Every year—
Countless geniuses died silently in the sea.
This was why
the enraged elders of the slain foreign geniuses
dared to threaten Zhao Xuan in secret.
In Kyushu,
they could not touch him.
But in the Endless Sea—
It was different.
With no communication and no witnesses—
If Zhao Xuan died there,
Kyushu might never know.
And as a genius—
A true monster—
He would inevitably enter the Endless Sea one day.
…
Time passed.
When Zhao Xuan finally woke up—
It was already the third day of the National Exam.
Because of his overwhelming performance—
During his unconsciousness,
countless corporations, clans, and influential figures
sent people to visit him
and left various precious medicinal supplements.
With the help of these high-grade medicines
and careful medical care—
He fully recovered in a single day.
After waking—
The first thing he did
was check his status panel.
[Heaven Rewards Diligence System]
Name: Zhao Xuan
Age: 18
Spirit: 405.13 / 405.13
Physique: 2433.45 / 2433.45
Abilities:
Shave (Grandmaster: 4163 / 16000)
Iron Body (Grandmaster: 10604 / 16000)
Paper Art (Grandmaster: 4700 / 16000)
Moonwalk (Grandmaster: 4030 / 16000)
Storm Leg (Grandmaster: 5663 / 16000)
Finger Gun (Grandmaster: 4135 / 16000)
Swordsmanship (Master: 3935 / 8000)
Observation Haki (Master: 7323 / 80000)
Armament Haki (Master: 11831 / 80000)
Conqueror's Haki (Proficiency: 1500 / 4000)
Azure Dragon Fruit (Master: 8956 / 80000)
Seeing his panel,
Zhao Xuan grinned.
"All three Haki—finally complete. Not bad. Not bad at all."
Satisfied,
he glanced at his spirit and physique values—
And froze.
"Huh? What's going on?"
His face was full of confusion.
"I just slept for a day.
Why did my spirit increase by five points
and physique by more than ten?
What's this?
Don't tell me I've awakened some kind of
'lying down to get stronger' salted-fish system?"
As he wondered—
His gaze shifted to the IV drip connected to him.
"No… no… wait."
His eyes narrowed.
"The issue must be with this drip.
I can feel some kind of special energy inside it…
as if it's quietly enhancing my body."
Just then—
Footsteps approached.
Tap, tap, tap.
Several medical staff hurried in.
"Mr. Zhao Xuan, you're awake!"
Zhao Xuan nodded.
"You've recovered very well.
You may be discharged anytime."
"But before leaving,
please inform us—
many visitors left gifts for you."
"Visitors?"
Zhao Xuan blinked.
"Yes," the lead nurse explained.
"Your one-versus-sixteen victory
and the on-site awakening of Conqueror's Haki
has spread everywhere.
Major corporations, clans, and noble families
all sent people to visit you.
They left many supplements made from rare herbs.
Even the special energy solution in your IV—
was donated by them."
"So that's how it is."
Zhao Xuan nodded in understanding.
"Since my body's fully recovered,
I'll discharge immediately."
"Of course, Mr. Zhao.
Please follow me.
Your gifts are stored in another room."
He followed the nurse.
When he entered the large room—
He froze.
It was filled—
packed wall to wall—
with precious supplements and medicines.
"All of these… are for me?"
The nurse nodded.
"Yes, Mr. Zhao."
"Damn…
these are all fifth- and sixth-rank spiritual herbs…
This room must be worth tens of billions…"
He sucked in a breath.
"Tens of billions is nothing," the nurse chuckled.
"With your performance,
you have the potential to become a ninth-rank emperor.
Spending a few hundred million each
to build good relations with you—
is a bargain for these groups."
"Not to mention—"
She paused, then added with emotion:
"Mr. Zhao, two days ago,
before your duel with the Sun-Never-Sets candidate—
you casually ate a divine medicine worth twenty to thirty billion."
"…What?"
Zhao Xuan froze.
"Divine medicine? Worth 20–30 billion?!"
Memories surged—
that stone-bamboo segment—
the overwhelming life force—
the energy leaking everywhere.
And instantly—
He understood.
"…WTF!!!"
Regret surged through him like a tidal wave.
"I ate twenty to thirty billion in one bite!!"
"And worse—
I only absorbed one-tenth of it!!"
"Meaning—
I wasted over twenty billion
IN MINUTES!!!"
"Damn it!!!!"
His face darkened.
He felt his soul leaving his body from pain.
"Mr. Zhao?
Mr. Zhao?"
"Mr. Zhao??"
The nurse's voice pulled him back.
"Huh? Ah? You calling me?"
"What happened? Why were you staring blankly?"
"If I tell you
I'm grieving over the divine medicine I wasted—
would you believe me?"
The nurse burst out laughing.
"Hahaha!
Mr. Zhao is truly humorous.
When you ate that divine medicine,
you were so decisive and bold—
how could you feel regret?"
Zhao Xuan's mouth twitched violently.
He wanted to speak—
but swallowed the words.
He opened the relic-space portal,
stuffed all the supplements inside—
Then left the hospital boldly.
He headed straight to the Imperial Capital Stadium.
The third day of the National Exam
was underway.
As Zhao Xuan entered—
Two candidates were fighting fiercely on stage.
Instantly—
His battle hunger surged.
The warrior's fire ignited in his veins.
He strode toward the waiting area—
But before he even arrived—
SHUA SHUA SHUA
Countless eyes snapped toward him.
Everyone turned.
The candidates on stage
were instantly forgotten.
"Zhao Xuan is here!!"
"That monster is here!!"
"Where's Zhang San? Didn't he say earlier he wanted to challenge Zhao Xuan? Where is he now?"
"That idiot? The moment Zhao Xuan walked into the stadium, he quietly ran away!"
"…"
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