Luo Feng's talent with spiritual force far outstripped his talent in physical combat.
The thing is—he achieved double amplification in spiritual power in just one month, and that's without relying on any specialized techniques or cultivation methods. That alone speaks volumes about how gifted he is.
Now, after training together in the Wilderness Sector, Wei Wen had managed to reach the same level—double spiritual power amplification—through Luo Feng's feedback via the Virtual Training Network.
"So this means I've officially stepped into the God of War class as a Spiritual Adept, right?" Wei Wen's eyes lit up.
And honestly? Compared to a fighter's raw power, the combat effectiveness of a Spiritual Adept was clearly superior—at least up to a certain stage.
Until one reaches the Planetary Stage: Tier 1, a Spiritual Adept is generally two tiers stronger than their physical fighter equivalent.
Right now, Wei Wen's fighter strength put him at Entry-level Warlord, but as a Spiritual Adept, his strength had already reached Advanced Warlord class.
Factor in the 2x amplification from his spiritual force, and he could briefly unleash power at the threshold of a beginner-level God of War—perhaps even enough to slay a Lord-class beast, if the conditions were right.
ROAR!
A mutated Tigerfang Cat went down with a clean slash from Luo Feng's blade, dying with a pained cry.
The other beasts nearby went berserk. Several Tigerfangs lunged toward Luo Feng from multiple angles, coordinating instinctively. One even leapt through the air, trying to cut off his escape route from above.
But none of that mattered. Luo Feng's footwork had already reached Micro-level Precision—his movements were efficient, sharp, and instinctively fluid.
Clang!
From atop a building, Lu Gang watched Luo Feng's razor-close evasions and couldn't help but break into a cold sweat.
The alpha Tigerfang—the strongest one—held back. It watched Luo Feng intently, waiting for a moment of weakness, some sign that his stamina was flagging.
One minute passed. Luo Feng had already taken down over twenty of the beasts, but it was clear his stamina was wearing thin. His movements and blade strikes had lost a bit of their edge.
The alpha beast, cloaked by the chaos of the remaining Tigerfangs, slowly crept closer.
At five meters away—bam! It exploded forward without a sound, aiming to take Luo Feng down in one fatal blow.
"Luo Feng, behind you!" Lu Gang warned under his breath.
But here's the thing—Luo Feng was wearing Mid-tier Warlord-grade combat armor. As long as he didn't take a hit to a vital spot, even a strike from a Lord-class mutant wouldn't penetrate.
And with Luo Feng's reaction time, his Micro-level footwork, and Lu Gang's timely warning, he was safe.
Or at least—he should have been.
What happened next shocked Lu Gang.
"What the...?"
Luo Feng's spiritual power flared. He sensed the ambush from behind as clearly as if he'd had eyes in the back of his head.
A wave of primal instinct surged through him. In that split second, it felt like his very spine was on fire.
His pupils dilated. The same Luo Feng who could dodge dozens of high-speed rubber bullets during the nerve response test was now attempting something even riskier.
And deep down, he felt it—he was close to breaking through the barrier of the Ninefold Thunder Blade technique. He could feel it just within reach.
The intense pressure of the life-or-death moment triggered a massive surge of adrenaline. His pulse skyrocketed. Every hair on his body stood on end. His nervous system pushed itself past its usual limits.
Even his spiritual force—hidden deep within his Sea of Consciousness—instinctively expanded outward, creating a defensive perimeter around him.
If this failed... he could still use his spiritual power to counter-kill the beast.
"Is he... not going to dodge?" Lu Gang frowned. "He's going to go for a counter-kill?"
This moment of extreme danger sharpened every one of Luo Feng's senses. His body responded with incredible sensitivity.
BOOM!
Without conscious thought, Luo Feng struck with his blade—but he didn't go all out.
Instead, he channeled 70% of his strength.
Yet even as that 70% erupted, his body had more to give—and in the same motion, he triggered a second wave of 70% strength.
It was seamless. Natural. As if it had always been part of his body's rhythm.
In that split second of mortal peril, with mind and body at full capacity, Luo Feng spontaneously broke through.
Ninefold Thunder Blade—First Level. The breakthrough came effortlessly, like breaking the surface of water after being submerged too long.
His Blood Shadow Combat Blade blurred through the air.
The Tigerfang never even got its attack off. It was dead before it could land.
A geyser of blood sprayed into the sky.
Whoosh!
Luo Feng's mind calmed. His spiritual energy retracted into the Sea of Consciousness.
"That power output—he's cracked the first level of the Ninefold Thunder Blade," Lu Gang muttered, impressed. "He actually broke through in a life-or-death fight?"
He stared at Luo Feng with new respect.
"Didn't expect this kid to be so damn talented. That was fast... I better give Old Zhou a heads-up."
Zhou Zhengyong had told him: If either of the boys breaks through in their blade techniques, let me know right away.
What Lu Gang didn't expect was that Luo Feng's breakthrough triggered a feedback loop.
Through the training system, Wei Wen received the updated battle data—allowing him to instantly comprehend the Second Level of the Ninefold Thunder Blade technique.
"You have received updated combat feedback from Luo Feng. Your understanding of the Ninefold Thunder Blade has improved. Congratulations—you've achieved Second Level mastery."
Luo Feng himself hadn't even reached that stage yet. Wei Wen was now ahead of him in blade technique.
The Second Level meant three bursts of 70% strength layered together—producing a power output over 2x base strength. Even stronger than the spiritual amplification method.
Unfortunately, Wei Wen's physical body wasn't built to match his spiritual strength. His combat potential as a fighter was still lower than as a Spiritual Adept.
But even so, this moment of clarity hit him like lightning.
Without thinking, Wei Wen slashed his blade—
Second Level: Ninefold Thunder Blade. Power output: 2.1x!
Lu Gang, standing nearby, felt the sudden surge in force and stared at him in disbelief.
"What the hell...? Luo Feng I can understand, but Wei Wen broke through just from watching?"
Still, the power was real. Wei Wen had leveled up.
"Dammit!" Lu Gang cursed, both impressed and slightly bitter.
He had thought Wei Wen would need another two months to catch up. Now? He might pass Lu Gang in a few weeks.
Jiangnan Base CityUltimate Fighter Academy, 31st Floor
Zhou Zhengyong, dressed in a black training uniform, sat cross-legged in a meditative pose.
"...Alright. Connect," he said as he opened his eyes.
A holographic screen lit up on the wall in front of him.
"Monsters," Lu Gang's voice came through. "These two are straight-up monsters."
"What happened?" Zhou asked, curious.
"You won't believe this," Lu Gang said. "Luo Feng just broke through to the First Level of Ninefold Thunder Blade. And then, a minute later, Wei Wen mastered the Second Level!"
"What?!" Zhou Zhengyong's eyes went wide. His breath caught in his throat.
Both boys' progress had blown right past his expectations.
All he could do was mutter to himself, stunned:
"...Freaks. Absolute freaks."