The conference room was completely silent. Ling Yun's performance was beyond anyone's comprehension, including most of the instructors, who were still immersed in the shock of that earth-shattering attack. Ling Yun's embodiment of fire and light in that final moment was etched deeply into the minds of most people, a mark they would never forget for the rest of their lives.
After a long silence, Luo Panxi slowly said, "Very good skills. It seems we were wrong. We shouldn't have treated Ling Yun as just an apprentice ability user."
Everyone remained silent. Li Zhongqi glanced at Luo Panxi, seemingly wanting to say something, but ultimately only moved his lips slightly and kept quiet. Tie Li, on the other hand, remained silent, expressionless, his serious demeanor suggesting he was lost in thought. The instructors' expressions varied, but they all collectively maintained a silent stance.
A cold smile appeared on Luo Panxi's face: "However, that's all for now. I don't believe that he can get out of the Superpower Headquarters by himself. Everyone, get ready, it's time for us to set off."
……………
With a flash of silver light, Ling Yun's figure reappeared within the second layer of the barrier. While passing through the passage, he had been continuously analyzing the structure of the passage with data. A wonderful idea gradually took shape in his mind: if the data was verified to be feasible after the ability was replicated, then Ling Yun could appear on the fourth layer of the ability headquarters at any time.
Following this breakthrough in swordplay, Ling Yun's copying ability began to automatically develop new functions, allowing him to identify and optimize all unfamiliar techniques or data. This function may seem insignificant, but it's incredibly useful in combat. Once Ling Yun masters it, he can analyze an enemy's strengths and weaknesses in real-time, allowing him to anticipate and counter-attack. This means anticipating the enemy's moves; even someone with the same strength and skill as Ling Yun would be quickly defeated without the copying ability—that's the difference brought about by experience and skill.
All eyes turned to Ling Yun as he slowly landed on the ground. The second floor was a gathering place for ordinary ability users. Having just witnessed everything Ling Yun had experienced on the light screen, everyone felt both shocked and deeply conflicted. Seeing Ling Yun appear, an indescribable feeling welled up within them, but most maintained a sense of awe. It was as if they sensed something extraordinary in this ordinary young man; everyone felt a profound sense of insignificance, a feeling of inadequacy born from witnessing unparalleled power.
At least for now, no one dared to step forward to stop Ling Yun. They could only watch helplessly as he walked past them without even glancing at them. Moreover, most of the superhumans had been saved by Ling Yun before, and naturally, they were already filled with gratitude towards him. They were already unwilling to fight Ling Yun, and now that they had witnessed his true strength, their excuses were even easier to find. Wasn't fighting such a powerful person just courting death? Besides, he had already said that whoever blocked his way was his enemy. Even Ye Feng's powerful attack had been defeated by him; who here could possibly be his match?
Though there be thousands, I will go! Seeing Ling Yun leave calmly, everyone couldn't help but recall that bold and passionate phrase!
Beyond one more barrier lies the outer perimeter of the Superpower Headquarters, and beyond that, one is outside the boundaries of the Superpower Headquarters' Skynet barrier. Ling Yun thought silently. In reality, he wasn't afraid of any powerful individuals within the barrier, not even those at the level of Deputy Chief Instructor or higher. After killing Blood Pupil and two other super-powerful individuals through the core space, Ling Yun's mindset was undergoing a subtle change.
This is like someone whose monthly salary is only around 1,000 yuan. Naturally, they would feel envious of others who earn 10,000 yuan a month, thinking it's unattainable. But when they suddenly start earning 10,000 yuan a month themselves, they would immediately realize that others' 10,000 yuan monthly salary is nothing special. It's not that the 10,000 yuan monthly salary is any different, but rather that their mindset has undergone a huge change.
Ling Yun is in a similar situation now. When his strength was far inferior to that of a private in the Heavenly Eye Society, he considered general-level experts to be unimaginably invincible, almost equivalent to gods. However, as his strength rapidly increased, even junior officers were no match for him. Ling Yun's horizons also broadened rapidly, especially after his battle with Lao Hei, Xue Tong, and Shen Gong Qianye in the core space. Ling Yun gained a deeper understanding of these powerful individuals with high-level abilities. His experience in the core space was arguably the greatest and most rewarding he had ever had since acquiring his superpower. However, if it weren't for Yu Xiujie's personal supervision of his training and the unique experience in the fifth simulation, Ling Yun would have long since been reduced to the smallest particle in space.
Of course, this doesn't mean Ling Yun has become arrogant and conceited, claiming his strength is comparable to high-level experts like Oswit and Compass West. His power is still far inferior to these high-level experts, and even further from that of lieutenant colonels and colonels. However, this doesn't prevent Ling Yun from developing the mindset of a strongman. With this kind of self-improvement mentality, his cultivation will reach its maximum potential, making it easier for him to break through bottlenecks.
At this moment, Ling Yun is like a rising supernova; given enough time, he will grow into one of the strongest beings in the world. Of course, many geniuses have this hope, but ultimately only a handful become the strongest, and these are the very few who emerge only once every few decades. Geniuses are never lacking in anything, and while those with supernatural abilities are rare, they still fall into this category. Genius alone is not enough to become a true powerhouse; genius is merely one of the necessary conditions for becoming strong!
With a flash of silver light, Ling Yun's figure reappeared in the outer plaza of the Superpower Headquarters. Seeing the familiar fountain, the flower stands on the east and west sides, and the still beautiful flowers, Ling Yun couldn't help but sigh softly. Only a few days had passed, the plaza was still the same plaza, the flowers were still the same flowers, but the tranquil and peaceful feeling he had when he first entered the Superpower Headquarters was gone.
It's not that I don't understand, it's just that the world changes so fast. Ling Yun suddenly remembered a line from a song and couldn't help but smile. After taking a deep breath, he nodded to the row of black-clad instructors and three imposing deputy chief instructors standing solemnly in the square: "Greetings, leaders! Greetings, instructors!"
“Ling Yun, my words still stand. As long as you are willing to persuade Gu Xiaorou to join the Superpower Headquarters,” Luo Panxi said, looking at Ling Yun with unexpected gentleness. “Then you will still have an official position in the Superpower Headquarters, and you can start directly as a team leader.”
The instructors were immediately surprised. To become a formal superhuman right after entering the Superhuman Headquarters, and to start as a team leader, was an astonishing promise from Luo Panxi. Most team leaders had to work their way up to that position for over a decade, and most superhumans never reached that position in their entire lives.
However, judging from Ling Yun's strength and experience, he seems more than qualified to be a team leader...
Ling Yun smiled faintly: "Chief Luo, let's not talk about these things. If you still consider me a trainee superhuman at the Superhuman Headquarters, or if you're mindful of the fact that I saved everyone, I'd like to ask you for a promise!"
"Oh?" Luo Panxi was somewhat surprised. He stroked his chin and pondered for a moment before saying, "What kind of promise do you want?"
“I know that the commander and instructors are staying on the perimeter not just to have a chat with me, but to intercept me,” Ling Yun said calmly. “Commander Luo, what I want is a promise: if I can leave the Superpower Headquarters smoothly, then after I leave, the Superpower Headquarters must not make things difficult for me again, nor should it covet Gu Xiaorou’s Heavenly Eye. We don’t need the headquarters’ protection; we just want a quiet and comfortable life.”
Luo Panxi was taken aback, then laughed heartily: "Ling Yun, you're quite interesting. You dare to bargain with me? Why should I make this promise to you? Do you still think your strength has reached the point where you can be an enemy of the instructor? I'll just grab you and take you back and that's it. Why bother with all this futile effort?"
"Commander Luo, please feel free to do as you please." Ling Yun smiled faintly, showing no displeasure whatsoever. "This is just my request; you are perfectly free to refuse."
“Interesting.” Luo Panxi stared intently at Ling Yun, a sharp silver glint flashing in his eyes. “If I refused you, kid, it would make me seem petty. Hehe, whether you’re trying to provoke me or you really don’t care, I’ll just agree. As long as you can get out of the headquarters’ perimeter, I can guarantee that the Superpower Headquarters will not take any further action against you and Gu Xiaorou. And as long as you ask, I can send people to protect you both at any time.”
"Thank you for your promise, Chief Luo." Ling Yun bowed respectfully. "I can also make a promise: as long as none of you pose a threat to my life, I will do my best to control the situation and refrain from harming any of you!"
A collective gasp rippled through the room. Most of the instructors felt a sense of absurdity, even amusement. How old was this boy? How much power did he possess? Yet he dared to utter such boastful words in front of numerous instructors and three high-ranking leaders. He truly didn't know his place. In an instant, except for a few individuals, the rest of the instructors felt a surge of anger. They felt that this boy was far too arrogant and wanted to teach Ling Yun a lesson.
But what the boy said next made everyone furious and they could no longer contain themselves: "I've said it before, whoever stands in my way is my enemy. So, I would like to ask all the officers and instructors to step aside, lest we get hurt in the heat of the moment. I don't know how to control my strength, and if I accidentally hurt someone, I can't take the responsibility."
This wasn't just arrogance; it was downright conceit. I've seen arrogant people before, but never anyone this arrogant. An eighteen-year-old dared to challenge a group of experts at least at the school level, openly waving his hands dismissively as if to say, "You're no good!" It was enough to infuriate the instructors.
Ling Yun wore a faint smile, his expression as unfathomable as a cloud. Although he had deliberately provoked Luo Panxi and the others to seize the opportunity to leave, he also harbored a rebellious and defiant spirit typical of teenagers. "You want to stop me? Fine, don't think I'm easy to bully. I'm not going to keep a low profile anymore. From now on, I'm going to be arrogant to the very end!"
Chapter 198 Transformation
With a whoosh, a burly, dark-skinned instructor, nearly two meters tall, stepped forward and stood in front of Ling Yun. Looking down at the boy, he said, "Ling Yun, you're too arrogant. If we don't teach you a lesson, you really don't respect the experts at our Superpower Headquarters? I, Wu Xun, am the weakest instructor here. Show me your skills and fight me, let's see just how strong you really are." This instructor was tall and his voice was as loud as a bell, carrying clearly to everyone in the outer plaza.
When the burly, dark-skinned instructor appeared, the other instructors didn't show any surprise; instead, they all nodded as if it were expected. Even Luo Panxi and the other two nodded slightly, offering no objection. Ling Yun observed everyone's reactions and secretly thought that this burly instructor was probably the one among them who was willing to stand out, and his strength was quite considerable, so they could rest assured seeing him take action.
At this moment, Fang Taiping and Zhou Mulong were not among the instructors. Feeling guilty towards Ling Yun, and unable to disobey the orders of the Supernatural Abilities Headquarters, they had no choice but to avoid meeting him, which was better than creating an awkward atmosphere of hostility upon meeting. Therefore, the instructors standing in the outer plaza were all people Ling Yun had never seen before, who had just returned with the three deputy chief instructors, Luo Panxi, Tie Li, and Li Zhongqi.
Ling Yun looked at the burly instructor and said, "You must be Instructor Wu. Then I'll have to offend you." With that, he rushed forward and delivered a simple, straight punch to Wu Xun's chest.
Everyone was taken aback. For people with superpowers, supernatural abilities play a significant role in combat, while pure hand-to-hand combat is almost nonexistent. If it were just a matter of pure hand-to-hand combat, then there would be no need for people to diligently cultivate superpowers or supernatural abilities; they could simply compete to see who has the best fighting skills and who is the strongest.
Supernatural abilities are the outward manifestation of a superhuman's power, while martial arts are merely the foundation, existing solely as a means to enhance the power of supernatural abilities. Even the lowest-ranking superhumans inevitably use common supernatural attacks such as light blades, wind blades, and temperature control when fighting opponents, and their mental energy field attacks and defenses are constantly erupting.
Moreover, the higher the level of the ability user, the greater the application of supernatural techniques. In battles between powerful individuals like Luo Panxi, physical confrontation is barely visible; it's a direct clash of unfathomable supernatural techniques and mental force fields. Ling Yun's battle with Lao Hei, Xue Tong, and the other two in the core space was roughly like this.
Therefore, everyone was stunned when they saw that Ling Yun's attack was just a simple punch, without any special techniques or abilities. Such an attack could be easily countered by a mental force field attack. Even if the punch was strong, it could not pose a threat to a strong person above the instructor level.
This is like using a 1930s Fox bullet against a soldier fully equipped with the latest high-tech bulletproof gear; unless a miracle occurs, it's impossible to succeed. Even the lowest-ranking instructor is roughly equal in strength to a colonel from the Sky Eye Society; such a simple attack method would not only be ineffective but would also cause them to lose the initiative.
Wu Xun was also taken aback, then gave a disdainful smile. Without even moving his body, he also threw a punch, without using any special abilities, to meet Ling Yun's fist head-on. At the same time, a cold smile unconsciously appeared on the corner of his mouth.
He misunderstood Ling Yun's intentions, thinking that the young man knew his strength was weak and he couldn't defeat any of the strong individuals present. However, having already boasted, he couldn't afford to lose face and back down without a fight. Therefore, he devised a plan to fight everyone present using only hand-to-hand combat skills, without using his special abilities. He assumed that the instructors and their group, confident in their status as strong individuals, wouldn't use their special abilities to bully a junior with such abilities, and thus he was trying to take advantage of the situation and gain a significant advantage in the strength disparity.
Wu Xun sneered inwardly, thinking, "Since you're going to do this, don't blame me for making you suffer. Don't think that every instructor will disdain your petty tricks. You've chosen to scheme against me in this way, and you're the one who'll suffer."
Wu Xun's outstanding performance among the instructors wasn't due to any extraordinary strength. In fact, his overall strength was only average. However, he possessed two remarkable innate abilities. One was superhuman strength; even without any special powers, his single-handed strength reached several thousand jin (approximately 1,000 kg), and with full force, he could easily lift objects weighing tens of thousands of jin (approximately 30,000 kg). Anyone who simply challenged him in a contest of strength would be far inferior.
Another unusual phenomenon is that Wu Xun possesses a unique martial art called the Five Elements Fist. This art incorporates the power of the five elements, and combined with his innate superhuman strength, it makes him virtually invincible. Even opponents stronger than him are forced to temporarily retreat under the fierce power of the Five Elements Fist. Moreover, the unique feature of the Five Elements Fist is that, because it contains the five elements, its attack is chaotic and does not exhibit any supernatural abilities. In other words, even if Wu Xun uses the Five Elements Fist at full power, if the opponent is unaware of this, they can easily think that he is simply using martial arts without any supernatural abilities. If they are careless, they can easily suffer a great loss. Wu Xun has used this characteristic of the Five Elements Fist to turn defeat into victory several times, defeating many opponents who could have easily defeated him.
Therefore, seeing Ling Yun use only martial arts techniques instead of his superpowers was exactly what Wu Xun wanted. His punch to meet Ling Yun's fist, seemingly a casual, ordinary martial arts strike, actually contained the Five Elements Fist technique, plus thirty percent of his innate divine strength. This power was beyond the tolerance of ordinary superpowered individuals. If Ling Yun had simply thrown a punch, he would likely have been severely injured immediately. The two appeared identical on the surface, but were fundamentally different, like a car traveling at full speed colliding with a bicycle moving slowly—it was a foregone conclusion who would be thrown forward.
Of course, Wu Xun held back, using only thirty percent of his strength. He feared that if he used too much force, he might kill the frail boy with a single punch, which would be disastrous. It wasn't that he wanted to show mercy to Ling Yun, but rather that his superior had ordered him to keep Ling Yun alive. This meant that this detestable and utterly ordinary fellow still had some value; otherwise, even out of emotional disgust, Wu Xun would have wanted to kill Ling Yun with a single punch. Although his personality was honest and straightforward, earning him Luo Panxi's trust, he also possessed a cunning and predatory side, at least in his attitude towards juniors, never showing any consideration.
With a crisp and loud bang, the two men's right fists collided powerfully. Despite the blow, Ling Yun and Wu Xun did not separate. Instead, strange expressions appeared on their faces as their fists remained tightly pressed together, like two magnets with a strong attraction.
The instructors were all puzzled, wondering what these two were up to. Several instructors who were familiar with Wu Xun knew his background and couldn't help but gloat. Seeing Ling Yun's strange expression, they all assumed that he was already seriously injured by the chaotic power of the five elements, and that Wu Xun's immense strength was still being transmitted to Ling Yun through their connected fists, intending to beat this arrogant guy until he coughed up blood and lost consciousness.