One punch sent the punching-force tester flying backward. One kick shattered the marble floor.
There was one thing about it that none of them could quite wrap their heads around.
That was against a machine and marble. If that kind of blow landed on a person, it would be a one-hit kill...
Wang Cheng and Wu Chuan stared at the cracked marble floor and swallowed hard. Any lingering contempt they'd felt toward Shi Feng was gone, replaced by deep, genuine awe. Only now did they understand why
"This Shi Feng is infuriating," Zhao Ruoxi muttered, finally letting out a breath of relief after witnessing his jaw-dropping performance. "He's clearly this powerful, yet he kept it all hidden. I almost thought he was going to lose."
Xiao Yan, standing beside the testing equipment, stared at Shi Feng — whose face was faintly flushed and slick with sweat — in utter disbelief. A possibility suddenly dawned on him, and he couldn't help asking in a hushed voice: "Is that... Dark Force?"
Xiao Yan had seen his fair share of martial artists. After turning the idea over in his mind, he could think of only one explanation — a practitioner who had achieved true mastery of martial arts, wielding the advanced technique known as Dark Force.
"Yes, it is Dark Force." Shi Feng nodded, a little surprised that Xiao Yan actually knew the term.
Dark Force was an advanced striking technique — not some myth or legend, not a superpower. In his previous life, Shi Feng had spent years seeking instruction from numerous martial arts masters, training relentlessly and refining his abilities within the Divine Realm, gradually pushing his body control to the required level before he'd finally managed to master it.
The destructive power of Dark Force was tremendous, but so was the toll it took on his stamina. A single strike had already left him feeling fatigued. Right now he was practically on the verge of collapse — one more strike and he'd likely collapse on the spot.
"Mr. Shi... on behalf of... Beidou, I'd like to thank you for breaking our long-standing punching-force record," Xiao Yan said, barely able to contain his excitement now that Shi Feng had confirmed it. "Per our rules, Beidou will pay out three hundred thousand Credit Points. However, I'm going to make a decision on the spot — in addition to the three hundred thousand Credit Points, Mr. Shi will henceforth hold a Platinum membership with Beidou. All expenses at our facilities will be at a sixty percent discount, and we will set aside a dedicated Platinum suite for Mr. Shi's use." He could barely get the words out. Looking at Shi Feng now, Xiao Yan no longer saw a junior — he saw a senior. Even the way he addressed him had changed.
Xiao Yan had loved martial arts since childhood and had never stopped training his body, even to this day. What he'd always aspired to was to reach a genuine level of mastery — to develop Dark Force. Despite years of effort, he'd never succeeded. Now, with a Dark Force master standing right in front of him, how could he not be excited?
In the world of martial arts, there was no age hierarchy — the master came first, regardless of how old they were.
Shi Feng might be young, but mastering the legendary Dark Force made him a senior. It was only right to treat him with proper respect.
"Uncle Xiao, when did you become so generous?" Zhao Ruoxi said from the side, wide-eyed at the reverence and eagerness in Xiao Yan's gaze. He'd even started calling Shi Feng "Mr." — and upgraded his ordinary membership straight to Platinum. She thought she must be hearing things.
Platinum membership at Beidou — there weren't even a hundred people in all of Jinhai City who held one. It was a symbol of status. Even she herself was only a Gold member. And Shi Feng had gotten upgraded to Platinum just for breaking a test record? Zhao Ruoxi simply couldn't process it.
"You girl, Mr. Shi is a true martial arts master. What's so shocking about upgrading him from ordinary membership to Platinum?" Xiao Yan shot her a look. "If anything, you should have told me beforehand that Mr. Shi was an expert — I was completely caught off guard. Didn't you say you wanted Mr. Shi to train these students? This isn't the place for a proper discussion. Why don't we head to the reception room and talk things over?"
"Uncle Xiao, then what about the results of the contest?" Zhao Ruoxi gestured toward the test data.
"Mr. Shi's victory, of course. The reaction test is no longer necessary. The three bottles of S-rank nutrient solution will be delivered shortly." Xiao Yan then turned to Wang Cheng and Wu Chuan. "You two have no objections, right?"
Wang Cheng and Wu Chuan nodded vigorously.
Even someone of Xiao Yan's caliber treated Shi Feng with deep respect — that alone proved just how formidable he was. Continuing the contest would only be asking for humiliation.
"Mr. Shi, since the contest is concluded, shall we head upstairs to the reception room? There are many things I'd like to consult you about," Xiao Yan said.
Watching Xiao Yan treat Shi Feng with such reverence, Zhao Ruoxi felt a glow of pleasant surprise — and more than that, a small burst of pride, as though Shi Feng's success were her own.
After the crowd in the testing hall dispersed, Xiao Yan led Shi Feng and Zhao Ruoxi up to the reception room on the twenty-first floor.
"Mr. Shi, I wonder if you'd be interested in becoming Beidou's head coach?" Xiao Yan looked at him earnestly. "If you're willing, you can name your own terms."
A Dark Force master was exceptionally rare. Every one of them was a grandmaster of the martial world, commanding enormous prestige and status. Even for Xiao Yan, such figures weren't people he could simply arrange to meet — let alone recruit. If Beidou could bring one on board, that would be extraordinary.
Though Beidou was well-known within Jinhai City and carried a certain degree of influence, it had virtually no recognition outside the city. It simply couldn't compare with training gyms and fitness centers that had grandmaster-level martial artists on staff.
If a Dark Force master like Shi Feng could anchor Beidou, then the organization's long-held dream of expanding beyond Jinhai City might finally become a reality.
"Uncle Xiao, you can't be serious?" Zhao Ruoxi was stunned. The position of head coach at Beidou was no joke — the authority that came with it far surpassed even what Xiao Yan held as a manager. Shi Feng was still a college student who hadn't even graduated, just someone with exceptional fighting skills. She'd originally approached Xiao Yan looking to land Shi Feng a decent part-time gig training the students, and now this had blown up into something far bigger. She could barely keep up.
"When has your Uncle Xiao ever joked about anything? I'm being completely serious — I'm just afraid Mr. Shi might not be willing," Xiao Yan said, unsure what to say to Zhao Ruoxi. The Dark Force master had been right beside her this whole time, and she hadn't even realized his value. He was genuinely nervous now, terrified that Shi Feng might walk away and dash Beidou's dream of expanding beyond Jinhai City.
"Head coach of Beidou?" Shi Feng considered it for a moment. "That's not out of the question, but I have one condition."
"Please, name it," Xiao Yan said quickly.
"I want to become a member of Beidou's board of directors, and to establish a dedicated training zone within Beidou — with full and sole authority over that zone," Shi Feng said seriously. (To be continued...)