The slender man fell into a state akin to a snake's hibernation, leaving only a faint trace of awareness to perceive the outside world. When he heard Feng Lin's words, anger stirred within him, his consciousness wavering, nearly breaking his focus. He quickly reined in his mind, wary of becoming too active and giving Feng Lin an opening to hypnotize his consciousness. He had seen plenty of the miserable fates of those before him. He had no desire to stumble off the arena in such disgrace, utterly humiliated. What a cunning brat, deliberately saying that to lull my awareness? he thought, his mind steadying.
"You guessed it. I'm not lying!" Feng Lin smiled faintly, sensing his opponent's thoughts, and wagged a finger. "Against you, I really only need one finger—no more, no less."
"Arrogant!" the slender man sneered inwardly. He was already near the peak of a cultivator apprentice, recognized as a minor prodigy in the family, just one step away from becoming a true interstellar cultivator, only slightly inferior to Feng Li and Feng Jinpeng. Even if Feng Lin was an interstellar cultivator, claiming to defeat him with a single finger was sheer hubris.
Noticing Feng Lin's casual demeanor, the slender man rejoiced inwardly. Today, I'll make you pay for your carelessness! I'll be the first apprentice in the family to defeat an interstellar cultivator! He could already envision himself stepping over Feng Lin to rise in status. Suddenly, dense, tough black scales emerged across his body, his hands clasping and unclasping like a massive serpent's maw, opening to its limit and lunging forward to swallow Feng Lin whole. Snake Form Striking Hand!
Shiiing!
Feng Lin had said one finger, and he wouldn't use a second. His finger shot out like a sword, piercing through the air and halting the Snake Form Striking Hand.
"What?" The slender man was stunned, feeling Feng Lin's tiny finger as immovable as a great mountain. He poured all his strength into it, yet couldn't budge it an inch.
"Feng Li, wins! Time: thirty-five seconds!" "Feng Jinpeng, wins! Time: twenty-eight seconds!"
Voices rang out from other arenas. Feng Lin glanced over helplessly at his opponent, who was locked in a struggle with his single finger. So far, the opponents he'd faced were far too weak. Without experiencing the vastness of the starry sky, one couldn't grasp how small Earth truly was. After his journey through the stars, the transformation Feng Lin had undergone was far beyond mere rebirth. In this tiny Earth-bound family, finding a worthy opponent was nearly impossible. He hoped that when he eventually faced so-called family prodigies like Feng Li and Feng Jinpeng, they might give him some pressure.
Feng Lin's resolve to leave the solar system grew firmer. Though it was humanity's birthplace, it had nurtured a civilization that had advanced to interstellar travel. Its resources and minerals were nearly exhausted, leaving it a barren wasteland. To humanity, it held only symbolic value, nothing more. Naturally, the solar system had become the most backward region in the stars.
With his knowledge of myths and genetic formulas, Feng Lin's future was boundless. This vast solar system was far too small for him. Only the infinite starry sky could serve as his stage. This scene before him was proof. Once lowly in the family, after less than a month of training outside, he had risen swiftly. Now, returning felt like bullying toddlers in a kindergarten—tedious and utterly stress-free. There was no thrill at all.
Seeing Feng Lin zoning out mid-battle, the slender man felt deeply insulted and erupted in fury. How utterly contemptuous! Dragon-Serpent Strangle! His body twisted with incredible flexibility, coiling around like a giant python, trying to bind Feng Lin tight and immobilize him.
What's this? Lost in thought, Feng Lin sensed a dark shadow flying toward him. He curled his finger and flicked it. The slender man screamed, his body hurtling sideways, crashing to the ground like a dead snake, motionless. Feng Lin snapped back to reality, looking at his opponent's pitiful state, and couldn't help but chuckle wryly. You were worth one finger from me, but only one—nothing more.
"What? Just one finger to defeat his opponent!"
If Feng Lin's earlier instant victory had been attributed to mental hypnosis, now that he had truly struck, his strength was clear for all to see. A single finger had taken down a prospective interstellar cultivator. Feng Lin was no ordinary interstellar cultivator; even within the same realm, he was an overwhelmingly powerful existence.
Seeing Feng Lin's dominance, family prodigies like Feng Li and Feng Jinpeng grew serious, regarding him as their greatest rival.
"Huh?" The eerie man on the high platform raised an eyebrow, surprised to have misjudged Feng Lin. This kid had clearly awakened a mental gene, yet he wasn't following the path of a psychic cultivator entirely. His physical enhancement seemed even more formidable—completely unexpected. This piqued his interest in Feng Lin even more.
The clan leader's face lit up with delight. Another powerful prodigy had emerged in the family, boosting their chances of getting members into the interstellar university. What troubled him was that, judging by Feng Lin's growth records, he had received no benefits from the family growing up, only bullying. He even noticed Feng Lin's conflict with the family steward! That was a problem! If such a prodigy felt no loyalty to the family, it would be a massive loss for the Feng clan. He needed to find a way to make amends!
The clan leader's eyes swept over Feng Lin's timid parents and his younger siblings, a smile creasing his aged face as an idea formed.
Feng Lin paid no attention to what others thought. In the subsequent arena matches, he unleashed his moves one after another—either overwhelming with mental force or striking with a single finger—and no one could stand against him. Such was the power of the Stone Monkey gene. Against weaker foes, their attacks had no effect on him. Any technique was useless; even if he stood still, they couldn't break his defense. Conversely, a light flick of his finger or a mental hypnosis was enough to instantly defeat them, with zero pressure. Not only did the spectators find it absurd, but Feng Lin himself felt bored.
Watching Feng Lin dominate the arena with unmatched prowess, his parents were stunned. Was this formidable son really their own? They even wondered if they had swapped babies at birth. Feng Cheng and Feng Xin, however, beamed with pride. In their eyes, Feng Lin's image as their big brother had grown towering, becoming their greatest idol.
Meanwhile, on the arena, Feng Lin faced a new opponent and finally felt a spark of interest. Half a day had passed, and after clearing so many rounds, there were no weaklings left. This time, his opponent was a genuine interstellar cultivator—cold-faced, burly, wearing gloves, like a seasoned combat veteran exuding a sharp, oppressive aura, with a life force fluctuation over 30. Finally, an opponent worth playing with! Otherwise, at this rate, Feng Lin felt he might fall asleep. Unbeknownst to all, the fiercely competitive family ranking tournament had completely changed its tone under Feng Lin's influence...