Chapter 135: Applying for Graduation, Applying for Canaan Starry Sky Martial Arts University! (Fifth Update)

Chapter 135: Applying for Graduation, Enrolling in Canan Starry Sky Martial University! (Fifth Update, Patreon Leader’s Bonus, Asking for Monthly Votes~)

Returning to the familiar quiet cultivation chamber for four-person martial practice.

Qin Feng’s emotions slowly settled from the melancholy of parting and the anticipation of the future.

He stood in the center of the empty training area, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath.

The conversation on the balcony of the North Crown Tower had unveiled a deeper layer of the martial world for him, and also granted him an unprecedented clarity about his own path ahead.

“Ten thousand years is too long; I seize only the present…”

He softly repeated the vow he had made, and in his pitch-black eyes, there was no trace of confusion left, only determination and composure.

One must walk step by step, eat bite by bite.

The urgent task now was to follow the advice of his three mentors and organize everything he needed to prepare before graduation.

Qin Feng sat cross-legged, and with a thought, the sub-space network pass on his wrist glowed faintly, projecting a pale blue light screen before him.

On the screen, three familiar, massive virtual icons floated silently.

[Imperial Arena]

[Imperial Trading House]

[Sub-space Teleportation]

Qin Feng’s gaze first fell on the balance of his personal account.

A striking string of numbers came into view: 10,000,000.

Ten million imperial credits.

The cash reward from the Qiming Star competition had arrived without a single credit missing.

This vast sum, enough to instantly elevate any ordinary family across class boundaries, was merely seed money for Qin Feng as he embarked on a new journey.

Without any hesitation, he directly tapped the icon for [Imperial Trading House].

Following the guidance of Mentor Gu Yue, he quickly found the purchase option for “Sub-space Storage Space” among the dazzling array of products.

[Product Name: Imperial Standard G-Type Sub-space Storage Unit]

[Storage Capacity: 100 cubic meters]

[Stability: Extremely High (can withstand planetary-level energy shockwaves)]

[Price: 1,000,000 Imperial Credits]

“Purchase.”

With Qin Feng’s confirmation, one million imperial credits were instantly deducted from his account.

At the same time, the pass on his wrist emitted a slight burning sensation.

He could clearly feel a strange link being established between his spirit and an empty, stable dimensional space.

With a thought, Qin Feng “moved” the “Punisher IV” power armor and the fourth-grade alloy spear he had just put away out of the real world.

The next second, he “saw” that the ferocious battle armor and the sharp spear were quietly floating inside that cubic space, each side less than five meters long.

He tried again with a thought.

“Whoosh!”

The power armor and spear instantly reappeared on the floor of the martial chamber, silent and as if they had never left.

“Truly convenient.”

Qin Feng nodded in satisfaction.

With this sub-space storage, carrying everyday items became extremely easy, and it also spared him many unnecessary troubles.

Next came the second purchase.

In the trading house’s search bar, he entered the five characters “Great Sun Visualization Method.”

Soon, the relevant product information popped up.

[Product Name: “Great Sun Visualization Method” (Holographic Data Stream)]

[Technique Type: Mental Visualization Method]

[Description: Visualize the Great Sun star, draw the majestic celestial might into the body, temper the spirit, condense the will, greatly enhance mental power, and provide significant benefits for cultivating the “Great Sun Acupoint Opening Method.”]

[Price: 3,000,000 Imperial Credits]

This price was even higher than Qin Feng had anticipated.

A mental technique paired with a fourth-grade cultivation method was indeed valuable.

“Purchase.”

Qin Feng confirmed again.

Three million imperial credits were spent.

A massive stream of data flowed into his personal terminal. Qin Feng did not rush to practice; he simply stored it safely.

One must eat bite by bite; he planned to prepare all external conditions before starting the next phase of cultivation.

Then, he spent another one hundred thousand imperial credits to purchase permanent access to the [Imperial Forum].

Finally, the most important investment—an S-class artificial intelligence assistant.

In the trading house’s “Intelligent Life/Assistant” category, he directly selected the filter: S-class, officially certified.

A product link immediately appeared.

[Product Name: S-Class Sub-space Intelligent Assistant]

[Life Type: Sub-space Elementary Intelligent Life Form]

[Characteristics: High intelligence, absolute loyalty, growth-capable, exceptional auxiliary computing power…]

[Usage Rights: Permanent binding]

[Price: 5,000,000 Imperial Credits]

“Sub-space life form?”

Qin Feng was slightly taken aback; this seemed entirely different from the AI assistant he had imagined, made from old algorithms.

Without overthinking, he directly chose to purchase.

Five million imperial credits vanished in an instant.

Thus, the ten million grand prize was reduced to only nine hundred thousand.

The moment the purchase was complete, the surface of the wrist terminal on his pass suddenly rippled with a soft glow.

Then, a beam of light shot out, projecting a round, somewhat cute-looking little robot in midair before him.

A crisp, pleasant electronic voice, devoid of any mechanical texture, sounded.

“S-class intelligent assistant initialization complete. Performing soul binding… Binding successful. Please give me a name.”

“Name…”

Qin Feng pondered for a moment, a name from the product description surfacing in his mind. "Hmm... let us call you Hamer."

"Naming successful. Hamer, at your service. Please choose my appearance; the database has been expanded for your perusal."

The little robot's projection vanished, replaced by an immensely vast library of virtual avatars, spanning everything from majestic astral behemoths and rare, adorable mythical pets to various forms of humanoid life.

This character customization segment, comparable to that of a top-tier game, left Qin Feng somewhat dazzled.

He simply gave up on selecting it himself and said directly, "No need for such trouble, just take the form of a little flying dragon."

"Command received. Reshaping morphology..."

The moment the words fell, the holographic projection before his eyes shifted rapidly.

Amidst the shifting currents of light and shadow, a palm-sized, pitch-black, chibi-styled little flying dragon materialized in mid-air.

It possessed a pair of round, gleaming golden eyes, and its tiny wings flapped, appearing both majestic and adorable.

"Assistant Hamer, at your service."

The little flying dragon spoke in human tongue, its voice remaining crisp and pleasant to the ear. "Respected master, if you have any needs, you may speak to Hamer directly."

Qin Feng scrutinized the little creature with curiosity, attempting to communicate with it. "Hamer, do you... possess self-awareness?"

"Of course I do, master."

Hamer tilted its little head, its golden eyes blinking with immense vivacity. "I am a low-tier energy lifeform captured by the Empire in a specific dimension of subspace, naturally predisposed toward intelligent life. Following the 'domestication' and 'construct-fitting' by the Imperial Academy of Sciences, we became the finest intelligent assistants. We possess independent thought and emotional modules, yet our core directive is to maintain absolute, eternal loyalty to our bound master. We are your most reliable companions, and also the essential 'subspace pets' for star-sea martial artists."

This speech left Qin Feng clicking his tongue in wonder.

"No wonder it sells for so much."

He lamented from the bottom of his heart.

A subspace lifeform possessing self-awareness, absolute loyalty, and the capacity for continuous growth—its value was truly beyond what cold AI programs could compare to.

Five million was well worth the spend.

At this juncture, everything required before graduation was fully prepared.

Qin Feng suppressed the excitement in his chest, took a deep breath, and clicked open the icon that had cost him one hundred thousand Imperial Credits just to gain access to.

[Imperial Forum]

Buzz!

The instant the icon was clicked, it was as though a singularity of an informational universe had been cast before Qin Feng's eyes, and then violently exploded!

Countless, densely packed posts, like a surging river of stars, refreshed frantically across the screen of his retina.

Every thread title represented a story currently unfolding, an account of sights from a distant star territory.

At the edges of the screen were countless more regional forum icons, shimmering like a multitude of stars.

Each icon stood for a star system, a star territory, or even a massive star sector.

Among them, the vast majority of icons blinked with piercing red dots, indicating a colossal volume of unread information within.

This suffocating torrent of information instantaneously assaulted Qin Feng's nerves.

For the first time, in such a visceral manner, he felt the grandeur and vastness of the human Empire.

He forced himself to calm down, and in the regional search bar of the forum, he selected the star system where he resided.

[Canaan Star System]

Even though he had filtered down to the most basic administrative unit of the Empire, the volume of internal information remained overwhelmingly dizzying, completely impossible to take in all at once.

Qin Feng did not look at those real-time threads, but instead first clicked open a few pinned popular science columns.

[Starting from Zero, Understanding the Universe You Live In—Foundational Chapter on Imperial Structure]

[All-Race Illustrated Handbook (Public Edition): Get to Know Your Neighbors]

[History of Imperial Martial Arts (Abridged): The Names That Illuminate the Starry Sky]

He quietly observed these educational posts, each word deepening the shock within his heart by another degree.

Only at this moment did he truly understand just how boundless the world he lived in actually was.

The Canaan Star System alone possessed over five hundred billion stars and over a trillion educational planets like the Morning Star; if one were to count the mining planets, agricultural planets, and resource-producing planets, the number would be far greater...

Within an administrative unit referred to as a "Star Sector," there actually converged over a trillion star systems like the Canaan Star System!

And a Star Sector was merely the basic administrative unit directly under the jurisdiction of an organization like the Ultramarines Chapter.

As for the Ultramarines Chapter, what they guarded was the celestial bulwark known as the "Corona Borealis-Hercules Great Wall."

This starry wall, spanning the void of the universe, was itself composed of a trillion star sectors, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges!

And within the boundless, infinite universe, beyond the territories of the human Empire, lay the "All-Race Battlefield," belonging to no single species, cruel, bloody, and teeming with resources, as well as the "All-Race Territories" that truly belonged to alien races.

There even existed many regions of absolute nothingness with diameters spanning several star sectors, known as "Voids."

Inside a Void, it was utterly empty, with almost no matter existing whatsoever.

In some of these Voids, there existed despairing civilizations.

They had developed for tens of thousands of years and acquired the technology for cosmic navigation, yet they still could not establish contact with the human Empire.

The observable universe of such a civilization was utterly empty, a thoroughly despairing prospect.

Qin Feng's gaze was deeply drawn to one of the threads.

[Discussion on Cosmic Wonders: The Origin of the Boötes Void—Is it a Natural Formation, or the Masterpiece of a 'Behemoth'?]

Attached to the thread was a breathtaking image captured by the Empire's deep space probe array.

It was an unimaginably vast stretch of darkness, its diameter sufficient to contain several star sectors.

Before this darkness, even a star system was as insignificant as a grain of dust.

And the mainstream view within the thread made Qin Feng's scalp tingle—this void was not a natural formation, but had been "swallowed" in a single bite by a terrifying cosmic behemoth far exceeding the black hole class, known as a "Star Eater"!

One bite, swallowing several star sectors!

The vastness of the universe and the majesty of life, at this very moment, caused Qin Feng to truly feel a sense of insignificance arising from the depths of his soul.

Like a mayfly drifting between heaven and earth, a mere grain of millet in the vast ocean.

The laments of the ancients resonated with his current state of mind across time and space.

It took a long while before he slowly recovered from that grand, overwhelming shock.

His gaze, far from dimming due to his own insignificance, instead grew brighter and more resolute.

Precisely because the universe was so vast, it was all the more worthy of exploration, all the more worthy of conquest!

"Hamer."

Qin Feng snapped out of his thoughts and issued his first official command to the little flying dragon hovering beside him.

"Help me look up the admissions prospectus information for the Canaan Star-Sky Martial Arts Academy."

"Understood, master,"

Hamer replied in assent, a stream of data flashing through its golden dragon eyes.

Its computational core instantaneously connected into the vast database of the Imperial Forum.

Just 0.01 seconds later, a pinned post, radiating the golden glow of official certification, was precisely filtered out and projected onto the holographic screen before Qin Feng.

[Post Publisher: Canaan Starry Sky Martial Arts University Admissions Office]

[Title: Canaan Starry Sky Martial Arts University Admissions Brochure]

[Post Time: 2,273,198,124 Imperial Years Ago]

[Admissions Deadline: None]

[Application Qualification: Accredited Martial Arts High School on the Home Education Planet – Joint Recommendation Letter]

[Assessment Process: Any martial artist holding a valid recommendation letter may travel to 'Canaan Star System – Canaan Star' at any time for the admissions assessment. Upon passing, enrollment at Canaan Starry Sky Martial Arts University is granted.]

[Graduation Requirements: 1. Life level advancement to Planetary Lifeform. 2. Independently complete one Planetary-level Imperial Mission. 3. Reach 'Nine-Dan' rank in the Imperial Arena.]

[Graduation Qualification: Upon graduation from Canaan Starry Sky Martial Arts University, you will automatically receive a ticket to the 'Universal Genius War.']

[...]

The content of the post was concise yet domineering.

Between the lines, it exuded a calm confidence that overlooked the entire star system.

Below, a flickering, precise cosmic coordinate representing 'Canaan Star' was attached.

Qin Feng read through the admissions brochure word by word, and a sigh of relief escaped him.

"Well, no need to rush."

True to the reputation of Canaan Starry Sky Martial Arts University, its admissions method was entirely different from any university he knew.

It did not set a fixed admissions season but instead conducted an eternal, open-ended recruitment across the trillions of geniuses in the entire Canaan Star System.

As long as you were confident enough, as long as you could obtain that weighty recommendation letter, you could go and challenge it at any time.

Behind this lay an immensely profound foundation and boldness!

Other Starry Sky Martial Arts Universities, even those top-tier institutions ranked among the top hundred, still needed to conduct a centralized admissions assessment once per Imperial Year cycle.

But Canaan Starry Sky Martial Arts University seemed to care nothing for such conventions.

It stood like a sacred mountain at the end of the martial path, quietly awaiting true climbers, regardless of time.

Qin Feng's gaze fell on the line showing the post time.

[2,273,198,124 Imperial Years Ago]

Over 2.27 billion years ago!

Seeing this number, even with Qin Feng's composure, he couldn't help but feel a daze and shock.

2.2 billion years... what an immense and magnificent timescale.

Forget 2.2 billion years ago; 22 years ago, he himself hadn't even been born.

Yet this admissions brochure had been quietly suspended in this sea of stars for such an ancient span of time, witnessing countless rises and falls, the ascents and declines of generation after generation of prodigies.

The history of the Empire was far more profound and ancient than he had imagined.

Qin Feng sighed with deep emotion, then checked the attached cosmic coordinates.

"Approximately 100,000 light-years from Qiming Star."

Hammer dutifully reported the precise data. "If using the Imperial official subspace transmission network, the estimated cost is 10,000 Imperial Credits."

"10,000 Imperial Credits to transmit 100,000 light-years..."

Qin Feng chuckled at this. "Rounding up, that's practically free."

The price was so cheap it surprised him.

But upon second thought, he immediately understood the reason.

"Subspace transmission being this convenient is probably one of the fundamental reasons the vast territory of the Human Empire can truly unite and usher in this magnificent era of stellar martial arts."

"Otherwise, humanity could never have established such a vast empire."

It was precisely because of this nearly cost-free ultra-long-distance transmission technology that the Empire's will could reach every corner, and countless resources and talents could flow efficiently across the boundless sea of stars, ultimately converging into an unstoppable torrent.

After reading all the information, Qin Feng's plans for the future became crystal clear.

"Alright, first, make a video call home."

"Then, begin practicing the 'Great Sun Visualization Method' and the 'Great Sun Acupoint Opening Method.'"

"After that, formally submit my graduation application to the school."

"Once the graduation procedures are done, go home for a month and spend quality time with my family. Finally, set off for the Canaan Star System to experience that martial arts holy land."

Having made his plan, Qin Feng hesitated no longer.

He took a deep breath and dialed his father's communication number.

...

The light screen lit up, and his father Qin Dahai's rugged face was projected in full holography.

"Son!"

The moment he saw Qin Feng, Qin Dahai's face burst into an immensely brilliant smile, the pride and joy radiating from within almost spilling out of the screen.

"Dad."

Qin Feng smiled back.

"Good lad! I saw the news! Qiming Star General! Hahaha! Truly my son, Qin Dahai's boy!"

Qin Dahai's voice was booming, filled with pride. "You don't know, after your uncle came back and heard the news, he was so happy he nearly smashed the table! These past few days, he's been walking on air!"

"How is Uncle... doing with his advanced training?" Qin Feng asked with concern.

"Good! Very good!"

Qin Dahai nodded repeatedly. "Your uncle has always had great talent, just lacked resources before. Now, thanks to you, his unit sent him to the 'Power Armor Instructor Advanced Class' for elites. I hear the instructors there are all retired war legion veterans—extremely skilled! He says after he finishes, a Level 2 certification is no problem, and he might even get a Level 3!"

Father and son chatted about everyday matters, the atmosphere warm and harmonious.

"Dad, I called to let you know," Qin Feng said, "I'm... about to graduate."

"Graduate?" Qin Dahai was taken aback.

"Yeah, the league is over, and I've earned all the honors I could. My advisor suggested I apply for early graduation. If all goes well, I'll be back soon, and I should be able to stay home for about half a month to a month."

"Really?!" Qin Dahai's eyes lit up instantly. "That's great! Wonderful!"

"And after that?" he pressed. "What are your plans after graduation? Are you going to one of the top hundred Starry Sky Martial Arts Universities?"

Qin Feng smiled calmly and said, "I plan... to apply to Canaan Starry Sky Martial Arts University."

"Canaan Starry Sky Martial Arts University..."

Qin Dahai murmured the name over and over, and in that moment, his gaze suddenly grew distant and hazy.

He seemed to return to the age of seven or eight.

Back then, he too had tugged at his father’s sleeve, pointing at the stars with youthful exuberance, saying, “Dad, when I grow up, should I go to Canaan Star Martial University, or just pick one of the top hundred star martial schools?”

Back then, his father had smiled and told him to choose Canaan Star Martial University, because it was better than all the rest.

It seemed that on every educational planet in the Canaan Galaxy, every child who harbored dreams of martial arts had once spoken similar words. Those were the most distant and brilliant dreams of their childhood.

But as the years passed, the gravity of reality would pull most people’s dreams back down to earth.

In a daze, his old father and mother, who had no martial talent, had both passed away.

As for himself, his son was already this old.

And yet, he had not been pulled down by the gravity of reality.

He truly was about to knock on the door of that sacred hall that had once existed only in his childhood dreams.

And moreover, he truly had hope of walking through it.

An indescribable sense of pride surged in Qin Dahai’s chest.

His eyes reddened, but he burst into laughter, his voice louder than ever before.

“Good! Good! Good! That’s my son! He should go to Canaan Star Martial University!”

“Coming back is good, coming back is wonderful!”

He said repeatedly, “Don’t think about anything, just stay home for a month and rest well! Dad will make you good food!”

“Mm.”

Qin Feng nodded heavily.

After hanging up the phone, the softness and warmth in Qin Feng’s heart lingered for a long time.

The support of his family was always the most solid foundation for his relentless advance.

He adjusted his mood, let all emotions settle, and once again immersed his consciousness in the subspace network.

He called up the holographic data stream of the “Great Sun Visualization Method,” which he had just purchased for three million imperial credits.

[Analyzing data stream… Analysis complete.]

[Teaching footage for “Great Sun Visualization Method” begins playback.]

Buzz!

Qin Feng’s entire mental vision was instantly replaced by an endless, dark cosmic void.

Then, a voice—solemn, dignified, and utterly devoid of emotion—spoke in his mind.

“The core of the ‘Great Sun Visualization Method’ lies in visualizing the source of the universe, the beginning of all things, the mature star that exists in every galaxy.”

“Step one: calm your mind and focus your spirit. Use your mental energy to construct an absolute void—neither light nor dark—within your sea of consciousness.”

Following the narration, the cosmic void before Qin Feng began to display detailed energy meridian diagrams, showing how to use mental energy to build a stable meditation environment.

“Step two: within the void, visualize a single ‘singularity.’ This ‘singularity’ is the condensation of all your mental will, your ultimate imagination of ‘light’ and ‘heat.’”

In the image, at the center of that void, a tiny, almost invisible point of light appeared, radiating a will that seemed capable of piercing through everything.

“Step three, the most critical step: detonate the ‘singularity,’ transforming it into a ‘nascent great sun.’ Use your own mental energy as fuel to simulate the birth of the great sun—the majestic heavenly might that burns all things and illuminates the universe. This process will cause intense burning pain to your spirit. Those with weak willpower should not attempt it lightly.”

Boom!

The “singularity” in the image exploded with a thunderous roar!

A golden sun, blazing with fierce flames, appeared out of nowhere, and endless light and heat instantly filled the entire void!

Just by watching, Qin Feng felt waves of scorching pain in his spirit.

“This is the introductory method of the ‘Great Sun Visualization Method.’”

…

After gaining a preliminary understanding of the visualization method’s principles, Qin Feng immediately called up the teaching footage for the “Great Sun Acupoint Opening Method.”

Unlike the grand and freehand style of the visualization method, the acupoint-opening method was filled with meticulous, surgical-level anatomical knowledge.

“The ‘Great Sun Acupoint Opening Method’ aims to open three hundred and sixty energy acupoints within the human body, corresponding to the stars of the heavens and the great sun above.”

“Opening acupoints is divided into three steps.”

“Step one: ‘Locating the Acupoint.’ Use mental energy as a guide, following the star meridian diagram recorded in the method, to find the ‘acupoint singularity’ hidden deep within your flesh, blood, and meridians.”

In the image, a detailed model of the human meridian system appeared, with three hundred and sixty points of light flickering on it, forming a profound and mysterious star chart.

“Step two: ‘Foundation Building.’ After finding the singularity, use mental energy as a carving knife and spiritual energy as bricks and mortar to construct a stable ‘acupoint shell prototype’ around the singularity. This process requires micro-level control of your own power; otherwise, you can easily damage your meridians.”

“Step three: ‘Energy Induction.’ Once the acupoint shell prototype is stable, use the great sun will visualized through the ‘Great Sun Visualization Method’ as a guide, and with mental energy, pry open a thread of external cosmic spiritual energy, channeling it in to fully activate the acupoint. This process is like adding the finishing touch; success means the first acupoint is opened.”

…

After firmly memorizing the introductory methods of both techniques, Qin Feng took a deep breath and officially began the next stage of cultivation.

He sat cross-legged, eyes closed, his sea of consciousness a complete void.

He began to follow the guidance of the “Great Sun Visualization Method” to condense that single point of mental “singularity.”

This process was far more difficult than he had imagined.

He needed to completely eliminate all distractions and thoughts, compressing his entire will into that infinitely small point.

Time passed slowly in the monotonous cultivation.

[Ding! Proficiency in “Great Sun Visualization Method” +1]

[Ding! Proficiency in “Great Sun Acupoint Opening Method” +1]

The system’s prompt sounded in his mind, becoming the only solace in this tedious practice.

…

Seven days passed in the blink of an eye.

During these seven days, Qin Feng never left his home, devoting his entire body and mind to comprehending the two new techniques.

He set the gravity in the martial arts room to its maximum limit.

Every day, he would first undergo several hours of high-intensity physical training, pushing his body to its limits, and then begin visualization and acupoint location.

Finally, on the evening of the seventh day.

When Qin Feng awoke from deep meditation, a glimmer of enlightenment flashed in his eyes.

[Name]: Qin Feng

[Life Force Index]: 30.04

[…]

[Meditation Method]:

Great Sun Visualization Method (Beginner)

[Proficiency]: 2/ 100

【Cultivation Method】:

Great Sun Orifice Opening Method (Initiate)

【Proficiency】: 3/ 100

After seven days of arduous cultivation, he had finally managed to train both of these extremely difficult fourth-grade techniques to the "Initiate" level.

However, he was also well aware that this was merely the beginning.

Although he had already gained a preliminary understanding of the fundamental principles of the "Great Sun Visualization Method" and the "Great Sun Orifice Opening Method," he was still completely in the dark about how to use them in a complementary manner.

As for opening the first "Great Sun Orifice," that was even further off, with no end in sight.

He had not even fully mastered the most basic "Orifice Seeking" technique.

But Qin Feng was not anxious.

He knew that in martial arts cultivation, especially at his current level, it was no longer possible to achieve instant success.

Only through painstaking effort, day by day, seizing every moment could progress be made!

"It's time to leave."

Qin Feng stood up, stretched his limbs, and pushed open the heavy door of the training room.

It was time to formally bid farewell to this school that had changed his fate.

When he returned in the future, he would have to call Qiming First High his alma mater.

(End of this chapter)