Chapter 146: Strength Skyrockets, Vitality Index 50! Dauntless Warband

Chapter 146: Soaring Strength, Life Index 50! The Fearless War Brigade! (Second Update, Asking for Monthly Tickets~)

Without a moment's hesitation, Qin Feng seized one of the special-grade psionic potions and downed it in one gulp.

Boom—!

A torrent of psionic energy, several times vaster and purer than any advanced potion he had ever taken, warm and majestic, exploded within his body!

This power was so pure, so boundless.

Qin Feng could even feel every cell in his body, under the relentless surge of this immense psionic force, emit a joyful, yearning "moan."

He dared not be careless. He immediately sat cross-legged, calmed his mind, and entered the deepest state of cultivation.

His cultivation was simple yet efficient.

By day, he fully activated the *Solar Acupoint Opening Art* and the *Solar Visualization Art*, drawing the vast psionic energy from the potion, strand by strand, with pinpoint precision, guiding and pouring it into the half-opened "Solar Acupoint."

This process was like using the finest dropper to inject a surging river into a bottomless black hole.

At night, when the day's cultivation left his spirit slightly weary, he would turn to the most fundamental practice he had never neglected—the *Imperial Meditation Art*.

Under the domineering and supremely majestic operation of the *Imperial Meditation Art*, his fatigued spirit would be deeply nourished and restored, becoming more condensed and resilient, storing enough strength for the next day's cultivation.

Time slipped away in this repetitive, monotonous yet fulfilling practice.

Half a month later.

The moment Qin Feng fully absorbed and refined the energy of the first special-grade psionic potion, the "Solar Acupoint" on his chest was finally completely filled with a sea of psionic energy!

Hum—!!!

A grand and profound hum, as if from the dawn of the universe, resounded within his inner cosmos!

The filled acupoint, at that moment, seemed to be fully activated, transforming into a true, miniature golden sun radiating endless light and heat!

Violent psionic energy, like a solar storm, erupted from the core of this "sun," instantly sweeping through every corner of his body, every meridian, every cell!

A new, more thorough baptism, originating from the deepest layers of life, began!

If the previous baptism was "the creation of heaven and earth," then this one was "the forging of stars"!

His already monstrously powerful physique, under the repeated scouring of this purer and more violent psionic energy, was growing stronger and tougher at an unimaginable speed!

Muscle fibers became denser, brimming with explosive power.

Bones took on a faint, warm luster like fine jade.

Blood surged with a dull, thunderous roar!

This all-encompassing, internal-to-external enhancement lasted another full half month.

When the newborn "sun" within him finally stabilized, ceasing to erupt energy and instead entering a stable, enduring "burning" phase like a true star, this transformative elevation slowly came to a halt.

Qin Feng slowly opened his eyes.

In his pupils, two golden suns seemed to flash and vanish.

He clenched his fist, feeling the surging, almost overflowing power within him, and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.

The first "Solar Acupoint" was successfully constructed!

...

This was only the beginning.

After a brief rest, Qin Feng wasted no time. He immediately consumed the second special-grade psionic potion and began his assault on the second "Solar Acupoint."

With the experience of the first success, his movements became more skilled and confident.

The process of "locating the acupoint" became effortless.

In less than three days, he precisely pinpointed the second acupoint singularity on his "Solar Meridian Map."

However, the subsequent "constructing the acupoint shell" still consumed a great deal of his time and mental energy.

Even with experience, even with his control over his own power reaching a new height, the difficulty of constructing the second acupoint shell was several times greater than the first.

Because his body had grown stronger.

A stronger body meant that the toughness of his meridians and the density of his cells had undergone earth-shattering changes.

To carve out a new space on this more "solid" ground required exponentially more effort and control.

He was like an experienced sculptor who, after completing a white jade statue, turned to challenge a harder diamond.

Even if his skill had improved, the difficulty was no longer comparable.

In the end, it took him a full two months to successfully construct the "prototype of the second acupoint shell."

Next came "energy guidance" and "filling."

This, too, was a long, painstaking process.

When he had fully absorbed and refined the last special-grade psionic potion, and when the second "Solar Acupoint" had also transformed into a brilliant golden sun within him, another month had passed.

A new, more violent psionic baptism arrived as scheduled.

When everything finally settled,

Qin Feng slowly awakened from his deep cultivation.

He glanced at the starry sky outside the window, then at the time on his personal terminal. A faint, barely perceptible daze flickered in his eyes.

"Life index... finally reached 50.0 points."

"But those three special-grade psionic potions are completely used up."

"This closed-door cultivation, from start to finish, has taken a full five months... Yet it feels like it all happened in an instant."

"During cultivation, I entered a state of 'flow,' almost completely unaware of the passage of external time."

Qin Feng's heart was filled with myriad emotions.

He calculated carefully.

Counting the six months of the assessment, the one month of rest at home, and the two months of missions, a full year had passed since he graduated from Qiming No.1 High School.

And it had been seven months since he enrolled at Canaan Starry Sky Martial University.

"If I had a special-grade deep recovery agent pack for medicinal baths to accelerate physical recovery and relieve the fatigue from constructing acupoint shells, combined with a special-grade mental recovery potion to nourish my spirit... perhaps this cultivation session would have taken only three months, or even less."

He reached a conclusion.

"Recovery-type potions are about efficiency. Psionic potions are the foundation."

"Now, resources are depleted again. I have to find a way to earn more contribution points."

A helpless, bitter smile appeared on Qin Feng's face.

He calculated carefully. The hard-earned 30 contribution points, used to buy three special-grade psionic potions, had only raised his life index by 15 points and completed the psionic filling of one and a half "Solar Acupoints."

He had a total of three hundred and sixty "Solar Acupoints" to open.

The difficulty of opening acupoints would only increase, and the resources required would only grow.

What an astronomical, unimaginable gap in contribution points!

"It seems I can no longer just focus on those daily missions."

"Climbing the tower, the Canaan Rookie Cup, the Imperial Arena, all kinds of official tournaments... Anything I can sign up for, anything I can join, I have to go! Not a single contribution point can be missed!"

A strong sense of urgency rose in his heart.

He recalled the advice from his mentor, Gu Yue, back then—a martial artist, especially a prodigy, must immediately catch up on external information after each seclusion, to avoid making wrong judgments due to information gaps.

"Seize the day, but don't work behind closed doors."

Qin Feng adjusted his mindset and fully emerged from his seclusion.

After reaching the fourth level of the "Acupoint Awakening Realm," cultivation had indeed slowed down.

This was no longer a stage where sheer talent and hard training could lead to rapid breakthroughs.

It was more like a persistent, day-by-day grinding effort, requiring endless resources to fill and pile up.

He had more or less adapted to this new rhythm of cultivation.

He opened the subspace network and began processing the backlog of messages from the past five months.

First, he replied to the messages from his three mentors: Wu Shangfeng, Lin Yue, and Gu Yue.

Their responses were filled with relief and encouragement, all ending without exception with "May your martial path flourish," conveying their deepest hopes for him.

Then came messages from Shi Potian and others.

Shi Potian's message made him feel a bit dazed.

"Qin Feng, this year's Qiming School League has ended. I placed seventh in the senior competition. Next year, I'll have a chance to compete for the title of 'Qiming Star General.' How about you? Doing well in Canaan?"

Only then did Qin Feng realize that during this year of his assessment and seclusion, on the distant Qiming Star, a new school league—someone else's—had already come and gone.

Time really flew by too fast.

Next were messages from Tiemu, Lei Meng, Xiong Yanfu, and others.

Most of their messages were from about half an Imperial month ago.

The content was largely the same—they had just successfully opened their first acupoint, greatly increased their strength, and wanted to find a time to gather and exchange insights.

Qin Feng replied to each one, but none of them responded immediately; they were probably all busy running around for contribution points.

He casually scrolled through Mentor Yuhan's private forum.

The forum was still bustling with activity.

The posts about him had long since sunk to the bottom.

New hot topics were about another batch of freshmen who had entered early through special admission channels.

Another "monster" had sparked discussion.

Battle reports from various tournaments, team recruitment posts—they kept flooding the screen.

Here, there was never a shortage of prodigies, nor of news.

"Seize the day, just focus on my own matters—that's enough."

Qin Feng closed the forum, his heart calm.

He began checking his private mailbox.

The team recruitment post he had made five months ago had received over a hundred replies.

He opened it, only to find that not a single one was from a freshman.

All the invitations, without exception, came from powerful veteran student groups that had already established themselves at Canaan Starry Sky Martial University!

[Dear Student Qin Feng:]

[The affiliated student group of Canaan Starry Sky Martial University—'Moonlight Group'—sincerely invites you to join.]

['Moonlight Group' was founded by the legendary senior 'Dongfang Yue' from the 298th, 123rd, and 322nd cohorts and has been passed down for many years. The group has produced countless outstanding graduates renowned across the empire, leaving behind a vast collection of unique killing techniques, precious cultivation recordings, and countless invaluable resources in the group's treasury.]

[Current active members on campus: over 1.12 million.]

[Group Reputation: Ranked 73rd among the top 100 groups at Canaan Starry Sky Martial University.]

[Group Benefits: Bonus contribution points for internal tasks, instant team matching, priority resource exchange rights...]

[Pass the recruitment assessment to join Moonlight Group.]

...

['Thor's Hammer' Group extends an invitation to you...]

['Iron Blood' Group extends an invitation to you...]

One tempting invitation after another dazzled Qin Feng.

He thought it over and decided not to accept any group's invitation for now.

Joining a group was a major decision; he planned to first meet up with Lei Meng, Tiemu, and the others to exchange information before making a choice.

He continued scrolling through the forum and soon a pinned, golden-glowing post caught his attention.

[The 'Canaan Rookie Cup' is about to begin! Registration is now open!]

Here it is!

Qin Feng's eyes lit up instantly.

According to Hammer's earlier analysis, the "Canaan Rookie Cup" was a tournament specially prepared for freshmen like them, with the richest rewards and one not to be missed!

He clicked in without hesitation.

The competition would officially start in one Imperial month.

And this tournament was held only once every ten years.

He directly clicked to register.

[Please select the arena you wish to register for:]

[Level 4 Martial Artist Arena]

[Level 5 Martial Artist Arena]

[Level 6 Martial Artist Arena]

...

Qin Feng glanced at it; for now, he could only register for the "Level 4 Martial Artist Arena."

He confirmed his choice and then looked at the reward rules.

What he saw surprised him once again.

[Level 4 Martial Artist Arena Reward Rules:]

[Champion: Contribution Points x 10,000, plus a mystery grand prize.]

[Runner-up: Contribution Points x 5,000.]

[Third Place: Contribution Points x 3,000.]

...

[Top 100,000: Contribution Points x 10.]

“The first ten thousand will get a reward of 10 contribution points?” Qin Feng found it somewhat unbelievable.

Wasn’t this reward range far too broad?

But then, he quickly came to terms with it.

He carefully calculated.

Canaan Starry Sky Martial University, in its regular semi-annual enrollment exams, admitted roughly three hundred thousand new students.

That made six hundred thousand a year.

And the “Canaan Freshman Cup” was held once every decade.

Over these ten years, the total number of new students enrolled would reach a staggering six million!

And these geniuses, at the very least, cultivated the “Superior Opening Method,” which required opening one hundred and eight acupoints.

Even if they were exceptionally gifted and had ample resources, opening one acupoint every three months on average would still take a full twenty-seven years to break through from Level Four to Level Five!

What’s more, most people couldn’t even achieve that pace.

In other words, at any given point in time, the number of students across the entire Canaan Starry Sky Martial University stuck at the “Fourth-Level Warrior” stage had to be counted in the tens of millions at least!

Over twenty million fourth-level warriors vying for ten thousand reward slots.

That ratio instantly became reasonable, even brutal.

“Looks like those 10 contribution points aren’t so easy to get after all.”

Qin Feng sighed.

Just as he finished registering and was about to study the competition rules further, his personal terminal chimed with a communication alert.

It was a message from Xiong Yanfu.

“Qin Feng! Are you out of seclusion? I saw you replied! We’re about to get together—coordinates: ‘Food God’ District, A-07 ‘Gluttony Residence.’ Hurry over!”

Right after, messages from Lei Meng and Tie Mu arrived simultaneously.

Qin Feng smiled and replied with a single word: “Okay.”

Then he stood up, walked out of the dormitory where he had been in seclusion for five months, and sped off toward the “Food God” District.

The “Food God” District of Canaan Starry Sky Martial University was one of the most bustling and vibrant places on the entire campus.

Here, all kinds of delicacies from countless civilizations across the universe converged.

Whether it was top-tier feasts crafted from the flesh and blood of Starry Sky Beasts brimming with immense spiritual energy,

Or peculiar beverages concocted from the fruits of some unknown plant on a remote planet—as long as you had enough contribution points or Imperial Credits, you could taste almost anything here.

Gluttony Residence was a renowned restaurant in the “Food God” District, famous for cooking all sorts of spiritual energy ingredients.

When Qin Feng arrived at the entrance of Gluttony Residence, Xiong Yanfu, Lei Meng, and Tie Mu had already been waiting for some time at a window-side booth.

“Brother Qin! Over here!”

Sharp-eyed Lei Meng was the first to spot Qin Feng, immediately standing up excitedly and waving vigorously.

Qin Feng smiled faintly and walked over.

As soon as he sat down, he caught a refreshing aroma—a rich blend of multiple pure energies.

Before them, on a wide table made of warm jade, was an array of sumptuous dishes, colorful and fragrant.

Platters of roasted meat from unknown exotic beasts, shimmering with a faint glow; bowls of thick, star-like broth served in crystal vessels; and pitchers of bright fruit juice, exuding a woody fragrance with a hint of chill…

Just the smell made Qin Feng feel as if every cell in his body—fresh from an intense period of seclusion—was leaping with joy.

It was the most primal human appetite.

“Come, come, Qin Feng, sit down! We’ve been waiting for you!”

Xiong Yanfu, the host, cheerfully gestured for Qin Feng to take a seat, then slapped his chest with bravado.

“Don’t be shy—eat up! This meal’s on me!”

He picked up a skewer of golden, sizzling wings from some unknown fierce bird and handed it to Qin Feng, explaining, “These dishes might not match the energy purity of our specialized fourth-level nutritional meals, but they’re unmatched in flavor! Plus, they’re made with genuine spiritual energy ingredients, so they’ll nourish our bodies a bit. Most importantly…”

He winked, lowered his voice, and said with a hint of “showing off,” “You can buy these directly with Imperial Credits!”

Qin Feng couldn’t help but laugh.

He knew Xiong Yanfu was expressing his grudge against “contribution points” in his own way.

Sure enough, Tie Mu, upon hearing the words “Imperial Credits,” even his usually calm face showed an extremely complex, wistful expression.

He raised the glass of fragrant juice before him, drained it in one gulp, and let out a long sigh.

“Brother Xiong is right. Back on our home planets, each of us had tens of millions or even hundreds of millions of Imperial Credits, feeling like we were the richest of the rich. But here…”

His words were filled with self-mockery.

“Now, for just one or two contribution points, we have to sweep streets for others or babysit their kids. Comparing that, I realize spending Imperial Credits doesn’t hurt at all anymore.”

These words instantly struck a chord with everyone present.

Lei Meng, feeling the same, slammed the table in frustration. “Isn’t that the truth! I, Lei Meng, was an undisputed ‘Star General’ on Thunderstone Planet! And what happened? When I got here, the first task I took in my first month was to be a laborer for a senior sister studying artifact crafting for half a month, just to earn 3 contribution points! If word of this gets back, I’ll never show my face again!”

Once, they were the favored sons of their respective planets, looking down on the masses.

Now, they were “wage earners” at Canaan Starry Sky Martial University, scrambling to make a living.

This huge drop in status truly made these proud geniuses feel a deep sense of “frustration.”

As they griped about their “bitter” work experiences over the past two months, they feasted heartily.

The emotions they had suppressed for so long were fully vented during this gathering.

After rounds of drinks and dishes, when everyone was thoroughly satisfied, the conversation naturally turned to the matter closest to their hearts: cultivation.

All eyes, as if by unspoken agreement, first fell on Qin Feng.

In their minds, Qin Feng was the undisputed “benchmark” among them.

Qin Feng didn’t hold back. Looking at their expectant gazes, he calmly shared the results of his two months of cultivation.

“I exchanged the 30 contribution points I earned earlier for top-tier spiritual energy potions. Now, my vitality index has just reached 50.0 points. I’ve successfully opened two ‘Great Sun Acupoints.’”

As soon as he said this, a dead silence fell.

Lei Meng’s chopsticks, which had just picked up a piece of roasted meat, froze mid-air.

The smile on Xiong Yanfu’s chubby face completely stiffened.

Even Tie Mu, the most composed of them all, had his pupils contract sharply in that instant.

Two “Great Sun Acupoints”!

Vitality index, 50.0 points!

Was this even human?!

“Did I hear that right?”

Lei Meng stuffed the piece of meat into his mouth and mumbled, “Brother Qin… you said you opened… two acupoints?”

Qin Feng nodded.

"A monster... truly a monster..."

Xiong Yanfu looked at Qin Feng.

He gave a bitter smile, shook his head, and revealed his own progress: "In these two months, aside from doing missions, I also went into seclusion for a month. And yet, I've only just managed to build half of the first 'acupoint shell prototype.' I haven't even reached the stage of filling it with spiritual energy."

"I'm the same."

Lei Meng hung his head in dejection. "That thing is way too damn hard! Building that so-called 'acupoint shell' is more delicate than embroidery! With my clumsy hands, I've tried hundreds of times and still can't succeed. I just couldn't sit still anymore, so I came out to do missions."

The only one slightly better off was Tie Mu.

He took a deep breath and said in a low voice, "I'm a bit better than you all. I spent a month completing the opening of one acupoint. But I'm still far from fully filling it. I estimate it'll take at least another month. My life force index is now 32 points."

After hearing this, the group fell into silence again.

Among them, Tie Mu, who had made the fastest progress, had only opened one acupoint and hadn't even fully filled it.

Yet Qin Feng was already far ahead, having completely finished his second acupoint.

This was a dimensionality reduction strike!

Of course, they could all guess that the reason Qin Feng had achieved such terrifying progress, aside from his "monster"-level talent and physique, was more importantly his extraordinary, unyielding willpower.

While they, unable to endure the monotony of cultivation, ran out to do missions and relax, Qin Feng must have locked himself entirely in that palace-like dormitory, never stepping out, squeezing every minute and second to the utmost, pouring it all into cultivation.

Such willpower, such perseverance, was indeed extremely rare among a group of proud, hot-blooded youths.

After lamenting the gap between people, Xiong Yanfu proactively changed the subject to another key issue everyone had to face.

"Alright, alright, let's not compare ourselves to that freak Qin Feng—no point."

He waved his hand, his expression turning serious. "Let's talk about something real. What do you all think about joining a 'student war band'?"

At the mention of "student war band," Lei Meng and Tie Mu's faces also showed thoughtful expressions.

Xiong Yanfu cleared his throat and began analyzing for the group:

"These past few days, I've scoured the forums for every post about 'student war bands.' In summary, we freshmen now face two choices."

"The first choice, and the one most people take, is to join an existing, powerful senior war band."

He held up one finger.

"The benefits of this are very clear. First, the stronger the war band, the better its internal atmosphere and the richer its resources.

We can help each other with the senior members, team up to carry out high-difficulty, high-reward missions that individuals can't handle alone.

Second, the reputation we earn from doing missions for the war band can be exchanged for contribution points from the war band's public account at a certain ratio.

I've asked around—the public accounts of top war bands are maintained by donations from legendary seniors who have already stepped into the star sea or even higher realms. The contribution points there are astronomical!"

"The second choice..."

He paused, his tone turning somewhat playful, "is for us to create a brand-new war band ourselves."

"However, this method is extremely difficult. First, you need unparalleled reputation and personal charisma to attract enough capable members.

Second, you have to invest a great deal of effort and energy into managing the war band and hustling for its development.

It can be said that if someone chooses to become the 'War Lord' of a fledgling war band, at least half of their time cannot be devoted wholeheartedly to personal cultivation."

After analyzing the pros and cons, Xiong Yanfu directly stated his own stance.

"I choose to join an existing powerful war band. After all, our primary goal here is to improve our strength. Starting our own war band is nothing but a pipe dream—it would hinder cultivation too much, not worth the loss."

He added, "Besides, I've heard that the top hundred elite war bands, in order to recruit promising freshmen like us, even set up entrance assessments. As long as we pass, we can get a direct reward of contribution points. That's too tempting for us right now."

"I agree."

Tie Mu nodded succinctly.

"I'm the same!"

Lei Meng immediately chimed in.

The three of them finally turned their eyes to Qin Feng.

Qin Feng gave a slight nod. He felt the same way.

Anything that would affect his cultivation efficiency, he would unhesitatingly discard.

Starting a war band—a thankless task—held no interest for him.

"Great! Then we're all agreed!"

Seeing this, Xiong Yanfu excitedly slapped the table.

"Since we're all joining a war band, let's aim for the best! My target is those top hundred elite war bands! The entrance assessment will definitely be tough, but as I said, passing means rewards!

And as the saying goes, 'A man's reputation is like a tree's shadow'—those top war bands have high prestige and high activity. In the future, accepting missions and forming teams will be much more convenient. With luck, we might even get taken under the wing of some powerful senior members—that would be a huge win!"

This proposal once again received unanimous agreement.

No time like the present.

Qin Feng directly opened his personal terminal and pulled up the "Student War Band Ranking" of the Canaan Starry Sky Martial Arts University.

A golden, iron-blooded, glory-filled list immediately appeared before him.

Without any hesitation, he locked his gaze onto the name that topped the list, a name that thundered in everyone's ears.

Then, he reached out his finger and pressed the "Apply to Join" button.

[War Band Name: Fearless War Band]

[War Band Rank: No.1]

[Established: 2.2 billion years ago (since the founding of Canaan Starry Sky Martial Arts University)]

[War Band Motto: Only the fearless may live forever!]

...

The moment Qin Feng's application was submitted,

a cold, mechanical, automated reply email was immediately sent to his mailbox.

[The "Fearless War Band" Admissions Office has received your application.]

[After preliminary screening, your qualifications meet the recruitment standards of this war band.]

[Please proceed to the campus "Fearless" district within seven imperial days to participate in the official entrance assessment of this war band.]

[Failure to appear by the deadline will be considered automatic withdrawal.]

[—Fearlessness is both glory and responsibility.]

(End of this chapter)