Chapter 152: 110 Vitality Index! Dragon Snake Spear Consummation!

Chapter 152: Life Force Index 110! Dragon-Serpent Spear Mastery!

In the quiet chamber of his private quarters, Qin Feng sat cross-legged, his mind sinking into a boundless emptiness.

Before him, ten vials of [Superior Psionic Agent], two packets of [Superior Deep Recovery Bath Salts], and one vial of [Special Mental Recovery Agent] were neatly arranged.

"Let us begin."

With this murmured command, he unscrewed the first vial of Superior Psionic Agent, tilted his head back, and drained it in one gulp.

He gritted his teeth against the searing, tearing pain, steadying his mind with the *Great Sun Visualization Method* and the *Imperial Meditation Method*, pouring all his mental energy into guiding this violent psionic force.

His mental energy transformed into countless invisible threads, forcibly wrapping around that unruly energy, following the path of the *Great Sun Acupoint Opening Method*, and charging fearlessly toward the unknown dark region deep within his dantian.

The barrier of the fifth "Great Sun Acupoint" was far more resilient than he had imagined.

It was a chaotic void, as if it could devour all energy.

Wave after wave of psionic torrents crashed against it, only to vanish like mud into the sea, stirring barely perceptible ripples.

Time passed amidst the torment of suffering.

After what felt like an eternity, when Qin Feng sensed his mental energy nearly exhausted and his consciousness beginning to blur, he finally consumed the last trace of energy from the first vial.

The barrier of the fifth Great Sun Acupoint had only shown a faint, almost imperceptible crack.

"..."

Without resting, Qin Feng immediately prepared the bath he had already mixed.

When he immersed his weary body into the dark green liquid, which exuded a rich herbal fragrance, an indescribable warm current instantly enveloped him.

Visibly, his skin, once bloodshot from the strain of the violent psionic energy, was recovering its original color and elasticity at an astonishing rate.

The subtle internal injuries deep within his body, caused by excessive training, were also swiftly smoothed over and healed by this powerful restorative force.

In just half a day, the physical fatigue had dissipated by about seventy or eighty percent.

But that was not enough.

His mind was nearing its limit.

In the past, he needed at least a full day of deep meditation or sleep to replenish his expended mental energy.

But this time, he had a new option.

Qin Feng rose from the bath, dried himself, picked up the crystal-clear vial of [Special Mental Recovery Agent]—which seemed to hold a pool of starlight—and drank it in one gulp.

A cool, refreshing warmth, instead of flowing to his limbs, surged directly into his mind, nourishing his parched mental sea.

He could clearly feel his exhausted, nearly depleted mental energy slowly but steadily recovering, thread by thread.

Though this recovery speed was far slower than deep sleep, its advantage lay in that it could proceed simultaneously with physical recovery!

"It works!"

A glimmer of joy flashed in Qin Feng's eyes.

This meant he could save the large chunks of time dedicated solely to mental recovery, compressing his training cycle with unprecedented efficiency!

Thus, a new, highly efficient training loop was established.

Breakthrough, exhaustion, physical recovery via bath, mental recovery via agent...

Time lost its meaning within the quiet chamber.

Second vial... Fifth Great Sun Acupoint, opened!

Third vial...

Fourth vial... Sixth Great Sun Acupoint, opened!

...

When he reached the sixth Great Sun Acupoint and prepared to assault the seventh, the precious Special Mental Recovery Agent finally expended its last trace of energy.

Qin Feng did not stop. He returned to his previous rhythm of relying on meditation and sleep to restore his mind.

Though efficiency dropped, the vast amount of time saved earlier meant his overall progress still far exceeded expectations.

Seventh Great Sun Acupoint...

Eighth Great Sun Acupoint...

Fifteen full Imperial months passed like a dream.

When Qin Feng poured the last trace of energy from the tenth Superior Psionic Agent into the newly opened eighth "Great Sun Acupoint," an unprecedented surge of power swept through his body!

Hum—

The air within the quiet chamber hummed faintly from the psionic fluctuations naturally radiating from his body.

He slowly opened his eyes, and a startling gleam flashed deep within his pupils.

"Such immense power..."

Qin Feng murmured to himself, feeling every cell in his body brimming with explosive vitality.

He immediately called up his personal data panel.

[Life Force Index: 110.58]

Four acupoints had brought him a full increase of 40 points in Life Force Index!

The strengthening of his body was within expectations.

But when his gaze fell on Hammer's time record, he froze.

"Only... fifteen months?"

A storm raged in Qin Feng's heart.

This was far from his calculations!

Based on his previous training speed, the fourth acupoint had taken four and a half months. The fifth would only take longer, a conservative estimate of five months.

By that logic, the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth acupoints—each increasing in difficulty—would require progressively more time.

His original expectation was to spend at least twenty months, perhaps twenty-two, to complete this seclusion.

Yet now, he had finished nearly a quarter earlier!

"It's the recovery agents."

Qin Feng instantly understood the key.

A hint of reluctance crossed his face, but far more, an undeniable joy.

"[Special Mental Recovery Agent] greatly accelerated my ability to channel psionic energy—that was the crucial step. Before, I had to spend long periods in meditation or sleep to restore my mind. But this agent allowed me to slowly recover my mind while repairing my body, both processes running in parallel, drastically shortening the intervals between training cycles."

"Additionally, the two packets of [Superior Deep Recovery Bath Salts] let my body, after being tempered by violent psionic energy, return to its peak state at the fastest possible speed, reducing physical recovery time and allowing me to dive into the next breakthrough sooner."

"The combination boosted my overall training speed by at least a quarter! Those twenty contribution points were well spent!"

Qin Feng quickly reviewed his progress in his mind and began more precise calculations.

"When I was assaulting the seventh acupoint, the Mental Recovery Agent had already run out, and the pace slowed noticeably afterward."

"If I had two vials of the Special Mental Recovery Agent, paired with four packets of Superior Deep Recovery Bath Salts, my training speed could increase by at least half! Of course, the later acupoints place greater strain on both body and mind, requiring more recovery resources."

In his mind, a clear resource allocation model instantly took shape.

"Let me calculate carefully: to maximize efficiency, for every 100 contribution points' worth of psionic resources, you need to pair it with 40 contribution points' worth of restorative resources. That's the most cost-effective and fastest way to cultivate."

This discovery gave him a whole new understanding of how to plan his "contribution points."

"Ten years..."

He thought again of that distant yet pressing deadline.

"I must be faster!"

Ending his seclusion, Qin Feng wasted no time and immediately contacted his S-class intelligent assistant.

"Hammer, help me filter out the methods best suited for me right now, the ones with the highest efficiency for earning contribution points."

"Command confirmed."

Hammer's voice was as cold and efficient as ever.

"Currently conducting a comprehensive evaluation based on the user's data..."

【Vitality Index: 110.58】

【Martial Artist Level: Fourth-Level Acupoint-Opening Martial Artist (8/360)】

"Evaluation complete. Now filtering optimal contribution point acquisition plans..."

Soon, two lines of clear golden characters appeared on the light screen before Qin Feng.

【Plan One: Imperial Arena】

【Details: Your current official rank is 'First Rank.' According to Starry Sky Martial University rules, reaching 'Second Rank' for the first time grants a reward of 100 contribution points. Based on your current overall combat strength assessment, the success rate for achieving this goal is 18.7%.】

【Plan Two: Canaan Tower】

【Details: Your current challenge record is Floor One, Battle 32. Floor One of Canaan Tower has a total of 72 battles. Each successful challenge grants 1 contribution point. Successfully clearing all levels of Floor One grants an additional 50 contribution points as a 'Floor Clear' reward. Total obtainable: 40 + 50 = 90 contribution points.】

【Plan Three: Imperial Missions】

【Details: Accepting imperial missions yields a large number of contribution points, but comes with danger.】

Looking at these two plans, Qin Feng's eyes flickered slightly.

The Imperial Arena offered generous rewards—a full 100 contribution points, almost equivalent to the return from a high-risk mission—but unfortunately, his current strength was insufficient, and the promotion probability was too low.

As for Canaan Tower, it was equally tempting.

Not just because of those 90 contribution points, but more importantly...

"Canaan Tower is also a training ground."

Qin Feng made his decision in an instant.

He had just emerged from seclusion, his strength skyrocketing, but his foundation was still somewhat unstable.

The newly learned "Dragon-Serpent Spear" remained only at the stage of theoretical comprehension, never tested in actual combat.

And the guardians in Canaan Tower—each one a green-skinned powerhouse with a distinct fighting style—were perfect "sparring partners" for honing killing techniques and stabilizing his realm.

"I'll choose Canaan Tower."

Consciousness connected, space shifted.

When Qin Feng opened his eyes again, he found himself inside the familiar, ancient hall of Canaan Tower, built of bronze and stone.

Without a moment's pause, he strode directly toward the light gate leading to the 33rd battle.

Light flashed, and the scene before him transformed into a vast cavern piled high with metal scrap and discarded pipes.

"Chitter-chatter!"

The moment he appeared, seven or eight short, scrawny figures with sickly green skin scurried out from behind the junk piles like startled rats.

They clutched rusted daggers and crude "dirt guns," their cunning, greedy eyes fixed unblinkingly on Qin Feng.

These were the lowest rung of the green-skinned ecological chain—the goblins.

Their vitality indices were generally around 40 points, but they made up for it with numbers and agility.

Qin Feng's gaze was calm; instead of retreating, he advanced.

A standard-issue spear materialized in his hand. Facing the green-skinned brats surrounding him from all sides, his spear technique seemed sluggish, even clumsy.

He wasn't using the "Thousand-Army Spear" or "Fierce Bird Fist" that he had long mastered; instead, he was methodically practicing a brand-new spear art.

It was the "Dragon-Serpent Spear"!

The spear shot out like a serpent, as he tried to mimic the slithering of a snake, using softness to overcome hardness. The spear tip traced smooth arcs, simultaneously countering attacks from multiple directions.

But his movements were clearly still awkward.

"Clang!"

The spear barely parried a goblin's slash, but a dagger from another goblin on his flank managed to leave a shallow white mark on his arm.

【"Dragon-Serpent Spear" Proficiency +1】

【"Dragon-Serpent Spear" Proficiency +1】

The cold system prompt echoed in his mind.

A satisfied curve tugged at the corner of Qin Feng's mouth.

This was exactly the effect he wanted.

The ensuing battle turned into a peculiar "lesson."

Qin Feng completely abandoned the idea of quickly killing his opponents; instead, he treated these cunning goblins as his best teachers.

He imitated the serpent's coiling and slithering, unleashing the "Dragon-Serpent Spear"'s yin softness, agility, and variability over and over again.

From awkward to practiced, then to fluid.

Half an hour later, when his understanding of the "Dragon-Serpent Spear" deepened, the momentum of his spear suddenly changed.

No longer purely defensive or entangled, it gained a hint of the dragon's ferocity.

The spear shook, like a divine dragon swinging its tail, carrying the force of a thousand jun, sweeping horizontally through the cramped space!

"Bam! Bam! Bam!"

Accompanied by a series of dull thuds of shattering bones, the goblins besieging him were sent flying by his spear, crashing heavily into the distant metal scrap heap, their life force extinguished.

Battle 33, cleared.

Qin Feng didn't linger; he immediately entered the next battle.

Battle 34: opponents were two green-skinned "Berserker Brats" with crude rocket packs on their backs, wielding double axes, fearless and reckless.

Their attacks were swift and frenzied, testing Qin Feng's ability to block head-on and counter with his spear technique.

Battle 35: opponents were three green-skinned "Weirdboy Brats" who knew how to use the "WAAAGH!" psychic field to interfere, their movements erratic and unpredictable.

Though their psychic shocks were weak, they always managed to disrupt Qin Feng's judgment at critical moments, forcing him to divert his mind to resist, greatly honing his ability to multitask.

...

Qin Feng pressed on, battle after battle.

The guardian of the first floor of Canaan Tower seemed like a miniature exhibition of green-skinned ecology.

He had encountered tides of "Squig" beasts, with gaping maws and two legs, surging like a flood;

He had also faced walking war machines—"Killa Kans"—cobbled together haphazardly by green-skinned "Mekboyz," yet possessing terrifying firepower!

He was utterly immersed in the thrill of honing his martial skills.

The proficiency of his "Dragon-Snake Spear" soared at a visible pace through each high-intensity battle of wildly different styles.

From "Initiation," to "Minor Mastery," and then to "Major Mastery."

When he successfully dismantled the smoking "Killa Kan" in the sixtieth battle, his "Dragon-Snake Spear" finally reached the realm of "Major Mastery."

[Killing Art]: Dragon-Snake Spear (Major Mastery)

[Mastered Killing Moves]: Divine Dragon Swings Tail, Cunning Snake Emerges from Hole

For three whole days and nights, he rested not, fighting tirelessly within Canaan Tower.

Yet his eyes grew ever brighter, like two stars blazing fiercely in the darkness.

At last, he stood before the final light gate of the first floor.

[Battle 72]

Qin Feng took a deep breath and stepped inside.

The scene before him transformed into a vast arena of steel and ruins.

"WAAAGH!!!"

A deafening roar, filled with war and fury, erupted from the center of the arena!

Qin Feng's pupils contracted as he looked up.

There, a terrifying figure over seven meters tall slowly rose from the shadow of the ruins.

It was a greenskin—a greenskin of unimaginable size!

Its entire body was encased in a set of thick, ferocious black power armor, studded with rivets and crude graffiti.

This armor exuded the idealistic style of "the power of 'I reckons,'" with jagged weld seams and chaotic power cables, yet the terrifying energy within it was undeniable.

On the armor's shoulders stood two totems made from the skulls of giant beasts, while a massive engine on its back belched scorching hot air mixed with black smoke.

Its right arm had been transformed into a gigantic power claw crackling with arcs of electricity; each of its five blades was like a war saber, gleaming with a chilling light.

In Qin Feng's perception, its life force stood firmly above 110 points!

Greenskin armored boss!

Its crimson electronic eyes locked onto Qin Feng, and it let out a rumbling, taunting roar.

The battle was about to erupt!

Qin Feng showed no fear. Spear in hand, he pushed off the ground, charging like an arrow from a bow, launching the attack himself!

Facing such a massive opponent, he chose the most ferocious killing move from the "Dragon-Snake Spear."

Divine Dragon Swings Tail!

The spear in his hand seemed to come alive, transforming into a true black divine dragon, tearing through the air with a sonic boom as it slammed viciously toward the greenskin boss's knee joint!

But the greenskin boss merely grinned with its gaping maw, letting out a scornful laugh.

It didn't even dodge; it simply swung its massive power claw downward with casual ease.

Its movement appeared clumsy, yet its speed was unbelievably fast!

Even more terrifying, along the trajectory of that power claw, Qin Feng sensed a hint of the "Perfection" realm!

Clang!

A deafening clash of metal rang out across the entire arena!

Qin Feng felt an irresistible, terrifying force surge through his spear.

He and his spear were sent flying by the greenskin boss's claw!

After tumbling dozens of meters through the air, he barely managed to steady himself, his feet gouging two deep furrows in the ground.

"Such immense strength..."

Qin Feng's hands went numb, his arms trembling uncontrollably.

He could sense that, after donning that power armor, the enemy had reached a terrifying level of strength, speed, and endurance nearly matching his own.

Their pure physical attributes were almost a forty-sixty split—he was forty, the enemy sixty!

But the true gap lay in the killing arts!

The enemy's killing art was at the Perfection realm!

"Again!"

Qin Feng's fighting spirit only grew, and he charged once more.

This time, he changed his strategy, his spear technique becoming fluid and elusive.

Cunning Snake Emerges from Hole!

His figure flickered unpredictably, his spear like a viper's tongue, striking again and again from every tricky angle at the gaps and joints of the power armor.

But the greenskin boss's combat instincts were terrifyingly strong.

Its massive power claw moved in an impenetrable dance, each time precisely blocking Qin Feng's attacks and driving him back with even more savage force.

"Fierce Owl Chases Shadow!"

Still utterly useless.

All of Qin Feng's killing moves were effortlessly neutralized by the enemy.

The battle reached a stalemate.

Or rather, it was Qin Feng struggling desperately on his own.

After ten minutes, Qin Feng failed to dodge in time, and the edge of the power claw grazed his chest. "Bam!"

He was struck like a hammer, sent flying, and his consciousness instantly plunged into darkness.

First challenge, failure.

……

"Again!"

Consciousness returned, and Qin Feng launched another challenge without hesitation.

Second time... failure.

Third time... failure.

……

He challenged it ten times in a row.

Each time, he exhausted every trick he had.

Each time, he managed to endure a little longer than the last.

There were even several occasions when he seized a fleeting chance, thrusting his spear ruthlessly into the seams of the power armor and leaving deep, bone-exposing gasps of wounds upon the Ork chieftain's flesh.

Yet in the end, he would still falter at the critical juncture, undone by that minuscule, agonizing disparity in combat mastery.

He was either utterly crushed by an overwhelming onslaught of sheer strength, or ground down alive as his stamina bled dry.

After being blasted out of the arena for the tenth time, Qin Feng finally came to a halt.

Instead of launching into another immediate challenge, he sat cross-legged before the gateway of light, immersing himself in a profound, meticulous review of the bout.

"Through ten consecutive bouts of such high-intensity combat, the Dragon-Serpent Spear has completely solidified at the Mastery Realm, and I have fully grasped its ultimate techniques: The Divine Dragon Swings Its Tail, and The Treacherous Serpent Emerges from Its Cave."

"Once that Ork chieftain dons his power armor, his raw strength, speed, and endurance are neck and neck with mine, perhaps even a fraction superior. The gulf between our capabilities lies solely within the realm of combat technique."

"Once my Dragon-Serpent Spear breaks through to the Control Realm and integrates entirely into my repertoire of combat methods, slaying this Ork chieftain will be effortless."

"Or... I can simply wait for my vitality index to rise further, establishing an absolute dominance in physical attributes to crush him."

Qin Feng’s thoughts became exceptionally lucid.

He rose to his feet and glanced at the remaining balance of his contribution points.

[Contribution Points: 40]

The single initial point, combined with the thirty-nine points garnered from surviving thirty-nine battles between the 33rd and 71st bouts, along with his previous accumulations, brought the total to forty.

Though he had failed to clear the trials completely, this excursion into the Canaan Tower remained immensely rewarding.

Not only had his strength been consolidated and his combat techniques honed, but he had also secured the seed capital for his next round of cultivation.

"Time to head back."

Qin Feng turned and departed from the Canaan Tower.

When he returned next, he would surely trample over the corpse of that Ork chieftain.

The alloy doors of the quiet chamber slid open soundlessly to either side, welcoming back the long-absent sunlight and gentle breeze of the outside world.

Qin Feng stepped out slowly; he had been in secluded cultivation for fifteen months, and when combined with his prior time in the Canaan Tower honing his spearplay and earning contribution points, a year and a half of time had quietly slipped away in the grand tapestry of things.

He lifted his head, feeling the simulated, perfectly tempered warmth of the sun within the ecological park of the Canaan Starry Sky Martial Arts University, and a fleeting sense of an epoch having passed stirred within his chest.

Qin Feng commanded Hammer to summon the calendar of Imperial Standard Time.

His fingertips grazed the light screen lightly, and when his eyes fell upon the final date, even his current, well-stilled heart could not help but skip a beat.

"It has already been... three years."

Qin Feng calculated silently in his mind.

From the moment he had first entered the Canaan Starry Sky Martial Arts University with a mix of trepidation and yearning, exactly three full Imperial years had passed, neither more nor less.

"How swiftly time flies."

"Twenty years old."

He murmured softly, filled with emotion.

The experiences of these three years flickered through his mind like a fast-forwarded scroll of paintings.

From the poverty and struggle of his initial days at the university, to the ignominy of being defeated in a single blow during the Newcomer Cup;

From the repeated failures within the Canaan Tower, to the blood-soaked battles of his first team mission;

From being awed by the incomprehensible might of the elite disciple Baze, to his current emergence from seclusion with a qualitative leap in power.

Everything felt as though it had transpired only yesterday.

"The early stage of entering the Starry Sky Martial Arts University is precisely like this."

"The beginning is always the most arduous, requiring one to exhaust every ounce of strength just to adapt to the rules here, to snatch one's very first share of cultivation resources from among hundreds of millions of missions and countless formidable competitors. In this phase, progress is destined to be slow and agonizing."

"However, as long as one can weather this stage and grow powerful, one will naturally gain access to higher-yielding missions and obtain greater resources. Like a rolling snowball, the speed of one's ascension will only accelerate."

This was an incredibly cruel, yet flawlessly impartial law of selection.

The Canaan Starry Sky Martial Arts University, and indeed the entire human Empire, was never stingy with rewards for the strong, nor did it ever waste sympathy on the elimination of the weak.

Even as his thoughts drifted, the subspace network icon on his personal terminal began flashing frantically at an extreme frequency, indicating a massive backlog of unread messages.

With a shift of his intent, Qin Feng tapped into the icon.

In an instant, hundreds of private messages from various individuals nearly overwhelmed his field of vision.

He scrolled through them patiently from top to bottom, his gaze drawn first to three intimately familiar avatars.

They belonged to his three mentors from his time at Qiming First High School—Gu Yue, Lin Yue, and Wu Shangfeng.

Their messages spanned from over a year ago to just a few months past, their contents bearing a similar warmth, all inquiring anxiously about his life at the university.

[Qin Feng, are you adapting well to university life? The competitive pressure at Canaan Starry Sky Martial Arts University is immense. Having just enrolled, remember not to aim too high; a steady and solid foundation is the root of all progress. If you encounter any perplexities in your cultivation, reach out to us at any time. —Gu Yue]

[You brat, have you been slacking off since you got to university? —Lin Yue]

[Qin Feng, you are now an adult martial artist, and the road ahead must be walked by your own feet. Remember to guard against impetuosity and arrogance, and hold fast to your original heart. The path of the Empire is fraught with thorns and temptations; I hope you tread wisely. —Wu Shangfeng]

Beholding the genuine care woven into every line from his mentors, Qin Feng’s heart, hardened by years of bitter cultivation, could not help but feel a ripple of warmth.

He penned no lengthy discourse, replying to each with the exact same concise, solemn sentence.

[Teacher, all is well, please do not worry.]

Continuing down the list, another familiar name caused his gaze to linger.

It was Shi Potian.

[Qin Feng, I lost. In the final showdown of this year's "Qiming Vanguard Star" tournament, I fell to Shi Dang of the Galaxy Military Subordinate High School. I only secured second place.]

[His bloodline talent is far more terrifying than I imagined. It is no mere special physique; I estimate it can benchmark against the Golden Standard Human Tier I.]

[However, I will not yield. I will wait another year. I have purchased an entry ticket to the Thunder Pool, and I will use this year to polish my strength while elevating my physical potential to completely mend my shortcomings. The next "Qiming Vanguard Star" will undoubtedly be mine to claim.]

This message had been sent half a year ago.

"Shi Dang..."

A flash of surprise crossed Qin Feng’s eyes.

He had not expected that after his departure from Qiming, that Stone-kin half-breed, Shi Dang, would rise so phenomenally.

"A half-blood of the Stone-kin race... As expected, the advantage of physical constitution in the early stages of the martial path is nigh immeasurable."

Qin Feng understood completely.

To claim the title of "Qiming Vanguard Star" meant that Shi Dang had already secured a ticket to enter the Canaan Starry Sky Martial Arts University.

"Though whether he can ultimately survive Canaan's brutally harsh freshman examination remains to be seen."

Qin Feng shook his head, banishing the thought.

The universe was too vast, and geniuses too numerous; what he needed to focus on now was the path beneath his own feet.

Further down were messages from several new friends.

Xiong Yanfu, Lei Meng, and Tie Mu had sent a dozen scattered messages over the past few months, all wishing to invite him out for a gathering to catch up on recent events.

There were also a few messages from Zou Yun, inquiring if he had any free time, as she wished to seek him out to form a team for missions.

The most recent messages were all sent a month or two ago.

Thinking he hadn't replied, they assumed he was on some long-term mission or deep in seclusion, so they stopped bothering him.

Qin Feng replied to each one.

To Xiong Yanfu and the others' invitation to gather, he gladly accepted, saying he had just emerged from seclusion and was free anytime.

As for Zou Yun, his reply was equally straightforward: "Free, anytime."

Beep!

Almost the moment his message was sent, Xiong Yanfu and Lei Meng's avatars lit up simultaneously, their replies astonishingly fast.

[Xiong Yanfu: Damn! Brother Qin, you're finally out of seclusion! Hurry, hurry, let's meet up! Same place, Taotie Ju in the Food God District, my treat!]

[Lei Meng: Brother Qin! You're finally showing up!]

Seeing their enthusiastic messages, a smile crept across Qin Feng's face.

Without delay, he set off, activating a subspace teleport to rush toward the bustling "Food God District."

……

"Taotie Ju" was the liveliest spot in the Food God District.

There were no high-tech nutrient synthesis machines here, only the most primitive, rugged cooking methods.

Massive beast legs were roasted over spiritual flames, sizzling and crackling, the rich aroma of meat mingling with various spices, drifting through the air—enough to make any martial artist fresh off intense training salivate.

Qin Feng quickly spotted Xiong Yanfu and Lei Meng.

They were seated at a huge metal table, already piled high with plates of golden, dripping roasted beast meat.

"Brother Qin! Over here!"

Sharp-eyed Xiong Yanfu spotted Qin Feng first, standing up and waving excitedly.

Qin Feng walked over and took a seat in the empty chair.

"Tiemu didn't come?"

He glanced around and asked.

"Ah, don't even mention it."

Xiong Yanfu took a big gulp of malt-flavored energy drink and waved his hand. "That guy Tiemu is a mission maniac. He took on an escort mission half a month ago, probably won't be back for a month or two."

"What about you two?"

Qin Feng picked up a piece of roasted meat and asked.

"We're just the same, running back and forth between the mission hall and the training ground every day, earning contribution points, then using them to open acupoints."

Lei Meng said in a gruff voice. "By the way, Brother Qin, how did your seclusion go? What's your life force index now? Your aura is way more terrifying than before—you must have made big progress, right?"

Xiong Yanfu also shot him a curious look, leaning in and lowering his voice. "So? So? Did you break 90 points?"

In their eyes, Qin Feng's life force before seclusion was 70 points. Improving by 20 points after over a year of seclusion would already be astonishingly fast.

Qin Feng swallowed the meat in his mouth and said calmly, "One hundred and ten."

"Oh, one hundred... huh?"

Xiong Yanfu nodded instinctively, but then it hit him—his eyes bulged like copper bells. "How... how much?!"

Lei Meng's chewing froze mid-bite as he stared at Qin Feng in disbelief.

"One hundred and ten points."

Qin Feng repeated.

"Hiss—"

Xiong Yanfu and Lei Meng both sucked in a sharp breath.

They exchanged glances, each seeing the thick, unshakable shock and awe in the other's eyes.

"I... my god..."

Xiong Yanfu stammered. "Brother Qin, you... you're not joking, right? One hundred and ten points?! How long has it even been?!"

"Forget it, your strength is way beyond ours. I was going to ask you to do a mission together, but now it's clear—that wouldn't be teamwork, it'd be you carrying us solo. Never mind."

Xiong Yanfu shook his head with a bitter smile, his tone full of emotion.

He had thought that he and Lei Meng had made rapid progress over the past year, ranking among the top newcomers. But compared to Qin Feng now, their progress was utterly insignificant.

"Ah..."

Lei Meng let out a heavy sigh, tossing the rib he was holding onto the table, his appetite gone. "Comparing people drives you crazy."

He looked at Qin Feng with a complex expression. "It's embarrassing to say, but we've been busting our asses doing missions and training hard for over a year, and we've only just broken through the 65-point mark."

"We've been doing missions frequently, saving up contribution points to go into seclusion, and we've managed to calm down and open acupoints."

Xiong Yanfu added. "The two of us are practicing the 108-acupoint opening method—it's considered top-tier. So far, we've successfully opened eight acupoints."

Hearing this, Qin Feng's heart stirred slightly.

"I've also opened eight."

He said.

"Ah."

Xiong Yanfu looked at Qin Feng, his eyes full of envy. "Brother Qin, you must be practicing that top-tier, ultimate acupoint-opening method, right? The one that requires opening 360 major acupoints?"

Qin Feng nodded, not denying it.

"So that's it..."

Xiong Yanfu and Lei Meng exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of understanding—and deeper helplessness—in each other's eyes.

"Ah, Brother Qin, practicing that ultimate method and still opening acupoints so fast—that's truly impressive."

Lei Meng said with genuine admiration.

"The ceiling of the ultimate method is too high."

Xiong Yanfu sighed. "Once all the acupoints are opened, the final life force index could be several times, even ten times, ours. Sure, it takes more time and resources—an astronomical amount—but... in a place like Canaan Star Martial Arts University, the one thing that's never lacking is channels to get resources."

They chatted on, the topic always circling back to strength and cultivation.

This was the norm in Canaan—strength was the eternal, core subject.

The small gathering lasted about thirty minutes. Just as Qin Feng was about to take his leave, his personal terminal vibrated again.

It was a communication request from Zou Yun.

Qin Feng accepted.

Zou Yun's face, with its hint of arrogance, appeared on the holographic screen.

"Qin Feng, you're out of seclusion?"

His tone carried a hint of surprise but quickly turned serious. "How's your strength now?"

"Life force, one hundred and ten points."

Qin Feng was concise and to the point.

Zou Yun on the other side of the light screen was visibly stunned for a moment, then an incredulous gleam burst from his eyes.

"Good! Excellent!"

He seemed very excited, "We happen to have a special mission here that yields very high contribution points, but it demands extremely high personal combat strength! Come to the 'Fearless' zone, and we'll discuss in detail!"

"Alright, I'll be there right away."

Qin Feng replied curtly and ended the communication.

He stood up and said to Xiong Yanfu and Lei Meng, "I have something to attend to, I'll take my leave first."

"Sure, Brother Qin, go ahead."

The two also understood the urgency of matters and both stood up.

Qin Feng bid them farewell, and his figure quickly disappeared into the crowd.

...

The "Fearless" zone.

Cold metal and an aura of deadly intent were the eternal themes here.

When Qin Feng's figure appeared at the agreed-upon seventh assessment point, he immediately spotted Zou Yun already waiting there.

Beside Zou Yun stood two other youths clad in black combat uniforms.

Their auras were noticeably more somber and weighty than Zou Yun's.

Their eyes were sharp as eagles, their temples bulging, and their entire beings exuded a fierce, rugged aura that could only be honed through countless life-and-death battles.

They were upperclassmen.

And extremely formidable upperclassmen at that.

The moment Qin Feng stepped toward them, the two upperclassmen, who had been expressionless, both had their expressions shift almost simultaneously.

Their bodies instinctively tensed up in an instant.

An indescribable, extremely dangerous aura, like an invisible wave, rushed toward them as Qin Feng approached.

It wasn't killing intent, but a purer, life-level pressure.

The two upperclassmen felt the hairs on the backs of their necks stand on end, and a faint, needle-like prickling sensation on their skin.

Like thorns pricking their backs!

They exchanged a glance, and in the depths of each other's pupils, they saw unconcealed shock and gravity.

"That Zou Yun... he actually called in a formidable expert from the freshmen."

"Looks like this mission should be secure."

With a simple exchange of glances, the two had reached a consensus.

(Chapter End)