Chapter 164: Closed-door Cultivation for 12 Years, Vitality Index 1730!

Chapter 164: Twelve Years in Seclusion, Life Force Index 1730!

[Battle Start!]

The instant the system prompt sounded.

Shi Dang moved.

He did not choose to charge, but instead drove the blade of his battle-axe fiercely into the ground beneath his feet!

"Rock Guard!"

He let out a thunderous roar.

Centered on his body, the pure white ground instantly cracked, and countless rock elements converged wildly, coalescing on his body surface into a set of immensely thick rock armor!

This was his strongest defensive stance!

He knew that with his speed, before Qin Feng, he could never have any chance to strike first.

The only thing he could do was to push his defense to the extreme, withstand Qin Feng's first wave of attacks, and then plan for a countermove!

He stared intently at Qin Feng across from him, every muscle in his body taut to the limit, his mind and will highly concentrated, trying to capture every subtle movement of Qin Feng.

However, Qin Feng on the opposite side merely stood still.

He didn't even draw any weapon, but casually took a step forward.

One step.

Just that simple step.

In Shi Dang's field of vision, Qin Feng's figure seemed to blur for a moment in place.

And then... there was no then.

Shi Dang's pupils dilated to the extreme, his mind a blank.

Because he found that he had lost sight of Qin Feng.

A hundred meters ahead, there was nothing.

Qin Feng had simply vanished into thin air.

Where did he go?

This thought had just flashed through his mind.

An indescribable, overwhelming, and terrifying force had already struck his back without any warning.

That force was so gentle, as if someone had merely patted him lightly.

But just that one pat instantly pierced through his proud [Rock Guard], constructed by bloodline talent and combat techniques.

The immensely thick rock armor, fragile as a layer of window paper, silently shattered inch by inch.

Then, that force surged into his body.

His internal organs, his limbs and bones, every cell in his body, at that moment, were completely decomposed into the most basic energy particles.

He didn't even feel a trace of pain.

His consciousness, in the last moment before dissipating, still lingered on that question.

Where is he?

[Defeat]

Two cold and enormous red characters filled his entire vision.

A flash of light, and Shi Dang's figure re-materialized in the pure white virtual space.

He still maintained that defensive stance, but his whole body trembled uncontrollably and violently.

His face was bloodless, his eyes vacant, his pupils unfocused, like a statue that had lost its soul.

Across from him, Qin Feng's figure had somehow already returned to its previous standing position, as if he had never moved.

Instant kill.

A complete, dimensionality-reducing strike, where even the trajectory of the opponent's movement could not be tracked.

Shi Dang didn't even know how he lost.

He only knew that the battle began, and then it ended.

The entire process might have taken less than 0.001 seconds.

Was this the gap?

Shi Dang stood there, motionless.

Qin Feng calmly glanced at him, saying nothing.

What needed to be done, he had done.

The remaining path was for Shi Dang to walk on his own.

He nodded slightly to the other, as a farewell.

Then he directly exited the battle space.

His consciousness returned to the dormitory, Qin Feng's expression utterly unruffled.

That battle with Shi Dang was, to him, merely an insignificant episode on the long road of cultivation.

He agreed to act out of a sense of fellow townsman bond, nothing more.

Where that former opponent would go in the future, whether he would sink or rise again, had nothing to do with him.

Everyone's path must be walked alone.

Qin Feng didn't even dwell on the matter further; his entire mind had already refocused on the most important thing next.

— Seclusion!

He opened the subspace network and entered the [Empire Trading Post].

A dazzling array of goods, like a vast sea of stars, flashed rapidly across the light screen.

From the most basic recovery potions to blueprints for star-destroying cannons capable of arming a small fleet, almost anything could be bought here with enough contribution points.

Qin Feng's gaze directly locked onto the high-level cultivation resource area.

His personal account showed the current balance.

[Contribution Points: 5139.]

This was a fortune that would make most students in the Opening Aperture realm green with envy.

But Qin Feng knew that for him, cultivating the *Great Sun Opening Aperture Technique*, these contribution points were only enough to sustain a decent period of seclusion.

"Must budget carefully."

His brain began to operate at an astonishing speed, rapidly planning the use of every contribution point.

"First, reserve five hundred contribution points to purchase the combat technique recommended by the mentor. The remaining over four thousand six hundred points will all be invested in this cultivation."

"As for the duration of seclusion... the initial plan is around ten years."

In Qin Feng's heart, there was a vague point in time.

Ten years later would be the next "Canaan Newcomer Cup."

If he could make it in time, he wouldn't mind experiencing it once more.

But if his cultivation required more than ten years, that was fine too; Qin Feng didn't want the competition to disrupt the momentum of his training.

With a clear plan, his purchases became efficient and precise.

His fingers flew across the light screen.

[Exchange Item: Enhanced Type I Psychic Energy Potion]

[Description: Energy purity and absorption efficiency far surpass standard premium psychic energy potions, making it one of the top choices for aperture-opening martial artists in deep seclusion.]

[Price: 20 Contribution Points per vial]

[Quantity: 150 vials]

[Total: -3000 Contribution Points]

"Based on past seclusion experience, 2.5 vials of premium psychic energy potion can open one Great Sun Acupoint. The effect of this Enhanced Type I potion is roughly a bit more than double the premium version. With 150 vials, in theory, it should be enough to open about one hundred and twenty more 'Great Sun Acupoints.'"

Qin Feng calculated silently, his fingers not pausing as he continued to select the next item.

[Exchange Item: Enhanced Type I Deep Repair Medicinal Bath Pack]

[Description: Contains high-activity life energy and various rare minerals, greatly accelerating a martial artist's physical repair and cell regeneration after intense training, with repair efficiency improved by over 50% compared to the standard version.]

[Price: 10 Contribution Points per pack]

[Quantity: 80 packs]

[Total: -800 Contribution Points]

"The bottleneck in training efficiency often lies not in sufficient energy, but in the body's endurance limit and recovery speed. This is a necessity."

[Exchange Item: Enhanced Type I Mental Energy Recovery Potion]

[Description: Quickly replenishes mental energy consumed during visualization and deduction of killing techniques, nourishes the soul, has a longer duration of effect, and fewer side effects.]

[Price: 20 Contribution Points per vial]

[Quantity: 40 vials]

[Total: -800 Contribution Points]

After three massive expenditures, Qin Feng's Contribution Points instantly evaporated by 4,600.

Looking at the meager 539 Contribution Points left in his account, he felt no regret, only an unprecedented sense of solidity.

All of this would be transformed into tangible power.

Next, he switched to the killing technique manual exchange area and pulled up the list recommended by his mentor, Yu Han.

"Defense doesn't suit me..."

Qin Feng recalled his mentor's words, his gaze sweeping over the list.

[Exchange Tier 1 Killing Techniques: "Collapsing Mountain Fist," "Shattering Jade Hand," "Stele-Splitting Hand," "Thunder Sound Fist"...]

[Total: -200 Contribution Points]

In one go, he exchanged all four Tier 1 fist techniques his mentor had recommended as most suitable for him.

These fist techniques, without exception, were all supremely rigid and fierce, relentless offensive arts.

Finally, Qin Feng's gaze fell upon a Tier 2 killing technique on the list, highlighted in red by Mentor Yu Han.

[Exchange Tier 2 Killing Technique: "Cold Gleam"]

[Description: A spear-type killing technique, breaking through points with precision, pursuing extreme penetration and point burst—the supreme method for charging into battle formations and striking vital points.]

[Price: 300 Contribution Points]

[Total: -300 Contribution Points]

The moment this Tier 2 killing technique was successfully exchanged, Qin Feng's personal account Contribution Points were completely drained, leaving only a lonely 9 points.

With that, all preparations were complete.

Qin Feng stood up and walked to the seclusion pod.

He did not enter immediately but first pulled up his friend list and sent a brief message to Shi Potian, Xiong Yanfu, Lei Meng, Tie Mu, Qin Lan, and others.

"I will undergo a long-term seclusion; return date uncertain. Do not worry, do not disturb."

Having done this, he took a deep breath, his gaze becoming utterly resolute and pure.

Qin Feng sat cross-legged on the meditation cushion and began to cultivate in stillness.

All connection with the outside world was severed at that moment.

He closed his eyes, his consciousness sinking into endless darkness.

Then, he took out the first vial of [Enhanced Type I Psychic Energy Potion], unscrewed the cap, and drank it in one gulp.

Boom—!!!

A torrent of energy, more violent and surging than any before, like a breached galaxy, exploded within his body!

...

Time, in the world of a deep-seclusion cultivator, lost its original meaning.

It was no longer sunrise and sunset, no longer the changing of seasons.

It became vials of potion consumed, the agonizing pain of flesh torn and reassembled time and again, and the hard-won acupoints, flickering with dark gold light, one by one.

Qin Feng's dormitory fell into a long, deathly silence.

The first year.

Qin Feng exhausted all his mental energy, amidst endless pain, successfully opening ten new "Great Sun Acupoints."

Every cell in his body, under the repeated scouring and tempering of this violent energy, became tougher and stronger.

The third year.

Thirty "Great Sun Acupoints" shone brightly within him. He had fully adapted to the terrifying potency of the [Enhanced Type I Psychic Energy Potion], and the speed of opening acupoints began to steadily increase.

The fifth year.

Inside the seclusion pod, the pile of empty potion vials had exceeded fifty.

Qin Feng's total number of "Great Sun Acupoints" had successfully broken through the hundred mark!

His body seemed to have become a bottomless black hole, its craving for energy reaching a new level.

The eighth year.

He began to cultivate the newly exchanged killing techniques.

Under the boost of the [Heaven Rewards Diligence] panel, he multitasked, opening acupoints while, during rest, frantically practicing "Collapsing Mountain Fist," "Shattering Jade Hand"... in the Imperial Arena. His offensive arts accumulated foundation at a terrifying speed.

The tenth year.

The "Great Sun Acupoints" he had opened had reached one hundred and sixty.

The original plan to break from containment within ten years had long been cast to the back of his mind.

Immersed in the pure ecstasy of his rapidly surging strength, he held only a single thought—

Continue! Do not stop!

Until the very last vial of medicine was completely drained!

...

Time flew like an arrow, and the years passed like a weaver's shuttle.

For the Canaan Starry Sky Martial Arts University, a span of twelve years was nothing more than a mere flick of a finger.

Generation after generation of freshmen enrolled, while class after class of seniors graduated.

Qin Feng, the "Uncrowned Rookie King" who had once stirred up the winds and clouds, saw his name gradually replaced by newer, more dazzling geniuses as time flowed on, slowly forgotten in the corners of memory.

Only from the mouths of certain veteran students would that monster, who had once shocked the entire school with his strength alone, occasionally be mentioned.

And at this moment, within that dormitory which had remained silent for twelve long years.

Whoosh—

A white mist, so dense it had almost condensed into physical form and was brimming with the aura of life, diffused outward as Qin Feng breathed.

He opened his eyes.

What kind of eyes were those.

Deep and ancient, as if they contained a boundless sea of stars.

Between the opening and closing of his eyes, there was even a flash of golden lightning that vanished in an instant.

Twelve years of time had not left any trace of the passing years upon his face; instead, it made his originally sharp features even more flawless, as if cast from divine gold.

His skin presented a healthy, jade-like texture, flowing with a faint, precious luster.

The prolonged seclusion had allowed his hair to grow to waist length, draped casually behind his shoulders, adding a touch of otherworldly elegance.

Qin Feng lowered his head and looked at his own hands.

He could feel what kind of terrifying power, sufficient to shatter mountains and sever rivers, was hidden beneath that seemingly calm skin.

With a mere thought, he summoned his personal status panel.

Great Sun Aperture Awakening Method (Great Achievement): Successfully opened and filled one hundred and seventy Great Sun Apertures (170/360)

Vitality Index: 1730.0

One hundred and seventy Great Sun Apertures!

One thousand seven hundred and thirty points of vitality index!

Through a full twelve years of bitter cultivation, he had successfully squeezed out and absorbed all the effects of those one hundred and fifty vials of Enhanced Type-I Psionic Medicine, not one more, not one less, ultimately opening up one hundred and twenty entirely new apertures!

Feeling the unprecedentedly powerful force surging endlessly like a vast ocean within his body, a genuine, satisfied smile appeared on Qin Feng's face.

"Hamer, what time is it now?"

Master, it is a pleasure to serve you again.

The voice of the intelligent assistant Hamer was as respectful as always.

It has been twelve years and three months since you last entered seclusion.

Twelve years.

A wave of surreal dizziness, as if a lifetime had passed, surged into his heart.

How many twelve-year periods could a person have in life?

He subconsciously spoke aloud, his voice carrying a hint of hoarseness from not speaking for a long time.

"Twelve years and three months..."

"Counting it up, it has already been 22 years since enrollment."

"The seventeen-year-old youth of the past is now 38 years old."

Qin Feng lamented.

Twelve years and three months.

Hearing this time precise to the month, an indescribable, complex emotion welled up in Qin Feng's heart.

It felt like a lifetime ago.

He had merely undergone a single, long cultivation session, yet for the outside world, a full cycle of the zodiac had quietly slipped away.

He slowly stood up, moving his body.

His bones emitted crisp and dense popping sounds.

An unprecedented, powerful sensation, as if he could control everything, filled his limbs and bones.

A vitality index of 1730 had caused his body to undergo a bone-transforming qualitative change from the inside out.

"Hamer, calculate the total contribution value consumption for my cultivation resources since enrollment."

Qin Feng ordered calmly.

Understood, sir. Fetching consumption records and calculating now...

Hamer's efficiency was extremely high, and a precise number was quickly presented on the virtual light screen before Qin Feng's eyes.

Calculation complete. Master, from your enrollment until now, you have exchanged various cultivation resources in the Empire Trading House for a grand total contribution value consumption of: 7018 points.

Over seven thousand points!

Seeing this number, even with Qin Feng's temperament, he could not help but click his tongue secretly.

He recalled that the first seclusion had cost over three hundred points.

Returning from the second mission, he had invested another three hundred-plus points.

The third time, which was after the Rookie Cup, that seclusion lasting up to three years had consumed over seven hundred points.

Adding this current time, which directly burned four thousand six hundred points.

All added up together, not a point more or less, it was exactly just over seven thousand.

"Over seven thousand contribution points to open 170 Great Sun Apertures..."

Qin Feng's brain calculated rapidly. "There are still 190 Great Sun Apertures left to achieve complete perfection. Estimating based on the previous consumption ratio, it will probably require an investment of nearly seven thousand more contribution points to achieve it."

This number, if placed twelve years ago, would have been enough to make him feel despair.

But now, Qin Feng's heart held nothing but absolute tranquility.

Because he knew that for the current him, wanting to obtain another seven thousand contribution points was far, far easier than before.

With his current vitality index as high as 1730 points, he was already qualified to accept those highly difficult battle group missions that offered extremely generous rewards.

To harvest thousands or even tens of thousands of contribution points from a single mission was no longer an impossible matter.

"Calculating it this way, for a martial artist cultivating a Top-Tier Aperture Awakening Method to completely open all 360 apertures to perfection, adding up all the miscellaneous resources, the total investment requires roughly around fourteen thousand contribution points."

Qin Feng muttered to himself, gaining a much clearer understanding in his heart regarding the arduousness of this path of cultivation.

"Earning these contribution points, coupled with the long periods of secluded cultivation... for an ordinary genius, it would indeed take nearly a hundred years to walk this path."

"And that's assuming everything goes smoothly."

Qin Feng's gaze grew somewhat profound.

"If luck is slightly worse—say, due to insufficient strength or other reasons, missing out on earlier editions of the 'Canaan Rookie Cup' that can yield a large amount of starting capital in one go—then the early accumulation will become incredibly difficult, and progress will only be delayed indefinitely."

"It might even end in total failure."

He suddenly recalled the final opponents he had faced in the Rookie Cup—those two 'century-old monsters' with life force indices as high as three thousand points.

They, I'm afraid, had wasted nearly a hundred years at the Acupoint Opening stage.

"But... this path is not one of uniform progress."

Qin Feng quickly thought of another layer.

"The early acupoints are actually the slowest to open. Because at that stage, one's strength is weakest, and the efficiency of acquiring resources is lowest. But once strength improves, the later acupoints will open faster and faster."

He traced the paths of other cultivators.

An ordinary genius might need fifty grueling years just to open a little over fifty 'Solar Acupoints.'

This process was unbearably tedious, unbearably draining.

But once fifty acupoints were opened, the life force index would steadily exceed five hundred points.

This level of strength reached a standard line—a line sufficient to independently take on missions that rewarded thousands of contribution points.

At that point, the entire rhythm of cultivation would change completely.

Constantly executing high-difficulty missions, exchanging them for massive contribution points, then purchasing top-tier resources for deep seclusion.

And so the cycle repeated.

Perhaps, in the next fifty years, they could open the remaining three hundred-plus acupoints in one go.

Of course, this was still only the most ideal scenario.

Qin Feng understood well that theory was, after all, just theory.

Not everyone, like him, possessed the 'Heaven Rewards Diligence' panel, enabling them to endure the extreme monotony and pain of decades-long secluded cultivation.

A genius might endure a few years of solitude.

But they might not be able to withstand centuries of loneliness.

If their resolve was even slightly weak, tempted by the splendor of the outside world, their cultivation progress would slow dramatically.

Thus, many martial artists who practiced the 'Ultimate Acupoint Opening Method' might ultimately need one hundred fifty years, or even two hundred years or more, to reach the end of this path.

"A hundred years of time, just to open acupoints..."

Qin Feng sighed softly, then cast these thoughts aside.

Others' paths were, after all, their own.

He had his own rhythm.

Having ended his long seclusion, the first thing Qin Feng did was sink his consciousness into the subspace network.

This was a good habit he had developed over time.

After being cut off from the world, the subspace network was undoubtedly the most efficient and convenient channel to quickly learn what had happened outside.

He skillfully opened the private forum of Canaan Starry Sky Martial Arts University.

Twelve years had passed, and the forum's layout had been updated countless times, becoming more ornate and complex.

But its boisterous, lively atmosphere remained unchanged.

Qin Feng paid no attention to gossip and idle chatter. He directly used the search function, entering a few keywords.

Soon, a large number of posts related to the previous edition—the one from ten years ago—of the 'Canaan Rookie Cup' were filtered out.

He casually clicked on a few of the most popular posts.

[Immortal Legend! Rookie King Shi Dang Rules the World!]

[In-depth Analysis: The King's Path of the Stone-Human Hybrid! Shi Dang's Physical Potential, Verified by Authoritative Institutions, Already Comparable to Gold Standard Human Class III! The Future Awaits!]

[Him Again! Zhou Run the Old Freak, Dominates the Fourth-Level Rookie Cup for the Third Consecutive Time! Squeezing Every Drop of Benefit to the Extreme, Outrageous!]

[Top Ten Dark Horses of This Year's Rookie Cup.]

...

Reading these striking titles, a hint of surprise appeared on Qin Feng's face.

"Oh? Shi Dang... actually became the Rookie King."

In his mind, he recalled the figure from twelve years ago—fragile and utterly vulnerable before him, yet ultimately so resolute.

It seemed that battle had not crushed him; instead, it had truly allowed him to sever his inner demons and rise from the ashes.

Qin Feng felt a faint sense of relief for this 'fellow townsman.'

His gaze then fell on another piece of information.

"Zhou Run... that monster with a life force index over three thousand points, is still competing in the fourth-level Rookie Cup?"

Qin Feng was both amused and exasperated.

This guy, for the sake of that first-place reward, was truly persistent.

Even if he was cursed on the forum, he still stubbornly kept squeezing out benefits.

He continued scrolling through the posts and soon saw some familiar names on the top 100 list.

Shi Potian, ranked 17th.

Qin Lan, ranked 29th.

Xiong Yanfu, barely squeezing into the top 100 at 88th place.

Seeing that his old friends had all achieved something, Qin Feng's mood brightened.

Closing the forum, he opened his private message inbox.

As expected, it was piled high with unread messages.

Among them, messages from Shi Potian, Xiong Yanfu, Lei Meng, Tiemu, and others were automatically pinned by the system.

Most of the messages were from ten years ago, shortly after he had begun his seclusion.

Their content was largely the same—words of concern and messages promising to gather together once he emerged from seclusion.

A warm smile appeared on Qin Feng's face.

Without hesitation, he replied to each of these friends.

"I've come out of seclusion. Everything is fine. I'm free anytime. Let me know when you are."

But after sending the messages, they vanished like stones dropped into the sea, with no one replying for now.

Qin Feng didn't mind. He figured they might be on missions or in seclusion themselves.

Having done all this, Qin Feng didn't rush to challenge the Canaan Tower or take on missions.

He had just concluded a twelve-year seclusion; though his vitality index had skyrocketed, his execution of those few killing techniques remained at a relatively raw stage.

Thus, he turned his gaze toward another major sector of the subspace network.

——【Imperial Arena】.

Unlike the PVE mode of Canaan Tower, the Imperial Arena was a pure PVP platform, a place for real-time combat with martial artists from the entire Human Empire.

More importantly, in low-tier ranked matches, the system forcibly locked both combatants' vitality indices at a baseline of 30 points.

This meant victory or defeat hinged entirely on combat skill, mastery of killing techniques, and on-the-spot reactions.

For Qin Feng at this moment, it was undoubtedly the perfect training ground for those newly acquired first-level boxing techniques, still at zero foundation.

Without a moment's hesitation, he directly clicked 【Start Ranked Match】.

...

Over the next three months, Qin Feng immersed himself completely in the Imperial Arena.

He became like a tireless battle machine, frantically engaging in match after match.

His opponents were of every conceivable kind.

With vitality indices completely equalized, every battle was an ultimate test of Qin Feng's combat wisdom and understanding of killing techniques.

He began to train those four newly learned boxing styles with a frenzy.

《Collapsing Mountain Fist》—its core essence lay in the character "collapse," emphasizing power originating from the feet, surging through the spine, and reaching the fist; a single punch unleashed with the force of mountains crumbling and earth splitting. In combat, he practiced the killing move 【Collapsing Punch】, clashing head-on with opponents again and again, savoring the thrill of that layered force transmitting and exploding in an instant.

《Jade-Shattering Hand》—it followed a path of striking vital points, targeting the enemy's weaknesses and unguarded spots. He trained the killing move 【Shatter Jade】, his fingers becoming like venom-tipped daggers, each strike aimed straight at the opponent's throat, heart, or joints.

《Stele-Splitting Hand》—emphasized overwhelming power, its killing move 【Split Stele】 dominating through sheer force.

《Thunderclap Fist》—focused on fierce assault, suppressing with fist speed and strength; its killing move 【Thunderclap Fist】 was equally not to be underestimated...

With the blessing of the 【Heaven Rewards Diligence】 system, combined with a torrent of real combat,

the proficiency of these four new boxing techniques soared at a visible rate.

From novice to minor accomplishment, to thorough mastery, and finally to perfection.

Only three months had passed.

When Qin Feng exited his final ranked match, the suffixes of those four boxing techniques on his personal panel had quietly changed.

【《Collapsing Mountain Fist》（Perfection）】

【《Jade-Shattering Hand》（Perfection）】

【《Stele-Splitting Hand》（Perfection）】

【《Thunderclap Fist》（Perfection）】

All four first-level boxing techniques had reached the state of perfection!

“Hoo...”

Qin Feng let out a long breath, feeling those four boxing techniques now deeply fused with his soul, a satisfied expression spreading across his face.

“Cold weapons are but extensions of fists and palms. With the foundation of these four fist and palm techniques firmly laid, my future training in spear, staff, blade, halberd, and other killing arts will surely yield twice the result with half the effort.”

He opened his long-dormant personal panel in the Imperial Arena, sealed for twelve years.

【ID: Qin】

【Rank: Second Tier, 215 Points】

【Bio: Practitioner of 《Thousand-Army Spear》】

【Total Wins: 11,032】

【Total Losses: 9,017】

【Win Rate: 55.01%】

Five-digit match count, a win rate not particularly high.

And beneath his panel, in the 【Enemy Comments】 section, a thick pile of “999+” messages had accumulated.

【Practitioner of 《Thousand-Army Spear》? Then what the hell is that “Fierce Owl Style”? Kid, you’re not honest.】

【(Crying face) Bro, I just wanted to practice footwork—why did you have to keep poking at my eyes?】

【Respectable opponent! Your fists are heavy! Looking forward to the next bout!】

【A control-realm prodigy monster—reported!】

【Just wide, heavy strikes, relentless assault.】

【A total madman, treating me like a greenskin.】

Gazing at the four boxing techniques on his personal panel that had quietly turned to “Perfection,” and below, the mountain of enemy comments brimming with every emotion, the corner of Qin Feng’s mouth curled into a faint smile.

Three months of frenzied combat had yielded even greater gains than he had anticipated.

He had pushed all four first-level boxing techniques to perfection.

These battles were solely for practicing killing techniques, not for familiarizing himself with his own strength or controlling his surging power.

Thinking of this, a sudden flash of insight struck Qin Feng. He recalled that in some shoddy novels circulating among the Empire’s lower classes—endlessly mutilated by countless revisions—there existed an absurd notion: after a surge in strength, a martial artist would need a lengthy “adaptation period” to control the suddenly acquired power.

To Qin Feng, this was the height of ridiculousness.

The martial cultivation system of the Human Empire was a supremely rigorous and scientific great system, built through eons of war and bloodfire, refined and optimized by countless sages and wise men.

He, Qin Feng, had spent a full twelve years raising his vitality index from 532 points to 1,730 points!

In those twelve years, he had consumed top-tier resources worth 4,600 contribution points and endured inhuman pain as his flesh was torn apart and reassembled countless times.

Every minute, every second, he had strictly and precisely executed the cultivation steps of the 《Great Sun Acupoint-Opening Method》; every breath, every heartbeat, was a struggle and fusion with the raging energy.

Every muscle, every bone, every meridian in his body had been meticulously forged by his own sweat, will, and time.

This power was inherently a part of him!

Why should he need to adapt?

Unless...

Unless this power was not obtained through his own arduous cultivation.

But through some vile, filthy transaction—for instance, sacrificing his soul to the four chaotic, evil entities deep in the subspace, thereby receiving a “blessing.”

Only that kind of externally forced, alien power could cause a martial artist to lose control, requiring a long time to adapt and digest, and even risk being devoured or consumed by that power, reduced to a pitiful, mindless walking corpse.

Any martial artist who followed the Empire’s orthodox martial path, step by steady step, steadily improving, could never experience such a state of “inability to control one’s surging power.”

They always maintained absolute, perfect mastery over every ounce of their strength!

“Perhaps this is a way to identify followers of the evil gods.”

“...”

Qin Feng murmured to himself.

Then, casting aside these stray thoughts, his attention returned to the Imperial Arena interface.

Four first-level boxing techniques—now perfected.

Next, it was time to begin cultivating that second-level killing technique highlighted by Instructor Yu Han—"Cold Gleam."

Second-level killing techniques, whether in the complexity of psychic energy application or the demands on skill, far surpassed first-level ones.

Locking the vitality index at thirty points no longer held much significance.

Qin Feng pondered for a moment, then decided to adjust the Imperial Arena's matchmaking rules, raising the vitality index lock limit to around five hundred points.

Under greater pressure, training in the second-level killing technique would be far more efficient.

Yet, just as he was about to make the settings—

Ding-dong!

Ding-dong!

Ding-dong!

A rapid succession of communication alerts from subspace friends suddenly rang out without pause.

Qin Feng blinked in surprise and opened the communication interface.

There, Shi Potian, Xiong Yanfu, Lei Meng, and Tiemu—four familiar avatars—were all flashing frantically on his friend list.

He opened Xiong Yanfu's message box; that guy, as always, had plenty to say.

"Whoa! Feng-ge! You finally came out of seclusion! Seeing your reply, the brothers are all hyped!"

"We just finished a team mission that lasted a year and a half, exhausted like dogs. Now we're back from the mission planet and about to have a big feast!"

"Better today than any other day—right now! How about it, Feng-ge? Got time? Let's all get together!"

Right after, Shi Potian's message popped up, as concise as ever.

"Qin Feng, come out and meet."

Lei Meng and Tiemu's messages followed close behind, their words brimming with the joy of reunion after a long separation.

He smiled and replied, "Alright, the usual place?"

"Deal!"

Xiong Yanfu replied instantly, "Food God District, Taotie Residence! We'll head over to grab seats—just come straight over!"

"Okay, I'll be there soon."

Ending the communication, Qin Feng closed the Imperial Arena interface.

Reuniting with old friends was also a joy in life.

Without a moment's delay, he set off, leaving the dormitory that had lain silent for twelve years, heading straight for the public teleportation array within the academy.

...

It was still that bustling district filled with the aroma of life, gathering countless delicacies from across the universe.

It was still that ancient, majestic restaurant, teeming with guests like clouds.

Taotie Residence.

When Qin Feng's figure appeared at the restaurant's entrance, the familiar yet strange clamor made him pause in a momentary daze.

Twelve years had passed—this place seemed unchanged, yet everything had changed.

He stepped inside and walked skillfully toward the private rooms on the second floor.

Just as he reached the stairway, a booming voice full of surprise came from not far away.

"Feng-ge! Over here!"

Qin Feng followed the sound and saw, in a large private room by the window on the second floor, several familiar figures waving excitedly at him.

Xiong Yanfu still had that effortlessly warm demeanor, the bald Lei Meng smiled like a Maitreya Buddha, and the taciturn Tiemu wore a rare hint of a smile.

And among them, a figure with an upright posture and a cold, icy bearing sat quietly. The moment he saw Qin Feng, a faint ripple stirred in his calm, well-like eyes.

It was Shi Potian.

After twelve years, this former close friend's aura had grown deeper and more restrained, like a peerless divine blade sheathed in its scabbard.

A genuine smile spread across Qin Feng's face as he quickened his pace toward them.

But just as he was about to step into the private room, his footsteps faltered slightly.

Because he noticed that in the corner of the room sat another person.

Someone he had never expected to find here.

That person was powerfully built, with a heavy, mountain-like presence, and his dark-gold skin reflected a metallic luster under the light.

It was the stone-man hybrid prodigy who had claimed the title of "Rookie King" in the latest newcomer cup.

Shi Dang.

(End of this chapter)