Chapter 182: Vitality Index 5560! Hell-level Mission! Shocking

Chapter 182: Life Force Index 5560! Hell-Level Mission! The Three Powerhouses Stunned by Their Progress!

"Three more dead?"

"What's going on?"

Qin Feng looked at the mission panel in confusion.

The intelligence column had updated once again.

[Target's latest estimated life force index: 6000.0 points]

Six thousand points!

Qin Feng clearly remembered that the last time he checked this mission, Shi Dang's life force index was still 5400 points.

And that was only a little over two years ago!

"In other words, in just over two years, Shi Dang has increased his life force index by a full six hundred points!"

This set off alarm bells in Qin Feng's heart.

This speed was too fast!

So fast that it was utterly unreasonable, suffocating!

It meant that in these short two-plus years, Shi Dang must have once again, through endless, bloody slaughter, sacrificed a vast number of powerful heads and souls to the "Lord of Skulls" he worshipped!

Such rapid improvement!

Even with his Ten Complete Hands and vast resources, Qin Feng couldn't match Shi Dang's pace of growth.

Qin Feng's gaze continued downward.

[Known abilities updated: Target has confirmed mastery of multiple "Level 4 Killing Techniques," cultivated to the "Minor Accomplishment" realm. According to the latest intelligence, the target, relying on the "Blood Blade" killing move and with the assistance of numerous "Khorne" followers, successfully escaped the pursuit of an Empire Level 7 "Mountain and Sea Realm" martial artist.]

"Level 4 Killing Techniques at Minor Accomplishment... even comprehended a killing move..."

Qin Feng fell silent as he read this intelligence.

He subconsciously glanced at his own attribute panel, visible only to himself.

In the [Killing Techniques] column, the Level 3 spear technique he prided himself on, the one he had just barely begun to master—the "Qiankun Spear"—seemed so insignificant.

He had only just cultivated a "Level 3 Killing Technique" that didn't involve mental power to the Minor Accomplishment stage.

But Shi Dang had already cultivated the more powerful and eerie "Level 4 Killing Technique," which required mental power, to the Minor Accomplishment stage, and even comprehended his own killing move!

Moreover, he could escape from a Level 7 "Mountain and Sea Realm" powerhouse!

Although the intelligence mentioned "the assistance of numerous Khorne followers," being able to do this was enough to prove how terrifying and troublesome Shi Dang's current strength had become.

"I'm still... not fast enough."

"I need to work even harder."

Qin Feng slowly closed the mission page.

The heavy pressure he had just suppressed once again loomed over him like dark clouds.

The life-and-death race between him and his only destined enemy was far from over.

...

Time is the most fair and ruthless measure in the universe.

It never stops for anyone.

Whether it's a martial artist immersed in secluded cultivation or a degenerate roaming and killing among the stars.

Another ten years passed in the blink of an eye.

...

At the Canaan Star Martial Arts University, the exclusive preparation base of the "Fearless" Battle Group.

Qin Feng appeared here once again.

He sent his "Minglong I-Type" power armor, battered and cracked with multiple armor breaches from yet another mission, into the repair channel.

Then, as he had done countless times before, he quietly found a corner and leaned against the cold alloy wall to wait.

These ten years had been incredibly fulfilling and incredibly arduous.

Qin Feng was like a tightly wound, never-stopping top.

Either executing missions or in seclusion for cultivation.

He was racing against time.

In these ten years, he had successfully performed "acupoint fusion" one hundred and thirty times.

By now, the "Great Sun Acupoint" within his body had been successfully fused 196 times!

And his life force index had soared steadily, reaching 5560 points!

This was a terrifying number that would leave any genius of the same level practicing the "Supreme Acupoint Fusion Method" utterly astounded.

But Qin Feng was not proud.

Years of fighting in blood and fire had made his heart as steady as a rock.

"Ten years ago, Shi Dang already had a life force index of 6000; now he must be even stronger."

"My current life force index only matches his from ten years ago."

As he waited for his power armor to be repaired, Qin Feng quietly watched the bustling preparation base, now so familiar to him.

He saw many unfamiliar "new" faces, full of vitality and energy.

He also saw many "old" faces like his own, their features long stripped of youth, their eyes filled with calm and determination.

He just watched it all quietly.

A feeling of being in a different world arose in his heart.

By now, a full sixty-two years had passed since he first stepped through the gates of Canaan Star Martial Arts University.

And only eight years remained until the grand, once-in-a-century Battle Group Ranking Tournament completely concluded.

In the past twenty-two years, he had completed over a hundred "Warrior-level" team missions.

His accumulated battle group competition points had long surpassed the three-thousand mark.

The [C-level Custom Resource Pack], which required 100 points to exchange.

And the [B-level Custom Resource Pack], which required 1000 points to exchange.

He had already obtained them all.

The so-called "custom resource packs" were actually just cultivation resources and special equipment automatically screened and packaged by the system based on his strength and needs.

Qin Feng felt there was nothing particularly special about them.

Perhaps it was because his resource pack level wasn't high enough?

What would the [A-level Custom Resource Pack], which required ten thousand points to exchange, look like?

Qin Feng shook his head and stopped thinking about it.

In his mind, he silently cataloged the progress he had made over the past ten years regarding his ultimate martial techniques.

Those initial ten second-tier combat techniques exchanged from the warband had long been honed to the point of mastery through hundreds of life-and-death struggles.

Even the Universe Spear, a third-tier spearmanship technique that had cost him immense effort just to initiate, had been successfully brought to the realm of absolute perfection through continuous combat and profound realization.

Furthermore, he had derived from it a definitive ultimate strike belonging uniquely to this technique, the Cosmos.

Yet, it was precisely because he had poured a vast amount of energy into this deep and profound Universe Spear.

As a result, over these ten years, he had not found much time to perfect those self-created combat techniques of his own.

With my current strength, it is about time to challenge the Hell-grade missions.

Qin Feng reached a decision within his heart.

Hell-grade missions offered contribution points and prestige that were several times greater than those of Hero-grade ones.

Given his current vitality index which soared to 5560 points, alongside combat skills that were no longer what they used to be, continuing Hero-grade missions made it difficult to feel the fatal danger necessary to force further progress.

...

When Qin Feng finished repairing his power armor and returned to his private dormitory, which had long felt like a second home.

He did not immediately filter through those death-defying yet seductive Hell-grade missions on the task panel.

He merely sat quietly with his legs crossed.

After a moment, he dialed that communication number, a ritual he had maintained for decades as if it were a single day.

The light screen flickered to life, and a deeply lined, weather-beaten, yet incredibly familiar and kindly face appeared on the screen.

It was his father, Qin Dahai.

For over twenty years, Qin Feng's communication with his home had never ceased.

His father, Qin Dahai, had long since restored his body to wholeness after receiving the top-tier limb-regeneration serum that Qin Feng had sent back.

But the erosion of time was something no serum could ever reverse.

Only a leap in the level of life itself could break the shackles of a natural lifespan!

Because he had sustained too many deep, bone-deep hidden injuries on the battlefield during his youth, and had later missed the prime window for treatment in order to cure Qin Feng's stubborn underlying illness.

This caused Qin Dahai's hidden injuries to be extremely severe.

The cultivation method he practiced was also the most ordinary medium-tier acupuncture point opening technique, resulting in a small number and poor quality of points.

Furthermore, he had consistently failed to achieve any breakthrough progress in the cultivation of mental strength.

All of this caused his martial arts path to be completely stuck at the level of a fifth-stage martial artist, unable to advance even an inch further.

His vitality index was only around a mere one hundred points, which, if placed within the Canaan Starry Sky Martial Arts University, would be at the absolute lowest tier among all fifth-stage martial artists.

Seventy-nine years had passed since Qin Feng was born.

His father, who was a full forty years older than Qin Feng, was now nearly one hundred and twenty years old.

For a fifth-stage martial artist with a vitality index of only one hundred points, this age meant he had visibly entered the twilight of his life.

In the video, his father's hair had long since turned completely white.

The wrinkles on his face were as deep and dense as if carved by a knife.

Qin Feng could even detect that lingering weariness belonging to old age from within those slightly clouded eyes.

Ah, son, I am old.

On the other side of the video, Qin Dahai looked at his son, who was already extraordinarily heroic and possessed an aura as steady as a mountain, a smile of gratification mixed with a touch of sorrow appearing on his face.

I suppose, in this lifetime, I will never be able to get that damned mental strength to meet the qualification standards.

Feng'er, your father does not know how much longer he can live.

But your father's life has been worth it, truly worth it!

To have raised a renowned peerless genius like you, your father can die with his eyes closed in peace!

His voice was somewhat raspy, bearing the unique lack of breath characteristic of the elderly.

When your father is gone one day, remember to maintain a good relationship with your maternal uncle's family, as well as your two cousins.

They are at the Top 100 Starry Sky Martial Arts University, and though they cannot compare to you, they are still rare talents who might become a help to you in the future.

...

His father was very talkative, and Qin Feng just listened quietly like that.

Half an hour later, the light screen slowly faded away.

Stay safe, Ah Feng.

That was the final sentence his father, Qin Dahai, left him before disconnecting the call.

Qin Feng sat quietly in the center of the dormitory, remaining motionless for a long time.

His father's lined, aged face and that complex emotion contained within those clouded eyes, a mixture of gratification and the loneliness and reluctance of a life nearing its end, lingered in his mind.

He knew that his father was truly old.

Hamer.

Qin Feng said, Open the tournament mission panel and filter the tasks. For the mission grade, select Hell-grade!

Yes, Master.

Hamer's efficiency was as swift as ever.

In the next second, the originally vast list of Hero-grade missions before Qin Feng's eyes vanished instantly.

In its place appeared a completely new list of tasks, reduced in number by several hundred times, yet every single one radiated a heart-palpitating, blood-red light.

Hell-grade Mission List

Every single task here represented the ultimate danger and the ultimate reward.

Qin Feng's gaze swept quickly across the titles of these missions.

Mission: Hunt the "Void Throat"—an adult, starship-devouring sixth-stage cosmic beast.

Mission: Infiltrate the forbidden forge world of the "Machine Cult" and steal the construction blueprints for the "Immortal" legion.

Mission: Survive for one hundred days in the "Howling Abyss" and bring back a sample of the "Heart of the Abyss."

...

His gaze finally halted upon one specific mission that caused his breathing to catch slightly.

Mission Name: Cleansing of the Blood God's Nest

Mission Objective: Completely eliminate the "Blood Blade" Khorne cultist group entrenched upon the "Abandoned World" Planet K-13.

Mission Type: Team Mission (Required number of participants: 4 people)

Mission Difficulty: Hell-grade

Mission Reward: 80,000 contribution points, 240,000 warband prestige points, 5,000 tournament points

Khorne cultists!

Yet another disciple of Khorne!

A shard of bone-chilling frost flashed through Qin Feng's eyes.

But as his gaze lingered upon the staggering, almost terrifying bounty offered for the mission, he began to calculate.

"A single excursion, and I can net two hundred and forty thousand chapter reputation points!"

"And right now, I am still short of the resources equivalent to over a million reputation points to completely fuse and refine all my acupoints."

"Which means..."

"If I can successfully complete four or five of these 'Hell-grade' missions, I will have amassed all the resources I require!"

Without further hesitation, he submitted his application to join the squad.

However, just as he assumed his request would be swiftly approved, as it had been countless times before.

A cold, crimson system notification abruptly flashed before his eyes.

[Your application to join the squad has been rejected by the captain.]

Moreover, just beneath the rejection notice, there lay a brief, laconic message left by the captain.

[Message - "Long Yu": Strength too deficient, the hazard level of this mission is exceedingly high, I cannot accept.]

Strength too deficient?

Qin Feng caught himself in a daze.

Subconsciously, he tapped open his personal profile panel.

Only then did he realize that the display still bore the obsolete information from before his last secluded cultivation.

[Name: Qin Feng]

[Rank: Tier-5 Martial Artist]

[Vitality Index: 4800 points]

[Enrollment Time: Year 58]

[...]

It was small wonder the other party had rejected him without a moment's second thought.

After all, a "Hell-grade" mission was calibrated against the difficulty of floors 61 to 90 of the Canaan Tower, reserved exclusively for those martial artists whose vitality index had reached 5000+.

A martial artist whose vitality index did not even touch five thousand, yet aspired to partake in a mission of this echelon, would appear to anyone else as either someone seeking a swift death, or a whimsical freeloader looking to leech rewards.

To make matters worse, his enrollment time stood at a mere fifty-eight years.

Qin Feng immediately began to manipulate the background settings of his profile.

He corrected his information, updating it to its latest status.

[Name: Qin Feng]

[Rank: Tier-5 Martial Artist]

[Vitality Index: 5560 points]

[Killing Method Realm: First-tier Killing Method (Ten mastered), Second-tier Killing Method (Eleven mastered), Third-tier Killing Method (One perfected, killing move comprehended)]

[Enrollment Time: Year 62]

Having thus displayed his true might in the most straightforward manner possible.

Qin Feng submitted his application to join the squad once more.

This time, the application was not met with an instantaneous rejection.

After a wait of some dozen seconds, a brand-new notification finally chimed from the system.

[Your application to join the squad has been approved.]

Directly following it was a second message from the captain, "Long Yu."

[Message - From "Long Yu": Please assemble immediately at the "Dauntless" Chapter's A-1 teleportation zone for verification of strength. This is a matter of life and death, not to be trifled with, please understand.]

Qin Feng understood the other man's intent instantly.

One moment he had been rejected, and the very next, he had enacted a massive "update" upon his strength statistics.

Such conduct, in the eyes of any observer, would be fraught with suspicion.

It was only natural for the other party to suspect that he had deliberately falsified his strength just to piggyback on the mission.

Far from feeling any resentment toward such prudence, Qin Feng felt a deeper sense of approval for this captain he had yet to meet.

For it signified that this was a man who bore an absolute responsibility toward his own life and the lives of his comrades.

Wasting no time, Qin Feng immediately activated the teleportation array and departed for the designated assembly point.

...

The "Dauntless" Chapter, A-1 Teleportation Zone.

This was the highest-tier staging area, reserved exclusively for elite squads executing "Hell-grade" and "Nightmare-grade" missions.

The space here was far vaster and far more solemn than any teleportation zone Qin Feng had previously frequented.

The entire hall possessed a cold, dark-gold metallic texture, imparting a sense of immense grandeur and oppressive gravity.

Qin Feng's figure materialized upon the teleportation platform.

The moment he stepped off, he caught sight of three figures standing silently not far away.

Two of them seemed to have just concluded a sparring match within a "Private Combat Space."

While the individual at their head watched them in absolute silence.

He was a young man whose posture was as straight and unyielding as a pine, his face as handsome as carved jade, and his aura gentle and courteous, reminiscent of an ancient scholar steeped in literature.

Yet, from the deep recesses of those seemingly placid eyes, Qin Feng could sense a terrifying power, as vast and inscrutable as an abyss.

This person, undoubtedly, was the captain of this mission—Long Yu.

Of the two martial artists who had just finished their bout, one emerged from the combat space with a trace of regret and unwilling resignation on his face, yet he ultimately clasped his hands toward Long Yu with a clean, sportsmanlike grace. "Senior Long Yu, my skills are inferior. My strength is not yet sufficient to partake in this mission. I will not hold everyone back."

With those words, he decisively chose to leave the squad.

The gentle youth whom he addressed as "Senior Long Yu" nodded slightly toward him and said, "Qin He, your strength is already formidable. It is merely that this mission is indeed too perilous. Once you have cultivated the 'Sea-Overturning Blade' to perfection, we will welcome your return at any time."

The martial artist named Qin He nodded, spoke no further, and his figure dissolved into the light of teleportation.

The remaining comrade was a tall female martial artist with a voluptuous figure, clad in a tight-fitting, fiery-red combat suit.

A confident smile played upon her lips.

Long Yu nodded to her and said, "Wen Muyun, welcome to the squad."

"My thanks, Senior Long Yu."

The female martial artist named Wen Muyun replied with a smile.

Only after resolving all of this did Long Yu's gaze finally fall upon Qin Feng, who had arrived a short while ago.

Qin Feng spoke, neither servile nor overbearing, "Senior Long Yu, I am Qin Feng."

Good.

Long Yu nodded gently in return, a courteous bow of the head.

His gaze lingered on Qin Feng for a moment, as if appraising something.

After a brief pause, he spoke: “Junior Qin Feng, add me as a friend on the subspace network. Then, please come to the private domain battle space for a sparring session.”

“Understood.”

Qin Feng gave a slight nod.

This was the most critical “interview.”

Only by demonstrating strength worthy of a “hell-level” mission in actual combat

could he earn the approval of this captain.

“Understood.”

In the face of Long Yu’s gentle yet unyielding invitation, Qin Feng’s reply was concise and forceful.

He swiftly accepted the friend request sent by Long Yu on his personal terminal.

Immediately after, a private battle space invitation from Long Yu popped up.

Qin Feng accepted without hesitation.

Hum—

The scene before him shifted in an instant.

The dark-gold teleportation hall, filled with solemnity and oppression, receded like a tide.

In its place appeared a vast, boundless, pure-white virtual space composed of the most basic data streams.

This was the “private domain battle space” of Canaan Starry Sky Martial University—the most direct and effective place to test a martial artist’s true strength.

A hundred meters ahead of Qin Feng, Long Yu’s upright, pine-like figure had already materialized.

Neither chose to equip heavy power armor.

On Qin Feng’s body appeared a form-fitting black light armor, sleek and streamlined.

In his hand, he held a virtual alloy long spear provided by the subspace private domain battle space.

Across from him, Long Yu’s attire was equally simple.

A set of light armor in a single color, an alloy long blade.

“The rules are simple.”

Long Yu’s voice rang out in the pure-white space. “Life force index is not locked; no killing techniques are restricted.”

“I will only defend, not attack.”

“You will use all your strength to attack me.”

“Until I deem your strength sufficient for this mission.”

“Understood.”

Qin Feng nodded slightly in verification.

“Then…”

Long Yu’s eyes, deep as an abyss, sharpened in an instant like blades. “Begin.”

The moment the words fell.

A vast, terrifying aura, enough to make the entire virtual space tremble faintly, erupted from Long Yu’s seemingly gentle, jade-like body!

7200.0 points!

That terrifying life force, representing the theoretical limit of the top-grade Acupoint Fusion Technique’s fifth stage, the “Acupoint Fusion Realm,” belonging to a “Minor Limit” powerhouse, swept through the space like an invisible storm!

Before this aura, Qin Feng felt as if he were facing a boundless, unfathomable sea of stars.

Powerful, unfathomable.

This was the strength possessed by the top three fifth-level martial artists of the Fearless War Brigade!

Yet Qin Feng’s gaze did not waver in the slightest.

Far from feeling any fear, a long-lost, blazing battle intent surged within him!

It had been too long since he had encountered an opponent who could make him fight without reservation, with all his might!

“Please instruct me, Senior!”

With a low shout, Qin Feng’s form moved!

Boom—!

The ground beneath his feet exploded!

His life force index, as high as 5560 points, was fully unleashed in that moment!

Even more terrifying, his physical body—already beyond common sense, comparable to a “Star Beast”—now erupted with a monstrous strength far exceeding what his life force index should allow!

He became like an electromagnetic cannonball fired from a barrel, enough to tear through starship armor, crossing a hundred meters in an instant to appear before Long Yu with a terrifying momentum that seemed to rend everything!

The spear in his hand transformed into a black lightning bolt, striking straight and fiercely at Long Yu’s chest in the simplest, most direct manner!

This thrust contained no killing moves.

Only the purest, most extreme—power and speed!

Faced with this lightning-fast thrust, a hint of surprise flickered across Long Yu’s gentle, jade-like face for the first time.

He did not retreat, nor did he dodge.

He simply placed the alloy long blade horizontally before him.

“Clang—!!!”

A piercing, ear-splitting metallic clash, as if to tear the eardrums apart, exploded!

The spear tip and the blade met precisely.

A visible, transparent energy ripple spread outward from the two of them!

Qin Feng felt as if his spear had struck an immovable divine mountain from ancient times.

A vast yet incredibly condensed force transmitted from the blade, halting his forward momentum abruptly.

Across from him, Long Yu’s form remained utterly still.

But the pure-white data ground beneath his feet cracked inch by inch, spreading dozens of meters away!

In his hands gripping the blade, even the tiger’s mouth felt a faint, almost imperceptible numbing tremor.

“Such formidable strength!”

A note of genuine admiration flashed in Long Yu’s eyes.

“The pure kinetic energy in that thrust far exceeds what a life force index of 5500 points should produce!”

“Your physical constitution is exceptional.”

He gave his assessment, gently.

Then the long blade in his hand gave a slight tremor, and sent Qin Feng's spear skittering aside.

"Continue."

His eyes were filled with anticipation.

"Let me see your true killing methods!"

"Good!"

Qin Feng's battle intent was fully ignited!

He held nothing back any longer!

In the next second, his entire aura shifted abruptly.

The *Thousand-Army Spear*! The *Dragon-Serpent Spear*! The *Wind-Thunder Staff*!

One after another, killing arts he had long cultivated to the realm of "Mastery" flowed from his hands with effortless grace, like drifting clouds and flowing water!

His spear momentum sometimes surged like a thousand troops and ten thousand horses, charging forward with majestic grandeur, steeped in the brutal clash of iron and blood!

At other times, it coiled like dragons and serpents rising from the earth, eerie and unpredictable, the spear shadows flickering within inches, treacherous and ruthless, striking straight at vital points!

And then, it would be laced with the might of wind and thunder—every thrust seemed to unleash a thunderclap, reaching the pinnacle of speed and ferocity!

Amid this storm of spear momentum, he also wove in fist and palm techniques that had likewise reached the "Mastery" realm!

The *Fierce Bird Fist*! The *Collapsing Mountain Fist*! The *Jade-Shattering Hand*!

Sometimes he abandoned the spear, meeting the blade with fists, unyielding and fierce!

Other times, while his spear thrust like a dragon, his left hand transformed into a palm, striking eerily at Long Yu's defensive blind spots!

For a moment, the entire pure-white virtual space was filled only with his ever-shifting figure and the sky full of deadly spear shadows and fist winds!

Yet facing this violent, unending onslaught, Long Yu remained purely on the defensive, never attacking.

He stood rooted to the spot, as if his feet had taken root, never moving even half a step.

The alloy long blade in his hand transformed into an impenetrable silver curtain of light, shielding himself firmly within it.

No matter how fierce, how bizarre, or how swift Qin Feng's attacks were,

they could never breach that seemingly thin yet unbreakable blade barrier.

Long Yu used no flashy killing moves—only the most basic blocks, parries, deflections, and redirects.

Qin Feng's assault grew faster and fiercer!

He poured out everything he had learned and comprehended over decades of blood and fire, holding nothing back!

Finally, after another violent collision of spear and blade,

Qin Feng used the recoil to drift backward tens of meters.

He held his spear with both hands, standing before him, his entire aura settling in that moment.

He slowly closed his eyes.

In his mind, he visualized the eternal, supreme figure that guarded the boundless domains of the human empire—immortal and exalted.

A supreme majesty and authority, born of the Emperor, began to gather slowly upon him.

At the same time, the wills of all the killing arts he had cultivated over these decades began to interweave and merge within his body.

All of it converged at last upon the alloy spear in his hands!

Qin Feng's ultimate killing move—[Golden Throne]!

Qin Feng moved.

He no longer exploded with earth-shattering speed as before.

Instead, he slowly took a step forward.

One step landed.

The spear in his hand thrust out slowly.

This thrust appeared so slow,

so slow that even an ordinary person could easily dodge it.

But in Long Yu's eyes, this thrust sealed off every possible space for evasion.

A brilliant, unprecedented light burst forth in Long Yu's eyes!

He swung his blade, unleashing a killing move to counter Qin Feng's [Golden Throne] technique.

He let out a hearty laugh, filled with unbridled exhilaration.

"Excellent move—[Golden Throne]!"

The long blade in his hand finally, for the first time, actively met the attack!

...

The pure-white virtual space slowly dissipated.

The figures of Qin Feng and Long Yu reappeared in the dark-gold, solemn teleportation hall.

Qin Feng's face bore a trace of exhilaration after the intense bout.

Long Yu, looking at his junior, had eyes filled with undisguised admiration and praise.

"Your realm of killing arts is extremely high."

"Your strength, endurance, and speed far exceed the norm for a martial artist of your life-force index."

He paused, a gentle smile spreading across his face.

"Congratulations, Junior Qin Feng."

"You have successfully joined the team."

—

After Qin Feng's successful induction, Long Yu did not immediately set out with them.

Because one more member was still needed.

Qin Feng and Wen Muyun, standing nearby, did not ask further.

They both understood that for a mission of "Hell" difficulty, preparations must be exceedingly thorough.

Not a single link could afford the slightest error.

Before long,

the long-dormant A-1 main teleportation ring blazed with an incomparably brilliant, dazzling golden light!

The radiance was so intense that even the entire dark-gold teleportation hall was bathed in a layer of sacred gold.

Then, a figure even taller and more robust than anyone before stepped out from within.

It was a burly man with a mane of resplendent golden hair, as majestic and imposing as a lion.

He wore a set of golden heavy power armor, covered in ornate reliefs, and even draped over his shoulder guards was a magnificent cape made from the pelt of an unknown exotic beast, symbolizing supreme glory.

The moment he appeared, a terrifying aura, scorching like the sun and bursting with explosive power, instantly swept through the entire hall!

Qin Feng could clearly feel that the dreadfulness of this golden-haired giant’s presence was in no way inferior to that of Captain Long Yu beside him.

Another top-tier fifth-level martial artist, who had cultivated his life force index to the “Minor Limit” of 7200 points!

“Nissan.”

Long Yu looked at the newcomer, and a relieved smile finally appeared on his face, as gentle and warm as jade.

“You’re finally done.”

“If I had to wait any longer for you, I really wouldn’t know where to find another qualified teammate. It would take forever.”

As he spoke, Long Yu pointed at Qin Feng and Wen Muyun beside him.

“Just now, I eliminated one who wasn’t strong enough. The remaining two teammates are both excellent, with very formidable strength.”

He first pointed at Qin Feng and introduced him: “This is Junior Qin Feng.”

Then he pointed at the fiery-bodied female martial artist: “And this is Wen Mumuyun.”

Finally, he introduced them to Qin Feng and Wen Muyun: “This is Nissan, our last teammate for this mission. His strength is the same as mine, having reached the ‘Minor Limit’ of 7200 life force index.”

After the introductions, the lion-like golden-haired giant Nissan swept his gaze over Qin Feng and Wen Muyun.

When he saw Qin Feng, he was momentarily startled, then a broad, overly familiar grin spread across his face.

“Hahaha! So it’s you two!”

He laughed heartily, his voice echoing through the hall like a great bell.

“One is ‘Qin Beast,’ the other is ‘Muyun Blade’! Both are famous figures in our Canaan!”

“Oh?”

Long Yu raised an eyebrow, a hint of confusion on his face: “You know them?”

Nissan rolled his eyes dramatically and said in a tone dripping with disdain, “You blockhead who never looks at the forum even once in a hundred years—don’t talk to me. It’s useless.”

“Fine.”

Long Yu wore a helpless expression.

“There’s no helping it. I spend all my time training, and it’s still not enough.”

“You know, for martial artists like us who practice the ‘Ultimate Aperture Opening Method’ and ‘Ultimate Aperture Closing Method,’ this path is as hard as reaching the sky. Every step forward requires several times, even dozens of times, more time and resources than others.”

“I have to keep pushing myself. There’s no time to browse forums.”

Long Yu said this lightly, as if it were nothing.

But to Qin Feng, Wen Muyun, and even Nissan, his words struck a deep chord, resonating with them.

Yes.

To achieve progress far beyond ordinary people, one must put in effort far beyond ordinary people.

This path has never had any shortcuts.

However, Nissan glanced at Qin Feng, then at his personal data, and said in an even more helpless tone, as if looking at a monster:

“Alright, alright. We can all relate, but Qin Feng, don’t you dare chime in.”

He pointed at Qin Feng.

“Forty years to perfect Aperture Opening! And now, another twenty-two years have passed, and he’s already completed nearly two hundred Aperture Closings!”

“Comparing people really drives you crazy!”

His voice was filled with undisguised “envy” and “admiration.”

Long Yu, standing by, smiled and patted Nissan’s broad shoulder, teasing:

“Nissan, you only see the surface numbers. The effort and sweat behind the scenes are what you don’t see.”

“Fine, you know best.”

Nissan waved his hand: “Enough of this. Let’s get down to business. What’s the real situation with this mission?”

His face shed its playful expression and turned serious.

Long Yu nodded and began to brief them on the intelligence for this “Hell-level” mission.

“This time, the ‘Blood Blade’ Khorne worshipper cell we’re going to purify—according to the latest intel from the Inquisition—its origin is very likely spread by that traitor from Canaan, Shi Dang.”

When the name “Shi Dang” left Long Yu’s lips,

a cold, bone-piercing chill flashed deep in Qin Feng’s eyes.

Long Yu continued: “This worshipper cell has already produced several powerful sixth-level martial artists. The strongest among them have even mastered the eerie ‘Fourth-Level Killing Technique’ passed down by Shi Dang, and have already entered its threshold.”

“Therefore,”

His gaze swept across the three of them, and his tone became extremely solemn, “In this mission, we will face not only physical attacks. More dangerous are the mental assaults.”

“I demand that each of you wear the highest-grade ‘Mental Energy Protection Device’ you can afford! Do not be stingy with your contribution points in this regard!”

“Because once you are eroded by that chaotic mental energy in battle, the consequences are unimaginable.”

After laying out these basic precautions, Long Yu then revealed a deeper piece of intelligence that even surprised Qin Feng.

“Also, there’s one more thing you all need to know.”

“Our team’s mission this time, besides purifying those Khorne worshippers, actually has another, more important hidden purpose.”

“We are, in fact, ‘bait.’”

“Bait?”

Wen Muyun’s beautiful brows furrowed slightly.

“That’s right.”

Long Yu nodded and explained, “Intelligence suggests that Shi Dang himself might be active near the K-13 planet. By taking on this ‘Hell-level’ mission targeting the worshipper cell he spread, we are doing so conspicuously to lure him out.”

“Our war band has a senior who has reached the ‘Planetary Level’ following us in secret.”

“Once Shi Dang actually appears, that senior will strike immediately, suppressing and killing him with overwhelming force!”

“He will never be given another chance to escape!”

(Chapter End)