Chapter 211: Official Graduation! Leaving Canaan Starry Sky Martial Arts University! Universe

Chapter 211: Official Graduation! Leaving Canaan Starry Martial Arts University! The Cosmic Genius Competition Begins!

As Yu Han’s hearty, unrestrained laughter echoed, the grand path leading to the peak of the universe, along with the heavy truth of the Emperor’s backing behind it, thoroughly settled into Qin Feng’s heart.

His mood at this moment was one of awe toward the long road ahead.

"Alright, everything that was meant for you has been given to you."

Yu Han reined in his laughter, his expression returning to its usual composure, "And everything you needed to know has been told to you."

He waved his hand and said in a relaxed tone, "Next, go back and prepare yourself. Head out to the Cosmic Genius Competition. I will be waiting for your name to shake the galaxy!"

"Understood."

Qin Feng nodded solemnly.

With a shift of his mind, he stored the massive, deep blue power armor and the standard-issue alloy long spear entirely into his sub-space storage unit.

Having done all this, he took a step back, faced Yu Han, and bowed deeply.

This bow was silent, yet it contained ten thousand words.

Instructor Yu Han’s method of teaching was completely different from that of his high school enlightenment mentors, Lin Yue, Gu Yue, and Wu Shangfeng.

Those three mentors had guided him hand-in-hand from a youth with a damaged foundation onto the true path of martial arts, their kindness as monumental as a mountain.

Yu Han, however, was more like a guide standing at a higher vantage point; he would not interfere with the specific details of Qin Feng's cultivation, yet he would always clear the mist and point out the direction at the most critical nexuses.

That experience which seemed like a "chance encounter," but was actually a meticulously arranged opportunity where Master Sun Chantang personally imparted the Imperial strategic-level nurturing technique, the "Ten Complete Hands"...

Qin Feng understood it all in his heart.

Without figures of Yu Han’s or even Captain Zhou Xiong's caliber silently pushing behind the scenes, such a thing would have been absolutely impossible.

Qin Feng was well aware of this care and advancement hidden deep within the details.

He was not a man skilled in expressing emotions with words, so he infused all of his gratitude into this single, deep bow.

Yu Han accepted the salute placidly, naturally understanding Qin Feng’s sentiment.

He laughed heartily and waved his hand, "No need for words, go on."

"I await the day your name shakes the galaxy at the Cosmic Genius Competition!"

Qin Feng straightened his body, took a final look at his instructor, and nodded once more.

Subsequently, wrapped in the faint shimmer of sub-space energy, his figure gradually became transparent, finally vanishing silently from within this quiet stone tower.

...

Light and shadow shifted, and when the surrounding scenery grew clear again, Qin Feng had already returned to his dormitory.

Qin Feng sat cross-legged, sinking his consciousness into his sub-space network.

The moment he connected, a pinned message sent by the school's official system popped up.

[Respected Student Qin Feng, you have successfully fulfilled all graduation requirements and have officially graduated from Canaan Starry Martial Arts University.

Here, we sincerely wish you abundant martial fortune, an unobstructed martial path, and a magnificent future.]

Immediately following it was another, even more important notification.

[Based on the evaluation of your comprehensive performance during your time at school, as well as the outstanding results you achieved in the official Imperial "Starry Sky Cup" tournament, you have automatically obtained qualification for this session of the "Cosmic Genius Competition." Would you like to register immediately?]

Without any hesitation.

"Yes."

With his mental will, Qin Feng confirmed instantly.

[You have successfully registered for the "Cosmic Genius Competition" (Minor War Zone).]

[Remaining time until the official opening of this session of the Cosmic Genius Competition: 2 years, 11 months, 29 days.]

[Please ensure you arrive at the designated gathering point of the Minor War Zone three months prior to the start of the competition: The Pillars of Creation.]

[The position coordinates are as follows: ...]

A stream of complex star map coordinate data was precisely stored into his personal terminal.

Qin Feng silently looked at that string of countdown numbers. A span of less than three years might not be short for an ordinary person, but for planetary-level powerhouses who regularly closed up for decades or centuries, it was almost the blink of an eye.

"In the remaining time of less than three years, I must channel all my energy into cultivation."

He swiftly mapped out his upcoming path, "There are two core objectives: first, cultivate and comprehend the fundamental planetary-level refinement method, the 'Canaan Scripture'; second, attempt to cultivate that level-seven killing technique, the 'Nine-Fold Blood Spear'."

"The time is too short; I expect I can only gain the most rudimentary understanding of the 'Canaan Scripture.' As for that level-seven killing technique... I hope I can successfully cross the threshold."

Qin Feng murmured to himself.

He severed all external communications and activated the highest level of seclusion mode in his dormitory.

The energy shield of the entire room was activated, forming an independent space completely isolated from the outside world.

Afterward, he sank his mind entirely into his sea of consciousness, beginning to analyze that supreme refinement method he had just obtained which led straight to the black hole level—the "Canaan Scripture."

Boom!

The instant he made contact with that torrent of data, a vast, ancient, and inconceivably intricate mass of information exploded within his spiritual world like a cosmic big bang.

Just the planetary chapter alone contained a full seventy-two profoundly mysterious visualization methods, as well as one hundred and eight secret techniques used to temper and purify mental strength.

The sheer volume of its data and the complexity of its logical structure were not inferior in the slightest to the Imperial strategic-level nurturing technique, the "Ten Complete Hands," which he had cultivated before.

After all, both the "Canaan Scripture" and the "Ten Complete Hands" were fundamental grand arts capable of supporting a martial artist from insignificance all the way to the black hole level; their contents were all-encompassing, broad, and profound.

Merely expressing it completely in the common language of the Empire required a length of nearly ten million words, and a mistake or omission in any single character could lead to cultivation failure or even a spiritual collapse.

Wanting to cross its threshold, the difficulty could well be imagined.

Qin Feng did not rush for quick success; he began to study it word by word, analyzing it method by method.

In this process, he also gained a deeper understanding of "mental strength," this force that was so abstract and mysterious.

Mental strength was a high-dimensional form of energy that directly influenced a living organism's speed of thought, depth of reflection, learning capacity, and most visibly, the intensity and destructive power of utilizing the mind to interfere with reality.

Yet it original form would not exert any direct influence on a person's quality of will or the good and evil of their character.

It was more like an invisible sharp blade; used by those with firm wills and pure characters, it could guard order and slay demons;

Whereas if obtained by those with weak wills and sinister motives, it would only accelerate their own corruption and cause greater destruction.

Mental strength was a tool, and the one wielding the tool would always be the martial artist's unchanging true heart.

Time, within absolute silence and focus, lost its meaning.

Qin Feng was thoroughly immersed within the sea of knowledge of the "Canaan Scripture," forgetting days and nights, forgetting everything of the outside world.

Spring departed and autumn arrived, cold and heat alternated.

A span of two and a half years passed in a flash.

Within the secret chamber of seclusion, Qin Feng still maintained his cross-legged sitting posture, looking like an eternally unchanging statue.

Deep within his sea of consciousness, inside that spiritual space which originally held only two drops of silver-white liquid, a third droplet, equally brilliant and equally condensing a tempestuous amount of mental energy, was currently taking shape slowly.

Its appearance caused the "weight" of the entire sea of consciousness to elevate by another step, and the speed of his thought operations leapt once again.

Three droplets of mental strength liquid, like three newborn stars, orbited one another along a profound trajectory at the center of his spiritual world, emitting a soft yet powerful light.

According to the description in the *Canaan Sutra*, the condensation of droplets marks the breaking of the first limit, while the coalescing of "droplets" into a "cup" represents the second limit.

Qin Feng estimated that it would take ten thousand mental energy droplets to begin forming a cup, and he was still an immeasurable distance away from breaking through the second limit.

These two and a half years of relentless, sleepless cultivation had only granted him the most basic, preliminary understanding of the vast system of the *Canaan Sutra*.

On his personal panel, a new line of data quietly appeared.

**[Canaan Sutra (Not Yet Initiated)]**

**[Proficiency: 1/10]**

As for the seventh-level killing technique, the *Ninefold Blood Spear*, he hadn’t even had the time to turn to its first page.

"Time... it’s still too tight."

Qin Feng slowly opened his eyes, ending this long seclusion.

His gaze was deeper, and his aura grew even more restrained.

"Still, for a planetary-level powerhouse whose lifespan is measured in tens of thousands of years, these two and a half years are truly nothing."

He stood up, stretching his body, feeling no discouragement in his heart.

The path of martial arts was always a matter of patient refinement, especially after stepping into the planetary level—every single shred of progress demanded a long time as its price.

He knew he could no longer continue in seclusion.

The Universal Genius Tournament was about to begin. It was time to make his final farewells to Canaan Star Martial University and the old friends here.

Qin Feng deactivated his seclusion mode and reconnected to the subspace network.

Instantly, countless messages surged like a tide into his personal terminal.

His gaze fell directly on the friend communications tab.

Dozens of unread messages flickered with light.

His three comrades—Ning Jing, Nissan, and Long Yu—had all sent him messages, most from over a year ago.

The contents were largely the same: asking when he would graduate, whether he had already left Canaan, and hoping to gather one last time before his departure.

Beneath these messages lay another batch of names from a more distant past.

Xiong Yanfu, Shi Potian, Tie Mu...

His earliest close friends had also sent messages.

"Qin Feng, we’re out of seclusion! What level are you at now? Have you reached eighth or even ninth-rank warrior? Reply when you see this, let’s meet up!"

The tone of the messages was still so familiar.

He replied to every single one of them earnestly.

—

The Iron Fist Tavern.

Qin Feng sat alone in a metal booth in a corner, with only a glass of water on the table.

He had arrived a little early, quietly observing this place brimming with strength and clamor.

Before long, three agile and powerful figures walked into the tavern together, instantly drawing the attention of many around them.

They were Long Yu, Nissan, and Ning Jing.

Compared to two and a half years ago, the auras of all three had undergone a qualitative transformation.

Their frames remained upright, but every step seemed to resonate faintly with the earth beneath them, and around them swirled a condensed, extremely refined energy fluctuation on the verge of overflowing.

This was the hallmark of a ninth-rank warrior, only one step away from igniting the spiritual energy core.

"Qin Feng!"

Long Yu spotted him first, walking over with a hearty laugh, followed by Nissan and Ning Jing.

"I thought you’d already left Canaan to train in secret in some galaxy."

Nissan still wore his usual stern expression, but the joy of reunion in his eyes was unmistakable.

"Congratulations, all of you have stepped into the ninth rank."

Qin Feng stood up, smiling as he looked at his former comrades-in-arms.

"Compared to a monster like you, our progress is nothing."

Ning Jing shook his head, pulling out a chair to sit down. "Sit. Today, we drink until we’re drunk. Boss, four glasses of ‘Molten Heart’!"

Soon, four glasses served in special crystal containers were brought over.

The liquid was dark red, like flowing magma, with tiny golden energy sparks constantly appearing and vanishing, radiating astonishing heat.

"Cheers!"

Long Yu raised his glass, and the other two followed suit. Qin Feng smiled and also lifted the glass of ‘Molten Heart’ before him—a drink considered potent even for ninth-rank warriors.

The four glasses clinked together, producing a crisp metallic sound.

The three downed their drinks in one gulp, their faces instantly flushing red as they had to circulate their internal energy to neutralize the violent alcohol force.

Qin Feng, too, emptied his glass. The scorching liquid, hot enough to melt ordinary alloy, slid down his throat into his stomach without causing him any sensation—like drinking warm water.

His current planetary-level physical body had a life level far beyond the mundane; this degree of energy alcohol couldn’t even make his cells feel the slightest hint of intoxication.

"You bastard..."

Long Yu noticed this and shook his head with a wry smile. "It seems the gap between us is bigger than I imagined."

"It’s just a difference in life level."

Qin Feng said calmly.

During this reunion, he did not hide his strength or state.

Before these trustworthy comrades, honesty was the best form of respect.

The four began to talk freely.

They spoke of their cultivation experiences over the past two years, the difficulties and insights from breaking through the ninth-rank bottleneck, the new faces replacing the old in the "Fearless War Group," and the familiar seniors who had graduated and scattered across the empire.

Their conversation was filled with aspirations for the future, longing for higher realms, and genuine awe and admiration for Qin Feng’s inhuman speed of progress.

In this hearty exchange, they verified their own martial paths and shared their insights. Though Qin Feng had already walked far ahead, he still listened attentively, and his occasional guidance greatly benefited the three.

As the drinking continued, the atmosphere shifted from the warmth of reunion to the impending farewell.

Finally, it was Nissan, usually the most taciturn, who raised his glass, his eyes burning as he looked at Qin Feng, and said solemnly, "Qin Feng, we all know you’re about to go to a broader stage. Canaan can no longer hold you."

Long Yu and Ning Jing also set down their glasses, their expressions turning utterly serious.

"We won’t say those polite words wishing you smooth sailing."

Long Yu took over, his fist clenching slightly under the table. "We just want to tell you—we won’t give up. Today you’re far ahead, but the three of us will do everything in our power, use every means, to catch up to your pace."

"That’s right."

Ning Jing’s eyes blazed with fierce fighting spirit. "Maybe we’ll never catch up to you, but we hope that at least one day, we’ll be worthy of standing shoulder to shoulder with you again, instead of only watching your back from behind."

This was the pride and declaration from the hearts of three top-tier geniuses.

Rather than allowing the immense chasm between them to breed envy or despair, they transformed it into an unprecedented, driving force to catch up.

Listening to their words, Qin Feng raised his wine cup, a genuine smile gracing his face.

"It will happen, without a doubt."

He looked at his three dearest friends and spoke with utmost sincerity, "I shall be waiting for you."

...

The God of Food District, the Taotie Mansion.

Unlike the rugged and uninhibited nature of the Iron Fist Tavern, the Taotie Mansion stood as one of Canaan's most elite culinary establishments.

Every single dish here was meticulously prepared by Grandmasters of the Culinary Dao, utilizing rare ingredients imbued with pure, concentrated energy; they possessed not only exquisite flavors but could also nourish a martial artist's physical body and spiritual essence.

Within an elegant private booth, Qin Feng met with Xiong Yanfu, Shi Potian, and Tie Mu.

Though many years had passed, the countenances of the three had not altered significantly, save for the fact that the innocence in their eyes had long since dissolved, replaced instead by a tempered composure and fortitude born of countless hardships.

"Old Qin!"

The moment Xiong Yanfu caught sight of Qin Feng, he rushed forward in his excitement, enveloping him in a solid, powerful bear hug.

"You rascal, you've finally decided to show your face!"

Shi Potian laughed as he delivered a playful punch to Qin Feng's chest.

Tie Mu stood to the side, watching the reunion unfold with a warm smile.

The four took their seats, the atmosphere growing fervent and intimately familiar.

In a brief haze of illusion, Qin Feng seemed to see Lei Meng before his eyes once more—always grinning broadly, rubbing his large bald head—sitting right there in that empty seat.

Before the dishes were fully served upon the table, Qin Feng gazed at his three dearest friends, knowing there was one matter he absolutely had to impart to them.

He withdrew his smile, his expression becoming profoundly serious.

"Shi Dang has been slain by my hand."

A single, simple sentence, yet it was as though a star had been hurled into a tranquil lake.

The air within the private booth instantly froze.

The smiles on the faces of Xiong Yanfu, Shi Potian, and Tie Mu locked in place.

Qin Feng said no more, merely raising his hand calmly to point at the ornament suspended from his waist.

It was a hideous, menacing skull carved from an unknown crimson crystal, its surface rippling with an eerie, uncanny luster; it was the very "Chaos Insignia" that had mutated from Shi Dang's head after his demise.

The gazes of the three locked onto that blood-jade skull with deathly intensity.

From it, they could sense a malevolent aura—both familiar and alien—that caused their very souls to tremble.

After a long, protracted silence, Shi Potian exhaled a deep, heavy breath.

"Excellent!"

He uttered only that single word, his voice laced with a raspy hoarseness.

Then, as if shattering some invisible shackle, the three began to grin, their expressions breaking into silent, breathless laughter, until hot tears began to spill from the corners of their eyes.

The moment those tears emerged, they were instantly evaporated by the intense heat radiating from their formidable physical bodies, dissolving into wisps of white vapor.

Those were tears shed for the departed Lei Meng, tears shed because the massive boulder weighing on their hearts for so many years had finally been lifted, tears shed because this feud, which had spanned centuries, had at last reached its final period.

"Come! Drink!"

Xiong Yanfu abruptly snatched the wine flask from the table, filling everyone's cup to the brim, including the one set before the empty seat.

"To Lei Meng!"

"To Old Qin!" "Cheers!"

Four wine cups clashed together with a heavy resonance.

The knot that had suffocated their hearts for so many years was completely unraveled at this very moment.

The atmosphere thereafter became exceedingly relaxed, and Qin Feng inquired about the gains they had achieved during their long years of secluded cultivation.

Xiong Yanfu, Shi Potian, and Tie Mu, though each hailed as a "General Star" and a favored child of heaven upon their respective home planets,

were surrounded by countless galactic geniuses within the Canaan Starry Sky Martial Arts University—a literal concentration camp of monsters—where nearly every student had once been the "General Star" of their own homeland, making their talents appear quite ordinary by comparison.

It had been exactly one century since their enrollment.

Relying on their own relentless efforts and bloody struggles, conscientiously executing missions to earn contribution points and enduring secluded cultivation, they had finally driven their respective vitality indices to the eighteen-thousand-point mark, the "First Great Threshold," not long ago.

As long as they completed the final accumulation and breakthrough, they would officially step into the ranks of the seventh-stage "Mountain and Sea Martial Artists."

Such a pace was already considered a fraction faster than the average speed among the hundreds of millions of students within the Canaan Starry Sky Martial Arts University.

What was even more commendable was that the progress of the three was remarkably balanced; while steadily advancing their vitality indices, they had not neglected the cultivation of their respective killing techniques in the slightest, laying an incredibly solid foundation.

This could not help but remind Qin Feng of his two cousins, Wang Hao and Wang Jie, who attended the Duna Starry Sky Martial Arts University.

At their school, they enjoyed the highest level of S-class contracts, with all cultivation resources directly provided by the institution, sparing them from the anxiety of earning them.

Their rate of advancement was even swifter than that of Shi Potian and his companions.

If one strictly had to compare the merits of these two educational models, the geniuses nurtured by those top one-hundred universities resembled flowers grown within a greenhouse.

Their actual combat capabilities were derived almost entirely from virtual duels in the "Starry Sky Cup" and the "Imperial Arena," leaving them with a relatively shallow understanding of true life-and-death struggles and the absolute cruelty of the cosmos.

Conversely, the training model of a dominant galactic institution like the Canaan Starry Sky Martial Arts University was far more aligned with this cold, merciless, and true universe.

From their very first day of enrollment, the students had to fight and bleed for contribution points, entering combat and facing death head-on.

When considering future survival rates within the dark universe, the students who emerged from the Canaan Starry Sky Martial Arts University would undoubtedly endure much longer.

Qin Feng still preferred Canaan's method of cultivation, because once a martial artist reached the Planetary stage, they possessed a lifespan of ten thousand years, and upon reaching the Stellar stage, they achieved eternal immortality.

Even if stages one through nine required a millennium to traverse, it mattered not! The Canaan students who rose from blood and fire would never falter in their conviction!

"Qin Feng, we are all nearly at the seventh stage now."

Shi Potian looked toward Qin Feng, asking with great curiosity, "What about you? With your speed, you should be on the verge of assaulting the Planetary stage by now, shouldn't you? Or could it be... you have already reached it?"

"I am already at the Planetary stage."

Qin Feng smiled faintly, replying with absolute composure, "My graduation application has also been approved."

"What terrifying speed!"

Shi Potian could not help but sigh with emotion, "To graduate directly in less than a century since enrollment?"

"It should be exactly a century."

Xiong Yanfu counted on his fingers, a look of sheer shock overcoming his features as he stared at Qin Feng, "Old Qin, your rate of advancement is simply too fast! It is fast to a frightening degree! I reckon that even in the more than two billion years of Canaan's history, this would be considered remarkably rapid."

"Ah, let us speak no more of this, speak no more of this!"

Tie Mu raised his wine cup with a smile, interrupting the collective amazement, "After today, Old Qin will likely leave Canaan to venture into even more distant realms. Let this meal today serve as a send-off from us brothers to Old Qin!"

He stood up, his gaze sweeping across everyone before finally resting upon the empty wine cup that belonged to Lei Meng.

"May Old Qin's name shake the starry river from this day forth! May his martial fortune prosper boundlessly!"

"Excellent!"

"May old Qin find eternal glory in the martial path!"

Xiong Yanfu and Shi Potian both rose to their feet, raising their glasses to Qin Feng with broad smiles.

The atmosphere reached its absolute peak.

Beside them, the glass reserved for the deceased remained quiet and full.

——

All good things must come to an end.

When the final farewell toast at the Gluttonous Dwelling was drained, Qin Feng shared his last goodbyes at the gates of the God of Food District with his three closest friends: Shi Potian, Xiong Yanfu, and Tie Mu.

There were no overly sentimental words, only the truest blessings between brothers and a tight, powerful embrace.

They all understood that after this parting, they knew not what year or month they would meet again.

On the road ahead, Qin Feng would embark on a journey far more grand and tumultuous than theirs, while they would continue their bitter cultivation in Canaan, striving to chase the shadow of a figure already far ahead.

After saying his individual goodbyes to his old friends, Qin Feng did not linger.

Alone, he walked to the colossal spaceport of Canaan Astral Martial Arts University, a place massive enough to berth tens of thousands of starships simultaneously.

Inside the spaceport, a sea of voices swelled as martial artists, merchants, and scholars from all corners of the universe surged past in an endless stream.

Massive holographic projections hovered near the vault of the ceiling, broadcasting flight arrivals and departures in real time alongside the Empire's latest breaking news.

Qin Feng moved through the bustling crowd, withdrawing his entire aura until he was like a single drop of water merging into the ocean, drawing no notice from anyone.

He approached a self-service ticketing terminal, practiced in pulling up the star map and entering his destination coordinates.

[Destination: Pillars of Creation (Star Region B-778)]

[Method of Travel: Subspace Teleportation / Subspace Navigation]

The two options presented themselves clearly before his eyes.

Choosing subspace teleportation would deploy him precisely near his destination within seconds.

It was the most efficient way.

Yet Qin Feng's gaze drifted down to rest on the "Subspace Navigation" option.

When time allowed, he actually preferred taking these slow-moving transport passenger ships, wanting to witness firsthand the magnificent and wondrous sights scattered across the starry sky.

Though most of the time the view outside the viewport offered nothing but the eternal, cold, and dead vacuum, an occasional glimpse of a nebula, a star, or even a passing cosmic wonder could bring a unique sense of stillness and relaxation to his state of mind.

Using subspace teleportation directly was certainly faster, but it meant losing the scenery and the reflections found along the way.

He chose to board a large transport passenger ship named the "Wayfarer" that was about to set sail, booking a private cabin with the best view.

"The Pillars of Creation..."

In the interval spent waiting to board, Qin Feng looked over the data concerning his destination.

"According to the Imperial Gazette, it is a highly active stellar nursery, exceedingly rare even within the universe.

Within the entire star region, hundreds of millions of newborn stars are currently gestating and being born, while countless aging stars march toward total extinction, staging the universe's most primal and magnificent display of life and death.

For the venue of this Genius Tournament to be chosen there is rather profound."

As the boarding chime rang out, Qin Feng pulled back his thoughts and followed the flow of people onto the passenger ship, which was as massive as a moving city.

With a slight vibration, the ship slowly left its berth at the spaceport, accelerating, and then accelerating again, finally turning into a beam of flowing light as it completely departed the school planet where he had lived for a full century.

Outside the viewport, the full view of Canaan Astral Martial Arts University grew smaller and smaller, until even the Canaan Tower became an inconspicuous speck of light in the boundless sea of stars.

Farewell, Canaan.

Qin Feng offered a silent goodbye in his heart.

...

At the exact moment Qin Feng's passenger ship departed Canaan Astral Martial Arts University.

The Martial Immortal District.

That serene place, year-round surrounded by a verdant sea of bamboo, was currently crowded with figures.

Instructor Yu Han still stood with his hands behind his back at the very front.

And by his side stood several other instructors whose auras were equally unfathomable.

Instructor Mu Lin, the sharp-eyed elder who had once hosted the Newcomer Cup;

Instructor Yue Hong, a senior instructor of the Ultramarines Warband and mentor to Feng Zhiyu;

As well as over a dozen other core instructors who held high positions within Canaan Astral Martial Arts University and knew of Qin Feng's identity as the "Emperor's Chosen."

Yet at the very front of everyone, a towering figure, massive as a mountain, stood quietly.

Merely by standing there, the surrounding space seemed suppressed by his boundless will, becoming viscous and stagnant.

It was none other than the Captain of the Ultramarines Warband, a Black Hole-level powerhouse—Zhou Xiong.

Their gazes seemed to pierce through the boundless void, crossing vast distances to lock precisely onto the "Wayfarer" passenger ship that was slowly leaving the Canaan Star Region.

"Heh, this kid really doesn't drag his feet at all."

An instructor chuckled softly, breaking the silence. "From enrollment to graduation, not a year more or less, exactly one hundred years. Leaving Canaan behind as a stepping stone just like that, his speed is truly fast enough."

"Fast it may be, but his foundation is built incredibly solid."

Another instructor stroked his beard, praising him. "His will is as unyielding as divine iron. Looking across the twenty-two-billion-year history of Canaan, those who could achieve such heights within a century are few and far between."

"Haha, no matter how good it sounds, it's useless."

An instructor of a more playful disposition laughed, adopting the tone of someone watching a show. "The Universe Genius Tournament is where true heroes assemble and monsters gather.

The top geniuses who fought their way out of their respective galaxies and paths are none of them weak.

This kid has only just broken through to the Planetary level, and he likely hasn't even mastered the basics of cultivation and killing techniques. Going there now, I fear he'll first take a thoroughly solid thrashing from those veteran geniuses."

"A thrashing is exactly what he needs."

"I just don't know if, with his mindset of sweeping through everything along the way, he can endure it after encountering a true setback."

"Haha, as for that, you can all rest assured."

Zhou Xiong finally spoke, his deep, resonant voice carrying a hint of a smile. "I still approve of this kid's mindset. Back during that Nightmare-level mission, when faced with the illusionary temptations of a sixth-rank Daemon of Slaanesh, guess what the greatest desire drawn from the depths of his heart was?"

He paused, keeping them in suspense.

"What was it?" The surrounding instructors all showed curious expressions.

"It was to slay Chaos Daemons."

Zhou Xiong's laughter grew heartier. "In the illusion, others saw wealth, beautiful women, power, and strength. Yet he precisely located the daemon's true body within the illusion, and then insta-killed it with a single strike. With that kind of mindset, are you still worried he'll be broken by a few thrashings?"

"You are all letting your concern cloud your judgment. It is true that the Universe Genius Tournament is a gathering of heroes and a convergence of paragons, but is Qin Feng not a paragon himself?! Being able to finish this path in a century proves precisely that his martial heart is firmer than anyone else's."

Hearing these words, the instructors present could not help but laugh.

"Ah, another paragon has walked out from our hands, flying toward a broader sky."

Instructor Mu Lin watched the starship that had completely vanished at the end of his vision, sighing with heartfelt emotion.

"Indeed."

Yu Han also nodded. "Watching these children, from green to mature, from weak to strong, then rushing into the cosmos to become the new pillars of the Empire... Perhaps this is the meaning of inheritance for us old folks who choose to stay here and be mentors."

"Oh no, it's you old folks—I'm still young."

Yu Han burst into laughter.

The other mentors shook their heads helplessly.

Yu Han looked at Zhou Xiong. "Company Commander, I should return to my unit."

"Mm."

Zhou Xiong nodded, his gaze sweeping over everyone present. "All dismissed. Each of you, attend to your own affairs. The next time we gather, it might be at this kid's victory banquet for slaying a great demon."

"..."

They exchanged smiles, and their figures vanished one by one.

The bamboo sea remained still; a gentle breeze came, as if nothing had ever happened.

—

Space travel was dull and lengthy.

In the two months since leaving Canaan Starry Martial University, Qin Feng spent most of his time in his private cabin.

He wasted not a single moment, immersing his entire mind in the vast ocean of knowledge that was the *Canaan Sutra*.

Outside the window lay eternal darkness and silence, occasionally punctuated by distant starlight like icy diamonds.

The passenger ship sailed steadily along its predetermined curvature trajectory, leaving behind galaxies and nebulae far in its wake.

Until one day, a soft broadcast tone roused Qin Feng from deep meditation.

[Dear passengers, the spacecraft is about to arrive at the final destination of this voyage—Star Sector B-778, the 'Pillars of Creation.' Please gather your personal belongings and prepare to disembark.]

Qin Feng slowly opened his eyes; a glint of light flashed deep within his pupils.

He stood up, walked to the enormous porthole, and gazed outside.

The sight before him stirred even his heart, which had long been as still as an ancient well, into violent ripples.

There, in the boundless void directly ahead of the ship, a nebula of indescribable grandeur and majesty hung silently.

Its colors were dazzling to the extreme, encompassing every known spectrum of the universe—from blazing white to deep azure, to the exquisite crimson of rebirth—intertwining and flowing like a creation painting painted by the gods themselves.

And in the core region of that vast nebula, countless points of light flickered, born and extinguished.

Each point of light was a star either being born or dying.

Their light and heat pierced through the thick interstellar dust, illuminating the most primitive cradle of life in this universe.

This was the 'Pillars of Creation.'

As the passenger ship drew closer, an even more stunning scene unfolded before Qin Feng's eyes.

In the center of that resplendent nebula, a city of unimaginable magnitude stretched across the cosmos.

It seemed carved from a single, complete piece of unknown black crystal, its surface reflecting the light of countless surrounding stars, gleaming with a cold and majestic radiance.

This city was so vast that even the giant stars burning beside it appeared as tiny as fireflies.

Its towering walls rose higher than the nebula;

Its open gates were wide enough for several giant planets to pass through side by side with room to spare.

This was the assembly point for this sector of the Cosmic Genius Battle—the City of Creation.

Countless ships of all sizes—passenger vessels, warships, private star shuttles—moved orderly through the space lanes around the city, like fish around a whale.

On the massive platform below the city gates, beams of subspace teleportation flickered continuously, precisely delivering powerful martial artists from distant star systems.

Countless prodigious martial artists were converging on this cosmic fortress from all directions!

Qin Feng's gaze swept over the figures stepping off other ships or emerging from teleportation platforms.

His mind tensed slightly.

Looking around, every martial artist qualified to arrive here at this moment was, without exception, a planetary-level powerhouse!

Their auras were either restrained or flamboyant, blazing like fire or cold as an abyss, but the life fluctuations unique to planetary-level beings, transcendent above the mundane, were unmistakable.

They came from different planets, but all from the vast star seas under the jurisdiction of the Ultramarines Chapter.

Qin Feng only needed a brief assessment to judge that among these geniuses, many possessed auras deeper and stronger than his own.

Clearly, a considerable number of them had likely stepped into the planetary level over a century ago.

Their mastery of planetary power, their use of mental energy, and even their cultivation of seventh-level killing techniques were bound to far surpass his own as a 'newcomer.'

In fact, Qin Feng could faintly sense that several obscure yet powerful auras might have already reached the 'Minor Accomplishment' stage in their killing arts!

At the entrance of this magnificent city spanning the nebula, a large number of Ultramarines in sky-blue standard power armor stood guard.

Each of them was like a humanoid blazing star, radiating surging vitality that made one's heart race.

They were clearly all stellar-level powerhouses!

Within the Ultramarines Chapter, stellar-level warriors could already serve as primary combat members.

The Ultramarines silently performed their duties, verifying the identities of every martial artist arriving for the competition and maintaining order at the scene.

The *Wanderer* slowly docked at the designated spaceport berth.

Qin Feng stepped off the transport ship and set foot on the City of Creation.

He followed the crowd to the entrance and quietly took his place at the end of an endless line composed of various prodigies, waiting patiently for identity verification.

Just then, the martial artist standing one position ahead of him—a plump figure with a perpetually kind smile—turned around and struck up a conversation with remarkable familiarity.

"Hey, buddy, first time at the Pillars of Creation, huh? You look pretty curious."

The plump martial artist said cheerfully, revealing a row of white teeth. "Which star sector are you from?"

Without waiting for Qin Feng to answer, he introduced himself proactively: "My name is Huo Yuan, but you can call me Little Fatty.

I'm from the 'Zhou Star Sector'—pretty remote, probably never heard of it.

I cultivate the *Tianpan Sutra* I bought at a high price; its trait is visualizing the celestial disk, so now I'm a bit broad-minded and plump—sorry for the laugh."

His words, though a bit rambling, carried an affability that made it hard to feel any aversion.

Qin Feng looked at him, nodded calmly, and replied, "Qin Feng, from the 'Ben Star Sector,' cultivating the *Canaan Sutra*."

"*Canaan Sutra*? Canaan Starry Martial University?"

Huo Yuan's eyes lit up instantly. He clearly knew a lot of intelligence, and his smile grew even wider: "I know, I know! Your school's *Canaan Sutra* is a top-tier technique famous throughout the Empire.

And that Canaan Tower of yours—even more incredible. I heard through the grapevine that it's said to be a legacy treasure left by the legendary 'Canaan King' of our Ultramarines Chapter.

Those who leave their names inside are all ruthless among the ruthless."

He looked Qin Feng up and down, then leaned in and lowered his voice: "So, buddy? I see you're here alone too.

This Cosmic Genius Battle is deep, with plenty of tricks. How about we team up first?

Before the competition starts, we can look out for each other, share info, exchange intelligence—better than stumbling around blind, right?"

Faced with this sudden team-up invitation, Qin Feng pondered briefly.

He could sense that the fat man before him, named Huoyuan, though not as sharp in aura as those top geniuses, was exceptionally deep and enduring, clearly with a solid foundation and considerable strength.

Moreover, the other seemed to be well-informed; teaming up with him would indeed save a lot of trouble.

"Alright."

Qin Feng nodded slightly, not refusing.

For some reason, he always felt that a "little fatty" would coincidentally materialize by his side.

(End of this chapter)