Chapter 212: Enlightenment Stone Monument, King-Class Powerhouse Accepting Disciple! Major Warbands

Chapter 212: Enlightenment Stele, King-Level Powerhouse Takes Disciples! War Legions Scramble Madly!

Upon receiving Qin Feng’s affirmative reply, the smile on Huo Yuan’s face grew even brighter.

He continued to move slowly with the procession, leaning sideways and lowering his voice as he spoke to Qin Feng: “Hehe, since you agree, that’s settled. Brother, let me tell you, the reason I sought you out so eagerly to form a team is actually because of something.”

He gestured with his chin toward the figures ahead in the procession whose auras were clearly more formidable, a hint of gravity in his eyes.

“See those guys? Can you sense that many of them are far stronger than us ‘newbies’ who just advanced to the planetary level?”

Huo Yuan’s tone turned serious: “Those people are clearly old hands who have been immersed in the planetary realm for at least a century or more. Their spiritual energy cores are probably honed to an extreme density, their mental accumulation far surpasses ours, and their seventh-level killing techniques are likely already cultivated to a certain level of mastery.”

“I see them.”

Qin Feng nodded slightly.

He had noticed this as soon as he arrived.

The auras of those powerhouses were like undercurrents beneath the deep sea—seemingly calm, yet containing a terrifying force capable of tearing everything apart.

Compared to them, he, a “newbie” who had just condensed three droplets of mental energy, indeed had a visible gap in foundation.

“Mm, that’s right.”

Huo Yuan nodded and continued, “The fundamental reason behind the selection mechanism of our ‘small war zone’ lies here.

Though we are all at the planetary level, the gap in strength is too vast. If we were to engage in direct combat right away, it would be extremely unfair to us newcomers who have just advanced.”

“Therefore,”

Huo Yuan’s tone carried a hint of mystery, “the core of the small war zone’s competition rules is not about who has stronger immediate combat power.”

“Oh?”

Qin Feng raised an eyebrow slightly, caught off guard. “I’d like to hear more.”

Seeing that he had successfully piqued Qin Feng’s curiosity, Huo Yuan looked rather pleased. He cleared his throat and explained in detail: “The small war zone competition doesn’t test actual combat, but something more fundamental—comprehension, potential, cultivation speed, and even mental fortitude!

The panel of judges will combine all these factors to give each contestant a comprehensive ‘potential rating.’

In the end, they will select those with the highest potential ratings as geniuses, directly granting them qualification to advance to the real large war zone competition.”

“After all,”

Huo Yuan spread his hands matter-of-factly, “the large war zone competition is said to grant winners massive amounts of top-tier resources that would make any planetary-level powerhouse envious.

Such precious resources must be prioritized for those with the greatest potential and highest future achievements, to avoid waste. Don’t you think so?”

“I see.”

Qin Feng nodded thoughtfully.

This rule was indeed more reasonable than a simple contest of strength, and better reflected the essence of the “Genius War”—selecting for the future, not the present.

“How exactly is it conducted?”

Qin Feng pressed further.

“Well, that hits the nail on the head.”

Huo Yuan smiled mysteriously. “You know about the ‘Limit Enlightenment Stele,’ right?”

“I do.”

Qin Feng nodded again.

The Limit Enlightenment Stele was a renowned inheritance treasure.

Its main stele was engraved with countless martial arts legacies left by predecessors, and it possessed a miraculous effect that greatly enhanced a warrior’s comprehension.

Qin Feng himself had meditated before a branch stele at the Limit Martial Arts Hall several times, reaping great benefits.

“Then it’s easy to explain.”

Huo Yuan said, “Within our Limit Warrior War Legion, besides the main ‘Limit Enlightenment Stele’ inscribed with legacies from countless warriors, many top powerhouses have also created similar ‘Inheritance Steles.’

These steles have effects similar to the Limit Enlightenment Stele—they bear the complete and powerful spiritual will left by the strong, containing the ultimate killing techniques of their lifelong learning.

However…”

Huo Yuan shifted his tone, emphasizing, “These privately made inheritance steles lack the heaven-defying ability of the Limit Enlightenment Stele to directly enhance comprehension. They are more like pure, efficient ‘teaching tools.’ Do you understand what I mean?”

“I understand.”

Qin Feng nodded.

Of course, he understood.

The teaching method of such inheritance steles far surpassed buying technique manuals from the Empire Trading Hall and learning through cold data streams and 3D holographic projections.

Because starting from seventh-level killing techniques, the core of the techniques was no longer just moves and energy circulation paths, but involved the more profound realm of “spiritual will.”

Such things, which could only be sensed but not described, could only be best comprehended and absorbed through this kind of real, face-to-face inheritance.

In fact, for eighth-level, ninth-level, and even deeper black hole-level secret techniques, this inheritance stele method would become the sole mainstream.

Data-stream 3D teaching, unable to bear the vast spiritual will, would gradually be replaced.

“Exactly!”

Huo Yuan snapped his fingers. “This small war zone competition will be conducted using this ‘inheritance stele’ method.”

“The organizers will provide an inheritance stele engraved with a complete seventh-level killing technique. But don’t underestimate this seventh-level killing technique.”

Huo Yuan’s expression turned extremely serious. “According to my intel, this technique is usually a proud creation from the youth of those ‘King-level’ supreme powerhouses within our legion.

Its cultivation difficulty and destructive power far exceed ordinary seventh-level killing techniques.”

“What’s more terrifying is the spiritual will of the King-level powerhouse contained in the stele—its intensity can only be described as ‘horrifying.’

Forget about calmly comprehending the secrets of the killing technique; just being able to withstand the pressure of that spiritual will, like a cosmic storm, without collapsing one’s own will, is already an extremely difficult feat.”

Qin Feng listened quietly, a glimmer of understanding and anticipation in his eyes.

This kind of test truly laid bare a warrior’s comprehension, potential, and mental fortitude.

“As for the competition time in the small war zone…”

Huo Yuan raised a finger and said slowly, “It’s a hundred years.”

“A hundred years?”

Qin Feng could understand and accept everything before.

But when he heard the unit “a hundred years,” even with his current state of mind, he felt a slight surprise.

He had lived less than a hundred and twenty years so far.

As for the exact age, he himself couldn’t quite remember, nor did he care about such trivial details.

But this competition, merely the preliminary small war zone stage, would last a full hundred years.

This was the first time Qin Feng had intuitively felt the unique intensity and rhythm of cultivation under the long lifespan of a planetary-level powerhouse.

“That’s right, a hundred years.”

Huo Yuan sighed, “A hundred years may seem long, but if you can truly settle down and gain some insight before that inheritance stele, it will be absolutely worth it.”

“First, you essentially get to learn for free a top-tier seventh-level killing technique created by a King-level powerhouse, with immense power.”

Secondly, beneath the relatively safe mental pressure left by that enfeoffed powerhouse, you can constantly temper your own will and spirit. For newcomers like us who have just condensed mental liquid droplets, this is a thousand times more effective than secluding ourselves in bitter cultivation, allowing our mental strength to be greatly enhanced.”

“Therefore,”

Huoyuan concluded, “this so-called hundred-year competition is actually a public, collective, and secretly observed by countless high-ranking powerhouses from various war groups… a super cultivation lesson.”

“I see.”

Qin Feng was suddenly enlightened.

He now fully understood the core purpose of this minor war zone.

This was not an elimination match, but a screening match, a large-scale ‘open class’ lasting a hundred years, aimed at discovering true rough jade.

Just as the two were conversing, the long queue finally reached them.

Qin Feng and Huoyuan stepped forward one after another, submitting their identity information to that Limit Warrior clad in sky-blue power armor.

Beneath his faceplate, a sharp gaze swept over the two, and a cold electronic scanning beam covered them from head to toe.

After a moment, verification passed.

“Qin Feng, from this star sector, Canaan Starry Sky Martial University. Identity confirmed.”

“Huoyuan, from Zhou Star Sector, independent martial artist. Identity confirmed.”

“You two, proceed immediately to the ‘A-73’ area of Genesis City. Find the designated rest point there and wait quietly for the competition to officially begin. During this time, do not cause trouble; violators will be disqualified.”

The cold and majestic command came through the power armor.

“Yes.”

“Got it!”

Qin Feng and Huoyuan responded in unison, then walked past the identity verification point and officially stepped into this magnificent Genesis City.

—

Passing through the grand city gates, Qin Feng and Huoyuan quickly arrived at the designated A-73 area following the guidance.

The scene before them once again refreshed Qin Feng’s understanding of the word “vast.”

This was not a traditional square, but a massive platform artificially carved out and suspended in the vacuum of space.

It stretched endlessly, seemingly without boundaries, its surface paved with a black unknown material that could absorb and neutralize most energy impacts.

On the platform floated countless ready-made meditation cushions of uniform size, neatly arranged, extending to the horizon.

Around the platform, there were no solid walls.

Instead, there was the magnificent, ever-changing nebula of the Pillars of Creation, along with countless cosmic dust particles floating in the vacuum.

Standing here felt like sitting on a small boat, floating in the center of the sea of creation—tiny, yet merged with the entire universe.

According to the information Huoyuan provided, the length and width of this square were even measured in “light-years.”

Only such a grand scale could accommodate the massive influx of top-tier prodigies gathering from billions of star sectors under the Limit Warrior Legion’s jurisdiction.

At the very center of the square, a colossal stone tablet stood silently like a sword piercing the sky.

The tablet was gray-white, its surface covered with ancient and mysterious patterns, as if recording the secrets of the universe’s birth.

At this moment, the tablet was enveloped by a visible, translucent mental force protection device.

This barrier blocked all probing, preventing the martial artists present from sensing any mental pressure that might exist inside, or from using their own mental strength to probe the tablet’s reality in advance.

“Wow, this place is really huge.”

Huoyuan clicked his tongue in genuine admiration. “Let’s go, Brother Qin Feng. Let’s find a spot off to the side to avoid being disturbed.”

Qin Feng nodded, having no objection.

The two quickly found meditation cushions in a relatively rear area of the square, sat cross-legged, and entered a state of silent waiting and cultivation.

Time thus passed slowly against the backdrop of absolute silence and the magnificent starry sea.

Gradually, from various entrances of Genesis City, more and more participants arrived at this square.

Some came in groups of three or five, talking loudly;

others, like Qin Feng, found a corner and remained silent;

still others had sharp eyes, constantly sizing up every “competitor” around them, trying to identify those powerful existences that required special attention.

Just a few days later, something unexpected yet reasonable occurred.

At the other end of the square, two planetary-level martial artists with equally powerful auras, due to some unknown argument, quickly escalated their verbal conflict.

One of them could not restrain himself and struck first.

However, the moment his psychic energy left his body, two swift blue streaks appeared out of nowhere from the guard posts on the square, instantly arriving at the conflict scene.

They were two Limit Warriors responsible for maintaining order.

Without even a word of nonsense, they directly subdued the two martial artists about to fight with an overwhelming, unquestionable force.

Then, a cold and merciless verdict echoed across the entire square through the power armor’s loudspeaker.

“Zone A-1089, participant ‘Guli.’ Zone A-1090, participant ‘Feren.’ For violating pre-competition discipline and attempting to engage in private combat within the arena, both are hereby disqualified and immediately expelled!”

As the words fell, two teleportation beams enveloped the ashen-faced prodigies, instantly transporting them away.

The entire process was clean and swift.

This scene instantly quieted the square, which had been somewhat noisy.

It also gave Qin Feng a clearer understanding of these so-called “prodigies.”

Not all martial artists from various regions under the Limit Legion, bearing the title of genius, possessed resolute minds and iron wills.

This was like the difference between his alma mater, Canaan Starry Sky Martial University, and the empire’s top hundred starry sky martial universities.

Those who had truly risen step by step through bloody, life-and-death struggles might only account for about fifty to sixty percent of the total.

Of course, that was already an extremely terrifying probability, enough to support the empire’s vast war machine.

The remaining portion were like the two who had just been expelled.

They might be exceptionally gifted, with cultivation speeds advancing a thousand miles a day, but their minds had not been correspondingly tempered.

Very likely, they had never even executed a single empire mission that truly threatened their lives.

In favorable circumstances, they were lofty geniuses;

but once encountering setbacks or provocations, they were easily swayed by emotions.

The overall probability of such individuals among geniuses was extremely low, but unfortunately, the base number of participants this time was too enormous.

With prodigies converging from billions of star sectors, even if the proportion of such “greenhouse flowers” was only one in a billion, the number was still considerable.

Besides, Qin Feng observed that among the martial artists present, a considerable number were well-equipped, with an extraordinary bearing, exuding an air of superiority in every gesture.

Like Huoyuan beside him, who could directly purchase a cultivation method of no low rank like the *Tianpan Jing* with his own financial resources—his family background must be extraordinary.

After all, this was countless martial artists from billions of star sectors; in such a vast forest, all kinds of birds exist.

Qin Feng withdrew his thoughts and stopped paying attention to the external disturbances.

He closed his eyes, sank his mind into his sea of consciousness, and silently continued to analyze the mysteries of the *Canaan Sutra*, quietly waiting for the competition to officially begin.

Time flew by swiftly.

Soon, the countdown to the official start of the small sector competition grew closer and closer, until only a few hours remained.

At this moment, upon the vast square measured in light-years, countless figures were densely seated.

The number of martial artists had reached a staggering, mind-numbing figure of billions upon billions of K!

Across billions of star sectors, each sector had sent over a thousand planetary-level prodigies who had graduated from martial universities.

This number represented the terrifying depth of the new generation under the rule of the Limit Warrior Legion.

Ultimately, only those among the billions of K martial artists present who ranked in the top one million in comprehensive potential assessment would stand out from this century-long "open class" and advance to the next round, the "great sector."

The difficulty was extreme, to say the least.

However, the core of this assessment was to test more intrinsic qualities: potential, comprehension, and mental fortitude.

In this regard, Qin Feng felt he had some confidence.

Another hour passed.

Just as the countdown was about to hit zero, three figures appeared without warning within the grand and magnificent nebula above the square.

Their presence seemed to silence the entire universe.

The three figures hovered silently above all the participants.

Their auras were so surging and profound that the surrounding light was twisted and swallowed by their powerful gravitational fields, forming an absolute domain of darkness, making it impossible to discern their true faces.

They were like three living, human-shaped black holes. Simply existing there, they instilled in the billions of K planetary-level prodigies an indescribable pressure and awe, stemming from the deepest layers of their life forms.

One figure, positioned in the center, stepped forward.

His voice, deep and clear, reached the ears of every martial artist present without any amplification device.

"All martial artists, silence."

"We are the examiners for this assessment." Then, the three figures announced their names in turn.

"Qin Chu."

"Yun Feng."

"Luo Yu."

Each name seemed to contain some rule-based power, stirring ripples in the cosmic space.

Without a doubt, these three were all legendary black-hole-level experts!

When the scene had completely quieted down, the female martial artist named Luo Yu, with her cold voice, solemnly announced:

"The rules for this small sector competition are as follows."

Her gaze swept over the massive inheritance stele below.

"This stele was personally forged by the 'Sealing King' supreme expert of our Limit Warrior Legion—the 'Devouring Heaven King.'"

"Upon this stele are inscribed the seven-level killing technique created by the Devouring Heaven King himself, known as the 'Devouring Heaven Fist Technique.'"

"This fist technique contains ninety-nine core spiritual imprints, progressing layer by layer. Your task in the coming time is to comprehend it with all your might."

"The final score will be based on a comprehensive evaluation of your speed of comprehension, depth of understanding, and the mental fortitude and potential displayed during the process."

"The time limit for this assessment is one hundred years."

"During the competition, no one may leave the arena without permission.

However, you are allowed to connect to the subspace network at any time and enter the 'Empire Arena' to hone your understanding of the Devouring Heaven Fist Technique through virtual combat."

"The small sector competition will officially begin in one hour. At that time, the protective barrier around the inheritance stele will be removed."

With Luo Yu's announcement concluded, the three black-hole-level examiners vanished silently into the nebula, just as they had appeared, as if they had never been there.

After hearing the competition rules, Qin Feng understood everything clearly.

He turned his head and glanced at Huo Yuan beside him, thinking to himself: It really is exactly as Little Fatty said.

—

Upon that boundless platform measured in light-years, the spiritual thoughts of billions of prodigy martial artists were still immersed in the shock of the upcoming century-long assessment.

But in a higher space beyond their perception, the three godlike black-hole-level examiners had not truly departed.

Their figures still hovered silently among the resplendent nebula of the Pillars of Creation, looking down upon the "sea of geniuses" composed of countless points of light below.

"Heh, another new beginning."

The examiner named Yun Feng let out a light laugh, breaking the silence.

His voice carried a hint of the vicissitudes of time. "I wonder what new sprouts will emerge in this small sector."

"Who knows?"

Another examiner, Qin Chu, replied in a flat tone. "Every generation of geniuses is like fish crossing a river—countless beyond measure. In the end, those who cut through thorns and thistles to reach the black-hole level are not few. But..."

His tone shifted, carrying an indescribable emotion. "But after that, those who truly take that final step, create their own 'Law,' walk their own path, and ascend to the Domain Lord realm—are far too few, exceedingly rare."

"Ah, indeed."

Yun Feng let out a long sigh, the sound seemingly filled with endless loneliness and confusion. "I recall, back then, we too were favored sons of heaven who fought our way up.

But in the blink of an eye, I've been stuck at the bottleneck of the black-hole level for my second million years now.

The road ahead is long, yet there is no path to follow—like an endless dark void. This feeling is hard to bear."

The three experts fell into a brief silence.

They stood at the pinnacle that countless martial artists dreamed of, yet they also bore the infinite solitude of that summit.

Beyond the black-hole level, there was no longer a step-by-step path of cultivation, no previous methods to rely on.

Only oneself!

"Enough of this."

Luo Yu's cold voice broke the somewhat heavy atmosphere, steering the topic to another matter. "I wonder if you two have heard about Er Ding."

"I have."

"It was the Devouring Heaven King who specifically sent me here this time."

"The Devouring Heaven King has personally stated: if this little one can break through all ninety-nine spiritual imprints in this assessment and fully comprehend the Devouring Heaven Fist Technique, he will make an exception and take him directly as a personal disciple."

"The Devouring Heaven King wants to take a disciple personally?"

"I recall he hasn't taken any disciples for over a million years, has he?"

"It's that little one named... Qin Feng. Within a hundred years, he advanced to the planetary level—a terrifying speed."

"But I wonder if he can do it this time."

"The Devouring Heaven King's Devouring Heaven Fist Technique ranks among the top hundred of all seven-level killing techniques.

Moreover, for this test, he even added some 'special touches' in the last nine spiritual imprints... Within them lies part of the essence of his true legacy."

"Who knows?"

A meaningful curve appeared at the corner of Luo Yu's lips. "After all, that is 'Er Ding.' Miracles are precisely prepared for such beings."

“……”

Just as the three examiners were murmuring among themselves, the space beside them suddenly rippled with countless waves.

In the next moment, seven or eight figures, each radiating an aura as deep and terrifying as the others, stepped out from the twisted void, descending from the heavens to land beside the trio.

These newly appeared figures wore armor utterly distinct from the iconic sky-blue power armor of the Ultramarines Chapter, clearly hailing from other top-tier Chapters of the Empire.

One of them donned a suit of green-gold power armor that blazed like living flame—the emblem of the Salamanders Chapter;

Another was clad in pure black power armor that devoured all light, with a thunderbolt war-mark branded across his chest, representing the Thunder Warriors Chapter;

Yet another wore power armor of a holy, immaculate white, engraved with intricate hymns and runes…

Their appearances were equally diverse.

Some had golden hair and blue eyes, others had skin as black as ink, and one even sported a wild, untamed topknot, exuding the fierce spirit of a nomadic warrior.

But without exception, every single one of them was a genuine Black Hole-level powerhouse!

Their arrival instantly transformed the once-peaceful atmosphere into one fraught with tension and impending conflict.

“Hmph?”

Luo Yu slowly turned around, narrowing her phoenix eyes, which instantly sharpened. Her tone was hostile as she said, “I thought who it might be—turns out it’s our esteemed ‘neighbors’ paying a visit. What? Have the rules between Imperial Chapters changed now? Are you all so blatantly coming to a minor war zone to poach recruits?”

“Blocking the gate in a minor zone—isn’t your conduct a bit too unsightly?”

“Hahaha! Company Commander Luo Yu, don’t be so hot-tempered!”

The Salamanders Chapter powerhouse in green-gold power armor let out a hearty laugh, completely unbothered by the sarcasm in Luo Yu’s words.

“We heard that your Ultramarines Chapter has produced a once-in-ten-thousand-years top-tier genius, didn’t we? The major war zone competition is still a full hundred years away, and we just couldn’t wait, so we came ahead to see for ourselves and soak in some good fortune!”

The other powerhouses from different Chapters also joined in with laughter that seemed friendly yet carried obvious ulterior motives.

“Oh?”

Luo Yu sneered, retorting without mercy, “A top-tier genius is still one nurtured by our own Ultramarines Chapter, flowing with our Chapter’s blood. What does that have to do with you outsiders?”

“Haha, Commander Luo, that’s not quite right.”

The Salamanders powerhouse countered, “As I recall, during our last joint mission between our two Chapters, weren’t you trying every trick to lure our Salamanders genius over to your Ultramarines?”

“That genius created a killing technique that resonated with my martial truth; I merely had a fondness for talent and wished to pass on my legacy!”

Luo Yu defended herself.

“Hmph, we’re all old fellows who’ve lived for millions of years—we know the score. No need for these polite formalities.”

The Thunder Warriors Company Commander, whose aura was the most domineering, snorted and cut straight to the chase: “A peerless prodigy with over a 99% chance of directly reaching the ‘Domain Lord’ realm. Your Ultramarines Chapter may have vast resources, but this is a true prodigy!”

His gaze swept across everyone present, and he said in a deep voice, “Today, it’s just a few of us who caught the scent and came to take a look.

By the time the major war zone opens a hundred years from now, it won’t be just our few Chapters trying to snatch him away.

We’re only here today to observe, to see something fresh—why must you show such hostility?”

Luo Yu’s face darkened, but she knew he spoke the truth.

A “Two-Nail Divine Chosen” was enough to drive Chapters into a frenzy, even causing King-level powerhouses to descend and take disciples.

“Hmph.”

She snorted and played her trump card: “Words are useless. Our Chapter’s ‘Devouring Sky King’ has personally declared he will take this genius as his disciple. Do you dare to compete with the Devouring Sky King for a student?”

“Hahaha—”

To her surprise, the Salamanders powerhouse, upon hearing the name “Devouring Sky King,” did not retreat but laughed even louder.

“If the Devouring Sky King wants to take a disciple, we naturally wouldn’t dare to openly snatch him away. But our Chapter’s ‘Ten Thousand Beasts King,’ upon hearing of this matter, also developed a fondness for talent and said he would take him as a disciple. So, do you think we dare to compete?”

“Ten Thousand Beasts King? His ranking on the King List is below the Devouring Sky King’s.”

“Heh, you say that.”

“Both are at the forefront of the King List—how much real difference in strength can there be…”

“…”

The powerhouses bickered with sharp tongues for a while longer, then fell into a tacit silence.

But their figures did not depart.

One after another, deep, vast gazes capable of piercing through time and space, as if by unspoken agreement, passed through layers of space and landed on the boundless plaza below, finally converging on the young figure named Qin Feng.

—

On the plaza, the billions of K-planetary-level geniuses remained utterly unaware of this.

All their attention was fixed on the final hour countdown.

Time slipped away with every breath.

When the enormous virtual countdown finally reached zero—

Wuum!

A low, grand hum, as if originating from the dawn of the universe, resounded through the spiritual sea of every martial artist present.

In the center of the plaza, the colossal inheritance stele that had stood for untold ages—its surface layer of translucent spiritual energy barrier dissipated like morning mist under sunlight, vanishing without a trace.

In the next instant, an indescribably vast, majestic, and universe-dominating martial will swept out from the stele!

This will was not a mere spiritual pressure; it was more like a declaration of “existence.”

It was ancient, boundless, filled with an unparalleled majesty that could swallow heaven and devour earth.

Under the sweep of this will, among the billions of planetary-level geniuses who had long been on high alert, more than half instantly turned pale, their spiritual seas violently shaken as if struck by an invisible giant hammer.

Qin Feng sat cross-legged, his form as steady as a mountain.

When that heaven-devouring, earth-swallowing will swept toward him, the three drops of silver-white spiritual energy in his spiritual sea instantly spun at high speed, forming a stable triangular defensive structure that firmly repelled the impact.

“Such a strong will…”

Qin Feng felt a slight tremor in his heart.

This was merely the natural aura emitted by the stele, before true comprehension had even begun, yet it already possessed such might.

King-level powerhouses were indeed formidable.

Just as everyone was struggling to adapt to this overwhelming will, the cold, clear voice of the Black Hole-level examiner named Luo Yu once again rang out across the plaza.

“Everyone, pay attention.”

“This is the ‘Devouring Sky Stele’ left by His Majesty the Devouring Sky King. It contains ninety-nine core spiritual traces of the ‘Devouring Sky Fist Technique,’ arranged from bottom to top in increasing difficulty.”

“During the assessment, once any participant successfully comprehends a spiritual trace, the corresponding area of the stele will shine with the name of the one who comprehended it, as a mark of verification.”

“The assessment now officially begins. Touch the traces on the stele with your spiritual power to start comprehension.”

“May your martial fortunes flourish.”

…

With Luo Yu’s final proclamation, this unprecedented, century-long grand assessment finally commenced!

In an instant, billions upon billions of spiritual thoughts—some strong, some weak, some condensed, some scattered—surged like a breached flood toward the colossal inheritance stele at the center of the plaza.

Qin Feng was in no hurry to make his first move.

His gaze swept calmly across the colossal stone monument.

He observed that the ninety-nine spiritual imprints were not mere lines or inscriptions, but a series of vivid, lifelike reliefs, each distinct in form.

Beginning from the very base of the monument, they spiraled upward, ascending until they vanished into the clouds.

Above the lowest tier of imprints, a flood dragon breached the sea, a colossal Kunpeng spread its wings, and stars collapsed into oblivion...

Every relief carried a unique willpower and spiritual resonance, yet they shared an underlying, intrinsic connection, together composing the supreme killing art known as the Heaven Devouring Fist.

"Start with the most fundamental."

Qin Feng made his decision. He detached a strand of his spiritual power, condensing it into a fine thread, and precisely extended it toward the spiritual imprint at the absolute base of the monument.

The moment his spiritual power—forged from three condensed droplets, making it far more solid and pure than that of an ordinary Planetary-level warrior—touched the monument's mark—

Boom!

A concentrated surge of spiritual pressure, incomparably more powerful than the previous wave that had swept the entire field, erupted like a volcano, rushing back along the connection and instantly slamming into his sea of consciousness!

It was a supreme, absolute majesty, pure and burning with the desire to devour and destroy!

Beneath this overwhelming pressure, Qin Feng felt his sea of consciousness turn into a solitary boat tossed upon tempestuous waves, on the verge of capsizing at any moment.

At the center of his consciousness, the three droplets of spiritual power spun frantically at an unprecedented speed, straining to maintain their stability so they would not collapse on the spot under the terrifying impact.

Simultaneously, a crystal-clear dynamic vision was branded directly into his spiritual perception.

It was a void of chaotic, primordial space.

Within it, a shadow warrior of pure black energy, whose features remained obscured, was practicing a set of fist techniques over and over again.

The technique was expansive and unbridled, filled with a primal, savage aesthetic of violence.

Every punch and every kick seemed capable of tearing space asunder and shattering the stars.

This was the first form of the Heaven Devouring Fist.

This initial form was composed of one hundred fundamental stances.

Yet, the internal energy circulation of each fundamental stance was intricate to a horrifying degree, requiring the coordination of exactly one thousand distinct "spiritual-psionic aggregation modules" to replicate it perfectly.

This meant that to successfully execute this technique, even its most basic form, one had to possess the terrifying spiritual control of a "thousand-tasking mind."

"A thousand-tasking mind..."

Shock stirred within Qin Feng's heart.

He knew that a seven-tier killing art created by a King-class powerhouse would be exceptionally difficult to cultivate, but he had not expected the threshold of the very first spiritual imprint to be so absurdly high.

"A thousand-tasking mind is still too difficult for me at present."

Qin Feng calmly assessed his current situation.

In terms of the accumulation of "quantity," his spiritual power had only reached the level of three condensed droplets.

With this limited "computing power," attempting to perfectly control one thousand energy modules simultaneously was an almost impossible task.

Forcing the attempt would only cause the energy circulation to run wild, potentially triggering a backlash against himself.

"The first imprint is already this difficult..."

Qin Feng understood the true intent behind this trial.

It was not meant to force everyone to master this fist technique within a century.

Rather, it was to use this ridiculously high threshold to filter out the true geniuses possessing exceptional spiritual talent or indomitable willpower.

"What I can do now is not to force an understanding of this technique."

Qin Feng's state of mind quickly settled, devoid of any anxiety or discouragement. "Instead, I should utilize this uniquely blessed environment to endure this vast spiritual pressure, treating it as the ultimate whetstone to sharpen and strengthen my own spiritual power."

"As long as the total volume of my spiritual power can be sufficiently raised through the cultivation of the Canaan Scripture, once it meets the standard, a 'thousand-tasking mind' will naturally follow as a matter of course."

"There is no rush, I still have a hundred years."

Having rationalized this, Qin Feng no longer focused on the black shadow warrior's demonstration.

He withdrew most of his consciousness, leaving only a shred of spiritual power to maintain the connection with the imprint, silently enduring that world-devouring spiritual pressure as a form of alternative heavy-weight training.

Then, he immersed the vast majority of his awareness deep into his sea of consciousness, beginning to circulate that supreme cultivation method that led straight to the Black Hole level—the Canaan Scripture.

On this grand stage where hundreds of millions of geniuses vied for brilliance, under the watchful gaze of countless Black Hole level powerhouses, Qin Feng remained composed, viewing this regional tournament as a century-long period of secluded cultivation.