Chapter 252: Suspended Mountain! Huge Harvest! Cosmic Wonder "Contract

Chapter 252: Suspended Mountain! Vast Harvest! Cosmic Artifact "Contract"

Qin Feng had been pursued for nearly a century.

It was a chase long enough for stars to evolve and civilizations to rise and fall.

In the cold, dead vacuum of space, two streaks of light tore through the eternal darkness—one gold and blue, the other an endless, ever-shifting torrent of machinery.

Qin Feng’s escape route never deviated for a moment, always pointing unwaveringly toward the coordinates marked on the star chart as "Guluo King’s Ruins."

A hundred years flashed by in a montage of scenes.

He had once swept past a dying red giant, its swollen shell like a furious eye, spewing stellar winds hot enough to melt ordinary galactic warships.

The crimson-gold wings behind Qin Feng blazed with brilliance, tearing through the stellar wind with the might of a black hole-grade artifact, narrowly passing through.

Close behind, "Wild" revealed the terrifying depth of a mechanical prodigy; his space fortress deployed a massive energy shield spanning tens of thousands of kilometers, bulldozing through the stellar storm, closing the distance once more.

He had also plunged into a dense belt of countless asteroids, each the size of a small planet, rich with strange metallic veins that glimmered faintly under cosmic rays.

Qin Feng, like a master dancer, wove through the gaps at high speed, his understanding of the "Heaven-Splitting" killing art deepening. With an occasional spear thrust, he precisely blasted obstructing asteroids to dust, carving a path to survival.

"Wild’s" mechanical legion was more direct, transforming and combining into a colossal ram spanning thousands of kilometers, smashing a straight channel through the asteroid belt with brute force, sending debris flying and dust spreading across several light-years.

The energy consumption of the crimson-gold wings was terrifying.

As a black hole-grade artifact, forced into operation by Qin Feng’s galactic-level cultivation, it could sustain extreme flight for only a few days at most.

Whenever his mental energy and spiritual power neared depletion, Qin Feng would choose a suitable planet to land on.

Sometimes it was a dead rocky planet; he would plunge his mental energy into its core without hesitation, activating the "Tenfold Hand" to drain the planet’s core energy in mere days, like a whale drinking water. The planet would then cool, crumble, and turn to cosmic dust.

Replenished, Qin Feng would return to his peak state and resume his escape.

Sometimes, he even chose a young star.

He would dive into the star’s interior, into its core region hot enough to incinerate all things, relying on the indestructible tower and the domineering "Tenfold Hand" to devour the star’s energy.

This process was extremely dangerous, but the rewards were immense.

"Wild’s" pursuit never ceased.

Whenever Qin Feng stopped to recover, "Wild" would seize the precious time window to close the gap.

This prodigy from the Hidden Dragon List seemed to have an inexhaustible energy source. His mechanical creations would sometimes cover a resource planet like locusts, devouring it inside out; other times, they would unfurl massive solar sails to absorb a star’s light and heat.

He was like the coldest, most efficient hunter—patient, deadly, never making a mistake.

This chase across several star domains deepened Qin Feng’s understanding of the universe’s cruelty and vastness.

In the gaps of his flight, his mental energy never slackened for a moment, always analyzing and deducing the "Heaven-Splitting" killing art.

Time flowed in the daily cycle of pursuit and escape. A hundred years could wear down a person’s edges or temper a stone into steel.

Qin Feng’s heart grew as calm as water, his killing intent more restrained yet sharper.

Just as he finished absorbing the core energy of a gas giant and prepared to set off again, a cold, vast, emotionless will descended upon his consciousness without warning.

A mysterious light screen unfolded silently before him.

[You have triggered a random quest]

[Quest Objective: Obtain the broken king-sealing treasure within Guluo King’s Ruins: Fragment of the Guluo Bell]

[Quest Reward: Bronze Chest x1]

[Quest Penalty: None]

At the same time, another message appeared clearly on the screen.

[Hostile Quest Recipient: "Wild"]

[Quest Objective: Obtain the broken king-sealing treasure within Guluo King’s Ruins: Fragment of the Guluo Bell]

[Quest Reward: Bronze Chest x1]

[Quest Penalty: None]

Qin Feng’s pupils contracted sharply, but his escape speed did not slow; instead, he pushed it to the limit.

Almost the moment the quest panel appeared, the torrent of mechanical creations behind him, which had pressed like a dark cloud, halted in unison.

Tens of thousands of warships, mechs, and space fortresses—at the same instant, all engine roars ceased, all weapon energy glows dimmed, and all mechanical eyes’ blazing fires were extinguished like snuffed candles.

Silence enveloped this stretch of stars.

"His machine soul has transferred."

Qin Feng understood instantly, analyzing, "He must have prepared other mechanical strongholds closer to Guluo King’s Ruins, perhaps more than one.

Now his main consciousness has descended into the nearest shell via some ultra-distance method."

"And the quest trigger... is it because I’ve been near a Hidden Dragon List prodigy for so long, caught in the ‘gaze’ of the cosmic will?"

Thoughts raced through Qin Feng’s mind. "The key is that Guluo King’s Ruins was originally a marked opportunity within humanity, a secret to outsiders.

‘Wild’ could never have known the exact coordinates, but now the cosmic will has dragged him into the quest, exposing the location."

"Cosmic will, random quests... every time it descends, whether it’s a blessing or a curse is truly unpredictable."

Qin Feng immediately grasped the pros and cons of this quest trigger.

The cosmic will’s style was utterly disgusting—it showed no favoritism, only following some cold rules.

Originally, according to Qin Feng’s plan, if he continued fleeing for a few more centuries, using distance and the universe’s complex environment, he could hope to shake off "Wild" completely.

Then he could enter Guluo King’s Ruins at his leisure and enjoy the opportunity alone.

But now, a random quest had changed everything.

He and "Wild" had gone from a simple chase to mortal enemies racing to the same destination for the same target.

This "cake" of Guluo King’s Ruins, which belonged to him, had been forcibly split with his pursuer.

"If not for the ‘Tenfold Hand’..."

A shiver ran through Qin Feng’s heart.

Looking back on this century of escape, he had survived almost entirely due to the nearly miraculous recovery ability of the "Tenfold Hand."

If any other galactic-level martial artist of the same rank had been in his place, even with black hole-grade equipment, they could never have survived a century-long pursuit by a Hidden Dragon List prodigy.

The recovery speed of mental energy and spiritual power was the most critical factor in determining endurance and survival.

He could recklessly push the crimson-gold wings to their limit until his own energy was completely drained and he fell into the weakest state.

Because he knew that as long as he had a few planetary cores or a star, within a few days, he could return to his peak with the "Tenfold Hand."

This terrifying endurance was his greatest trump card.

"The ‘Tenfold Hand’ is indeed a supreme nurturing method; its auxiliary effect is too powerful."

Qin Feng withdrew his thoughts, his eyes turning cold.

He suddenly turned around, no longer fleeing, but transformed into a gold-blue streak of light, charging actively toward the silent cluster of mechanical creations.

"Heaven-Split!"

With a low shout, the Star-Swallowing Spear erupted with boundless divine light.

A spear light that seemed capable of splitting the primordial chaos swept out, and space itself rippled before this ultimate force.

Those mechanical constructs, their eyes' flames extinguished, bereft of the "Wild" will's control, were like piles of exquisite steel coffins, unable to react in the slightest, instantly torn apart and disintegrated under the spear light's sweep, reduced to the most insignificant debris in the universe.

Qin Feng mercilessly annihilated this vast pursuing force.

He had to do this, lest the "Wild" machine soul transfer back again, instantly "reviving" these constructs to continue hunting him from behind.

Having done all this, Qin Feng did not pause for a moment. He identified the star chart, chose a new course slightly deviating from the original route, and once again urged the Crimson Gold Wings, transforming into a streak of light, vanishing into the depths of the starry sea.

In the vast cosmos, there is no up or down, left or right, nor east, south, west, or north.

Only cold coordinates and unwavering will can guide the direction forward.

Qin Feng pushed his speed to the extreme; each time his energy was depleted, he would unhesitatingly draw from the surrounding stars, turning them into the power to continue his journey.

Thus passed another few months.

"Eh?"

During a routine mental scan, Qin Feng keenly detected an anomaly.

In the distant depths of the starry sky, there existed an extremely complex and chaotic psychic-spiritual energy field.

This chaos was not man-made but naturally formed, as if the laws of the universe had tied a knot here, creating a natural peril.

More importantly, within that chaotic field, he sensed a vast amount of pure energy reactions, some of which even caused his Undying Tower to tremble with a hint of longing.

"A wealth of resources..."

Qin Feng's heart stirred.

"According to the rules, I have already reported my exploration plan for the Guluo King Ruins to the Holy Academy. Before I arrive, the restrictions there will not open for me. Since that's the case..."

His gaze sharpened, "Now, to contend for the Guluo Bell fragment, I face a prepared prodigy from the Hidden Dragon List; the odds are slim. Better to plunder some resources here first, strengthen my strength, lest I don't even qualify to compete."

Having made up his mind, Qin Feng immediately adjusted his direction, his form flickering as he sped toward that cosmic peril emitting an alluring aura.

As the distance closed, the true visage of the peril gradually became clear.

It was a floating mountain whose grandeur defied words.

It floated silently amidst the colorful nebula dust, unmoored to any planet, as if it had existed since the dawn of the universe.

Its body was pitch-black like ink, composed of some unknown substance that not even light could reflect.

And atop that towering peak, there were actually several complete star systems, like exquisite bonsai, slowly revolving around a certain center.

The entire floating mountain was shrouded in a dense, visible gray mist.

As soon as Qin Feng's mental energy touched the mist, he felt a sharp pain, as if countless tiny poison needles were eroding his spiritual essence.

"A natural toxic mist that can erode mental energy..."

Qin Feng understood; this was the terrifying product naturally born from the interaction of that complex and chaotic psychic-spiritual energy field.

Yet, where there is great danger, there must be great opportunity.

Within this deadly mist, Qin Feng also sensed the auras of many heavenly treasures and earthly rarities.

They grew nurtured by the mist, containing peculiar and pure energy.

Among them, a few, if obtained, could elevate his cultivation to another level.

By now, many beings had gathered around the floating mountain.

Qin Feng's mental energy swept through like an invisible tide, and he felt slightly reassured.

Though the auras of these beings varied, the strongest were merely at the peak of the galaxy level, with no black hole-level existences present.

Clearly, a peril of this grade was not enough to attract truly great powers.

Swoosh!

Qin Feng hesitated no longer, transforming into a streak of light, charging directly toward the floating mountain shrouded in toxic mist.

As he approached, the conversations of the beings outside the mountain reached his ears.

These beings took various forms: some were crystalline like transparent gems, the Crystal Clan; some had membranous wings and demonic forms, the Abyssal Species; and others were fluid lifeforms composed of liquid metal.

"I seek only three Void Mystic Fruits; I can exchange them with galaxy-level forged alloys of equal value, no bargaining!"

A Crystal Clan being transmitted information via mental fluctuations.

"Forming a team! Any being willing to team up and ascend the mountain to gather? I have a mental energy treasure that can temporarily immunize against the mist's erosion of mental power, seeking trustworthy teammates!"

A burly being radiating a scorching aura shouted loudly.

"Buying one hundred tons of Sky Light Water, exchanging for a spatial teleport beacon! The beacon's other reserved coordinate is at the 'Black Rock Safe Point' on the edge of Zone 1300, fair and square!"

All sorts of trades and team invitations were taking place here.

Those who chose to stay outside the mountain to trade were mostly beings confident in their own strength, unwilling to risk the mist's erosion by ascending, so they opted for barter.

Of course, this chaotic zone had no absolute fairness; if they encountered a weak "fat sheep," they would unhesitatingly turn into hunters, killing and seizing treasures.

As for those shouting for teams, Qin Feng only glanced at them and felt most harbored ulterior motives; the so-called "teammates" might well become backstabbing enemies the moment a treasure was found.

Just as Qin Feng was about to pass through this area and ascend the mountain on his own, a towering figure blocked his path.

"Esteemed human, may I ask your name?"

This was an extremely burly humanoid being, standing a full five meters tall, with muscles knotted all over and bronze-colored skin.

Most striking was his massive bull head, with two curved horns gleaming with a metallic luster, and from his nostrils occasionally spurted two streams of crimson flame.

He was the same warrior who had earlier claimed to possess a mental energy treasure and sought teammates.

"I am Qin Feng."

Qin Feng narrowed his eyes, sizing up the other calmly.

In his mind, information from the Myriad Races Bestiary instantly surfaced.

Fire Bull Clan.

A race quite famous within the human empire.

The reason for their fame was not their strength, but... their meat.

Fire Bull meat naturally contains a trace of fire-attribute energy, with a taste that is hot, spicy, yet exceptionally tender and juicy, making it a top-tier ingredient in the empire's gourmet restaurants.

Qin Feng had eaten plenty at the Food God Residence in Canaan Star Martial University; every time he gathered with Xiong Yanfu, Tiemu, and the others, roasted fire bull meat was a must-order signature dish.

In that instant, the familiar, domineering aroma seemed to pierce through time and space, reviving in his taste memory.

Qin Feng's gaze unconsciously underwent a subtle change.

"I am Niu Ben!"

The Fire Bull being initially did not notice Qin Feng's thoughts, merely introducing himself boisterously, "We've already gathered three galaxy-level powerhouses; with you, that makes four. I have a mental energy protection treasure that can briefly block the toxic mist. Let's ascend the mountain together. Would you consider it?"

He paused, then added, "If we find anything on the mountain, each relies on their own ability; whoever gets it keeps it. We can make a pact not to attack each other. How about it?"

But mid-sentence, the Fire Bull Niu Ben's voice abruptly stopped.

He finally noticed the oddity in Qin Feng's eyes.

It was not vigilance, not scrutiny, nor a willingness to cooperate, but rather... a look mixed with admiration, recollection, and a deep, ravenous appetite.

The muscles all over Niu Ben's body instantly tensed, and the fiery breath from his nostrils grew much heavier. As a member of the Fire Bull Clan, he was naturally well aware of how his race was perceived in the eyes of certain powerful species.

Sensing his own lapse, Qin Feng reined in the nearly tangible hunger, a faint apologetic smile appearing on his face as he asked in a calm tone, "Where are the other two teammates?"

He kept his posture low, like an ordinary martial artist who had just arrived and was seeking shelter.

Yet deep inside, his mind was racing at full speed.

Though the toxic mist on the outskirts of the Floating Void Mountain was corrosive to spiritual power, it posed no threat to him at all.

The two medals on his chest were his greatest source of confidence.

The Rising Star Medal, a glory marking the start of his martial path, might withstand the assault for a time with its material and attached spiritual imprint, but what truly made him fearless was the Imperial Chief Medal.

This medal contained the blessing of the Empire's will, inscribed with a protective formation capable of resisting any lethal secret technique below the Domain Lord level. The naturally formed toxic mist was nothing more than a gentle breeze brushing his face.

The reason he chose to disguise himself was simply to see what tricks this scheming Fire Bull was up to—perhaps he could seize even more resources.

Qin Feng's spiritual power, like invisible tentacles, had already thoroughly probed Niu Ben's true nature.

The Fire Bull's physical body appeared robust and imposing, muscles knotted with explosive beauty, but in Qin Feng's honed perception, the flow of blood and energy inside was chaotic and unsteady, its foundation unstable.

His spiritual strength was at the lower end among Star-level beings, and the killing techniques he practiced were utterly ordinary, lacking any subtlety.

In Qin Feng's judgment, this Niu Ben was definitely among the weakest in the vast Star-level group.

Qin Feng even felt a bit out of place.

In the Cosmic Genius Tournament, every opponent he faced was a prodigy among prodigies, a monster among monsters, each with unfathomable trump cards and an unshakable martial will.

Suddenly facing a common Star-level being like Niu Ben, struggling to survive in the cruel cosmos, gave him a strange sense of dislocation.

"The other two friends are here."

Seeing that Qin Feng hadn't outright refused, Niu Ben's heart leaped with joy, and he quickly waved toward a patch of empty space.

As his hand moved, two previously blurry figures gradually became clear.

One of them was a Feather Clan cultivator.

He was tall and elegant, with a handsome face, and a pair of pure white wings folded behind him, each feather seeming to be condensed from the purest light.

He floated there silently, his expression indifferent, his eyes as calm as an ancient well, as if nothing in the world could catch his attention.

When Qin Feng's spiritual power swept over him, it was like a clay ox sinking into the sea—he couldn't gauge his depth.

This Feather Clan cultivator, who called himself "Yu Qi," gave him a feeling of hidden depth.

The other was a Shadow Clan cultivator.

His body was almost completely merged with the surrounding dark void, lacking a fixed form, just a mass of writhing, shifting deep shadow.

Only a pair of scarlet eyes flickered in and out of the darkness, revealing coldness and vigilance.

Qin Feng could sense that this Shadow Clan cultivator, named "Hei Yun," was also weak—even weaker than Niu Ben. His greatest asset was probably his innate talent for concealment.

Qin Feng's gaze lingered briefly on Yu Qi and Hei Yun, and he quickly completed his final assessment.

Two weaklings, one of unknown depth.

Niu Ben was the apparent organizer but the weakest.

Hei Yun was a potential assassin, but his direct combat ability was questionable.

The only variable was Yu Qi.

But even if Yu Qi had hidden his strength, Qin Feng was absolutely confident he could handle it.

"Agreed."

The deliberation took only a split second. Qin Feng nodded slightly and calmly accepted the team formation.

Seeing that the four-man team was officially formed, Niu Ben seemed very pleased. He rubbed his hands together and said solemnly, "Everyone, to ensure our safety inside the Floating Void Mountain and avoid unnecessary internal conflict, I suggest we draw up a contract, agreeing not to attack each other during the exploration."

As he spoke, he waved his hand to set up a barrier that blocked all external and internal probing.

A faint blue light shield appeared out of nowhere, like an inverted bowl, silently enveloping the four of them.

After doing this, he carefully took out a thin, golden paper from his storage space, as delicate as a cicada's wing.

On the golden paper flowed mysterious golden patterns, as if written with the blood of some sacred being.

Niu Ben unfolded it and recited in an ancient cosmic common language: "We four, Qin Feng, Niu Ben, Yu Qi, and Hei Yun, from this moment swear an oath: before successfully evacuating the Floating Void Mountain, we shall never attack or harm each other in any form. Whoever breaks this oath shall have their soul disintegrate and their spirit and body perish."

After reciting, he was the first to imprint a strand of his spiritual power onto the golden paper.

The golden paper seemed to come alive, trembling slightly as it devoured his spiritual imprint.

"Everyone, please imprint your spiritual power on it."

Niu Ben looked at the other three.

The Shadow Clan cultivator Hei Yun and the Feather Clan cultivator Yu Qi exchanged glances, then without hesitation, they each separated a strand of spiritual power and imprinted it.

In their view, this kind of oral contract, without a high-level witness, was mere formalism—a psychological comfort for the weak, utterly non-binding.

Qin Feng also took a casual attitude and casually attached his spiritual imprint.

However, the moment all four spiritual imprints merged into the golden paper, a sudden change occurred!

The unremarkable golden paper suddenly burst into dazzling light, and a vast, ancient, utterly impartial will descended without warning into the small blue light shield.

This will was so immense it was unimaginable, as if the entire universe's laws were converging here at this moment.

Qin Feng felt his own soul shrink to the size of a speck of dust before this will.

He clearly sensed that the content just written on the golden paper had been recognized and witnessed by this supreme will!

"A cosmic artifact!"

Almost at the same time, the breaths of Qin Feng, Yu Qi, and Hei Yun all became heavy, their eyes blazing with disbelief and fervor.

Who would have thought that this Fire Bull actually possessed a cosmic artifact capable of invoking the universe's will to witness a contract!

The value of such a treasure was beyond any resource measurement.

"Sorry, I forgot to mention it earlier."

Feeling three burning gazes, Niu Ben smiled. "This cosmic artifact... also has a rule. All beings who sign the contract are absolutely forbidden from revealing any information about this cosmic artifact to any other being outside. Otherwise, the consequence is the same as breaking the oath—immediate death. I'm telling you now because the contract is already established, and the rule has already taken effect on you."

There was a hint of barely concealed smugness in his tone.

"I, Old Niu, am weak in strength, and I know that even if I obtain heavenly treasures, I can't protect them. That's why I sincerely want to team up with you all to explore the dangerous grounds. Rest assured, I only seek wealth, nothing else." Niu Ben explained earnestly, trying to dispel everyone's doubts.

"Mm."

Qin Feng nodded first, withdrew his gaze, and his expression returned to calm.

Yu Qi and Hei Yun also nodded in turn, but none could see what turbulent waves were churning in each other's hearts.

Undeniably, to say they didn't covet this cosmic artifact would be a complete lie.

Moreover, the Fire Bull Clan was notoriously weak—no Domain Lord-level being had ever been born in their clan's history; the strongest was only at the Black Hole level.

Before him, this galaxy-level Niu Ben was likely already an elder-level existence within his clan.

Such a weakling, yet bearing such a heavy treasure—this in itself was original sin.

However, the contract was already sealed; under the witness of the cosmic will, they could not attack each other before leaving the Floating Void Mountain.

This shackle temporarily locked away everyone's murderous intent.

"But..."

A profound glint flickered in Qin Feng's eyes. "It doesn't necessarily require one to act personally."

After a brief silence and undercurrents of tension, the atmosphere among the four-man team turned eerie.

They temporarily suppressed their varied thoughts and, under Niu Ben's lead, formally stepped into the Floating Void Mountain, shrouded in thick toxic mist.

The moment they entered, the pervasive toxic mist surged in.

The mist contained chaotic and violent spiritual and psychic particles, like billions of tiny steel needles, constantly stabbing at their souls.

The Shadow Clan cultivator Hei Yun and the Feather Clan cultivator Yu Qi immediately showed pained expressions, forced to mobilize their full cultivation to resist.

Though Qin Feng, protected by the Imperial Chief Medal, remained unharmed, he still furrowed his brow on the surface, displaying a hint of ferocity and pain, acting flawlessly.

"Hold on, everyone!"

Niu Ben shouted in a low voice, offering a palm-sized diamond-shaped light shield.

The shield grew with the wind, instantly expanding, and miraculously split into four, transforming into four thin, wing-like small shields, each enveloping one of them.

A soft halo isolated them from the external toxic mist, and the soul-penetrating erosion instantly diminished by over ninety percent.

"This psychic secret treasure of mine can only last for a year at most."

Niu Ben's voice came from behind the light shield, sounding somewhat muffled. "Within this year, we must plunder as many heavenly treasures as possible, especially the Void Mystic Fruits. After a year, we must leave the Floating Void Mountain immediately.

Otherwise, the secret treasure will fail, our condition will be compromised, and once we exit, we might be besieged by those fellows outside."

"Good."

Qin Feng replied succinctly.

"If we encounter dangers or opportunities in the mountain that we cannot handle alone, we can communicate via psychic power."

Yu Qi added.

"We'll rendezvous at the mid-mountain point and then descend together, to avoid being secretly poisoned by others."

Hei Yun proposed in a hoarse voice.

"No problem."

The four quickly reached a consensus.

Then, without further hesitation, each chose a direction, transforming into four streaks of light, disappearing into the vast toxic mist, beginning their respective explorations.

Inside the Floating Void Mountain, there was a hidden world with complex terrain, jagged rocks, and an extremely chaotic psychic energy field.

Qin Feng ascended, spreading his psychic power, searching carefully.

Soon, he made a discovery.

In a crevice of a cliff, a patch of void darkness was slightly twisting and rippling.

Then, a point of light emerged from nothingness, rapidly converging and condensing, eventually forming a crystal-clear fruit emitting a faint fluorescence.

This was the Void Mystic Fruit.

It did not grow on any plant but was born from the void, absorbing the mysterious psychic and spiritual energy of the cosmos to take shape, hence its name.

For galaxy-level warriors, this fruit was an excellent tonic, directly enhancing the essence of psychic power and life force, with no toxic side effects—a top-tier resource as hard currency.

Outside, many beings purchased it at high prices; three Void Mystic Fruits could exchange for a massive amount of galaxy-level alloy materials.

Qin Feng did not hesitate, using his psychic power as an invisible hand to carefully pluck the Void Mystic Fruit and store it in his subspace storage unit.

Next, he continued ascending.

Along the way, he harvested every Void Mystic Fruit he encountered.

He also collected other unknown heavenly treasures that he sensed contained immense energy.

He had long set his own plan.

The one-year deadline Niu Ben mentioned held no constraint for him.

He planned to approach the agreed mid-mountain rendezvous point near the end of the year to see what that Fire Bull clan member was up to.

After that, whether to stay or leave was entirely up to him.

He believed that with his black hole-level Golden Red Wings, none of the galaxy-level beings present could detain him.

Time quietly passed in this monotonous search and ascent.

In a blink, three months had gone by.

Qin Feng had already accumulated over twenty Void Mystic Fruits, along with a large quantity of other rare ores and spiritual herbs.

He had now reached the mid-mountain region of the Floating Void Mountain.

"These Void Mystic Fruits are still too scarce; in three whole months, I've only picked over twenty."

Qin Feng muttered to himself as he explored upward.

The higher he went, the denser the toxic mist became, and the stronger the suppression on psychic power, but the frequency and quality of heavenly treasures also increased accordingly.

Just then, a patch of void not far ahead suddenly flickered violently, erupting with energy fluctuations several times stronger than any before.

After the light faded, a full eight Void Mystic Fruits hung there like a string of brilliant stars, quietly suspended!

Eight appearing at once!

This was an absolute great fortune!

Qin Feng's pupils contracted sharply; without any hesitation, his form transformed into a streak of gold and blue light, darting toward the eight Void Mystic Fruits.

At the same time, from two other directions, powerful auras erupted almost simultaneously, and two streaks of light, no slower than his, lunged from different angles toward the same target.

In an instant, three figures appeared before the eight Void Mystic Fruits, forming a tense tripartite standoff.

One of the beings was a sleek, oily fire pig.

He had a humanoid body but a massive pig's head, a corpulent frame, eyes burning with fiery light, and nostrils constantly spewing sulfurous hot air.

This was another familiar face on the human dining table, reminding Qin Feng of the roast suckling pig at the Gourmet Residence.

The other being made Qin Feng's gaze grow more serious.

It was a Crystal Clan cultivator.

His entire body was composed of countless flawless, multicolored crystals, sharp-edged and radiating power.

The Crystal Clan, a race whose physical strength could dominate their peers—their bodies were the sturdiest weapons and perfect armor, their only weakness being relatively weaker psychic cultivation.

"Get lost, or die."

The Crystal Clan cultivator's icy gaze swept slowly over Qin Feng and the fire pig, issuing a murderous ultimatum without superfluous words.

His voice did not come from a throat but resonated from his entire crystalline body, carrying a metallic quality, cold and domineering.

(End of chapter)