Chapter 272: Crimson Feather Cosmic Country Enters a Desperate Situation! Foreign Races Set Up a Supreme

Chapter 272: The Crimson Feather Cosmic Nation at a Dead End! Alien Races Lay Down a Supreme Grand Formation! The First Bloody Battle on the Path of Termination!

Seven days later, Qin Feng slowly opened his eyes.

Deep within his gaze, that hint of golden-red seemed to have grown deeper, more pure, as if two miniature crimson-gold stars were burning within.

He could clearly sense that although the total amount of his spiritual power had not increased, its "quality" had undergone a remarkable enhancement.

If his previous spiritual power was like refined steel, then now, it was as if some rarer, tougher divine metal had been fused into that steel.

Whether in the precision of control, the power of eruption, or the speed of recovery itself, there had been substantial progress.

In his clash with Li You, the so-called "strongman-level" spiritual pressure of that opponent, before his own golden-red spiritual power, was like a stream crashing against an ancient, unchanging glacier—utterly unable to budge it in the slightest.

This was absolute suppression in quality.

"A pity, I am still far from the next qualitative leap."

Qin Feng looked inward at his spiritual world, murmuring to himself.

The quality of his spiritual power had already leaped to its current golden-red hue when he refined the "Bodhi Flower."

That in itself was a massive evolution in life level, a height countless beings could never reach through bitter cultivation.

To achieve another "qualitative leap" on this foundation would be no less difficult than letting a mortal ascend to heaven in a single step.

"Breaking through to golden-red was already a tremendous fortune. To achieve another qualitative improvement, I fear I can only rely on that legendary supreme foundation—the [Terminal Singularity]."

Qin Feng's heart was as clear as a mirror.

Ordinary cultivation resources could only bring about an accumulation of "quantity" for him, not a change in "quality."

Only by completing the death mission issued by the cosmic will and transforming the [Eternal Singularity] into the [Terminal Singularity] might he welcome the next sublimation of life essence.

Thinking this, he gathered his mind and sank his consciousness into the link with the cosmic will, examining the most crucial information concerning his subsequent journey.

In his conscious perception, the golden mark representing "cross-galaxy teleportation" had its number below quietly change from "1" to "2."

"It can indeed be accumulated!"

A smile of a plan fulfilled curled at the corner of Qin Feng's mouth.

This was precisely the core purpose for which he had been willing to stay in the Crimson Feather Cosmic Nation for a year—to verify whether "the cosmic will's teleportation count could be stacked."

The [Path of Termination] was long and perilous, with pursuers scattered across the star sea.

If the teleportation count could not be stacked, it meant he would have to teleport at regular intervals, making his movements highly predictable and easily anticipated by top-tier experts skilled in deduction and divination, who could then set traps.

But now, it was proven that the teleportation count could be accumulated.

This meant he had greater strategic freedom.

He could completely find an absolutely safe, hidden place, go into secluded cultivation for hundreds or even thousands of years, and accumulate the teleportation count to a considerable number.

Then, at some critical moment, he could perform several or even dozens of ultra-long-distance teleportations in succession.

This kind of random jump, spanning billions of light-years without any pattern, would be enough to instantly shake off all pursuers, disrupt any plans laid against him, and buy himself precious time to breathe and grow.

"Not bad. In that case, it's fine to just lie low somewhere for a while."

Qin Feng was in excellent spirits.

The strategic significance of this discovery was far more important than obtaining a few black hole secret treasures.

With this, the two main purposes for staying in the Crimson Feather Cosmic Nation—verifying the teleportation stacking hypothesis and replenishing cultivation resources—had both been achieved.

It was also time to leave.

Qin Feng stood up, tidied himself simply, and strolled out of the cultivation meditation room, heading toward the core area of the trade association where Vice President Lin was.

He needed to settle the proceeds from this auction and exchange for the resources he required. Then he would set off again, embarking on that lonely and long Path of Termination.

...

Crimson Feather Trade Association, Top Floor Reception Hall.

The decor here was elegant and luxurious; every ornament was a valuable cosmic rarity. Outside the window lay the most prosperous starport of the Crimson Feather Star, where countless ships moved like luminous fish, weaving orderly through the star-sea lanes.

Yet, within the reception hall, the atmosphere was somewhat subtle.

Vice President Lin sat upright, his demeanor respectful but with a hint of barely concealed tension.

Beside him, Huan Hu stood quietly. She had changed out of her splendid auctioneer's gown into a simple, elegant cyan dress, making her figure appear even more graceful and her temperament ethereal.

She kept her eyes lowered, as if lost in thought, but her slightly clenched hands betrayed her inner turmoil.

Since the auction ended, Qin Feng had entered seclusion, with no news for seven full days.

During these seven days, Vice President Lin had endured immense pressure.

On one hand, envoys sent by the Lihe Cosmic Nation had nearly worn down the threshold of the Crimson Feather Nation, vehemently demanding they hand over the murderer "Qin Feng" and compensate for the death of General Li You.

On the other hand, Master Gu Hong of the Crimson Feather Cosmic Nation had personally sent a message, inquiring about the details of the "Fiend God Qin Feng," his words filled with both wariness and a desire to recruit.

Not to mention the countless covert gazes from major powers, all focused on the Crimson Feather Trade Association, on that tightly shut cultivation meditation room.

Vice President Lin had blocked all of this. He was well aware that these external disturbances were nothing in the presence of that "senior."

The only thing he needed to do was wait.

As for Huan Hu, she had volunteered to stay here.

She had too much gratitude to express face to face.

The grace of saving her life was weightier than a mountain.

If not for Qin Feng, she dared not imagine her fate.

Being taken away by a scoundrel like Li You, reduced to a plaything and a slave—that would be a torment a hundred times more painful than death.

So she had to wait, had to say that "thank you" in person.

Just then, the energy-sensing formation outside the reception hall suddenly lit up with a gentle white light.

Vice President Lin's spirits lifted. He abruptly stood up from his seat, his face instantly breaking into a respectful smile.

He knew that the senior had emerged from seclusion.

Indeed, the next moment, the door to the meditation room slid open silently, and Qin Feng's tall, upright figure appeared at the entrance.

"Senior, you have emerged!"

Vice President Lin hurried forward, bowing deeply.

Qin Feng nodded casually, his gaze sweeping over Vice President Lin before finally settling on Huan Hu behind him.

"Senior, you have come!"

Vice President Lin stepped aside, warmly ushering Qin Feng into the reception hall, personally guiding him to the seat of honor.

Then, he pointed to the graceful Huan Hu standing nearby and introduced her solemnly: "Senior, this is Huan Hu, our Crimson Feather Trade Association's chief auctioneer.

She is also the most renowned artifact master in our Crimson Feather Cosmic Nation, the most beloved third disciple under Master Gu Hong, a pinnacle Black Hole-level master.

And Master Gu Hong is the first disciple of the Crimson Feather Nation's sovereign. By that reckoning, Huan Hu is the sovereign's direct grand-disciple."

He deliberately highlighted Huan Hu's background, both to express his regard for her and to subtly show the Crimson Feather Cosmic Nation's goodwill and depth to Qin Feng.

Upon hearing this, Qin Feng merely nodded slightly and said nothing more.

His gaze still lingered on Phantom Fox, as if scrutinizing, as if reminiscing.

Phantom Fox stepped forward, gracefully bowing to Qin Feng with the highest form of respect a junior could offer an elder.

She lifted her head, her beautiful eyes brimming with sincerity and gratitude, her voice clear and melodious, yet tinged with barely concealed emotion: “Junior Phantom Fox thanks Senior for saving my life!”

“Had Senior not intervened that day, Phantom Fox would surely have been captured by that vile scoundrel Li You, meeting a wretched fate.

Li You would have seized the opportunity to snatch multiple mid-level black hole treasures, including [Meteor], bringing immense shame upon my master and the guild… Senior’s kindness, Phantom Fox will never forget, even in death, I could never repay a fraction of it.”

Her words came from the depths of her heart, sincere and true.

She paused, as if recalling something, her delicate brows furrowing slightly, a dreamy, puzzled expression crossing her face as she murmured to herself: “Come to think of it… In my life, I have been aided by two benefactors who changed my destiny, and both of them bore the same name—Qin Feng… What a strange and wonderful fate.”

This near-dreamlike sigh left Vice President Lin, standing nearby, utterly bewildered.

Yet, on the main seat, Qin Feng, who had remained silent until now, suddenly broke into a smile upon hearing these words.

That smile softened the awe-inspiring aura of slaughter that had clung to him since his instant kill of Li You, adding a touch of warmth and nostalgia.

“Indeed.”

Qin Feng spoke, his voice no longer cold and detached, but carrying the weight of millennia of vicissitudes.

“It has been nearly a thousand years since we parted on Blue Star. In the blink of an eye, the former chief of Blue Star has grown into a peak stellar-level powerhouse who stands on her own.”

As his words fell, the spiritual barrier that had shrouded his form, masking his identity and blurring his features, dissipated like ripples on water.

At the same time, he slowly raised his hand and removed the unremarkable [Twin Mask] from his face.

A sharply defined face, with resolute and deep-set eyes, was now clearly revealed before Phantom Fox and Vice President Lin.

This face, perhaps weathered by time and endless battles, appeared more mature and stern than in memory, but the familiar contours and those eyes that seemed to pierce through all things perfectly matched the young man who had descended upon Blue Star a millennium ago, slaying a planet-devouring beast in a single strike and bringing the spark of hope to an entire civilization.

“It… it really is you?!”

Phantom Fox’s body trembled violently. She instinctively covered her mouth with her hand, her beautiful eyes widening in disbelief, filled with overwhelming joy and shock.

In an instant, tears uncontrollably welled up in her eyes, streaming down her pale cheeks.

Thousands of years had passed, enough for stars to shift and seas to turn into fields.

The planetary-level youth of yesteryear was now a black hole-level grandmaster overlooking the cosmos, a “God of Slaughter” feared by myriad races.

And she, once a struggling chief of a native civilization, had grown into a stellar-level powerhouse.

She had fantasized countless times about whether she would ever see her benefactor again.

But never had she imagined it would happen under such circumstances, in such a dramatic reunion.

So the mysterious senior who saved her was the very benefactor she had always held in her heart!

“Hahaha—”

Seeing Phantom Fox’s tears of joy, Qin Feng let out a hearty laugh.

This laughter was filled with the joy of reunion and a sense of wonder at fate’s whimsical arrangements.

“Fate is truly hard to fathom, hard to fathom indeed.”

He stood up, walked over to Phantom Fox, and said gently, “I never expected to meet an old friend like you in this distant Red Feather Cosmic Kingdom.”

This scene left Vice President Lin, standing nearby, completely petrified.

His mind, at that moment, felt as if it had been struck head-on by a supernova, plunging into a blank void.

What… what had he just heard?

The terrifying existence before him, the “God of Slaughter” Qin Feng, who had instantly killed a powerful black hole-level being, ranked third on the [Hidden Dragon List], and shaken the entire starfield… was actually the benefactor Phantom Fox spoke of, who had saved her life a thousand years ago on her home planet, a nascent civilization called Blue Star?!

These two—one was a lofty, elusive figure rarely seen by mortals.

The other, though a genius and a disciple of Master Lone Swan, was essentially a junior.

…

Qin Feng’s gaze rested on Phantom Fox, his calm eyes carrying a trace of scrutiny that spanned a millennium.

He did not rush to address the aftermath of the auction but instead raised the question in his mind first, his voice steady and direct: “Blue Star lies deep within the Human Empire. According to the normal course of events, as the sparks and most outstanding representatives of Blue Star’s civilization, you should have logically entered the educational system of the Limit War Corps, receiving the most orthodox and comprehensive training.

Why did you end up on the Myriad Races Battlefield, far from the empire’s core territories, and even become a member of this Red Feather Cosmic Kingdom?”

This question, like a key, unlocked the long-sealed door of Phantom Fox’s memories.

Her heart, which had been stirred by the reunion with an old friend, now rippled with bitterness and melancholy at this inquiry.

It was a complex emotion, mingling the capriciousness of fate, survival against all odds, and the passage of time.

Phantom Fox lowered her eyes slightly, organizing her thoughts before speaking softly: “Senior is correct. Back then, the five chiefs of Blue Star, with your help, preserved the spark of our civilization and were guided to Starry Sky University.

Our time there was the most precious period of our lives.

Each of us gave our all, hoping to follow in your footsteps and live up to your expectations.

However, fate had other plans…”

Her voice trembled slightly: “According to procedure, we accepted our final graduation mission upon completing our studies. The mission itself was not extremely dangerous; with our combined strength and coordination, it should have been foolproof.

But as we completed the mission and were returning, we encountered… a subspace turbulence.”

The mere mention of “subspace turbulence” caused even Vice President Lin, standing nearby, to slightly change color.

As a black hole-level powerhouse, he knew all too well the terrifying despair those two words represented.

It was a cosmic calamity that even domain lord-level experts dreaded to speak of. Once caught in it, life and death hung by a thread, and survival was already a tremendous stroke of luck.

A look of lingering fear and sorrow crossed Phantom Fox’s face: “Everything happened too fast. The starship’s alarm sounded for barely an instant before our world was plunged into endless spinning and tearing.

Space and time lost all meaning there. We were like dust thrown into a drum, utterly powerless. I only remember that before my consciousness completely faded, the five of us fought with all our might to resist that indescribable, terrifying force…”

“When we woke up again, we found ourselves in this completely unfamiliar starfield, on the border of the Red Feather Cosmic Kingdom. The starship had long since disintegrated. All five of us were severely injured and had completely lost contact with the Human Empire. Worse still, the place we landed was a desolate planet occupied by alien races.”

Qin Feng listened quietly, able to imagine that despair.

From elite prodigies on the verge of stepping onto a grander stage as empire elites, they had instantly become severely weakened, isolated interstellar refugees. Such a fall could break anyone’s spirit.

“So, you missed the subsequent Star Cup and even the Cosmic Genius Tournament, which determines one’s entire fate.”

Qin Feng’s tone carried a hint of regret.

He knew all too well what it meant for a genius aspiring to the pinnacle of martial arts to miss such a stage.

It was not just the loss of vast resources and a chance to rise overnight, but also the invaluable experience of competing with the brightest of one’s generation across the universe, honing one’s martial path.

“Yes.”

Phantom Fox nodded, a flicker of sorrow passing through her eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a sense of relief. “Though it still feels deeply regrettable now, compared to surviving, those things no longer matter.

In our darkest hour, it was my master, Master Lone Swan, who discovered us during his travels, saved us from the alien pursuers, and brought us back to the Red Feather Cosmic Kingdom, taking us in. Without my master, we would have long since turned to dust in the cosmos. So, in a way, it was a blessing in disguise amidst our despair.”

Having said that, her tone shifted, the relief of survival giving way to deeper sorrow, her voice dropping: “But unfortunately… in the battle when we first arrived here, to cover our retreat… Rock and Wind… they…”

She could not continue, but her choked voice said it all.

Of the once-aspiring five chiefs of Blue Star, only she, Thunder, and Heaven’s Secret remained.

The other two companions, who carried the hopes of their civilization, had their lives and dreams forever ended in this cold, foreign starfield.

“I see.”

Qin Feng understood, and a ripple stirred within him.

He recalled those five vibrant youths back on Blue Star.

The steadiness of rock, the swiftness of wind… now, all were but memories. Such was the cruelty of the cosmos.

Even the most brilliant geniuses, before the vastness of fate, might flash by like a shooting star.

He chatted briefly with Phantom Fox about old times, learning of the other survivor, Lei, who now served in the Redfeather Cosmic Nation’s military, had reached high-level Stellar, and had become a disciple of the Redfeather Sovereign’s second apprentice.

The reminiscence of old friends came to a close, and Qin Feng turned his gaze to Vice President Lin, who had stood respectfully by the entire time.

Vice President Lin had already elevated Qin Feng’s status to an unprecedented height in his mind.

Before him was not only the “Fierce God” ranked third on the Hidden Dragon List, a terrifying being who could slay a powerful black hole with a single strike, but also Phantom Fox’s old friend and benefactor.

From any angle, he had to be treated with the highest courtesy.

He immediately took the hint, daring not the slightest neglect, and respectfully presented with both hands a card made of an unknown black crystal, its surface flowing with starlight.

“Senior,” Vice President Lin said, bowing slightly, his tone full of respect and gratitude, “Your righteous intervention this time not only saved face for our Redfeather Trading Company but also preserved several final auction items, including ‘Meteor,’ preventing incalculable losses.

This kindness we hold in our hearts.

This black card contains the final bid of four billion Redfeather Coins for the ‘Meteor’ throwing knife, plus an additional one billion deposited by our company as a token of thanks, totaling five billion Redfeather Coins, available for your spending at any shop within the Redfeather Cosmic Nation.”

“In addition,”

he continued, “this black card also integrates the highest-level spatial teleportation beacon of our Redfeather Cosmic Nation.

In the future, no matter where you are, as long as energy is sufficient, you can use this card to locate and teleport back to the Redfeather Cosmic Nation at any time.

Consider this a permanent path home we’ve reserved for you.”

With that, he took out a storage ring from his bosom, ancient in style and engraved with complex spatial runes, and offered it again: “Senior, this storage ring is a small token from our company, unworthy of your acceptance, but we sincerely hope you will take it.”

Vice President Lin’s arrangements were thorough and full of sincerity.

The storage ring, in particular, solved an urgent problem for Qin Feng.

His primary storage method was a subspace storage unit, which his senior brother Fire Luan had opened for him and paid for ten thousand years in advance.

It sounded like a long time, but since entering the Cosmic Sea, rushing about and secluding himself for cultivation, time had flown, and nearly four thousand years had passed.

The remaining time seemed ample, but his journey to the [Path of End] was uncertain, and he had no idea when he would reach his next destination—Thunder Cosmic City.

If the fee expired midway, the trouble would be immense.

Although the subspace storage unit wouldn’t damage its contents due to non-payment, being unable to retrieve or store items could trap him in a critical moment.

Thus, a physical high-level storage ring as a backup was absolutely necessary.

Qin Feng did not refuse; he calmly accepted the black card and the storage ring.

He looked at Vice President Lin and said evenly, “I don’t need these Redfeather Coins for now. Exchange them all for top-grade herbs or finished pills that can quickly restore mental energy—the higher the quality and the greater the quantity, the better.”

For Qin Feng, currency was just a number; only strategic resources that could be instantly converted into combat power were truly valuable.

Especially on a journey like the [Path of End], where high-intensity battles could erupt at any moment, the importance of restorative resources sometimes surpassed that of offensive treasures.

“Yes, no problem! Please wait a moment, Senior!”

Receiving the order, Vice President Lin perked up and quickly nodded in agreement.

This was the simplest task for him.

He hurried away, using his vice president authority to personally go to the company’s top treasury for allocation.

Before long, Vice President Lin returned with a beaming face, handing the storage ring back to Qin Feng, and said respectfully, “Senior, all five billion Redfeather Coins have been exchanged. All resources are inside.”

Qin Feng took the ring, and his golden-red mental energy surged in like a tide, instantly taking in everything within the internal space.

The ring’s interior was vast, piled with jade boxes, crystal bottles, and strange plants radiating astonishing energy fluctuations.

[Millennium Soul Crystal], [Star Marrow Droplets], [Void Concentration Flower], [Nine-Turn Spirit Restoration Pill]…

Vice President Lin had indeed done his utmost; the exchanged items were almost all top-tier goods rarely seen even on the myriad races’ battlefield.

Using his own terrifying foundation of [Eternal Singularity] as a gauge, Qin Feng estimated that the total resources here could sustain him through three bloody battles that pushed him to his limits, allowing him to recover to full strength.

This was already an astonishing number.

For his base values were too immense; each battle’s consumption far exceeded that of his peers.

Similarly, when he was exhausted, the resources needed for full recovery were astronomical.

These resources, if given to a powerful black hole being like Li You, would likely suffice for ten or even twenty recoveries.

“Mm, not bad.”

Qin Feng nodded in satisfaction and put away the storage ring.

For him, the main goals of this trip—verifying “teleportation stacking” and replenishing resources—had all been achieved.

It was time to set off again.

He stood up, turned his gaze to Phantom Fox, nodded slightly, and said calmly, “Since that’s the case, let us part ways here.”

The moment he spoke, Phantom Fox was startled, a flicker of shock and panic in her eyes.

Vice President Lin was even more anxious; standing behind her, he desperately signaled her with his eyes, his urgency almost spilling over.

Speak up! Speak up now!

This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

Yet Phantom Fox, looking at Qin Feng’s calm and profound face, feeling the resolute aura of his impending departure, found the words at her lips blocked as if by a boulder, unable to come out.

She opened her mouth but finally bit her lip tightly, saying nothing.

Qin Feng took in both their expressions, vaguely guessing the reason, but he did not call it out.

Everyone had their own path to walk; he himself was at the center of a cosmic manhunt, and it was inconvenient to become entangled in others’ karma.

He lingered no longer, nodded to them once more, then turned and strode out of the quiet room.

His steps were not fast, but each was firm, and his figure soon merged into the light outside the door, finally vanishing from sight.

Only when that heart-stopping powerful aura had completely faded did Vice President Lin deflate like a punctured ball, wringing his hands in regret, his tone full of frustration.

“Ah!”

He stomped heavily, “Phantom Fox! Phantom Fox! Such a heaven-sent opportunity, and you… you didn’t speak at the critical moment! Don’t you know that the Sovereign is in danger, and the entire Redfeather Cosmic Nation is precarious, caught in a storm?

If we could have a world-shaking expert like Senior Qin Feng to help, even just to hold the fort for a while, it would be enough to intimidate the petty and buy us precious time! But you…”

Facing Vice President Lin’s reproach, Phantom Fox’s face was full of self-blame and pain, her eyes reddening.

“President, I… I…”

She murmured, her mind in turmoil.

How could she not know?

On one side was Qin Feng, who had given her a new lease on life and preserved Blue Star civilization.

She owed Qin Feng far too much, so much that she simply could not bring herself to use that debt to bind him, dragging him into the vast quagmire and vortex of the Redfeather Cosmic Nation.

She could sense that Qin Feng’s schedule was tight, and he seemed to be facing some great crisis himself.

Yet on the other side lay the Vermilion Plume Cosmos Nation, the realm that had taken them in, granting them a new lease on life and sanctuary—the very lifeblood of her master and grandmaster.

Years ago, her grandmaster had rescued them from the clutches of alien races, a debt of gratitude as heavy and immovable as Mount Tai.

Now that her grandmaster was imperiled and the nation faced calamity, it was only right that she, as a disciple, do everything within her power.

Two crushing emotions clashed violently within her heart, rendering her utterly speechless in that fleeting instant.

And it was that single moment of hesitation that caused her to miss the one and only golden opportunity.

"President, I... I will go look for Senior Qin! He shouldn't have gone far yet!"

Regret submerged Phantom Fox like a rising tide; ignoring all else, she whirled around and rushed out in a frantic panic.

She dashed out of the trading firm, hovering high above the bustling cosmic port, releasing her immense spiritual power without reservation until it spread like an invisible, giant web, sweeping through every inch of space to search for that familiar, formidable aura.

Yet the crowds were endless, starships shuttled back and forth, and the cosmic background radiation was thick with the breath of billions of living souls, but his silhouette was nowhere to be found.

He was like a pebble tossed into the vast ocean, leaving behind not even a single ripple.

Phantom Fox remained suspended in mid-air, utterly distraught, her heart overflowing with endless remorse and bitterness.

...

Meanwhile, on the other side.

Qin Feng had already departed from the capital planet of the Vermilion Plume Cosmos Nation.

His form was enveloped in the radiant, shifting glow of the Vermilion Gold Wings, transforming him into a golden streak of light imperceptible to the naked eye as he conducted an ultra-high-speed warp through the deep recesses of cosmic space.

In a mere matter of moments, he crossed an immeasurable distance, arriving at a perilous frontier where the Vermilion Plume Cosmos Nation bordered several neighboring cosmic realms.

Haltng his advance, he hovered within the shadow of an asteroid belt, casting his gaze into the distance.

"According to the star chart obtained from the chamber of commerce, this place is called the 'Vermilion Plume Pass,' a vital bottleneck for entering the Vermilion Plume Cosmos Nation from neighboring star systems, and a highly critical military fortress."

Qin Feng scrutinized the star region ahead.

It was a peculiar celestial structure formed by the dense alignment of seventy-eight star systems, where the powerful gravitational fields and energy radiation of the stars tangled and interfered with one another, creating a natural, exceedingly chaotic spiritual-psionic forcefield.

Any detection equipment or spiritual perception would be greatly suppressed and distorted here, making it a natural rampart that was easy to defend but hard to attack.

Building upon this natural wall, the Vermilion Plume Cosmos Nation had expended countless resources to construct a continuous chain of starry passes and war fortresses, guarded personally by the first grand general under the Vermilion Plume Lord—a formidable black hole warrior of the powerhouse echelon named Lin Tian.

This place was the gateway to the Vermilion Plume Cosmos Nation.

Qin Feng did not draw close, merely standing tall in the deep cosmic space far from the Vermilion Plume Pass, like a silent statue, quietly waiting.

His gold-red spiritual power extended forward silently like the most sensitive of tentacles, perceiving everything hidden within the void ahead.

He could clearly feel that on the space lane just beyond the Vermilion Plume Pass, an inescapable dragnet woven from countless energy nodes had already been quietly deployed.

It was an exceptionally sophisticated spatial blockade array.

The pursuers were already waiting there in advance.

Moving forward blindly was entirely out of the question, leaving spatial teleportation as the only option, but Qin Feng was in no hurry to activate the teleportation function of the Cosmic Will.

For the first stop of the Path of the End, he wanted to test with his own hands the true caliber of this first batch of creatures sent to intercept and kill him.

...

Just as Qin Feng stood outside the pass waiting for the wind to rise, deep within the imperial palace of the Vermilion Plume Cosmos Nation, inside a grand hall filled with scorching heat and the scent of metal.

Grandmaster Guhong, a man of burly stature and an ancient, rugged countenance, sat quietly cross-legged upon a futon before a massive forge.

By his side lay a casual arrangement of various smithing hammers, each radiating a startling spiritual resonance and a heavy sense of history.

Opposite him, Vice President Lin and Phantom Fox sat up straight with solemn expressions.

At this moment, the brows of all three were tightly knit, and the atmosphere inside the hall was oppressive and heavy.

"You are saying that before you even had the chance to speak, that Qin Feng sensed something, left directly, and vanished without a trace in an instant?"

Grandmaster Guhong spoke slowly, his voice hoarse and deep, sounding like two pieces of metal grinding together.

"Yes, Master."

Phantom Fox lowered her head, her voice thick with guilt. "Your disciple... your disciple failed to live up to your expectations."

"Sigh..."

Grandmaster Guhong let out a long, drawn-out sigh, one laden with helplessness, disappointment, and a trace of powerlessness against fate.

He waved his hand and said, "Forget it, forget it.

What cannot be forced, cannot be gained.

A figure like him is a dragon among men; the steadfastness of his mind is far beyond what the likes of us can fathom.

His unwillingness to intervene surely has its reasons.

Perhaps this is simply the destiny of our Vermilion Plume Cosmos Nation.

It is the time, and it is fate."

He lifted his head to look into the void, as if his gaze could pierce through the layers of palace walls to see the approaching storm of the nation's fortune.

"Master is trapped within the 'Abyssal Demon Pit,' his fate unknown. This ten-thousand-year calamity faced by our Vermilion Plume Cosmos Nation... now, we can only look to the Second and Third disciples to see if they can bring back some good news."

The core of power within the Vermilion Plume Cosmos Nation was not as simple as the outside world imagined.

The Vermilion Plume Lord was a genuine, bona fide World Lord echelon powerhouse.

And beneath the Lord, there were three direct disciples in total.

The eldest disciple was Grandmaster Guhong, a genuine peak-tier black hole echelon powerhouse.

However, he had dedicated his entire life's energy to the path of artifact forging; combat was not his forte.

In a one-on-one duel, an ordinary peak black hole powerhouse might not be able to do anything to him, but a combat-specialized powerhouse of the same tier could pin him down completely.

If two teamed up against him, he would even face the peril of falling.

Vice President Lin was his adopted son, while Phantom Fox was a disciple he had taken on later, making them the grand-disciples of the Cosmos Lord.

As for the second and third disciples of the Vermilion Plume Lord, though they were also remarkably gifted talents, their period of cultivation was still short, and they were currently only powerhouse-echelon black hole beings, a far cry from the peak realm.

"The Second disciple set out a century ago for the distant 'Sacred Ground of Shenji' and has remained completely unaccounted for since."

Grandmaster Guhong's voice grew heavier. "The Third disciple went to the 'Qiantian Cosmos Nation,' which is closest to us. The Lord of Qiantian and my master are close friends who once roamed the Cosmic Ocean together for ten thousand years. If the Qiantian Cosmos Nation is willing to lend a hand, that would be a blessing."

He paused, a sliver of desolation surfacing in his eyes. "To think that during the height of our Vermilion Plume Cosmos Nation, the five surrounding cosmic nations were all vassals of our realm. Now that news of the Lord being trapped has leaked, they have all harbored rebellious thoughts and are growing restless.

If these five nations unite, the number of powerhouse-echelon black hole beings would likely reach a hundred, and on the surface alone, there are three peak black hole echelons. They have been waiting, testing the waters."

"Li You was merely the first stone they threw to pave the way."

"What is even more troublesome,"

Grandmaster Guhong's brow furrowed tightly into a deep frown, "is that for some unknown reason, several powerful peak black hole entities from alien races have recently appeared along our borders. Their intentions are unclear, but they are certainly up to no good. Internal anxieties and external threats have erupted all at once."

"Ah, this is truly... an autumn of existential peril."

Grandmaster Guhong let out another long sigh, the entire hall echoing with his muttered self-talk, which was filled with worry and exhaustion.

Under such a desperate plight, only two paths to survival remained.

One was whether they could reach the Sacred Ground of Shenji; if they could gain entry there, its prestigious reputation alone would deter the surrounding cosmic nations from taking action.

Second, whether the Qian Tian Cosmic Kingdom would, out of remembrance of old bonds, extend its aid.

(End of this chapter)