Chapter 279: Love is Nothing But an Evil God's Conspiracy! Blood-colored Forbidden Land Opens

Chapter 279: Love is Merely an Evil God's Plot! The Crimson Forbidden Ground Opens! Foes Everywhere!

"The Holy Spirit Rock Clan? The Stone Buddha? Adopted by the Rock Clan?"

A look of clear astonishment surfaced between Feng Zhiyu’s brows.

His voice carried a hint of uncertainty, as if he were confirming whether he had misheard this unfamiliar term.

As a former favored son of the Canaan Starry Sky Martial Arts University, his experience and knowledge far surpassed ordinary people; though he dared not claim to know the genealogy of the universe's myriad races like the back of his hand, he was confident that he knew seventy to eighty percent of them.

The Rock Clan, as one of the peak races in the universe, had a prestigious name that had long resounded through the sea of stars, so he was naturally aware of them. That was a powerful civilization composed of rocky lifeforms that had birthed self-awareness, renowned for their indestructible defense and calm, heavy strength.

But "Holy Spirit Rock Clan"—this prefix made him feel entirely unfamiliar, as if he had touched upon a blind spot in his knowledge.

Yue Xuan, the Thirteenth Prince of the Ancient Tianxuan Kingdom, explained patiently: "Yes, the Holy Spirit Rock Clan. Brother-in-law, the vast majority of the Rock Clan you know are lifeforms formed in the postnatal stage. Either a planet possessing special mineral veins birthed a planetary will over the long ages, eventually condensing into a form; or some stubborn stone containing strange spiritual energy opened its spiritual wisdom by chance, growing slowly by devouring minerals. They are 'stone' first, and only then do they possess a 'spirit'; their foundation lies in matter."

He paused for a moment, seemingly organizing his words in order to more clearly expound upon the essential difference between the two.

"But the Holy Spirit Rock Clan is precisely the opposite. They are 'innate spirits'. The universe is not a dead, silent void. In certain special star regions where spiritual energy turbulence occurs frequently and mental fields are extremely complex, pure, formless spiritual energy and mental power, under hundreds of millions of years of intertwining, collision, and compression, will birth a peculiar innate conscious entity—this is a 'Holy Spirit'.

When this kind of Holy Spirit is first born, it has no physical form, being merely a cluster of pure consciousness.

They instinctively search for the carrier that best fits their own attributes, and the firmest, purest things in the universe capable of bearing majestic spiritual energy are none other than the stellar cores or cosmic wonder-stones that have weathered countless epochs.

When a Holy Spirit perfectly fuses with such a stone carrier, the Holy Spirit Rock Clan is born."

A touch of reverence leaked from Yue Xuan's eyes: "They possess a 'spirit' first, and a 'stone' later. Their essence is that of the darlings of cosmic spiritual energy, born with an unimaginable control over spiritual energy, and the quality of their mental power far exceeds those of the same tier.

It can be said that every member of the Holy Spirit Rock Clan is a walking treasury of heaven and earth, a natural combat genius."

Yue Xuan's tone grew heavy, "The origin source of a Holy Spirit is an irresistible supplement to other Holy Spirits.

A cruel law of the dark forest exists between them; they will instinctively hunt and kill one another, completing their own evolution and metamorphosis by devouring the other's origin source.

This is a rule written into the deepest part of their lives, unalterable. Therefore, the number of the Holy Spirit Rock Clan is extremely scarce, often rarely seen even once in an entire era."

He glanced at Qin Feng and continued: "And the Rock Clan, as the pinnacle of postnatal stone life.

They do not engage in cruel fratricide like the Holy Spirits. Therefore, when the high-level members of the Rock Clan discover those weak Holy Spirit Rock Clan members who are being hunted down and are on the verge of perishing, they will occasionally take action to save them.

They bring them back to the clan, nurturing them like precious treasures and treating them as the 'Holy Sons' or 'Holy Daughters' of their own clan.

On one hand, this strengthens their own clan's power, adding a future powerhouse of limitless potential to the populace; on the other hand, it is also in the hope of using the talent of the Holy Spirit Rock Clan to continue their lineage and birth bloodlines.

This Stone Buddha is the most outstanding among them, a... monster that the Rock Clan's esoteric sect spent endless resources to nurture."

Yue Xuan's explanation was detailed and clear, giving Feng Zhiyu a more three-dimensional and terrifying understanding of this "Stone Buddha," who ranked second on the Hidden Dragon Leaderboard.

That was not just a powerful opponent, but an ultimate genius who gathered the strengths of two peak races, possessing innate advantages and nurtured by an ocean of postnatal resources.

While Yue Xuan was explaining, Qin Feng remained silent throughout.

After Yue Xuan finished speaking, he looked at Qin Feng with deep worry, his tone sincere and urgent: "Benefactor, although I do not know how grand a layout is involved behind this, for the myriad races to mobilize so massively and cast this inescapable net, it is absolutely a shocking conspiracy targeted at you.

The Crimson Forbidden Ground is now a dragon's pool and a tiger's den, gathering the top batch of black hole-level geniuses from the 1300th battle zone and the surrounding areas; they have all come to hunt you.

So... I beg of you to think twice and temporarily avoid their sharp edge; it is by no means cowardice."

"No matter."

Qin Feng's reply was simple and calm, those two words containing an absolute confidence that brooked no doubt.

He did not directly respond to Yue Xuan's advice, but instead cast his gaze upon the two items in the other's hands, asking in a steady voice: "May I take a look at the treasure map?"

"Naturally, of course you can!"

Yue Xuan froze for a moment upon hearing this, then reacted immediately without the slightest hesitation.

He hurriedly handed both the ancient, simple map scroll and a crystalline key radiating a faint bloody light over to Qin Feng.

To him, delivering these two items into Qin Feng's hands with his own group was the completion of the most important mission entrusted to him by his royal father.

He said respectfully: "This treasure map and key were originally what my royal father instructed me to deliver to your hands personally no matter what. I just didn't expect that the will of heaven would toy with us so, causing me to meet you under such circumstances."

Qin Feng reached out to take them, the sensation coming from his fingertips surprising him slightly.

That treasure map was not made of paper or animal hide, but a very peculiar flexible metal, thin as a cicada's wing yet exceptionally tough; what was drawn upon it were not ordinary ink lines, but a dynamic play of light and shadow composed of countless microscopic spiritual energy circuits.

The blood-colored key was an irregular crystal, warm to the touch, its interior appearing to have lifelike blood filaments flowing slowly.

He casually threw the blood-colored key into the depths of his storage ring.

Afterward, Qin Feng’s entire focus was instantly immersed within that dynamic treasure map.

This was indeed a detailed map of the Crimson Forbidden Ground.

With the injection of Qin Feng's mental power, the light and shadow on the scroll instantly came alive, unfolding a three-dimensional and grand tri-dimensional star region map before him.

Countless points of light and lines intertwined, constructing an independent space that was bizarre, motley, and filled with an ominous aura.

Mountain ranges meandered like dragon bones, rivers were as dark red as congealed blood, and the land was covered with hideous rifts and eerie forests.

On the map, there were many locations specially marked out, and beside them were lines of small characters written in the universal human tongue, clearly annotations added later by the Lord of Tianxuan, which detailed the primary dangers, possible opportunities, and matters requiring attention for each location.

"Myriad Soul Pit: Soaring resentment power, easy to birth high-tier soul-type evil entities, also a probability of finding 'Soul Crystals'."

"Rotten Bone Forest: The trees in the forest are all mutated from the skeletons of powerhouses, incomparably poisonous, deep within there may be 'Decayed Wood Hearts'."

"God-Severing Cliff: Chaotic space, possesses natural spatial cracks, extremely dangerous, remnants of predecessors lie at the bottom of the cliff."

Qin Feng’s gaze swept across these markings one by one, his mind as still as water; these opportunities that ordinary black hole-level powerhouses flocked to did not hold much attraction for him.

His vision was ultimately firmly drawn to two places that had been repeatedly emphasized with blood-red light circles.

The first was named the "Blood God Tower."

It was located at the exact center of the entire forbidden ground, a giant tower soaring into the clouds, appearing as if cast from fresh blood.

The annotation on the map also became exceptionally concise, with only a few words: "Core of the forbidden ground, greatest opportunity, also the greatest peril. Nine deaths, one life; enter with caution."

The second consisted of crystals scattered in various places, named "Blood Jade Crystals."

The annotations regarding this place were much more detailed: "Blood Jade Crystals, a cosmic treasure.

This item is no ordinary product; it is a crystal condensed over hundreds of millions of years under the unique environment of the Crimson Forbidden Ground, absorbing the life essence and mental imprints of countless powerhouses who perished here, combined with the mighty power of gods.

Within it lies the purest life essence and mental origin spiritual energy."

"Effect: Can be directly devoured to improve the user's physical aptitude and mental power quality.

Unlike one-time heavenly materials and earthly treasures such as the Posuo Flower, after consuming one Posuo Flower, the effect of similar treasures becomes negligible.

But Blood Jade Crystals, before the user's physical body and soul reach their bearing limits, can be devoured infinitely, offering infinite improvement!"

Seeing this last annotation, a scorching light flashed deep within Qin Feng’s eyes.

Infinite improvement!

These two words represented supreme temptation for any martial artist.

And for Qin Feng, the meaning was even more extraordinary.

The core of his martial path lay in the pursuit of the most perfect, most robust, and most impeccable foundation.

Everything served his own physical body and soul's raw power; he valued his foundation far more than secret techniques and skills.

The Posuo Flower had indeed allowed him to obtain tremendous benefits during the galactic level, and after advancing to gold-red mental power, his strength had skyrocketed several times over, bringing him great returns.

But that kind of opportunity could be encountered but not sought after, and once one Posuo Flower was consumed, the second would have its effectiveness greatly reduced.

And this Blood Jade Crystal provided a broad and straight path to continuously solidify one's foundation!

This simple, crude, and direct method of enhancing fundamental qualities was practically a supreme opportunity tailor-made for him!

It could even be said to perfectly align with Qin Feng's martial philosophy of "proving the Dao through power."

No need for complex comprehension, no need for lengthy refinement—only the purest devouring and absorption, transforming external spiritual energy into the most primal strength within.

At this moment, there was no trace of hesitation left in Qin Feng's heart.

Setting aside the mysterious Blood God Tower, even this Blood Jade Crystal vein alone was worth venturing into.

He had to go!

With the opportunity right before him, if he shrank back in fear of the so-called "mountains of corpses and seas of blood," then he would no longer be Qin Feng.

Martial cultivation was, after all, a struggle against heaven, against earth, against others, and most of all, against oneself.

Without struggle, how could one ascend to the pinnacle?

"Benefactor,"

the Thirteenth Prince Yuexuan said, seeing Qin Feng's gaze linger on the map for a long time, his face growing more worried. He couldn't help but speak again, warning, "It is said that there are twelve keys to this Blood Forbidden Land. By now, all twelve keys should have appeared, falling into the hands of the most outstanding prodigies among the myriad races.

My father once said that these keys are both tokens and beacons.

Only when all twelve keys are gathered will the forbidden land truly open."

"In other words, if you leave with this key and do not enter the Blood Forbidden Land, then those who came to hunt you, even if they hold keys, will be unable to obtain the opportunities within.

This could be a strategy to cut off the source."

Yuexuan's words carried a hint of hope. In his view, this was the safest course of action.

As long as Qin Feng did not enter the game, this deadly trap would naturally collapse on its own.

Yet Qin Feng merely slowly put away the treasure map and said, "It's fine. I intend to go and take a look."

"Benefactor!"

Yuexuan's voice involuntarily rose, filled with deep anxiety, "Ahead... lies a true mountain of corpses and sea of blood!

The Stone Buddha, along with some monsters from the Hidden Dragon List, and numerous long-established Limit Black Holes, are all waiting outside the Blood Forbidden Land!"

Hearing this, Qin Feng looked at the worried Yuexuan and smiled, "If I don't go to the Blood Forbidden Land, the path ahead will still be a mountain of corpses and sea of blood. There's no difference. Going to the Blood Forbidden Land, on the other hand, gives me a chance to fight."

From the moment he accepted the death mission of the "Final Path," from the moment his name resounded across the myriad race battlefield, he had already stood at the center of the storm.

Retreat? Escape?

That would only cause him to miss opportunities to grow stronger, eventually being worn down and killed in endless pursuit.

His path had always been only one—to face all the blades and shadows, carve a bloody road, and turn every enemy into a stepping stone for his advancement.

This was a path of invincibility!

"Let me first send you back to the capital."

Qin Feng's tone returned to calm: "As for the Heavenly Xuan Kingdom's ruler, you should be at ease. He is most likely safe."

This was more like a "statement," or rather, the execution of an order.

The Blood Forbidden Land had been sealed for millions of years—why would it open at this critical juncture?

And why did the timing coincide exactly with his arrival on this route?

There were no such coincidences in this world.

The only explanation was that this was the work of the human race's high echelons.

They had simply turned the situation to their advantage, opening this trial ground filled with supreme opportunities and extreme danger.

This was a chance for Qin Feng to break the deadlock.

As for the Heavenly Xuan Kingdom's ruler, a marquis-level powerhouse of this cosmic nation, handing the key to Qin Feng was, in fact, an execution of the will of the Human Sacred Court.

Since the Human Sacred Court was pulling the strings behind the scenes, they would surely ensure the safety of the Heavenly Xuan Kingdom's ruler.

There was no deep-seated enmity between the human race and the Feather race; on the contrary, due to the Sacred Blood Angel Battle Group, there were many ties and frequent exchanges, making them a friendly race.

Even if the marquis-level powerhouses of the myriad races besieged him, they would at most "trap" the Heavenly Xuan Kingdom's ruler, preventing him from interfering in the Blood Forbidden Land's affairs.

They dared not truly kill him, for killing a friendly marquis of the human race would be equivalent to thoroughly enraging humanity. The consequences would make even the peak races think twice.

"Let's go."

Qin Feng said no more. With a thought, a gentle force enveloped Yuexuan and Feng Zhiyu, bringing them aboard his flying boat.

The flying boat transformed into a streak of light, tearing through the dark matter universe, and sped toward the Heavenly Xuan capital.

...

The Heavenly Xuan capital, as the core of a powerful neutral nation, was far more prosperous than any cosmic nation capital Qin Feng had seen before.

Countless flying boats of various shapes and sizes moved like a river of fish, traveling orderly along designated routes.

Towering buildings shimmered with the radiance of spiritual energy, and beings of different races walked the streets, painting a vibrant picture of an interstellar metropolis.

Upon arriving at the capital, Qin Feng did not linger, nor did he visit any nobles of the Heavenly Xuan Ancient Kingdom.

He sent Yuexuan and Feng Zhiyu to the outskirts of the imperial city and then departed directly.

Yuexuan watched Qin Feng's disappearing back and bowed deeply.

Qin Feng's figure moved through the bustling city, heading straight to the capital's largest resource trading center.

Without hesitation, he spent a huge sum of money to purchase a large quantity of precious alloys.

After that, he rented a top-tier martial arts chamber in the city's most heavily guarded and most private training district.

The interior of the martial arts chamber was spacious, with abundant spiritual energy.

Once inside, Qin Feng immediately activated the highest-level defensive barriers, cutting off all external detection.

He did not begin training but instead took out all the alloy materials he had purchased, suspending them before him.

The next moment, a deep, profound light flickered in his eyes. It was the power of the [Twin Masks] quietly at work.

Ever since he had gained the ability to "twin" with the Mechanical race in the Twin River, his understanding of metals, spiritual energy, and mechanical structures had become almost innate.

Though he had not yet learned many secret techniques, it was enough to forge some exquisite creations.

Of course, what seemed exquisite to the human race would likely appear crude to the Mechanical race.

Qin Feng extended his right hand, spreading his five fingers. His vast mental energy, like billions of invisible tentacles, instantly enveloped the mountain of alloys.

No furnace, no flames, no hammering.

Under the control of his mental energy, those incredibly hard precious alloys began to decompose and reassemble at a visible speed.

Time ticked by, second by second.

A humanoid mechanical creation, gleaming with metallic luster and exuding a sense of streamlined beauty and power, slowly took shape before him.

This mechanical creation bore a seven- or eight-part resemblance to Qin Feng in appearance, but its entire body was forged from dark gold alloys, with precise spiritual energy circuits at the joints and faint blue light flickering in its eyes.

Its physical strength, meticulously crafted by Qin Feng, barely reached the threshold of the Black Hole level.

Such strength, compared to Qin Feng's terrifying physique capable of withstanding Limit Black Hole-level powerhouses, was as fragile as paper.

Any Black Hole-level being could easily destroy it.

But Qin Feng paid it no mind.

He had not created this body for battle in the first place.

It was merely a contingency, an insurance policy.

The ability of the [Twin Masks] granted him the power to transfer his soul between mechanical constructs and his own flesh-and-blood body.

As long as a pre-set mechanical construct existed within a hundred light-years of him, even if his original body was utterly destroyed, his soul could instantly transfer into that construct at the moment of his fall, completing a "rebirth."

In this way, he would not truly die, nor would the [Twin Masks] bound to his soul be lost.

This essentially ensured that the death-difficulty mission [Path of the End] would not fail due to his "death."

In fact, ever since leaving the Twin River, during the two-hundred-year desolate voyage, he had left one such mechanical construct as a beacon and backup body at intervals along the way, on asteroid belts or barren planets.

Now, about to step into the Blood Forbidden Land, a killing trap teeming with countless malicious intents, he naturally had to prepare to the fullest.

When the final component was assembled, Qin Feng flicked his finger, and a wisp of spiritual power containing his unique soul imprint sank into the core of the mechanical construct.

The construct's eyes blazed with light, then dimmed again, entering standby mode.

Having done all this, he slowly exhaled a turbid breath, left the martial arts room, and renewed its lease for a hundred years, forbidding anyone from entering.

Preparations were complete; next came the journey to the heart of the storm.

Yet, as he stepped out of the training area, he unexpectedly caught sight of a familiar figure. Feng Zhiyu sat alone on a bench in the lounge outside the training area, his back looking somewhat desolate.

On the table before him sat a drink that had long gone cold, but he seemed oblivious, staring blankly at the bustling scene outside the window, exuding an air of deep melancholy.

"Hm?"

Qin Feng paused mid-step, raising an eyebrow in slight confusion.

He could clearly sense that Feng Zhiyu's current state of mind was filled with bitterness, loss, and bewilderment, as if he had just suffered a tremendous blow.

Qin Feng walked over slowly and sat down opposite Feng Zhiyu.

Feng Zhiyu seemed to snap out of his daze only then; seeing Qin Feng, he forced a smile uglier than tears and spoke in a hoarse voice: "Qin... Qin Feng."

"It's over."

Before Qin Feng could ask, Feng Zhiyu let out a bitter, self-mocking laugh, as if mustering all his strength to slowly utter those three words.

His eyes were hollow, brimming with endless emotion and exhaustion: "If only life were as it first appeared... Three thousand years of waiting, three thousand years of obsession—in the end, it all amounts to nothing. In the blink of an eye, everything has changed."

Feng Zhiyu picked up the cold drink and drained it in one gulp, as if swallowing all his bitterness.

"She said that toward me, she mostly felt guilt and gratitude from those days, along with a trace of nostalgia for that innocent time.

But she has her responsibilities, her duty to her family and country;

And I am just a poor wretch trapped in the past."

Feng Zhiyu's voice grew softer, trembling slightly: "If a being's lifespan is infinite, can a year of staying together last a million or ten million years? Perhaps eternal companionship is itself a luxury that defies the essence of life. I wasted three thousand years on an illusory promise, squandering my time, frittering away my days... How... ridiculous."

Qin Feng listened quietly to his outpouring, neither interrupting nor showing any sympathy or pity.

Only when Feng Zhiyu finished, his emotions at their lowest, did Qin Feng slowly speak, his voice as calm as ever yet carrying a force that struck at the core.

"Once a being reaches the stellar level, their lifespan becomes nearly infinite. To an immortal, is three thousand years really that long?"

Feng Zhiyu was startled and looked up at Qin Feng.

Qin Feng's gaze was deep and indifferent, as if stating the simplest truth: "In the long river of life that stretches endlessly, you have ample time to try anything you wish, to make mistakes, to get hurt, to experience.

Every experience, good or bad, will eventually settle into your wisdom and insight.

From this perspective, learning a lesson is itself a gain."

"The margin for error in life is far greater than you imagine. You are only five thousand years old now—a mere infant in the spectrum of cosmic powerhouses.

Many renowned Black Hole-level beings are ancient monsters steeped in millions of years.

Just like back in high school, a one-year gap could create a huge chasm in rankings.

But looking back now, what does that one year really amount to?"

"Once your strength truly rises and you stand at a high enough vantage point, you'll find that not just three thousand years, but even thirty thousand or three hundred thousand wasted years can be easily made up. The so-called gap becomes nothing."

Qin Feng's words struck Feng Zhiyu's heart like a heavy hammer.

There was no gentle comfort, but an overwhelming logic he could not refute.

Yes, for powerhouses who often go into seclusion for millennia, three thousand years truly is nothing.

It was he himself who had placed too much weight on this relationship, too much on this time, building a prison for himself, weaving his own cocoon.

Qin Feng looked at his thoughtful expression, paused, and continued.

And this time, his words grew sharper, even carrying a hint of coldness.

"As for love..."

"...It is a desire program implanted deep in the genes of life—by mortals for the propagation of their race, by chaotic evil gods to spread faith and harvest emotions.

It is like the most virulent poison, intoxicating people, making them willingly give everything, sinking into it, unable to extricate themselves."

"That you can break free from this 'poison' and recognize its essence—I should sincerely congratulate you."

"Senior Feng, we human martial artists walk the path of cultivation not for romantic dalliances.

Behind us lies the rise and fall of our entire race, the survival and hope of countless compatriots. Cultivation is for the great cause of humanity."

Having said this, Qin Feng stood up, reached out, and firmly patted Feng Zhiyu on the shoulder.

The strength in his palm was steady and resolute, as if transmitting an unshakable conviction into Feng Zhiyu's body.

"My heartfelt wishes to you, senior. I hope when we meet again, you will have found your true path."

Qin Feng smiled.

"You... must find this amusing."

Feng Zhiyu murmured softly.

He knew Qin Feng was right.

But in times of pain, anyone's comfort is merely superficial; ultimately, only oneself can emerge from it.

Perhaps it was time to fully awaken from this three-thousand-year dream.

He slowly stood up, straightened his robe, and though his eyes were still somewhat lost, his hunched spine had unconsciously straightened a little.

Tianxuan Ancient Kingdom, capital.

Qin Feng's figure did not linger; after bidding farewell to Feng Zhiyu, he transformed into a streak of light, directly tearing through space and leaping toward the Blood Forbidden Land marked on the star chart.

Feng Zhiyu's matter was, to him, but a speck of dust on the long road of martial arts.

The settling of a karmic bond, a helping hand to an old acquaintance—once his mind was clear, there was no need to tarry.

Ahead of him lay the net spread by myriad races, the ultimate killing trap of mountains of corpses and seas of blood, and the supreme opportunity to ascend to higher peaks of martial arts.

And after Qin Feng left, outside the quiet martial arts room, Feng Zhiyu stood alone for a long time under the cold light of the cosmos.

He repeatedly pondered the words Qin Feng had spoken before departing.

“……Love—that is a desire born of mortals for procreation, and of evil gods for spreading faith……”

“……A martial artist cultivates for the grand cause of humanity, not for romantic entanglements……”

“……You are only five thousand years old… Once your strength rises, the gap of three thousand years will amount to nothing.”

Feng Zhiyu smiled bitterly, yet within that laugh there was a hint of relieved release.

Yes, three thousand years—for mortals, a hundred cycles of reincarnation—but for cosmic powerhouses who often go into seclusion for ten thousand years, what does it really matter?

He had wasted such a long time on an obsession that had long since changed beyond recognition, even ending up a prisoner, implanted with a soul seal, nearly having his Dao foundation destroyed.

If not for Qin Feng, he would already be a soulless, driven corpse within the Cangyan Tower.

He recalled that year at the Canaan Starry Sky Martial Academy, that junior disciple who was always taciturn yet kept emerging in actual combat.

Back then, the gap between them, though present, was far from the chasm it had become now.

And now, the other had become a peerless prodigy shaking the starry sea, hunted by the peak races united, able to annihilate with a snap of his fingers a limit Black Hole level powerhouse like the Cangyan Tower Master.

While he himself remained a pitiful failure in need of rescue.

“Qin Feng…”

Feng Zhiyu murmured, and the light that had long been extinguished in his eyes was rekindled at this moment, burning with unprecedented intensity.

What he owed Qin Feng was not just a life, but the grace of a renewed Dao path.

This debt was heavier than the stars.

He was now weak in strength, far from able to fight alongside Qin Feng, not even qualified to follow in his shadow.

But he still had this life.

“The Blood Forbidden Land… is it?”

Feng Zhiyu lifted his head, gazing in the direction Qin Feng had departed, his eyes filled with resolve.

He would go too.

Not for some damned opportunity, not to enhance his strength.

He simply wanted to go—to the battlefield closest to Qin Feng.

He knew well that going would only make him cannon fodder, but he thought: if… if it truly came to the most critical moment, perhaps this insignificant life of his could create a fleeting chance for the benefactor who had pulled him from the abyss.

One self-destruction might block a fatal attack for him.

That would be enough.

With this thought, Feng Zhiyu hesitated no longer. He packed his belongings, boarded a small flying boat, and resolutely set course for that star region destined to be stained with blood.

Meanwhile, within the imperial palace of the Tianxuan capital, the Thirteenth Prince Yue Xuan was frantically dealing with a mountain of state affairs.

His father the emperor was trapped, his fate unknown; factions within the kingdom were seething with undercurrents, ambitious men stirring restlessly; the entire Tianxuan Ancient Kingdom teetered on the brink of collapse.

As one of the few princes who knew the inside story, he had to do everything to maintain the nation’s stability.

He had sent Feng Zhiyu away and watched Qin Feng depart, his heart filled with worry and admiration.

He knew that Qin Feng’s journey was a near-certain death.

“Royal brother, are you really not going to the Blood Forbidden Land? That opportunity left by Father…”

A royal member urged anxiously.

“When the kingdom is about to fall, how can one speak of personal opportunity?”

Yue Xuan shook his head, his gaze firm. “Those of you who wish to go, go ahead. This journey is perilous; be careful in all things.”

“Yes!”

At once, among the Tianxuan Ancient Kingdom’s royal family, many proud princes and princesses, as well as powerful figures attached to the court, set off one after another, turning into streaks of light, chasing toward the storm’s center.

The news of the Blood Forbidden Land was no longer a secret.

Over the past few centuries, this name, sealed for millions of years, had spread like wildfire—deliberately pushed and hyped by the high echelons of myriad races—across dozens of cosmic nations around Tianxuan, and even deeper into the starry sea, where countless powerhouses moved at the rumor.

Legend said it was the forbidden land of the Blood God.

There existed the supreme treasure “Blood Jade Crystal,” capable of infinitely enhancing a being’s talent.

Legend said that the human race’s peerless prodigy, the infamous “Qin Feng,” would appear there, and killing him would grant the cosmic artifact Twin Masks!

Countless legends and rumors intertwined, painting the Blood Forbidden Land as a vortex gathering supreme opportunity and extreme danger.

In an instant, countless flying boats, warships, and spatial teleportation lights converged from all directions toward the territory of the Tianxuan Ancient Kingdom, like a hundred rivers flowing into the sea.

These cultivators from different races and nations had fierce auras and no regard for law.

In normal times, they could never have so easily penetrated the heart of a powerful neutral kingdom.

But now, the news that the Tianxuan monarch was besieged by multiple marquis-level powerhouses, his fate unknown, was no secret. The entire Tianxuan royal family was in chaos, a power vacuum left them unable to manage themselves, let alone control these foreign beings swarming like locusts.

The whole Tianxuan Ancient Kingdom had become a vast hunting ground, defenseless against external powerhouses.

And the Blood Forbidden Land was the center of this hunting ground.

…

When Qin Feng arrived at his destination, even he—whose heart had long been as firm as rock—could not help but be taken aback by the sight.

This was the deep void of the cosmos, a realm of absolute nothingness and silence. No stars, no planets, not even a speck of cosmic dust.

At the center of this void stood a colossal blood-red gate, too immense for words, silently towering.

That gate seemed built from the skulls of billions of beings; in the eye sockets of each skull burned a crimson, undying soul-flame.

Carved upon its frame were scenes of countless gods and demons roaring, myriad races perishing in misery. A primeval, desolate, bloody, and savage aura surged forth—merely looking at it from afar could shatter the spirit of any weak-willed being.

The gate was millions of miles high, like a cosmic chasm separating life and death.

At the very center of its lintel were twelve circular holes of equal size, arranged in a ring, as if awaiting something.

Now, before this gate—later called the “Gate of Blood Skulls”—countless beings had already gathered, dense and innumerable.

Looking out, the void was filled with flying boats and warships of all shapes, along with countless figures radiating terrifying auras.

Black Hole level powerhouses were everywhere!

Those who in ordinary cosmic nations would be revered as patriarchs and founders, ruling over entire regions, were as common here as pebbles by the roadside.

Further away, even deeper and more powerful auras surged skyward—limit Black Hole level beings, each occupying their own territory, forming distinct camps, wary of one another and locked in confrontation.

Qin Feng’s gaze swept calmly across this void teeming with powerhouses.

He saw many familiar faces—or rather, familiar “old friends.”

In one camp composed of countless pure white stone warships, he spotted the son of the Stone Emperor, Ye Luo, who had once hunted him for thousands of years.

Thousands of years had passed; Ye Luo had clearly grown much stronger, reaching the peak of the powerful Black Hole level, only a step away from the limit Black Hole.

Now, with a stern face and eyes like blades, he stared fixedly at the Gate of Blood Skulls.

Not far away, Neil—tenth on the Hidden Dragon List—was bathed in holy light.

His aura had clearly broken through its bottleneck, stepping into the limit Black Hole level.

And the Death Spirit clan’s Death Knell remained as ethereal as ever, as if ready to merge into the darkness at any moment.

The aquatic Mo of the Water Tribe, Taker of the Golden Armor Giant Beast Clan, Black Jade of the Crystal Clan... these top prodigies who had once pursued him had all gathered without exception.

After so many years of cultivation, their strength had made considerable progress.

Neil’s breakthrough was clearly the result of a great fortune.

And Ye Luo and the others, though unable to break through to the limit, had also traveled far on their own paths, becoming absolute powerhouses among the Black Hole level.

Yet...

“The gap in strength has already widened.”

Qin Feng, hidden in a corner of the void, felt no ripples in his heart.

These opponents who once required him to look up to and exhaust every trump card to contend with now posed no threat in his eyes.

His foundation was the [Eternal Singularity], his secret art was the [Nine Spirits Origin Chart] at the Three Spirit Realm, and his speed was forty-five times the speed of light.

Limit Black Holes he could slay in an instant, let alone these beings who had not yet reached the limit.

Besides these old friends, there were many more powerful existences in the field that even made Qin Feng take notice.

In a region where demonic aura soared to the heavens, several demonic beings of various forms lurked, their auras extremely fierce, with Jin Chi among them.

Clearly, the demon race had invested heavily in this expedition to the Blood Forbidden Land.

And at the core of the Stone Clan’s camp, a stone lion god statue, ten thousand zhang tall, sat cross-legged in the void with closed eyes.

At first, Qin Feng thought it was merely a statue to display might, but when his divine sense swept over it, he felt a dormant life force, terrifying as a volcano.

That was no statue at all, but a Stone Clan being of extreme power, whose overwhelming presence even faintly suppressed all the Limit Black Holes present.

Yet what truly made Qin Feng’s gaze turn grave was another stretch of void, far opposite the lion god statue.

There, another Buddha statue sat cross-legged.

That Buddha statue was also carved from some unknown stone, with a solemn appearance and a compassionate smile.

It sat there quietly, without any earth-shattering aura, not even a trace of energy fluctuation, as if it were a true, lifeless rock.

But the cosmic space around it showed a bizarre, visible distortion.

Light, dust, even space itself, when approaching within a certain range, were pushed away by an invisible force, forming an absolute “void.”

When the lion god statue’s raging, domineering aura spread into this area, it vanished like a stone sinking into the sea, dissipating instantly.

The two stone statues—one dynamic, one static; one domineering, one empty—formed a stark confrontation, their auras mutually exclusive, clearly not of the same faction.

Qin Feng’s pupils contracted slightly.

Stone Buddha.

(The End)