Chapter 286: Beginning a Massacre, Instant Kill of Holy Light Race Genius Neil! Qin

Chapter 286: A Slaughter Begins, Neil of the Holy Light Clan Perishes in a Flash! Qin Feng’s Terrifying Might! The Stone Buddha Offers Allegiance!

Two hundred thousand blood jade crystals.

This figure struck like an invisible hammer forged from pure mass, crashing heavily into the hearts of every creature beneath the Blood God Tower’s light curtain.

The air seemed to be sucked away in that instant, and both time and space stagnated before this incomprehensible achievement.

Shock was no longer sufficient to describe their state; it was a complex emotion woven from awe, terror, and utter despair, as if mortals were gazing up at a deity tearing the firmament asunder, leaving them no choice but to prostrate themselves, incapable of harboring any other thought.

On the Stone Buddha’s face, which had remained unchanged for ten thousand years, the fine cracks seemed to deepen slightly under the violent upheaval of his spirit.

He had refined over a thousand blood jade crystals, an feat achieved only through his supreme will—which had already stepped into the realm of divine prohibition—and the innate, peerless resilience of the Holy Spirit Stone Clan; he knew better than anyone the peril and agony contained within.

It was not merely the absorption of spiritual energy, but a direct confrontation with the will of an evil god, a bloody struggle on the level of the soul.

One thousand was his limit, the capital that allowed him to look down upon his peers and stand at the pinnacle of the Hidden Dragon List.

Yet, two hundred thousand.

This number completely overturned his understanding of cultivation, talent, and limits.

One thousand versus two hundred thousand—this was no longer a difference in quantity, but a chasm between dimensions.

He could not even fathom what kind of world-shattering mental impact one must endure to refine two hundred thousand blood jade crystals, nor what kind of will, transcending gods and demons, was required to maintain one’s self amidst that endless seduction and madness.

The forty-plus beings who had accepted the cosmic will’s hostile mission now felt as if they had fallen into an ice cellar, chilled from their crowns to their soles.

Only one thought occupied their minds: the mission had failed.

Utterly, completely, and without a shred of suspense.

This was no longer a confrontation that could be overturned by strategy, hidden cards, or luck.

This was a group of mortals foolishly attempting to challenge a giant god who had already revealed the stature of a God King.

All their struggles would be in vain.

"What do we do?"

"Flee... we must flee!"

"Can we even escape? Before him, do we even possess the qualification to run?"

The emotion of despair spread among them like a plague.

They knew clearly that once Qin Feng left the Blood-Colored Forbidden Land, he would surely rampage all the way to the Thunder Universe City.

With the terrifying strength he had just displayed, topping the Blood God Tower, who could stop him? Who would dare?

Anyone who blocked his path would be reduced to a wandering soul beneath his spear.

No, the danger was not in the future; it was right before them!

Right now!

Right here, in this isolated Shura field shrouded by the Blood God Tower’s light curtain!

An indescribable, terrifying pressure spread silently.

It was not merely a physical oppression, but a mental field of a higher dimension.

The mental energy manifested as a deep, dark, black-gold hue that seemed to swallow all light; the killing intent contained within was no longer sharp like a blade, but heavy like an abyss, resembling the essence of death settled after twenty million years of lonely slaughter.

Under the shroud of this black-gold mental energy, every creature felt as if their soul were being gripped by an invisible giant hand, making even the most basic cognitive functions sluggish.

Fear was no longer an emotion; it had become a substantive coldness that invaded their very marrow.

They knew this was the killing intent of Qin Feng.

The moment of judgment had arrived.

In the dead silence, Neil of the Holy Light Clan was the first to break the stillness.

He understood well that in the face of an existence of this caliber, any hesitation would be fatal.

He had to secure a glimmer of survival before Qin Feng truly struck.

He forcibly suppressed the terror in his heart, channeling all his power to resist that mental pressure, making his voice sound as steady and sincere as possible.

"Qin Feng!"

His voice was resonant, echoing throughout the field, "I, Neil of the Holy Light Clan, hereby voluntarily abandon the mission issued by the cosmic will!

There is no blood feud between us, merely a difference in stance, competing for resources for our respective clans.

This is the natural order of the universe; victory and defeat are ordained by heaven.

Today, you have proven your might, and I, Neil, am convinced. Spare me this once, and I, Neil, shall surely remember this grace; should you have need of me in the future, I shall not shirk! How about this favor?"

Neil’s words were clear and logically sound.

He defined their conflict as a "resource dispute" rather than a "life-and-death enmity," attempting to dilute the bloodshed; he proactively abandoned the mission to demonstrate his "sincerity"; finally, he offered a favor from a Hidden Dragon List prodigy, a chip of significant weight.

As his voice fell, it immediately triggered a chain reaction.

"I, Black Jade of the Crystal Clan, also wish to abandon the mission!"

The Crystal Clan prodigy Black Jade followed immediately, her voice crisp, her attitude resolute.

"I, Tuck of the Gold Armor Clan, likewise abandon it!"

The burly Gold Armor beast Tuck said in a muffled voice, retracting all his combat stances.

"I, Shui Mo of the Water Clan..."

"I..."

For a time, voices of agreement rose one after another.

Those forty-plus beings who had accepted the hostile mission, including Ye Luo, the son of the Stone Emperor who had remained silent until now, all spoke up, expressing a desire almost identical to Neil’s.

They retracted all hostility, lowered their posture, and spoke with earnestness, attempting to trade their abandonment and promises for their lives.

For a moment, on this land that had just experienced a bloody clearing, a bizarre scene of "peace" emerged.

All eyes converged on the man with the upright posture and the long spear, waiting for his final verdict.

Qin Feng kept his eyes slightly closed, as if deaf to everything around him.

The black-gold mental field did not loosen in the slightest, remaining like an iron curtain shrouding the entire arena.

Under the gaze of all—some expectant, some anxious, some terrified—he slowly, clearly, spat out a single word.

"No."

This word carried not a hint of emotional fluctuation; it was as cold and hard as ten-thousand-year black ice.

It left no room for negotiation, contained not a shred of hesitation, like a final judgment from the Nine Netherworlds, instantly shattering the last glimmer of hope that had just ignited in the hearts of Neil and the others.

Why?

Neil could not fathom it, nor could any of the creatures who had begged for mercy.

They had abandoned the mission, offered their dignity, and promised favors; why was the result still a dead end?

As if sensing the confusion in their hearts, Qin Feng slowly opened his eyes.

What kind of eyes were those?

Profound and weathered, as if it held twenty million years of solitude and the weight of time itself.

Deep within his pupils, there was no anger, no pity, only a chilling, absolute rationality, like the cosmos itself, indifferently observing the birth and death of all things.

A killing intent, so dense it had become tangible, surged forth from those eyes.

"Hum—"

The void trembled slightly, and a spear, pitch-black as if it could swallow light—Star-Swallower—quietly manifested in his palm.

Immediately following, shards of blue-gold radiance appeared from thin air, rapidly coating his entire body, assembling into a suit of power armor defined by fluid lines, brimming with strength and aesthetic grace.

The posture of being armed to the teeth said everything.

"Those not of my kin, their hearts must be different."

Qin Feng’s voice was not loud, yet it reached every creature clearly, as if resonating directly within their souls.

"You offer to surrender now because you fear death.

But this fear cannot change your stance, nor can it erase your hostility toward me and the human race.

If I spare you today, you will return to your respective tribes and report every word of my performance in the Blood God Tower.

To your people, what does a human prodigy who refined two hundred thousand blood jade crystals and topped the Blood God Tower mean? You know better than I."

His words were like the sharpest of blades, slicing through all hypocritical rhetoric to strike at the core reality.

"When that time comes, what will your tribes do? Will they stop simply because you owe me a 'favor'? No.

They will only feel an unprecedented threat; they will spare no cost, exhaust every resource, and even break the rules to dispatch Domain Lords, or even stronger entities, to strangle me before I can grow.

Your so-called 'favor' is worthless in the face of tribal interests."

"In the vast universe, the greatest respect one can show a mortal enemy is to let him vanish from this world, completely and cleanly.

This is to preclude all future possibilities; this is to be responsible for oneself."

Qin Feng’s gaze swept over Neil, Heiyu, Tuck, and every face twisted by terror.

"Ask yourselves, if you were in my position today, and you discovered a human prodigy with the potential to overturn the entire cosmic order, would you spare him because of a plea for mercy?"

"You would not. You would be even more resolute and ruthless than I."

"So, put away your laughable logic. Between us, from the moment the cosmic will issued the mission, only one side could leave alive."

The moment his words fell, he moved.

"Kill!"

A roar erupted, sounding less like a human voice and more like a volcano that had pent up twenty million years of slaughter, exploding in this instant!

The entire space within the Blood God Tower’s light curtain shuddered violently from this shout.

The reactions of Neil and the others were at their absolute limit. The moment Qin Feng uttered that "No," they knew negotiations had shattered; life and death hung by a thread.

As Qin Feng’s killing intent erupted, their long-accumulated power surged out in an instant.

No one chose to confront Qin Feng head-on; that was seeking death.

Their choice was chaos, was flight!

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

In an instant, dozens of brilliant, dazzling rays of light soared into the sky.

These were precious secret treasures, sacrificed without a shred of hesitation.

The targets of these treasures were precisely divided into two parts: a small portion, containing the greatest offensive power, flew like meteors, recklessly smashing toward Qin Feng in an attempt to delay his movements by even a thousandth of a second;

The larger portion, consisting of treasures with vast range and intense spiritual energy fluctuations, was thrown with all their might toward the space outside the light curtain—at the terrifying existence that was still roaring tirelessly: the King Corpse!

Their calculated scheme was vicious and effective.

Attacking Qin Feng with treasures was a delay, but attacking the King Corpse was meant to detonate the only, and greatest, variable in this area!

Once the King Corpse’s fury was fully ignited, it would inevitably unleash an even more terrifying indiscriminate attack, plunging the entire space into a destructive storm, which would undoubtedly create the perfect cover for their escape.

Having done this, Neil, Heiyu, Tuck, and the forty-plus other creatures did not pause for a second. Their bodies transformed into streaks of multicolored light, burning their life essence to flee at the fastest speed of their lives, madly charging toward the only path of survival hanging high in the firmament—the teleportation vortex!

"ROAR—!!!"

The King Corpse in the distance was indeed provoked.

Though the treasures smashing into it could not cause substantial damage, this act of provocation caused this terrifying body, left with only the instinct for destruction, to go completely berserk.

A deathly aura, far exceeding what it had shown before, swept out. It threw a punch, causing space to shatter in vast swathes, and the violent ripples of spiritual energy spread outward, indeed causing some interference to Qin Feng’s pursuit.

However, for Qin Feng at this moment, such ripples were insignificant.

Those treasures smashing toward him, upon touching the three-foot radius around him, seemed to strike an invisible wall of sighs constructed from black-gold spiritual power. They failed to stir even a ripple before being crushed and annihilated by the terrifying spiritual field, dissipating into the purest spiritual particles in the air.

Qin Feng’s figure suffered no obstruction. He transformed into a sliver of light, impossible to track with the naked eye, weaving through the chaotic spiritual turbulence. His speed, in an instant, broke his previous limits, easily reaching a hundred times the speed of light!

Under his high-speed movement, space appeared strangely distorted, as if the entire world were being dragged backward by him.

His target had been crystal clear from the start—the Saint Light race, Neil!

Capture the bandits by capturing their leader; kill the chicken to scare the monkeys!

Neil was the first to beg for mercy, and he was the fastest and most dangerous of these fugitives.

As long as he could be executed with thunderous momentum, it would inevitably deal a massive psychological blow to the others.

Neil felt an extreme sense of crisis, one that froze his soul, coming from behind. He glanced back, only to see a black-gold speck of light rapidly enlarging in his field of vision. That speed was so fast that his pride—the Saint Light Evasion technique—felt like it was standing still!

"How can he be this fast!"

Neil was struck with terror.

Without hesitation, his divine sense surged wildly, and one after another, his treasured high-level black hole artifacts were sacrificed, thrown backward like scattered flowers.

An ancient bell emitting a distant toll transformed into a tangible sonic barrier, layer upon layer, attempting to obstruct the space.

An ancient ruler flashing with spatial runes waved, carving out tiny spatial rifts to form lethal traps.

A beautifully crafted flying shuttle accelerated instantly, releasing countless light spears that covered the entire airspace behind him.

Any one of these treasures would have sent an ordinary limit-level black hole powerhouse into a panic, but before Qin Feng, they were as fragile as paper.

"Clang!"

The tip of the Star-Swallower spear merely tapped, and the sonic barrier formed by the ancient bell shattered inch by inch like a mirror.

"Swoosh!"

A sweep of the spear shaft smoothed out all the spatial rifts, as if they had never appeared.

"Boom!"

Qin Feng did not even bother to pay attention to the sky full of light spears. The blue-gold power armor he wore flashed with a flow of light, forming a spiritual energy shield. All the light spears collided with it only to melt away like snow, causing no impact whatsoever.

Destructive and irresistible!

This was absolute, unreasonable power crushing all in its path!

Neil’s heart sank to the bottom of the abyss.

He knew that conventional means were no longer of any use.

"Do or die!"

A flash of madness ignited in his eyes as he summoned two final artifacts.

The first was a shuttle, a masterpiece of unknown crystal, a treasure of the ultimate black hole grade, its hull shimmering with arcane, flowing light.

Neil spat a mouthful of vital essence onto it; the shuttle flared with blinding brilliance, instantly encasing his body. His speed surged, transforming him into a streak of light that tore through the void, nearly vanishing from sight.

The second was a palm-sized, shattered fragment of metal.

It appeared utterly unremarkable, yet the moment Neil poured the remainder of his spirit into it, a terrifying power—far beyond the black hole grade, transcending even the realm of divine prohibition—erupted with a roar!

It was the pressure of a Marquis-level powerhouse!

A fragment of a Marquis-level treasure!

This was Neil’s final trump card, his ultimate safeguard.

"Boom—"

As the fragment activated, a pillar of light imbued with the true essence of a "Marquis" tore through space, bridging the distance to strike the pursuing Qin Feng with savage force.

This blow finally achieved its purpose.

Facing a power capable of threatening his very existence, even Qin Feng was forced to halt.

His eyes narrowed; he channeled every ounce of his black-gold spirit and internal power into the Star-Swallowing Spear, thrusting it forward with singular intent.

The moment the spearhead collided with the pillar of light, time itself seemed to stutter.

There was no earth-shattering roar, only an absolute, all-consuming silence.

Qin Feng’s figure was swallowed by the terrifying beam; the space he occupied, along with half his body, was reduced to nothingness by that immortal power.

A grievous wound!

A single strike had crippled Qin Feng, even after he had refined two hundred thousand blood jade crystals!

Yet, there was no joy on Neil’s face, only the pallor of death.

Activating the Marquis fragment had drained him of nearly all his spirit.

He could feel it: he had bought himself a mere heartbeat of time against Qin Feng!

One heartbeat!

A heartbeat purchased with his greatest trump card.

The other fleeing beings sensed this fleeting opportunity with keen instinct.

Burning their very essence, they unleashed their own desperate escape arts, using that single heartbeat of obstruction to scramble toward the teleportation vortex, their figures receding into the distance.

Neil dared not falter; he drove the ultimate shuttle, pouring his last ounce of strength into reaching the gate of hope, now within his grasp.

But he had underestimated Qin Feng.

In the next instant, within the void carved out by the Marquis-level power, Qin Feng’s form began to coalesce once more.

His annihilated half-body, supported by a vast reservoir of life essence, regenerated with visible speed, returning to perfection in less than a second.

His eyes were colder than before.

"Whoosh—"

He surged forward again. This time, his speed was no longer a hundred times the speed of light; fueled by rage and murder, it skyrocketed to one hundred and fifty times!

It was a limit even he had not anticipated!

Space had lost all meaning before him.

He seemed to teleport from one coordinate to the next.

Neil’s pupils contracted. He could see the brilliant starlight of the teleportation vortex; half his body had already slipped into that threshold of "life"!

Give him one-hundredth of a second more, and he would have escaped!

But there was no more time.

A massive hand, encased in blue-gold power armor, seemed to pierce the fabric of space, appearing from thin air to seize the half of his body still outside the vortex.

An irresistible force pulled him back; in sheer terror and defiance, Neil was dragged bodily out of the teleportation gate!

"No—!"

He let out a desperate, guttural roar.

He was met by Qin Feng’s emotionless face and a pitch-black spear radiating endless slaughter.

At the spearhead, black-gold spirit condensed into a tiny, singular point that seemed to devour everything.

"Pfft!"

The spear pierced Neil’s body without resistance.

"Ah—"

A short, shrill scream echoed through the heavens.

Neil’s proud body of holy light, composed of countless particles, underwent a violent chain reaction upon contact with the spearhead. Starting from a single point, it disintegrated, decomposed, and finally exploded into a sky of light, returning utterly to nothingness.

Simultaneously, Qin Feng’s peerless black-gold spirit struck like a bolt of dark lightning, shattering Neil’s fragile mental defenses and crushing his soul core.

A prodigy of the Hidden Dragon List, Neil of the Holy Light Clan, had fallen!

After killing Neil, Qin Feng stood still before the teleportation vortex, spear in hand.

He glanced into the distance, noting that the other beings who had accepted the mission of the cosmic will had used the time he spent hunting Neil to slip into the vortex and vanish without a trace.

Qin Feng was not surprised.

Those who had survived until now, rising above countless other prodigies, were none of them simple.

Their trump cards were endless; their means of survival were always more numerous and potent than their means of attack.

In this, even Qin Feng was no exception.

"Roar—"

In the distance, the King Corpse’s bellows still echoed, venting its fury.

Around the Blood God Tower, the survivors who had not participated in the hunt had long since seized the chaos to transform into streaks of light and flee into the vortex, daring not linger.

Qin Feng took one last look at the towering King Corpse, his mind devoid of further desire. He withdrew his spear, turned, and transformed into a streak of light himself, plunging into the teleportation vortex without hesitation, leaving behind the blood-stained forbidden land that had brought him both supreme fortune and endless peril.

...

Outside the gates of the blood-stained forbidden land, the vacuum of the universe remained as deep and cold as ever.

Qin Feng emerged from the distorted light, the endless slaughter and blood-tide he had endured within the forbidden land feeling like a dream spanning ten thousand years.

He felt a brief moment of vertigo—the inevitable sensation of spatial transit—but to his current physique and spirit, it was no more than a passing breeze, and he regained his clarity in an instant.

He looked around; the star field was exceptionally vast and desolate.

Those who had left the forbidden land early had naturally not lingered, having already departed for their respective destinations.

And those prodigies he had hunted, terrified out of their wits, had unleashed their final secret arts the moment they cleared the portal, vanishing into the vast cosmos at top speed, fearing he might follow to settle the score.

Here, only he remained, along with the blood-red portal that still radiated an ominous, ancient aura.

Qin Feng’s thoughts stirred as he began to map out his next journey.

The harvest from the Blood-Colored Forbidden Land had far exceeded his initial expectations; it was, in truth, a metamorphosis capable of altering the very trajectory of his martial path.

Now, with his strength surging, he felt a newfound sense of composure and confidence.

"I shall head to the Tianxuan Ancient Kingdom first to bid farewell to Senior Feng Zhiyu."

He mused to himself.

Feng Zhiyu had been his guide, and both by reason and sentiment, a parting word was due.

After that, unburdened, he could utilize the teleportation privileges accumulated through years of missions and campaigns to traverse the vast star sectors and reach the final destination of this "Path of the End" mission: the Thunder Universe City.

Once he arrived there, this long and perilous task of the cosmic will would finally draw to a close.

Yet, just as Qin Feng prepared to depart, a distinct and powerful spatial fluctuation rippled through the void before him without warning.

The space seemed like a tranquil lake disturbed by a stone, and from the center of the ripples, a hulking, heavy figure slowly emerged.

The newcomer was none other than the Stone Buddha.

His body, carved from primordial rock, hung in the cosmos like an eternal mountain, its invisible aura spreading so wide that the surrounding light seemed to warp in its presence.

Qin Feng’s eyes sharpened instantly; by instinct, he tightened his grip on the Star-Swallowing Spear, a dark golden light flickering across its shaft.

He suppressed his entire aura, yet his body adjusted into the perfect posture for combat, his black-gold mental energy coiled within his sea of consciousness like a rising tide, ready to unleash a thunderous strike at a moment's notice.

He had to maintain the highest level of vigilance.

For from the very beginning, the Stone Buddha had been an existence he could never truly fathom.

As a prodigy sent by the Stone Race and holding the prestigious second rank on the Hidden Dragon List, the Stone Buddha should have been one of his most formidable enemies.

Within the Forbidden Land, faced with the natural enmity between humanity and the Stone Race, and with himself being a target for all races, the Stone Buddha had countless opportunities to strike.

Qin Feng knew clearly that before entering the Blood God Tower, had the Stone Buddha chosen to join forces with Neil, Ye Luo, and the others—or even acted alone—he would never have accumulated his capital so smoothly, let alone achieved the miraculous transformation within the tower.

It could be said that the Stone Buddha’s "inaction" had objectively created the best environment for his growth.

This eerie "leniency" left Qin Feng more puzzled and wary than direct hostility ever could.

He could not fathom the Stone Buddha’s motives, nor could he judge whether this "goodwill" masked a deeper, more lethal scheme.

Seeming to sense the near-tangible caution and battle intent radiating from Qin Feng, the Stone Buddha’s rock-hewn face revealed something akin to a "smile." The textures of the stone shifted slightly, softening his rigid features.

"There is no need for tension."

The Stone Buddha’s voice was deep and steady, like the echo of mountain ranges. "If I harbored hostility toward you, you would never have reached the Blood God Tower in the heart of the Forbidden Land."

As he spoke, his massive palm swept through the air—a motion that appeared slow but was, in reality, faster than light.

A streak of light flew from his hand, heading straight for Qin Feng.

Qin Feng’s pupils constricted, but as his mental energy swept over it, he realized there was no killing intent within the light; it was merely a cold corpse.

He did not dodge, letting the body hover before him.

It was a lion statue composed of a strange mixture of metal and rock—the very same Hidden Dragon List prodigy who had joined forces with the Stone Buddha to blockade the arena during the Blood God Tower clearing battle: the Lion God Statue.

Now, he had completely lost all traces of life, a fatal wound piercing his core clearly visible; he had been killed in a single strike.

"The Stone Race’s Lion God Statue, one of the more promising prodigies of my kin."

The Stone Buddha introduced it flatly, as if speaking of a trivial matter. "His physical composition is unique, a symbiosis of 'Star-Core Divine Gold' and 'Supreme God Stone.' It will be of great benefit to your Heavenly Derivative Weapon; it can serve as the primary material for its devouring evolution. A gift for you, as a token of our meeting."

Qin Feng’s brow furrowed deeper.

Doubt—heavy, suffocating doubt—rose in his heart.

The Stone Buddha’s actions were no longer mere "leniency"; they were an act of open betrayal.

Though Qin Feng knew the Stone Buddha was a Saint Spirit Stone born of heaven and earth, not of the same origin as the common Stone Race, he was, in name, a member of the race and represented its face and interests.

Yet now, he had personally slain a fellow prodigy and presented the corpse as a gift to the very man who was the "public enemy" of his race.

The implications of this made Qin Feng realize the situation was far more complex than he had imagined.

"Qin Feng, could we speak elsewhere?"

The Stone Buddha’s tone carried a sincerity that could not be mistaken. "I reiterate: I hold no hostility toward you. You should have seen this through your experiences in the Forbidden Land. From start to finish, I have never interfered with any of your affairs."

Qin Feng fell silent.

He weighed the pros and cons with lightning speed.

The Stone Buddha’s strength was unfathomable; even now that he had stepped into the Divine Prohibition, he was not certain of victory.

If the other party truly wanted to kill him, there would be no essential difference between acting now and acting in the Forbidden Land.

Yet, for him to offer such a gesture, even going so far as to kill his own kin to prove his sincerity, his intent must be of great significance.

This might contain immense risks, but it could also hold secrets and opportunities unreachable by others.

"Very well."

After a brief moment of thought, Qin Feng replied in a low voice.

He chose to trust his judgment, and he believed his current strength was sufficient to handle most contingencies.

"Where to?"

The Stone Buddha asked.

"The Tianxuan Ancient Kingdom, the capital. How does that sound?"

Qin Feng provided a specific location.

"That will do."

The Stone Buddha smiled slightly, offering no objection.

"In that form, do you not need to change your appearance?"

Qin Feng glanced at the Buddha-like exterior and offered a reminder.

This manifestation was far too eye-catching—a body of solid rock, radiating solemnity and divinity, yet carrying the distinct strangeness of an alien race.

To enter the capital of the Tianxuan Ancient Kingdom in such a brazen manner would surely cause an uproar and draw countless gazes.

At these words, the smile on the Stone Buddha’s face faded into a long, drawn-out sigh, one that carried an indescribable sense of sorrow and helplessness.

"My form is constrained; I cannot change it."

He shook his head, his voice low.

"I see."

Qin Feng nodded slightly, asking no more.

In those words, he heard a hint of being "forced by circumstance."

It seemed that behind this second-ranked prodigy on the Hidden Dragon List lay secrets far beyond what ordinary people could imagine.

The two reached a consensus and, without further words, transformed into two streaks of light, tearing through the void as they sped toward the Tianxuan Ancient Kingdom.

...

Tianxuan Ancient Kingdom, the capital.

When two figures of majestic presence descended, they immediately drew the vigilance of the imperial guards.

But as they caught sight of one man’s face, all tension and hostility dissolved instantly into awe and reverence.

Qin Feng’s appearance had long since spread throughout the upper echelons of the Tianxuan Ancient Kingdom, following his feat of obliterating the "Cangyan Pavilion" with a mere flick of his finger outside the Forbidden Land.

This supreme prodigy of the human race was a benefactor to the kingdom and a guest of honor personally befriended by Prince Yuexuan.

Soon, members of the royal family came out to greet them in person. Upon learning of Qin Feng’s intentions, the Thirteenth Prince personally led the pair into the depths of the palace, arranged a secluded and elegant residence, and ordered the finest delicacies and spirit wine to be served before tactfully withdrawing, leaving the space entirely to Qin Feng and the Stone Buddha.

Before leaving, Qin Feng specifically inquired about the current state of Feng Zhiyu.

The Thirteenth Prince informed him that Feng Zhiyu had suffered minor injuries in the Blood-Colored Forbidden Land but was in no grave danger; he was currently in a secret chamber arranged by the royal family, meditating to heal and recover his vitality, and had even made some progress.

Relieved to hear his old friend was safe, Qin Feng set his mind at ease.

In the courtyard of the residence, stone tables and stools stood amidst the gentle murmur of flowing water.

Qin Feng poured himself a cup of wine, the amber liquid emitting an intoxicating fragrance.

He raised the cup but did not drink, watching the light dance within the swaying spirits.

The Stone Buddha sat opposite him, his massive frame making the stone stool appear delicate.

He remained silent, as if organizing his thoughts or perhaps recalling something; the emotions on his rock-hewn face were obscure and difficult to decipher.

The atmosphere grew quiet for a time.

Qin Feng was not in a hurry; he possessed infinite patience.

He knew that what the Stone Buddha was about to utter must be a heaven-shaking secret, one that required time to brew the necessary emotion.

He savored the tranquil atmosphere of the place while waiting in silence.

Time slipped away, second by second.

The light and shadows in the courtyard shifted subtly with the rotation of the heavens.

Finally, after a full quarter of an hour, the Stone Buddha slowly raised his head, breaking the silence.

His gaze fixed upon Qin Feng, and in those eyes carved from stone, a complex emotion emerged—a mixture of envy, longing, and a deep, hidden sorrow.

"Qin Feng,"

He spoke slowly, his voice deeper than before, "The universe is vast and boundless; do you not wish to... truly see it?"

The question was abrupt, and somewhat broad.

Qin Feng looked up at him.

"That goes without saying."

Qin Feng answered candidly, his voice calm and resolute, "This universe is vast, filled with countless magnificent wonders and an endless array of civilizations.

I have the desire to witness the splendor of this world and the grandeur of the cosmos, as well as the ambition to contend with the prodigies of all races, seeking worthy rivals and capable peers.

If one cannot traverse the star seas and witness the ultimate, would a lifetime of cultivation not be in vain?"

His words were filled with heroic spirit.

"Envy..."

The Stone Buddha breathed out the word softly.

It was a sentiment born from the depths of his heart, as heavy as his own physical mass.

"I... cannot do it."

Qin Feng remained silent, watching the Stone Buddha, waiting for what would follow.

He knew the true conversation was only just beginning.

The Stone Buddha’s gaze drifted from Qin Feng toward the distant horizon, his eyes growing distant and weathered.

"If..."

He paused, his voice trembling, "If only I had been born human, how good that would be."

As the words fell, two lines of liquid slowly seeped from his hard, stony corners.

They were not tears, but a crystalline stone marrow that slid down his rocky cheeks, congealing in the air into two translucent stone beads that struck the ground with a crisp, clear chime.

Stone tears.

"I am a Holy Spirit Stone born of heaven and earth, with no blood relation to the Stone race of this current universe."

The Stone Buddha’s voice carried a grief suppressed for countless ages, "The Holy Spirit clan, born of chaos and nurtured by nature, were once the darlings of the universe.

Yet, even among the Holy Spirits, the cruelest laws of the jungle prevail.

To the powerful, the weak are but the finest 'sustenance.'

To escape the fate of being devoured by other powerful Holy Spirits, I chose to join the current Stone race, seeking their protection."

Qin Feng listened quietly.

The secrets of the Holy Spirit clan were barely mentioned even in the archives of the human empire, shrouded in mystery.

"But I did not expect that in escaping the tiger's den, I would fall into a wolf's lair."

The Stone Buddha’s tone was filled with self-mockery and bitterness, "The Stone race is no place of benevolence. For us foreign Holy Spirits, they possess a most vicious secret technique called 'Rebirth.'

They cultivate us with the best resources, letting us grow, and when our bodies and souls reach their absolute peak, they perform this rite, seizing our souls and erasing our existence entirely, replacing us and becoming a part of themselves."

"My current identity—disciple of the Stone race's Esoteric Sect Elder, second on the Hidden Dragon List—seems infinitely glorious, enjoying supreme respect. But all of this is nothing more than a reflection in the water."

"I am merely a carefully fed shell, a sacrificial lamb waiting to be consumed.

My master, that Great Elder of the Esoteric Sect, has never valued my will or my talent; he only covets this perfect, heaven-born skin.

Every effort I make, every achievement I attain, is merely adding bricks to another's wedding dress.

My life is not my own, and my fate is not in my hands!"

By the end, his voice was filled with boundless grief and indignation.

The surrounding space seemed to resonate with his intense emotion, the air becoming heavy and oppressive.

After a long while, the Stone Buddha took a deep breath, as if forcibly suppressing the surging emotions.

"I spoke out of turn; forgive my outburst."

He composed himself and looked at Qin Feng again, his expression becoming incredibly earnest and solemn.

"Brother Qin, you are a supreme prodigy the likes of which have not been seen in ages, possessing an invincible aura; your future achievements will be limitless. Today, I wish to ask you for a favor."

Hearing this, Qin Feng raised a hand, interrupting the Stone Buddha’s next words.

His gaze was sharp, looking straight at the Stone Buddha as he hit the nail on the head: "Your master, that Elder of the Stone race's Esoteric Sect, must be a powerhouse at the King level, right? You surely don't expect me to slay a King for you? Even if I could do so in the future, that would be ages from now; distant water cannot quench a present thirst."

Qin Feng was not a man to be blinded by emotion.

"Not so."

Seeing Qin Feng so direct, the Stone Buddha actually laughed.

"Naturally, I would not ask you to do something so impractical. Though I am trapped, I am not one to sit and wait for death; I have my own plans and means."

He paused, his tone becoming serious and clear.

"The one I wish for you to hunt is my own master's chief disciple, under the Great Elder of the Esoteric Sect—a man named Shi Lan."

"He is the only link in my entire scheme that I cannot personally sever."

"My master's 'Rebirth' secret art is not something he can cast at will."

"He must rely on all his disciples of the Holy Spirit Stone clan, weaving a peculiar formation upon them to exert total suppression over me; this is the most vital component of his dark craft."

"If only I could slaughter every one of his disciples and shatter this array, I would finally gain a moment to breathe and the leverage to negotiate with him."

"Shi Lan is the strongest among them, and the very core of that formation."

"What is his level of strength?" Qin Feng asked.

"Domain Lord realm, a half-step into the Divine Forbidden," the Stone Buddha replied with clinical precision.

Hearing this, Qin Feng began to weigh the odds in his mind.

The Domain Lord realm was no longer an insurmountable chasm to him.

Yet, as the chief disciple of such a king-tier powerhouse, the man would surely possess a myriad of hidden cards and secret arts, far surpassing any ordinary half-step Divine Forbidden cultivator.

Still, it was worth a try.

The deciding factor would be the price.

"The reward." Qin Feng cut straight to the heart of the matter, wasting no breath.

He was willing to assist, but only for a price that could truly move him.

The Stone Buddha seemed to have anticipated this, for he paused a moment before uttering four words.

"A cosmic anomaly."

Qin Feng’s pupils contracted slightly.

"Is it the anomaly itself, or merely word of it?" he pressed. The value between the two was worlds apart.

"It is the location," the Stone Buddha admitted candidly. "But as far as I know, I am the only one who knows where this cosmic anomaly lies. The place is quite obscure; it will not draw swarms of experts like the Twin Rivers. If you go, it is yours to claim alone—it depends entirely on whether you have the skill to seize it."

The offer was laden with sincerity.

A lead on a relatively secure, high-probability cosmic anomaly was a prize that would drive any powerhouse to madness.

"Deal." Qin Feng agreed almost without hesitation.

"Excellent!" A flicker of joy crossed the Stone Buddha's eyes.

He immediately produced a jade slip shimmering with starlight and handed it to Qin Feng.

"This is a star chart, marking the precise coordinates. It lies within the 1800th War Zone."

The Stone Buddha spoke in a low voice, "According to the ancient records I have obtained, this cosmic anomaly is named 'Dou.' As for its specific properties, I remain uncertain."

Qin Feng took the slip, his mental energy sweeping through it to etch the vast star map into his memory.

"Understood," he nodded, then added, "Now, tell me everything regarding Shi Lan, and provide the details on the Isle of Dead Meteors; I must make my preparations."