Chapter 293: Bravely Storming the Emperor Tower, Unprecedented, Never to Be Repeated! Shocking

Chapter 293: Storming the Imperial Tower, Unprecedented and Unrepeatable! A Staggering Achievement!

A vast array of disciplines, layer upon layer, countless in number; beneath each major category lay thousands of intricate branches, a reservoir of knowledge as boundless as the sea.

Qin Feng’s consciousness flickered across the light screen, and without a moment’s hesitation, he tapped into [Artifact Refining] under the [Applied Sciences] category.

The next second, the screen refreshed, displaying the foundational introduction and a structured learning path for artifact refining.

[Artifact Refining: To enter the inner sanctum, one must first master the following prerequisites: "Fundamentals of Fire-Attribute Disciplines," "A Comprehensive Guide to Cosmic Alloys: Introductory," and "Basic Runology."]

Qin Feng understood; artifact refining was inseparable from the smelting of flames, the cognition of materials, and the engraving of runes. These three were indeed the cornerstones of the craft.

His intent shifted, and from the vast ocean of knowledge, he precisely retrieved the introductory jade slips for these three fundamental subjects.

Three jade slips, emitting a soft white glow, materialized out of thin air and hovered silently before him.

Qin Feng extended a wisp of spiritual energy, gently touching the slip inscribed with "Fundamentals of Fire-Attribute Disciplines."

In an instant, a torrent of knowledge surged along his spiritual connection and flooded his mind.

From the most basic definition of fire to the characteristics of flames under different spiritual energy states, and then to the techniques of controlling, compressing, and purifying fire—countless insights regarding "fire" were absorbed, understood, and digested by his "pure black quality" spiritual energy at an astonishing speed.

Knowledge that would take an ordinary black-hole-level powerhouse years or even decades to fully grasp was, for Qin Feng, almost instantly memorized and intuitively mastered.

The [Primordial Singularity] provided him with near-infinite stamina and comprehension, while his "pure black quality" spiritual energy granted him extraordinary analytical and mnemonic capabilities.

Coupled with the Twin Masks and the rational enhancement of the Mechanical Race’s talent, Qin Feng’s learning speed was tens of thousands of times faster than that of ordinary black-hole-level beings.

Time lost all meaning in this ocean of knowledge.

Qin Feng was completely immersed in the joy of learning, oblivious to everything in the outside world.

Once he had thoroughly mastered the three foundational subjects, he retrieved more advanced treatises on artifact refining, beginning a systematic conquest of this profound and expansive field.

From the forging of mundane weapons to the construction of spiritual energy armaments, and finally to the rune-imprinting of black-hole-level secret treasures—the gates to the path of artifact refining slowly swung open before him.

He was like a sponge that had been parched for eons, frantically soaking up the nectar of knowledge.

Years drifted by, passing swiftly.

For other beings at the Sanctuary headquarters, this might have been merely a few routine retreats or the completion of a few missions.

But for Qin Feng, immersed in the mountains of books and seas of learning, it was a long and fulfilling journey of seeking the Way.

Ten years passed in the blink of an eye.

In that forgotten corner of the library, Qin Feng, who had sat cross-legged for a decade, finally opened his eyes.

Within his pupils, it seemed as though infinite runes were being born and extinguished, and divine fires capable of forging all things were burning; yet, in the end, all visions subsided, leaving only a stillness as profound as the night sky.

Ten years of bitter cultivation, relying on his heaven-defying talent and comprehension, had taken him from zero to the level of a seasoned black-hole-level artifact refining master.

He was now capable of crafting simple low-grade black-hole secret treasures.

...

After spending a decade mastering the basic theories of artifact refining and the complex systems below the black-hole level, he did not rush for success, but instead turned his focus to conquering a specific refining secret technique—the "Guluo Hammer."

This secret technique originated from the inheritance of the Guluo King.

Back in the Guluo King’s ruins, surrounded by the prodigies of ten thousand races, Qin Feng had snatched a fragment of the [Guluo Bell] like a mantis stalking a cicada, thereby earning the favor of the Guluo King’s remnant soul and obtaining a portion of his core inheritance.

Among these, the most fundamental and crucial was the "Guluo Hammer," a technique capable of accompanying an artifact refiner all the way to the King-level.

As for the complete inheritance of the Guluo King and the wealth accumulated over his lifetime, they remained sealed in a top-secret location.

There were two keys to opening it: first, Qin Feng must reach a level of strength capable of avenging the Guluo King, personally slaying his enemies among the Winged Race; second, Qin Feng must return the inheritance intact to the Winged Empire, fulfilling the Guluo King’s final obsession.

For the current Qin Feng, both paths were still far off.

His immediate priority was to make the best use of the resources at hand to lay the most solid foundation for his "Path of Extremity."

"The core of the artifact refining path lies in 'control' and 'creation'."

Qin Feng’s consciousness flowed through the general outline of the "Guluo Hammer," his [Primordial Singularity] and "pure black quality" spiritual energy granting him unimaginable powers of understanding and dissection.

"All things possess their 'essence' and their 'impurities.' The duty of an artifact refiner is to use their own power to discard the dross and select the essence, sublimating that 'essence' and turning decay into magic. The path of the 'Guluo Hammer' is the most primal and direct means to achieve this process."

In his mind, countless pieces of foundational knowledge regarding materials science, fire-attribute spiritual energy, and rune construction lit up like stars, rapidly rotating and restructuring around the theoretical core of the "Guluo Hammer."

"Step one: Condense the Hammer."

Qin Feng’s intent flickered, and his pure black spiritual energy, now of legendary quality, began to compress and condense according to the special method recorded in the "Guluo Hammer."

This was not a simple aggregation of spiritual energy, but a complex process involving the microscopic structure of space and the transformation of spiritual energy forms.

Under his will, the spiritual energy was molded into countless, infinitesimally fine spiritual runes. These runes interlocked and nested, eventually forming a primitive, pitch-black hammer that seemed to swallow all light.

This hammer of spiritual energy hovered within his sea of consciousness; though it appeared plain and unadorned, the density of spiritual energy and the structural stability contained within would have shocked any black-hole-level artifact refining master.

"The hammer is an extension of 'force,' used to strike, remove, and forge. Its essence is the deepest level of interference with matter."

Qin Feng contemplated deeply.

He could feel that once this "Guluo Hammer" took shape, his perception of the matter in the surrounding space became unprecedentedly sharp.

He could even "see" the spiritual energy veins and structural nodes that maintained the form of the "mountain rock" beneath him, which was composed of special spiritual energy.

"Step two: Melt the Fire."

Artifact refining cannot exist without fire, but this fire was no ordinary flame.

It could be the fire of the earth’s core, the heart of a star, or even the "Dao Fire" simulated by the refiner’s own spiritual energy.

The method in the "Guluo Hammer" guided the practitioner to use spiritual energy as a catalyst, mobilizing their own energy to simulate the flame best suited for forging specific materials.

Within Qin Feng’s body, massive amounts of spiritual energy began to circulate.

He did not rush to simulate those legendary divine fires, but instead began by analyzing the most basic laws of the fire attribute. His pure black spiritual energy acted like an infinite net, precisely capturing every subtle change as spiritual energy transformed into the state of "fire."

Ten years, twenty years, thirty years...

In the absolute silence of the library, Qin Feng completely forgot the passage of time.

He would sometimes focus on deduction, and at other times, draw forth spiritual energy to manifest clusters of flames with varying temperatures, forms, and attributes at his fingertips.

From initially being able to simulate only a mundane campfire to later simulating "Black Flame" capable of melting black-hole-level alloys, his understanding of "fire" had transcended mere "technique" and began to touch upon the level of "Dao."

"Step three: Moisten with Water."

Solitary Yang cannot grow, and solitary Yin cannot flourish.

After extreme forging, extreme cooling and shaping are required; this is the function of "water."

Similar to "Melt the Fire," the "Moisten with Water" method in the "Guluo Hammer" also involved using spiritual energy to harmonize with spiritual power, simulating "Dao Water" with various strange properties to cool, quench, and stabilize the internal structure of the artifact embryo.

Qin Feng immersed himself once more; this time, he studied the laws of the water attribute, the laws of cooling, and the structural evolution of matter under drastic thermal changes.

Another few decades passed quietly.

When Qin Feng could effortlessly condense a cluster of "Yang Flame," as scorching as a star, in the palm of his left hand, while simultaneously gathering a pool of bone-chilling "Black Ice," capable of freezing the soul, in his right, his understanding of the "Guluo Hammer" had reached a brand new height.

"Hammer, Fire, Water—only when all three are prepared can one speak of 'refining'."

In Qin Feng’s sea of consciousness, the pure black Guluo Hammer gave a gentle tremor, and a wisp of refined spiritual energy was drawn from his body, transforming into a fist-sized piece of "Meta-Gold" that shimmered with a metallic luster.

This was a common artifact refining material.

"Let us begin."

There is no physical workbench, no deafening sound of hammering. This forging takes place entirely within the sea of his consciousness.

The pitch-black Guluo Hammer is raised high, imbued with his understanding of force, and descends with a thunderous crash.

Clang!

A clear resonance, as if originating from the very source of the Great Dao, echoes deep within his soul.

The primordial gold trembles violently, and a wisp of invisible black impurity is forcibly expelled from its deepest core, only to be annihilated by an unseen power.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The Guluo Hammer strikes in a rhythmic, peculiar cadence, at times heavy as a star, at others light as a feather.

Each blow lands with surgical precision upon the internal structural nodes of the primordial gold.

Countless impurities are purged; the volume of the gold shrinks, yet its density and purity skyrocket at a speed visible to the naked eye.

After a full year of continuous hammering, the piece of primordial gold has shrunk to the size of a thumb, possessing a translucent, glazed texture, as if galaxies swirl within it—a sight of breathtaking beauty.

Fire, come!

Qin Feng’s intent shifts, and the Black Flame, prepared long ago, surges forward to envelop the primordial glazed gold.

The extreme heat does not melt it, but under the guidance of the Guluo Hammer secret technique, it begins to reshape and optimize the internal spiritual energy structure.

Water, arrive!

The solar flame recedes, and the Nine-Nether Profound Ice instantly takes its place.

The extreme thermal shock causes fine, vein-like cracks—resembling the patterns of the Great Dao—to appear on the surface of the glazed gold, only to vanish the next instant, as if they had never existed.

Its internal spiritual structure is, at this moment, thoroughly stabilized.

Thus, through nine cycles of fire and nine of water, it is repeatedly tempered.

When the ninth tempering is complete, the original primordial gold has transformed into a golden crystal the size of a grain of rice, floating silently in the sea of Qin Feng’s consciousness.

The spiritual energy it contains and its structural integrity far surpass any sub-black-hole-level secret treasure!

So that is how it is...

Qin Feng slowly opens his eyes, a sharp light flashing through his deep pupils.

From the moment he entered the Mountain of Books and the Sea of Learning, exactly one hundred and ten years have passed.

Ten years were spent on foundations, and a century was dedicated to the Guluo Hammer.

At this moment, he has successfully cultivated this top-tier black-hole-level forging technique to the realm of Mastery!

Such a rate of progress, if made known, would shock even the King-level powerhouses of the human forging world.

Ordinary black-hole-level geniuses might exhaust thousands or even tens of thousands of years without ever bringing a top-tier secret technique to the realm of Mastery.

Yet Qin Feng has done it in a mere century.

This is the supreme advantage brought by his pure black spiritual power combined with the innate gifts of the Machine Race.

His capacity for learning, deduction, and control has reached an unfathomable level.

The realm of Mastery is merely the beginning.

Qin Feng stands up, stretching his body, which has grown stiff from long periods of meditation, yet his heart holds no joy.

Though the Guluo Hammer is powerful, it remains the path of the Guluo King.

My path of the Limit requires melting all laws into one furnace, using my own body as the vessel, the heavens and earth as the forge, and the myriad Daos as the hammer, to forge my own supreme Dao-body and immortal soul.

He mutters to himself, his gaze exceptionally clear.

The way of forging is to temper matter. The way of arrays is to construct order. The way of alchemy is to harmonize energy.

These three are essentially the same; they are the fundamental laws that constitute the universe.

I must master the foundations of all three disciplines before I can truly begin to walk my own path.

His thoughts are clearer than ever before. He has already read all the foundational knowledge regarding the forging lineage within the Mountain of Books and the Sea of Learning, as well as most of the publicly available texts below the black-hole level.

To stay longer would mean delving into the inheritance jades left by King-level powerhouses, which are heavy with their personal styles and would only interfere with the creation of his own path.

Forging is temporarily concluded; what comes next, arrays or alchemy?

Qin Feng ponders for a moment and decides to leave first.

A century of high-intensity study requires proper relaxation and sedimentation.

I will first go to the Forest of Enlightenment Steles to search for more forging techniques; the more I learn, the better.

Having made up his mind, Qin Feng lingers no longer and turns to walk toward the exit of the Mountain of Books and the Sea of Learning.

As he passes through the invisible curtain of spiritual light and returns to the outside world of the Holy Academy headquarters, the century of solitude and silence is instantly replaced by the vibrant breath of the world.

However, the moment he appears, a vast, gentle, yet supremely majestic will silently locks onto him.

This will carries no malice; instead, it holds a sense of appreciation and kindness, like warm sunlight, making one feel an instinctive closeness.

Qin Feng’s steps falter slightly, his pitch-black spiritual power analyzing this will in an instant.

He looks up toward a massive Bodhi tree not far away, where a familiar figure watches him with a smile.

Senior Nine-Spirit King?!

A look of genuine surprise appears on Qin Feng’s face.

The visitor is none other than the King-level powerhouse who served as a judge during the Universe Genius Tournament and gifted him the supreme technique, the Nine-Spirit Origin Map—the Nine-Spirit King!

Hahaha, Qin Feng, you good lad, I thought you intended to stay in the Mountain of Books and the Sea of Learning until the end of time!

The Nine-Spirit King steps forward, appearing instantly before Qin Feng, his hearty laughter filled with undisguised appreciation.

Hearing that old fellow Swallowing Heaven boasting that you had arrived at the Holy Academy headquarters, I guessed you would come here. This avatar of mine has been waiting for you for a long time.

Junior Qin Feng pays his respects to Senior Nine-Spirit King.

Qin Feng bows respectfully and says with sincerity, If not for the Nine-Spirit Origin Map you gifted me, I would have perished countless times over. This kindness is something I shall never forget.

This is no mere courtesy.

The Nine-Spirit Origin Map is a technique of unparalleled mystery, possessing heaven-defying capabilities, especially in enhancing one’s foundational qualities.

Throughout his journey, Qin Feng has relied on the Nine-Spirit Origin Map to turn the tide in life-or-death situations; it is, without a doubt, one of his core trump cards.

Hahaha, you are being too formal.

The Nine-Spirit King waves his hand, clearly satisfied with Qin Feng’s attitude. A precious sword for a hero, fine jade for a beauty. In my hands, the Nine-Spirit Origin Map was merely a technique gathering dust, but in yours, it has bloomed with a brilliance I never anticipated. I hear you have already cultivated it to the realm of Mastery?

I was fortunate to gain some insight.

Qin Feng says modestly.

Good! A fine bit of fortune indeed!

The Nine-Spirit King pats Qin Feng on the shoulder, his eyes brimming with admiration. Come, this is not the place to talk. I happen to be teaching at the Holy Academy and have a small favor to ask of you.

Senior, you are too kind.

Qin Feng replies immediately, Your command is my duty; I will do whatever is required.

It is not that serious; for you, it will be but a simple task.

The Nine-Spirit King chuckled, "This is merely an avatar I have left here specifically to await your arrival. Follow me, and we shall discuss matters in detail at the East Academy."

"Very well!"

Qin Feng nodded slightly; though curiosity stirred within him, he refrained from asking further questions.

He followed the avatar of the Nine-Spirit King, flying toward the eastern side of the Holy Academy’s headquarters.

Along the way, Qin Feng observed this sanctuary of the human race within the Cosmic Sea.

He had previously learned from Master Sanruo that, beyond the four core sacred grounds, the headquarters also governed five major academies: East, West, South, North, and Central.

These institutions were primarily responsible for cultivating human geniuses who were not born within the central human territories, but rather emerged from the vast Cosmic Sea or were selected through rigorous trials across various cosmic nations.

Their upbringing differed vastly from warriors like Qin Feng, who had matured within the official educational system of the human empire. While their talent was equally peerless, they often required guidance and training to instill discipline, teamwork, and a sense of belonging to the human race.

The Holy Academy served as the cradle for this very purpose.

Soon, a magnificent complex of academic buildings, covering an area comparable to a small planet, appeared before them.

The atmosphere here was vibrant and youthful, with countless young human warriors moving about, ranging from the Planetary to the Black Hole level.

Though their aura was powerful, compared to the true prodigies Qin Feng had encountered in the Genius Tournament and on the battlefield of ten thousand races—those forged in blood and fire—they lacked a certain refined, lethal edge.

The Nine-Spirit King’s avatar led Qin Feng through several plazas and teaching zones with practiced ease, eventually arriving before a secluded martial arts chamber.

"Come in."

The avatar pushed open the door and stepped aside to let Qin Feng enter.

Qin Feng stepped inside to find the chamber’s furnishings remarkably sparse; save for a massive meditation cushion, the room was empty. Yet, seated upon that cushion was another "Nine-Spirit King."

"Oh?"

Qin Feng’s gaze fell upon the figure on the dais, and he could not help but let out a soft exclamation.

Under the perception of his "pure black quality" spiritual energy, he realized that this Nine-Spirit King—whose presence was as profound and immovable as a mountain, and whose majesty far surpassed the avatar at the door—was, in fact, not the true body either. It was another spiritual avatar, merely condensed to an infinitely higher degree.

"Hahahaha! Good! A truly excellent Qin Feng! What keen perception!"

The Nine-Spirit King on the dais abruptly opened his eyes, erupting into a thunderous laugh filled with surprise and admiration.

"A mere Black Hole level, yet you can see through the reality of my 'Nine-Spirit Dharma Body' at a single glance! Your spiritual quality is indeed as legendary as they say, reaching that unfathomable level!

What a pity, what a pity! That old scoundrel Swallowing Heaven struck too early! Otherwise, how could I, Nine-Spirit, have spent my life missing out on a disciple as unique and eternal as you!"

The Nine-Spirit King’s tone was thick with undisguised regret and annoyance, as if he had lost a treasure beyond compare.

"To have cultivated the 'Nine-Spirit Origin Diagram,' the fruit of my life’s work, to the ninth level of 'Control' in such a short time, and to have evolved your own methods of application... Qin Feng, do you realize that you and I are like the Boya and Ziqi of ancient legend? We are true soulmates in the path of cultivation!"

Faced with such blunt praise and lamentation, Qin Feng could only bow again, humbly replying, "Senior, you flatter me; this junior is unworthy of such words."

He could feel the sincerity in the Nine-Spirit King’s words.

For a King-level powerhouse who had pioneered a supreme art, nothing was more gratifying or moving than seeing their "Way" perfectly inherited and even expanded upon by a successor.

"Haha, enough of that, enough of that! Lest that old fellow Swallowing Heaven accuses me of poaching his talent again."

The Nine-Spirit King set aside his excitement, gestured to the cushion before him, and smiled, "Sit. I called you here today because I truly have a small favor to ask."

"Please, Senior, speak."

Qin Feng sat cross-legged, his curiosity deepening. For a King-level powerhouse—even an avatar—to solemnly call it a "favor," the matter could not be simple.

The Nine-Spirit King sighed, his expression turning somewhat helpless.

He spoke slowly: "As you have seen, these five academies of the Holy Academy recruit geniuses from all corners of the Cosmic Sea.

From childhood, in their respective cosmic nations and great families, they have been the center of attention, living in luxury and sailing through life with ease.

Even with exceptional talent, their temperament... well, most have a few issues."

Qin Feng nodded in understanding. He had already sensed this earlier.

The Nine-Spirit King continued: "They hold themselves in high regard, looking down upon others, always feeling as if they are destined for greatness.

Compared to you prodigies who fought your way through the cruel, systematic selection and elimination mechanisms of the human empire, they generally lack resilience, a ruthless edge, and a sense of awe toward the cruelty of the universe."

Qin Feng agreed deeply.

Warriors cultivated by the human empire, from the Qiming Academy to the Starry Sky Martial University and finally the Cosmic Battle Groups, faced bloody competition at every step.

Once they donned their power armor, they could immediately integrate into tactical squads to execute death missions; their combat will and tactical literacy were already etched into their bones.

The prodigies selected from the Cosmic Sea were more like flowers in a greenhouse.

Although the Holy Academy arranged trials, such trials were fundamentally different from life-and-death battles.

Furthermore, due to their complex upbringing, it was not uncommon for those with weak wills to be corrupted or bought off by alien races.

"It is a headache, to be honest."

The Nine-Spirit King rubbed his brow. "Recently, a young girl appeared in my East Academy. Her talent is truly once in ten thousand years. Not long ago, she successfully cleared the ninetieth level of the Emperor’s Tower. Now, she has no idea who she is anymore."

"The ninetieth level of the Emperor’s Tower?"

Qin Feng’s heart stirred. He knew of the Emperor’s Tower; it was a trial tower as famous as the Canaan Tower and the Blood God Tower, and its difficulty was immense.

To clear the ninetieth level at the Black Hole stage meant her talent and combat power had firmly entered the realm of Divine Prohibition. In any era, she could be called a "peerless prodigy."

"Indeed," the Nine-Spirit King said with a wry smile. "After clearing it, her tail has gone straight to the sky.

She knows little of the universe's cruelty or the true meaning of power.

And now, she is becoming even more reckless, clamoring to go to the front lines of the 'Dead Meteor Island' for training. She has no idea how deep the water is!"

Upon hearing the name "Dead Meteor Island," Qin Feng’s eyes narrowed.

He had only recently learned from his master, the Swallowing Heaven King, that it was one of the most brutal front lines where humans and aliens slaughtered one another. The fall of a Marquis-level powerhouse was a common occurrence there, and even a King-level powerhouse could not guarantee a safe return.

A Black Hole-level junior who had just stepped into the threshold of Divine Prohibition wanted to go there? That was no different from suicide.

"So..."

Qin Feng seemed to have guessed the Nine-Spirit King’s intent.

"So, I asked you here to go and challenge that Emperor’s Tower and give her a good shock!"

A sly glint appeared in the Nine-Spirit King’s eyes. "Go and break her record. Let her see for herself that there is always someone better, that there is a sky beyond the sky! Let her understand that her little achievements are not worth mentioning in front of a true monster!"

Hearing this request, Qin Feng’s expression became rather strange; he was caught between laughter and tears.

He had expected some earth-shattering event, not that the Nine-Spirit King wanted him to act as an "instructor" to deflate the arrogance of a problematic student.

He said, somewhat awkwardly, "Senior, this... I am afraid that is inappropriate. The Emperor’s Tower is extremely difficult. Although I have some strength, it is not as if I can break a record just because I want to."

"You brat, stop playing coy with me!"

The Nine-Spirit King glared and laughed, "Others may not know you, but do I not? In the Blood-Stained Forbidden Zone, you even punched through the Blood God Tower! The difficulty of that thing is no lower than the Emperor’s Tower!

With your current strength, I estimate you could speed-run the ninety-ninth level of the Emperor’s Tower!

Stop hiding your strength; go, and set a record that no one has ever achieved before, and perhaps no one will ever achieve again!"

Since it had come to this, Qin Feng knew he could not refuse.

He nodded in agreement: "Very well, since it is your request, Senior, this junior will give it a try."

"That is more like it!"

Seeing him agree, the Nine-Spirit King beamed with delight and leapt from his meditation cushion. "Come! I shall escort you myself! Let those brats in the East Courtyard see for themselves what a true 'Divine Prohibition' looks like!

It will spare them from clamoring all day to throw their lives away at the Island of Fallen Gods, utterly oblivious to their own meager worth!"

With that, the Nine-Spirit King, his dharma body as solid as reality itself, swept his great sleeves, and the doors of the martial arts chamber swung open with a thunderous roar. He strode out first, leading Qin Feng directly toward the bustling heart of the academy's training grounds.

(End of chapter)