Chapter 321: Generous Rewards! Divine Crystal Fragments! Lord Qin Feng! Sacred

Chapter 321: Bountiful Rewards! God Crystal Shards! Lord Qin Feng! The Sanctuary Lecture!

"There are also resources, divine metals, secret techniques... and a jumble of other things, all packed for you and placed in your exclusive sub-spatial storage unit; check them when you have the time."

The Lord of Extremity’s voice spoke calmly of rewards that would drive any warrior to madness, as if merely mentioning a triviality.

As the words faded, that will, vast as a cosmic star-sea, quietly receded as if it had never been.

Outside the magnificent main hall of the Human Sanctuary, the afterglow of the celebration had yet to dissipate.

Sacred radiance flowed across the dome like solidified golden amber, and within the cosmos, the lingering echoes of the ceremonial psionic waves seemed to resonate, wave upon wave, telling the tale of a legend’s birth.

The Lord of Extremity and the other supreme beings who anchor the destiny of humanity had long since vanished into deeper dimensions of time and space, coming without shadow and leaving without trace, leaving behind only endless legend and majesty.

Yet, on the plaza, the gazes of hundreds of millions of human powerhouses remained like physical searchlights, fixed firmly upon the young figure standing alone on the high platform.

Awe, curiosity, fanaticism, inquiry... a complex tapestry of emotions wove into a psychic storm, and Qin Feng was the eye of that storm.

He stood tall as a spear, his pitch-black power armor reflecting the cold, hard luster of metal under the celebratory light.

The three medals just pinned to his chest by the Lord of Extremity shone brilliantly, each seemingly bearing an epic so magnificent and heavy it could crush a galaxy.

Qin Feng felt it all with composure.

That glory, enough to make any young prodigy’s heart race and blood boil, fell upon a heart tempered by 150,000 years of life-and-death illusions and refined by the will of gods, yet it stirred no great ripples.

His heart had long since been polished into eternal, unmelting black ice through his confrontation with "Khorne"—hard, silent, and profound.

Honor was humanity’s affirmation of him, the embodiment of the value of his sacrifice, but what he pursued had long transcended such things.

In the void, he seemed to see a rushing river of time—the vast, epoch-measured history of the Human Empire.

In this river, countless heroes and sages had burned themselves out, becoming brilliant stars that illuminated humanity’s path through the dark universe.

The one who sacrificed the most still sat forever upon the Golden Throne, unable to rise.

And today, perhaps his own deeds, Qin Feng’s, might occupy a negligible tenth of a page in that river.

Eons from now, imperial students would scan the chapter titled "The Fierce God Qin Feng Turns the Tide at the Isle of Dead Meteors" in solemn classrooms, just as he had studied the great deeds of sages in his youth. Their names might be washed away by time, but their achievements were recorded by the Empire in the most sacred of ways.

Holy Terra permits no history to be forgotten, nor any history to be rewritten.

This is not merely the remembrance of heroes, but the cornerstone of civilization’s inheritance, the root of why the vast human race can maintain such powerful cohesion and centripetal force in the cold, cruel, and dark forest of the universe.

Thinking of this, Qin Feng’s calm heart felt a genuine, profound tremor.

This feeling gave everything he had done a weight that transcended individual life and death.

He was a part of history, and he would become a cornerstone of the future.

"Hum!"

Space shivered, and a figure as massive as a mountain appeared beside Qin Feng—his master, the Heaven-Swallowing King.

This titan of the King-rank no longer showed the anxiety and struggle he had outside the "Bloody Arena"; in their place was a pride and relief, surging like a landslide, yet suppressed deep within his eyes.

He offered no flowery praise; between master and disciple, such things were unnecessary.

The Heaven-Swallowing King extended a palm as large as a fan and patted Qin Feng’s shoulder, heavily yet with a hint of caution.

The sturdy power armor emitted a dull "clang," like a struck bell.

"Let’s go."

The Heaven-Swallowing King was concise, using only a glance to signal Qin Feng to leave the center of this clamor and glory.

Some words were not meant to be spoken here.

Qin Feng nodded slightly, bowed respectfully to his master, and the two took a step, their figures instantly blurring and vanishing from the platform, leaving behind only a silhouette that would be talked about for ages to come.

...

The main academy of the Human Sanctuary was vast beyond mortal imagination.

It was a massive complex built upon countless dimensional spaces and stable cosmic folds, a world unto itself.

In the deepest part of the academy, far from all clamor and prosperity, lay a martial arts chamber of archaic style.

The room was so empty it felt extravagant, stretching out into the boundless, as if it had encompassed a small cosmic void.

There was no superfluous decoration; it achieved the ideal of "the Great Dao is simple."

The floor was paved with an unknown dark-gold material, seamless and naturally patterned with profound veins that, upon closer inspection, seemed to show the laws of the universe flowing slowly, radiating an immortal rhythm.

The surrounding walls, or rather, psionic barriers, were semi-transparent crystals through which one could clearly see the twisted, shifting turbulence of time and space outside.

This place could withstand the full-force collision of an Emperor-rank powerhouse without a scratch.

"Hum..."

The Heaven-Swallowing King waved his hand, casting a deeper barrier that isolated sound, light, and any possible prying eyes.

The entire chamber became an absolutely private space.

Having done this, the Heaven-Swallowing King turned, the pressure of his massive frame fully retracted, yet his expression turned unprecedentedly grave.

"Qin Feng,"

He spoke in a deep voice that echoed in the empty room, "You know the rewards granted by the Lord of Extremity.

But what these rewards represent, and what responsibilities they entail, you may only partially grasp.

Today, I shall explain them to you in detail; every word must be etched into your heart."

"Yes, Master."

Qin Feng bowed, his expression solemn as he listened intently.

He was indeed full of questions. Seven or eight hundred cosmic nation fiefdoms sounded terrifying, but how were they to be managed?

How were the authorities of a "Rogue Trader" group to be exercised?

These concepts remained literal to him, and he urgently needed his master’s guidance.

After all, since entering the Myriad Races Battlefield, Qin Feng had been in a constant state of cultivation, never having concerned himself with such matters, hearing of them at most in passing.

The Heaven-Swallowing King nodded and sat cross-legged, like an ancient sacred mountain.

He spoke slowly, his voice resonant and clear.

"First, let us speak of the 'fiefdoms'."

"The Sanctuary adopts this seemingly ancient 'feudal' model, delegating vast territories to meritorious powerhouses?"

"The universe is boundless; even the territory currently controlled by humanity is but a grain of sand in this infinite cosmic sea.

When territory reaches such an extreme, the difficulty of management increases geometrically."

"The universe we inhabit is conventionally divided by the Sanctuary and the Myriad Races Alliance into two segments.

We are currently in the first half of the cosmic sea, the 'Sanctuary Sea'.

The greatest characteristic of this star region is that sub-space is extremely unstable, filled with various deadly traps and unspeakable, terrifying existences.

Therefore, it is impossible to rely on sub-space lanes for rapid, full-scale transport as one might within the Human Empire."

The Heaven-Swallowing King’s words unveiled a corner of the universe’s true face to Qin Feng.

"If full-scale transport is impossible, how does the Sanctuary’s rule radiate to every corner?"

He continued, "The answer lies in spatial teleportation arrays and the decentralization of power."

"The Holy Academy utilizes cosmic cities as core nodes to construct a vast, intricate network that bypasses subspace, enabling direct, point-to-point spatial leaps."

"However, the maintenance and stability of such arrays demand immense power from those who govern them."

"Generally speaking, one must reach at least the Domain Lord level to possess the strength required to stabilize even a small-scale teleportation array."

"This is why the threshold for a warrior to be granted a fief is the Domain Lord level."

"Only at this tier do you possess the foundational ability to anchor a region and connect it to the Holy Academy’s governing network."

"The very title of 'Domain Lord' is derived from this necessity."

Qin Feng listened, and a sudden realization dawned upon him.

He finally understood why he had never heard of a warrior below the Domain Lord level holding private territory; it was a reality deeply intertwined with the foundational governance of the entire Empire.

"Now, let me show you your fief."

As the Heaven-Swallowing King spoke, he swept his massive hand through the void.

"Whoosh!"

In an instant, light and shadow swirled, and countless points of light materialized from nothingness, quickly sketching a three-dimensional star map of unimaginable scale between him and Qin Feng.

This map was more precise and vast than any Qin Feng had ever beheld.

Each point of light represented a star system; billions of stars converged into galaxies, and countless galaxies formed star sectors, ultimately composing the vast territory of the thirteen hundred war zones of the human race.

The Heaven-Swallowing King’s gaze swept across the map, and his finger, vast as a star, tapped gently upon it.

"Hum—"

The map zoomed instantly, countless light points streaking past until the image settled upon a star sector located on the periphery of human territory, near the buffer zone of the Alliance of Ten Thousand Races, yet still remarkably prosperous.

"This is your fief."

The Heaven-Swallowing King’s finger circled the expansive region.

On the map, countless stars were bathed in a faint golden halo, and beside the glow, lines of clear text emerged.

[Red Feather Cosmic Nation]

[Heavenly Profound Ancient Kingdom]

[Black Sail Star Alliance]

...

Names both familiar and strange flickered across the map.

When Qin Feng’s eyes fell upon the words "Red Feather Cosmic Nation" and "Heavenly Profound Ancient Kingdom," his once-still gaze finally rippled with an imperceptible tremor.

He remembered.

He remembered the perilous [Road of the End], the auction at the Red Feather Cosmic Nation, the black-hole-level powerhouse Li You who had harbored a grudge against him, and the two hundred years of standoff outside the Red Feather Pass that culminated in a cataclysmic bloodbath.

He also recalled that among the coalition forces that had once hunted him down, there had been warriors from the Heavenly Profound Ancient Kingdom.

Once upon a time, these behemoths were enemies he had to look up to, maneuver against, and fight with his life.

He had been like a lone wolf, struggling to survive under the encirclement of these powers, eventually carving out a path of blood.

Now, the stars had shifted, and the seas had turned to mulberry fields.

The lands where these former enemies resided, the very soil where he had bled and fought, had now been personally granted to him by the Limitless Lord as his private domain.

The sensation was strange and complex.

There was no joy of vengeance, nor the arrogance of a ruler, but rather a profound sense of the cyclical nature of karma and the impermanence of worldly affairs.

"It seems you recall some past events."

The Heaven-Swallowing King noted the change in his expression, his deep voice carrying a hint of a smile. "The universe is like this, filled with wondrous causality. The pursuers of the past now see their homelands governed by your will. This is the change brought by strength."

"The allocation of fiefs by the Holy Academy is strictly matched to strength and merit."

The Heaven-Swallowing King’s finger slid across the map, explaining: "Your combat power is now sufficient to match mid-to-high-level Marquis-tier powerhouses."

"Therefore, your fief is located on the periphery of the 1300th War Zone."

"While this is not the most core or fertile region of the 1300th War Zone, its strength lies in its stability."

"As for a King-tier like myself, the vastness and wealth of my fief rival that of some newly ascended Emperor-tier powerhouses, and it is located in the heart of the 1300th War Zone, guarding the most vital strategic thoroughfares."

"This system is both a reward and an incentive for the strong."

"The stronger you are, the greater your capacity, and the better the fief you receive, allowing you to govern more effectively. It creates a virtuous cycle that ensures the stability and vitality of our human race."

Qin Feng listened intently, feeling an increasing sense of admiration for this governing system that had sustained the human race for countless epochs.

It was like a precision-engineered war machine, where every component was placed in its optimal position, granting sufficient autonomy while binding all powerhouses firmly to the great ship of humanity through shared interests and responsibilities.

"However, you must remember."

At this moment, the Heaven-Swallowing King’s tone shifted abruptly, his expression turning grave once more.

"A fief is a reward in name, but a responsibility in essence."

"It brings you not only supreme power and immense wealth, but also heavy, inescapable duties!"

"There are three core responsibilities!"

The Heaven-Swallowing King held up three fingers.

"First, the duty of protection!"

"From this day forth, you are responsible for the safety and stability of all living beings within the seven hundred and eighty-three cosmic nations of your fief."

"You must repel the constant infiltration and harassment of the ten thousand races, and purge those alien spies and saboteurs who attempt to slip in."

"More importantly..."

The Heaven-Swallowing King’s voice dropped, carrying a vigilance and loathing that stemmed from the depths of his soul.

"...you must be ever-vigilant for the emergence of Chaos corruption!"

"The whispers of those evil gods are pervasive; once any sign of corruption is discovered in your territory, no matter how small, it must be reported to the Holy Academy immediately, and you must use all your power to handle and purify it!"

"There can be no leniency or wishful thinking; otherwise, a single spark can start a prairie fire, and in that moment, you will be a sinner against the human race!"

Qin Feng’s expression tightened at these words.

He knew the horror of the Chaos Evil Gods better than anyone.

The one hundred and fifty thousand years of resistance against the will of Khorne in the "Blood-Stained Arena" had been the most perilous experience of his life.

He nodded heavily, engraving this duty deep into his soul.

"Second, the duty of nurturing talent!"

The Heaven-Swallowing King continued: "The strength of the human race lies not only in us old fellows, but in the constant influx of fresh blood."

"Your territory is vast, with trillions of souls, and among them, countless descendants with great talent will inevitably be born."

"Your responsibility is to establish effective screening mechanisms to discover them, guide them, and recommend them to the Holy Academy once they have reached a certain stage of growth."

"To provide pillars of talent for the Empire—this is the great merit of passing the torch!"

"I understand, Master."

Qin Feng replied.

Having risen from the humblest of beginnings, he knew all too well that a genius, if left without a guiding hand, could easily fade into the obscurity of the masses.

This duty was one he could not shirk.

"Third, the duty of guardianship!"

As the Heaven-Swallowing King spoke, his gaze grew profound.

"Within your territory, should there be 'sites of opportunity' previously marked by the Holy Academy—such as ancient ruins, naturally formed secret realms, or legacies left by predecessors—and when prodigies from other domains apply through the Academy’s merit system to explore them, you, as the lord, are obligated to oversee the process personally to ensure safety, order, and fairness."

The moment these words fell, a thunderous boom echoed in Qin Feng’s mind, awakening a long-buried memory.

He instantly recalled his experience at the "Gulu King’s Ruins."

Back then, he was merely a rising star in the universe, locked in a web of intrigue with twelve other monstrous talents from various races, all vying for the Gulu King’s legacy.

And outside those ruins, from start to finish, a human marquess—Marquess Cloudbat—had been silently keeping watch.

He served as both a deterrent and an arbiter, ensuring that the struggle for opportunity did not escalate into a racial war that would spill into the outside world. So, that was the "duty of guardianship" Marquess Cloudbat had been fulfilling!

In that instant, Qin Feng felt a strange sense of temporal displacement.

Once, he had been a piece on the chessboard, a participant bound by rules, looking up to guardians like Marquess Cloudbat.

Now, he himself was about to become such an existence.

In the future, countless young prodigies, just like his former self, would explore those unknown opportunities within his territory, under his watchful eye, writing their own legends.

This shift in identity gave him an unprecedentedly clear understanding of the human race’s governing structure across the cosmic sea.

This was no simple enfeoffment; it was an indestructible network of rule that bound power, responsibility, interests, and even the future of one’s personal martial path together.

Every powerhouse granted a fief was no longer an isolated individual.

They were the absolute monarchs of their domains, enjoying all resources and tributes;

Yet, they were also the empire’s sentinels, the breeders of civilization, and the maintainers of order.

By guarding their respective lands, they were laying their own bricks into the empire’s Great Wall of Steel.

Billions of powerhouses, billions of bricks, together constructing the eternal, supreme glory of the human race!

"Master... I understand completely."

Qin Feng took a deep breath and bowed solemnly to the Heaven-Swallowing King once more.

...

The star map shifted, light and shadow flowing.

In the martial arts chamber, the three-dimensional star map formed by endless points of light transformed under the Heaven-Swallowing King’s will.

The region clearly marking Qin Feng’s fief faded, replaced by a grander, more complex, and more perilous cosmic vista.

It was no longer merely human territory, but a chaotic star field radiating outward from the human center, intertwined and entangled with countless alien forces.

Dense clusters of light represented different civilizations and races—some blazing like suns, others dim as dust—connected by a web of intersecting lines: trade routes, frontlines of war, and the eternal entanglements of interest.

The Heaven-Swallowing King’s majestic form stood before the map. He stretched out a massive palm, pointing toward that bizarre and chaotic expanse, his voice deep as an abyss.

"Qin Feng, what I must tell you next concerns the authority of the 'Rogue Trader Fleet'."

He withdrew his gaze from the map and fixed it on Qin Feng, his eyes sharp as blades, as if to dissect all the hypocritical appearances behind the term. "Do not be deceived by the name. Trader? Rogue? These are merely insignificant cloaks donned by the Holy Academy and Holy Terra for the sake of convenience."

"Its true essence is a high-level political and military authorization!"

The Heaven-Swallowing King’s tone suddenly deepened, each word striking like divine thunder from the heavens, booming in the empty chamber and causing the very space to ripple.

"This authority allows you, in the name of the 'Human Empire,' to assemble a private fleet entirely your own, to travel to non-hostile alien territories, to contact their civilizations, negotiate, and even... intervene with force!"

He spoke the words "intervene with force" slowly and with great weight.

Qin Feng’s heart skipped a beat.

He was sharp enough to grasp the staggering implications instantly.

This far exceeded the scope of an individual martial artist’s power, rising to the level of diplomatic maneuvering on behalf of a race and civilization.

Seeing the change in Qin Feng’s eyes, the Heaven-Swallowing King nodded in satisfaction and continued: "This authority is not granted lightly.

Throughout imperial history, those who have received such an honor have all rendered monumental service to humanity, their loyalty and Dao-heart tested by the most rigorous trials.

This is the Empire’s highest trust in your 'absolute loyalty' and 'immense value'!"

His voice carried an indescribable pride and solemnity. "What does this mean? It means that from this day forward, as you walk the universe, the entire human race stands behind you!

It means that even if you stir up monumental trouble abroad, even if you offend a powerful race we do not wish to war with lightly, as long as your actions align with the highest interests of humanity, the Empire will step forward to resolve all your worries!"

"The Holy Academy and Holy Terra are your firmest backing! This is a promise to you, and a supreme investment in your future potential!"

These words, heavier than mountains and seas, were deeply branded into Qin Feng’s heart.

He felt not just power, but a heavy sense of trust and responsibility.

He knew this trust stemmed largely from his 150,000-year (illusory time) steadfastness under the influence of Khorne.

A Dao-heart that even a Chaos God could not corrupt was solid and pure enough for the Empire’s high command to entrust with their highest confidence.

However, the Heaven-Swallowing King changed his tone, his massive palm sweeping across the star map to point out the cruelty of reality.

"Of course, everything has its limits. At this stage, you must clearly recognize the boundaries of this authority."

He pointed to several brilliant, terrifyingly radiant clusters on the map—the territories of the peak cosmic races like the Mechanical, Zerg, and Holy Spirit clans.

"In the Holy Academy Sea, the first half of the universe where we reside, the relationships between the peak races are intricate and fraught with constant conflict, yet they maintain a fragile balance through mutual fear.

In such an environment, your 'Rogue Trader Fleet' is no more than an ant in their eyes.

They will not care about a so-called Imperial representative; in the face of absolute power and vast civilization, any diplomatic rhetoric is pale and powerless."

"Therefore, at this stage, you can only effectively use this authority against races that are relatively weak, those already on good terms with us, or even our vassal states.

Through contact with them, you can bring back practical benefits, rare resources, and vital intelligence for yourself and the Empire."

Qin Feng listened quietly, his mind clear.

He understood his master’s intent: a warning not to be blinded by power or reach beyond his grasp, but to remain grounded and start where he could.

Then, a flicker of distant longing appeared in the Heaven-Swallowing King’s eyes. His gaze seemed to pierce through the martial arts chamber, through the endless galaxies of the Holy Academy Sea, toward the deeper reaches of the universe.

"But, Qin Feng, remember this!"

His voice grew distant and profound. "When one day your strength is sufficient to step into the 'Endless Sea'—that second half of the universe where order is more chaotic, laws are more violent, and countless ancient civilizations and unknown terrors coexist—this authority will exert a miraculous effect beyond your current imagination!"

"In the Endless Sea, it will no longer be a mere scrap of paper, but a 'God-level permit' to explore the unknown, establish human outposts, subjugate alien civilizations, and spread the glory of the Empire!"

"It is the supreme authority that will see you grow from a mere lord into a cosmic titan!"

The words unfolded like a magnificent scroll of the future before Qin Feng.

He seemed to see himself leading a vast fleet, sailing through bizarre and unknown star seas, dealing with strange civilizations, and carving out new territory for the human race.

It was a sense of mission and achievement far grander than any personal martial cultivation.

With this explanation concluded, the Heaven-Swallowing King slowly retracted the vast, three-dimensional star map.

Within the martial chamber, the light and shadows dissipated, leaving the space once more in its austere, hollow silence.

Yet, the atmosphere did not lighten; instead, it grew increasingly heavy and profound.

The Heaven-Swallowing King turned to face Qin Feng directly, his eyes, deep as the starry firmament, revealing a gravity and solemnity never before seen.

"Qin Feng,"

He spoke each word with measured, heavy force, "Everything I told you before—the fiefdoms of seven or eight hundred star-nations, the authority of the Rogue Trader fleet—these are merely... external things."

"External things?"

Qin Feng’s heart stirred. Such staggering rewards, in his master’s estimation, were nothing more than trifles?

"Indeed," the Heaven-Swallowing King affirmed. "These are but prizes and investments granted by the Holy Academy and Holy Terra in recognition of your merits. But the true core, the supreme reward capable of fundamentally altering your future path, is something else entirely."

He drew a deep breath, as if the words he was about to utter held a forbidden power.

"It is a fragment... of a God-Crystal."

Boom!

The words "God-Crystal" struck the depths of Qin Feng’s soul like a primordial thunderbolt, shattering the heavens!

His body remained motionless, yet his spirit was instantly engulfed by a tempest of overwhelming turbulence!

God!

To him, this word carried a weight of entirely different significance.

Only a short while ago, he had personally endured a confrontation with the will of a "God."

The Chaos God, Khorne, the Blood God!

Those endless crimson illusions, that frenzied will saturated with slaughter and ruin, that terrifying divine majesty capable of reducing any Sovereign-ranked powerhouse to a demonic thrall—each scene was etched into the essence of his soul like a searing brand.

It was his first time facing a true "God" so directly and profoundly, and he had nearly sunk into that infinite abyss forever.

Now, hearing the term "God-Crystal" from his master, he instinctively linked the two, and as his heart trembled, a vigilance born from the depths of his soul climbed to its zenith.

The Heaven-Swallowing King observed every nuance of Qin Feng’s reaction. He did not offer an immediate explanation, allowing Qin Feng the space to digest the shock.

Only those who have truly witnessed the horror of a deity can comprehend the weight carried by the term "God-Crystal."

After a long silence, Qin Feng finally steadied himself from the emotional upheaval. He raised his head, his gaze burning as he fixed it upon the Heaven-Swallowing King, his voice carrying a trace of imperceptible hoarseness. "Master, what is... a God-Crystal?"

"A God-Crystal," the Heaven-Swallowing King explained slowly, his voice tinged with awe for such supreme entities, "is the ultimate relic formed after a deity falls, solidified under the witness of the cosmic will. It contains the godhead they bore, the divine offices they governed, the cosmic laws they realized, and the boundless, surging divine power they possessed."

"Each God-Crystal represents the life’s work of a deity—a treasure of the highest order in the universe, its value beyond any measure of wealth."

"Its uses are infinite; it can forge divine artifacts, construct divine kingdoms, or sustain the destiny of an entire civilization... Though what you are given is but a fragment, its utility is equally terrifying, for it is this—"

The Heaven-Swallowing King stared into Qin Feng’s eyes, speaking with deliberate precision: "This God-Crystal fragment can assist a martial artist in realizing and solidifying their own path!"

"You have pioneered a divine path, one without precedent, and one that shall have no successor."

"Your 'Path of Extremes' is a thorny road never before trodden; there is no experience to draw from, no path ahead to reference."

"Every step you take is a solitary exploration in the dark."

"And the God-Crystal fragment contains the shattered 'Dao' of a deity."

"Through it, you may observe, reference, and verify how an entity who reached the very end of cultivation constructed their own Great Dao."

"This holds immeasurable benefits for perfecting your own 'Path of Extremes'!"

"One could say this crystal is tailored specifically for you! You are the one in the entire universe who needs its guidance the most!"

The words of the Heaven-Swallowing King were filled with immense temptation.

To observe the shattered Dao of a deity!

For any practitioner, this was an opportunity impossible to refuse.

Although Qin Feng’s "Path of Extremes" had begun to take shape and shown heaven-defying potential, he knew well that the path was still raw, with much left to be perfected.

Yet, having been tempered by the baptism of Khorne’s will, Qin Feng’s Dao-heart had been forged as hard as divine iron, and his vigilance had reached an unprecedented height.

Faced with such a monumental opportunity, he was not intoxicated; instead, he immediately seized upon the most critical and fatal question.

His eyes narrowed, and he asked in a low voice, "Master, this God-Crystal fragment... does it belong to an alien deity? Might there be residual divine will within it? Will it, like Khorne, cause corruption or bewitchment of the user’s spirit?"

As this question left his lips, the solemn atmosphere in the martial chamber hung suspended for a moment.

Then, the Heaven-Swallowing King froze, before a thunderous, hearty, and unbridled roar of laughter erupted from his usually stern face!

"Hahahaha! Good! Good! Very good!"

The laughter was like thunder, causing the entire hall to hum, filled with an indescribable sense of relief, pride, and satisfaction.

"A fine question! Qin Feng, that was a truly excellent question!"

After the laughter subsided, he looked at Qin Feng’s still-vigilant and calm eyes, praising him: "Having endured the affair with the Blood God Khorne, you have not only avoided psychological trauma but have used it as a warning to forge a heart of a powerhouse—vigilant, yet unafraid."

"Excellent, truly excellent!"

"Only by maintaining this awe and caution toward unknown powers can you walk further and more steadily on your future path!"

He reined in his mirth, his expression turning solemn once more as he began to resolve the doubt.

"You need not worry. There is a chasm of difference between deities; they cannot be judged by a single standard."

"Looking across the vast universe, those who truly stand at the pinnacle of the pyramid are few."

"For instance, the God-Emperor of our human race, or the four Chaos Gods who have battled the Emperor for countless ages, or the ancient deities worshipped by the few peak races like the Mechanical or Tyranid swarms."

"These deities, based on the source and essence of their power, can be roughly divided into two camps."

The Heaven-Swallowing King extended a finger, and a wisp of chaotic, filthy energy swirled around his fingertip—a simulation of Khorne’s divine power.

"The first are the 'Gods of Faith,' or rather, the 'Gods of Emotion,' represented by the four Chaos Gods. Their power originates from the negative emotions and twisted faith of the trillions of sentient beings in the universe."

"Slaughter, desire, despair, intrigue... these are the fodder that nourishes them. Therefore, their divine power and godhead are inherently imbued with extreme corruption and bewitchment."

"To us, they are lethal poison, a taboo, and a source of destruction that must be reported immediately for sealing by the highest echelons of the Empire."

Qin Feng nodded slowly.

On this point, he had the most profound understanding.

Khorne’s power was constantly tempting him to fall into the abyss of slaughter; its corruptive nature was impossible to guard against entirely.

Then, the Heaven-Swallowing King dissipated the chaotic aura, and in his other hand, a sphere of pure, stable energy, shimmering with the brilliance of natural laws, appeared.

"The other category consists of the more numerous deities in the universe, those belonging to the 'Neutral' or 'Orderly' camps."

"Their power does not originate from mortal faith."

"Some stem from the ultimate mastery of a fundamental rule of the universe, such as time, space, or destiny; others from a deep realization of the universe’s primordial forces, such as earth, fire, water, or wind. They are more like the manifested incarnations of the Cosmic Dao, the rules themselves walking upon the earth."

They neither require nor deign to accept the faith of mortals.

When such deities fall, the divine crystals they leave behind, though still imprinted with their formidable will, remain relatively pure in essence and devoid of any active, malicious corruption.

Once processed by the Empire through specialized purification rites, they become the most pristine and supreme treasures for those of us who walk the path of cultivation.

The Heaven-Swallowing King waved his hand, causing the orb of law-energy to dissipate into nothingness, and looked at Qin Feng to offer his final assurance.

What the Holy Academy and Holy Terra have bestowed upon you this time is precisely such a fragment of an Order-aligned divine crystal, purged of all impurities and rendered absolutely safe.

It will neither beguile nor corrupt you; it will merely stand as a silent mentor, laying bare a complete path to the realm of godhood without reservation.

Qin Feng, this is the reward you have earned.

As these words fell, the last shred of doubt in Qin Feng’s heart vanished like smoke in the wind.

He drew a deep breath and bowed solemnly to the Heaven-Swallowing King.

Disciple understands. I thank you, Master, for clearing my confusion.

...

With the explanation complete, Qin Feng held a crystal-clear blueprint for his future.

Whether it was taking possession of his fief, establishing his own faction, or entering seclusion with the divine crystal fragment to perfect his Path of Limits, every task was both urgent and of profound significance.

His heart surged with anticipation, and he longed to depart for his territory at once to put all these plans into motion.

Master, if there is nothing else, I wish to set off for my fief immediately...

Qin Feng said respectfully.

Wait.

The Heaven-Swallowing King stopped him.

Qin Feng looked up to see a rare expression on his master’s face—a strange mixture of amusement and helplessness.

You lad, it won’t be so easy for you to leave just yet.

The Heaven-Swallowing King rubbed his temples, looking quite troubled. My communication channels have been bombarded these past few days by those old fogies in the Holy Academy.

Oh?

Qin Feng was taken aback.

For the old fogies to cause the Heaven-Swallowing King such a headache, they must at least be peer-level titans or the venerable elders of the Holy Academy.

What could they possibly want with his master?

Seeing Qin Feng’s confusion, the Heaven-Swallowing King laughed despite himself. What else could it be? Naturally, it is for you, my precious disciple who has stirred the winds and clouds of the entire universe.

They have joined forces with the upper echelons of the Academy, claiming they wish to cater to the students' enthusiasm by organizing a forum open to all, from the inner and outer courts to the countless affiliated academies.

At this, the King pointed at Qin Feng, adding with a huff: And they have specifically requested you to be the keynote speaker.