Chapter 327: The Day of the Grand Wedding, Merchant Vagabond Group! Qin Feng's Congratulatory Gift,

Chapter 327: The Wedding Day, The Rogue Trader Fleet! Qin Feng’s Gift, A World-Shaking Event!

Linglu Star, the brightest pearl within the Linglu Universe Kingdom’s vast expanse of hundreds of millions of light-years, was currently displaying its most glorious face in history.

Beyond this living planet, a thick and dreamlike seven-colored nebula swirled slowly, resembling a resplendent ribbon left behind in the cosmos by a deity.

This was the "Seven-Treasure Glazed Canopy," a massive defensive formation that the Linglu Sovereign had spent nearly thirty percent of the national treasury and invited a grandmaster of arrays to construct over a millennium.

In ordinary times, this formation remained hidden, manifesting only as a breathtaking nebula that added an ethereal charm to the capital planet.

Yet, once activated, its defensive power was sufficient to withstand the relentless onslaught of several junior Marquis-level powerhouses, serving as one of the fundamental pillars upon which the Linglu Universe Kingdom secured its existence in this sector.

Today, this symbol of national strength and glory shone with brilliant radiance, its seven-colored divine light flowing ceaselessly, rendering the entire Linglu Star as if it were a divine realm.

Piercing through the atmosphere, one could see the heart of Linglu Star: the imperial palace, "Yaoguang Hall."

This majestic palace was not built upon the planet's surface, but sat upon a floating continent, stripped from the crust by supreme power and suspended permanently ten thousand meters in the air by the force of arrays.

The entire Yaoguang Hall was forged from "Moonlight Divine Iron," an extremely rare metal said to be minable only in small quantities from the deep cores of moons.

This metal naturally absorbed and transformed starlight, giving the palace a holy, soft silver-white luster—neither blinding nor harsh, but filled with an indescribable solemnity and sanctity.

At this moment, the "Star Dome Plaza" directly in front of Yaoguang Hall was already bustling with noise and excitement, crowded with the elite.

The plaza was paved with solid "Star Jade," and beneath the jade floor, faint specks of starlight could be seen swirling, as if one were treading upon the true starry sky.

Guests flowed through the plaza, none of them ordinary.

Walking at the forefront were mostly sovereigns of various universe kingdoms or their representatives.

They wore the most luxurious imperial robes or formal attire, adorned with purple-gold crowns and precious jade belts, their every gesture exuding the majesty of those long accustomed to power.

Behind them followed several guards with imposing, mountain-like auras; these guards had eyes as sharp as hawks, temples bulging, and blood energy surging like a furnace—clearly, they were renowned powerhouses from their respective nations.

Following closely behind were the titans of major interstellar merchant guilds.

They might not have possessed the overwhelming authority of sovereigns, but the aura of wealth they carried was so thick it was almost tangible.

With perfectly measured smiles, they wove through the crowd, greeting the heads of various factions with practiced ease; every simple conversation could signify a massive deal capable of influencing the economic lifeline of an entire galaxy.

At the edges of the plaza gathered a large number of rogue cultivators who had come upon hearing the news.

Unlike the former two groups, they lacked ornate clothing or massive retinues.

Most wore combat-ready gear or armor, their bodies carrying faint traces of blood and fire.

They huddled in small groups, whispering in hushed tones, their sharp gazes sweeping over the true bigwigs from time to time, their eyes filled with both reverence and longing.

For them, this grand event was not merely about witnessing a wedding; it was a prime platform to seek opportunities and expand their connections.

The entire Star Dome Plaza was enveloped in an atmosphere that was fervent, noisy, yet distinctly stratified.

On a high platform in the center of the plaza, a master of ceremonies, handpicked by the Linglu Kingdom, used a voice amplified by secret techniques—loud enough to carry across the entire floating continent—to loudly announce the identities and gifts of the guests, pushing the atmosphere to a climax again and again.

"The Sovereign of the Thick Earth Universe Kingdom, accompanied by the Queen, has arrived! Offering a gift: Ten thousand tons of 'Earth Mother Crystal'!"

As the voice fell, a low gasp rippled through the crowd.

"Earth Mother Crystal" was a supreme treasure craved by earth-attribute practitioners; for an ordinary kingdom, obtaining a few hundred tons would be a stroke of immense fortune. The Thick Earth Universe Kingdom’s opening move of ten thousand tons spoke volumes of their grand gesture.

"The President of the Silver Sail Merchant Guild, accompanied by the Young Master, has arrived! Offering a gift: One bottle of 'Nine-Turn Star Pills'!"

Another stir ensued.

The Nine-Turn Star Pill was a supreme elixir capable of increasing the success rate for peak Black Hole-level powerhouses to break through to the Domain Lord level; its value was even higher than the ten thousand tons of Earth Mother Crystal just mentioned.

The Silver Sail Merchant Guild’s move was undoubtedly a display of their financial strength and goodwill toward the Linglu Kingdom and the forces behind it.

...

One high-pitched announcement after another, one rare treasure after another, left the guests dazzled and gave them a deeper understanding of the significance behind this marriage.

"The Linglu Sovereign has really spent a fortune this time; to think he could attract so many big shots."

A rogue cultivator clicked his tongue, his eyes filled with envy.

"What do you know?"

A well-informed merchant nearby curled his lip and lowered his voice. "Do you think these people came for the Linglu Sovereign? What they truly value is the other party in this marriage, and the significance represented by the groom!"

"Oh? How so?"

"The groom, 'Lei,' may just be a nobody, but where does he come from? The Red Feather Universe Kingdom! And who is the Red Feather Universe Kingdom’s staunch ally? Or rather, whose 'cradle of rise' is it?"

The merchant paused, feigning mystery.

The surrounding people realized the truth upon hearing this, their faces simultaneously revealing a look mixed with awe and fear.

"The God of Slaughter... Qin Feng!"

This name seemed to carry a taboo magic; once spoken, the surrounding air seemed to solidify.

Just as this fervent and eerie atmosphere intertwined, the winds and clouds in the sky suddenly shifted.

Above Yaoguang Hall, space was violently torn open by invisible hands, and a pitch-black rift appeared out of thin air.

Immediately following, a domineering starship, its hull burning with crimson flames and its prow shaped like a phoenix bird singing with its neck outstretched, burst forth!

A vast, majestic Marquis-level pressure, filled with scorching heat and the aura of destruction, swept over the starship like a bursting flood.

In an instant, throughout the Star Dome Plaza, save for a few sovereigns who had also reached the Marquis realm and could barely stand, all other guests—regardless of their strength—felt a tightness in their chests, as if an invisible mountain of fire were pressing down upon them, making even breathing difficult.

Fortunately, this pressure came and went as quickly as it arrived, vanishing the moment it was retracted by the starship's master.

The starship's hatch opened slowly, and a middle-aged man clad in crimson battle armor, with a sturdy build and features as sharp as if carved by a knife, stepped out and stood in the void.

He did not look at the terrified guests in the plaza below, but cast his gaze deep into Yaoguang Hall, his eyes carrying a hint of complex emotion.

The crowd below, after a brief, deathly silence, erupted into chaos.

"That starship... it's the Red Feather Universe Kingdom's flagship, the 'Red Phoenix'! The person who arrived is the Red Feather Sovereign!"

A sharp-eyed guest exclaimed, his voice filled with disbelief.

The Red Feather Sovereign coming in person was within many people's expectations, after all, one side of the marriage was his grand-disciple.

But what truly shocked them was the terrifying pressure that had just flashed by.

"Wait! The aura on him... that is... a genuine Marquis-level! And his foundation is solid, his momentum vigorous; he is definitely not a novice!"

Another envoy from a neighboring country saw his pupils contract, his face filled with horror. "How is this possible? In the Battle of the Demon Abyss, wasn't the Red Feather Sovereign's foundation damaged by a Demon Clan Marquis, leaving him with no hope of reaching the Marquis realm in this lifetime? When did he break through? And it's not just a simple junior Marquis!"

This question voiced the doubts in the hearts of everyone present who knew the truth.

Just as everyone was discussing, an old man who appeared to be an intelligence chief for a major faction stroked his beard, his eyes flashing with wisdom.

He lowered his voice and said to his equally prominent friends: "Gentlemen, have you forgotten? Forty thousand years ago, the Red Feather Sovereign was ambushed by enemies and trapped in the 'Demon Abyss.'

The Red Feather Universe Kingdom was besieged by several hostile neighboring countries, its capital nearly breached, and it almost fell. In the end, who intervened?"

"It was..."

A merchant guild president opened his mouth, but the name reached his lips and he subconsciously swallowed it back, the awe in his eyes deepening.

"Exactly! It was that lord!"

The old man nodded heavily. "It was the supreme ruler of our vast sector, which encompasses seven hundred and sixty-three universe kingdoms—Lord Qin Feng!"

"It is said that at the time, that lord was only at the Black Hole level, yet he had already displayed heaven-defying combat power."

He arrived alone, armed with but a single spear, descending upon the battlefield of the Red Feather Kingdom. He swept through the allied forces of five nations, slaughtering dozens of black-hole-level generals, turning the earth to a river of blood and piling the corpses into mountains.

It was precisely because of that battle that the Red Feather Kingdom was preserved, becoming from that day forth the most trusted ally of that great lord.

"Hiss..."

A collective intake of breath rippled through the crowd.

The old man observed their reactions before offering his deduction: "Think about it. Given the Red Feather King’s profound debt to that lord—a debt of national salvation—and his unwavering loyalty, consider the lord's current status. He is the top-ranked prodigy on the Heaven’s Pride List, a peerless monster granted the highest honors by the Human Saint Academy!

Would it be any difficulty for him to let a few resources slip through his fingers to help the Red Feather King mend his dao foundation, break through bottlenecks, or even ascend further?"

These words struck like lightning, instantly parting the fog in everyone’s minds.

"So that is it! In that case, the King of Spirit Deer choosing this moment to marry his most beloved princess to 'Lei' of the Red Feather Kingdom is not merely a simple political marriage!"

"What a brilliant move! A masterstroke to reach the heavens!

Through this union, the Spirit Deer Universe Kingdom becomes kin to the Red Feather Universe Kingdom.

And since the Red Feather Universe Kingdom is the ironclad core of Lord Qin Feng’s faction,

the Spirit Deer Kingdom has, by extension, indirectly grasped the towering pillar that is Lord Qin Feng!

This is a gesture of absolute submission and goodwill toward the new Supreme Overlord!"

"Brilliant! Truly brilliant! No wonder the King of Spirit Deer spared no expense to make this wedding so grand; it was all a performance for that lord!"

The murmurs of the crowd rose and fell, nearly everyone convinced they had pierced the veil of the political maneuvering behind the wedding.

Yet, the true sovereigns present, after a brief exchange of glances, discovered a detail that gave them pause.

"Gentlemen, have you seen the King of Heaven Profound?"

One sovereign asked in a hushed tone.

"I have not."

"That is strange. The Heaven Profound Universe Kingdom borders the Spirit Deer Universe Kingdom, and its national strength is second only to the Monster Race’s Heavenly Centipede Universe Kingdom in our region. Logically, there is no reason for the King of Heaven Profound to be absent from such a grand event.

Even if he could not come, he should have dispatched a prince or duke as a representative. Yet, until now, not even a shadow of the Heaven Profound starships has appeared."

"This is indeed anomalous."

Those with keen instincts had already caught a whiff of something unusual in this abnormality.

They sensed that today’s grand wedding might not be as calm as it appeared on the surface.

Just as the crowd was lost in their own thoughts, the Red Feather King, hovering in the air, descended before the gift platform in the center of the square.

Ignoring the gazes of awe, envy, and jealousy surrounding him, he spoke to the master of ceremonies in a steady, resonant voice:

"The Red Feather Universe Kingdom offers its congratulations on the wedding of the Spirit Deer Princess. Our gift: one 'Phoenix-Perching Wutong Tree'."

The moment these words were spoken, the entire assembly erupted in an uproar!

"The Phoenix-Perching Wutong Tree?! That legendary cosmic treasure, said to be nurtured only in the core of ancient stars where the Saint Spirit Fire Clan was born?"

"It is said that this wood naturally contains a trace of the Law of Fire. If a fire-attribute cultivator meditates beneath it, not only does their cultivation speed increase, but they have a chance to glimpse the true essence of the Law, significantly increasing their odds of breaking through to the Marquis or even King realm!"

"This... this gift is far too precious! Its value likely exceeds the sum of all previous gifts combined! Has the foundation of the Red Feather Kingdom truly grown so deep?"

Facing the shock of the crowd, the Red Feather King’s expression remained unruffled.

This gift was indeed one of his most prized possessions.

But in his eyes, using it to add weight to Lei’s wedding and to earn face for Lord Qin Feng was entirely worth it.

Just as the arrival of the Red Feather King pushed the atmosphere to its first climax, an unexpected figure quietly appeared.

At the edge of the noisy, bustling square, a silhouette emerged without warning.

He wore a simple, washed-out Yin-Yang Daoist robe, his features so utterly plain that he was the type to vanish the moment he stepped into a crowd.

His aura was restrained to an unfathomable degree, as if he were a mortal who had never cultivated, lacking even the slightest trace of energy fluctuation.

Had it not been for the abruptness of his appearance—as if he had always been standing there and had only just been "seen" by the world—no one would have noticed him at all.

"Who is that? How did he get here? I didn't sense any spatial fluctuations at all."

A loose cultivator at the Domain Lord level frowned, a flicker of vigilance in his eyes.

Most people merely swept their gaze over him before being drawn back to the Red Feather King in the center.

Only one old man, a "know-it-all" who had lived for millions of years and was well-versed in obscure lore, felt his body stiffen when he caught sight of the inconspicuous Taiji fish mark on the sleeve of the man's robe.

He rubbed his eyes vigorously, and after confirming it thrice, he drew in a breath so cold it seemed to lower the temperature of the surrounding air.

"That... that mark on the robe... it cannot be mistaken! It is the 'Heavenly Mystery Sect'! He is from the Heavenly Mystery Sect!"

Though the old man’s exclamation was not loud, to the ears of the powerful figures around him, it was like a clap of thunder.

"The Heavenly Mystery Sect?!"

At the mention of this name, the faces of several sovereigns shifted in unison.

"Is it that mysterious sect that claims to peer into the river of fate, masters of divination, deduction, and geomancy? The one with few disciples, yet each possessed of god-like, unfathomable abilities, never involving themselves in worldly strife?"

"Besides that Heavenly Mystery Sect, what other sect in the universe would dare use that name?"

The old man was agitated. "It is rumored that the masters of the Heavenly Mystery Sect can foresee the future, avoid disaster, and even... defy the heavens to change fate!

Countless Kings, and even Emperor-level supreme beings, have sought their services to divine the heavenly secrets, all to no avail.

Why would one of their people appear at a wedding in a secular universe kingdom?"

Just then, a young sovereign stared intently at the young man in the Daoist robe, seemingly recalling something, and blurted out: "I remember! I saw him once in the Blood-Colored Forbidden Land. He is Master Sanruo!

The most outstanding successor of the current generation of the Heavenly Mystery Sect, who has stepped into the realm of Divine Prohibition. I never expected he would have reached the Domain Lord realm."

"Master Sanruo... he actually came in person!"

This news was even more shocking to these high-ranking figures than the Red Feather King revealing his Marquis-level strength.

"This is too unusual! A member of the Heavenly Mystery Sect appearing here cannot be a coincidence!

Could it be that behind this wedding, there lies some major variable of fate beyond our imagination?"

In an instant, all the guests who understood the weight of the "Heavenly Mystery Sect" felt a tempest raging in their hearts.

They looked upon the wedding no longer as a simple political marriage, but as something imbued with an unfathomable, fateful color.

Under the gaze of countless shocked, suspicious, and awestruck eyes, Master Sanruo remained indifferent to the world around him.

His gaze was as calm as an ancient well, without a single ripple.

He walked slowly to the gift platform, ignoring the master of ceremonies who had become flustered upon recognizing his identity, and simply faced the direction of the Yao-Guang Palace, pressing his palms together and bowing slightly.

"I am Sanruo, here to present a gift on behalf of my sect."

His voice was not loud, yet it entered the ears of everyone present with a strange, soothing rhythm.

He took a seemingly ordinary wooden box from his sleeve and handed it over.

The master of ceremonies tremblingly accepted it with both hands and opened it with extreme caution. However, the box was empty, save for a single yellow talisman lying silently inside. On the talisman, a single large character was written in cinnabar with a dragon-like flourish—"Peace."

Just as the crowd was left in confusion, wondering what kind of gift this was, the talisman suddenly ignited without a flame.

It did not turn to ash, but instead, amidst the flames, transformed into a gentle and warm golden radiance.

This golden light seemed imbued with life, circling once in the air before darting like a streak of light straight toward the magnificent Yaoguang Palace, finally merging silently into the foundation stones of the structure.

The moment the light fused within, everyone present on the floating continent felt an indescribable sense of peace and serenity, as if all agitation and evil thoughts had been cleansed away in that instant.

Master Sanruo then spoke softly, explaining: "This is the 'Peaceful Abode Talisman,' drawn by my own master's hand. With this talisman, the Yaoguang Palace and the lands for ten thousand miles around shall be protected for a millennium, immune to all external evils and untouchable by any malevolent force."

At these words, the entire assembly was stunned.

This gift, seemingly intangible, was far more precious than any material treasure of heaven and earth!

It was equivalent to adding an invisible layer of protection from the Heavenly Secret Sect atop the Imperial Palace of the Linglu Kingdom!

Its value was simply beyond the measure of gold or silver.

"The Master’s presence brings immense honor to the Linglu Kingdom!"

The Sovereign of Linglu appeared instantly before Master Sanruo, his face etched with unconcealable joy and excitement; he came forward personally to greet him, offering the most respectful salutations and treating him as the most esteemed of guests.

The arrival of the Red Feather Sovereign had sparked the first wave of shock, revealing the strength and heritage behind this wedding.

But the unexpected appearance of Master Sanruo ignited a second wave, casting a veil of mystery and reverence over the grand ceremony.

Yet, no one knew that the apex figure capable of deciding the fate of this feast, and indeed the future landscape of this entire star sector, was about to descend at any moment, like a sudden clap of thunder in the silence.

Just as the Linglu Sovereign ushered Master Sanruo into the main hall and the atmosphere in the plaza reached a new peak due to these successive shocks, a new change occurred.

This time, there was no tyrannical tearing of space, no earth-shattering pressure, and no ostentatious display of honor guards.

In the very center of the Star Dome Plaza, on the open ground guests had instinctively cleared, space rippled gently like water, and a figure stepped naturally out of the void, appearing before everyone's eyes.

The newcomer wore simple black casual attire; his hair and eyes were dark, his features handsome, and his gaze as deep as a night sky containing an entire galaxy.

His aura was as vast as an abyss or an ocean, yet perfectly restrained within his body, not leaking a single shred.

He stood there quietly, yet seemed to become the center of the entire world, drawing all light, all sound, and all hearts toward him, consuming them without effort.

The quality of his spiritual power had long since sublimated into the legendary, singular "pure black" grade when he forged the [Primordial Singularity].

This quality of spiritual power granted him absolute control over his own aura.

As long as he willed it, even a Sovereign-level powerhouse standing face-to-face could not sense a single fluctuation from him.

To the vast majority of guests, he appeared merely as an ordinary Domain Lord-level cultivator with exceptionally solid foundations.

Yet, it was this "ordinary" young man whose appearance caused the entire Star Dome Plaza—the several Sovereigns, the clamor and the noise—to fall into deathly silence within a single second.

Time seemed to have been pressed into a pause.

Everyone’s movements froze, their faces filled with bewilderment and shock.

They did not know what had happened, only that a tremor from the depths of their souls made them instinctively close their mouths and fix their gazes upon the black-clad youth who had suddenly appeared.

Dead silence.

A silence so profound a needle drop could be heard.

This eerie stillness lasted less than three seconds.

The next moment, a mountain-toppling, sea-churning roar of shock, fanaticism, fear, and worship erupted like a volcano that had been dormant for eons, completely detonating the entire venue!

"Qin... Qin... Qin Feng! It is the Lord of Slaughter, Qin Feng!"

A Sovereign standing nearby was so terrified upon recognizing the face that the wine cup in his hand fell to the ground, shattering into pieces.

"He actually... came in person! My heavens! Am I dreaming?"

"A Domain Lord who reversed the order to slay a mid-level Marquis!

A lone man who slaughtered his way through a million-strong army of ten thousand races!

The peerless god of slaughter who parachuted to the top of the [Heavenly Pride Ranking], evaluated by the Universe Will as 'Invincible in the Cosmos'!"

"The supreme ruler of our seven hundred star sectors, that living legend, has actually come in person to attend the wedding of a subordinate kingdom!"

This news exploded in everyone's mind like a supernova, instantly shattering their reason and ability to think.

Madness!

The entire Star Dome Plaza had gone completely mad!

Countless people surged forward, scrambling to catch a closer glimpse of the legendary figure.

Some noble Sovereigns, forgetting all etiquette, frantically straightened their robes, wearing the most humble and respectful smiles, preparing to step forward to pay their respects.

The news spread instantly through the secret communication channels of the guests, like a category-twelve cosmic storm, sweeping across the entire Linglu Universe Kingdom and spreading at the speed of light to the hundreds of surrounding star sectors.

Countless factions watching the wedding were rendered speechless the moment they received the news.

The Linglu Universe Kingdom, a wedding that was originally just a regional political alliance, had its status and significance infinitely elevated by the personal arrival of this man!

Inside the Yaoguang Palace.

The Linglu Sovereign, who had just seated Master Sanruo, felt that familiar, terrifying aura that made his soul tremble, and his body jolted violently.

Ignoring all decorum, he turned abruptly and looked through the palace window, seeing the figure who had descended like a deity into the center of the plaza.

"He... he really came!"

The Linglu Sovereign’s body trembled slightly, not from fear, but from extreme excitement and agitation. He knew he had bet correctly!

He had used his beloved daughter as a political chip to proactively curry favor with this new Overlord; to many, this move seemed high-risk, even servile.

But only he knew that when facing such a supreme existence who went by the title of "God of Slaughter" and acted without restraint, any luck or hesitation could invite total annihilation.

The most thorough submission was the wisest choice!

And today, Qin Feng’s personal arrival was the best reward for his "wisdom"!

It meant that from this day forward, his Linglu Universe Kingdom was branded with the mark of the "God of Slaughter"!

Looking across the surrounding star sectors, who would dare to provoke them lightly from now on?

In another corner, Master Sanruo, who had just been honored as a guest of distinction, also slowly stood up.

For the first time, his eyes showed a ripple of emotion.

Master Sanruo transmitted a message through his spiritual power to greet Qin Feng, receiving a kind response in return.

On the plaza, the groom 'Lei,' one of the day's protagonists, stood stunned the moment he saw Qin Feng.

He looked at that familiar yet distant figure, his eyes growing moist.

He still remembered, hundreds of years ago, when he was just a native on Blue Star pondering his path;

He also remembered the god-like posture of the man who, at the Black Hole level, saved countless lives in the Red Feather Kingdom before the Red Feather Pass.

Forty thousand years had passed in a flash, and Qin Feng had grown into a towering giant that countless universe kingdoms looked up to.

Lei felt deeply moved.

To him, these universe kingdoms were his everything, the region where he survived, and many of the Sovereigns were top-tier powerhouses he had to navigate around.

But now, these Sovereigns, this entire starry sky, were all bowing before Qin Feng!

He instinctively clenched his fists, secretly swearing in his heart that he would never let this heaven-sent opportunity go to waste.

"Lord Qin Feng is busy with a thousand tasks and holds a status beyond compare; his willingness to come here is the greatest honor he could ever bestow upon me!"

"Benefactor..."

Lei was filled with deep emotion.

Beside him, Princess Lingyao, the bride draped in a phoenix coronet and embroidered robes, her expression obscured by a red veil, felt her jade hands tremble with excitement beneath her wide, flowing sleeves.

...

Qin Feng’s gaze swept calmly across the assembly.

Finally, his eyes rested upon the groom, Lei, and a faint smile touched his lips.

He had come partly for Lei, to attend the wedding of an old acquaintance.

Secondly, Qin Feng wished to use this occasion to observe the true nature of the various powers beyond the Cosmic Lords.

Once he confirmed the stability of his territory—free from the influence of the Ten Thousand Races Sect or the chaos of the void—he would set out in search of the Primordial Fire.

...

Qin Feng’s arrival was like a supernova detonating upon a tranquil lake; its light and heat instantly stirred up monstrous waves.

The previous appearances of the Red Feather Sovereign and Master Sanruo had merely brought ripples and gasps—a form of reverence for the powerful and the renowned.

However, Qin Feng’s descent was entirely different.

He represented not only the pinnacle of individual martial might but also the supreme authority, immeasurable resources, and the infinite possibilities for the future within this vast star sector.

After a brief, deathly silence, the crowd erupted into a frenzy.

Countless gazes, a mixture of fanaticism, awe, greed, and ambition, focused entirely upon that figure who appeared ordinary yet stood with the gravity of an abyss.

"The Linglu Cosmic Nation is Lord Qin Feng’s direct territory. For the Princess’s grand wedding, he, the supreme lord, has come to observe—it is both a benediction and an inspection!"

The clamor was like a roaring sea, but soon, a voice, slightly raspy yet sharpened by extreme agitation, pierced through the din.

The speaker was a man with a rugged aura and a hideous scar across his forehead.

He wore a worn but high-quality dark-energy protective suit, with two strangely shaped blaster pistols hanging at his waist—clearly an interstellar pirate who had long scraped a living in the gray zones.

His single eye was wide, glowing with a terrifying intensity, his voice distorted by tremors:

"You fools! You only see the 'God of Slaughter's' fame, but you forget the most core, the most enticing aspect of him! Have you forgotten?

Among the many authorities granted to Lord Qin Feng by the Holy Academy, what is the most important, the most maddening one?!"

His question struck the crowd like a heavy hammer.

Many were bewildered; they knew only that Qin Feng was peerlessly powerful and had been granted vast territories, but they knew little of the specific details of his authority.

In the crowd, a middle-aged man, dressed in opulent robes and bloated in stature—looking like the head of a major merchant guild—gave a violent start.

The fat on his face quivered, his eyes instantly bloodshot, and he gasped, "It... it is the supreme authority to assemble a private fleet and establish a 'Rogue Trader' group!"

"Rogue Trader group!"

These five words seemed to possess a mysterious magic. Once uttered, the breathing of everyone in the know grew heavy, their hearts drumming like battle drums.

"That’s right! The Rogue Trader group!"

The scarred man roared fanatically, spittle flying, "That is the ultimate golden ticket! It is a privilege bestowed by the Holy Academy upon top-tier prodigies; once established, one possesses immense autonomy!"

The merchant guild leader, his face flushed with excitement, waved his arms and added in a high-pitched voice: "This organization, in name, represents our Human Empire to conduct resource trade, cultural exchange, and even... mediation in the gray zones with alien civilizations beyond our borders!

The power is immense! The resources, techniques, and artifacts one could access are things we could never dream of in a lifetime!"

His words were like a key, throwing open the floodgates of desire for every living soul present.

A prince from a mid-tier cosmic nation could no longer maintain his aristocratic composure. He muttered to himself, his eyes burning with the fire of ambition: "To be incorporated into Lord Qin Feng’s Rogue Trader group is to hold a golden ticket to the true upper echelons of the universe!

For countless years to come, one would be overflowing with wealth!

Even... there would be a chance to accumulate enough merit and resources to promote us to Marquis or even King-level powerhouses!"

"The Linglu Cosmic Nation... I understand! I understand it all now!"

Another envoy from a sovereign nation realized with a start, his face etched with jealousy and regret. "That must be their plan!

This marriage, on the surface, is to build ties with the Red Feather Cosmic Nation and to reconnect with the groom, 'Lei,' but its deepest purpose is to use this network to demonstrate their core value to Lord Qin Feng, to become his trusted inner circle, and thus gain the coveted priority in the future Rogue Trader group!"

This deduction, once made, was like a thunderclap on a clear day, instantly waking everyone up.

Indeed, to bind oneself early to a peerless prodigy destined to become a King, an Emperor, or even a God—the future returns were simply immeasurable!

The news of Qin Feng’s arrival and the detonation of the "Rogue Trader group" as a core interest acted like a prairie fire, igniting the greed and ambition of all.

The various powerhouses who had come to observe or with other motives now shared one, and only one, new goal—at any cost, to forge a connection with Lord Qin Feng!

In an instant, the communication channels of the entire Linglu Planet became unprecedentedly busy.

Countless powerhouses began to flood toward this location through various channels.

Some were royal princes from remote cosmic nations, bringing the hopes of their entire country and their most precious tributes, piloting royal fleets and sparing no expense in energy for ultra-long-range spatial jumps;

Others were large interstellar merchant guilds, whose leaders made split-second decisions to mobilize their nearest armed fleets, prepared to spare no cost just to secure a chance to demonstrate their commercial value to Lord Qin Feng;

Even notorious space pirate groups from surrounding star sectors, known for plunder, raised banners of "forsaking darkness for light" and "sincere surrender," hoping to be recruited by this "God of Slaughter" to gain a "get-out-of-jail-free card" and a chance to rise to prominence.

In this sudden wave, the entire Linglu Cosmic Nation seemed to transform from a mere venue for a wedding into the center of the universe, where winds and clouds gathered and dark currents surged.

However, outside this fanatical tide, those sovereigns who had arrived early and sat calmly in the front rows of the VIP section remained unmoved, eyes fixed on their own noses, as steady as mountains.

Listening to the clamor and sensing the countless greedy auras rapidly approaching from the cosmos, they only sneered in their hearts.

"A bunch of fools blinded by profit."

The Red Feather Sovereign lifted his wine glass, took a light sip, and thought with disdain.

He understood the style of this existence; he was not a man to be swayed by sycophancy or opportunism.

"The 'God of Slaughter' Qin Feng... this 'slaughter' does not merely refer to his decisiveness in killing."

Another domain-level sovereign calculated silently, "It refers to his lawless, uninhibited code of conduct. Want to join his Rogue Trader group?

You can. But the premise is that you must offer value that even he finds noteworthy.

These people scrambling at the last minute are merely courting their own humiliation."

They all knew that the true competition had begun the moment Qin Feng was named the supreme lord of this territory, unfolding among them, the "natives," in a far more subtle and cruel manner.

And the Linglu Nation was undoubtedly the fastest, yet most perilous, move in this game.

At the center of this storm, Qin Feng himself remained blind to the surrounding madness.

He walked forward calmly, led by the Linglu Sovereign with utmost humility and reverence, and presented his wedding gift—a seemingly plain storage ring.

The Linglu Sovereign probed it with his divine sense. The next second, his composed face froze, his breath hitched, and he nearly lost his composure on the spot.

Inside the ring, there were no mountains of cosmic crystals, nor rare spiritual herbs or divine medicines, but rather a few items lying quietly: a broken mantis bone blade still retaining immortal Dao rhymes—the remains of the life-bound weapon of the mid-level Marquis "Blade Mantis";

A piece of strange rock the size of a millstone, shimmering with metallic luster, its density and aura enough to drive any domain-level powerhouse to madness—the core of the "Rock Marquis";

Beyond that, there were dozens of shattered Marquis-level secret treasure fragments and some miscellaneous items Qin Feng had filtered out as useless after refining the two Marquises.

To Qin Feng, these were merely "residue" that even the [Primordial Furnace] couldn't be bothered to refine.

But to any cosmic nation, any one of these items was enough to serve as a national treasure—a strategic resource capable of supporting the rise of a powerful race!

"This... this gift... is... too precious!"

The voice of the Spirit Deer sovereign trembled as he spoke.

"Accept this; Lei was an old friend of mine, and I could not arrive empty-handed at a friend's wedding."

Qin Feng merely offered a faint, indifferent nod.

This gift was more than a token of celebration; it was a declaration.

(End of chapter)