Chapter 397: Return of the Legend! The Shock of the Terra Star System!

Chapter 397: The Legend Returns! The Shock of the Terra System!

Passing through the grand portal of the Lion Gate Starport, which yawned like the maw of a titan, Qin Feng finally set foot upon the soil of Holy Terra.

The ground beneath his feet was neither metal nor stone, but a strange, warm substance akin to jade, etched with countless intricate runes.

With every breath, he could feel vast, purified currents of pure psionic energy flooding into his very marrow.

Here, even an ordinary person without a shred of cultivation could live a century, free from illness or disaster.

Qin Feng chose not to board the "Light Rails" that crisscrossed the city, opting instead for the most primitive of methods—walking.

Like a pilgrim newly arrived, he traversed streets wide enough for starships to sail abreast, gazing up at the Gothic spires that pierced the heavens like needles.

Every structure here was more than mere architecture.

They were focal points for arrays, nodes of energy, and monuments to history.

Over countless eons, the greatest array masters and architects of the human race had forged this entire planet into an unprecedented fortress of war, where offense and defense were one.

Qin Feng could sense that deep within the crust, beneath the oceans, and at the edge of the atmosphere, lay hidden energies so terrifying they would make even the masters of the cosmos tremble.

This was the true heritage of humanity.

A peak race that had stood tall among the myriad civilizations of the universe for eons possessed foundations far deeper than what appeared on the surface.

He pressed onward, his goal clear—the ultimate core, protected by all other structures along the city’s central axis: the [Terra God Tower].

There, the Terran Council was to be convened.

The Terra God Tower was not a tower, but a "World Pillar" that pierced from the planet's core to the edge of the atmosphere, connecting heaven, earth, and man. Its height defied conventional measurement.

The tower was divided into three thousand six hundred levels, each representing a pivotal era or a vital department of the human race.

Only those who had reached the Sovereign Realm were permitted to board the "Ascension Lift" that led directly to the [Firmament Council Chamber] at the summit.

Qin Feng arrived at the plaza at the base of the tower.

It was already a sea of people.

Countless powerful Kings and Sovereigns gathered in small groups, waiting to board the lift.

The air was thick with the collision of laws and the exchange of divine thoughts, a scene of immense bustle.

Qin Feng’s arrival drew little attention.

His aura, returned to the simplicity of nature, seemed out of place—even mediocre—among these sharp-edged, arrogant young prodigies.

He stood silently at the back of the queue, watching the young faces and listening to their discourse.

"Have you heard? This council was summoned by the Emperor’s own decree! An event unseen for several eons!"

"Indeed! My clan’s ancestor said it’s because a 'God War' has erupted in the deep cosmos, and even legendary primordial deities have fallen! This council must be related to that."

"A God War? That’s too far away... I’m more concerned about whether our resources and territories will be redivided after this. I’ve been waiting a long time to make my mark on the frontier!"

"Forget it, with your strength? The true titans of humanity are here! They say even the old monsters from the Holy Academy, who haven't stirred in ages, will attend!"

Qin Feng listened quietly, understanding dawned upon him.

The Emperor’s return, the outbreak of a God War.

These two pieces of news had clearly sent shockwaves through the upper echelons of humanity.

An unprecedented transformation, one that would sweep across the entire human race, was at hand.

The "Ascension Lift" was not a physical elevator, but a spatial teleportation array.

As Qin Feng stepped inside, light flickered before his eyes, and in the next instant, he arrived at the highest level of the Terra God Tower—the [Firmament Council Chamber].

It was a place whose grandeur and solemnity defied description.

The entire chamber seemed to be carved directly into the void of space. Above the dome, the brilliant, flowing river of the galaxy was visible in all its reality. Beneath his feet, the crystalline floor offered a view of the magnificent Holy Terra below.

In the center of the hall stood a massive circular table crafted from an unknown white divine metal.

Many were already seated around it.

Those who sat here were, without exception, unfathomable, each wreathed in the profound laws of the Holy Path.

They were the true pillars of the Human Alliance—the [Saint-level powerhouses]!

Surrounding the council table were tiers of floating observation galleries.

The young Kings and Sovereigns who had just arrived were being guided to these seats according to their status and strength.

Qin Feng’s arrival caused a brief stir in the chamber.

Because he did not head for the observation galleries.

Instead, he walked straight toward the circular table—the symbol of supreme authority, reserved only for those of the Saint level.

"Hey! Who is that? Is he insane?"

"An 'ordinary person' without even a ripple of law energy wants to sit at the council table??"

"Where did this newcomer come from? Does he not know the rules? Stop him!"

The young Sovereigns in the galleries whispered in shock and disdain.

Even the guards of the Imperial Legion prepared to step forward and intercept this "arrogant" fool.

However, at that very moment.

The unexpected occurred.

A burly, gray-haired elder with an aura so tyrannical it seemed he could swallow the galaxy whole, suddenly stood up from his seat near the head of the table.

His majestic eyes flickered with confusion, then shock, and finally, an indescribable surge of excitement and relief.

Ignoring the commotion, he laughed aloud, his voice booming toward the "stranger" approaching the table.

"Good lad! You... you have finally returned!!"

The laughter, like a thunderclap on a clear day, plunged the noisy chamber into a deathly silence.

Every eye turned to the gray-haired elder.

For they all recognized him.

He was the renowned [Heaven-Swallowing Saint] of the Holy Academy, famous for his tyrannical nature and his tendency to protect his own!

A top-tier Saint who had been legendary for eons was acting so uncharacteristically toward an unknown "stranger"?

Under the stunned gaze of all present, Qin Feng stopped and looked at the gray-haired elder, a gentle, heartfelt smile appearing on his face.

He bowed slightly, offering a salute.

"Master."

"Your disciple has returned."

Master?!

Disciple?!

These two words exploded in the minds of every young prodigy like ten thousand supernovae!

The Heaven-Swallowing Saint... was the master of this stranger?!

The Saint of Devouring Heaven strode forward in a few paces, his palm, broad as a fan, landing heavily upon Qin Feng’s shoulder. He scrutinized Qin Feng, sensing that aura of returning to simplicity, a depth so profound it defied measurement, and the pride in his eyes deepened.

"Good! Good! Good!"

He repeated the word three times, his voice brimming with profound emotion.

"When I sent you into the Universal Genius Tournament, I feared that you, a piece of raw jade, might be shattered halfway. Yet, I never imagined... not only did you remain whole, but you forged yourself into a peerless divine weapon, one so sharp that even I can no longer fathom its edge."

He shook his head with a self-deprecating smile. "The student has surpassed the master. You, boy, have long since outpaced the one who taught you."

He did not use his divine sense for these words, but spoke them aloud.

Every syllable rang out, clear and distinct, reaching the ears of everyone present.

"Outpaced his master"?

Coming from the Saint of Devouring Heaven, the weight of such a statement was enough to crush a galaxy!

It meant that this "stranger" named Qin Feng possessed strength at least equal to a top-tier Saint, or perhaps... even greater?

Qin Feng, hearing this, offered a light chuckle and shook his head.

"Master, you jest."

His voice was calm and gentle, carrying a persuasive, steady power.

"A teacher for a day is a father for a lifetime. Without your guidance and protection in those years, I would have surely perished on the path of growth. This debt of gratitude, I shall never forget."

He spoke these words from the depths of his soul.

The Saint of Devouring Heaven’s smile grew even brighter, and the emotion in his eyes transformed into pure, unadulterated pride.

He knew that no matter how high his disciple climbed or how powerful he became, that innocent, steadfast heart had never changed.

Just as the master and student reminisced, several other figures on the other side of the council table rose in succession, walking quickly toward Qin Feng.

"Brother Qin Feng!"

A middle-aged man, wreathed in blade intent so sharp it seemed to rend the very air, was the first to approach, bowing deeply with clasped hands.

"It has been millions of years since we parted at Eternal Life Mountain. I never dreamed we would meet again! If not for your intervention back then, our group of over two thousand three hundred would have long since become withered bones in that death trap!"

He was the [Saint of the Tyrant Blade], one of the leaders of the two thousand three hundred allied Emperors whom Qin Feng had rescued, now a Saint in his own right.

Immediately following him, a woman with a feminine, ghostly aura approached and bowed gracefully.

"Yun Fu pays respects to Lord Qin Feng. The grace of your rescue at the Isle of Dead Meteors—neither I nor the thousands of brothers behind me shall ever forget it."

She was [Marquis Yun Fu], rescued by Qin Feng from the Isle of Dead Meteors, who had since ascended to the Saint realm through deep cultivation.

"Lord Qin Feng!"

"Commander Qin!"

In an instant, the entire council hall seemed to transform into a massive reunion.

One by one, the Saint-level powerhouses and peak Emperors—figures renowned throughout the Human Alliance, whose very footsteps could make a star sector tremble—were taking the initiative, even rushing forward, to offer Qin Feng the most sincere and respectful greetings.

Their reasons were strikingly identical.

—The debt of a life saved!

At the Battle of Eternal Life Mountain, Qin Feng, with a single finger, had erased two thousand three hundred enemy Emperors and saved them all!

At the Isle of Dead Meteors, Qin Feng had infiltrated the site alone, shattering an ancient cage to liberate thousands of human elites!

...

One by one, these "mythical feats," once dismissed by many as mere exaggerations, were now being confirmed by the very people who had lived them!

The entire Celestial Council Hall fell into a bizarre, deathly silence, where even the drop of a pin could be heard.

Especially among the young Kings and Emperors in the observation gallery.

Their mouths hung open, wide enough to swallow a planet.

Their minds had completely crashed.

What were they witnessing?

They saw at least a third of the Saint-level titans and high-ranking giants of the Human Alliance—figures they could only look up to—lining up to bow, greet, and express tearful gratitude to the stranger they had dismissed as a "bumpkin" or a "relic."

Thor, the "God of Thunder" they had just mocked, stood with a flushed face, his body as stiff as stone.

Because he saw that his own idol, the founder of the Thunder God lineage—the [Saint of Thunderstorm]—was among them! And he was looking at Qin Feng with an expression of profound complexity, a mix of gratitude and shame.

These young prodigies felt their worldview crumbling at that very moment.

The identities they took pride in, the backgrounds they relied upon, seemed so laughable, so... insignificant before this "stranger."

The "patrons" they boasted of were all, in fact, people saved by this very man!

It was a form of dimensional reduction, absurd yet undeniably real.

"Who... who is he?"

A young Emperor whispered, his voice sounding like a dream.

This question voiced the inner thoughts of every member of the new generation.

Who was this man, seemingly so ordinary, who had never appeared in the legends of their era?

Why did the human leadership hold him in such immense respect and gratitude?

Why did he, alone, hold such a profound debt over the entire human race?

No one answered them.

The elders were too immersed in the excitement of reuniting with an old friend.

As for Qin Feng, facing the tide of goodwill and gratitude that threatened to overwhelm him, he maintained that same gentle, calm smile.

He responded to every greeting, showing neither impatience nor a shred of arrogance.

He knew these were the "causes" he had sown long ago.

And today, he was reaping the "fruit."

When the greetings finally ceased, Qin Feng’s gaze swept slowly across the hall.

He looked past the excited old friends and over the stunned "newcomers."

Finally, he walked to the massive circular council table and sat down in a seat reserved for him, second only to the Lords of the Universe.

He did not speak.

But his act of sitting was, in itself, the most powerful declaration.

Who am I?

I am Qin Feng.

A phantom who walked out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, who once, by his own hand, saved the lives of your countless predecessors.

A legend you may have never heard of, yet one to whom you owe, in some measure, the very existence of your today.

Now.

The legend has returned.

(End of chapter)