Canaan Star Martial Arts University, and by extension the entire Human Empire, was never stingy with rewards for the strong, nor did it ever sympathize with the elimination of the weak.
Just as he was lost in thought, the Subspace Network icon on his personal terminal began flashing frantically, indicating a massive backlog of unread messages.
With a thought, Qin Feng opened the icon.
Instantly, hundreds of private messages from different people nearly flooded his vision.
He patiently scrolled down from the top, and his gaze was immediately drawn to three very familiar avatars.
They were his three mentors from his time at Qiming First High School: Gu Yue, Lin Yue, and Wu Shangfeng.
The messages were sent at various times, from over a year ago to just a few months prior. The content was largely the same: they were all asking with concern about his life at Canaan Star Martial Arts University.
[Qin Feng, are you adjusting to life at the Martial Arts University? The competition at Canaan Star Martial Arts University is immense. Since you’ve just enrolled, remember not to get ahead of yourself. A steady, solid approach is key. If you run into any trouble with your training, feel free to contact us anytime. —Gu Yue]
[You little brat, have you been slacking off since you got to the university? —Lin Yue]
[Qin Feng, you are now an adult Martial Artist. The path ahead is one you must walk yourself. Remember to guard against arrogance and impatience, and stay true to your heart. The road within the Empire is filled with thorns and temptations. I trust you will tread carefully. —Wu Shangfeng]
Reading the sincere care woven between the lines of his mentors’ messages, a wave of warmth washed over Qin Feng’s heart, which had grown hard from years of arduous training.
He didn’t write a lengthy response, just a simple, formal reply that was the same for all of them.
[Teachers, all is well. Please don’t worry.]
He continued scrolling down, and another familiar name made him pause.
It was Shi Potian.
[Qin Feng, I lost. In the final duel of this year’s "Qiming General Star" tournament, I was defeated by Shi Dang from Star River Military High School. I only managed to take second place.]
[His bloodline talent is more frightening than I ever imagined. It’s not just a simple Special Constitution; I’d estimate it’s on par with a Level I Gold Standard Human.]
[But I won’t give up. I’ll wait another year. I’ve bought an entry ticket to the Thunder Pool, and I’ll use this year to hone my strength and raise my physical potential, completely compensating for my weaknesses. The next "Qiming General Star" title will be mine for the taking.]
This message had been sent six months ago.
"Shi Dang..."
A trace of surprise flashed in Qin Feng’s eyes.
He hadn’t expected that after he left Qiming, the Stone Man hybrid, Shi Dang, had risen to prominence so unexpectedly.
’A Stone Race hybrid... As expected, the advantage of physical aptitude in the Early Stage of Martial Arts is immeasurable.’
Qin Feng understood.
Winning the "Qiming General Star" title meant Shi Dang had already earned his ticket into Canaan Star Martial Arts University.
’I just wonder if he’ll be able to pass Canaan’s brutally difficult entrance exam.’
Qin Feng shook his head, not dwelling on it further.
The Cosmos was too vast and filled with too many geniuses. He needed to focus on the path directly before him.
Further down were messages from some new friends.
Xiong Yanfu, Lei Meng, and Tiemu had sent a dozen or so messages intermittently over the past few months. They all wanted to get together and catch up.
There were also a few messages from Zou Yun, asking if he had any free time to team up for missions.
The most recent of these messages were also a month or two old.
They must have seen that he hadn’t replied and figured he was on a long-term mission or in deep seclusion, so they stopped trying to contact him.
Qin Feng replied to them one by one.
He gladly accepted the invitation from Xiong Yanfu and the others, telling them he had just finished his seclusion and was free anytime.
As for Zou Yun, his reply was just as straightforward: "I’m free. Anytime works."
BEEP BEEP!
The instant he sent his replies, the avatars for both Xiong Yanfu and Lei Meng lit up. Their response time was staggering.
[Xiong Yanfu: Holy shit! Brother Qin, you’re finally out of seclusion! Quick, let’s get together! The usual spot, Taotie Residence in the Food God District. My treat!]
[Lei Meng: Brother Qin! You’ve finally surfaced!]
A smile touched Qin Feng’s lips as he read their enthusiastic messages.
He didn’t waste any time. He immediately initiated Subspace Teleportation and headed for the lively, bustling Food God District.
...
Taotie Residence was located in the most bustling part of the Food God District.
There were no high-tech nutrient synthesizers here, only the most primitive and rustic methods of cooking.
Giant legs of Exotic Beasts sizzled as they roasted over Spiritual Flames, their rich, meaty aroma mixing with various spices and wafting through the air. The smell was enough to make the mouth of any Martial Artist water, especially after a high-intensity training session.
Qin Feng quickly found Xiong Yanfu and Lei Meng.
The two of them were sitting at a massive metal table already laden with plates of glistening, golden-brown roasted Exotic Beast Meat.
"Brother Qin! Over here!"
The sharp-eyed Xiong Yanfu spotted Qin Feng immediately, jumping to his feet and waving excitedly.
Qin Feng walked over and sat down in the empty seat.
"Tiemu’s not here?"
He glanced around and asked.
"Ugh, don’t even ask."
Xiong Yanfu chugged a large gulp of a malt-flavored Energy Drink and waved his hand dismissively. "That guy Tiemu’s a total mission junkie. He took an escort mission half a month ago. We probably won’t see him for another month or two."
"What about you two?"
Qin Feng picked up a piece of roasted meat and asked.
"We’re just getting by. Running back and forth between the mission hall and the training grounds every day, scraping together some Contribution Points, and then spending them all on opening our apertures."