However, this entire transformation was perfectly concealed by the thick, black power armor.
Those around him could only feel that terrifying murderous intent, which left them breathless, was still surging madly, growing exponentially.
They didn’t know that at this moment, Qin Feng was walking on the edge of an abyss of damnation, a path leading to corruption and destruction!
Just as he was about to be completely consumed by that fanatical will for slaughter, about to become a zealous Believer of Khorne who knew only how to win glory through blood and battle!
VMMMM—!
A pure, cool, yet warm current, carrying with it an air of supreme majesty and sanctity, suddenly flowed out from deep within his brow!
It was the Nail of Favor!
This soothing current, like a Holy Light that purifies all, instantly banished every illusion in his mind—all the temptations of slaughter and glory!
The blood-red Skull Throne collapsed.
That grand, tempting voice vanished.
The figure of Squad Leader Zhou Xiong, filled with glory and majesty, also vanished like a phantom.
Qin Feng’s consciousness snapped back to reality.
His crimson eyes instantly regained their clarity.
His wildly expanding body swiftly returned to normal, like a deflating ball.
The heaven-storming murderous intent receded into his body like a tide, vanishing without a trace.
"HUFF... HUFF..."
Qin Feng gasped for breath, his back already drenched in a cold sweat.
He was lucid again, but an uncontrollable wave of fear washed over him as he processed what had just happened.
Khorne!
That Evil God, the one who represents slaughter, rage, and War, had just been trying to corrupt him!
It hadn’t just used the deaths of those young women and the sin of this camp to ignite the murderous intent in his heart.
It had perfectly fused that pure murderous intent with incredibly positive concepts like "honor," "duty," and "protection"!
That kind of corruption was a thousand times more terrifying than simple, malevolent temptation!
If he hadn’t persisted in practicing the Emperor Meditation, if not for the Nail of Favor, he likely would have been consumed by Khorne’s Will. His body would have mutated, and he would have fallen, becoming a Believer of Khorne who knew only how to revel in the ecstasy of combat and slaughter, all in pursuit of ultimate glory.
’Terrifying...’
’So terrifying...’
Qin Feng came to his senses, his heart still thrumming with fear.
’Evil Gods... they don’t just represent evil, bloody, and twisted negative emotions...’
’They can also weaponize the noblest emotions, like ’honor,’ ’hope,’ and ’protection’...’
This experience gave him a much deeper and more visceral understanding of just how terrifying beings like the Evil Gods truly were.
’It seems I’ll have to focus more on cultivating my Mental Power from now on. I can’t afford to slack off on the Emperor Meditation, not even for a moment!’
Qin Feng silently made a resolution.
Just then.
DRONE—
The drone of engines sounded from the distant horizon.
Several Interstellar Pirate speeders, also painted with the blood-red skull insignia, were returning to the camp.
They clearly had no idea that their lair had been turned into an Asura Hell.
As they piloted their speeders lower and got a clear view of the carnage in the camp, they all yanked into a sharp turn, trying to flee!
"Trying to run?"
A cold, murderous glint flashed in the eyes of Qin Lan, who had been silent until now.
She strode over to an anti-aircraft Spiritual Energy Cannon at the edge of the camp and began operating it with practiced ease.
The next second, the turret charged. A thick Energy Beam, brimming with destructive power, shot skyward and struck one of the fleeing speeders with pinpoint accuracy!
BOOM!!!
A violent explosion lit up the sky, blooming like a brilliant firework of death.
The remaining speeders, their crews scared witless by the sudden attack, fled even more frantically into the distance.
But they had already been locked on and were shot down one by one.
"That should be all of them."
Watching the last speeder plummet to the earth as a fireball, Qin Feng spoke slowly. "Let’s... give them a burial. Once we’re done, we should head back."
At his words, everyone nodded in silence.
They set to work, using their Spiritual Energy and their Battle Sabers to dig dozens of simple graves in the desolate, radiation-dusted plain.
Then, they gently laid the bodies of the young women to rest inside, using large stones as nameless grave markers.
Once finished, they all gathered together. Without a single backward glance at that land of sin and sorrow, they chose to teleport back to Cannan Starry Sky Martial Arts University.
-----------------
VMMMM—
When they opened their eyes again, the gray, desolate planet filled with radiation and blood had been replaced by the vast, familiar, and reassuring sight of the Central Transmission Hub at Cannan Starry Sky Martial Arts University.
A brilliant, simulated Star River flowed slowly across the dome above. Below them, millions of Teleportation Light Gates stretched out as far as the eye could see, like an inverted Star Sea.
The never-ending river of steel and blood enveloped them once more.
"Haaaah..."
Someone let out a long sigh, breaking the silence.
That sigh seemed to be a signal, allowing everyone to finally break free from the bloody mission, with all its sorrow and lingering fear.
They were back.
Back, and alive.