The final battle had completely leveled this core area, so searching for the target should have been easy.
However, after they followed the coordinates and cleared away layer upon layer of metal debris and greenskin corpses, they found that the coordinates pointed to a bottomless pit filled with architectural wreckage and earth.
Evidently, the fallen Sky Soaring Martial Artist had met his end deep underground.
For the next few days, the four of them became the most efficient excavators imaginable.
Yu Lin’s overwhelming saber qi sliced through the massive metal remnants, Carlo’s Power Claw precisely gripped and cleared away the rubble, Linzhou used his Mental Power to perceive the subterranean structure and prevent a collapse, and Qin Feng, relying on his formidable physique, hauled away chunks of debris weighing several tons each.
Their teamwork was as seamless as ever, only now it was applied to silent labor instead of battlefield slaughter.
Finally, after digging nearly a hundred meters deep, they broke through the last barrier.
A completely different world unfolded before them.
It was an immense subterranean cavern. But at its center, instead of the expected rock and soil, there was... a dense forest, unbelievably vibrant and full of life.
The forest wasn’t large, spanning only a few miles, but every single plant within it grew with extraordinary exuberance.
Vines as thick as great pythons covered the cavern walls. Gnarled, ancient branches from the trees formed a canopy that almost completely obscured the ceiling. The ground was blanketed in a thick, velvety layer of green moss that emitted a soft fluorescence, bathing the entire space in a dreamlike glow.
The filth and stench of the outside world were gone. In their place was the refreshing, sweet fragrance of plants and a concentration of Spiritual Energy so rich it felt almost liquid.
"The Spiritual Energy concentration here... it’s too high."
Carlo’s voice was tinged with amazement. He could feel his power armor’s Energy Core spontaneously and slowly absorbing the ambient Spiritual Energy.
The four stepped into the forest, a place that shouldn’t exist beneath the surface of a Death Planet. The heavy footfalls of their power armor were muffled by the soft moss, making surprisingly little sound.
They soon found the source of the coordinates in the center of the forest.
It was the tallest, most verdant ancient tree, its trunk so thick it would take nearly ten people to encircle it with their arms.
And there, at the base of the tree, a pure white skeleton sat quietly, leaning against the trunk.
The skeleton was in a cross-legged meditative posture, its skull lowered slightly, as if it had simply fallen into an eternal slumber.
Though its flesh had long since melted away with time, its still-erect spine and steady posture hinted at the unyielding Will and pride of its former life.
His physical body had long turned to dust. Only this pristine white skeleton remained, glowing with a soft, jade-like luster under the fluorescent light.
Countless thick roots emerged from the ground, spreading out from him as if to gently embrace him in their tender arms.
The surrounding ground was covered with a vast number of shimmering Spiritual Plants of all shapes and sizes, each one of considerable value.
And within the skeleton’s rib cage, a perfectly round, palm-sized, translucent, and glass-like "Primordial Acupoint" was quietly floating.
It resembled a miniature star, with countless points of light slowly circulating within, appearing and disappearing, all while emitting a heart-pounding, immensely powerful wave of life and Spiritual Energy.
"This is... a whale fall."
Linzhou stared at the scene, his voice filled with complex emotions. "In the deep sea, when a whale dies, its enormous body sinks to the ocean floor. Its death nourishes and creates a thriving oasis of life. It’s the same for powerful Martial Artists. Even if they die from grave injuries and exhaustion, the immense Spiritual Energy and life force contained within their bodies will still cause everything around them to burst forth with new vitality."
"This predecessor used his own body as nutrients to transform this dead subterranean cavern into a vibrant, hidden realm."
Carlo stepped forward. He didn’t touch any of the precious Spiritual Plants, but simply bowed slightly toward the skeleton, his power armor emitting a soft metallic scrape.
"This forest is the best tomb this Martial Artist could have built for himself."
he remarked with a sigh.
Yu Lin remained silent. He simply thrust the Long Saber he was holding into the ground, placed his right hand over his chest, and gave the skeleton a standard military salute.
Qin Feng was also filled with respect.
This unknown Sixth-level Martial Artist had fallen here thirty years ago.
For thirty years, his final Essence of Life had not dissipated. Instead, it had found another way to create such a miracle of life on this dead planet.
This in itself was a testament to the greatness and immortality of life.
He stepped forward and carefully reached out, taking the warm Primordial Acupoint from within the skeleton’s rib cage.
The moment it was in his hand, a vast and boundless surge of Spiritual Energy traveled up his fingertips, causing the Great Sun Acupoints within his body to hum with excitement.
Just by holding it, Qin Feng could feel his cultivation level increasing at an imperceptible rate.
’Truly the culmination of a Sixth-level Martial Artist’s lifelong cultivation.’
Qin Feng marveled to himself.
He solemnly placed the Primordial Acupoint into his Subspace Storage Unit.
According to the mission’s rules, the moment the task was submitted, this Primordial Acupoint would be extracted directly from his storage unit by the Subspace Network and teleported to a designated location.
The four of them did not touch a single one of the surrounding Spiritual Plants.