As Qin Feng’s consciousness withdrew from the cold data torrent of the Imperial Arena and returned to his quiet dormitory, the fierce, dragon-like aura from his spearplay slowly receded, eventually settling into a profound serenity.
Six months of frenzied training and tens of thousands of life-or-death battles had kept his mind stretched taut as a bowstring.
Now, the bowstring had slackened. A long-absent, bone-deep exhaustion washed over him like a warm tide.
He didn’t immediately dive into another training session. Instead, he just sat quietly on the sofa and emptied his mind.
His gaze drifted unconsciously to his comms terminal, landing on the contact he had kept pinned for forty years: an avatar labeled "Father."
The most recent message was from several months ago.
A warmth spread through his chest, tinged with a hint of guilt.
Over the years, in his pursuit of the pinnacle of the Martial Dao, he had poured nearly all his time into arduous training and combat, leaving very little for his family.
He took a deep breath to calm himself, then finally pressed the call button.
A Subspace signal spanning countless galaxies connected in an instant.
BEEP... BEEP...
The call connected after just two rings.
A familiar, yet slightly older, face materialized in the holographic projection.
It was his father, Qin Dahai.
Compared to forty years ago, his father’s temples were now streaked with gray, and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes had deepened considerably.
But his eyes were still bright and gentle, and he held his back ramrod straight. He looked vigorous, and he even carried himself with more of the steady composure of a leader than he had back in his factory days.
"Ah Feng!"
Upon seeing Qin Feng’s face, Qin Dahai broke into a brilliant smile, his heartfelt joy and longing practically overflowing from the screen.
"Dad."
Qin Feng smiled back, his voice unconsciously becoming slower and softer. "How have you been lately?"
"Great! Just great!"
Qin Dahai thumped his chest, producing a dull THUMP-THUMP sound. His voice boomed with energy. "Your old man’s in better shape now than when I was young! Not a single one of the youngsters at the factory can take me!"
And so, father and son began to catch up across the vast expanse of space, engaging in the most ordinary of small talk.
There was no talk of world-destroying killing techniques, nor any mention of cosmic wars that could annihilate galaxies in an instant.
They talked about the new greenhorn at his father’s factory, the ever-rising housing prices on Planet Morningstar, and what kind of trouble the neighbor’s good-for-nothing son had caused this time.
This warm and trivial family chatter was like a potent balm, soothing the hostility and coldness that had built up in Qin Feng’s heart from years of fighting. It allowed him to once again feel the simple, pure connection known as "family."
"By the way, Dad, how’s your cultivation coming along?"
After a few more pleasantries, Qin Feng brought up his father’s training.
He knew that his father had been passionate about the Martial Dao ever since his severed arm had been regenerated and he’d begun to practice.
"Ah, don’t even get me started."
Hearing this, Qin Dahai got a complicated look on his face, a mixture of pride and resignation. He scratched his head and said, "Well, opening and merging the Acupoints, I finished that a long time ago. All thanks to the money you sent, plus the things your two cousins brought over."
"But that’s about as far as I’ve gotten."
He sighed, sounding rather vexed. "Didn’t you tell me that after the Fifth Level of Qi Meridian comes the Sixth Level of Soaring Realm, where you have to start practicing something called ’Mental Power’? Man, that stuff has me completely stumped. I bought several manuals on Mental Power Meditation and practiced for years. Besides sleeping more soundly and feeling more clear-headed, it hasn’t done a damn bit of good! ’Mental Power influencing reality,’ ’soaring flight’... I can’t even get a hint of how to do any of it."
Qin Feng listened quietly, understanding the situation perfectly.
His father’s foundation had been limited back then, so he had chosen the most common, Empire-standard version: the Middle-grade Acupoint Opening Technique, which only required opening seventy-two Acupoints in total.
This path was praised for being stable, fast, and low on resource consumption—perfect for older beginners.
But its potential was just as firmly capped.
A foundation of seventy-two Acupoints could never compare to the geniuses who cultivated high-grade or even top-grade Acupoint Opening Techniques.
The Mental Power Meditation methods he bought afterward were also just the most common, middle-grade versions available on the market.
Furthermore, his father had long since left the battlefield. Unlike Qin Feng, he hadn’t endured years of ceaseless, life-or-death struggles forged in blood and fire. His Will and mind had never been tempered to their absolute limits. Naturally, it would be difficult for him to cross the incredibly profound threshold of ’Mental Power influencing reality.’
Once he finished merging his Acupoints, his progress in strength quickly slowed to a crawl, eventually stagnating completely.
"Dad, it’s nothing to worry about."
Qin Feng said reassuringly, "Cultivating the Martial Dao isn’t something you can rush. It’s a process that happens when the time is right. You’re healthy and living a stable life—that’s more important than anything. As for your realm, don’t try to force it. Just let things happen naturally."
"Haha, you little brat. Now you’re the one lecturing your old man,"
Qin Dahai chided with a laugh, but he couldn’t hide the pride in his eyes. "Don’t you worry. Your old man has a good head on his shoulders! I know my own limits. The fact that I have it this good today is all thanks to my son. I was just blowing off some steam, that’s all."
He paused for a moment, then seemed to recall something and added with a chuckle, "Besides, I’m the one who calls the shots at the factory now. Who would dare mess with me? So what if my cultivation is slow? It’s more than enough for what I need."