That was the result of successfully merging three Great Sun Acupoints.
He had successfully merged acupoints twice.
The first merge created a super Great Sun Acupoint, while the second involved using that large acupoint to merge with another Great Sun Acupoint.
To forge a Primordial Acupoint, one needed to merge acupoints 359 times.
Huuuh...
Qin Feng let out a long breath, feeling the subtle changes within his body.
His Life Force Index had risen from 3600.0 to 3620.0.
Four months of extreme secluded cultivation had consumed a massive amount of top-tier resources, yet his Life Force Index had only increased by 20 points.
’The difficulty of merging acupoints really has skyrocketed. Still, being able to maintain roughly the same pace as when I was opening acupoints, despite the drastic increase in difficulty, is already pretty good.’
Qin Feng analyzed coolly.
Back when he was opening them, the rate was also a few acupoints every few months.
Now, with merging, the difficulty had soared, but his speed hadn’t dropped by much. That was all thanks to the potent effects of the "Strengthening II-Type" Potion.
But then, his brow furrowed deeply.
’Four months, two merges...’
His mind raced as he calculated.
’At this rate, to finish merging them all, I’ll need... at least sixty years!’
Sixty years!
Moreover, that number was based on an ideal scenario: sixty years of doing nothing else. No eating, no drinking, no missions—just staying in the Cultivation Room with a constant, sufficient supply of top-tier resources!
That was simply impossible.
’No, this is too slow! Way too slow!!’
The realization made Qin Feng’s heart sink.
Sixty years?
By the time he emerged from seclusion sixty years from now, how powerful would Shi Dang—the man blessed by the Terror Torture Evil God—have become?
Followers of the Terror Torture Evil God grow stronger through constant battle, exchanging slaughter for power.
Shi Dang’s innate talent was already considerable. Now, with the Evil God’s "gift," his power would only snowball, growing stronger and more terrifying.
’The gap between us won’t shrink. On the contrary, it will only grow wider!’
’I have to find a way to speed this up!’
’I must kill Shi Dang as soon as possible. I can’t give him this chance to grow unchecked!’
The thought rang like an alarm bell in his head.
’How else can I increase my cultivation speed?’
Qin Feng fell into deep thought.
’My Cultivation Technique is already the top-tier Great Sun Qi Meridian Method.’
’The resources I’m using, the ’Strengthening II-Type’ series, are the most efficient I can get.’
’And I’ve pushed my Will and effort to their absolute limits.’
’Where else can I find a breakthrough?’
Suddenly, an idea flashed through his mind.
’The Ten-Complete Hand?’
He remembered the Empire’s strategic-grade Nourishing Technique, taught to him personally by Zhou Xiong, a Black Hole Level Powerhouse and Captain of the Ultramarines Chapter!
A "Nourishing Technique," as the name implies, is a method meant to supplement and nurture a Martial Artist’s cultivation.
A powerful Nourishing Technique could comprehensively improve a Martial Artist’s recovery speed, energy absorption efficiency, and even the compatibility between their body and their Cultivation Technique!
Perhaps the key to breaking this deadlock lay right there!
At this thought, Qin Feng immediately focused his mind, sinking it into his own status panel.
A faintly glowing data panel, visible only to him, materialized clearly before his eyes.
[Refining Techniques]
Great Sun Acupoint Opening Method (Great Perfection)
Great Sun Qi Meridian Method (Entry Level)
Proficiency: 42/100
[Nourishing Techniques]
Ten-Complete Hand (Uninitiated: 0/10)
[Meditation Methods]
Great Sun Visualization Method (Mastery)
Proficiency: 12/10,000
Emperor Meditation Method (Adept)
Proficiency: 680/1,000
[Effect]: Nail of Favor x1
[Killing Arts]
Cold Gleam (Control), Thousand Army Spear (Control), Fierce Bird Fist (Control), Dragon Snake Spear (Control), Wind and Thunder Long Staff (Control)...
[Self-Created Killing Moves]
Golden Throne, Fierce Owl Chasing Shadow, Wind and Thunder Chasing Shadow, Dragon’s Hoard
Qin Feng’s gaze locked onto the [Nourishing Techniques] section.
The word "Uninitiated" after "Ten-Complete Hand" was glaringly conspicuous.
’What a shame. The Ten-Complete Hand is just too difficult to even begin learning.’
The Ten-Complete Hand was incredibly difficult, as expected of one of the signature techniques of the Ultramarines Chapter. It was a Nourishing Technique so profound that even Black Hole Level Powerhouses used it.
If he could just grasp the basics of the Ten-Complete Hand, even gaining a single point of proficiency, Qin Feng felt his cultivation speed would double!
But it was no use.
It was as difficult as climbing to the heavens.
With that, Qin Feng put the thought aside and began to review his panel again.
’The Emperor Meditation Method is progressing steadily. The Great Sun Meditation Method, since it has to be paired with my acupoint opening and merging cultivation, has since surpassed it.’
’But I don’t know what my Mental Power score is, nor do I know the standard benchmarks. That’s not urgent right now. I’ll just keep practicing the meditation methods every day and check my Mental Power once I’m done with merging my acupoints.’
’I’ve added ten more Killing Arts. I’ll need to hone them in my upcoming missions.’
’Alright, time to accept a mission.’
Qin Feng deftly opened the Warband’s mission panel.
The first thing that caught his eye was a glaring red announcement, flashing at a high frequency. It instantly seized his full attention, striking his vision like a bolt of blood-red lightning in the dead of night.
It was... the hunt for the Imperial traitor, Shi Dang!
[Mission: Kill Imperial Traitor Shi Dang] has been upgraded from Warrior Level to Hell Level.
[Target’s Latest Life Force Index (Updated): 4773.0]
[Known Abilities Update: Confirmed mastery of multiple Control Realm Killing Arts. Mental Power is skyrocketing at an abnormal rate and is skillfully applied in combat. Specific methods are unknown.]
This rate of growth was beyond words like "genius" or "terrifying."
This was the result of wantonly devouring life and soul, a wicked and frenzied demonic metamorphosis!
However, what truly sent a chill down Qin Feng’s spine and shattered his calm composure was the short line of text at the very bottom of the mission details.
[Mission Failures: 2]
The system rendered the number "2" in a startling, blood-red hue, as if it were solidified from fresh blood!
Mission Failures: 2.
Behind those two simple words lay a meaning as heavy as a mountain.
It meant that in the short four months Qin Feng had been in secluded cultivation, two Martial Artists who accepted this mission had already fallen while hunting Shi Dang.
Whether driven by a determination to eliminate a traitor for the Empire or by the promise of a hefty reward, they had embarked on the hunt. But in the end, their lives, their honor—their very existence—were all extinguished by Shi Dang, reduced to a part of that cold, hard number.
"Too slow... Still too slow..."
Qin Feng muttered to himself.