His words were part teasing, part heartfelt acknowledgment.
Three years of bloody battles had long since erased any trace of jealousy between them, leaving only the purest camaraderie.
"Thank you for taking care of me these past few years, Senior."
Qin Feng sensed the sincerity in Dragon Jade’s voice and replied solemnly.
Without Dragon Jade’s support and protection, he never would have been able to accumulate such vast resources so smoothly over the past three years.
"Alright, enough with the pleasantries."
Dragon Jade waved his hand magnanimously. "There’s no need for that between us. Go on, now! Don’t waste any more time, and don’t let that talent of yours go to waste! I’ll be waiting for your good news!"
"Mm!"
Qin Feng nodded firmly.
Without another word, he turned and walked toward the Warband’s equipment maintenance center, handing over his battered suit of power armor to the automated system for deep repairs.
Once the maintenance was complete, Qin Feng became a blur and shot back to his dormitory.
He had a crystal-clear plan for his vast amount of Contribution Points and Warband Reputation.
This time, he would pour every last one of his resources into his seclusion.
His goal: to forge his Primordial Acupoints in one fell swoop!
-----------------
When Qin Feng’s figure reappeared at the entrance to his dormitory, the clamor and chaos of the outside world seemed to be completely cut off by an invisible wall.
This was his first "home" after enrolling in Cannan Star Martial Arts University, the place that had witnessed his journey from a "gopher" doing daily tasks to a top-tier powerhouse.
And now, this small dormitory was about to become the site of his final seclusion, where he would forge a Perfect Dao Foundation and ascend to a new realm of the Martial Dao.
Without a hint of hesitation, he strode inside.
The dormitory’s smart home system sensed its master’s return. The lights automatically adjusted to a soft glow, and the ventilation system slowly circulated purified air.
Qin Feng walked to the center of the room, took a deep breath, and then slowly exhaled.
With that exhalation, it was as if he expelled all the fatigue, Evil Qi, and anxiety he had accumulated over three years of teetering on the edge of life and death.
Once his mind had completely settled, he sat down cross-legged, and his consciousness sank into the Imperial Trading House.
A staggering 1,370,000 Warband Reputation Points glowed in his personal account.
This was the rich reward he had earned through three years of blood and fire, through the life-and-death trials of seven Hell-grade missions.
These points were not wealth, nor glory. They were simply... fuel.
The indispensable fuel for his ascent to a higher realm.
His mind swept rapidly across the exchange list, precisely locking onto the targets he had planned for long ago.
"Exchange for one thousand vials of ’Enhanced Type II Spiritual Energy Potion’."
[Exchange confirmed. Deducting Warband Reputation Points: 720,000.]
"Exchange for one thousand doses of ’Enhanced Type II Deep-Repair Medicated Bath’."
[Exchange confirmed. Deducting Warband Reputation Points: 400,000.]
"Exchange for five hundred vials of ’Enhanced Type II Mental Power Recovery Potion’."
[Exchange confirmed. Deducting Warband Reputation Points: 250,000.]
The three exchanges were clean and decisive.
A full 1,370,000 Warband Reputation Points were spent in a matter of seconds.
As the transactions were completed, rows of neatly stacked metal storage crates appeared silently within Qin Feng’s Subspace Storage Unit.
On the crates, the gear and double-headed eagle insignia of the Imperial Military Industry—a symbol of the highest quality—was clearly visible.
"Activate maximum-security seclusion mode."
VMMMM—
With a low hum of resonating energy, the dormitory’s main door, forged from a special alloy, slowly swung shut.
Several visible Energy Beams shot out from the doorframe, weaving together into an impenetrable Energy Net that completely sealed the dormitory from the outside world.
Qin Feng returned to the center of the room and sat down cross-legged once more.
A vial of "Enhanced Type II Spiritual Energy Potion" materialized before him.
He gazed at the potion, which emitted a faint blue glow, his eyes calm and resolute.
Then, he downed it in one gulp.
...
Time lost all meaning.
Inside the sealed dormitory, there was only the eternal, seemingly endless cycle of cultivation.
BOOM!
It was as if a miniature supernova had just erupted within Qin Feng’s body.
Under the control of his Will, a torrent of majestic Spiritual Energy, like a bursting dam, crashed with unstoppable might against a stubborn, unlit Acupoint Shell.
Agony!
An indescribable, soul-tearing agony instantly shot through his entire body.
The Acupoint Shell was far sturdier than he had imagined. Each impact felt like ramming his own flesh and blood against ancient Divine Iron.
His meridians cried out in protest, his muscles trembled, and his bones even began to creak under the strain.
But Qin Feng’s Will was harder than any Divine Iron.
His face remained expressionless as he mechanically mobilized his Spiritual Energy, launching one assault after another.
After an unknown amount of time, just as the effects of the Spiritual Energy Potion were about to run out, a crisp CRACK echoed. A hairline crack had finally appeared on the stubborn Acupoint Shell.
’Now!’
Qin Feng’s soul jolted. He gathered the last of his Spiritual Energy into a sharp arrowhead and thrust it precisely into the fissure.
VMMMM—
The Acupoint Shell shattered. A massive amount of energy was instantly absorbed and converted by the newly formed Great Sun Acupoint.
At that very same moment, Qin Feng’s body reached the verge of collapse.
Without hesitation, he stepped into the prepared bathtub and poured in a dose of the "Enhanced Type II Deep-Repair Medicated Bath." A dark green liquid quickly submerged him, and a warm, comfortable sensation instantly enveloped his entire body.