But this debt of gratitude, this recognition and investment from the Warband’s highest echelons—Qin Feng had firmly etched it into his heart.
After all, the Level 6 Power Armor and the two Level 6 Alloy Weapons alone were worth a king’s ransom. Level 6 weapons and power armor required the infusion of Mental Power, which made their production costs even higher.
Just then, the group chat he shared with his three best friends, which had been silent for a long time, lit up once more.
It was a message from Tie Mu.
It was in his usual concise, familiar style.
Tie Mu: "Taotie Residence."
Seeing those two words, a knowing smile involuntarily spread across Qin Feng’s face.
Without a moment’s delay, he got up and left his dorm.
...
In a private room by the window on the third floor of the Taotie Residence.
When Qin Feng pushed open the door, three familiar figures were already inside, having waited for quite some time.
Shi Potian was as calm and composed as ever, but now his brow held a steely resolve forged through hardship.
He sat there brewing tea, his movements as smooth as flowing water, exuding an air of unshakeable stability.
Xiong Yanfu had changed the most. His once stocky frame was now leaner and packed with explosive power. The boyish immaturity and impulsiveness had vanished from his face, replaced by a mature and steady demeanor. Only his eyes, always crinkling with a smile, remained the same—as full of sunshine and warmth as ever.
And Tie Mu was still the same old taciturn Tie Mu.
It had been a long time. Everyone had changed, and yet, it felt as if nothing had changed at all.
They were no longer the boys who used to run daily missions. Now, they were all battle-hardened, mature Warriors, capable of holding their own anywhere in the Cosmos.
"Old Qin! You finally made it! Quick, sit down, sit down!"
Xiong Yanfu was the first to his feet. Laughing heartily, he enthusiastically pulled Qin Feng down into a seat and gave him a crushing bear hug.
"You rascal, you’re a big celebrity in Canaan now! Lately, whenever I team up for missions, all I have to do is mention that I know ’Qin Beast,’ and people’s attitudes change instantly! You have no idea how effective it is!"
"Alright, that’s enough. Stop using Old Qin’s name to bluff your way through things,"
Shi Potian said gently as he set down the teapot. "So, how did it go? Your time in seclusion must have been fruitful."
Qin Feng nodded, took the teacup, and downed it in one go.
A warm current flowed from his throat straight to his heart.
"It went well. I’ve finally walked the path I needed to."
Hearing this, a flash of understanding passed through his three friends’ eyes.
While they didn’t know the specifics of Qin Feng’s training, the near-mythical stories of his combat achievements circulating outside gave them a good idea. Qin Feng’s power had reached a height they could not yet hope to touch.
"Old Qin, to be honest... after this reunion, I’m afraid it’ll be decades, maybe even longer, before we see each other again."
After several rounds of drinks and courses, Xiong Yanfu suddenly put down his cup. A wave of emotion crossed his face as he spoke seriously.
Qin Feng’s heart skipped a beat. "What do you mean?" he asked.
Xiong Yanfu grinned. "The three of us really went all out in the Warband’s ranking tournament, and we earned a ton of prestige and Contribution Points. We’re rolling in resources right now!"
He held up three fingers. "We’ve already talked it over. After this reunion, the three of us are going into a long-term, deep seclusion, with no set time limit. We’re going to burn through every resource we have to thoroughly hone our strength! We’re not coming out until everything’s gone! By our estimates, that’s going to take decades."
"I understand."
Qin Feng nodded in understanding.
For a Martial Artist, this kind of long-term seclusion was a necessary step to consolidate their power and achieve a breakthrough.
This was especially true for Martial Artists like Shi Potian and his friends. They weren’t the most talented, but their Will was unshakeable. For them, grinding with time and piling on resources was the surest and most effective path to power.
"The three of us are all Sixth-Level Soaring Martial Artists now,"
Shi Potian added with a frank smile. "But we only just broke through. Our vitality indexes are still hovering around 2,000. The gap between us and the true geniuses is still massive."
He glanced at Qin Feng and continued, "And that’s not even mentioning a monster like you, Old Qin, who cultivated with Top-grade Primordial Acupoints. Our pace of improvement can’t even begin to compare to yours. So, we have no other shortcuts. We can only do it the honest, stupid way—grinding it out, bit by bit, with time."
Qin Feng could feel their determination not to be left behind, their resolve to catch up, and it made him happy for them.
’With that kind of drive, they won’t be tempted by an Evil God.’
’Someone like Shi Dang probably wanted to keep pace too, but his will wasn’t strong enough, and he was easily swayed.’
"I’m also planning to lay low for a while,"
Qin Feng said. "I just received the Warband’s reward, *Basics of Imperial Mental Power Control*. I’m planning to spend some time using it to formally break through to the Sixth-Level Soaring Martial Artist rank. After that, I’ll properly study the Fourth-level Killing Technique I just acquired to completely stabilize my power."
"Good!"
Shi Potian nodded emphatically. "Then it’s a deal! The next time we meet, we’ll all be stronger!"
"Absolutely!"
Xiong Yanfu raised his cup.
"Hn."
For once, Tie Mu also raised his cup.
Qin Feng raised his cup as well.
The four cups gently clinked together in the air.
"To our own hard work!"
...
After he left the Taotie Residence, the melancholy of parting in Qin Feng’s heart was quickly replaced by a surge of fighting spirit.
The moment he returned to his dorm, his Subspace friends list began to flash frantically once more.
They were messages from Ning Jing, Nissan, and Long Yu—all sent at nearly the same time.
Ning Jing: "Qin Feng, are you out of seclusion yet? It’s been three months since we last saw each other, and my hands are itching for a fight! When are you free? Let’s have a match! I want to experience firsthand just how terrifying your ’Qian Yuan’ is!"
Nissan: "Qin Beast! Get out here! I heard you’re out of seclusion! Don’t hide! I’m dying for a fight! Get over to the combat pavilion in the Fearless Zone and let me see how strong those fists of yours really are!"
Long Yu: "Qin Feng, congratulations on finishing your seclusion. I’m here with a few sixth-level seniors who’ve heard about your exploits and are very interested in your strength. They mean no harm, it’s just the simple curiosity of fellow Martial Artists. They’d like to test their skills against you. Interested?"
"Oh, by the way, the three of us are all Sixth-level Martial Artists now, and we’ve started learning the Fourth-level Killing Technique. You might not be able to beat us anymore."
Looking at the three messages—all with different styles but the exact same core request—a wry smile appeared on Qin Feng’s face.
He could just imagine the three combat fanatics rubbing their hands in glee, itching for a fight, the moment they heard he was out of seclusion.
His own fighting spirit began to stir as well.
Plus three other Sixth-level Martial Artists!
Qin Feng was also curious to see how his current power stacked up against these seniors, true Sixth-level Martial Artists who had been immersed in the Sixth Level of Soaring Realm for years.
Without a moment’s hesitation, he replied to their group chat.
"On my way. Combat pavilion in the Fearless Zone?"
The moment he sent the message, replies came flooding in.
"You got it! We’re waiting for you!"
"Hurry, hurry!"
"Waiting."