He was keenly aware of how difficult it was to advance one’s Slaughter Realm.
Going from the initial stage to the Minor Success Realm, even for the most gifted of geniuses, usually required at least six months to a year of painstaking effort. It took countless real battles to gain insights and accumulate experience before one could possibly take that step.
And Qin Feng had done it in just one month!
"What incredible aptitude!"
Zongyun exclaimed in genuine admiration, the way he looked at Qin Feng changing completely.
"In one month, your life force index has steadily increased by 300 points after forging your top-grade Primordial Acupoints. That was expected. But to simultaneously cultivate your Level 4 Spear Skill to the Minor Success Realm... Junior Brother Qin Feng, you truly live up to your reputation."
"You’re too kind, Senior Brother."
Faced with Zongyun’s praise, Qin Feng’s expression remained composed, showing no trace of pride or complacency.
’To him, this was simply the reward for his hard work.’
"Excellent! Absolutely excellent!"
The smile on Zongyun’s face widened, and a spark of excitement lit up his eyes. "Since you have such an incredible foundation and aptitude, an ordinary trial difficulty would be meaningless. We need to put you under real pressure to push your potential to its absolute limit!"
His finger tapped heavily on the holographic map. A sector marked as the G12 Combat Zone rapidly enlarged, filling the entire display.
"We’ll go here. The G12 Combat Zone."
Zongyun’s tone grew serious as he pointed to the jagged, interlocking red territories on the map and began to explain in detail. "This region is currently occupied by ten Green-skinned Tribes of varying sizes. They are constantly at war with one another, conquering the weak, but they will temporarily unite when faced with an outside invader. The ecosystem here is the closest you’ll get to a real battlefield."
He pulled up the creature data for the combat zone.
"According to real-time scans from the fortress’s intelligence system, the average Green-skinned kid in the G12 Combat Zone has a life force index of around 7,200, which is a perfect match for your current strength. They’re ideal practice targets. The elite green-skins, like the ’Killa Kans’ or the War Lord’s personal guard, have a life force index of around ten thousand points, which is enough to pose a threat to you."
He then pointed to the largest tribal totem on the map, which was emitting a dark red glow.
"The most critical target is this one: the combat zone’s ’Warlord,’ the strongest Green Skin Lord. According to the most recent scan, its life force index has reached the ’First Great Limit’ of eighteen thousand points. It is the ’king’ of this region."
Zongyun’s gaze shifted from the map to Qin Feng, his tone becoming incredibly solemn. "Junior Brother Qin Feng, remember this: during the trial, you can hunt any target you see. But if you encounter this Green Skin Lord, do not hesitate. Run away immediately! This is also one of the mandatory lessons for this trial."
"Run away?"
Qin Feng’s eyebrow twitched almost imperceptibly, and he let out a soft grunt.
’In his Martial Dao dictionary, those two words appeared with extremely low frequency.’
’He was far more accustomed to analyzing his opponents, finding their weaknesses, and then crushing and destroying them with absolute power.’
’Facing a battle head-on—that was his style.’
"Yes, run away."
Zongyun seemed to have read his mind. He nodded with a smile that held the calm wisdom of a seasoned veteran.
"Junior Brother, you must understand that whether it’s Cannan Star Martial Arts University or these Trial Planets, they are ultimately just a relatively safe ’cradle.’ When your strength is sufficient, you will inevitably have to venture beyond the reach of the Subspace Network and step onto the true ’Battlefield of Ten Thousand Races.’
"Out there, there’s no Subspace Network to teleport you away at a moment’s notice, and no Guardians to watch your back.
"Everyone who makes it there is a prodigy who has survived trial after trial, but by the same token, far more geniuses than you can imagine have fallen there."
His voice became deep and resonant, as if he were recounting a story from his own past.
"On the Battlefield of Ten Thousand Races, survival is the top priority.
"And to survive, ’running away’ is the single most important skill you must master. Bar none.
"Where there’s life, there’s hope.
"It might sound cliché, but it’s a profound truth paid for with the lives and blood of countless forerunners."
Zongyun’s attitude was a stark contrast to Qin Feng’s own sense of urgency, his need to push himself to the limit every minute of every day.
He possessed a grander, more long-term perspective on time.
"A Martial Artist’s life has a far higher margin for error than you imagine. So what if you don’t get the rank you want in the ’Starry Sky Cup’ this year? You can just get it next time.
"So what if a powerful enemy is chasing you now? If you can’t win, run away! Spend a hundred years cultivating, growing stronger, and then come back a century later to personally twist their head off!"
"You must strive for the moment, but more importantly, you must strive for a lifetime. A true powerhouse doesn’t just know how to throw a punch. They also know when to lower their fist and when to turn away."
These words flowed like a clear spring into Qin Feng’s heart, soothing the strings that had been stretched taut by years of bitter cultivation.
He fell silent.
He could tell that Senior Brother Yun was, in essence, the same type of person as him. They were both "Strivers" struggling to ascend the path of the Martial Dao.
They both believed in hard work and struggle, and they both yearned to become stronger.
The only difference was that Zongyun’s mindset was more optimistic, more magnanimous.
He seemed accustomed to planning his life on a century-long scale, which gave him an air of composure.
Qin Feng, on the other hand, was used to putting endless pressure on himself in pursuit of ultimate efficiency, wishing he could cram two days’ worth of work into one.
Zongyun’s words hadn’t shaken Qin Feng’s Martial Arts Heart, but they had opened a new window in his tightly wound world, allowing him to see another possibility.
’It was just like back then... if he hadn’t become a Qiming General Star in one year and three months, but two years and three months, would it have made any real difference?’
’Not at all.’
’At the time, it had seemed like finishing a year earlier would have a massive impact, that he might fall behind his peers otherwise. But in reality... for a higher-level Martial Artist, the span of a single year meant almost nothing.’
"Mm."
Finally, Qin Feng nodded solemnly. "I understand. Thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother."
"Good. As long as you’ve taken it to heart."
Zongyun smiled, satisfied, and closed the holographic map. "Are you ready? If so, let’s head out."
Qin Feng didn’t answer right away.
He turned, walked over to the weapon rack, and paused in thought.
A brand-new suit of Level 6 Power Armor, the [Destroyer I], was on display, glinting with a cold, metallic light.
But he only gave it a single glance before looking away.
’Power armor provides powerful defense and strength Amplification, but it wasn’t necessary for a trial meant to hone his own slaughter techniques.’
’What he wanted was to temper his slaughter techniques on the brink of life and death.’
Qin Feng reached out and took a blue-black Alloy Long Spear from the rack.
[Raging Tide].
A Level 6 Standard Alloy Long Spear.
The spear’s shaft was about 2.5 meters long, and it felt cold and heavy in his grasp.
The point where the grip met the sharp spearhead was carved with intricate, wave-like patterns, as if the power of a colossal tidal wave had been frozen in that very instant.
The spearhead itself was like a fang erupting from the surf, shimmering with an unnerving, cold light.
As Qin Feng’s hand gripped the shaft, a familiar feeling washed over him, as if the weapon were an extension of his own body.
With a light flick of his wrist, the spearhead traced a graceful arc through the air, letting out a faint hum like a dragon’s roar.
In that moment, killing intent and the will to fight began to slowly swell within his chest.