High Martial Arts: Liver Becomes the Master of the Universe

Chapter 178 The terror of a level six martial artist: the method of attacking with mental power!

Inside the cultivation room, the air seemed to freeze because of the constantly flashing blood-red announcement.

Qin Feng stood quietly, his gaze fixed on the glaring number "2" that represented two lost lives.

After a long while, he slowly shook his head.

He understood that anger and impatience at this moment would not help.

The number of people chasing Shi Dang will only increase.

From righteous students at Canaan Star University to ruthless judges of the Imperial Inquisition, and possibly even bounty hunters who operate in the gray area and will stop at nothing for high rewards, and even planetary-level powerhouses within warbands.

However, this universe is simply too vast and too empty.

A star system is often separated from its nearest neighbor by several, or even dozens, of light-years of nothingness. This dark forest is the stage for all hunters, but also the best hiding place for all prey.

Moreover, the Blessed Ones of the Warp Gods possess all sorts of unpredictable and bizarre abilities.

If Shi Dang is determined to hide, finding him in this boundless sea of ​​stars would be like searching for a needle in a haystack.

In particular, the place where he betrayed his country was located on the border of the human empire, on the edge of a chaotic battlefield of countless races that was constantly at war with other races.

The area is a chaotic place with intertwined power structures, making it the weakest link in the Empire's law and order, and a paradise for hiding and fleeing.

Therefore, even if the powerful individuals who accept the pursuit mission include elites of various levels, or even planetary-level powerhouses capable of traversing the star sea, all pursuit will be in vain if they cannot obtain Shi Dang's precise, real-time subspace teleportation coordinates.

Unless... there is a team that can withstand Shi Dang's storm of attacks the moment they encounter him and successfully upload his real-time coordinates to the Imperial Network, attracting powerful figures in the surrounding area to teleport and surround him.

Otherwise, catching this wildly evolving demon will depend on luck.

Those two blood-red "2"s have cruelly demonstrated the terrible price that must be paid to achieve this.

Qin Feng forcibly banished all these chaotic thoughts from his mind.

Waiting is not his style.

Resentment cannot be transformed into power.

All he could do was use every means at his disposal to become stronger in the shortest amount of time!
"Hamer."

His voice regained its usual calmness, "Help me filter for [Warrior-level] missions."

This is the most efficient training ground that he can currently adapt to with his strength.

"Yes, Master."

Hammer immediately began executing the instructions, but at the same time a friendly prompt popped up: "According to system analysis, the vast majority of missions at the Warrior level and above are [team-based missions], whose difficulty and complexity far exceed what a single person can handle. Master, do you wish to confirm the selection?"

"confirm."

Qin Feng did not hesitate.

"The rules of ranked battles do not restrict team members from coming from the same battle group."

Hammer added, "However, based on past data analysis, in 97.3% of cases, the team leader accepting the mission will only approve applications from members of their own warband. This is an unwritten rule that maximizes team cohesion and trust."

"I see."

Qin Feng nodded.

This is easy to understand.

A warrior-level mission means that every member of the team must be an elite among elites, a genius who has mastered the highest level of enlightenment techniques, and whose killing techniques are also highly complex.

Fighting alongside trusted comrades-in-arms offers a level of safety and efficiency that is far superior to teaming up with strangers on short notice.

Of course, there is also the issue of points allocation.

Hammer quickly selected a task that met Qin Feng's current needs.

[Mission Name: Behind Enemy Lines Raid - Destroy the Nurgle Pathogen Refinery in G-784 Battlefield]

[Task Type: Team Task (Requires 2 Players)]

[Mission Difficulty: Warrior Level]

[Mission Rewards: 10000 Contribution Points, 30000 Warband Reputation Points, 10 Competition Points]

[Mission Status: The leader is in place (Dreadnought), recruiting one member.]

Qin Feng's gaze fell on the words "Nagou".

This is also one of the four Chaos Gods, representing decay, plague, and despair.

Without hesitation, he submitted his application to join the team.

Almost the instant he submitted his application, the system notified him that it had been approved.

Your application to join the team has been approved. Please proceed to the "Dauntless" Chapter's dedicated teleportation area within ten minutes to rendezvous with your leader, Mikan.

Without delay, Qin Feng immediately activated the teleportation array in the dormitory.

With a flash of light, his figure vanished from the spot.

……

The "Fearless" Chapter's exclusive teleportation zone.

The space here is much larger than ordinary public areas, and it is filled with a cold, militaristic style.

A faint metallic and energetic scent filled the air, and members of the warbands, dressed in various power armors, would occasionally hurry in or out of the teleportation halos, making the entire area operate efficiently and busily.

Qin Feng appeared at the designated meeting point.

As soon as he stood still, he saw a tall and burly figure leaning against a metal pillar not far away, seemingly having been waiting for a long time.

He was a burly man with dark skin, not a single hair on his head, and a shiny bald head.

His physique was extremely tall and strong, exuding an explosive sense of power. His broad shoulders and long limbs had a unique proportion that did not belong to pure-blooded humans.

At first glance, it is clearly a hybrid of human and Shadow Clan.

The man noticed Qin Feng's arrival, straightened up, and walked over.

"Hello, my name is Miken."

His voice was surprisingly gentle, a stark contrast to his imposing appearance.

He wore a friendly smile, showing no airs of seniority.

He got straight to the point and gave his information.

"Vitality index 4231 points, 180 years since enrollment."

Qin Feng responded immediately, which is the most basic respect and information exchange when forming a team.

"Qin Feng, vitality index 3620 points, forty years since enrollment."

"Qin Feng..."

Upon hearing the name, Miken's smile widened even more. "I've heard of you. The Rookie Cup champion, a prominent figure on the forums lately. You've got quite a reputation."

His words carried a hint of good-natured teasing.

"This mission is very time-sensitive, so I'll keep it brief."

Miken's smile faded, his expression turning serious. He pulled up a star map and explained to Qin Feng, "On the G-784 battlefield, the main force of our Imperial Astral Army is locked in fierce combat with a group of 'Nurgle' followers. The battle had reached a stalemate, but just yesterday, the enemy introduced a new, highly contagious plague pathogen. Our defenses have suffered heavy casualties and are retreating steadily."

He pointed to a red dot on the star map.

"According to intelligence, this is the location of the pathogen extraction plant. Our mission is to infiltrate behind enemy lines as quickly as possible and destroy it completely. The faster we get there, the fewer of our Astronaut brothers will die. Therefore, speed is crucial in this operation."

He concluded with a serious reminder: "By the way, the air in the target area is teeming with the corrupting virus of the Necrotic, and even we cannot resist it for long. Therefore, we must wear power armor throughout this mission. I have already purchased incendiary bombs and psionic explosive devices."

"Yes, I know."

Qin Feng nodded calmly.

Without uttering any unnecessary words, he summoned his brand-new "Minglong Type I" power armor from his subspace storage unit with a thought.

"Clang! Clang! Crack—!"

Amidst a series of crisp, rhythmic metallic clanging sounds, the heavy armor components smoothly covered his entire body.

When the ferocious dragon-head helmet fell and completely enveloped him, a three-and-a-half-meter-tall steel giant stood in place.

He stretched out his enormous steel hand and gripped the level-five alloy spear "Koi Transformation into Dragon," its entire body a deep crimson gold and its tip gleaming with a cold light. A flash of light appeared in the crimson visor of his helmet, and he said in a deep voice:
"We can leave anytime."

"it is good!"

A hint of approval flashed in Miken's eyes.

Qin Feng's decisive and efficient actions greatly pleased him.

He said no more and summoned his own power armor as well.

It was a set of heavy armor, entirely gray-green in color and full of utilitarian style.

With a "click," Miken was fully equipped, now holding a huge and menacing chainsaw sword.

"go!"

He gave a low shout and was the first to activate the subspace teleportation permission on his personal terminal.

The portal vanished behind them, and the biting cold and the nauseating stench of decay, like an invisible wave, instantly engulfed the two.

They have arrived at their mission location—the G-784 battlefield.

As far as the eye can see, this is a land completely ruled by death and despair.

The sky was a sickly, murky yellowish-green, like a huge, festering wound.

The air was filled with spores and dust particles that were visible to the naked eye and emitted a faint glow; every breath felt like inhaling a deadly poison.

The ground was littered with the wreckage of the Imperial Star Force's destroyed Leman Rustank and Chimera armored vehicles.

They were covered in green, moss-like decay, and had long since lost their original steel color.

And among these wrecks, countless staggering figures wandered.

Some of them were "zombies" who wore tattered military uniforms but whose bodies were already swollen, burst, and covered with abscesses and tumors.

They are the unfortunate soldiers who were infected by the Nurgle plague and reawakened by the power of the evil god after death; now they are nothing but bloodthirsty zombies.

The other group consists of true "Nurgle believers".

Their bodies underwent even more horrific deformities; some had bellies as large as those of pregnant women, with wriggling maggots flowing from their ruptured bellies; others had bone spurs growing on their backs like chimneys, constantly spewing out yellowish-green poisonous mist.

"Follow me!"

The muffled sound of McKenna, processed by power armor, came through the communication channel.

Without the slightest hesitation, the massive chainsaw sword in his hand let out a piercing roar, and he charged directly towards the outline of the huge factory hidden in the poisonous fog, like a siege tank at full power!
Qin Feng remained silent, holding the "Koi Carp Transforms into a Dragon" spear, and followed closely behind.

His massive "Minglong Type I" power armor caused the ground to tremble slightly with every step, displaying a terrifying weight and sense of power that perfectly matched his size.

"Ho ho ho-"

Their appearance immediately attracted the attention of all the monsters around them.

Countless zombies and Nurgle cultists, like sharks that have smelled blood, swarmed in from all directions.

One of the Nurgle followers, leading the charge, brandished a rusty, filthy machete and slashed fiercely at Miken.

"Go away!"

Miken roared, neither dodging nor avoiding, as he drew a violent arc from bottom to top with his chainsaw sword.

"Om-!"

With a sickening slicing sound, the believer, along with his weapon, was instantly cleaved in two! Green, foul-smelling blood and entrails splattered everywhere.

Miken charged forward relentlessly, tearing a gap in the enemy ranks with sheer violence.

Qin Feng, on the other hand, was like his most precise shadow, responsible for dealing with all threats coming from the flanks.

A zombie leaped out from behind the rubble, attempting to ambush Miken from behind.

Qin Feng didn't even turn his head. He flicked the "Koi Carp Transforms into a Dragon" spear backward, and the butt of the spear slammed into the head of the zombie with perfect accuracy.

"Oh!"

With a muffled thud, the already rotten head exploded on the spot, like a watermelon being smashed by a hammer.

Qin Feng's movements were fluid and graceful, full of the beauty of a master.

Like Miken, he was aggressive and wide-ranging, but more efficient and energy-saving, constantly refining his newly acquired killing techniques.

His terrifying physical attributes, comparable to a "starry sky behemoth," were amplified by the "Minglong Type I" power armor, resulting in an abnormally terrifying power far exceeding what a vitality index of 3600 points should be!
A massive Nurgle cultist who attempted to ram him was gently deflected by him with the barrel of his gun. The several-ton body was sent flying through the air for more than ten meters as if hit head-on by a battering ram, knocking several of his companions off balance along the way.

As Miken charged forward, his heart grew increasingly terrified with each battle.

"What a terrifying power!"

He could clearly sense that every attack Qin Feng made contained a pure and extreme physical kinetic energy that was enough to crush everything.

That's a power that 3600 points of vitality index could not possibly unleash!
Moreover, what he found most incredible was the teamwork between the two.

This was clearly their first time fighting side by side, but their tacit understanding made it seem as if they had been fighting life and death together for hundreds of years!

Just as Miken dodged a shot of corrosive acid fired from a distance, Qin Feng's spear pierced through his armpit, pinning the armed enemy hiding in the distance to the ground.

Qin Feng swept his spear across, forcing back the enemies in front of him, and Miken's chainsaw sword would immediately follow up, tearing apart the exposed gap.

There was almost no verbal communication between them; all their tactical intentions were perfectly conveyed to each other through their actions, eye contact, and even the rhythm of the battle.

"A person's name is like a tree's shadow... This legendary 'Qin Beast' truly lives up to its name!"

Mike couldn't help but admire, "This skill, this innate, beast-like instinct for teamwork..."

At this moment, Miken even felt a sense of exhilaration, as if he had met a worthy opponent!

"The main structure of the refinery is just ahead!"

Miken roared into the comms, "Our objective is to secure this 'psychic explosive device' to the core power engine of the manufacturing plant! Therefore, the defenses in the core area are absolutely the strongest! Get ready!"

The two men advanced with unstoppable momentum, quickly breaking through the outer defenses and rushing into the massive factory that lay sprawled on the ground like a steel monster.

Inside the factory, the light was dim, and everywhere there were huge incubation tanks emitting green bubbles, as well as a complex network of metal pipes.

The stench and putrid smell in the air were more than ten times stronger than outside.

They had just rushed into a huge central hall when a sharp voice filled with madness and malice suddenly exploded in their minds without warning!

"Despicable thieves! How dare you trespass into the sacred birthing room of the 'Merciful Father'! Your flesh and blood will become my perfect culture medium!!"

Om-!
Along with this voice, an invisible yet sharp mental shock pierced Qin Feng and Mike's brains!

"Ugh—!"

Both men simultaneously let out a painful groan, their faces beneath their power armor helmets turning deathly pale in an instant.

The feeling was like a red-hot, barbed steel needle violently stirring their brains.

The intense stinging pain blurred their vision instantly, and the power armor's combat systems all emitted a series of piercing alarms due to this sudden mental interference!
At the far end of the hall, a tall figure slowly emerged from the shadows.

He was a man wearing a tattered white lab coat, yet he was unusually tall.

His face wore a crazed, twisted smile, and his eyes gleamed with an ominous, green psionic light.

The ultimate target of this mission is that medical doctor who has completely fallen from grace!

"Level 6 martial artist! Mental power interfering with reality!"

Mike gritted his teeth and forced out the words, his body trembling slightly from the intense pain.

[Target identified: Medical Doctor]

Vitality Index: 3799.0 points

[WARNING: High-intensity mental field detected!]

The scan results of the power armor confirmed Miken's judgment.

"This guy... is attacking us with his mental power! Damn it!"

Miken roared, "Get out the 'General's Medal'! Kill him quickly! Under this kind of mental suppression, even the General's Medal won't last three minutes!"

As he roared, he used trembling hands to take out an ancient-looking, unremarkable metal medal from his storage unit and slammed it hard against the chest of his power armor.

Upon hearing this, Qin Feng did not hesitate at all and immediately did as instructed.

He quickly took out the "Dawn General" medal, which was personally awarded to him by the Empire after the Dawn Star Inter-School League, and put it on his breastplate.

The moment the medal made contact with the power armor, a faint yet incredibly majestic and sacred will emanated from the medal.

This will seemed to emanate from the eternal and supreme ruler of the human empire, carrying an inviolable and supreme authority. Like a warm golden light, it instantly enveloped the two's mental world, completely dispelling the intense, stabbing pain that clung to their bones!

The headache is gone.

"Phew..." The two of them breathed a sigh of relief at the same time, as if they had been pulled back to shore from the brink of drowning.

"Do it!"

Without a moment to catch his breath, Miken's chainsaw sword roared to life, and he transformed into a gray-green afterimage, hurtling straight at the Medic.

Qin Feng followed closely behind, his "Koi Carp Transforms into a Dragon" spear flashing out like a dragon!

"Ignorant fool! Do you think you can resist the blessings of the benevolent father with the corrupt will of the emperor?!"

The medical doctor let out a frantic scream, his eyes blazing with green light.

Instead of confronting him head-on, he shifted his body unpredictably, and Miken's seemingly certain strike grazed his clothes, missing its mark.

At the same time, Qin Feng's shot aimed at his heart was also slightly deflected by an invisible force, leaving only a shallow wound on his shoulder.

"It's mental interference!"

Qin Feng immediately deduced, "He's using his mental power to influence our perception and distort our attack trajectory!"

"kill!"

Miken ignored all of that; he knew time was precious.

His attacks became even more ferocious, a style of fighting that traded blows entirely with injuries. He slashed wildly at the medical doctor with his massive chainsaw sword, trying to crush all of his opponent's skills with the purest violence.

Qin Feng's marksmanship was equally swift and fierce.

"Cold Light", "Dragon and Snake Spear", "Thousand Army Spear"...

The various killing techniques that had long since reached the "mastery level" were at his disposal, transforming into an impenetrable net of death that constantly compressed the medical doctor's evasive space, in conjunction with Miken's frontal assault.

Under the protection of the "General's Medal", the two's teamwork was once again flawless!
Although the medical doctor could use his mental power to interfere, he was not a martial artist specializing in combat. Faced with the frenzied attack of two top geniuses with incredibly rich combat experience and strength no less than his own, he quickly found himself struggling to defend himself and was in grave danger.

"Pfft!"

Finally, while dodging Miken's decapitation attack, he revealed a tiny opening.

Qin Feng seized the opportunity perfectly!

The "koi fish transforming into a dragon" in his hand seemed to vanish in an instant.

A self-created killing move—【Fierce Shadow Chaser】!
The next second, the crimson spear tip appeared out of thin air, carrying terrifying power that could tear everything apart, and pierced the medical doctor's heart!
"Uh……"

The medical doctor's maniacal smile froze completely.

He looked down, staring in disbelief at the spear that had pierced his chest.

"My loving father...will avenge me..."

Before he could finish speaking, Miken's chainsaw sword whistled through the air and severed his head completely.

The battle ended at two minutes and fifty seconds.

"Hu-hu-"

Miken, leaning on his chainsaw sword, was breathing heavily. Several marks from the corrosive acid splashes were visible on his gray-green power armor.

Looking at the headless corpse on the ground, he sighed with lingering fear, "This guy actually managed to cultivate a level four killing technique to such a level! His vitality index was about the same as ours, but with the method of controlling mental power, he could even actually kill us instantly... If it weren't for the 'General's Medal' just now, the two of us would really be dead here today."

Qin Feng nodded, deeply agreeing with this sentiment.

That pervasive, penetrating mental pain was truly deadly.

Qin Feng also spoke up, saying, "In the very distant ancient times, people called those who had mastered the methods of manipulating mental power and could interfere with reality with their minds 'mental masters.' It wasn't until the rise of emperors and the creation of the current martial arts cultivation methods that the cultivation of mental power became an indispensable part of martial arts training."

"Yes, the spirit is the rudder, and the body is the boat."

Miken smiled in agreement, his tone carrying a hint of relief after surviving a close call, "In the end, without cultivating spiritual power, a powerful physical body will only become the most useful weapon in the hands of evil gods."

"Thank you very much. If it weren't for you, I probably wouldn't have remembered the purpose of the General Star Medal."

Qin Feng smiled.

"It's alright, I only learned this the hard way after I've suffered losses myself."

Mike sighed, "Practicing the highest level of the Aperture Opening Method and the highest level of the Aperture Integration Method will give you a vitality index far exceeding that of ordinary people. Therefore, the missions you are suited for will all be against enemies who have learned more advanced killing techniques, which makes the missions extremely dangerous. Especially at level five, when facing enemies who have mastered the techniques of mental power, the mortality rate is extremely high."

"This is why so many level-five experts who cultivate top-grade Qi-opening techniques would rather fight in the Canaan Tower than do missions, simply because they are difficult and have a high mortality rate. If it weren't for the triple reputation bonus, I wouldn't want to do missions either."

Qin Feng didn't express much opinion after listening to Miken's words.

He simply said, "Well, only those who get into Starry Sky Martial Arts University and have access to abundant resources for training are qualified to choose the best Qi-opening method. If you are an ordinary free-spirited martial artist, you'll be in an even worse situation at level five, and you'll only be able to do death missions."

"That's right, so 80% of the independent martial artists who practice the top-grade Qi-opening method die at the fifth level."

Mike sighed, "After all, with the same vitality index, someone who has mastered the mental power technique, which is a level four killing technique, can easily kill the opponent."

"..."

Without further reflection, Miken immediately walked toward the massive and complex core engine in the center of the hall, which was constantly pumping out green liquid.

He took out the "psychic explosion device" from the storage unit, skillfully fixed it to the engine's most vulnerable energy node, and set the countdown.

"All done! Let's go!"

He turned around and summoned a small assault vehicle that could only accommodate two power armors.

The two quickly boarded the aircraft, its engine spewing out powerful thrust, carrying them at top speed out of the deadly factory and far away into the sky.

Just a few kilometers after they flew away from the factory.

boom--! ! ! !

A massive white sphere of light, even more dazzling than the sun, suddenly expanded out behind them!
Immediately afterwards, an incredibly spectacular mushroom cloud, filled with yellowish-green smoke and dust, shot into the sky!

The terrifying shockwave swept across everything within a radius of tens of kilometers.

Light and heat devoured all the decay and filth on this land.

The small raiding vehicles traversed the subspace, leaving the battlefield, thoroughly purified by light and heat, far behind.

After the blinding white light and violent energy fluctuations completely subsided, Qin Feng and Miken used the teleportation function built into the aircraft to return directly to the familiar exclusive teleportation area of ​​the "Dauntless" Legion.

"Om-"

With a slight spatial distortion, the two tall figures in power armor reappeared in the cold metal hall.

Almost at the same moment their feet touched the ground, Hammer's emotionless, mechanical voice rang out in Qin Feng's mind.

The mission "Infiltration Behind Enemy Lines" has been confirmed as complete, and reward calculation is underway...

[Team tasks; rewards will be distributed according to team agreements.]

Qin Feng immediately opened his mission panel to check the final rewards of this mission.

Since it was a two-player mission and the two players made roughly equal contributions in the battle, the rewards were naturally split 50/50.

The contribution value of up to 1 points is split equally between the two individuals, while the individual's warband reputation and competition points are calculated independently.

[Task rewards settled]

[Contribution Points: +5000]

[Clan Reputation: +30000 points]

[Competition Points: +10]

Looking at the contribution points in his account that had become abundant again, Qin Feng did not feel much joy.

The shock he felt from that battle was far more profound than these numbers.

"Click, hiss—"

Mike, standing next to him, deactivated his power armor, revealing his shiny bald head and a face that showed signs of lingering fear and exhaustion.

He looked at Qin Feng with an unprecedentedly solemn expression and said, "Brother, I'm going to buy some special equipment related to mental protection right away. This mission has really served as a wake-up call for me."

His tone was filled with the感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a deep sense of relief or emotion) of surviving a disaster.

"Level 6 martial artists are just too dangerous! Their all-pervasive mental attacks are practically impossible to defend against. And this is only a 'Warrior-level' mission. I can't even imagine how dangerous it would be if I took on 'Hell-level' and 'Nightmare-level' missions, and how much top-tier equipment I would need to survive."

As he said this, a wry smile appeared on his face, but more than that, it showed a sense of magnanimity.

"However, thankfully there's this guild ranking tournament. The triple reputation reward gives us the opportunity to exchange for resources we never dared to dream of before. In any case, it's a huge win."

He patted the thick chest of his power armor, a hint of longing for the future in his eyes.

"As long as we can smoothly pass through the fifth level stage, refine a 'Yuan Aperture,' and successfully comprehend the method of manipulating spiritual power... then we will truly be like fish entering the sea and birds soaring in the sky! From then on, we will no longer be hindered by such limitations, and our path to the planetary level will be smooth sailing. Those of us who have cultivated the 'Supreme Aperture Opening Method' can cross the 'Four Limits' much, much faster than ordinary martial artists!"

These words seemed to be addressed to Qin Feng, but also to encourage himself.

"Alright, I won't take up any more of your time."

Mike laughed heartily and extended his personal terminal to Qin Feng. "If there are any suitable missions later, feel free to contact me anytime. To be honest, it feels great to fight alongside you!"

Qin Feng also removed his helmet, revealing his calm face.

He nodded and took out his own terminal as well.

The two added each other as friends on the subspace network.

"See you."

"See you."

After a brief farewell, Miken turned and hurried toward the Warband's equipment exchange area.

Qin Feng, on the other hand, activated the teleportation and returned to his private dormitory.

……

Qin Feng reappeared in the quiet training room.

He deactivated his power armor, stored it in his storage unit, then sat cross-legged and began to review the battle.

The 5000 contribution points and 30000 warband reputation points lay quietly in the account.

The familiar question resurfaced in his mind: should he immediately utilize these resources for another round of seclusion, or continue doing tasks, accumulate more resources, and then embark on a longer and deeper seclusion all at once?
If I choose to go into seclusion now, I might be able to merge one or two more acupoints and further increase my vitality index.

Having just experienced a life-or-death battle, he deeply realized that in high-level combat, the advantage brought by simply increasing the vitality index by a few dozen points is far less important than a key piece of equipment.

"Forget it, let's buy some equipment first."

Qin Feng made a decision quickly.

If it weren't for the protection of the "General's Medal," he and Miken would certainly be dead today.

This feeling of completely entrusting his life to an external object made him very uncomfortable.

While the "General's Medal" is powerful, it is ultimately a last resort and should not be relied upon as a regular means.

He must have his own reliable mental protective equipment.

Qin Feng opened the Imperial Trading Post and entered the keyword "mental protection device" into the search bar.

In an instant, a dazzling array of goods was displayed in front of him.

Qin Feng's gaze swept over the various devices with their diverse shapes and functions, and finally, Hammer selected the best-rated standard equipment.

[Model: Imperial Military Type II - Mental Barrier Module]

[Type: Embedded Protective Device]

[Function: Seamlessly connects to the energy core of most Imperial standard power armors; upon activation, it generates a basic mental energy protective barrier.]

[Protection Strength: Effectively withstands a standard mental attack of strength 10.0 for one minute. Overall effectiveness is approximately 50% of the base protection provided by the "Dawn General" medal.]

[Value: 4000 contribution points]

Looking at the exorbitant price, even Qin Feng, with his calm and collected nature, couldn't help but be slightly surprised.

A device that only achieves half the effect of a "General's Medal" is priced at 4000 contribution points!
"I never imagined that the 'Mingxing General' medal would have such high value."

He secretly thought.

Previously, he only knew that this medal represented honor and the empire's recognition, but he never imagined that it would have such incredible value in actual combat, especially when fighting against mental attacks.

However, as surprised as I am, I can't skimp on the money that needs to be spent.

"Buy."

Qin Feng confirmed the order without hesitation.

The contribution points of 5000 were instantly reduced to only 1000.

Almost instantly after he completed the purchase, a palm-sized, silver metal module filled with intricate runes appeared in his subspace storage unit.

He immediately summoned the "Minglong Type I" power armor again and, following the instructions, precisely embedded the "mental barrier module" into a reserved slot next to the energy core on the back of the power armor.

"Om-"

With a soft hum of energy, the runes on the module lit up one by one, perfectly linking with the power armor's energy system.

After doing all this, Qin Feng felt much more at ease.

Qin Feng sat cross-legged, his mind completely calmed, eliminating all external distractions.

He began to make the most detailed and rational plan for his future spiritual practice.

All planning must be based on accurate data.

The only reference point was that previous four-month retreat.

"In four months, the three major acupoints were successfully combined into one through two mergers."

"For this, I consumed top-tier cultivation resources worth nearly 30,000 warband reputation points."

His thoughts were racing, like the most sophisticated computer.

"The 'Great Sun Star Chart' within my body is composed of 360 acupoints. After completing the first acupoint merging, there are still 358 independent acupoints left, which need to be merged one by one to eventually condense into the legendary unique 'Primordial Acupoint'."

"These 360 ​​acupoints require a total of 359 fusions."

A clear, yet incredibly massive, amount of work came to mind.

Next comes the most crucial step: estimating resource consumption.

"Taking the first Qi Integration as a standard, two Qi Integrations require nearly 30,000 reputation points. Therefore, the total amount of resources I need is..."

Qin Feng silently recited the astronomical figure in his mind.

"In total, that's 5.37 million Warband reputation points."

This figure is basically consistent with his previous rough estimate of "around 5.5 million".

This is a number that would make any level 5 martial artist feel despair.

Qin Feng couldn't help but start making a horizontal comparison.

A level-five genius who has cultivated the "Supreme Awakening Method" and persists in carrying out missions and participating in various competitions, would probably need to spend hundreds of years to earn this huge sum of money.

And this is only the time required to accumulate resources.

Adding to the considerable time required for cultivation itself, all things considered, it perfectly matches the average time circulating within Canaan Star Martial Arts University—that an ordinary genius needs about two hundred years to complete the "Connecting Apertures" stage.

"But I don't have two hundred years."

Qin Feng's eyes became incredibly sharp.

The Warband Ranking Tournament, this once-in-a-century golden age of triple reputation rewards, will only last for thirty years!
His enemy, Shi Dang, would certainly not give him sixty or even one or two hundred years to peacefully retreat and cultivate in seclusion.

"I must make the most of this opportunity within thirty years to earn all the resources I need, and even more!"

A brand new, and more reasonable plan gradually took shape in his mind.

He intends to divide his spiritual practice into several distinct stages, which he will alternate between.

"First of all, we can't just shut ourselves away. Improving our strength is the only way to complete missions more efficiently. And real combat is also the best way to hone our fighting skills and improve our combat wisdom."

"Therefore, the initial stage of the plan should combine 'seclusion' with 'real combat'."

His thinking became clearer and clearer.

"I use a short cycle of one month or several months. Within this cycle, I focus on completing tasks, using the contribution points I earn to upgrade my equipment, and using real combat to familiarize myself with new killing methods, honing my combat power to its current limit."

"After accumulating enough reputation points for a short-term retreat, immediately stop doing missions, enter the cultivation room, convert all resources into your own cultivation, and complete several 'merging of acupoints'."

"After emerging from seclusion, my vitality index will increase, and I will become stronger. At that time, I will be able to challenge more difficult tasks, and my efficiency in earning resources will also increase accordingly."

"In the later stages, we'll go on a mission frenzy to accumulate enough resources for promotion in one go."

"Right, that is it."

Qin Feng slowly opened his eyes, his gaze now completely free of any confusion.

First, combine seclusion with actual combat, then engage in intense combat, and while the 30-year-long Warband Ranking Tournament is still ongoing, frantically accumulate reputation points.

(End of this chapter)