Suddenly, he stood up and walked towards Lingfeng. The two had been nearly three meters apart, but he closed that distance in a single stride, stopping right before her.

“You…” Seeing Chen Feng approach, Lingfeng’s breath hitched. A flush rose on her pale cheeks, even the tips of her ears turning crimson. It had been easy enough to ignore such matters while simply being with Chen Feng, but in this sudden proximity, she felt utterly lost.

Chen Feng took a deep breath to calm his rising tension and sat down right beside Lingfeng, reaching out to grasp her hands. He said, with deep seriousness, “Feng, I want to be with you!”

After pondering for a long time, Chen Feng finally made up his mind. To encounter a girl like Lingfeng was fate itself; to hesitate now, to dare not speak, would surely wound this young maiden’s heart. He operated on a principle: if one is going to do something, one does not hesitate. This was Chen Feng’s nature. Without flowery language or elaborate dressing, his words came straight out.

Although Lingfeng knew Chen Feng was capable of speaking, the sheer directness of his declaration left her momentarily speechless. In her nervousness, she lowered her head, the line of her neck glowing deep red. Looking at her pale skin now suffused with color, breathing in the faint, sweet fragrance she emitted, Chen Feng felt a dizzying sense, as if he were caught in a dream. They sat there in stunned silence, not moving further into intimacy, yet two hearts were bound together deeply.

…………………………………………………………………………

“I have a few combat skills here that should suit you perfectly!”

Now that their relationship was clear, there was no need for ambiguity. Chen Feng generously imparted the Quan Huang techniques he knew, holding nothing back. As a core member of the Feng Clan, Lingfeng already possessed knowledge of numerous advanced combat skills. However, the Quan Huang techniques had a unique quality, often surpassing even similarly ranked skills. If she mastered them, Lingfeng’s strength, given her current state, could definitely ascend to another tier. While she might not overcome a Saint Domain expert, she would certainly have no equal below that realm. He immediately transferred the moves of Mai Shiranui, King, and Kriz to her in one go. Especially Kriz’s moves; techniques like Dark Orochi and The Forbidden Fruit that Sweeps the Earth were on the same tier as Orochi, possessing unparalleled might. Chen Feng had initially assumed that even knowing the execution methods, she might struggle to perform them. To his surprise, Lingfeng not only executed them smoothly but performed them perfectly on the first attempt. After a moment’s thought, Chen Feng realized this was likely connected to the fact that his blood was fused within her body. Although the reason for their blood merging remained unknown, the benefits of the fusion were now undeniably clear.

Chen Feng did not learn her Nine Heavens Phoenix Dance technique, but instead thoroughly studied her Nirvana Rebirth cultivation method. Nirvana Rebirth was a specialized technique of the Fire Phoenix Clan, emphasizing rebirth through flames. After studying it for a long time, Chen Feng made the sad discovery: he simply couldn't learn it...

Even though he couldn't learn it, Lingfeng’s insight into cultivation was vastly superior to his own. Their subsequent discussions instantly illuminated many areas that had previously confused him, clearing the obstacles in his training, and with her help, he broke through to the realm of a Three-Star Dou Zun. With a deeper understanding of cultivation, Chen Feng’s mind grew active. The True Eight Maidens technique, which he had labored over for so long, now flowed through his mind like water, exceptionally clear. True Eight Maidens was a technique unique to the Storm element, utilizing hurricane-like speed that made approach feel like teleportation, instantly appearing before the opponent. Astonishingly, this move culminated in a powerful suction force capable of instantly draining an opponent’s blood—a technique far more savage than Iori Yagami’s Eight Maidens. Categorically, it was a Heaven-Rank Beginner combat skill. He had been contemplating this move since seeking revenge at Dragon Map Mountain, and now, finally, he achieved complete comprehension. After understanding it, Chen Feng began comparing it to the Black Particle technique. Although Black Particle was a Heaven-Rank Intermediate skill, his current execution of it differed significantly from the original, and its power was far weaker. In a true engagement, its effectiveness might fall short of the newly grasped True Eight Maidens!

With his cultivation progressing and a powerful technique mastered, Chen Feng felt a surge of excitement and plunged into frenzied practice. Lingfeng, having just learned so many advanced combat skills, also needed constant consolidation. While others fought fiercely here to earn a single emblem, these two began their dedicated cultivation...

Two days later, Chen Feng and Lingfeng simultaneously emerged from the “Divine Palace of Light” and stepped into the forest. After two days of focused training, both had advanced their cultivation further. Even facing a solitary Nine-Star Dou Zun, their coordination allowed them to instantly kill such an opponent. Consequently, they needed only half a day to gather twenty emblems, and with a flash of light, they returned from this death race arena to the grand hall. The hall was empty; it seemed no one else had earned the emblems needed for teleportation yet. They waited less than ten minutes before the Elder and another person walked in. “It is indeed them!” they said, as if expecting this outcome, and stepped forward. “Truly worthy of Saint Domain experts; gathering the emblems in just two and a half days!” the Elder and the middle-aged man sighed internally, rushing forward. If they knew that Chen Feng and Lingfeng had spent most of that time cultivating, only using half a day to snatch emblems, their shock would have been even greater. The two approached with smiles. “Congratulations to you both for passing!” With a wave, a young girl appeared from behind them, carrying a tray with two circular emblems resting upon it. The Elder took the emblems and handed them over. “These are your Ling Shi emblems!” “But there is still one—” Chen Feng started. The Ling Shi assessment comprised four trials, with a live combat trial remaining as the last. The Elder stated, “The fourth trial is waived… It would be truly surprising if a Saint Domain expert failed the Ling Shi assessment!” Clearly, they had mistakenly assumed the pair were Saint Domain experts. Chen Feng’s ability to teleport without deploying his domain might have contributed to this misunderstanding. Though the Elder spoke this way, he privately fretted: this youth struck with too little restraint, even collapsing the perfectly fine testing passage. If he struck too hard and injured an examiner, that would be troublesome... Regardless, the pair would certainly pass; it was better to grant them this favor.

Chen Feng was unaware that his slight overexertion had brought an unexpected benefit. Accepting the Ling Shi emblems, he exchanged a glance with Lingfeng, feeling a thrill of joy. With this, traveling the continent would become far more convenient. “From Grade One to Grade Eight, Ling Shi emblems are indistinguishable by appearance; their color, shape, and material are completely identical. Only the Nine-Grade Ling Shi emblem is golden-yellow,” the Elder explained. “Please proceed with the blood-drop authentication.” “Blood-drop authentication is still required?” Chen Feng blinked. Authentication via blood-drop was usually reserved for high-level treasures; the fact that an emblem required it astonished him. “Oh, for every Ling Shi, we must create a soul profile. The purpose of the blood drop is merely to help us better understand the status of each Ling Shi. Otherwise, after a major mission, we wouldn't even know how many Ling Shi perished!” the Elder clarified. In a large-scale mission involving thousands of Ling Shi, tracking the deaths of a few was difficult. This procedure simplified matters considerably. Chen Feng bit his finger and dropped a bead of blood onto the emblem. A faint white light emanated from the emblem, and the blood vanished. “It seems this emblem contains a miniature magic array activated by blood. If the owner dies, their aura dissipates, and the emblem transmits the information back, causing the soul profile to shatter,” Chen Feng understood instantly with a sweep of his spiritual energy. After authentication, they completed the paperwork at the district pavilion, finalizing the procedure. The Elder continued, “Advancing the Ling Shi rank is actually quite simple. Accept missions posted at the various district pavilions. Contribution points are calculated based on the size of the task. Once 5,000 contribution points are reached, you can successfully rank up!” “Some tasks are extremely difficult, so they offer large contribution points. Conversely, easy tasks yield very few points, requiring multiple missions to advance. A large task, like last year’s Purple Qiong Vine Fruit mission, grants 1,500 contribution points upon completion! That amount is enough to upgrade a Grade One Ling Shi to Grade Four, though it seems no one has managed to complete that task yet,” the Elder sighed. “What kind of mission has been posted for a year without completion?” Chen Feng couldn't help but be curious. The Elder chuckled, “It requires venturing deep into the Savage Lands to find something called the Purple Qiong Vine Fruit!” “Purple Qiong Vine Fruit?” For a task granting such high rewards, this item must have extraordinary uses. “The Purple Qiong Vine Fruit is the fruit borne by the Purple Root Grass, a supreme treasure forged by heaven and earth. It nourishes one’s spiritual power, allowing it to better commune with the might of heaven and earth. If swallowed by a Nine-Star Dou Zun, it can ensure their smooth breakthrough to the Saint Domain!” “A Dou Zun advancing to the Saint Domain?” Chen Feng and Lingfeng exchanged glances, shock registering on both their faces. The difficulty of a Dou Zun advancing to the Saint Domain was obvious; among a hundred Nine-Star Dou Zuns, two or three succeeding was considered good. How could such a heaven-defying plant exist? If it truly existed, the major powers would surely fight over it relentlessly, as possessing it meant the potential for numerous Saint Domain experts! Furthermore, why would anyone who obtained such a treasure turn it over instead of consuming it themselves? The Elder seemed to sense Chen Feng’s doubts and explained, “This thing only grows in the Myriad Beast Cave of the Savage Lands, which is filled entirely with high-level magic beasts and fighting beasts. Many of these beasts, after consuming these herbs, possess Saint Domain strength, though they cannot take human form and possess low intelligence. They guard the Purple Root Grass and the Purple Qiong Vine Fruit generation after generation. Thus, even Saint Domain experts face a deathly peril entering there.” “Because the task is too difficult, the contribution points are enormous, as are the rewards. Anyone who successfully obtains one Purple Qiong Vine Fruit and hands it over to the district pavilion immediately receives a reward of 100,000 High-Grade Spirit Stones, a Heaven-Rank Beginner combat skill, or a Taboo Magic spell.” Chen Feng now understood: Dou Zuns simply couldn’t get in, so they couldn’t obtain it. Those who could acquire it were Saint Domain experts, and Saint Domain experts prioritized combat skills or taboos! One hundred thousand High-Grade Spirit Stones might not be a huge sum, but the preciousness of a Heaven-Rank Beginner combat skill or a Taboo Magic spell was absolutely priceless. Chen Feng had been in this world for some time and knew how rare combat skills were; a Heaven-Rank skill could drive a group of Dou Zuns to madness. If one were to offer a Heaven-Rank combat skill to recruit Dou Zuns, one could likely assemble thousands of experts in no time—provided the Three Great Factions did not interfere. The Elder seemed to read Chen Feng’s thoughts: “Although the reward is high, the death rate is excessive. Since the mission was posted last year, over ten Saint Domain experts have already perished!” “Over ten Saint Domain experts?” Chen Feng and Lingfeng both paused. The Elder nodded, sighing, “That place is too dangerous. No one has dared to accept that mission in the past six months. If no one accepts it soon, the mission will likely disappear automatically.” At this moment, Chen Feng fell into deep thought. If the Purple Qiong Vine Fruit truly possessed the described efficacy, obtaining it would allow him to successfully advance to the Saint Domain! Saint Domain Expert—the thought of those four words stirred his mind uncontrollably. Possessing the “Divine Palace of Light,” he could guarantee his safety even if besieged by Saint Domain experts, meaning he did not fear those Saint Domain magic or fighting beasts. As long as he found a location and deployed the “Divine Palace of Light,” he could completely ignore their attacks. This meant that if he could find the place, he could definitely obtain this item. A gamble! With this thought, Chen Feng made his decision. He raised his head and announced, “Where can this mission be collected? We accept it!” “You accept it?” The Elder was startled by Chen Feng’s words. “You must think carefully; this mission is no jest, and you could easily lose your life!” Seeing Chen Feng’s determined gaze, utterly unmoved, the Elder sighed. “You can receive this mission right here, but you must be careful!” Chen Feng nodded, following him to the mission posting area. The Elder retrieved a detailed map from a room, along with a clear image depicting a strangely beautiful purple plant bearing a purple fruit the size of an apple. “This map outlines the route to the Myriad Beast Cave, and the other is the appearance of the Purple Root Grass. The item above is the Purple Qiong Vine Fruit!” Chen Feng took both items and filled in the name “Great Snake” behind the mission request slot. The moment he finished writing his name, a loud voice echoed through the magic communication system spanning the entire tower: “Highest S-Rank Bounty Mission, unaccepted for 1,711 days—the Purple Qiong Vine Fruit Mission—has been accepted! Claimant: Grade One Ling Shi, Age 17, Great Snake!”