(Releasing after midnight! Burst chapter! Urgently seeking subscriptions and guaranteed monthly tickets!) Feng Zikang smiled faintly, suddenly sat cross-legged, circulated the qi within his body, and after only a moment, he exhaled sharply and let out a long cry toward the heavens. His voice was full of vigor, the inner qi vortexes cycling within him, signaling he had reached yet another new realm!

"After this battle, Junior Brother actually broke through yet another level, rising to the sixth layer of Qi Induction?"

Huo Zhongguang was dumbfounded. His junior brother's hidden potential was already dazzling to him, and he never expected that after this fight, he would seize the chance to break through to the sixth layer of Qi Induction, just one step away from reaching the late stage of Qi Induction.

It had only been a little over a year since he began cultivating intelligently.

Recalling the idiot who knew nothing more than a year ago, often bullied within the sect, Huo Zhongguang shook his head, finding it utterly unbelievable.

He reflected that after cultivating diligently for over forty years, he had only reached the eighth layer of Qi Induction. It was only by relying on the Demonic Path Revolving Devouring Technique transmitted by this junior brother that he barely managed to establish a Foundation. He had secretly felt pleased, believing himself to be at the pinnacle among the third-generation disciples, but when compared, he was overshadowed completely.

Feng Zikang's qi vortex along the Spleen Meridian of the Foot Jueyin slowly took shape. Now, the four major vortexes—the Dantian, the Sea of Qi, the four limbs, and the six core points—cycled endlessly, completing the grand inner qi circulation, marking the peak of the middle stage of Qi Induction!

"The path of the soldier truly prioritizes combat..."

Feng Zikang nodded and smiled. Since the qi entered his body, he had experienced dozens of battles, large and small. However, save for the fight against the Southern Barbarian Wuduthiya, which could be called an even match, all others had either been meticulously planned or involved vastly superior strength, resulting in overwhelming victories. Thus, he had missed out on much of the vital realization found between life and death.

Today's battle against the mechanical beast Long Que, though brief, was fraught with ups and downs, presenting extreme danger and the very threat of death. Based on this single fight, enlightenment dawned, and his cultivation rose by one level.

It seemed that in the future, he would need to challenge his limits more often and not allow himself to relax too much, lest the speed of his strength enhancement slow down considerably. Feng Zikang made up his mind, glancing towards the continuous expanse of the Mangcang Mountains with a faint, cold smile.

"I hear General Lu fought over eight thousand battles without a single defeat, which is how he became the foremost under heaven. Looking at Junior Brother's talent, perhaps you too will become the foremost under heaven someday..."

Huo Zhongguang naturally took the opportunity to flatter shamelessly. He had even surrendered his Primordial Spirit Core; Feng Zikang was his master. He was already skilled at obsequiousness, and now compliments poured out of him like a tidal wave.

Feng Zikang smiled without speaking. Of course, he knew it was pure exaggeration. Based on raw talent, the third-generation disciples were full of hidden masters, and he might not even rank among the top. Setting aside Luo Lianxin, who reached the pinnacle of Great Perfection in Qi Induction at the tender age of fifteen and cultivated the Art of the Military Strategist to the thirtieth layer before beginning Foundation Establishment cultivation a year ago, even this unconscious Mo Fenghuang beside him, barely a teenager, had already reached the eighth layer of Qi Induction and possessed extraordinary potential, likely to establish her Foundation soon.

The aptitude of this body was merely upper-middle tier; Feng Zikang was fully aware of this fact.

However, he possessed the Formless Heavenly Demon Heart Sutra and encountered serendipitous encounters. Although his cultivation had not skyrocketed rapidly, his foundation was solid and his strength formidable. Not only could he contend head-on with cultivators in the early Foundation Establishment stage right now, but his cultivation speed would also greatly accelerate. His future achievements were indeed limitless.

The Star River Shuttle, the Heaven Swallowing Sword, the God-Demon Array, coupled with the mechanical beast Long Que acquired today—these external possessions were all extraordinary. Once fate brought the opportunity to perfect himself, the day for him to shine brilliantly was sure to come.

A surge of heroic spirit filled his heart, and as he gazed towards the Thirty-Six Linked Rings of the Mangcang Mountains, his intent stirred further.

"Junior Brother!"

Huo Zhongguang suddenly noticed Mo Fenghuang lying nearby stir, as if about to wake up, and hastily reminded him.

Feng Zikang nodded, uttered the command "Collect," and the four God-Demons, along with Huo Zhongguang, instantly retracted and were drawn into Feng Zikang's Sea of Consciousness.

In his haste, Huo Zhongguang remembered something important. "Junior Brother, when dealing with the mechanical beast, do not mention it to this woman. This item is extremely significant to the Mo Clan. If a few old monsters come looking for it, I fear..."

Feng Zikang waved his hand: "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing!"

He wasn't a fool; naturally, he wouldn't tell the Mo Clan that he had taken such a precious mechanical beast. If the Mo Clan elders came to demand it back, should he give it or not? After all, the cultivation world was full of experts, and possessing something valuable when one was weak—the crime of having riches—was something to avoid. It was better to keep things quiet and accumulate wealth discreetly.

Just as the four God-Demons were reabsorbed, Mo Fenghuang opened her eyes and slowly awoke.

"A'Li! Where is A'Li?"

She lay amidst the bloody mire of the giant ape, yet showed no fear. The first person she thought of was her ill-fated fiancé.

Feng Zikang sighed, his expression growing heavy.

The person was gone.

After the earth-shattering self-detonation of the mechanical beast's core, the Mo Clan's protective formation vanished into nothingness, and Wolf Fang Peak was razed to the ground. Mo Li, naturally, was utterly annihilated, with not even a shard of bone or remnant to be found.

"Did he... did he go to... Mo Xuan... Mo Xuan..."

The last sight Mo Fenghuang had before losing consciousness was Mo Li flinging aside the guiding light of the Mo Xuan Realm, desperately suppressing the rampaging mechanical beast. She knew he likely hadn't survived, but clinging to a sliver of hope, she could not bring herself to ask. Tears streamed down her face, pitiful and heart-wrenching.

If Mo Li could have been pulled into the Mo Xuan Realm, that would have been the best possible outcome she could have hoped for. At least she would know where he went, giving her an anchor for her longing in the lonely hours of midnight dreams.

Feng Zikang shook his head ruthlessly and pointed in the direction behind her.

Mo Fenghuang turned to look and her face instantly turned ashen white. Wolf Fang Peak was gone, and there was nowhere left to search for the cave within the mountain wall.

"The mechanical beast self-destructed... Brother Mo also..."

"A'Li!"

Mo Fenghuang slowly sagged, sinking to the ground, weeping uncontrollably.

Feng Zikang stood leaning on his sword, gazing into the distance, offering no words of comfort.

Of course, he knew absolutely no way to console anyone.

The Way of the Soldier demanded decisiveness in slaughter; the Way of the Heavenly Demon centered only on the self. He might have a decent chance of pushing Mo Fenghuang from grief to utter despair and soul-crushing death, but asking him to urge her toward calm was asking the impossible.

The mountain wind was biting, and the thick stench of blood still lingered. Mo Fenghuang sobbed, lost and alone. Her exquisite features looked pale and helpless, her eyes red from crying. In this moment, she was not the elite successor of the Mo Clan, but merely a pitiful woman who had lost the one she loved.

Feng Zikang’s face remained impassive, but within his eyes flickered a murderous intent bordering on frenzy.

He waited until Mo Fenghuang's crying finally subsided after a long time before he finally spoke.

"Senior Sister Mo, you must not be too sad. Wait a moment, and I will slaughter every last demon in the Thirty-Six Linked Rings of the Mangcang Mountains to avenge Brother Mo!"

As he spoke these words, his tone was flat, as if discussing some trivial chore.

Slaughtering them... every single one!