Chapter 529: The Malevolent Qi Vortex

After failing to integrate the third Blood-Net Crystal, Luo Feng showed no sign of discouragement. Instead, he continued his secluded cultivation.

Although the harsh environment of the Ancient God Ruin was filled with malevolent Qi, meant to aid his integration of the Blood-Net Crystal, Luo Feng focused most of his attention on deciphering the “Rain Painting” from the Nine Heavens’ Chaos Stele. He had already comprehended the first nine profound mysteries within the Chaos City, but the next twenty-seven were far more profound.

He had spent more than thirty-two years on the Blood-Luo Continent. Despite making significant strides, the number of fundamental mysteries he had truly mastered was still exceedingly few.

“The Blood-Net Crystal is merely an aid,” Luo Feng mused.

“Mental state is intangible and invisible. The Origin Laws are what truly matter.”

“In the past thirty years, my Jingu Beast clone, using the three ancient images, has made greater progress in the ‘Golden Origin Law’ than my Mosha Clan clone. I shall now focus my main body entirely on studying the ‘Rain Painting’ as well,” Luo Feng decided, crossing his legs on a stone bed.

Time and Space were the most difficult.

Luo Feng’s main body wielded the ‘Yanshen Weapon,’ a mental energy weapon combining Gold and Spatial elements. His progress in the ‘Gold’ aspect had been too rapid, causing his understanding of ‘Space’ to lag. Thus, both his main body and Mosha Clan clone had to study the Spatial Origin Laws together.

…

The universe stretched infinitely, and in its boundless expanse, mere decades were but a fleeting moment.

Some ancient and powerful beings might blink, and a million or even a hundred million years could pass.

…

Before long, Luo Feng had spent over eighty years within the Blood-Net World.

In the Virtual Universe, on Thunder Island,

A slender woman clad in emerald battle armor stood on a massive reef at the edge of Thunder Island, spanning over ten miles in diameter. Before her, countless electric serpents twisted and coiled in the air. Suddenly, a figure shot rapidly from the distance and landed on the giant reef—none other than Zhenyan King, the ape-like warrior in golden battle armor.

“Lonyu, you summoned me?” Zhenyan King smiled.

The woman in emerald armor turned to face him—Lonyu King.

“Yes,” she nodded.

“What is it?” Zhenyan asked curiously.

“Regarding your disciple, Luo Feng,” Lonyu King’s clear voice rang out.

“Oh?” Zhenyan was surprised. “Why are you suddenly interested in my disciple? He’s still a Cosmic-level warrior, hasn’t truly ventured into the outside world yet. You should already know his current state.”

Lonyu shook her head. “I understand him to an extent, yet at the same time, I don’t understand him at all.”

“Then speak plainly,” Zhenyan urged.

“To be honest,” Lonyu smiled, “Luo Feng’s progress has drawn the attention of the management of the Virtual Universe Company. Especially after leaving the Chaos City, he managed to conquer nine islands in the Mirage Sea, only failing at the tenth. His willpower is astonishing.”

“Haha…” Zhenyan chuckled proudly. “Though my disciple is only Cosmic-level and hasn’t undergone true immortal transformation, in terms of sheer willpower, even many immortals who have achieved fundamental transformation might not match him.”

“I understand that, which is why he gained attention from above,” Lonyu said seriously. “Also, nearly eighty years ago, Luo Feng conquered the sixth level of the Heavenpass Bridge, matching Bolan’s progress…”

“Bolan was only asking for trouble,” Zhenyan remarked.

“Regardless, Luo Feng’s growth rate is incredible,” Lonyu continued solemnly. “Moreover, this Genius Battle was presided over by the Nine-Sword Sovereign, so once Luo Feng becomes an immortal, he will naturally serve under the Sovereign, who already holds him in high regard… However, after accepting the Blood-Net World mission, he hasn’t returned for nearly eighty years. He remains in the Blood-Net World!”

Zhenyan nodded slightly.

“Eighty years!”

“He hasn’t challenged the Heavenpass Bridge again, nor the Mirage Sea!” Lonyu frowned. “Except for occasional contact with you, he only attends lectures by the immortals. In these eighty years, other geniuses have made considerable progress or completed many training missions—some even ten. Yet Luo Feng… remains in the Blood-Net World. According to intelligence, his Mech Race spaceship has remained in space, positioned directly above the Ancient God Ruin of the Blood-Net World.”

“You know how dangerous the Ancient God Ruin is.”

Lonyu frowned. “That place is the most perilous in all of Blood-Net Continent. How many great existences of our Virtual Universe Company perished there? Especially the ‘malevolent Qi’ of the Ancient God Ruin—it is a unique type of malevolent Qi in the entire universe… If Luo Feng isn’t careful and his will is overwhelmed by the killing intent in an area of extreme Qi concentration, he will fall into madness, effectively dying.”

“The Sovereign’s attention toward him even surpasses that toward Bolan!”

“And for these eighty years, he has only been in contact with you.”

“Therefore, I hope you, Zhenyan, will inform me of his situation in the Blood-Net World,” Lonyu said gravely. “Zhenyan, to speak plainly, one should take risks, but not reckless ones. You cannot gamble with your disciple’s life—he is still just a young Cosmic-level warrior.”

“He has done nothing but study the Origin Laws for these eighty years,” Zhenyan smiled.

“How well has he been progressing?” Lonyu pressed urgently.

Since Luo Feng hadn’t challenged the Heavenpass Bridge, no one knew his progress.

“Fairly well,” Zhenyan replied casually. “He has comprehended thirty-five out of the first thirty-six profound mysteries.” Though his tone was indifferent, his expression betrayed pride—he had every reason to be proud.

“Thirty-five profound mysteries?!” Lonyu was astonished.

The first nine, followed by twenty-seven, and then seventy-two more.

Luo Feng had already grasped thirty-five of them…

“How could he progress so fast?” Lonyu stared at Zhenyan. “It’s impossible. He only grasped the first nine during his thirty years in the Chaos City! His cultivation speed outside should be ten times slower than in the Chaos City, yet now he seems to grasp one profound mystery every three years on average—and these are deeper than the first nine!”

“First, he has my guidance.”

“Second, he has the ‘Essays on Time and Space’ to aid his cultivation.”

“Third, he has integrated the Blood-Net Crystals, enhancing his comprehension speed,” Zhenyan smiled at Lonyu. “Moreover, he is truly a genius. His comprehension ability becomes more extraordinary as his power increases.”

…

On the Blood-Net Continent, within the Ancient God Ruin, in a massive crater,

Inside the crater palace,

Luo Feng, clad in bronze battle armor, opened his eyes after meditating on the stone bed. Eighty years had passed since he arrived on the Blood-Net Continent. The malevolent Qi had gradually weakened in its physical transformation effect over time, yet it still provided some improvement, though he remained just short of integrating the third Blood-Net Crystal.

“Yet in these eighty years, my progress in the Spatial Laws has been tremendous,” Luo Feng mused.

He had grasped thirty-five profound mysteries.

He hadn’t even dared to imagine such a feat at first!

Thirty years in the Chaos City equated to a hundred years in the original universe.

In thirty years within the Chaos City, he had grasped only nine profound mysteries.

Yet in just over eighty years in the original universe, he had grasped another twenty-six deeper ones. Such a rate of progress was truly incredible! It was thanks to the “Essays on Time and Space,” guidance from Zhenyan King, and the Jingu Beast clone’s activation of the mysterious power, enhancing cosmic attunement by nearly nine times, aiding in his comprehension of the Spatial Laws.

Indeed.

In the later stages, even the Jingu Beast clone began studying the Spatial Origin Laws.

This was because, while cultivating the ‘Sky-Tearing and Earth-Sundering’ technique and studying the ancient images, in the thirty-ninth year of cultivation, the Jingu Beast clone realized that the beast’s claw strike involved not only the Golden Origin Law but also the Spatial Origin Law.

To develop the ultimate technique, ‘Sky-Tearing Claw,’ the Jingu Beast clone focused primarily on studying the ancient images, treating the ‘Sky-Tearing and Earth-Sundering’ technique as secondary.

Because each of the three ancient images was unfathomably profound.

It was precisely because the claw strike also contained the Spatial Origin Law that the Jingu Beast clone began studying the Spatial Origin Laws!

…

With all three bodies cultivating simultaneously, cross-referencing insights, especially in studying the ancient images, Luo Feng gained tremendous comprehension, propelling him into a fast track of cultivation.

Moreover…

Luo Feng also discovered that the refinement of his mental state, a clarity and purity of mind, allowed him to quickly grasp fleeting insights that flashed through his mind during cultivation. In a way, this could be considered an enhancement of his innate comprehension ability.

“I estimate that in a few more years, I will grasp the thirty-sixth profound mystery,” Luo Feng’s face showed a glimmer of anticipation.

“Sky-Tearing Claw!”

“To be precise, my rapid progress is most closely tied to the ancient images,” Luo Feng mused curiously. “That simple hoof strike was so profound and unfathomable.”

For a human body to study that claw strike was of little use.

Yet with the aid of the ‘Sky-Tearing and Earth-Sundering’ technique, the Jingu Beast clone, while studying that hoof strike and observing the ancient images, felt that the strike contained all phenomena, was infinitely profound—the deeper he studied, the more he realized how shallow his understanding still was.

“What level of power was that beast?” Luo Feng briefly wondered, then shook the thought away and strode toward the cave exit.

…

Following the cave passage, he soon reached the cliff’s edge, gazing into the endless crimson malevolent Qi rolling in the distance.

“Half a year ago, I attempted to enter the malevolent Qi vortex. I stopped at 9.5 times the Qi concentration, less than a hundred meters from the vortex core,” Luo Feng felt anticipation. “I feel I’ve improved since then. I wonder if I can now penetrate to the vortex’s core.”

Swoosh!

Luo Feng dove downward, plunging into the endless abyss of malevolent Qi.

The sinister vortex of malevolent energy… Over the years, during his cultivation breaks, Luo Feng frequently attempted to approach it, though never daring to venture too deep. He understood all too well that reckless audacity could lead to spiritual corruption—a fate far more harrowing than mere death.

Soon, Luo Feng arrived within the massive vortex.

“Rumble~~”

A colossal vortex, resembling flowing blood, continuously rotated, stirring distant malevolent Qi. At its core was like a crimson sun. Luo Feng, clad in bronze armor, stepped forward into the vortex’s depths, steadily approaching the blazing red sun.

“I’m truly curious—what lies at the vortex’s core?” Luo Feng resisted the intensifying killing intent, steadily drawing closer to the radiant red sun.