Inside the Iron Fist Tavern, the conversation about the Enlightenment Stele came to a close.

The four of them had finished their drinks.

"There’s still a month before we officially depart for the Starry Sky Cup."

Dragon Jade’s fingers tapped gently on the table as he spoke first. "So, what are everyone’s plans for this last month?"

"What else could we do?"

Nissan grinned, flashing a set of white teeth, but his eyes were deadly serious. "We’re going to train like our lives depend on it, of course! I’ve only just reached initial mastery with my Fourth-level Killing Technique, and I’m still clumsy with the killing move I’ve grasped, [Mountain Splitting]. I have to spend this month polishing it until it’s as natural as breathing!"

Ning Jing, a man of few words, nodded in agreement. "Same. Practice the killing moves."

The three of them were in a similar situation. They had all recently managed to advance their respective Fourth-level Killing Techniques to the stage of initial mastery, grasping their first true fourth-level killing move.

But there was a long way to go between grasping a killing move and being able to use it with proficiency.

This final month was the crucial period for them to turn theory into practical combat ability.

As one, the three of them turned their gazes to Qin Feng.

Qin Feng’s cultivation realm was far beyond theirs, so his plans would naturally be different.

"Me?"

Qin Feng thought for a moment before laying out his plan. "I’m going to spend more time practicing the Lower Three Levels Killing Techniques that I’ve already brought to the Control Realm. I’m going to try integrating the ’Mental Power-Spiritual Energy fusion module’ from my Fourth-level Killing Technique into their killing moves."

At his words, the pupils of Dragon Jade and the other two constricted slightly.

’This is the exact path of cultivation one takes after reaching the Perfection Realm!’

’To make high-level energy application models backward-compatible, allowing lower-rank killing moves to unleash terrifying power far beyond their original grade!’

’He’s already preparing for a higher tier of combat.’

"Excellent! As expected of you!"

Nissan slapped his thigh, his eyes full of admiration. "Alright, then let’s all do our best! See you in a month!"

"Alright."

After their simple agreement, the four wasted no more time. They each rose, said their farewells, and vanished in four streaks of light, heading in different directions.

...

Qin Feng didn’t rent another expensive Cultivation Quiet Chamber.

The Void Stone Cultivation Quiet Chamber he had rented to break through to the sixth rank had been leased for a full year.

But all told, he had spent less than two months in it. The rest of the time, he had been out on missions and trials.

The thought of all those wasted Contribution Points—an amount that would take an ordinary student decades to earn—made him wince, even with his current wealth.

He considered it a huge loss and made a resolution: unless he was entering a deep, secluded cultivation session that required absolute isolation without the slightest disturbance, he would never again rent that money-devouring beast of a Void Stone chamber.

Walking through familiar streets, Qin Feng eventually returned to his student dormitory, which he hadn’t visited in a long time.

This was the room he’d been assigned when he first enrolled. While far less luxurious than a Cultivation Quiet Chamber, it was quiet, peaceful, and full of memories.

The room was spotless; clearly, the smart-butler had been looking after it diligently.

Qin Feng leaned his [Raging Tide] Long Spear against the wall and sat in the chair at his desk. A long-absent feeling of relaxation finally soothed his perpetually tense nerves for a moment.

Instead of immediately starting his cultivation, he opened his personal terminal and skillfully made an encrypted call.

The light screen flickered, and soon, a familiar and slightly aged face appeared on it.

It was his father, Qin Dahai.

"Ah Feng?"

Seeing Qin Feng, an irrepressible look of delighted pride spread across Qin Dahai’s face.

"Dad, how’s your health?"

Qin Feng’s heart clenched as he looked at his father, noticing the new strands of white in his hair and the deeper wrinkles around his eyes.

"Great! I’m doing great!"

Qin Dahai’s voice was loud and resonant. "Your uncle’s made something of himself, too. He’s a Level 3 Power Armor Designer now, so busy he’s always on the go.

And your two cousins are good, sensible kids. They’re grateful and come to visit me often."

His father chattered on about how things were at home, and Qin Feng listened quietly, nodding along from time to time.

"Oh, by the way, Dad, I have some Contribution Points left. I’ll buy some Spiritual Energy Potions and have them sent to you..."

"Don’t!"

Qin Dahai cut him off without a moment’s hesitation.

A wry smile appeared on Qin Dahai’s face, and he sighed. "Xiaofeng, I know you mean well, but I’m stuck at a bottleneck. The best Potions in the world won’t help."

"My life force index hasn’t budged in a long time. The problem is my Mental Power."

Qin Dahai explained, "After fusing my acupoints, I have to use my Mental Power to agitate the Primordial Acupoints to trigger a flush of Spiritual Energy if I want to keep increasing my life force. But my Mental Power still hasn’t reached the ten-point threshold, so I can’t agitate them at all.

"And as you know, improving Mental Power is a long, slow grind. There are no shortcuts or external aids."

"Those so-called Potions on the market that claim to increase Mental Power... at best, they make you feel like you’ve had the best sleep of your life, leaving you mentally refreshed.

Their fundamental effect on Mental Power strength is negligible."

There was a hint of frustration in Qin Dahai’s eyes, but it was overshadowed by a sense of calm resignation.

"So, whether I can break through these shackles in my lifetime and become a true sixth-rank Sky Soaring Martial Artist... well, that’s purely up to fate.