312: Chapter 311 Half-Step Immortal King! Just One Step Away

In the secret chamber beneath Tiance Mansion, the smoke had not yet dissipated, and lingering arcs of lightning still danced on the walls, emitting "crackle" sounds.

Lin Feng had already changed into a set of snow-white robes. His hair was crystalline, and his entire body radiated a sacred aura that made one want to prostrate in worship. His Physical Body, having been baptized by eighty-one Heavenly Tribulations, was now like the most perfect work of art, with every inch of skin containing terrifying power sufficient to tear apart the Void Realm.

He stood there, and even without releasing any pressure, the surrounding space slightly distorted, unable to bear his existence.

However, Lin Feng was frowning, staring at his Dantian with a constipated expression.

There, what should have been a golden ocean, and what should have condensed into a "Dao Fruit" symbolizing his status as an Immortal King capable of manipulating the rules of the world, was now only a chaotic vortex slowly rotating, like a bottomless pit that could never be filled.

"Strange, too strange."

Lin Feng rubbed his chin, unable to figure it out. "Logically speaking, that wave of operations I just pulled was quite flashy. I swallowed so much Lightning Tribulation liquid, that was a huge boost; then I burned one hundred billion critical hit points, that was pay-to-win. How come I haven't proven my Dao as an Immortal King yet? Why does it feel… stuck?"

Currently, his power absolutely crushed ordinary Immortal Kings. Even those veteran Immortal Kings who had Cultivated for tens of thousands of years, Lin Feng was confident he could take down with a single punch. His Physical Body was even comparable to an Innate Spirit Treasure; if he stood there and let a Golden Immortal hack at him, the blade would roll before his skin even broke.

It could be said that he was the ceiling of the "Half-Step Immortal King" level, or perhaps even the atmosphere.

But the problem lay in that "Half-Step."

That "Dao Fruit," which symbolized "official certification" and the ability to make one's words become Law, just refused to condense.

It was like downloading a movie, the progress bar stuck at 99.9%. No matter how fast your internet speed was, it just wouldn't move, making one want to scratch their heart and liver, wanting to smash the computer.

"System, come out and explain. Are you being stingy and swallowed my experience points? Or did you give me a fake, shoddy product?" Lin Feng tapped the System panel irritably.

[Ding! Host, please behave. This System is honest and fair, a beacon of industry integrity, and never does anything short-changing.]

[Detected Host's current status: Physical Body Sanctified (Achieved), Mana Value (Overflowed by 300%), Divine Soul Strength (Exceeded limit by 500%).]

[Reason for inability to condense Dao Fruit: The Host's ambition is too great, and the stride is too wide, making it easy to overreach.]

"Huh? This is my fault too?" Lin Feng was amused to the point of anger. "Is it wrong for me to want to become stronger?"

[System explanation: Ordinary Cultivators condense a single Law Dao Fruit, such as 'Immortal King of Fire' or 'Immortal King of Sword'. This is like building a one-story house; you can just find some red bricks and cement, and you don't need to dig the foundation too deep.]

[But Host, you forcefully fused three thousand Daos just now, wanting to condense the legendary 'Ten Thousand Dao Immortal King Fruit Position'. This is like wanting to build a skyscraper that reaches the moon! Just having bricks and cement definitely won't work; you lack a foundation, you lack special steel bars, you lack core load-bearing Materials!]

Lin Feng understood.

It turned out that because he was too strong, ordinary "Heavenly Dao rules" simply couldn't support his Dao Fruit. If he forcefully condensed it, it would be like using a paper foundation to support a skyscraper; it would collapse instantly.

"Then what should I do? I can't just keep hovering at this half-step, right? If word gets out, it'll be so embarrassing; don't I need Face? I was already prepared to go out and show off that 'words become Law' power!"

Lin Feng was a perfectionist and also had obsessive-compulsive tendencies. Since he wanted to be an Immortal King, it had to be the Immortal King of all eternity. He looked down on any "ordinary version" or "mass-market version" of an Immortal King.

[Ding! To condense the 'Ten Thousand Dao Immortal King Fruit', you need a special medium to serve as the core of the Dao Fruit to carry the three thousand Laws.]

[Host needs to find — — Dao Fragments!]

[As long as you collect enough Dao Fragments and refine them, you can forge the most perfect Dao Fruit base, thereby breaking through in one fell swoop and achieving the eternal, unparalleled 'Ten Thousand Dao Immortal King'!]

"Dao Fragments? Where can I buy this stuff? Does Wanbao Tower have it? I'll pay double the price! Or is there some kind of 'Dao Fragment Blind Box'?" Lin Feng asked, acting wealthy.

[System disdain: In your dreams. Dao Fragments are the crystallized rules that shattered when the world was first created; each piece contains Supreme Origin power. This stuff is priceless and rare, even in the Upper Realm. However... Host, your luck has arrived, just like someone sending a pillow right when you wanted to sleep.]

[Ding! Main Quest triggered: The Call of the God-Demon Secret Realm!]

[Quest description: Sensing fluctuations in space-time, the 'Ancient God-Demon Secret Realm', which opens once every ten thousand years at the edge of the Immortal Realm, is about to open. This Secret Realm is the site of the ancient God-Demon war; the Laws inside are chaotic and space is shattered, but because of this, it has preserved a large number of 'Dao Fragments' and Supreme Opportunities.]

[Quest objective: Enter the Secret Realm, collect Dao Fragments, and condense the Ten Thousand Dao Immortal King Fruit!]

[Quest reward: Unlock 'Immortal King-level' System Mall permissions, reward one mystery gift package, reward ten million 'Show-Off Points'!]

Hearing the words "God-Demon Secret Realm", Lin Feng's eyes lit up instantly, brighter than a hundred-million-watt lightbulb.

He was familiar with this plot!

As a veteran novel reader, he understood this trope too well. Generally, this kind of dungeon was for the protagonist to receive equipment, gain experience, and conveniently slap Faces. There must be a bunch of reckless villain second-generation heirs inside, as well as Saintesses and Fairies waiting to be saved, and peerless treasures waiting to be snatched... oh no, waiting to be "obtained by those with affinity."

"Good, good, good! I'm definitely clearing this dungeon!"

Lin Feng stood up abruptly, waved his hand, and said heroically, "System, give me the coordinates for the Secret Realm entrance! Also, give me a guide for the Secret Realm, even if it costs money, I'm not short on cash! I want the Supreme VIP version!"

[Ding! Deducting ten million critical hit points, 'God-Demon Secret Realm Nanny-Level Full-Map Perspective Guide' has been sent to the Host's Sea of Consciousness.]

Lin Feng scanned the guide roughly, a wicked smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

This Secret Realm not only had Dao Fragments but also various ancient divine weapons and divine medicines. Most importantly, because of rule restrictions, only Cultivators below the Immortal King level (including Half-Step Immortal King) could enter. If any experts above the Immortal King Realm tried to force their way in, they would be suppressed or even wiped out by the Secret Realm Laws.

Wasn't this a "Newbie Protection Zone" tailor-made for Lin Feng?

Although he was also a Half-Step Immortal King now, his "half-step" had very little moisture and was of extremely high gold content. It was a "half-step" that could press ordinary Immortal Kings onto the ground and rub them into the dirt, while also singing "Conquer" on the side.

In this Secret Realm, he was a max-level player entering a newbie village!

"This isn't exploring, this is clearly going in to restock! And it's zero-cost shopping!"

Lin Feng was in a great mood, humming a little tune as he walked out of the secret chamber.

At this moment, inside the main hall of Tiance Mansion.

The atmosphere was somewhat heavy. Liu Ming was anxiously pacing back and forth, his forehead covered in sweat. Beside him squatted the Fugui, who was gnawing on a top-grade spirit fruit, and Nezha, who was lying on a beam, spinning the Universe Ring like a hula hoop.

Seeing Lin Feng come out, Liu Ming's eyes lit up as if he had seen a savior, and he hurriedly went up to meet him: "Chief! You've finally come out of seclusion! That Heavenly Tribulation just now was too scary; I thought we were all going to move to the Underworld together. How was it? Did you break through?"

Lin Feng smiled slightly, stood with his hands behind his back, and struck an unfathomable pose: "I have broken through, but also haven't completely broken through."

"Ah?" Liu Ming was confused, scratching his head. "So did you break through or not? Is it that kind of… 'almost broken through'?"

"It's like this…" Lin Feng thought for a moment and gave an analogy, "I have already paid the full price to buy a luxury mansion, the renovation is done, and even the furniture has been moved in, but the property deed hasn't been issued yet. I'm now going to the Real Estate Bureau to pick up the property deed."

Nezha jumped down from the beam, landing lightly in front of Lin Feng, spat out the fruit pit in his mouth, and said lazily: "Don't listen to his nonsense. In plain language, you need an Opportunity. I guess it's for that 'God-Demon Secret Realm' that just appeared, right?"

"Smart." Lin Feng snapped his fingers. "As expected of someone following me, your IQ is growing."

"I just sensed it, the commotion over there is quite big. It is said that all the Prodigies, Saints, and Saintesses of the Immortal Realm are rushing over there. How can we miss such excitement?"

A flash of excited, warlike light flickered in Nezha's eyes, and the Fire-Tipped Spear in his hand vibrated slightly. "The old man (Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King) will probably send people too, maybe even that annoying Muzha or Jinzha. Just right, my hands are itching, and I want to find an excuse to beat them up."

Lin Feng looked at this one person, one mouse, and one Nezha before him, feeling heroic in his heart.

This was his team.

One was a steward who could make ghosts push millstones with money, one was a divine mouse invincible at treasure-seeking, and one was a third prince with explosive combat power. Plus, he was a max-level cheater.

This trip was destined to stir up a bloodbath in the Immortal Realm.

"Liu Ming!"

"Subordinate is here!"

"Pass the order down, the Tiance Mansion branch is temporarily entering the highest defense state, activate the 'Money Barrier', and don't open the door for anyone. I'm taking Nezha and the Fugui on a long trip."

"We aren't going for anything else this time."

Lin Feng's mouth curled into an arrogant smile, and his eyes flashed with the light of plunder. "The main point is — — leaving nothing behind, plucking every goose that passes by! Empty that Secret Realm for me!"