61: Chapter 61 A single word makes all the difference in the deaths

"System, add points! Smash all my critical hit points into the Nine Yang Infinite Art!"

In his heart, Lin Feng issued a command that could only be described as domineering.

[Ding! Detected that the host possesses a massive amount of critical hit points. Confirm consumption of 500,000 critical hit points to upgrade Nine Yang Infinite Art to the Perfection Realm?]

"Confirm!"

Rumble!!!!

An indescribable, terrifying torrent of extreme Yang energy, as if it could incinerate the myriad worlds, surged like a breached celestial river, instantly filling his limbs and bones!

Inside his Dantian, that golden Danyuan of the sixth level Danyuan Realm, which had only recently condensed, was like a piece of stubborn iron thrown into a steel furnace before this unreasonable power; it was being crazily tempered, compressed, and purified over and over again!

Seventh level Danyuan Realm!

Eighth level Danyuan Realm!

Ninth level Danyuan Realm!

The barriers of cultivation were like paper, being crushed and broken through one after another!

Finally, when the last trace of critical hit points was exhausted, the golden Danyuan inside Lin Feng's body had shrunk to the size of a longan, but it was engraved with nine profound Solar Flame Divine Runes.

Its entire body was crystal clear, like a perfect work of art, emitting a terrifying aura that was perfectly harmonious and peerlessly overbearing!

Ninth level Danyuan Realm!

"Whew..."

Lin Feng slowly opened his eyes, and two golden divine beams shot out from them like solid light.

Among the nine Realms of martial arts, after Danyuan comes the Divine Sea.

The so-called Divine Sea involves opening up a vast and boundless "Sea of Spirit" within the Martial Artist's Sea of Consciousness.

At that time, the Martial Artist's Soul will undergo a qualitative transformation, giving birth to a mysterious power called "Divine Sense."

Once Divine Sense emerges, it can shroud a radius of dozens of miles; mountains, rivers, trees, birds, insects, and fish are all within one's control, as clear as a fire.

"Interesting."

Feeling the perfectly harmonious and endless terrifying power within his Danyuan Realm, a sense of pride welled up in Lin Feng's heart.

"A pity that with the Cultivation Technique at Perfection, I can't continue to upgrade it. There are still over 150,000 critical hit points left; I might as well use them to upgrade my Martial Skills."

Without the slightest hesitation, he issued the command again.

[Ding! Consumed 150,000 critical hit points, Three Blades of Avici critical hit successful!]

Three Blades of Avici, Minor Achievement!

Boom!

A terrifying Saber Intent, even more massive than when he first learned it and filled with endless slaughter and destruction, instantly poured into his Sea of Consciousness!

If it could be said that when he first learned the Three Blades of Avici, he could only execute its form but not grasp its spirit,

then now, having reached the Minor Achievement Realm, he felt his understanding of this saber technique had reached a whole new level!

With a thought, he pressed his fingers together like a blade and made a casual horizontal slash.

There was no world-shaking saber light, nor any flashy special effects.

Only an imperceptible black thread, as thin as a hair, flashed and vanished from his fingertips.

With a *shing* sound,

the square table in front of him was split in two.

"The power is acceptable..."

Though he said so, Lin Feng smacked his lips, quite satisfied with his current destructive power.

And just then,

the expected summons arrived once again.

...

It was still that quiet courtyard, and still that old man in hemp clothes who liked to feed the fish by the pond.

The Chief looked at Lin Feng, and a trace of amazement and... wariness, which even he hadn't noticed, flashed in his seemingly cloudy old eyes.

"Gone for one night and you've shot straight to the ninth level of the Danyuan Realm... you kid, just what kind of monster are you?"

The Chief clicked his tongue inwardly, but on the surface, he remained calm and pointed to the stone stool opposite him.

"Sit."

"Before Ling Xiaotian died, he mentioned the Prince of Runan. How much do you know about him?"

The Chief asked, getting straight to the point.

Lin Feng shook his head.

When he transmigrated a few months ago, he was just a nobody.

How could he know anything about a Prince of Runan or a Prince of Zhenbei?

The Chief sighed, his gaze becoming distant as if he were lost in a long-ago memory.

"Our Great Xia Dynasty is vast, divided into nine provinces and eighty-one prefectures. Our Nanyan Prefecture is under the jurisdiction of Qingzhou."

"Forty years ago, before the current Emperor ascended the throne, Great Xia went through a brutal struggle for the crown known in history as the 'Nine Dragons Contending for the Throne'."

"The nine princes at the time were all dragons among men, with countless talented individuals under them. For that supreme position, they fought until the sky turned dark and the earth was covered in blood. In the end, the current Emperor turned the tide with thunderous momentum, ascending the throne over the bones of his eight brothers."

The Chief paused here, his tone becoming somewhat subtle.

"And the Prince of Runan was one of those nine princes. He was also the only one who survived."

"Oh?"

Lin Feng became interested.

"Because... from beginning to end, he didn't participate in any of the fighting."

A flash of complexity appeared in the Chief's eyes.

"While the other eight princes were fighting to the death, this Ninth Prince spent his days obsessed with flowers, birds, fish, insects, and beautiful women, showing no interest in the throne. Because of this, he was able to save his life during the final purge."

"After the Emperor ascended, out of sentiment for their brotherhood, he granted him the entire Nanzhou as a fief, making him a true 'Carefree Prince'. For all these years, he has stayed in his fief, ignoring court affairs and taking many concubines, living a very happy life."

"But the strangest point is..."

The Chief's gaze became solemn. "He has married countless wives and has thousands of concubines in his palace, yet in forty years, not a single heir has been born."

Lin Feng's eyes narrowed slightly. From this seemingly plain narrative, he smelled something unusual.

Could a prince who survived the hellish 'Nine Dragons Contending' by claiming 'non-contention' really be a simple person?

Could a prince who controls an entire province and holds immense power really fail to produce a son for forty years?

"Does the Chief mean that the Moon-Worshipping Cult is related to the Prince of Runan?"

"It's highly likely."

The Chief nodded. "Nanzhou was the birthplace of the Moon-Worshipping Cult thousands of years ago. I have reason to suspect that this seemingly indifferent 'Carefree Prince' is the biggest backer behind the Moon-Worshipping Cult!"

"So..."

Lin Feng instantly understood the Chief's intention.

"So, I need you to go to the Qingzhou provincial capital."

The Chief stood up, took out a recommendation letter made of golden silk phoebe wood and a brand-new token made entirely of silver from his robe, and handed them to Lin Feng.

"Your current strength and achievements have long surpassed the Copper Rank; you are qualified to be promoted to a Silver Rank Demon Slayer. But according to the rules, the certification of a Silver Rank Slayer must be personally assessed by the provincial Gold Rank Commander."

"Coincidentally, three months from now is Qingzhou's annual 'Hidden Dragon Martial Arts Tournament'. At that time, young talents from all nine prefectures under Qingzhou will gather at the provincial capital to compete."

The Chief looked at Lin Feng, his eyes full of expectation.

Lin Feng's eyelid twitched.

The Prince of Runan is in Nanzhou, and you're sending me to the Qingzhou provincial capital?

And you want me to participate in some Hidden Dragon Martial Arts Tournament?

Was all that talk just now just to mess with me?

Thinking of this, Lin Feng asked, "Chief, in this Hidden Dragon Martial Arts Tournament, can people die?"

"Generally not, and with your strength, who could take your life?"

The Chief instinctively offered a word of comfort, but he had clearly misheard the question.

Lin Feng asked if people *could* die.

Not if he *would* die.

A single word difference.

The person who dies is different.