Baleful Qi Vortex

Luo Feng's Main Body failed to fuse the third Xueluo Crystal, but he showed no discouragement, continuing his secluded cultivation.

While cultivating in the Baleful Qi-filled environment of the Ancient God Ruin, primarily to fuse Xueluo Crystals, Luo Feng's main energy was still spent on comprehending the 'Picture of Fine Rain' from the Nine Universes Chaos Tablet. He had grasped the first 9 profound insights in Chaos City, but the middle 27 profound insights were each far more abstruse.

Having been in Xueluo Continent for over 32 years, though his progress was significant, the fundamental profound insights he truly grasped were exceedingly few.

“Xueluo Crystals are merely an aid.”

“A state of mind is intangible. Origin Laws are what truly matter.”

“Over these 30 years, the Golden Horned Beast clone, combining the three ancient pictorial records, comprehended 'Sky-Rending Earth-Splitting,' and its progress in the 'Origin Law of Metal' surpassed the progress speed of the Demon Killer Clan clone.” Luo Feng then sat cross-legged on the stone bed, “Hmm, my Main Body will also focus all its energy on studying the 'Picture of Fine Rain'.”

Time and Space were the most difficult.

Luo Feng's Main Body's weapon, the Yan Shen Blade, was a psychic weapon combining Metal and Space. Luo Feng's progress in 'Metal' was too fast, causing 'Space' to fall behind. Thus, both his Main Body and Demon Killer Clan clone had to research the Origin Law of Space together.

...

The universe was vast and boundless. In the endless cosmos, a mere few decades were but an instant.

Some ancient, powerful existences might close and open their eyes, and millions or even hundreds of millions of years would have passed.

...

In a blink, Luo Feng had been in Xueluo World for over 80 years.

Virtual Universe, Thunder Island.

A slender woman in emerald green combat armor stood on a reef, over ten li in circumference, at the edge of Thunder Island. In front of the reef, numerous electric serpents coiled and flowed. Suddenly, a figure shot over from a distance and landed on the giant reef. It was Zhenyan King, the ape-man strongman in golden combat armor.

“Longyu, you called for me?” Zhenyan King said with a smile.

The woman in emerald green combat armor turned her head. She was Longyu King.

“Yes,” Longyu King nodded.

“What is it?” Zhenyan King asked, smiling.

“It's about your disciple, Luo Feng,” Longyu King's clear voice rang out.

“Oh?” Zhenyan King was surprised. “Why are you concerned about my disciple? He's currently at the Universe-level, and hasn't truly ventured out into the wider world... You should know his current situation.”

Longyu King shook her head, “To say I know is true, but to say I don't know is also true.”

“Just tell me directly,” Zhenyan King urged.

“To be honest with you,” Longyu King smiled, “Luo Feng's progress has been noticed by the management of our Virtual Universe Company. Especially after leaving Chaos City, he actually cleared nine islands in the Illusory Sea consecutively, only failing at the tenth island. His will and consciousness are astonishing.”

“Haha...” Zhenyan King chuckled proudly. “Although my disciple is only at the Universe-level, and his soul hasn't truly undergone the qualitative leap to become an 'Undying,' in terms of will alone, many Undyings who have achieved that essential leap might not be as strong as my disciple.”

“I understand that, of course, otherwise, it wouldn't have caught the attention of the higher-ups,” Longyu King said solemnly. “And nearly eighty years ago, Luo Feng already cleared the sixth level of the Sky-Reaching Bridge! Catching up to Bolan's comprehension progress...”

“That kid Bolan is just asking for trouble,” Zhenyan King remarked.

“Regardless of anything else, Luo Feng's progress speed is astonishing,” Longyu King's expression was serious. “Moreover, this session of the Genius Battle was presided over by Venerable Nine Swords, so when he becomes an Undying in the future, he will naturally be under the Venerable's command. The Venerable also values him greatly... However, after accepting the Xueluo World mission, he hasn't returned for nearly eighty years, staying in that Xueluo World!”

Zhenyan King nodded slightly.

“Eighty years!”

“He hasn't challenged the Sky-Reaching Bridge again! He hasn't challenged the Illusory Sea again!” Longyu King frowned deeply. “Aside from occasional contact with you, he just listens to the Undyings' lectures. In these eighty years, other geniuses have all made considerable progress, or completed many cultivation missions, some even all ten. Only Luo Feng... remains in that Xueluo World. And according to intelligence, his Mechanical Race Spaceship has been parked in space, its coordinates corresponding to the Ancient God Ruin in Xueluo World.”

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

Longyu King frowned, “That place is the most dangerous in the entire Xueluo Continent. How many great existences from our Virtual Universe Company fell there back then? Especially the 'Baleful Qi' of the Ancient God Ruin, it's a unique special Baleful Qi in the entire universe... If Luo Feng isn't careful, in an area of extremely high Baleful Qi concentration, and his will is broken by the killing intent, he'll become muddled and essentially dead!”

“The Venerable's regard for him even surpasses his regard for Bolan!”

“And for these 80 years, he's only been in contact with you.”

“So I hope, Zhenyan, you can tell me everything about his situation in Xueluo Continent,” Longyu King said solemnly. “Zhenyan, to be frank, taking risks is necessary, but one shouldn't take insane risks. You can't gamble with your disciple's life; he's just a little guy at the Universe-level after all.”

“He hasn't done much in these 80 years, just comprehending Origin Laws,” Zhenyan King chuckled.

“How is his comprehension coming along?” Longyu King pressed.

Because Luo Feng hadn't challenged the Sky-Reaching Bridge, his comprehension progress was unknown to others.

“Just so-so,” Zhenyan King said casually, “Of the first 36 profound insights, he's comprehended 35.” Although his tone was casual, his face showed a proud expression. He certainly had reason to be proud.

“Comprehended 35 profound insights?” Longyu King was greatly astonished.

The first 9, the middle 27, the later 72.

Luo Feng had suddenly comprehended 35 profound insights...

“How could it be so fast?” Longyu King stared at Zhenyan King. “Impossible. In Chaos City for 30 years, he only comprehended the nine most superficial ones! His comprehension speed outside should be 10 times slower than in Chaos City, yet now it seems he comprehended one profound insight every 3 years on average, and these are more abstruse than the first 9.”

“First, I'm guiding him.”

“Second, he has the 'Essays on Space-Time' to reference and comprehend.”

“Third, he fused Xueluo Crystals, which increased his comprehension speed,” Zhenyan King smiled at Longyu King. “Moreover, he is indeed a genius. His comprehension ability becomes more exaggerated as his strength increases.”

...

Xueluo Continent, Ancient God Ruin, within the giant pit.

The Mansion of the Giant Pit.

Luo Feng, clad in bronze combat armor, sat cross-legged on the stone bed and opened his eyes. Eighty years. He had been in Xueluo Continent for a full eighty years. The effect of the Baleful Qi on his body's transformation diminished over time, but it was still improving. Yet, he was always just a little short of fusing the third Xueluo Crystal.

“But in these eighty years, my progress in comprehending the Law of Space has been immense,” Luo Feng sighed.

Comprehending 35 profound insights.

He hadn't even dared to imagine such an exaggerated feat at first!

30 years in Chaos City corresponded to 100 years in the original universe.

In Chaos City for 30 years, he only comprehended 9 profound insights.

Yet, in just over 80 years in the original universe, he had comprehended another 26 more abstruse profound insights. This speed of progress... was truly incredible! It was due to the 'Essays on Space-Time,' Zhenyan King's guidance, and also the Golden Horned Beast's activation of its mysterious power, enhancing its Universe Affinity by nearly 9 times, thus aiding in the comprehension of the Law of Space.

Yes.

In the later stages, even the Golden Horned Beast clone began to comprehend the 'Law of Space'.

This was because while cultivating 'Sky-Rending Earth-Splitting' and comprehending the ancient pictorial records... after 39 years of cultivation, the Golden Horned Beast clone realized that the claw strike unleashed by the monster not only contained the Origin Law of Metal but also the Law of Space. It had reached this stage.

To truly develop the ultimate technique, 'Sky-Rending Claw,' the Golden Horned Beast clone primarily focused on studying the 'ancient pictorial records,' with the 'Sky-Rending Earth-Splitting' secret art becoming secondary.

Because those three ancient pictorial records, each one was unfathomably profound.

It was precisely because that claw strike also contained the Origin Law of Space that the Golden Horned Beast also began to comprehend the Origin Law of Space!

...

With all three bodies comprehending simultaneously, various insights were cross-referenced, especially regarding the 'ancient pictorial records,' yielding abundant harvests.

This propelled Luo Feng's comprehension into a fast lane!

Moreover...

Luo Feng also discovered that the improvement in his state of mind, a kind of clear and pure spiritual clarity, also allowed him to quickly capture every fleeting spark of inspiration that flashed through his mind when comprehending laws. To a certain extent, it counted as an increase in comprehension ability.

“I estimate I'll comprehend the 36th profound insight in a few more years,” Luo Feng's face held a hint of anticipation.

“Sky-Rending Claw!”

“To be precise, my rapid progress is most closely related to the ancient pictorial records,” Luo Feng thought curiously. “That simple hoof-claw swipe is so unfathomably profound, incredible.”

It was useless for a human body to study that claw.

But when the Golden Horned Beast, aided by 'Sky-Rending Earth-Splitting,' studied that hoof-claw, especially when looking at the ancient pictorial records... it felt that the hoof-claw encompassed everything, unfathomably profound, and the more it comprehended, the more it felt its own understanding was still very shallow.

“What exactly is the strength of that monster?” This thought flashed through Luo Feng's mind, and he immediately stopped pondering it, walking directly out of the cave.

...

Following the cave passage, he quickly reached the edge of the mountain wall, gazing at the endless rolling red Baleful Qi ahead.

“Half a year ago, I tried to brave the Baleful Qi Vortex, stopping at 9.5 times the Baleful Qi concentration, less than a hundred meters from the vortex core,” Luo Feng felt a sense of anticipation. “I feel I've made progress compared to half a year ago. I wonder if I can break into the core of that Baleful Qi Vortex.”

Whoosh!

Luo Feng directly plunged down, flying into the Baleful Qi of the endless abyss.

The Baleful Qi Vortex... over the years, besides comprehending, Luo Feng often tried to brave it, but he never dared to take risks. Because Luo Feng knew... the price of taking risks could very well be turning into a madman, a fate worse than death.

A moment later, Luo Feng had already entered the massive vortex.

“Rumble~~”

The gigantic vortex, like fresh blood, continuously spun, drawing in the rolling Baleful Qi from afar, while the core of the vortex was like a red Sun. Luo Feng, clad in bronze combat armor, stepped deeper into the vortex, continuously approaching its core.

“I'm really curious what's inside the core of this vortex,” Luo Feng resisted the increasingly strong invasion of killing intent, constantly approaching that dazzling red Sun.