Every breath he took was like the pumping of a bellows, emitting a deep, rumbling thunder.

The vital energy surging within him even caused the walls of the meditation chamber to resonate faintly.

The difficulty of opening Acupoints was increasing exponentially.

That incinerating pain had long since become his most common companion.

He had grown completely numb to it, or perhaps, it would be more accurate to say he had completely transcended the pain.

His will was like bedrock encased in ten-thousand-year-old ice, driven by a single, lingering obsession—

The next one!

「The third year. The final three months.」

In a corner of the meditation chamber, only five Special-Grade Spiritual Energy Potions, one last packet of restorative bath soak, and a single Mental Power recovery Potion remained.

Qin Feng’s eyes were sunken, but they blazed with a terrifying light, as if two suns were burning within them.

He picked up the fifth-to-last Potion and drained it in a single gulp.

[Ding! Congratulations! You have successfully opened the 49th Great Sun Acupoint!]

He picked up the fourth-to-last...

[Ding! Congratulations! You have successfully opened the 50th Great Sun Acupoint!]

...

When he had wrung out the very last wisp of energy from the final Special-Grade Spiritual Energy Potion, when the last drop of the restorative bath soak’s essence had been absorbed into his body, and when the final trace of the Mental Power Potion’s cooling sensation had faded from his mind...

BOOM—!!!

Inside Qin Feng’s body, it was as if an entire Cosmos had been born!

The fiftieth Great Sun Acupoint was finally, and brutally, pierced through and filled!

A total of twenty-six new Great Sun Acupoints, now residing in the "starry sky" coalesced from his vital energy, shone in concert with the previous twenty-four to form a brilliant and magnificent star chart!

An unprecedented power, as terrifying as a landslide and a tsunami, erupted wildly from the fifty simultaneously operating Great Sun Acupoints, instantly sweeping through his entire body!

His bones groaned under the strain. His muscles frenziedly tore apart and rebuilt themselves. His meridians widened severalfold, becoming vast enough to contain the roaring river of his vital energy!

"AHH—!!!"

Qin Feng threw his head back and roared. An invisible shockwave slammed into the meditation chamber’s alloy walls, letting out a loud BUZZ!

After a long while, the tide of power slowly subsided, receding completely back into his body.

Qin Feng slowly opened his eyes, a golden glint flashing deep within them.

"I succeeded..."

His voice was raspy from long disuse, but it carried an overriding tone of relieved satisfaction.

Three years. Twenty-six new Acupoints.

He glanced at the now-empty resource corner, a swift calculation running through his mind.

’Seventy Special-Grade Spiritual Energy Potions, twenty-four packs of enhanced restorative bath soaks, thirteen enhanced Mental Power Potions... I used them all up, without a single drop wasted.’

’It’s only because of these enhanced recovery resources that my training efficiency could reach such a terrifying level.’

’My cultivation speed increased by fifty percent!’

A flicker of relief passed through Qin Feng’s eyes.

He knew perfectly well that without these "exclusive" resources, redeemable only from within the Fearless Warband, the time needed to open these twenty-six Acupoints would have at least doubled if he had relied on Spiritual Energy Potions alone.

Six years!

That was an amount of time he would have found completely unacceptable!

’Exchanging a massive amount of Contribution Points for precious time... This trade was worth it!’

Although he had spent nearly double the Contribution Points compared to conventional training methods, he had no regrets.

Time was the most precious treasure of all!

He stood up, feeling the immense power practically overflowing from his body. With a thought, he called up his personal panel.

[Name: Qin Feng]

[Martial Artist Level: Fourth-Level Awakening Martial Artist]

[Life Force Index: 532.0]

[Method: Great Sun Acupoint Opening Method (Mastery): Great Sun Acupoints Opened (50/360)]

...

Staring at the dazzling number—532.0—a genuine smile finally spread across Qin Feng’s face.

Five hundred and thirty-two points!

This number had far exceeded his initial goal of "breaking 500 points."

This meant he would have a much stronger footing and a greater advantage in the upcoming "Mentor Group Advancement Tournament"!

"Three years of secluded training, cut off from the world... I don’t even know what time it is."

Qin Feng suppressed his excitement and said in a deep voice, "Hammer."

"At your service, Master."

"What is the current time? And how long until the Canaan Newcomer Cup begins?"

Qin Feng asked directly.

Hammer’s light flickered, and cold, precise data immediately appeared on the light screen before Qin Feng.

[Time remaining until the Canaan Newcomer Cup officially begins: 29 days.]

’A month?’

Qin Feng nodded. The timing was perfect.

He wasn’t in a hurry to leave his seclusion or contact anyone. While his strength had taken a quantum leap over the past three years, it was still just numbers on a stat sheet.

He hadn’t forgotten his meager repertoire of combat techniques.

"Hammer, sign me up for this year’s Canaan Newcomer Cup."

"Command confirmed. You have been successfully registered for the Canaan Newcomer Cup."

Hammer was extremely efficient.

"Good."

Qin Feng’s gaze sharpened. "Now, connect me to the Imperial Arena."

He intended to use this last month to completely master the staff technique he’d acquired from the Warband’s resource library but never had time to practice: the Wind and Thunder Long Staff!