79: System, you don't want to see your host die, do you?

The moment Qin Feng stepped into the Immortal Cave, he backhandedly cast three Restrictions to block Divine Sense.

The heavy sound of the stone door closing echoed in the empty cave, yet it couldn't mask the drum-like thumping of his heart in his chest.

He leaned against the cold stone wall, gasping for air, trying to calm the burning sensation in his lungs.

The Phoenix Head token on Bai Luoli's wrist was like a red-hot branding iron, deeply etched into the depths of his sea of vision, lingering.

That was the Phoenix Head.

And what was in his arms was the phoenix tail.

The name of the Dao Companion rewarded by the System was "Bai Luoluo."

The name of the Sect Master of Tianxuan Sect was "Bai Luoli."

How could there be so many coincidences in this world?

Qin Feng spread his palm, looking at the "Luolo" jade pendant, which was warm as jade but now felt incredibly hot to the touch.

In the Sect Revered Master's Grand Hall, if he had hesitated for even a second, he probably would have been found out by that decisive and ruthless queen.

Peak of Undergoing Tribulation.

That was a top-tier power in this world today, where Great Emperors don't emerge and Quasi-Emperors don't appear.

And he was only at the Early Golden Core Stage.

Qin Feng chuckled self-deprecatingly as he walked to the cold jade bed in the center of the Immortal Cave and sat down cross-legged.

The Divine Elephant Suppressing Prison Strength inside him sensed its Revered Master's emotions and began to roar restlessly, its golden spiritual energy crashing wildly through his Meridians.

These days, to stabilize his Foundation and prevent his Revered Master and Junior Sisters from noticing anything unusual, he had been firmly suppressing the growth of his cultivation.

He feared an unstable Foundation and a superficial Realm.

"Suppress? Suppress my ass!"

Qin Feng snapped his eyes open, golden light swirling within them as if two Divine Elephants were trampling the void in his pupils.

"System! Come out, quick!"

[...]

In his mind, that cold mechanical voice didn't respond immediately but fell into an eerie silence.

Qin Feng knew it was listening.

"In that case, I won't suppress my cultivation!"

Each of Qin Feng's words was like a stone popping out from the depths of his throat, carrying a determination to burn his bridges.

"System! Exchange cultivation for me!!"

"You don't want to see your Host die, do you?"

Qin Feng added weight to his tone, carrying a threat that was almost roguish.

If he died, this so-called "Self-Reliance System" would likely collapse along with him.

[...]

[Host, cut it out with that Japanese-style trope speech.]

The System's voice finally rang out.

It was no longer that rigid mechanical voice, but carried an unmistakable hint of disgust?

It sounded like a rebellious teenage girl's dissatisfaction after being disturbed from her afternoon nap.

Qin Feng was slightly stunned, then gave a bitter smile in his heart.

"System, I don't want to either! I also want to follow your System name 'Self-Reliance' and climb up step by step."

He reached out and pointed to his chest, where the token that could make him die ten thousand times was hidden.

"But things are different now. You don't want me to die, right?"

Qin Feng's voice carried a sense of going all out.

He was gambling.

Gambling that this System had some unspeakable dependence on him.

[Ugh... Spit it out! grandma still needs to go rest!]

The System's voice sounded extremely impatient, even carrying a slight nasal tone as if it had truly just been woken up.

Qin Feng took a deep breath, his eyes becoming incredibly burning.

"Exchange cultivation for me! Now! Immediately!"

[Fine, I'll give you a cheat then.]

The System's tone softened, carrying a condescending, charitable air.

[grandma doesn't want you to die either; if you die, my year-end bonus will be gone.]

Qin Feng: "..."

Year-end bonus?

This System actually has a year-end bonus?

Before he could even complain, an unprecedented terrifying energy suddenly exploded deep within his Dantian!

It wasn't a gradual guidance of Spiritual Qi, but the most direct and violent infusion of rules!

Qin Feng's body trembled violently, and fine golden cracks appeared on the surface of his skin.

That was the sign of the Divine Elephant Suppressing Prison Strength undergoing a frantic evolution.

"System, what cultivation level can I reach?"

Qin Feng gritted his teeth, enduring the pain that felt like his Divine Soul was being torn apart, and asked with difficulty in his consciousness.

[Let this System think...]

The System seemed to be fiddling with some invisible abacus.

[Nascent Soul Sixth Layer, which is the Middle Nascent Soul Stage.]

[Any higher, and with the Host's current strength, forced cheating would affect your Dao Foundation, and you'd stop at the Mahayana Realm.]

Nascent Soul Sixth Layer!

Qin Feng's heart twitched fiercely.

From the Early Golden Core Stage, skipping Golden Core Perfection, straight into the Middle Nascent Soul Stage!

Such a leap, if word got out, would be enough to completely collapse the common sense of the entire cultivation world.

"Fine, fine, fine! Nascent Soul Sixth Layer is enough!"

Qin Feng hurriedly agreed.

He knew very well that although the Middle Nascent Soul Stage was still not enough to face Bai Luoli, at least he had the capital to "escape."

And the confidence to perform certain forbidden secret techniques.

"Right, help me hide the cultivation increase. It's mainly because I can't explain it right now."

Before his consciousness was completely submerged by the violent energy, Qin Feng issued his final command.

He couldn't exactly walk out of the Immortal Cave and tell Zhao Muxue: Revered Master, I took a nap and reached the Nascent Soul Sixth Layer.

If he did that, he'd probably be taken apart for research by that crazy woman Li Xiaoxiao.

[Fine, since grandma is in a good mood today!]

Boom!

In the next second, golden light completely swallowed Qin Feng.

The Spiritual Qi in the Immortal Cave was instantly drained at this moment, turning into countless crystalline liquids that drilled into his body through his pores.

Deep within his Primordial Spirit, that golden Divine Elephant dharma idol was undergoing earth-shattering changes.

The trumpet of the elephant resounded through his Divine Soul!

Qin Feng's consciousness fell into a golden ocean.

There was no concept of time here, only endless, mercury-thick energy frantically squeezing every inch of his nerves.

Pain.

It was the agonizing pain of having every bone in his body shattered and reforged.

The Divine Elephant Suppressing Prison Strength showed its most ferocious side at this moment.

The Divine Elephant phantom that had been sleeping inside the Golden Core now seemed to receive a summons and suddenly stood up.

It was no longer a thumb-sized toy but began to expand wildly.

Qin Feng felt his Dantian turn into a volcano about to erupt.

Under the trampling of the Divine Elephant, that rounded Golden Core made a crisp cracking sound.

Crack—

For an ordinary Cultivator, a shattered Golden Core meant their cultivation was completely ruined.

But for Qin Feng, this was only the first step of breaking out of the cocoon and becoming a butterfly.

The fragments of the Golden Core did not dissipate but were forcibly kneaded together by a domineering power of rules.

A small figure that looked exactly like Qin Feng, but was shimmering gold all over, slowly emerged amidst the filling golden light.

Nascent Soul!

This Nascent Soul sat cross-legged on the back of the Divine Elephant, hands forming seals, looking majestic.

Then, the System's "cheat" began to take effect.

The newly formed Nascent Soul was originally only an inch tall, its aura still appearing somewhat immature.

But under the infusion of the energy called "year-end bonus," the Nascent Soul began to grow at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Nascent Soul First Layer... Nascent Soul Second Layer... On the surface of Qin Feng's body, those golden cracks began to spew out dense multicolored light.

The Restrictions in the Immortal Cave buzzed under the impact of this power. If the System hadn't intervened to cover it up, this commotion would have likely woken Zhao Muxue from her secluded cultivation.

Nascent Soul Third Layer... the infusion of energy still didn't stop.

Qin Feng felt his Divine Soul sublimating; his Divine Sense, which could originally only cover a hundred miles, was now expanding outward at a terrifying speed.

This feeling of controlling everything made Qin Feng intoxicated.

But soon, he was pulled back to reality by a new round of intense pain.

The soaring cultivation brought a burden to his body.

Nascent Soul Fourth Layer!

Nascent Soul Fifth Layer!

...