Volume 4: Super-Tier Awakening & The Ancient Capital Calamity
Chapter 301
The Supreme Reward After the Grand Celebration
The rays of dawn pierced through the brilliant golden clouds, casting their radiance over the vast expanse of Tiananmen Square. Tens of thousands of military personnel and mages still buzzed with the residual fervor of the grand national celebration. Command buglles echoed across the grounds, and red flags adorned with golden stars fluttered fiercely in the salty eastern sea breeze, carrying the triumphant anthem of a new era. Yet, the epicenter of everyone’s attention no longer stood beneath those gazing crowds.
Lin Feng followed a high-ranking staff officer wearing the insignia of a full general, striding past the capital’s most heavily guarded security perimeters. Every step felt as though they were treading across layers of invisible spatial restrictions, where national-grade defensive arrays operated in silent vigilance—powerful enough to reduce any trespassing Forbidden Curse-tier enemy to microscopic ash.
The massive door forged from titanium alloy and electroplated with ancient bronze via magnetic rubber slowly sealed shut behind them, completely severing the clamor of the outside world. Before Lin Feng lay the Classified Hall—the supreme nerve center of the China Supreme Forbidden Curse Council and the Supreme Military Commission.
The interior space was overwhelmingly solemn and serene. Soft light radiated from colossal luminous pearls embedded in the vaulted arch ceiling, casting a glow over a three-dimensional holographic map of the entire continent and the deep-sea trenches churning with demonic aura.
Surrounding a circular conference table carved from pitch-black granite sat the most powerful and terrifying figures of modern magical civilization in China. These were Forbidden Curse Magi whose elemental auras remained deeply restrained, yet even a single stray wispy thread of it leaking outward was enough to warp the surrounding space and spawn minuscule void fissures. Occupying the central seat was none other than Luo Junhan—the Supreme Commander of the Military Commission. His chiseled features bore the marks of a hundred life-or-death battles, and his profound eyes seemed to contain an entire galaxy.
— Lin Feng, come forward.
Luo Junhan’s voice echoed through the expansive hall—deep, resonant, and carrying an unshakable authority.
Lin Feng halted, his spine ramrod straight like a pine in the snow. He bowed slightly in precise military etiquette, his expression calm and unruffled. His gaze swept across the room, acutely feeling the weight of attention focused upon him by the supreme figures who held the fate of billions in their hands.
— Reporting to the Supreme Commander, reporting to the Elders. Lin Feng is present.
Luo Junhan nodded slightly, the corners of his mouth curving into a rare, deeply appreciative smile. He stood up, walked over to the holographic map, and reached out to touch a flashing crimson point along the eastern coastline—the very place where an earth-shattering battle had unfolded just days prior.
— Lin Feng, during the recent coastal defense line battle, you single-handedly turned the tides. You beheaded a Mid-Stage Monarch-class Eight-Bannered Water Python, shattered the deep-sea demonic coalition’s invasion plans, saved hundreds of millions of civilian lives, and upheld the dignity of China. According to military regulations and the Forbidden Curse Council, this merit transcends any ordinary medal.
A Forbidden Curse Mage in white robes embroidered with silver runes stepped forward, his voice carrying heartfelt emotion:
— Indeed. Throughout humanity’s history against demons, we have witnessed countless brilliant talents. But for someone in the Super Tier threshold to confront and slay a towering Mid-Stage Monarch resting at the ocean floor... you are the very first. Your existence is the greatest insurance for China’s future in this chaotic magical century.
Drawing a deep breath, the atmosphere within the hall grew even heavier. All eyes converged on the upper echelons’ impending decision. Ordinary national rewards like resources, territories, or secular power were completely redundant for someone with Lin Feng’s heaven-shaking combat prowess. What he needed, and what the nation could bestow, could only touch upon the highest foundations of the magical world.
Luo Junhan waved his hand. The general standing nearby respectfully lifted an ancient jade box engraved with primitive sealing runes.
— The first reward for you: authorization to enter the nation’s most classified restricted zone—the Kunlun Dragon Vein Star Palace Pool. Located thousands of meters beneath the surface, it is a geomantic bloodline convergence point that has gathered the essence of the Kunlun Mountains for tens of thousands of years. The elemental concentration there is a hundred times denser than outside; it is the ultimate sacred ground for closed-door breakthroughs.
Hearing this, Lin Feng’s eyes flashed with a faint shock. The Kunlun Dragon Vein Star Palace Pool—legend spoke of it as the repository of the earth’s primordial dragon veins. Normally, even Forbidden Curse Magi had to secure unanimous votes from the entire Forbidden Curse Council just to gain entry. Granting him this privilege meant the nation intended to push his power even further, letting him touch the threshold of those standing at the pinnacle of the world.
Yet, Luo Junhan did not stop there. He opened the lid of the jade box.
The instant the box cracked open, an aura of supreme, unadulterated primordial light erupted, illuminating a corner of the hall in dazzling brilliance. The surrounding space seemed slightly warped by the ancient energy radiating from within. Resting quietly upon a bed of black velvet was an amorphous prismatic magic stone; its surface looked rough and weathered, yet within its depths, it seemed to harbor countless churning stars.
— This is... the Primordial Divine Stone? — Lin Feng murmured, maintaining his composure while his chest surged with shock.
— Correct. The Primordial Divine Stone was excavated from the deepest heart of the Kunlun Mountains after the great calamity began. It contains no specific single element; rather, it is the root of all elements, bearing the primitive laws of the primordial era. For a mage standing on the precipice of stepping into the Super Tier like you, this is the ultimate key to perfecting your spiritual sea structure and fusing elements without risking backlash.
Luo Junhan picked up the Primordial Divine Stone and carefully placed it into Lin Feng’s palm. A biting chill transferred from the stone’s surface into his hand, but it instantly converted into a warm stream overflowing with vital life force, rushing straight into his brain. It made Lin Feng’s already formidable spiritual boundary even sturdier, as though washed through holy waters.
— Thank you, Supreme Commander. Thank you, Elders. Lin Feng will not fail these expectations. — Lin Feng cupped his fists and bowed, accepting both the jade box and a jade token engraved with a glowing ‘Kunlun’ seal.
At that exact moment, the Primordial Dragon Pendant resting quietly against Lin Feng’s chest suddenly emitted a muffled rumble. Thump! Thump! The heartbeat was so powerful it pierced through his combat armor, echoing within the silent Classified Hall like the pulse of an ancient dragon freshly awakened from a thousand-year slumber.
The surrounding Forbidden Curse Magi all changed color, staring in astonishment at Lin Feng’s chest. They could distinctly sense an ancient bloodline pressure emanating from the artifact, causing the magical power within their own bodies to shudder in involuntary deference.
Lin Feng hurriedly circulated his magic to suppress the dragon pendant’s fluctuation, his expression remaining natural while a storm of questions raged within his mind. The Primordial Divine Stone seemed to share a strange resonance with the dragon pendant, acting like two matching fragments of a lost relic from the primordial epoch.
The white-robed Forbidden Curse Elder from earlier took a step forward, looking at Lin Feng with profound implication as he instructed slowly:
— Lin Feng, you have received your gifts, but the road ahead is the true trial. Remember this: the Super Tier realm is not merely a quantitative accumulation of magic power; it is the life-or-death boundary between mortals and magical divinity. To cross that threshold, you must complete a perilous leap: condense 343 Star Particles into 7 Constellations, and then merge those 7 Constellations into a complete Star Palace within your spiritual sea.
The elder paused for a beat, his gaze turning severe:
— This process requires absolute patience and iron will. A single minor error in plotting the trajectories of the Star Particles will cause your spiritual sea to instantly collapse. Many extraordinary human geniuses in the past fell at this exact step—at best having their cultivation crippled, and at worst, having their spiritual seas detonate and their souls scattered on the spot. You carry the destiny of China; you cannot afford arrogance.
— This junior will remember the Elder’s teachings. — Lin Feng bowed in acknowledgement, his voice resolute without a shred of hesitation or fear.
To him, life and death had long been familiar companions on the battlefield. The path of magic was inherently an act of defying the heavens; without the courage to step across that fatal boundary, how could one ever claim to stand at the summit and protect those they cherished?
After a few supplementary instructions regarding administrative procedures and departure timing for Kunlun, the secret awarding ceremony within the Classified Hall drew to a close. Luo Junhan clapped a heavy hand onto Lin Feng’s shoulder, his eyes filled with high expectations:
— Go. Time waits for no one. Though the sea demons have temporarily retreated, the hidden deities lurking within the deep-sea trenches are undoubtedly plotting a far more terrifying sweep. Every fraction of strength you gain adds an inch of survival hope for humanity.
That night, at the special military guesthouse reserved for battle heroes in the capital’s outskirts.
The bright moon hung high in the crystalline night sky, yet the surrounding atmosphere was chillingly still. Standing on the spacious granite-paved balcony, Lin Feng draped a dark cloak loosely over his shoulders, his profound gaze fixed toward the western horizon—where the majestic Kunlun Mountains were deeply submerged in a sea of illusory clouds and fathomless darkness.
The Primordial Divine Stone and the Kunlun token were safely stored within his spatial ring, but their lingering warmth still permeated his body. The Primordial Dragon Pendant against his chest had grown quiet once more, yet Lin Feng’s mind could find no tranquility. Though the battle against the Water Python had ended in victory, what he sensed from the depths of the ocean trenches and the mysteries of the pre-modern magical world was slowly peeling back a dark shroud.
Suddenly, a night breeze swept through the pine trees below the courtyard, carrying a faint scent of osmanthus mixed with an extremely delicate trace of blood aura—the kind of aura left only by someone who had just sprinted at high speeds through turbulent gales.
Rustle...
An exceptionally faint sound echoed from a secluded corner of the corridor outside the guest room. Had Lin Feng’s spiritual boundary not reached an acutely sensitive realm, he would never have detected the newcomer’s presence.
Without turning his head, the corners of Lin Feng’s lips curled into a cold arc:
— Since you’re here, why skulk in the shadows? Show yourself.
Barely had the words left his lips when a tall, towering figure that seemed to merge seamlessly with the night stepped out from the shadows of the lamplight. It was a messenger dressed in ash-gray traditional robes, their face entirely concealed beneath a wide-brimmed bamboo hat draped with a black silk veil. What shocked Lin Feng was that this person lacked even the slightest trace of modern magical aura; instead, they carried a pure, ancient archaic energy, resembling temple guards from unexcavated historical ruins.
The messenger remained silent, raising a right hand. Between calloused, rough fingers, they pinched a confidential letter crafted from ancient animal hide. The envelope’s flap was sealed with a special block of beeswax, deeply stamped with an imposing dragon-patterned jade seal.
— Who sent you? — Lin Feng asked in a deep voice, his gaze sharp as a blade fixed squarely on the figure.
The messenger stayed tight-lipped, flicking a finger lightly. The animal hide letter cut through the air, carrying a razor-sharp gale straight toward Lin Feng’s chest.
Lin Feng pinched the letter between two fingers. The instant his finger touched the hide’s surface, an invisible stream of information surged directly into his spiritual sea, projecting a soul-shaking vision:
It was the image of the Himalayas and major forbidden zones across the globe. Volcanos dormant for tens of thousands of years suddenly erupted with black magma, the deity and demon sealing barriers atop Mount Everest cracked into massive shards, and from the earth’s core, hundreds of gigantic pupils filled with evil intent snapped open to glare up at humanity’s sky...
Simultaneously, the messenger gave a bizarre, stiff bow before their entire body dissolved into a puff of ash-gray smoke, vanishing into thin air and leaving behind only a raspy voice echoing in Lin Feng’s ears like a roar from the underworld:
— Kunlun... is merely the starting point. The true War of Gods and Demons has begun. Are you... ready?
Lin Feng stood frozen on the balcony, the animal hide letter in his grip inadvertently crushed to shreds. A sharp flash of crimson light pierced through his eyes as he stared fixedly toward the direction of the Kunlun Mountains looming in the dark.
(End of Chapter 301)