"This is the place!" The underground tunnel was extremely deep, its destination unknown.
After repeatedly confirming the exact location, Feng Lin used the alchemy furnace as a vessel and entered it.
Scorching magma flowed in rolling waves, like a surging underground river pushing the furnace steadily forward.
"Look, that metal sphere is getting away!"
"Damn it! There are secrets of the ancient mythological ruins there!"
"Mars is this big—lock onto its position!"
...
The Mars Revolutionary Army members roared in frustration.
But Feng Lin had already piloted the furnace far away.
The furnace was his boat, the magma his sea.
The underground passage twisted and turned.
Feng Lin felt as if he had embarked on a strange subterranean voyage.
The furnace crashed through the corridor, smashing obstructing stone pillars to pieces, heading straight for the Martian surface at ever-increasing speed.
Gradually, Feng Lin even felt a thrill akin to surfing...
The furnace sped along. He had no idea how long he rode, but he vaguely sensed he was close to the Martian surface.
Finally, a blinding light appeared before him.
Flames erupted, magma spewed, forming thick black mushroom clouds.
A furnace burst from a massive volcanic crater amid the eruption, soaring high into the sky before rapidly descending. Friction with the air ignited flames, and it fell to the ground like a fire meteor.
With a thunderous crash, dust and smoke billowed.
At the volcano's base, the ground was blasted into a huge crater, and a sandstorm swept outward.
After a long while, a soot-covered figure crawled out from within.
Falling from at least 20,000 meters high, even Feng Lin's body couldn't withstand it. Dazed and dizzy, he shook his head, taking a long time to regain his senses.
He looked back and saw a volcano towering like a pillar of heaven, immensely majestic, exuding a soul-stirring aura from afar.
This was Olympus Mons, the tallest volcano on Mars, over 20,000 meters high—more than twice the height of Earth's Mount Everest.
No one would ever guess that a tunnel leading straight to the planet's core lay here.
But Mars was only this big, just one-ninth the size of Earth. With current technology, it could be scanned entirely in no time.
He had to leave quickly.
Otherwise, once the Mars Revolutionary Army arrived, escaping would be far harder!
"Retract!" Feng Lin glanced at the furnace and suddenly formed a hand seal.
Invisible psychic energy surged outward. The furnace shook violently, rapidly shrinking from the size of a small mountain to that of an incense burner. It transformed into a streak of light, shooting into Feng Lin's right hand and becoming a furnace tattoo, which then faded faintly.
Yet with a mere thought, Feng Lin could clearly sense the furnace within his palm, merged with him as one.
He marveled inwardly.
Truly a treasure of ancient myth, able to unite with the human body and possess incredible powers. But what abilities it held could only be explored later.
"Folding ship, activate!" Feng Lin rubbed the ring on his finger and commanded in a deep voice.
The ring quickly brightened, suddenly emitting a strange beam of light into the void before him.
The air twisted rapidly, dispersing like mist, and a silver shuttle-shaped ship materialized out of thin air. It was a full kilometer long, with soaring wings and a sleek, streamlined body, exuding a technological beauty.
"Welcome, Captain! The Holy Will ship is ready for takeoff at any time!" A woman's voice sounded—the ship's AI prompt.
The ship's AI was top-tier, equipped with autopilot programs capable of handling most complex cosmic situations.
So even alone, Feng Lin could easily pilot the ship away.
Time to return to Earth!
Feng Lin thought to himself. He had spent quite some time on Mars, experiencing far too much. It all felt like a lifetime ago. It was time to go back!
He hadn't forgotten the mess waiting for him in his family.
Would the head steward still maintain his lofty attitude when he saw Feng Lin now?
A cold smirk curled at the corner of Feng Lin's mouth, and anticipation swelled within him.
As he approached, the hatch opened silently, and his figure disappeared inside.
Soon, the shuttle-shaped ship spewed blazing light. Powerful thrust propelled the vessel toward the stars, turning into a silver line that vanished into the sky.
Not long after Feng Lin left, three ships approached, and a group of Mars Revolutionary Army soldiers in combat gear surrounded the area.
"A flying object just crashed here—likely remnants of Giant Pharmaceuticals!"
"We must find him. Kill by mistake, but never let him slip away!"
"Right, he probably has the ancient mythological ruins—that's Giant Pharmaceuticals' greatest treasure. We have to reclaim it!"
...
While the Mars Revolutionary Army scrambled in a frenzy searching for Feng Lin, a ship had already broken through Mars' atmosphere, heading straight for a distant blue water planet.
Through the ship's cabin window, Feng Lin watched the red planet gradually shrink behind him, growing smaller until it became a faint red dot.
He couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion and joy.
This trip to Mars, though fraught with hardships and numerous dangers, had brought him immense gains—well worth it.
The Kunlun Great Hand Seal, the Furnace Alchemy Art, the mythological ruins...
Each was more precious than the last. Any one of them alone would drive people mad.
And now Feng Lin had them all!
Martial arts, secret techniques, opportunities—I want everything!
Without sacrifice, how could there be reward?
The greater the risk, the greater the gain!
He had weathered enormous dangers and reaped bountiful rewards.
It was clear that the path of cultivation ahead would be smooth for a long time.
Perhaps once he grew stronger, these gains would seem trivial.
But Feng Lin knew this tumultuous experience would be etched deep in his heart, unforgettable for life.
This was his transformation from a novice cultivator to someone truly maturing on the path!
It was a growth.
And because of that growth, it was all the more precious.
Feng Lin let out a breath, finally relaxing from his tense state. He slumped softly into the chair, his nerves stretched taut before, now able to unwind temporarily.
He breathed deeply, not for cultivation, but simply to relax his body and mind from the inside out.
Feng Lin took one last look. Mars was now just a faint red dot behind him. His eyes flickered.
Goodbye, Mars!
He didn't dwell on the past. Instead, his gaze brightened, fixed on the distant blue water planet.
Earth, I'm back!
The ship's thrusters spewed light continuously, cutting through the dark starry sky, leaving a trail of dazzling brilliance.
One man, one ship, like a long-gone wanderer returning to a homeland long missed, charging forward without hesitation.