High-level martial arts: Contract cashback, invincible starting from the Zerg.

As the ubiquitous twining flowers quietly disappear into the grass, the gray-black figures that occasionally flash through the woods also gradually become silent.

Even the light in the forest had softened considerably.

Chen Feng stopped and looked at the scene before him.

It was a circular open space with a diameter of a hundred meters, where an unimaginably giant tree stood.

Its trunk is so thick that it takes more than a dozen people to hug it. Its bark is dark blue and covered with patterns like dragon scales. Countless thick roots are exposed on the ground, like sleeping dragons extending in all directions.

The tree canopy blocks out the sun, yet it doesn't appear gloomy. Countless pale golden specks of light drift down from the branches and leaves, like dancing fireflies, and when they land on the ground, they grow into tiny golden flowers.

"Outsiders..."

A deep, ancient voice echoed across the open space, like the wind rustling through the branches of a thousand-year-old tree.

Hearing the sound coming from the tree, Xiao Ning immediately hid behind Chen Feng, peeked out with half her head out, and looked curiously at the giant tree, whispering, "Dad, it's so big."

Chen Feng patted Xiao Ning on the shoulder and then walked towards the big tree.

The trunk of the giant tree trembled slightly, and the deep blue-green bark patterns seemed to begin to flow slowly.

The tree seemed to cast a gaze at Chen Feng, without any sense of oppression, like the warm spring sun slowly sweeping over him.

"Since the extinction of sub-civilizations from this land... I have guarded this forest... for twelve thousand years... and you are the 24th... person to come here." The ancient voice rang out again, carrying the weight of time.

As soon as he finished speaking, the pale golden specks of light that had been falling from the treetops suddenly changed direction and flew towards Chen Feng.

Those pale golden specks of light were not aggressive.

Like a group of gentle little elves, they landed on Chen Feng's hair and shoulders, and finally mostly gathered on his right hand hanging at his side—the hand that had just loosened its grip on the hilt of his military knife.

Chen Feng could even clearly feel that the chaotic energy within his body, caused by the previous tension, was being gradually soothed by this warm current.

Even more remarkably, three exceptionally bright spots of light circled three times around the unsheathed military knife at his waist before gently landing on the hilt, seemingly curiously examining the weapon.

Qingtan's voice carried a faint hint of amusement, like the rustling of leaves in the wind.

"They are welcoming you... In twelve thousand years... Never before have so many spirits of order shown goodwill to an outsider at the same time."

Chen Feng looked down at the golden specks on the back of his hand and asked, "The first 23 people, they all failed?"

Only two... managed to leave...

Qingtan's voice deepened, and the patterns on the tree trunk slowly shifted, revealing a series of blurry light and shadow.

"Most of them are highly talented martial artists...and they have enough patience and perseverance...but they haven't figured out the true rules of this forest."

Qingtan's voice carried a hint of weariness that was hard to conceal.

"Most of them didn't leave here alive... The losers all thought the Mark of Order was a treasure that could be stolen and conquered... They didn't know that civilization and order can never be taken away..."

Just then, a branch with golden patterns slowly drooped down and landed in front of Chen Feng.

"Outsider, let me show you everything you need to know..."

...

This is a scene from ten years ago.

In the video, a man dressed in ultramodern clothing walks into the territory of Qingtan, the forest guardian.

His eyes were clear and his demeanor was clean and pure.

Like Chen Feng, he completed the transaction with Spirit Crystal Fruit and Entangling Flower, calmly passing the test of the Plundering Weasel. He even took the initiative to help bandage the wounds of an injured little Plundering Weasel.

"He was the closest to success. He had a kind heart, a firm will, and truly understood the meaning of equivalent exchange. If I could decide, I would almost certainly hand over the mark of order and civilization to him." Qingtan's voice was full of regret.

"Can't you make the decision?" Chen Feng asked.

"I can't."

The branch of the green sandalwood tree that was hanging in front of Chen Feng curled up slightly, and the golden patterns dimmed a little.

"The imprint of order and civilization has never been in my hands."

It slowly raised another, thicker branch, pointing towards the hazy sky in the distance above the forest.

"That is the territory of the gray rock... It was once my elder brother... and the last official guardian of order before the fall of the Jueya civilization... Twelve thousand years ago... when the Shadow Erosion first invaded this land... in order to protect the Jueya people... he took the initiative to draw all the pollution onto himself... and then sealed himself away."

The light and shadow shifted again in Chen Feng's field of vision.

This time, the figure of a giant in golden armor appeared.

He held a spear formed from divine power, standing alone in the pouring black rain, with trembling green sandalwood trees and the entire crumbling forest behind him.

"It wasn't until the first trial participant drew his sword and severed the Entangling Flower here... that I realized... he had woken up... but the one who woke up was no longer the original Gray Rock."

"Shadow Erosion completely devoured his mind...but preserved all his power as the guardian of the forest...and even made him stronger..."

"He twisted the rules of the entire trial... The backlash from the trial participants breaking the rules... will greatly enhance his power... and he also possesses the illusions that the Shadow Eaters can create..."

Chen Feng's pupils contracted sharply: "So the failure of the first 21 people..."

Qingtan's voice was deep and rumbling like thunder, "You're right...they all died at the hands of Gray Rock."

"That god named Lin... Grayrock allowed him to see his mortal mother alive, hear her voice, and feel her body temperature. He even simulated his mother's pain when she was seriously ill, forcing Lin Mo to choose between 'saving his mother' and 'abiding by the rules'."

Chen Feng's gaze immediately fell on the trial scene of the god who entered the trial ten years ago.

In the video, Lin Mo's hands are trembling.

He looked at his mother coughing up blood, then glanced back at Qing Tan's figure in the distance. Finally, he gritted his teeth and reached out to grab the meteorite that was emitting black mist.

Qingtan sighed softly.

"That's how Grayrock is... He never leaves a third way for the trial participants... He'll push you to the brink... making you think that breaking the rules is the only option... But as soon as you make a move or violate the order even once... he'll immediately seize the opportunity... and utterly defeat you."

Just then, the Lucky Contract System notification reappeared in Chen Feng's field of vision.

[Task Category: Trial of Order and Civilization]

[Mission Objective: Defeat Grayrock without violating any rules or regulations]

[Mission Reward: Obtain 1 Imprint of Order Civilization, and the title "Inheritor of Order" from a Sub-Civilization]