High Martial Arts: Enlightenment after Practices

During this time, Xu Wuyi also got to know the other Martial Artists at the base.

Most of them welcomed his arrival. After all, an additional strong ally was always a good thing.

But some were skeptical. Xu Wuyi was too young, and having just been transferred from the front lines, it was inevitable that some would question his combat experience.

Xu Wuyi offered no explanation, simply going about his business quietly.

On the evening of the fifth day, Shi Yue knocked on his door.

”The orders are in.” Shi Yue’s expression was grim. ”All combat personnel are to assemble in the command hall at 0400 tomorrow. The fish... has taken the bait.”

A sharp glint flashed in Xu Wuyi’s eyes.

”The exact location?”

”Area B-11, code-named ’Wind-Corroded Valley’.” Shi Yue lowered his voice. ”One of our reconnaissance squadrons ’accidentally’ exposed their position there. They’re currently being surrounded by Feathered People forces. About three hundred of them, all elites.”

”The bait?”

”That’s right.” Shi Yue nodded. ”There are a few experts in that squadron. The Feathered People will definitely want to devour them. According to intel, the Feathered People have already gathered over two thousand troops and are forming an encirclement.”

Xu Wuyi stood up and flexed his wrists.

”What’s my mission?”

”Once the encirclement is complete, you cut in from the rear.” A cold light flashed in Shi Yue’s eyes. ”Use your Liaoyuan fire and burn them all.”

...

At the same time, eighty kilometers northeast of Wind-Corroded Valley, inside a temporary Feathered People command post suspended in mid-air.

Five Feathered Priests sat around an Energy sand table, which clearly displayed the topography of Wind-Corroded Valley and the deployment of both forces.

The appearance of the Feathered Priests was markedly different from that of humans.

They were tall and slender, generally over two meters in height, with pale gray-white skin and large wings growing from their backs. Their facial features were sharp, and their eyes were solid black, without pupils.

”Is it confirmed? Is that Federation unit truly trapped?” the old Priest in the head seat asked, his voice hoarse.

”Confirmed, High Priest,” a young Priest replied respectfully. ”Our ’Wind-Talkers’ have been monitoring them the entire time. The unit triggered an ancient trap while prospecting a mineral vein in the valley floor. They lost a third of their hovercraft and their mobility is now severely reduced.”

On the sand table, red light points representing the Federation unit were clustered at the bottom of Wind-Corroded Valley, surrounded by blue light points representing the Feathered People’s forces, which were slowly closing in from three directions.

”And their numbers?”

”Three hundred and seven people, fifteen of whom are Innate Level, with the rest being high-level Martial Artists,” another Priest reported. ”The leader is the vice-commander of the Federation’s ’Crimson Scorpion Battle Group,’ a level 44 Innate who specializes in defensive tactics.”

The High Priest fell silent for a moment, his solid black eyes sweeping over the other four.

”Do you think this is a trap?”

A brief silence fell.

A middle-aged Priest spoke cautiously, ”High Priest, the Federation People are cunning. For an elite force of three hundred to venture deep into Wind-Corroded Valley without any support is, in itself, quite illogical.”

”I agree,” another Priest concurred. ”While Wind-Corroded Valley is rich in mineral resources, it’s not a strategic location. There’s no reason for the Federation to take such a great risk by sending a squadron in, unless...”

”Unless they’re doing it on purpose,” the High Priest finished. ”They want to use these three hundred as bait to lure us out for an ambush.”

The atmosphere around the sand table grew heavy.

But just then, a young Priest sitting at the far end of the table suddenly spoke up. ”High Priest, I believe that even if it is a trap, we should still take this bait.”

All eyes turned to him.

”Why is that?” the High Priest asked.

The young Priest stood up and pointed at the sand table. ”First, we’ve deployed over fifty reconnaissance nodes around Wind-Corroded Valley, with a monitoring radius of one hundred kilometers. If the Federation had a large force on the move, it’s impossible that we wouldn’t have detected it.”

”Second, even if a few experts are lying in wait, with our superior numbers, we can completely devour the bait and then withdraw. The mobility of the Feathered People is unmatched among all civilizations. If we can’t win the fight, can’t we at least outrun them?”

His tone was confident. ”Two thousand against three hundred. That’s a numerical superiority of more than six to one. As long as we have a contingency plan, even if the Federation has an ambush, we can still annihilate that squadron with manageable losses.”

”Annihilating an elite force of three hundred would be a huge blow to the Federation’s morale. Furthermore, the mineral veins of Wind-Corroded Valley will fall into our hands.”

The young Priest looked at the High Priest. ”This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, High Priest.”

The command post fell into contemplative silence.

The High Priest’s fingers tapped lightly on the armrest of his chair, his solid black eyes fixed on the red light points on the sand table.

After a long while, he slowly nodded.

”Relay my orders. All units are to proceed with the encirclement as planned. But all Priests are to remain vigilant. If anything unusual is detected, retreat immediately. Do not get bogged down in a fight.”

”Yes, sir!”

The orders were quickly relayed.

On the sand table, the encirclement speed of the blue light points visibly increased.

...

Sandstone Base, Command Hall.

Zhao Rui stood before a massive holographic sand table, with over twenty Innate Martial Artists, including Xu Wuyi and Shi Yue, standing behind him.

The sand table displayed the battle situation in Wind-Corroded Valley in real-time. The red light point representing the Federation squadron was completely surrounded by a blue tide of light, like a lone boat in a tempest.

”The Feathered People have taken the bait,” Zhao Rui’s voice was calm. ”According to the latest intelligence, they have committed twenty-one hundred troops, including forty-seven Priests. The encirclement will be complete within thirty minutes.”

He turned to look at Xu Wuyi. ”Martial Artist Xu, are you ready?”

Xu Wuyi nodded.

”Very good.” Zhao Rui pointed to a highland area behind Wind-Corroded Valley on the sand table. ”This is the location of the Feathered People’s command post, eight kilometers from the main battlefield. Most of their Priests are concentrated there, directing the battle.”

”Your mission is to cut in from the rear the moment the encirclement is complete and strike directly at their command post. Use your Liaoyuan fire to kill as many Priests and gathered warriors as possible.”

”Understood.” Xu Wuyi spoke only a single word.

Zhao Rui then looked to the others. ”Captain Shi, you will lead the Third Squadron in a feint attack from the flank to draw their attention. The rest of you will divide into three groups and, after Martial Artist Xu initiates his attack, break in from three directions to expand our gains.”

”Remember, speed is the key to this battle. You must inflict maximum damage before the Feathered People have time to react. Once they start to scatter and retreat, we won’t be able to catch them.”

”Yes, sir!” the crowd responded in unison.

Xu Wuyi closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

In his sea of consciousness, the Dark Gold Mountain Body stood motionless. At its peak, the Golden Crow Illusion spread its wings, fiery runes flowing endlessly across it. The Heart Method of ”Golden Crow Burning Heart·Raging Fire” flowed through his mind, every detail crystal clear.

’A month of hard cultivation at the research institute... today, it’s time to draw blood.’

...

05:17 AM, Wind-Corroded Valley.

The sky was still a dim yellow. The two suns had not yet fully risen, and the light was faint.