High Martial Arts: Enlightenment after Practices

Xu Wuyi was just one step away from reaching a whole new level. After that, he would face no obstacles before Life Energy Level 46.

But this step required the right opportunity.

”What are you thinking about?”

Han Mo’s voice came from behind him.

Xu Wuyi didn’t turn around. ”About how to get stronger.”

Han Mo walked to his side and also gazed at the dark surface of the sea. ”On the path of Martial Arts, haste makes waste. You’ve already done very well today. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself.”

”Teacher, the Feathered People won’t give me time to grow slowly,” Xu Wuyi said calmly. ”They failed today, but tomorrow they’ll prepare a more meticulous death trap. Next time, it might not just be the Blood Wing Twin Kings.”

Han Mo fell silent.

He knew his student was right. Since the Blood Sacrifice Divine Hall had made a move, they wouldn’t give up so easily.

Having lost an important piece like the Blood Wing Twin Kings today, the next time... it could be an even more terrifying existence.

”So what you need to do isn’t rush to break through, but to solidify your foundation,” Han Mo said slowly. ”You’ve already touched upon the High Tier applications of the Power of Heart Image, but you aren’t proficient enough. Your fusion of Gravity and Flame is also just a preliminary attempt, with much room for improvement.”

He turned to look at Xu Wuyi. ”The General Commander arranged specialized training for you precisely to fully unearth this potential. Once you truly master the power you currently possess, a breakthrough will come naturally.”

Xu Wuyi nodded.

He understood his teacher’s meaning. In Martial Arts cultivation, the foundation was paramount. If the foundation was unstable, forcing a breakthrough would only leave behind hidden dangers, or even lead to cultivation deviation.

”Also...” Han Mo paused. ”Did you notice Chu Shanhe’s performance in battle today?”

Xu Wuyi was slightly taken aback.

During today’s battle, Zhao Qingwei and Chu Shanhe had led the assault squadron in a feint on the perimeter. He hadn’t paid them much attention. Thinking back now, something did seem off.

”Chu Shanhe’s progress with the Blood Nerve is too fast,” Han Mo said in a grave tone. ”Three days ago, he was at the mid-stage of the third layer. The blood qi that erupted from him during the battle today was already approaching the peak of the third layer.”

Xu Wuyi’s eyes narrowed.

’The Blood Nerve is one of the Miraculous Techniques, and it even originated from Demon Skills. Its cultivation speed is naturally far beyond that of ordinary Martial Arts, but to be this fast... it’s not normal.’

”He’s using the blood of the Feathered People to cultivate,” Han Mo said in a low voice. ”He secretly absorbed the blood qi from the Feathered People killed on the battlefield. Over five hundred Feathered People died today, including many Priests and elite warriors...”

He didn’t finish, but his meaning was clear.

Chu Shanhe was using the lives of his enemies to pave his path in Martial Arts. This method yielded extremely fast progress, but it carried immense hidden dangers. It was easy to lose one’s mind and fall into the demonic path.

”Should we stop him?” Xu Wuyi asked.

”Not for now.” Han Mo shook his head. ”The Blood Nerve may be dangerous, but it is indeed a way to rapidly increase one’s combat power. The war is tense right now; we need every capable fighter we can get. As long as he can still control himself, let him be.”

Xu Wuyi was silent.

He knew this was one of the Federation’s rules: as long as someone hadn’t actually committed an act that harmed others, they could only take preventative measures, not target them directly.

”You be careful, too,” Han Mo said finally. ”Chu Shanhe himself might not necessarily act against you, but the disposition of someone who cultivates the Blood Nerve will gradually change. Keep your distance, and stay vigilant.”

”I understand.”

Han Mo patted his shoulder and turned to leave.

On the observation deck, only Xu Wuyi remained.

He gazed at the distant sea, his mind a whirlwind of thoughts.

’The Feathered People’s death trap, my own growth, the hidden danger of Chu Shanhe, the direction of the entire war... Everything feels like a giant net, and I’m caught in the middle.’

But he felt no fear, only calm.

The path of Martial Arts was like rowing a boat against the current. Be it external enemies or internal threats, they were all just trials to temper his spirit.

The Liaoyuan Long Spear materialized in his hand, its dark gold shaft gleaming faintly under the starlight.

Xu Wuyi tightened his grip on the spear, feeling the warmth emanating from it.

No matter how many hardships lay ahead, he would break through them all with a single thrust of his spear.

...

「Seven days after the meeting.」

Three hundred meters beneath Mountain Stone Base, in Tactical Simulation Room No. 7.

A dynamic battle map of the entire Tianhe Star Realm was projected onto the panoramic screen. The blue area representing the Federation was expanding at a slow but steady pace, while the gray area of the Feathered People was constantly shrinking.

Xu Wuyi stood in the center of the simulation room, flanked by Han Mo and Yang Zhenyue.

”Over the past week, the Feathered People have lost four patrol teams outside the ’Raging Tide Fortress’ on the eastern front, totaling two hundred and thirty men,” Yang Zhenyue said, his finger swiping across the screen.

”On the western front, we took out two of the ’Deep Vortex Fortress’s’ energy harvesting platforms. They were forced to transfer reserve energy from their main fortress, creating a brief window of vulnerability in their defense systems.”

Han Mo continued, ”But most importantly, they still haven’t mobilized their sub-King Level experts on a large scale. The more than twenty sub-Kings across their fifteen fortresses are still stationed separately, not daring to gather.”

”They’re afraid,” Xu Wuyi said calmly.

”Afraid you’ll suddenly appear at a poorly defended fortress and wipe the slate clean again.” Yang Zhenyue nodded. ”That’s the meaning of strategic deterrence. You don’t need to actually make a move. Just letting them know you’re out there is enough to tie up most of their high-end combat power.”

Xu Wuyi looked at the flashing dots on the battle map.

Blue represented Federation forces, gray the Feathered People. In the past week, blue had advanced seventeen kilometers, captured three small resource points, and destroyed seven reconnaissance outposts.

And he hadn’t participated in any of it.

He had only done two things: hone his Power of Heart Image in the Training Ground deep within the base, and appear at specific locations at specific times to release an aura of sufficient intensity.

It was a ”Mimicry Rune” specially made by the Federation Research Institute, capable of perfectly simulating his energy signature. Paired with Lu Wenquan’s illusionary barrier, it was enough to pass for the real thing.

Over the past seven days, his ”aura” had appeared in three different directions, and each time, the Feathered People had reacted as if facing a great enemy, urgently dispatching sub-King Level experts to investigate.

The result was always nothing.

”We’re running them ragged,” Han Mo said. ”Yesterday, Helos at the ’Raging Wave Fortress’ finally lost his patience and sent out three elite scout teams to try and infiltrate behind our lines to confirm your position. They were discovered by Su Wanqing’s surveillance network and annihilated.”

Xu Wuyi was silent for a moment. ”How long can this state of affairs be maintained?”

”Until they find a way to counter it, or... we launch an all-out assault.” Yang Zhenyue closed the battle map. ”But the Feathered People aren’t fools. They’ll realize what’s happening soon enough. So, before they can react, we need to turn our advantage into a decisive victory.”

He looked at Xu Wuyi. ”Tomorrow, you need to make a real move.”

”Target?”

”Seventy kilometers southeast of ’Tidal Surge Fortress,’ there is a medium-sized energy conversion station.” Yang Zhenyue brought up the target’s data.