novelE2F Chapter 361: Heading to Xingjing
Chapter 361: Heading to Xingjing
It was the image of a middle-aged soldier with a stern expression and a hardened physique. His eyes were vacant, yet he exuded the grim aura of a seasoned battlefield veteran.
He used no weapon, merely clenching his fists as the Qi and Blood around him began to surge.
39.2.
In terms of Life Energy Level alone, it was indeed much higher than Xu Wuyi’s.
But this "Illusion" lacked a true Martial Artist’s will, to say nothing of a Mental Realm or a Heart Image.
Xu Wuyi didn’t let his guard down.
He raised his hand, and the Meteor Iron Long Spear materialized in his palm.
The uniformed Illusion across from him moved.
There were no flashy probing attacks. It took a single step, making the ground tremble slightly, and shot forward like a cannonball. It threw its right fist, the Qi and Blood on its knuckles condensing into a pale red aura that ripped through the air!
’Good speed and plenty of power. A standard Starting Form for military combat.’
Xu Wuyi didn’t move his feet, only twisted his torso slightly.
The fist’s aura grazed his chest, and the resulting gust of wind lifted the hair on his forehead.
The moment the Fist Momentum was spent, the long spear in Xu Wuyi’s hand stirred.
He didn’t use Golden Crow Sky Splitting or even activate his Undying Flame.
It was just a simple, straight thrust, the tip of the spear silently targeting the inside of the Illusion’s right elbow.
Fast, precise, and timed to perfection.
The Illusion reacted quickly, blocking with its left arm as its Qi and Blood coalesced once more.
HISS.
The tip of the spear struck the protective layer of Qi and Blood on the left arm, creating a soft scraping sound.
The Illusion swayed slightly, its assault momentarily checked.
Xu Wuyi gave it no chance to recover.
With a flick of his wrist, he turned the thrust into a sweep, the spear’s shaft whipping toward the Illusion’s waist like an iron rod.
The Illusion dropped into a low stance, crossing its arms to block.
THUD!
Amid the dull thud, the Illusion was sent sliding several meters to the side, its feet carving two shallow grooves into the ground.
Xu Wuyi remained where he stood, his gaze serene.
’After two exchanges, I’ve already figured this Illusion out.’
’Its Qi and Blood Strength is indeed at a level 39 standard, but its Techniques are stiff and its responses are rigid. It relies completely on pre-programmed combat logic.’
’Plenty of power, but no spark of ingenuity.’
’An opponent like this poses no threat to me, even if its Life Energy Level were a few points higher.’
The Illusion stabilized its posture. A programmed "anger" flickered in its vacant eyes as the Qi and Blood throughout its body suddenly roiled. Its arm muscles bulged, and its skin took on an unnatural crimson hue.
Xu Wuyi’s eyes narrowed.
The Illusion charged again, a notch faster than before. It unleashed a flurry of consecutive punches, the afterimages of its fists blanketing Xu Wuyi like a torrential downpour.
’Now this is more like it.’
Xu Wuyi finally made his move.
He no longer opted to block or meet the attack head-on. Instead, he activated Instant Shadow Step, his figure weaving through the dense storm of fists like a phantom.
Every movement was perfect, every dodge a matter of millimeters.
The wind from the punches howled, but it never so much as grazed the hem of his clothes.
Five seconds, ten seconds...
The Illusion’s assault began to falter. It was reaching the limit of its burst technique.
’Now.’
Xu Wuyi’s movements came to an abrupt halt. He stopped dodging.
He held the spear one-handed in his right, its tip angled toward the ground. He brought the fingers of his left hand together like a sword and brushed them lightly along the spear’s shaft.
Within his sea of consciousness, the Golden Crow Illusion stirred its wings.
A speck of dark golden light ignited on the spear’s tip. Though it hadn’t fully blossomed into the Undying Flame, it already carried a trace of its scorching Mental Realm.
The Illusion’s final punch descended.
Xu Wuyi raised his spear.
Again, a simple thrust.
But this thrust was several times faster than the last. The spear tip traced a thin, straight, dark golden line through the air, striking the exact center of the Illusion’s fist with unerring precision.
POP.
It was the faint sound of a bubble bursting.
The protective layer of crimson Qi and Blood condensed on the fist was pierced as if it were tissue paper.
The thin, dark golden line drove straight through, instantly piercing the entire arm and emerging from behind the shoulder.
The Illusion’s movements froze.
It looked down at the bowl-sized hole in its chest. The Spear Force had passed clean through its body. And while the simulation didn’t perfectly replicate real damage, the system had already judged the blow to be fatal.
Dark golden sparks flickered at the hole’s edge before slowly fading away.
[Target has lost combat capability. Test passed.]
[Congratulations. You have qualified for the "Iron Blood Front Short-Term Garrison Rotation" mission. Reporting Time: August 15th, 9:00 AM. Assembly Point: Third Spaceport, Seventh Star Realm Defense Sector. Detailed instructions have been sent.]
The Illusion’s figure began to blur and dissipate.
Xu Wuyi withdrew his spear and stood, his expression unchanging.
’Too easy.’
’An opponent lacking will and a Mental Realm is nothing more than a glorified training dummy, no matter how high its Life Energy Level.’
’On a real battlefield, a level 37 Martial Artist who has formed a Heart Image Prototype could completely crush a level 39 "empty shell" like that.’
’Still, it’s a fitting baseline for a test. Some Martial Artists might not have a Heart Image Prototype, but they could have their own explosive Martial Techniques or a sufficiently high Life Energy Level.’
’As long as one has a specialty in any of these areas and their overall combat power exceeds that of the level 39 empty shell, they meet the military’s requirements for a garrison Martial Artist.’
’They designed the test subject this way to ensure fairness, preventing a situation where some Martial Artists might be completely countered by the Illusion simply due to their specific skill set.’
His consciousness withdrew from the Battle Network.
As he sat up from the connection pod, the sun was shining brightly outside.
Xu Wuyi glanced at the time: 10:20 AM.
He got up, stretched his stiff muscles, and walked to the window of the Cultivation Room.
’Next up is the Research Institute’s test.’
According to the email, in two days—the morning of August fifth—he needed to report to the Star Realm Research Institute headquarters in the Federation’s Capital Xingjing City.
"Anna, book me a one-way flight to Xingjing for the afternoon of August fourth," Xu Wuyi commanded.
"Command received. Searching for flights... A seat has been booked for you on a passenger transport from Western Desert Royal Capital Airport to Xingjing Airport, departing at 2:40 PM on August fourth. Estimated time of arrival: 7:00 PM. Would you like me to book a hotel?"
"No, the Institute provides temporary accommodations."
"Understood. The itinerary has been synced to your personal terminal."
Xu Wuyi nodded and said nothing more.
He had no intention of wasting the next two days.
His cultivation of the Hundred Refinements Melting Furnace couldn’t stop, and his Golden Crow conception needed daily refinement.
More importantly, his comprehension of the Earth’s True Intention was still vague.
’Venerable Flame said I must comprehend it through battle.’
’I’ll just have to wait for the combat test at the Institute, then.’
...
「On the afternoon of August fourth」Xu Wuyi boarded the passenger transport to Xingjing, carrying only a small bag.
Outside the cabin window, the deserts and oases of the West Desert gradually fell away behind them. The transport pierced the clouds, speeding eastward.
The land below transitioned from pale yellow to verdant green, which in turn gave way to sprawling urban clusters.
Xingjing City: the political, economic, and cultural heart of the Federation, and the headquarters of the Star Realm Research Institute.
At 7:10 PM, the transport touched down smoothly at Xingjing Airport.
As he stepped out of the cabin, an atmosphere entirely different from the West Desert washed over him.
The air was humid, carrying the mild heat of a late summer evening.
Skyscrapers pierced the skyline, neon lights glittered, and the sky was a tapestry of aerial traffic. Maglev trains glided silently through transparent tubes.
It was bustling, orderly, and saturated with a sense of advanced technology.