High Martial Arts: Enlightenment after Practices

Xu Wuyi recalled his previous tests with the Iron-Armored Rock Rhino, the Flame Lizard Commander, and others. The safety measures had indeed been thorough.

"Alright." He made his decision. "I accept. How should we schedule it?"

Lin Lan was clearly relieved and a smile appeared on his face. "Thank you so much! The schedule is very flexible. Just let me know an hour in advance whenever you’re free. The testing ground is at D-16. It’s an area designated for handling high-risk, unknown samples."

"This afternoon then." Xu Wuyi glanced at the time. "Three o’clock, how’s that?"

"No problem! I’ll go prepare right away!" Lin Lan ended the communication with swift efficiency.

Xu Wuyi closed his personal terminal and walked to the window.

’A Spiritual Body Star Beast... an unknown entity from the newly controlled zone on the front lines.’

He flexed his fingers, a focused glint flashing in his eyes.

’I’ve been idle for a few days. It’s time to stretch my legs.’

...

At 2:50 PM, Xu Wuyi arrived punctually at testing ground D-16.

Unlike the comprehensive testing grounds or simulated ecological zones he had visited before, the architectural style of Area D was colder and more imposing.

The corridor walls were made of a dark gray Special Alloy, with prominent red warning signs and Energy Barrier generators placed at regular intervals.

A faint smell of ozone hung in the air, a remnant of the high-intensity Force Fields that were constantly in operation.

Lin Lan was already waiting at the entrance to the testing ground.

He had changed into a white protective suit and was holding a data slate and a special recording pen.

"Martial Artist Xu, this way." Lin Lan led Xu Wuyi toward a preparation room to the side. "There are a few precautions I need to explain before the test."

The preparation room wasn’t large. In the center was a light screen looping a safety briefing.

"First, this is the target you’ll be testing today, internal designation ’Gray Nightmare-3’." Lin Lan pulled up a file.

A mass of constantly shifting, grayish-white mist appeared on the screen. The image was much clearer than the one in the earlier briefing.

Inside the mist, countless tiny specks of light could be seen swimming about. The overall impression it gave was one of chaos, coldness, and malice.

"According to the limited data, ’Gray Nightmare’ type Spiritual Bodies possess the following known traits." Lin Lan tapped the screen with his recording pen.

"One, physical immunity. Conventional attacks with swords, fists, or feet are almost completely ineffective. They pass right through its spiritual structure."

"Two, energy absorption. It can slowly absorb free-roaming energy from the environment, including the Qi and Blood Power and Spiritual Power fluctuations released by a Martial Artist, using it to replenish itself or even grow."

"Three, spiritual erosion. Its primary attack method is a Spirit Shock. It attempts to invade the target’s consciousness to create illusions or directly destroy their spiritual structure."

"Four, shapeshifting. It has no fixed form and can condense parts of itself into offensive organs like claws, tentacles, or spikes depending on the situation."

Xu Wuyi listened intently. These traits were indeed troublesome.

"Our test objective is to force out its attack patterns as much as possible, record its Energy Fluctuation frequencies, its patterns of Transformation, its reactions to various attacks, and attempt to find an effective way to kill it."

Lin Lan looked at Xu Wuyi.

"You may use any Martial Arts or Heart Image Powers, but please be aware: if you feel your Spirit being continuously eroded or your consciousness growing hazy, send the termination signal immediately."

"Understood." Xu Wuyi nodded.

"Also, this is a temporarily issued ’Spirit Stabilizer’." Lin Lan handed him a thin, silver wafer, about the size of a fingernail.

"Stick it to your temple. It can filter Spirit Shocks to a certain degree and will issue a warning if your consciousness fluctuates abnormally."

Xu Wuyi took it and, as instructed, placed it on his right temple. The wafer was cool to the touch, then it adhered automatically, leaving almost no sensation.

"If you’re ready, we can enter." Lin Lan walked to the door on the other side of the preparation room and pressed the palm-print lock.

The heavy alloy door slid open to both sides.

Behind the door was a massive spherical space, over two hundred meters in diameter.

The inner walls were covered with a dark blue energy-absorbing material, and hundreds of monitoring probes were distributed across the ceiling and walls.

In the center of the space, a transparent, cylindrical Force Field cage about ten meters in diameter was suspended two meters above the ground.

Inside the Force Field cage, the mass of grayish-white mist designated "Gray Nightmare-3" was roiling and squirming erratically, as if it were alive.

Xu Wuyi stepped into the testing ground.

The floor beneath his feet was made of some kind of extremely elastic, dark brown material that had a slight give when he stepped on it.

Lin Lan did not follow him in. His voice rang out from the arena’s speakers: "Martial Artist Xu, the test will begin in thirty seconds. The Force Field cage will open a gap. Once the target is released, you will have ten seconds to prepare."

"The test is expected to last one hour, or until the target has been ’dispersed’ to the point it can no longer reform."

"Please note that ’dispersed’ does not mean killed. The Spiritual Body’s core may be hidden deep within its energy structure and requires special methods to be completely eliminated. This test does not require complete elimination; the primary goal is data collection."

Xu Wuyi took a deep breath. His Qi and Blood circulated naturally. In his sea of consciousness, the Golden Crow Illusion lifted its head slightly, and the great, dark-gold marsh remained perfectly calm.

He didn’t form a weapon in his hand. Physical attacks were useless against a Spiritual Body, so his long spear was of no use for now.

The thirty-second countdown ended.

BZZZZ—

An irregular gap about two meters high opened on the side of the central Force Field cage.

The instant the gap appeared, the grayish-white mist seemed to catch a scent. It froze for a moment, then shot out of the opening like an arrow loosed from a bowstring!

It didn’t immediately pounce on Xu Wuyi. Instead, it circled once in the air, the gray mist churning as the specks of light within flickered faster. It seemed to be "observing" this new environment and the newly appeared "energy source."

Xu Wuyi stood his ground, unmoving. He slowly extended his Spiritual Perception, enveloping the gray mist.

The moment his perception touched the gray mist, an ice-cold, chaotic, and ravenous Intention washed back at him!

It wasn’t a clear thought, but more like a beast’s instinct—a primal craving for Energy, for life, for Spiritual Power.

HISSS—

From within the gray mist came a silent shriek, like the grating of sandpaper.

The next moment, it moved!

The gray mist abruptly stretched and deformed, its front end coalescing into three sharp claws that slashed down at Xu Wuyi’s head!

It was incredibly fast, and it carried a chill that directly targeted the Spirit.

Xu Wuyi’s feet didn’t move; he simply raised his right hand.

Palm facing up, a wisp of dark gold Heart Fire quietly ignited.

It didn’t radiate scorching heat, but the Flame itself represented the ultimate will of "Incineration" and "Purification," possessing a natural counter to Spiritual Energy and all things foul and unclean.

The moment the misty claws touched the light of the Heart Fire, they hissed like snow meeting boiling oil. The tips rapidly dissolved and vaporized!

HISSS—!!

The Gray Nightmare let out an even shriller spiritual screech, abruptly retracting its damaged, misty claws and drifting several meters backward.

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