High Martial Arts: Enlightenment after Practices

Feng Zhuohua took a deep breath and looked at Xu Wuyi. "Go get some rest. You can submit the mission report later. Academician Zhou, please analyze these items as quickly as possible. I need a detailed evaluation report sent directly to Central Command."

"Rest assured, you'll have the preliminary results within seventy-two hours." Zhou Ming signaled for the researchers to carefully move the sealed containers and quickly departed.

He Yaoyin's squad completed the handover, saluted, and departed.

Tie Zhan and Lu Wenquan walked over. Tie Zhan clapped Xu Wuyi on the shoulder. "Kid, you've made another huge contribution. But I doubt the Feathered People will let this slide. You'd better be careful."

"I know." Xu Wuyi nodded.

Lu Wenquan pushed up his glasses and, for once, made a personal comment. "Your new technique is extremely draining. An application on the level of a Gravity Singularity is best saved as a trump card. Using it frequently will damage the foundation of your Heart Image."

Xu Wuyi was touched. "Thank you for the reminder, Instructor Lu."

"Come on, I'll give you a ride back." Feng Zhuohua motioned for Xu Wuyi to follow. "There's something I need to talk to you about on the way."

The two boarded a military jeep, which drove out of the spaceport and into Xingjing's subterranean transit network.

Inside the vehicle, Feng Zhuohua pulled up an encrypted file. "The intelligence you brought back has garnered the full attention of Central Command. The Feathered People's progress with biological weapons is at least five years ahead of our projections."

Xu Wuyi listened in silence.

"What's more troubling is that they chose the X-24 Star Domain to conduct live combat tests. That means the region has already been deeply infiltrated by the Feathered People." Feng Zhuohua rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"The Seventeenth Division only took over command there less than two months ago; their defensive lines aren't even fully established. If you hadn't been there, an entire armored battalion could have been wiped out once those modified creatures reached a critical mass."

"The Feathered People's goal wasn't just to test their weapons," Xu Wuyi said suddenly.

Feng Zhuohua looked at him. "What do you mean?"

"The timing of the Jialou squad's appearance was too convenient," Xu Wuyi analyzed. "I had just cleared out the third hive when they showed up, and they called me by name. This wasn't a chance encounter. It was more like... they already knew I was there and came specifically to hunt me down."

Feng Zhuohua's expression darkened. "Your whereabouts were leaked?"

"Not necessarily." Xu Wuyi shook his head. "It's also possible the Feathered People captured my combat signature through the information network connecting the hives. I used Gravity Manipulation and Flame in the Tianshui Star Realm, so my signature is quite distinct."

He paused. "But Jialou mentioned that the Blood Sacrifice Divine Hall specifically ordered my death. This means my priority on the Feathered People's internal kill list is very high. They won't pass up any opportunity."

Feng Zhuohua was silent for a few seconds before saying slowly, "As of today, your security level is being raised to maximum. Do not leave Xingjing unless it's absolutely necessary. Any off-world missions must be accompanied by at least two Quasi-Grandmasters."

"That will impede operational efficiency," Xu Wuyi said.

"It's better than you getting into trouble," Feng Zhuohua said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "The Federation cannot afford to lose a Genius like you. Besides..."

He pulled up another file. "Central Command has decided to accelerate the 'Starfire Project.' You are a core candidate on the list. Over the next six months, a significant portion of resources will be funneled your way. There is only one objective: for you to break through to the Grandmaster Level before you turn thirty."

Xu Wuyi was taken aback.

'Break through to the Grandmaster Level by thirty?'

In the Federation's history, the record for the youngest Grandmaster was held by Grandmaster Lü, who had achieved the feat in his thirties.

After a moment of silence, Xu Wuyi nodded. "I'll do my best."

Feng Zhuohua clapped him on the shoulder again. "But don't feel pressured. Everyone is helping you, not rushing you."

Xu Wuyi nodded.

The vehicle stopped outside Xu Wuyi's residence—a detached villa in Xingjing's inner city, surrounded by hidden military sentries on twenty-four-hour alert.

Feng Zhuohua's final piece of advice was, "Get some proper rest for the next few days and get back into shape."

...

「Three days later. The military briefing room.」

Academician Zhou's preliminary analysis report was already laid out on the long table.

In attendance, besides Feng Zhuohua, Lin Shuo, and other high-ranking military officials, were several senior academicians from the research institute.

"Based on our analysis of the modified creature remains, the Feathered People are at least five years ahead of us in bio-runic integration technology," Zhou Ming said, his tone grave.

"They've successfully solved the problem of interfacing Energy pathways with biological nervous systems. The modified creatures can not only receive commands but also react to battlefield situations with a limited degree of adaptability."

He brought up a holographic image displaying the structure of a modified creature's control core. "The most critical component is this: consciousness fragment implantation. Through a blood sacrifice ritual, the Feathered People strip and purify a portion of a fallen warrior's combat consciousness, then implant it into the modified creature."

"It's equivalent to installing an 'experience chip' into a biological weapon, meaning they're no longer simple puppets."

Lin Shuo frowned. "What about the Energy consumption? Maintaining a consciousness fragment of that complexity requires a stable supply of soul energy."

"The hive core." Zhou Ming brought up another data set. "There's an Energy link between the modified creatures and the hive. The hive core is responsible for providing the soul energy, which is why all the modified creatures became inactive after Martial Artist Xu destroyed it."

He paused. "But the Feathered People are clearly trying to overcome this limitation. We found traces of a backup Energy circuit in the wreckage. While it's still incomplete, their objective is clear: enabling the modified creatures to detach from the hive and operate independently."

The briefing room fell silent.

If the Feathered People actually achieved that, they could mass-produce biological weapons possessing Quasi-Innate combat strength, just like churning out conventional arms.

At that point, the entire balance of the war would be shattered.

"What does the Institute need?" Lin Shuo asked directly.

"Time, resources, and... live specimens," Zhou Ming said, looking at Feng Zhuohua. "We need a live modified creature, or at the very least, a more complete control core. The current wreckage is too heavily damaged; we can't extract much of the critical data."

Feng Zhuohua looked at Xu Wuyi. "Next encounter, try to take one alive."

Xu Wuyi nodded. "I'll do my best."

Lin Shuo continued, "From this day forward, all frontline units that discover modified creatures or related research facilities are to prioritize capture. Elimination is a secondary objective."

The order was quickly relayed down the chain of command.

After returning to Xingjing, the pace of Xu Wuyi's life was forced to a crawl.

It wasn't that he wanted to slow down, but an order from the military.

"No non-essential missions, and no unnecessary public appearances," Feng Zhuohua had personally ordered.

"You're now the number one target on the Feathered People's kill list. The Blood Sacrifice Divine Hall has issued a 'Blood Sacrifice Order.' The moment they confirm your location, they might even deploy a Grandmaster Level entity to carry out a decapitation strike."

Xu Wuyi stood at the window of his Cultivation Room, watching the Ginkgo Leaves drift down into the courtyard outside.

'It's late autumn.'

From first reaching the Innate Level to becoming a Quasi-Grandmaster, his rate of progress was nearly unheard of in the Federation's history. But with that speed came more and more attention—especially from his enemies.

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