A white-haired old general frowned and said, "But a virtual battle and an actual removal are two different things. The current state of Grandmaster Shen’s Sea of Consciousness, the activity level of the Sword Intention, the depth of its corrosion—all of these will affect the difficulty of the removal."
"Grandmaster Shen’s latest medical report is here." Feng Zhuohua raised a hand, projecting another document.
"Sea of Consciousness Stability Rating: C-, continuously deteriorating. Sword Intention Activity Rating: A+, still evolving. The medical team’s assessment is that he can hold on for seventy-two hours at most."
"After that time, either Grandmaster Shen must risk removing it himself, or... the Sword Intention will spiral completely out of control and corrode his Heart Phase Core."
The atmosphere in the conference room grew somber.
Shen Jin wasn’t just a Peak Grandmaster; he was a vital pillar for the military in the Broken Star Belt warzone. If he fell, the blow to frontline morale and the Federation’s high-end combat strength would be immense.
"Of everyone who has tried so far, Xu Wuyi has the highest success rate?" asked another, a stern-faced female general.
"Correct." Wu Dingbo pulled up a statistical chart. "In total, one hundred and twenty-seven people have made the attempt, with only three victors. Two of them only won a single time, for a win rate of less than 10%. Only Xu Wuyi has achieved eight consecutive victories recently. From a data standpoint, he is the most suitable candidate."
Everyone present was, of course, well aware of this outcome. Other than Xu Wuyi, the other two victors were Grandmaster Level figures, both exceptionally talented, but neither had performed particularly well against Ye Yixin.
This didn’t mean Xu Wuyi had already surpassed the Grandmasters. Instead, the higher the challenger’s Level, the stronger Ye Yixin’s Sword Intention became. Evidently, Ye Yixin’s growth at the Grandmaster Level was terrifying.
Conversely, it was at the Innate stage that Federation Martial Artists had any hope of challenging him.
"But Xu Wuyi’s actual level is only 47," the old general remained concerned. "Although the Illusion adjusts to match his level, during the actual removal, he will have to enter Grandmaster Shen’s Sea of Consciousness. That’s a Grandmaster Level spiritual world."
"The hierarchical suppression caused by the level gap could affect his performance, and might even injure him."
"We have a contingency plan for that," Feng Zhuohua chimed in. "The medical team will be monitoring him the entire time. If Xu Wuyi’s Spirit shows any sign of being unable to withstand the strain, they will immediately initiate the extraction protocol and forcibly terminate the removal."
"Of course, that would cause secondary damage to Grandmaster Shen, but at least we could preserve Xu Wuyi’s life and his martial foundation."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone present. "The question now isn’t ’Can we find a better candidate?’ but ’Does time permit us to keep looking?’ Grandmaster Shen can’t afford to wait."
The conference room fell silent.
The generals stared at the data on the projection, lost in thought.
After a long moment, the stern-faced female general was the first to speak. "I agree to let Xu Wuyi make the attempt. Data doesn’t lie, and his tactics are a clear counter to Ye Yixin’s Sword Intention."
"As for the problem of hierarchical suppression... we can try using spirit resonance devices to assist him and weaken its effect."
The old general sighed. "I also agree. It’s just... a shame. If Xu Wuyi were already a Grandmaster, our chances would be much greater."
"There are no ’what ifs’ on the path of Martial Arts," Feng Zhuohua said, shaking his head. "All we can do is make the optimal choice under the current circumstances."
"Besides, if Xu Wuyi had already ascended to the Grandmaster realm, it’s debatable whether he could even defeat Ye Yixin."
"That’s also true..."
He looked at Wu Dingbo. "General Wu, what is Xu Wuyi’s own take on this?"
Wu Dingbo answered, "Grandmaster Qiao Tongyu is with him. They can depart for Xingjing at a moment’s notice. From what I know of him, he’ll be willing to take on this mission."
"Good." Feng Zhuohua made his decision.
"Notify the medical team to begin preparations immediately. Requisition three of our top-specification spirit resonance devices to ensure stability during the removal process."
"General Wu, you will be responsible for coordinating the entire process. Ensure that the operation can begin the moment Xu Wuyi arrives."
"Yes, sir."
"Also," Feng Zhuohua added, "the removal procedure is to be classified as top secret. All personnel involved must sign non-disclosure agreements. Regardless of the outcome, no related information is to be leaked."
"Understood."
The meeting ended, and everyone filed out.
Wu Dingbo was the last to leave, but Feng Zhuohua stopped him.
"Dingbo," Feng Zhuohua said, his voice lowered. "You’ve had more contact with Xu Wuyi than anyone. Tell me honestly... what do you think our chances are?"
Wu Dingbo was silent for a few seconds.
"Going by the data, sixty percent. From my own observations..." He paused. "Seventy percent."
"Oh?" Feng Zhuohua raised an eyebrow. "Your reasoning?"
"That kid’s mindset is incredibly stable," Wu Dingbo said.
"Over the past month, I’ve watched him dismantle, analyze, and counter the Illusion bit by bit. He went from narrow victories at the start to decisive wins now."
"He isn’t just improving his win rate; he’s building a complete tactical system for dealing with Ye Yixin’s Sword Intention. That kind of calm and resilience is more valuable than raw data."
Feng Zhuohua grew pensive.
"I hope you’re right," he said at last. "Grandmaster Shen is not only one of the Federation’s strongest, but he’s also the only one with a chance to advance even further. We must do everything in our power to save him."
"I’m heading to the central hospital."
...
「Before dawn the next morning.」
Xu Wuyi concluded a night of quiet meditation. When he opened his eyes, the "breathing" of the great, dark-golden marsh within his Sea of Consciousness was steady and deep. The flames of the Golden Crow Illusion were condensed and contained, and his entire Heart Image was adjusted to its optimal state.
He changed into a special-issue combat uniform delivered by the military: dark gray, made of a pliant but tough fabric, and interwoven with spirit-sensing circuits that could monitor the wearer’s vital signs and Spirit fluctuations in real time.
Qiao Tongyu was already waiting for him in the courtyard. He was also dressed in casual attire, but his aura was deep and focused, clearly prepared to act at a moment’s notice.
"The private plane is ready. We’re flying directly to the Xingjing Military Central Hospital," Qiao Tongyu said. "General Wu will be there to receive us."
Xu Wuyi nodded without further questions.
The two got into a car, which silently pulled away from the Qiao Family estate and sped toward the military airfield on the outskirts of Linjiang.
Along the way, Qiao Tongyu handed him a palm-sized, silver metal box.
"What’s this?" Xu Wuyi asked as he took it.
"A Spirit Stabilizer. Special military issue," Qiao Tongyu explained.
"After you enter Grandmaster Shen’s Sea of Consciousness, if you feel the mental pressure is too great, you can take one. It will boost your spiritual resilience by thirty percent for a short period."
"However, the side effect is a three-to-five-hour period of weakness after it wears off, so don’t use it unless absolutely necessary."
Xu Wuyi opened the box. Inside, six pale blue capsules were arranged in a neat row.
"Understood."
He put the metal box away and looked out the window at the scenery rushing by.
The Linjiang morning was shrouded in a light mist. Martial Artists were already up and training in the streets, their shouts faintly audible in the distance.
In this city, in this nation, there were countless Martial Artists like Shen Jin, fighting and sacrificing on the front lines, behind enemy lines, and in places unseen.
’And today, my job is to save one of them.’
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