After saying this, Fu Yun gave a complicated smile.
"You must have seen her at last year’s Youth Tournant. Her Saber Technique... forget just our class, even if you include all the current university students, very few are her match."
"Senior Brother Pan might have been able to... hmm, but he already graduated this year, so he doesn’t count," Fu Yun said, shaking his head.
Xu Wuyi nodded. This didn’t co as a surprise.
The power of Hong Nianyi’s saber strike from the Youth Tournant was still fresh in his mind.
"So, you’re saying Senior Sister Hong recomnded ?" he confird.
"Correct," "Red" added from the side, a stream of data flowing calmly within her pupils. "According to the rules, the recomnded individual must pass a test to prove they are qualified to join Red Star."
Fu Yun picked up the conversation. "It’s fine if you fail the test. Since you were recomnded, you can take the test at any ti until you pass, or until you’re over 25 years old."
Xu Wuyi didn’t respond imdiately. He needed more information.
"What are the obligations for joining Red Star? And what are the benefits?" he asked directly.
Fu Yun wasn’t displeased by his directness. He smiled and said, "Obligations? Practically none. Red Star itself is a very loosely-organized platform with no mandatory missions or gatherings."
"The only thing that could be considered a ’restriction’ is probably the unspoken rule of confidentiality among mbers. You’re not to publicize the existence of ’Red Star’ to the outside world."
"Also, mbers can leave at any ti. You just need to submit a request to ’Red’ to have your Red Star permissions within the Battle Network revoked."
"As for the benefits," he chuckled, "first is the network. You’ll get to connect with the top geniuses from the Three Great Academies and other places from the past decade or so."
"So of them are still students, while others have already graduated. We have people in every field: the military, exploration teams, research institutes, large corporations, and even governnt departnts."
"You can often get imdiate access to information and resource channels that are hard to find through public ans. The sa goes for high-value missions with limited availability."
"Second is the foundation of trust. Red Star’s admission process itself filters out most of those with malicious intent or insufficient strength. While mbers aren’t necessarily all friends, when you cooperate, the shared identity of being ’part of Red Star’ establishes a basic level of trust and a bottom line."
"If soone crosses that line—for example, by maliciously backstabbing a companion during a mission or committing a serious breach of a Martial Artist’s code of ethics—it can be verified, and a vote can be initiated by three or more mbers. If more than half the mbers agree, that person will be permanently expelled."
"Red" chid in with so specific data at the right mont: "Red Star was founded twelve years ago. There are currently two hundred eighty-seven official mbers, with an average age of twenty-nine."
"Throughout its history, a total of four people have been expelled. Three were for severe treachery, and one was for committing a major Federation felony."
Xu Wuyi listened in silence.
The terms were indeed surprisingly lenient. It was, for all intents and purposes, a pure networking platform built on a shared identity and basic credibility.
There were no mandatory commitnts, mbers were free to co and go, and the risk was extrely low.
As for the benefits, the two points Fu Yun ntioned were very practical.
Moreover, it was an organization that existed entirely on the Battle Network. If any risks were to arise in the future, he could just report it directly to the Battle Network officials.
An organization like that would surely be shut down imdiately if it violated any Federation laws.
"What’s the test?" Xu Wuyi asked after a mont of thought.
"A battle," Fu Yun said, pointing to a portal that had suddenly lit up on one side of the reception room. "’Red’ has constructed a special challenge space within the Battle Network. Inside, she has stored the combat Illusions of nine Red Star mbers, recorded before they reached Life Energy Level 35."
"You can choose any one of them to challenge. The opponent’s Life Energy Level will be adjusted to match yours."
"I understand." Although Xu Wuyi said this, he still frowned slightly and couldn’t help but ask, "Combat Illusions... they can actually simulate a Martial Artist’s fighting style?"
In Xu Wuyi’s understanding, the Battle Network could only simulate beings like Star Beasts and Alien Races, which possessed powerful physiques but lacked any real Martial Arts.
Because a Martial Artist’s "Intention" was based on their Spirit, if the Battle Network could simulate it out of thin air, then even Rank Battles would be pointless.
’Why not just simulate a few hundred opponents to use as daily training partners?’
"The technology isn’t mature yet," Fu Yun said. "It’s the latest research achievent from the Starry Sky Martial Arts Academy, and it’s been around for less than twenty years."
"For Martial Artists above Level 35, attempts to simulate a Heart Image Prototype fail nearly one hundred percent of the ti. Even for a fully-fledged Martial Artist, the simulation can only replicate about eighty to ninety percent of their actual skill. That’s why it has never been widely implented."
"I see..." Xu Wuyi nodded. He looked at the faintly glowing portal, his decision already made.
’Joining Red Star has far more pros than cons. As for the test...’
"I accept," he said.
A smile appeared on Fu Yun’s face. He turned to the side and made an inviting gesture. "Follow ."
Xu Wuyi stepped into the portal, with Fu Yun and "Red" following close behind.
As light and shadow swirled around them, the scene before him suddenly opened up.
It was a circular space resembling the Ancient Roman Colosseum, over a hundred ters in diater. The floor was made of a matte, dark-gray alloy, surrounded by gradually rising, ring-shaped stands, though they were currently empty.
The do was a simulated, deep Starry Sky, with specks of starlight scattering down, making the entire space feel vast and solemn.
In the center of the arena, nine half-human-height silver pedestals were arranged in a circle.
A faint, humanoid silhouette of light hovered silently above each pedestal. Their faces were blurry, but their postures were all different. So stood with their arms crossed over a saber, so stood quietly with their hands at their sides, and others sat cross-legged.
Xu Wuyi’s gaze swept across them, quickly settling on one of the silhouettes.
The silhouette was tall and slender, with long hair tied back in a neat ponytail. Though its face was indistinct, the familiar stance and the hand at its side, gripped as if holding an invisible long saber, was unmistakably Hong Nianyi.
"You can choose any pedestal. Stand in the activation zone in front of it, and the test will begin," Fu Yun’s voice sounded from the side.
Xu Wuyi nodded, his gaze lingering on the nine Illusions for another mont.
Aside from Hong Nianyi, he didn’t recognize the other eight Illusions.
’But from the fragnts of aura they exude, every single one of them has a solid foundation and condensed Qi and Blood. They’re by no ans diocre fighters.’
However, his choice had been clear from the very beginning.
Xu Wuyi walked straight toward the pedestal holding Hong Nianyi’s Illusion and stopped about five ters away.
"I choose this one."
A knowing look flashed in Fu Yun’s eyes. He chuckled and said, "Challenging the Illusion left by ’Sister Yi’... Bold. When she recorded this Illusion, her Life Energy Level was exactly 33. But don’t worry, ’Red’ will adjust it down to 32.5 to match yours."
"Do you need a mont to prepare?"
"No need." His fighting spirit stirred by the challenge, Xu Wuyi stepped directly into the activation zone.
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