Xu Wuyi was deep in thought.
"So, quiet your mind, and watch." Fla Venerable clapped him on the shoulder. "When you have your own answer, we’ll talk about training."
With that, he turned and walked out of the bamboo house, leaving Xu Wuyi alone.
Xu Wuyi sat down, his gaze returning to the Celestial Bird Bathing in Fire Painting.
At first, he only saw the surface.
The shape of the flas, the posture of the Divine Bird, the painting’s composition...
But as ti passed, his consciousness gradually imrsed itself in the painting.
In a trance, he could almost hear the crackling of the flas and feel the scorching waves of heat.
The flas in the painting were no longer static; they began to flow, swirl, and ascend.
The Divine Bird’s eyes grew deeper, more profound.
Xu Wuyi closed his eyes. Within his sea of consciousness, the Mountain Peak Great Sun Realm manifested on its own.
But unlike before, this ti, the great sun’s light was more intense, its flas more condensed.
He could almost feel the intention contained within every wisp of fla.
...
The days passed, one by one.
Xu Wuyi’s life fell into a strict routine.
He would wake at dawn, wash up, and then sit in the bamboo house to study the painting.
At noon, attendants from the Royal Family delivered his als. He would eat, then continue to watch.
Fla Venerable would only return when night fell. He might occasionally ask a question or two about Xu Wuyi’s insights, but most of the ti, he would simply nod and say no more.
Xu Wuyi wasn’t anxious.
He was not an impatient person by nature. This kind of slow, grinding training actually suited his temperant perfectly.
On the first day, he only found the painting to be remarkably lifelike.
On the third day, he began to sense the "emotions" within the flas—a pure, blazing, and unabashed will to burn.
On the fifth day, he noticed the Divine Bird’s eyes.
They didn’t show an expression of enduring pain, nor one of enjoying the bath. Instead, it was one of... calm acceptance.
It was as if the flas were not sothing external, but a part of the bird itself.
On the seventh day, a thought suddenly struck Xu Wuyi.
’Is fire... really just fire?’
...
Outside the bamboo house, Fla Venerable sat on a rock by the stream, holding a fishing rod. He appeared to be fishing, but in truth, his Heart and Spirit were focused on the goings-on inside the house.
"Ten days," he muttered to himself. "This kid really has so patience."
Most young people would have lost their patience long ago if asked to stare at a painting every day.
But for the past ten days, aside from necessary rest and als, Xu Wuyi had hardly left the bamboo house.
That kind of ntal fortitude was rare.
"Unfortunately, ti is running short." Fla Venerable gazed eastward, his eyes deep with aning.
Tensions between the Federation and the Werewolf Race were escalating, and a conscription order could be issued at any mont. The ti he had to teach Xu Wuyi might be even shorter than he’d anticipated.
...
「On the morning of the eleventh day.」
Xu Wuyi was in the bamboo house studying the painting, just as he did every day.
By now, he was no longer consciously "looking," but was letting the image imprint itself naturally upon his mind.
The flas, the Divine Bird, the ntal Realm—they had long since been deeply branded into his sea of consciousness.
Suddenly, his personal communicator began to vibrate.
Xu Wuyi withdrew his Heart and Spirit and glanced at the screen.
It was an encrypted ssage. The sender was listed as "Federation Military."
He opened the ssage.
"Student Xu Wuyi:
You are invited to the West Desert Military Region’s Third Training Base today at 2:00 PM to participate in a specialized abilities test. The content of the test is confidential. If you wish to attend, please arrive on ti.
—Federation Star Realm Combat Command"
Xu Wuyi froze for a mont. Although he had been ntally prepared for sothing like this, he hadn’t expected the Federation Military to contact him directly.
As for whether he would go, for Xu Wuyi, there was never any other answer.
He owed his progress on the path of Martial Arts to the Federation, from his education to the subsidies he received. Their help had been a constant presence.
If the Federation called, he was always ready to go to the battlefield.
He sent a confirmation reply and walked out of the bamboo house.
Fla Venerable was practicing his fist forms by the stream. His movents were slow, yet possessed an indescribable charm. When he saw Xu Wuyi erge, he brought his practice to a close and stood at ease.
"Is sothing the matter?"
"The military sent a notice. I’m to go take a test this afternoon," Xu Wuyi reported honestly.
Fla Venerable nodded, seemingly unsurprised. "Go on, then. Co back after the test."
"What about the painting...?"
"Studying the painting isn’t a matter of a few hours," Fla Venerable said with a wave of his hand. "Besides, so things can’t be understood just by looking. They require experience. They require real combat."
Xu Wuyi bowed. "I understand, Teacher."
...
「1:50 PM, West Desert Military Region’s Third Training Base.」
The base was located 70 kiloters northwest of the Royal Capital, on the edge of the desert.
After presenting the electronic credentials sent by the military, Xu Wuyi was led into the base by a young officer in dark green combat fatigues.
The base’s overall style was a stark contrast to Star Martial University, exuding an air of simplicity, utility, and cold austerity.
Silver-gray alloy walls reflected a cold light. Soldiers in standard-issue combat uniforms occasionally marched past in formation down the corridors, their synchronized footsteps creating a somber, imposing atmosphere.
The young officer led Xu Wuyi to a private reception room where a middle-aged man with a major’s insignia on his shoulder was already seated.
The major was in his early forties, with a chiseled face and eyes as sharp as an eagle’s. His Life Energy Level was around 34, and he had a calm, capable aura.
He stood up and extended a hand to Xu Wuyi. "Student Xu Wuyi, I’m Luo Cheng, the one in charge of testing at this base."
"Major Luo." Xu Wuyi shook his hand.
"Please, sit." Luo Cheng gestured to the chair opposite him and got straight to the point. "Ti is short, so I’ll be direct. The Federation is currently fighting the Werewolf Race for control of a newly discovered Star Realm."
"The Star Realm has natural laws that restrict entry to life forms below Level 35. Therefore, for this conflict, both sides will be sending their strongest fighters who et that standard."
Luo Cheng pulled up a light screen, which displayed the blurry image of a Werewolf.
"This is the ’Divine Son’ of the Werewolf Race who has erged in recent years, Milo. His Life Energy Level is around 35, but according to our intelligence, his actual combat strength far exceeds others at his level."
He paused, then looked at Xu Wuyi. "Your mission is to enter the military’s internal Battle Network and fight an Illusion of Milo."
"An Illusion?" Xu Wuyi asked.
"That’s right," Luo Cheng explained. "We obtained so of Milo’s combat data through special channels and used it to simulate his Illusion on the Battle Network. While it’s not as good as the real thing, it can replicate ninety percent of his strength."
Xu Wuyi nodded slightly. He had encountered this kind of Illusion simulation technology on Red Star and had even looked into it afterward. It was actually cutting-edge tech from the Starry Sky Martial Arts Academy.
The military clearly had the sa technology, and theirs was even more advanced, capable of simulating ninety percent of the original’s strength.
It was likely restricted for certain reasons and hadn’t been released for civilian use; otherwise, it would undoubtedly be a huge boon to the Martial Arts Realm.
Of course, technology was always developed and released in stages. Xu Wuyi could understand their reasoning.
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