High Martial Arts: Enlightenment after Practices

Chapter 399: Chapter 399: Wu Qige

"So what do we do now?" the tattooed Divine Being on the left asked, looking at Wumeng. "Celestial Wolf Four is a lost cause. The stationed Priest is dead, and the resources have been destroyed. If this news gets out, our other vassal Star Realms might waver. Those fair-weather races have always sided with whoever is strongest."

Wumeng remained silent, the wrinkles on his ancient face as deep as if carved by a knife. His fingers gently tapped the blood-red Crystal Stone at the top of his bone staff, making a rhythmic TAP, TAP, TAP.

Inside the council hall, the other eight Divine Beings awaited his decision.

This Elder Werewolf, who had lived for over three hundred years, had seen the civilization’s most glorious era and its most devastating retreats. Every decision he made had once altered the fate of the Celestial Wolf Civilization.

"Gelu," Wumeng finally spoke. "The raiders’ current position?"

"The last report said that after clearing out Mining Area Number Five, they retreated toward the northern part of the Star Realm." Gelu pulled up a star chart, which marked the points of destruction at five mining areas and a projected escape route.

"Judging by their direction, they likely have a pre-arranged escape point in the northern mountains—a shuttle, or perhaps a short-range jump device."

"Can we intercept them?"

"It’s unlikely," Gelu said, shaking his head. "Our conventional garrisons have been scattered, and we’ve lost over forty War General Level combatants. The remaining low-level warriors and slaves can’t stop a Martial Artist who has achieved Great Success in their Heart Image. Unless..."

"Unless we dispatch the Divine Sons," the Divine Being in the second seat to the right interjected, a fierce glint in his eyes. "Only combatants at the Divine Son level have the speed to catch them and the power to suppress them."

A low murmur of discussion filled the council hall.

The Divine Sons were the Celestial Wolf Civilization’s most precious strategic resource.

They were geniuses, selected from thousands, who received the Wolf God’s blessing. They possessed power far beyond their peers and were even expected to one day succeed the Divine Beings within the next century.

Cultivating each Divine Son required immense resources and at least thirty years.

"Who should we send?" Wumeng asked.

Gelu displayed another list containing the profiles of twelve Divine Sons.

He pointed to the first name on the list. "Wu Qige. The First Divine Son, second only to the Priests. He touched the threshold of the Priest rank three years ago but has yet to break through, limited only by his age and experience. His ’Blood Wolf Battle Form’ has reached Great Success, and the solidity of his Celestial Wolf Illusion is no weaker than that of an ordinary Priest."

In the video feed, a tall Divine Son in dark gold Bone Armor was sparring against three War Generals in a Training Ground.

He was bare-handed, using only his claws to tear all three War Generals to shreds within ten seconds. His movements were clean and efficient, possessing a brutal elegance that was almost artistic.

"Wu Qige is indeed the best choice," the tattooed Divine Being nodded. "But he’s in seclusion, attempting to break through his final bottleneck. If we interrupt him now..."

"There are no ’ifs’," Wumeng cut him off, his scarlet eyes sweeping over all the Divine Beings. "The destruction of Celestial Wolf Four and the death of a Priest is our greatest shame in nearly fifty years."

"If we cannot keep those humans here, the Wolf God’s majesty will be questioned, the loyalty of our vassal races will waver, and even... the morale of our frontline warriors will be affected."

He stood up, slamming his bone staff heavily onto the floor.

"Relay my order: Divine Son Wu Qige is to emerge from seclusion immediately. He will lead a kill squad of three other Divine Sons to the Celestial Wolf Four Star Realm."

Wumeng’s voice echoed through the council hall, every word as cold as iron:

"Intercept all human raiders. None are to escape. Dead is acceptable; alive is better."

The eight Divine Beings rose in unison, placed their right hands over their chests, and bowed their heads to accept the order.

Gelu hesitated for a moment before speaking up. "Chief, Wu Qige is strong, but the enemy has at least two members with Great Success in their Heart Image. What if..."

Wumeng looked at Gelu, a flash of crimson in his eyes. "Tell Wu Qige I will activate the Wolf God Altar and grant him a temporary ’Blood Sacrifice Blessing’."

"For three days, his combat power will be infinitesimally close to that of a true Priest. If he still can’t deal with five humans... then he is unworthy of being the First Divine Son."

The temperature in the council hall seemed to drop several more degrees.

The Blood Sacrifice Blessing was a forbidden secret art that consumed a Divine Being’s own source power.

Wumeng was going all in.

"Go," Wumeng said with a wave of his hand. His figure, illuminated by the eerie green soul-fire, looked exceptionally old, and exceptionally ruthless. "The Wolf God’s glory will not be tarnished."

「Half an hour later, in a secluded cave deep within Wolf God Mountain.」

The stone door slid open slowly, releasing a thick, metallic stench of blood. Inside the cave, a dark red pool of blood churned and bubbled. A tall Werewolf sat cross-legged by its edge.

Wu Qige opened his eyes.

His pupils were pure gold, with intricate, blood-red runes swirling within them.

The muscles of his bare torso were knotted and defined, each one looking as if forged from refined iron. A faint layer of dark gold patterns covered the surface of his skin.

Gelu stood at the cave’s entrance and briefly recounted the council’s order and Wumeng’s decision.

Wu Qige listened quietly, his face expressionless. Only after Gelu finished did he slowly rise to his feet.

As he moved, the liquid from the blood pool surged upward, coalescing over his body to form a suit of dark gold Bone Armor. The plates fitted together automatically and seamlessly, with a blood-red light flowing through the joints.

"Five mining areas destroyed, two Priests killed in action..." Wu Qige repeated in a low voice, the blood-red runes in his golden pupils glowing ever brighter. "Humans... Very good."

He didn’t ask why, didn’t question the order, and showed no emotion whatsoever.

But Gelu could sense that beneath the First Divine Son’s calm exterior, a destructive storm was brewing.

"The other three Divine Sons are already waiting at the altar," Gelu said, stepping aside. "The Chief will bestow the blessing upon you. Remember, your mission is not just to defeat them, but to annihilate them. Not a single one can be spared."

Wu Qige strode out of the cave. The friction of his dark gold Bone Armor against the ground produced a grating screech that set one’s teeth on edge.

"Don’t worry." He glanced back at Gelu one last time, the eerie green soul-fire reflected in his golden pupils. "I will carve out their hearts and bring them back as an offering to the Wolf God."

As his voice fell, his figure transformed into a streak of blood-red light, shooting straight toward the altar at the mountain’s peak.

Gelu stood rooted to the spot, his one eye watching the receding streak of light. After a long moment, he muttered to himself:

"Humans... you’ve picked a fight with the wrong person this time."

Beneath the crimson sky, a towering pillar of blood-red flame erupted from the altar atop Wolf God Mountain.

Four figures, shrouded in blood-red halos, stepped into the Teleportation Array amid the chanting of the ritual.

Space distorted, and the light vanished.

...

The night wind swept across the desolate hills, carrying the scent of sulfur and scorched earth.

Xu Wuyi and his four companions maintained a tight formation, moving swiftly northward under the crimson sky.

The screen of the detector in Lin Jue’s hand glowed with an eerie blue light. The extraction coordinates marked on it were still three hundred kilometers away.

"Pick up the pace," said Hong Nianyi, who was leading the group. His voice was hushed. "I have a bad feeling about this."