High Martial Arts: Enlightenment after Practices

Chapter 413: Chapter 413: Entering

Early the morning after he submitted his application, Xu Wuyi received an official approval from the military.

A dark gold "Approved" seal on the light screen was particularly striking, with an access code, teleportation point coordinates, and a list of instructions attached below.

Xu Wuyi entered the code into his personal terminal and shouldered his packed bag.

His Meteor Iron Long Spear was secured to his back in a custom sheath. Emergency medicine and high-energy nutrient packs were sewn into the lining of his combat suit, and three palm-sized metal boxes hung from his waist.

They contained specialized battlefield supplies sent ahead by the Qiao Family: compressed energy blocks, water purification tablets, and three single-use shield generators.

These items were incredibly expensive on Star Martial University’s exchange list, but as a new member of the Dongjiang Battle Group, Xu Wuyi had the privilege of receiving his first set of supplies for free.

Before leaving Hidden Dragon Garden, he took one last look at the Cultivation Room.

The Earth Fire Marrow Lamp burned quietly, its control panel on standby. ’I wonder when I’ll be back.’

Xu Wuyi closed the door.

「Yuntai City, northern suburbs. Teleportation Base No. 9 of the Seventh Star Realm Warzone.」

From the outside, it looked like nothing more than an ordinary industrial park, surrounded by high walls and filled with factory buildings.

Upon entering, however, Xu Wuyi could clearly feel spatial fluctuations permeating the air. These weren’t natural; they were the residual traces left by the long-term operation of numerous Teleportation Arrays.

A Martial Artist in a gray combat suit was already waiting at the entrance.

"Xu Wuyi?" He took two steps forward, his gaze lingering for a moment on the long spear on Xu Wuyi’s back. "I’m your guide from the Dongjiang Battle Group, designation T-17. Please follow me."

There was no small talk, no pleasantries.

T-17 turned and led the way, and Xu Wuyi followed in silence.

They passed through three security checkpoints, each time needing to verify their access codes and personal biometric information.

The deeper they went, the stronger the spatial fluctuations became. By the fourth gate, Xu Wuyi could even feel a faint prickling sensation on his skin.

"Is this your first time in the Star Realm Battlefield, Mr. Xu?" T-17 suddenly asked.

"Yes."

"That’s a normal reaction," T-17 said calmly. "The planar barrier of the Star Realm Battlefield is more than ten times thicker than that of an ordinary Star Realm, so the spatial pressure during teleportation is much more intense. If you feel any discomfort, you can take a sedative beforehand. They’re available at the base."

"I won’t need one."

T-17 nodded and said no more.

The two of them finally stopped in front of a hemispherical building.

The entire structure was silver-gray, its surface devoid of windows, featuring only a single, heavy alloy door.

Four fully armed soldiers stood on either side of the door, their auras all above level 30.

"We’re here." T-17 presented his credentials. A soldier scanned them for confirmation, and the alloy door slid open without a sound.

The space inside was larger than he had imagined.

Inside was a circular hall over a hundred meters in diameter, where twelve Teleportation Arrays were neatly arranged.

Each Teleportation Array was formed from complex energy circuits, its base inlaid with a dense matrix of spatial Crystal Stones that currently emitted a faint blue glow.

People were coming and going in the hall, but it was unusually quiet.

Most were Martial Artists, some alone, others in groups of three to five. Everyone wore combat suits and carried weapons, their expressions ranging from serious to cold. There was almost no conversation.

A sense of oppressive tension filled the air.

This was not a school, not a Training Ground, but a true entrance to the front lines. Of the people who walked out of here, some would return, and some would not.

"The Dongjiang Battle Group’s dedicated Teleportation Array is at Bay Seven," T-17 said, leading Xu Wuyi across the hall. "Steward Qiao is already waiting there."

Xu Wuyi looked toward Teleportation Array Seven.

Beside the array stood a middle-aged man in his forties with short hair and a square jaw. He wasn’t powerfully built, but he stood as solid as a steel pile driven into the ground, exuding a reassuring sense of stability.

He wore a deep blue combat suit, the insignia of the Dongjiang Battle Group embroidered on his chest.

"Steward Qiao Zonghan," T-17 said, stopping five meters away and giving a respectful bow. "I’ve brought Mr. Xu."

Qiao Zonghan turned his head.

His gaze was direct, sizing Xu Wuyi up from head to toe. It wasn’t a malicious look; on the contrary, it held a hint of appreciation.

"Xu Wuyi?" Qiao Zonghan spoke, his voice deep.

"Yes."

"Follow me."

Qiao Zonghan turned and walked toward the rest area behind the Teleportation Array.

The area was sectioned off by partitions into several simple booths for conversation, which seemed to have decent soundproofing.

The two sat down in one of the booths.

"I’ve reviewed your file," Qiao Zonghan said, getting straight to the point. "Twenty-one years old, an Innate Martial Artist. Your Heart Image has Mountain and Fire Attributes. You’ve conducted sabotage missions behind enemy lines and possess extensive combat experience."

He paused, then added, "But the Star Realm Battlefield is different from ordinary Star Realms. There are no clear front lines, no fixed enemies. The battlefield is unimaginably vast, and danger can come from any direction—from Alien Races, Star Beasts, or even other humans."

Xu Wuyi nodded. "Understood."

"The Dongjiang Battle Group has seven camps on the Star Realm Battlefield, spread across different warzones." Qiao Zonghan brought up a light screen, displaying a simplified map. "Since this is your first time, I suggest you start in the East Third District. It’s relatively stable, with our forces and the enemy’s intermingled. It’s a good place for newcomers to acclimate."

On the map, the East Third District was marked in pale yellow, signifying "Medium Risk."

Within the district were three green dots representing the Dongjiang Battle Group’s camps, along with more than a dozen red dots indicating strongholds of the Celestial Wolf Civilization and the Feathered People Civilization.

"Once you arrive at the camp, someone will explain the warzone’s Rules, the system for calculating merit points, and other precautions." Qiao Zonghan turned off the light screen. "But before that, I need to confirm one thing."

He looked at Xu Wuyi. "You listed ’revenge’ as your reason for applying. On the battlefield, personal emotions can be an asset, but they can also be a liability. I need to know to what extent you can control yours."

Xu Wuyi was silent for two seconds.

"Hatred is a motivator, not a shackle," he said. "I know what needs to be done."

Qiao Zonghan stared into his eyes, as if trying to judge the truth of his words.

After a long moment, he nodded.

"Good." Qiao Zonghan stood up. "The Teleportation Array is calibrated. You can depart at any time. One last reminder: on the Star Realm Battlefield, you have to stay alive to get your revenge."

...

The teleportation was more intense than he had imagined.

The moment he stepped into the Teleportation Array, Xu Wuyi felt like he had been thrown into a high-speed centrifuge. Everything in his field of vision twisted, stretched, and shattered as a piercing drone filled his ears.

The spatial pressure felt tangible, squeezing in from all sides as if trying to grind him to dust.

Xu Wuyi took a deep breath, and the Power of his Heart Image automatically began to circulate.

In his sea of consciousness, the Dark Gold Mountain Body trembled slightly, emitting a dense, dark-gold halo. The light enveloped him, and the spatial pressure instantly diminished by more than half.

Five seconds.

Ten seconds.

Just as Xu Wuyi began to feel the drain on his Power of Heart Image intensify, his feet touched solid ground.