High Martial Arts: Enlightenment after Practices

Chapter 414: Chapter 414: Test

The distorted view came into focus, and the piercing buzz rapidly faded away, replaced by an entirely different kind of "sound."

It was the howl of wind through a canyon, the faint roar of beasts in the distance, and a sort of heavy, rhythmic... pulse.

Xu Wuyi opened his eyes.

A dark red sky.

Not the soft red of a sunset, but like dried blood—heavy and oppressive, blanketing the entire world.

There was no sun or stars in the sky, only layers of slowly drifting, dark red clouds.

Between the gaps in the clouds, a few wisps of ghastly white light occasionally leaked through, illuminating the desolate land below.

The ground was scorched black, as if it had been burned by flames countless times. Not a single blade of grass grew.

In the distance were continuous mountain ranges, but the shapes of the mountains were bizarre. Some resembled twisted giants, others inverted swords, their peaks disappearing into the dark red clouds.

The temperature was high, at least over forty degrees, but it wasn’t the scorching heat of the sun. It was a muggy heat that seemed to seep from the ground, the air, and every single rock.

This was the Star Realm Battlefield.

"Adjusted?"

Qiao Zonghan’s voice came from the side.

He had already teleported over and was standing beside a simple stone platform. The energy circuits of a Teleportation Array were carved onto it, but its light had dimmed. It would need time to recharge before it could be used again.

Xu Wuyi nodded, scanning his surroundings.

They were in a small camp, enclosed by a half-man-high wall made of rough rocks, marking out an area of about two hundred square meters.

Inside the camp were a few tents. A bonfire burned in the center, and three Martial Artists sat beside it, polishing their weapons.

Outside the camp was an open plain of scorched earth. At the far end of the plain, the silhouette of a much larger complex of buildings could be faintly seen. That was the Star Realm stronghold for the East Third District.

"The stronghold is another ten kilometers from here." Qiao Zonghan followed Xu Wuyi’s gaze. "This camp is just a temporary supply point. The real logistics center is in the stronghold. Come on, I’ll take you to meet the support team you’ll be working with."

The two of them walked out of the camp.

The scorched earth was hard underfoot, covered in a thin layer of ash. Every step kicked up a fine cloud of dust.

Xu Wuyi noticed that white fragments could occasionally be seen in the ash. They were bones, but it was impossible to tell if they belonged to Star Beasts or Martial Artists.

After walking for about a kilometer, Qiao Zonghan suddenly stopped.

"We’re here."

Ahead was a relatively flat, open area. Five people were standing there.

Three men and two women, all young. The oldest looked no more than twenty-five.

They wore matching dark gray combat uniforms, lightweight in design, with no heavy armor. Their weapons were also suited for rapid movement: short swords, daggers, and light crossbows.

Seeing Qiao Zonghan and Xu Wuyi approach, the five of them simultaneously stood up straight.

"Steward."

The one in the lead was a young man with short hair. He had a lean build, and his eyes were as sharp as a hawk’s.

His aura was around Level 32, not considered particularly strong among Martial Artists, but what was more eye-catching was his stance.

His center of gravity was shifted slightly forward, his feet staggered, ready to burst into motion at any moment.

"Let me make the introductions." Qiao Zonghan pointed to Xu Wuyi. "This is Xu Wuyi, an Innate Martial Artist. From now on, he will be your captain."

He then pointed to the five of them. "Su He, Level 33, squad commander, skilled in tracking and terrain assessment. Li Rui, Level 31, scout, the fastest. Chen Xiaoyu, Level 30, medical and Potions. Zhao Cheng, Level 32, resource recovery and battlefield cleanup. Xie Yushan, Level 31, intel analysis and communications support."

The gazes of all five people fell on Xu Wuyi in unison.

There was curiosity, scrutiny, and also veiled doubt. After all, Xu Wuyi looked even younger than them.

’An Innate Martial Artist this young...’

"Captain Xu." Su He took a step forward, his tone respectful but not subservient.

"As per the Battle Group’s regulations, our squad is responsible for your support work, which includes battlefield cleanup, resource recovery, intelligence gathering, and emergency extraction. In return, you are required to allocate 10% of the total merits from each mission to us."

Xu Wuyi nodded. "Acceptable."

Su He seemed to let out a sigh of relief, but the scrutiny in his eyes didn’t completely disappear.

He paused for a moment before adding, "Also, as is customary, a new captain needs to undergo a coordination test with the squad so that we can understand your combat style and adjust our support strategies accordingly."

"What’s the test?"

"It’s simple." Qiao Zonghan cut in. "On the outskirts of the East Third District, there’s a place called ’Gray Rock Canyon.’ It’s inhabited by a type of Star Beast called ’Stone Scorpions,’ which are between Level 30 and 35 and usually move in swarms."

"You need to kill at least fifty Stone Scorpions within an hour. Su He’s squad will follow behind to record your combat methods and efficiency."

He looked at Xu Wuyi. "This isn’t to question your strength; it’s a necessary procedure. The Star Realm Battlefield isn’t a place for one-man shows. Even if you operate alone, the support squad needs to know how to match your rhythm."

Xu Wuyi understood the reasoning.

"We start now?"

"Now."

Gray Rock Canyon was about five kilometers from the camp.

As its name implied, the canyon walls on both sides were grayish-white and riddled with honeycomb-like holes.

Those holes were the nests of Stone Scorpions. This type of Star Beast looked like a scorpion magnified ten times.

Their carapaces were tough, and their tail stingers contained a paralytic toxin. While not a great threat individually, they were quite troublesome to deal with, as they often swarmed out by the dozens or even hundreds.

Xu Wuyi stood at the entrance of the canyon.

Su He’s five-person squad had already retreated a hundred meters back, each finding a good observation point. They held recorders in their hands, ready to collect data.

"Starting the timer," Qiao Zonghan’s voice came through the communicator.

Xu Wuyi didn’t rush in immediately.

He first observed the canyon’s terrain. The entrance was narrow but gradually widened inside. The walls on both sides were steep, perfect for the Stone Scorpions to pounce from above.

A typical hunting ground for social Star Beasts.

Xu Wuyi stepped into the canyon.

He had gone less than twenty meters when a rustling sound came from a hole in the rock wall to his right.

The next moment, three Stone Scorpions crawled out. Each was the size of a calf, their grayish-white carapaces gleaming with a cold luster under the dark red sky.

They spotted Xu Wuyi, raised their stingers high, and let out piercing hisses.

Xu Wuyi didn’t draw his gun.

He stood his ground, and with a mere thought...

In his sea of consciousness, the Dark Gold Mountain Body Heart Image slowly rotated, and on its peak, the Golden Crow Illusion spread its wings.

The Power of his Heart Image spread out like ripples, instantly enveloping a forty-meter radius around him.

Within this range, every particle of Energy, every wisp of air, was reflected clearly in his perception.

The three Stone Scorpions pounced simultaneously.

Xu Wuyi raised his right hand and made a grasping motion in the air before him.

Without any warning, three clumps of dark gold Flame ignited out of thin air on the Stone Scorpions’ heads.

The Flame wasn’t intense—it even seemed a bit lukewarm—but the Stone Scorpions instantly froze in place as if they had been petrified.