Immortal Martial Academy - Chapter 34

After ensuring all students had returned safely,

Wu Xianyao stood aloft in the sky, his once snow-white wings now subtly golden from days of cultivation – a manifestation of Yang Fire power.

Frowning slightly, he glanced at the envelope in his hand before scanning his surroundings, “Show yourself!”

Indeed, since the arrival of the students, Wu Xianyao sensed someone observing them covertly, yet this person never revealed themselves.

During the recent battle, the feeling of being watched intensified significantly, but without any hostile intent. Wu Xianyao couldn’t determine who might be surveilling him.

The front lines were chaotic, with potential suspects including academy Dao Protectors, spies from the Alien Race, or even powerful figures from the military.

When his student sought military support earlier, the military was ready to deploy three 4th Rank squads. If Li Junlin and Chen Beixuan hadn’t arrived swiftly, the operation might have already commenced.

Now, Wu Xianyao needed to identify the observer; during battles with the Alien Race, an unexpected attack from this unknown entity could prove disastrous.

“Not showing yourself?” The World Illuminating Spear materialized in Wu Xianyao’s hand, gathering Yang Fire energy as he focused his gaze in a specific direction.

“Wait, wait! I’m coming out!” Adjutant Wang, feeling quite helpless, knew that if not for General Lan’s orders to monitor this individual, he might have been enjoying skewers at a barbecue joint instead. Now, caught red-handed, he sighed internally.

“Heh heh! Dean Wu, hello. I am Adjutant Wang of General Lan. Actually, surveilling you wasn’t my idea; it was General Lan’s concern. Please don’t take offense. You see, one of your students is the sister of our General, and he simply wanted to ensure her safety.” Adjutant Wang spoke with a forced grin, relieved when the World Illuminating Spear vanished from Wu Xianyao’s grip.

A potential confrontation avoided, Wu Xianyao frowned slightly, recalling how swiftly the military had mobilized earlier when Jiu Xian’er sought their help. Could this be connected to the General’s involvement?

The Great General Lan, could he be the brother of Lan Yuecai?

“Tell Lan Yuecai’s brother that if he truly cares for his sister, he should approach her directly. This indirect surveillance does little compared to spending time together face-to-face.” Wu Xianyao tossed two letters towards Adjutant Wang, who promptly caught them.

Wu Xianyao had been grappling with how to hand this matter over to the military, but now with someone from the military present, it seemed fortuitous.

Without even looking at the two intelligence reports, Wu Xianyao decided it was best not to delve deeper. He recognized that his current strength wasn’t sufficient for such involvement; protecting his students should be his primary focus.

Back at the academy’s base camp, Chen Beixuan regained consciousness slowly. Opening his eyes, he saw his teammates around him and felt relieved – they were all safe.

“How are you feeling? Are you okay, Captain?” asked Li Junlin and Lan Yuecai, reflecting the concern shared by the rest of the team.

Chen Beixuan assessed himself briefly. Having consumed a medicinal pill before their return, he stretched and said, “I’m mostly fine, just significantly drained. A good night’s rest should do the trick.”

After speaking, Chen Beixuan began reviewing today’s mission, realizing his initial calculations were correct. Deploying Qi and Blood Energy at 1st Rank, the Qi and Blood Wings could sustain full-speed flight for exactly twenty kilometers, which was their limit. Even one kilometer more would have hindered their ability to maintain maximum speed. This was why Chen Beixuan insisted on accepting missions within a twenty-kilometer radius.

“This time with Junlin, we took too great a risk. Although we had poison capable of killing a 4th Rank powerhouse, if that elite possessed any antidote or resistance to toxins, both of us could have perished. We can’t afford such recklessness next time.” Chen Beixuan admitted his momentary lapse in judgment when agreeing to this venture with Li Junlin.

Reflecting on it now, he felt genuine fear; if the powerful enemy had an antidote, they both would likely have met their end today.

Li Junlan also realized his impulsiveness. Had he and Chen Beixuan been killed, their older siblings would undoubtedly feel immense guilt, not to mention the potential fallout with Wu Xianyao’s faction.

“However, it’s not entirely off the table for future endeavors. Next time, Mao Mao should prepare even more potent poisons, ideally strong enough to kill a 5th Rank powerhouse. If lethal against a 5th Rank, surely it’d be effective against a 4th Rank as well, right? Even if they could detoxify, handling a toxin meant for a 5th Rank would still pose a significant challenge.”

Hearing Chen Beixuan’s suggestion, Li Junlin’s eyes widened, impressed once again by his cunning strategies.

Through this debriefing, everyone gained clarity on their current limitations and how to better handle dangers in the future.

Jiu Xian’er blushed at Chen Beixuan’s praise, “Hehe, Captain, stop it, you’re making me embarrassed. If I had tried to protect you back then, I would have died even faster. My only choice was to flee and avoid being a burden.”

Chen Beixuan nodded, “It was indeed the right decision. On the battlefield, there’s no room for melodramatic heroics; knowing when you’re in danger, you should run.

If someone comes to save you, your first instinct should be to escape immediately. However, if teammates rescue you, cooperation is crucial to defeat the enemy together. Trust becomes key here, something you must judge yourself, like Junlin and me – we trust each other implicitly. Remember, always rely on your own judgment.”

The team attentively listened to this debriefing. Finally, Chen Beixuan treated everyone to a barbecue, marking the end of their day.

Wu Xianyao returned earlier than expected. While sorting through the space rings of the deceased captains, he discovered a letter.

Upon reading it, Wu Xianyao furrowed his brow, sensing the gravity of the situation. The letter revealed that a scion from a prominent Alien Race family would soon arrive at their rear base, although the specific identity wasn’t disclosed. More concerning was the fact that this heir sought to enhance his aptitude by infiltrating the Blackcliff Defense Line during the beast tide, intending to absorb abilities from some gifted individuals within.

Wu Xianyao examined the space ring from which he retrieved the letter; it belonged to Berserk Lion, who had been assigned as the guard for this direct descendant.

This situation seemed troubling. The upcoming beast tide was undoubtedly not ordinary. Throughout Great Xia’s thousand-year history, there were instances where defenses were breached, resulting in severe casualties among the gifted. Could this be one of those reasons?

Wu Xianyao placed the letter aside, composed himself, and stepped out of room 101. At the hotel reception today was Xiao Die, also known as Yun Die, but her smile appeared forced.

Noticing this, Wu Xianyao wondered if there was anything he could do, “System, is there any action I can take?”

Although Wu Xianyao doubted the system would respond, there might be a chance.

Unexpectedly, a message materialized in his mind, accompanied by a Basic Body Tempering Technique. Mastering this technique could lead one to enter the first realm of the Martial Dao, with further progress requiring additional Cultivation Techniques.

This particular technique could be shared publicly, and Wu Xianyao swiftly memorized it. Suitable for ordinary individuals, even those without innate talent could enhance their physical constitution, potentially allowing future generations to cultivate martial arts.

The aspect of innate talent was unpredictable; ever since Wu Xianyao became aware of it, he had assessed the students’ talents. Most fell within the seven to eight-star range, with Chen Beixuan and Li Junlin standing at nine stars. The most exceptional was Zhang Shi, boasting a terrifying ten-star talent.

On the front lines, Wu Xianyao occasionally checked soldiers’ talents, finding that the majority were one or two-stars, with three-stars being quite rare.

It was uncommon to encounter individuals without any talent, which indicated that the Martial Dao was particularly well-suited for the current era of Great Xia.