Immortal Martial Academy - Chapter 40
Wei Jun yelped repeatedly under the barrage of blows, yet no visible injuries appeared on his body. After enduring this for half an hour, Xia Yi finally let him go.
Now trembling, Wei Jun looked at Xia Yi with newfound fear – she was a true demon, not to be provoked.
“Come sign here, and remember to behave well within the academy,” Xia Yi said with a smile.
To those unaware, she seemed gentle and caring, but to Wei Jun, she was nothing short of a devil – a terrifying one at that.
After signing the document, Xia Yi led Wei Jun into the Inner Court, walking along the Path of Self-Reflection. She glanced at Wei Jun, surprised by his unwavering stride without a single pause – perhaps he possessed an innocent heart?
Bai Qi had been waiting at the entrance, ready to take charge of Wei Jun. He turned to Xia Yi and said, “Go attend to your other tasks, Assistant Xia. This lad shows promise; I’ll ensure he receives proper training.”
“Thank you, Teacher Bai, I appreciate it.” Xia Yi felt overwhelmed like a spinning top, juggling multiple responsibilities such as overseeing the Outer Court construction, managing the technology building, and establishing the academy’s regulations.
Finding an assistant was out of the question; even if it meant working himself to death, he wouldn’t consider it. Everything here belonged to the princess, and it was his duty to safeguard her interests.
Bai Qi led Wei Jun through the academy grounds. As a teacher, perhaps due to the innate nature of students, Wei Jun seemed quite intimidated by him.
Despite his rebellious appearance like a streetwise youth, within school, it’s still the teachers’ domain who reign supreme.
“Kid, now that you’re under my tutelage, prepare yourself for some tough times ahead,” Bai Qi said curiously. “You seem decent enough, but why do you have such a head of blond hair?”
“It makes me look cool, okay!” Wei Jun retorted briefly, noticing Bai Qi didn’t get angry, he continued, “I’ve seen those bosses doing similar things.”
Unimpressed, Bai Qi activated his Qi and Blood Wings, “Do your ‘bosses’ look as stylish as I do?” A blood-red blade aura materialized with his saber, “Could your ‘bosses’ withstand this strike?” Then, Bai Qi soared into the air, circling around effortlessly, “Can your ‘bosses’ fly?”
Wei Jun was awestruck, “Yo-you! You’re so cool! I want to learn!”
Bai Qi glanced at Wei Jun, “You want to learn, huh?!”
“Yeah, yeah! I really want to learn!”
With a wave of his hand, Bai Qi instructed, “Go running first. Once you can’t run anymore, then I’ll teach you.”
“Alright, Teacher! I’ll start running right away.” Wei Jun eagerly dashed off, little realizing that this was just the beginning.
After dismissing the youngster, Xia Jiufeng and Mao Mao approached Bai Qi. “Teacher Bai, I’ve achieved Beginner level with the Frost Prison True Scripture. By any chance, do you have a recommended Cultivation Technique for Mao Mao?”
Bai Qi turned to observe Xia Jiufeng, noting the icy aura surrounding her. He nodded, acknowledging it as a clear sign of reaching the Beginner level; had she chosen another technique, she might have accomplished this much earlier.
Hearing the request for a Cultivation Technique recommendation for Mao Mao, Bai Qi shook his head and replied, “My suggestion is to wait until the library updates with new techniques. There will undoubtedly be one suitable for Mao Mao eventually. If she wishes to start practicing now, the Five Phases Breathing Technique remains the best choice. Transitioning to a different technique later won’t be too troublesome, as the Five Phases Breathing Technique primarily focuses on building foundations, making it highly appropriate.”
Bai Qi’s consideration was thorough. Mao Mao, being a fire attribute gifted individual, hadn’t practiced any specific technique since dispersing her previous cultivation base. The most suitable Cultivation Technique for her would indeed be a fire attribute one.
With no fire attribute techniques currently available in the library, Bai Qi advised waiting until new ones were added. Since Mao Mao had already sensed her elemental resonance, practicing the Five Phases Breathing Technique was the optimal choice for now.
Xia Jiufeng and Mao Mao understood, expressing their gratitude to Teacher Bai before proceeding with their cultivation.
Meanwhile, Mao Mao began mastering the Five Phases Breathing Technique earnestly. With only ten days remaining until the Great Xia Gifted Competition – often referred to as the Great Xia Heaven’s Chosen Competition – it was crucial preparation time.
However, there were participation restrictions; only those from 1st to 3rd Rank could compete. The 4th Rank upperclassmen had all been deployed to the front lines, some not expected to return for a year or more.
This year’s Heaven’s Chosen Competition was anticipated to reveal several exceptional talents.
Time swiftly passed, another two days gone by. During this period, Wu Xianyao observed Chen Beixuan and his team steadily growing stronger.
Chen Beixuan remained cautious, aware that among the academy’s Battle Teams known to Wu Xianyao, many suffered casualties in combat.
Today, instead of accepting a clearing mission, Chen Beixuan opted for a rescue task.
Examining the mission details, he noted it was a multi-team assignment to rescue the Hundred Battles Squad. Studying the map, Chen Beixuan felt a headache coming on upon seeing the fifth enemy stronghold marked. Currently, only three squads had accepted this mission.
The Fifth Alien Stronghold belonged to the Flame Rat Clan, housing over ten thousand Black Rats alongside numerous Flame Rats. The exact number of Flame Rats was unknown even to the military; however, publicly acknowledged estimates placed it at least around fifty thousand Black Rat Aliens.
Three squads were involved: the Blood Squad, the Divine Sword Squad, and the Night Squad. Fortunately, Chen Beixuan knew members from all three squads, which could prove advantageous.
However, rescue missions within strongholds typically carried an extremely high risk, often resulting in nine out of ten participants not returning alive.
Despite this, Chen Beixuan decided to accept the mission. The task description made it clear that their role would be supporting the military’s main rescue operation. This meant they would primarily face 2nd or 3rd Rank Black Rats and Flame Rats, which wasn’t overly concerning. Additionally, the resources he had ordered from the academy arrived just yesterday.
After their substantial earnings, each team member purchased Heavenly Wings from the academy. These improved wings could now be used concurrently with Qi and Blood Wings, significantly reducing energy consumption.
At their maximum speed for a 3rd Rank user, the Heavenly Wings could reach Mach 3, making them virtually indispensable for escaping danger. Combined with marble bombs and 2nd Rank crossbow arrows, these upgrades gave Chen Beixuan the confidence to take on this mission.
Had he not known exactly what his teammates acquired, Chen Beixuan likely wouldn’t have dared to accept it.
By noon, with the mission application window closed, Chen Beixuan received a notification to attend a meeting at the military headquarters.
Upon arriving at the Military Office, Chen Beixuan’s team found that all members of the Night Squad were already present.
Chen Beixuan recognized only their captain, Dark Rain, but was less familiar with the other squad members.
As they took their seats, Dark Rain approached, “Captain Chen, do you know what this meeting is about?”
Chen Beixuan shook his head, “Not yet, but attacking an Alien stronghold is akin to a small-scale battle. I suspect our gifted squads play a crucial role.”
“It seems there isn’t much shared information; wonder if the Divine Sword Squad has any updates.”
Speak of the devil, as if on cue, the members of the Divine Sword Squad entered, clad in full armor, though they had removed their helmets.
The captain of the Divine Sword Squad walked over, visibly concerned, “Captain Chen, Captain Dark, it appears we may be facing some serious trouble.”
While speaking, Dugu Tianjian casually sat between Dark Rain and Chen Beixuan.
“What’s happening? Do you have any news?” Dark Rain asked anxiously.
“Not exactly good news, A member of the Hundred Battles Squad managed to escape after intercepting an Alien messenger’s squad.
They found three crucial letters, and their captain hid two of them. The escaped member claimed it was done out of fear that the Aliens might notice something amiss.
However, only their captain knew this; both our squads consist entirely of 3rd Rank members, considered elite seed teams by the military. Consequently, higher-ups believed his story and dispatched the Ninth and Eighth Armies for a rescue mission.”
Dugu Tianjian speechless, realizing this could escalate into a full-scale Legion War where lives would be at risk if not handled carefully. Individual squads were accustomed to danger, but large-scale battles posed the greatest peril on the battlefield, with most casualties occurring during such engagements.