Immortal Martial Academy - Chapter 48

Dugu Tianjian glanced at Ami, then surveyed their surroundings. “They want the Heir’s corpse?”

Ami had some understanding of the situation but was uncertain why she should share this with Dugu Tianjian. She shook her head. “It’s unlikely just for the corpse. The Alien Race desires our bodies primarily to enhance their innate abilities. Conversely, we often dissect alien corpses; with so many on the battlefield, there’s no shortage.”

“Then what could it be?” Dugu Tianjian asked. “If you have this information, chances are the Great Xia Military also knows about it. I wonder how they plan to act.” He was genuinely curious, as remnants typically held low status within the military and wouldn’t be privy to its plans.

Ami replied, “It seems they simply wish to eliminate the Heir. Among us remnants, there is a prophetically gifted individual who foresaw a major battle centered around the Blackcliff Defense Line. Additionally, he predicted an opportunity arising here, which is why Divine Wind Academy arrived.”

Dugu Tianjian nodded. “It seems Ami might not be aware of everything. The mention of opportunities at Blackcliff is quite believable; indeed, there are significantly more remnant squads here compared to other defense lines.”

Their conversation was driven by curiosity alone. Neither had any intention of taking action based on this information; it was simply a matter of sharing insights. Ami observed Dugu Tianjian closely, hoping he would reveal some news from his side—that was her primary reason for disclosing the Heir’s presence to him.

Dugu Tianjian took a bite of his rice bowl dish, uncertain whether he should disclose further details. However, considering they were all part of the Human Race, he decided it was appropriate to share. “You’re likely aware of the Blood Squad’s situation,” he began cautiously, “but I can warn you that certain individuals are keeping a close eye on every member of the Blood Squad.” After making this statement, Dugu Tianjian didn’t elaborate further and shifted to casual conversation instead.

Upon hearing this, Ami furrowed her brow slightly. The Blood Squad wasn’t particularly special, except for their lack of detectable innate abilities while still exhibiting strong combat prowess. Certain unique gifted individuals could suppress their innate skill fluctuations. Ami had initially assumed that the Blood Squad consisted of such special talents, but now it seemed there was more to the story than she thought.

After finishing their meal, they bid each other farewell. Dugu Tianjian returned to his quarters and opened the door to find a middle-aged man standing inside. “Uncle San, what brings you here?” Dugu Tianjian exclaimed, pleasantly surprised.

Dugu Aotian, Dugu Tianjian’s third uncle, was also a 5th Rank powerhouse. With sharp features and swords crossed behind his armor, Dugu Aotian looked upon his younger relative with satisfaction. Their family had only three gifted members; one currently overseeing affairs at home, while the other was none other than Dugu Tianjian himself. Aotian had come primarily for a mission but took the opportunity to check on his promising junior.

“I’m here for a mission and decided to drop by to see how you’ve been doing lately,” Dugu Aotian said affectionately, patting Dugu Tianjian’s head.

“Uncle San, please don’t pat my head anymore. I’m grown up now, not a kid anymore,” Dugu Tianjian said, feeling slightly awkward. His uncle was great in every way except for this persistent habit of head-patting.

“Wow! Already too big for a head pat? Don’t forget you used to pee on my neck when you were little,” Dugu Aotian said casually, sitting down on the sofa and producing a booklet from his hand. “This is for you. Whenever you have free time, practice it to enhance your striking power.” The booklet contained a Foundation Technique.

During Dugu Aotian’s visit to the Xia family, Old Man Xia had given him this technique, stating it would be beneficial for younger generations’ training. Dugu Aotian himself practiced it, resulting in an increase of 100,000 kilograms in his striking force. However, such an increment was negligible for a 5th Rank warrior. But for juniors, gaining an additional 100,000 kilograms of striking power could easily allow them to dispatch 1st or 2nd Rank Xenobeasts with ease.

“What’s this, Uncle San? A High-Level skill?” Dugu Tianjian curiously opened the booklet to take a look.

“It can be considered a skill! It’s quite suitable for your current stage; otherwise, I wouldn’t have brought it along,” Dugu Aotian said with a smile. “Be cautious lately. Don’t recklessly charge ahead like before. If anything happens to you, your mother will surely kill me.”

“I understand, Uncle San. Is something significant about to happen?” Dugu Tianjian asked suspiciously.

“Indeed! The mission our Battle Team accepted involves eliminating the Seed Divine Guards of the Netherflame Rat Clan. If combat escalates, it will likely spill over to the front lines. Nine Battle Teams have taken up this task. The situation here is expected to become chaotic soon; stay safe.”

Checking the time, Dugu Aotian stood up and continued, “Practice with this diligently. I must go now.” With that, he vanished from the room.

Dugu Tianjian pondered Ami’s earlier message combined with his uncle’s warning, realizing that chaos was indeed brewing on the horizon. First, there was the assassination attempt on the Heir, followed by targeting the Flame Rat Clan’s Seed Divine Guards. These two incidents alone would destabilize the front lines significantly.

At the Central Command Post in Black Cliff Mountain, Lan Haoyue studied the war sand table and analyzed, “With the Seed Divine Guards preoccupied, the likelihood of successful assassination increases by threefold. Given that Blood Wolf has the backing of the Howling Moon Skywolf Clan, they probably won’t risk siding with this unknown Heir. The Berserk Lion Clan, being outcasts from the Golden Lion Clan, likely has ties to this Heir. They aspire for independence but lack 7th Rank powerhouses. Therefore, we need to be cautious of the Berserk Lion Clan’s potential involvement.”

Since returning, Lan Haoyue had been continuously analyzing and planning potential assassination attempts against this unknown Heir. Through repeated simulations, Lan Haoyue identified several vulnerabilities and systematically addressed them.

The Alien Race’s Heir, coming here to enhance their Innate Skill, indicated that something significant must be affecting their clan. Although assassinating the Heir could cause complications, Great Xia was prepared to handle them. Typically, it takes around 200-230 years for an Alien Race to nurture their successor, and they wouldn’t risk such action unless facing a critical crisis. This premature risk suggested an impending threat within their clan.

Based on the three elders’ analysis, there were two likely scenarios: either their leader was gravely injured or nearing the end of his lifespan, necessitating a new heir to inherit his power. Great Xia would not passively await disaster. If the Aliens sought to enhance their talents through the Human Race, it was time to test their resilience; losing a few teeth along the way would indeed be amusing.

“When will the squad assigned to assassinate the Seed Divine Guard arrive?” Lan Haoyue asked from the command room.

A warrior stood up and responded, “General, they are expected to be fully positioned by tomorrow morning at 6 AM.”

Lan Haoyue estimated that Wu Xianyao’s operation would also commence early tomorrow morning. “Send them a message to synchronize our actions for tomorrow. Our goal isn’t to eliminate enemies but to stall for time.”

“Understood!” The soldier sat down and began coordinating with the assassination squad.

Meanwhile, Lan Haoyue was also contacting Wu Xianyao. Cooperation between their forces was crucial; if the Alien Race provided reinforcements, it could jeopardize Wu Xianyao’s mission. To ensure his success, Lan Haoyue had arranged for elite military support to assist Wu Xianyao covertly. This way, Wu Xianyao could focus solely on confronting the Heir without distractions.