novelden Chapter 380: Seeing Hong Nianyi Again
Chapter 380: Seeing Hong Nianyi Again
Xu Wuyi’s finger hovered over the "Apply" button, yet he hesitated to press it.
He recalled Teacher Han’s earlier advice: "Keep a low profile, consolidate your strength, and take steady, deliberate steps."
He recalled Flame Venerable’s warning: "Before you truly step into the Innate realm, don’t be in a hurry to show off."
He recalled Zhao Qingwei relaying Zhao Cizhou’s words: "Your battlefield is not here, at least not now."
Reason told him he shouldn’t go.
He had just achieved Great Success in Heart Image, and his Life Energy Level was stuck at 39.9, just a single step away from the Innate realm.
He should continue to consolidate, solidify his realm, and wait until he truly broke through to the Innate realm and possessed even greater power before making other plans.
He was still young, with a great future ahead of him. He shouldn’t be betting his life on an almost suicidal mission.
But...
Xu Wuyi closed his eyes.
The image of Teacher Han’s empty right sleeve flashed through his mind, followed by the warm, smooth touch of the Volcanic Wood Carving, and the four jarring words from the news: "A Grandmaster Has Fallen."
Grandmaster Yue Lianshan was dead.
Teacher Han had gone to the battlefield, his fate unknown.
The Federation’s Martial Artists were bleeding and dying on the front lines, while he was here, "safely" cultivating and consolidating his strength.
A scorching flame ignited in his chest, burning away his reason, burning away his hesitation.
He opened his eyes again, his gaze falling upon Hong Nianyi’s name on the light screen.
This senior, who wasn’t much older than him, was already on the path of revenge. She hadn’t waited, hadn’t hesitated, even knowing the path ahead was almost certain death.
Xu Wuyi took a deep breath, and his finger finally fell.
[Your application has been submitted.]
[Please wait for the initiator to review the applications. You will be notified of the result within 24 hours.]
Having done all this, Xu Wuyi actually felt a sense of calm wash over him.
He exited the mission interface, turned off the light screen, and walked back to the center of the Cultivation Room.
He sat down cross-legged and closed his eyes.
His consciousness sank into his sea of consciousness.
The dark gold Heart Image stood majestically, its mountains heavy and its Golden Crow resting upon them.
Xu Wuyi "looked" at this Heart Image that belonged to him, feeling the stability of the "mountain" and the explosive nature of the "fire" it contained.
Grandmaster Yue gave him the Volcanic Wood Carving, helping him comprehend the True Intention of the Melting Furnace.
Teacher Han had taught him with great care, paving the way forward for him.
Now, it was his turn to make a choice.
Should he continue to "consolidate" in a safe greenhouse, or step onto a battlefield of blood and fire and use the spear in his hand to demand justice?
The answer was already in his heart.
Xu Wuyi began to circulate the "Golden Crow Carrying the Earth."
This time, his Visualization was faster and more resolute than ever before.
Dark gold light surged within his sea of consciousness. His Heart Image trembled slightly, as if it sensed the long-suppressed, explosive resolve in its master’s heart.
The Golden Crow Illusion spread its wings and let out a long, silent cry.
A flame is not meant to be gently nurtured in a furnace.
It is born to burn, to erupt, to tear a gash in the darkness, even if it burns itself out in the end.
And the earth does not merely bear weight.
It is silent and immense, but it can also give birth to volcanoes, erupting with world-destroying power after the deepest suppression.
Xu Wuyi’s aura slowly began to climb within the Cultivation Room.
...
The wait was not long.
About half an hour later, a notification lit up on the Red Star Network.
It wasn’t a system notification, but an encrypted private invitation. The signature on the invitation was a simple insignia of a horizontal blade—Hong Nianyi’s symbol.
[Xu Wuyi: Meet me immediately at the private Battle Network space, "Broken Blade Platform."]
The location was a coordinate in the Battle Network, not within the Red Star Network. Clearly, Hong Nianyi had chosen a more neutral meeting place.
Without hesitation, Xu Wuyi entered the Battle Network and teleported directly to the coordinates.
Light and shadow shifted.
The scene before him was not an ordinary meeting room or Training Ground, but a solitary, steep stone platform floating in the void.
The platform was an irregular oval about thirty meters in diameter, its surface rough and mottled, covered in a crisscrossing web of blade marks.
It was surrounded by an endless, profound darkness, with only a simple, ancient stone lamp standing in the center of the platform, casting a steady, pale light over a limited area.
It was quiet here. Even the usual background noise of a virtual space was gone, leaving only a silence that was close to a vacuum.
A tall figure stood with her back to Xu Wuyi at the edge of the platform, gazing into the bottomless darkness.
She wore a simple black training uniform, her long hair tied back in a neat ponytail, her posture as straight as a spear.
Even from just her back, Xu Wuyi could recognize her—it was Hong Nianyi.
Hearing the movement behind her, Hong Nianyi turned around.
Her face looked somewhat weary, and there were faint, dark circles under her eyes, a clear sign of recent lack of rest.
But when she saw Xu Wuyi, she still managed a smile.
The smile lacked its usual sharp edge; instead, it held an indescribable weariness and gentleness.
"You’re here?" Hong Nianyi’s voice was a little hoarse. She pointed to two low stone stools next to the stone lamp in the center of the platform. "Sit."
Xu Wuyi walked over and sat down on one of the stone stools.
The stone stool was cold and hard, the sensation very real.
Hong Nianyi also sat down opposite him. Without any pleasantries, she cut straight to the point. "I saw your application."
She paused, her gaze fixed on Xu Wuyi. "But I don’t recommend you join."
Xu Wuyi didn’t immediately argue, just watched her quietly, waiting for her to continue.
"There are two reasons." Hong Nianyi held up two fingers, her tone calm but serious. "First, with your talent and potential, there’s absolutely no need for you to take this kind of risk right now."
"You’re only a third-year. You’ve already formed a Heart Image Prototype, and it’s practically a certainty that you’ll reach the Innate realm in the future. Once you become an Innate, or even a Grandmaster, what you can do for the Federation will be far greater than a single sabotage mission deep behind enemy lines."
She looked at Xu Wuyi, her eyes holding the sincere concern of a senior for a junior. "Xu Wuyi, I know you have a fire in your heart, that you want to do something for Grandmaster Yue and for our fallen comrades. But revenge isn’t built on impulse; it’s built on strength. Staying alive and getting stronger is the best way to honor the dead."
Xu Wuyi remained silent.
Hong Nianyi continued, "Second, I’ve already found other Martial Artists who have condensed a Heart Image Prototype. They may not be geniuses like you, and most are in their thirties or forties. They might have no hope of achieving Great Success in Heart Image in this lifetime, let alone reaching the Innate realm."
Her tone was calm, even a little ruthless. "But for that very reason, they’re more willing to risk their lives."
"Besides, having been immersed in the Heart Image Prototype stage for many years, their combat power, experience, and application of the Power of Heart Image are likely more seasoned than yours, since you only recently formed your prototype. If you join now, you won’t necessarily be stronger than them."
She said it bluntly, without pulling any punches.
"This mission isn’t a competition, it’s not a sparring match. It’s a true life-or-death struggle."