Chapter 740: Martial Arts Taking Shape

The car drove out of the spaceport, passing through the suburban highways of Xingjing, and headed toward the Research Institute. Along the way, Ye Guanlan gave a brief overview of the Institute’s recent developments and several ongoing projects in the Heart Image Martial Arts Department.

Xu Wuyi listened, occasionally asking a few questions. The atmosphere was relaxed and natural.

Over half an hour later, the car entered the ground-level entrance of the Research Institute and followed the tunnel underground. As the massive alloy doors closed behind them, Xu Wuyi felt a familiar sense of tranquility. Isolated from the outside world, free from interruptions and disturbances, it was the perfect place for quiet cultivation and research.

Ye Guanlan dropped him off at the entrance of his courtyard house and took his leave.

Xu Wuyi pushed the door open and went inside. The interior remained exactly as he remembered it—a living room, a bedroom, and a Cultivation Room, all fully equipped. Sunlight spilled through the windows, casting warm patches of light across the floor. He sat on the sofa, poured himself a glass of water, and sipped it slowly.

For the foreseeable future, he planned to stay here and properly digest everything he had gained over the past few days.

Later that evening, just as Xu Wuyi finished his nightly cultivation routine, he felt a light vibration from his personal terminal. He glanced down to see a communication request from Qiao Tongyu. Startled for a moment, Xu Wuyi immediately answered it.

“Uncle Qiao,” he said.

“Wuyi, are you at the Research Institute?” Qiao Tongyu’s voice came through, carrying a hint of a smile.

Xu Wuyi nodded. “Yes, I just arrived.”

“That’s good,” Qiao Tongyu said. “I have something I want to discuss with you. Let’s meet up whenever it’s convenient for you. The Battle Network will do.”

Xu Wuyi thought for a moment and said, “Now is fine.”

“Alright, I’ll wait for you.”

The call disconnected.

Xu Wuyi left the Cultivation Room, returned to his living room, and sat down on the sofa. He opened his personal terminal, logged into the Battle Network System, located the coordinates Qiao Tongyu had sent, and chose to connect.

His vision blurred for a moment. A second later, he stood within a virtual space. It was a minimalist reception room with white walls, comfortable sofas, a coffee table, and two cups of steaming tea.

Qiao Tongyu sat on the opposite sofa. Seeing him enter, he smiled and waved. “Wuyi, have a seat.”

Xu Wuyi sat across from him and took a sip from his teacup. Tea in the virtual space had no taste, but the warm sensation was real—an effect seamlessly simulated by the Battle Network System.

Qiao Tongyu looked at him, studying him for a few seconds before speaking.

“I heard about what happened at the Profound Abyssal Rift,” he said, his tone carrying a degree of admiration. “Over two thousand Star Beasts and four Great Commanders, all killed with their corpses perfectly intact. Grandmaster Shen said that even he couldn’t match such a feat.”

Xu Wuyi shook his head. “You flatter me, Uncle Qiao. My abilities just happen to be suited for that kind of situation.”

Qiao Tongyu smiled but didn’t press the praise any further. He set down his teacup, his expression turning serious. “Wuyi, I reached out to you today because there’s a matter I want to discuss with you.”

Xu Wuyi nodded. “Go ahead.”

Qiao Tongyu paused, organizing his words. “Word of what you did at the Profound Abyssal Rift has already spread. Now, many people want to collaborate with you, and the Qiao family is no exception. As you know, the Dongjiang Battle Group has been responsible for garrisoning several Rifts. These Rifts are scattered throughout Dongjiang Province. Some are large-scale, some are small, but regardless of their size, they all require a massive investment of manpower and resources to manage.”

He brought up a map projection marked with over a dozen red dots, each representing a Rift.

“Over the years, we’ve been locked in a constant struggle with the Star Beasts inside these Rifts. We kill one batch, and another takes its place; there’s simply no end to them. Every time a Beast Tide surges out, we have to deploy a large number of Martial Artists to fend them off, and every time, lives are lost.”

Xu Wuyi looked at the red dots, remaining silent.

Qiao Tongyu continued, “However, we’ve also discovered a pattern. The Star Beasts behind those Rifts aren’t infinite. Each Star Realm has a relatively stable ecosystem, meaning the number of Star Beasts inside is limited.

“As long as we can control the scale of the Beast Tides and prevent too many from surging out at once, we can slowly whittle them down.”

He paused, his gaze growing even more intense. “Your abilities are perfectly suited for this task.”

Xu Wuyi understood his intention. “You want me to go to those Rifts specifically to deal with the surging Star Beasts?”

Qiao Tongyu nodded, then shook his head. “Not entirely. What I want is… to intentionally release a Beast Tide and have you harvest them.”

He elaborated further. “The Star Beasts behind those Rifts don’t usually surge out on their own. They only stampede on a large scale when the energy on the other side of the Rift accumulates to a certain level, or when they are deliberately driven out by a powerhouse.

“If we can control this rhythm and have you strike the moment they pour out, we can maximize our harvest of Star Beast Materials while minimizing casualties.”

He paused briefly before adding, “As for the profits, we are willing to give you seventy percent. The Dongjiang Battle Group will just take a modest cut for our labor—garrisoning the Rifts, controlling the tempo, and handling the aftermath. You only need to strike a few times; we’ll take care of the rest.”

Xu Wuyi remained silent for a few seconds. Seventy percent of the profits. This was indeed a very sincere offer.

With his abilities, dealing with ordinary Star Beasts required almost no effort. The moment the Power of Order was unleashed, those Star Beasts below the rank of Great Commander had no ability to resist. Their Life Rules would instantly disintegrate, leaving behind perfectly intact corpses.

And he was well aware of how valuable those corpses were. In the battle at the Profound Abyssal Rift, he had killed over two thousand Star Beasts and four Great Commanders. Shen Jin had mentioned that that batch of materials would sell for an exorbitant price. He didn’t know the exact figure, but it was undoubtedly an astronomical number.