Chapter 272: Leaving an Image

Following a prompt tone, one of the nine silver pedestals in the center of the field suddenly dimmed.

It was the pedestal at the very edge, upon which a staff-wielding figure of light had been floating.

The staff-wielding figure of light above the pedestal quickly faded and disappeared, while a new one began to materialize in its place.

The light outlined the image of a young man standing with a spear. His silhouette was identical to Xu Wuyi’s, his face just as blurry.

But the fierce, soaring aura of one who had just endured a bloody battle—with the faint phantoms of a mountain and sun at his back—was captured and solidified.

New silver inscriptions appeared:

[Xu Wuyi (Level 32.5 state) · Record Creation Time: September 17, 2XXX NE]

The nine pedestals were once again all occupied.

...

Fu Yun, who had been watching from the sidelines, had lowered the arms he’d had crossed over his chest. His mouth was slightly agape, the expression on his face completely frozen.

’What did I just see?’

’Xu Wuyi... shattered Sister Yi’s Illusion?’

’I told you to *last* for three minutes, not to finish the job *in* three minutes!’

’And that final phenomenon of the great sun over the mountain peak... Was that a sign of True Intent Fusion?’

’Didn’t this guy just advance to Martial Artist not long ago?’

’He made it to the top sixty-four in the youth tournament, but there should still be a clear gap between him and that small handful of top contenders.’

’How could...’

The virtual avatar of "Red" silently appeared beside Fu Yun. She gazed at the center of the field, at Xu Wuyi, who was slowly retracting his spear. The stream of data flowing through her pupils accelerated.

Fu Yun finally recovered from his shock. He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, a complex, unreadable smile appearing on his face—a mix of amazement, sentiment, and a hint of inexpressible excitement.

’Looks like Red Star is about to welcome another incredible newcomer.’

’And from the looks of it, it probably won’t be long before the title of "strongest newcomer after Sister Yi" has a new owner.’

He composed his expression and strode toward the center of the field.

Xu Wuyi had just finished repairing the injuries to his virtual body. Although the mental fatigue remained, the sense of clarity and power that came after the initial fusion of his True Intentions was even more distinct.

He saw that he had appeared on one of the pedestals, and he also saw the updated inscription next to Hong Nianyi’s Illusion.

’I’m not entirely sure what this means yet, but I know I must have passed the test. And... it seems I did pretty well?’

"Congratulations."

Fu Yun walked up to him and extended a hand, his smile much more sincere now. "Welcome to Red Star, Xu Wuyi."

Xu Wuyi shook his hand and asked, "So I... passed?"

"More than just passed." Fu Yun shook his head with a wry smile and pointed to the nine pedestals. "Not only did you pass the test, you also left your own combat record on the Nine Stars Stele, replacing the one that was in ninth place—the record of Senior Brother ’Mountain-Breaking Staff’ Wu Feng."

"From this day on, all future challengers who come here will be able to see the combat Illusion of you at Level 32.5."

"Junior Brother, you’re incredible!"

Xu Wuyi followed his gaze to the new pedestal that was now his.

On it, the spear-wielding Illusion stood silently. Though its face was blurry, it possessed a nascent, formidable air.

The phenomenon of the great sun over the mountain peak wasn’t fully recorded, but the aura surrounding the Illusion—a blend of steadfastness and searing heat—was faintly discernible.

A peculiar emotion welled up in his heart.

There was a slight sense of unreality, but more than that was a grounded sense of certainty.

He knew he had just taken a solid step forward.

It wasn’t just about joining the Red Star platform.

It was because, under pressure, the fusion of his "Mountain" and "Scorching" Intentions had finally begun, and his Martial Arts path had undergone a crucial transformation.

But thinking back on the battle, he couldn’t help but shake his head. "It’s still not enough. I could barely handle eighty or ninety percent of Senior Sister Hong’s power, and that was before she even formed her Heart Image... I’m still too far behind."

Fu Yun was rendered speechless. ’If you’re going to use Hong Nianyi as your benchmark, then there’s nothing for us to talk about.’

’We’re on completely different levels!’

"So," Xu Wuyi said, retracting his gaze to look at Fu Yun and Red, "what do I need to do next?"

"Simple." Fu Yun smiled. "Red will grant you advanced access to the dedicated Red Star section of the Battle Network."

"You can access Red Star’s internal network through your personal terminal or directly from here. It has many sections: intelligence exchange, mission postings, resource trading, cultivation discussions, and so on. You can take your time to get familiar with it."

"Also," Fu Yun paused, his smile a little strange, "the fact that you defeated Sister Yi’s Illusion and left your mark on the Nine Stars Stele will probably spread throughout Red Star very quickly."

"Some of the ’old-timers’ might take an interest in you and look for you for a spar or an exchange of pointers, so be prepared. Of course, that’s a good thing. The atmosphere within Red Star is one that highly values strength."

Xu Wuyi nodded, indicating he understood.

’Wherever there are people, there are rivalries. In a place where geniuses gather, competition and comparison are bound to be even more direct.’

He was not afraid of this.

"Alright, we’ll save the official welcome ceremony for the next offline gathering—though those only happen a few times a year." Fu Yun patted Xu Wuyi on the shoulder.

"Here’s my contact information; it works on the Battle Network and in the real world. If you have any questions about Red Star or need any help, feel free to contact me anytime."

Fu Yun transferred a string of communication codes to Xu Wuyi.

"Thank you, Senior Brother Fu." Xu Wuyi accepted the code and thanked him sincerely.

If not for Fu Yun’s introduction and explanation today, he wouldn’t have come into contact with Red Star so quickly.

"We’re on the same team now, no need to be formal." Fu Yun waved his hand. "I look forward to seeing what you’ll do in Red Star."

After exchanging a few more words, the figures of Fu Yun and Red gradually faded, disappearing from the challenge space.

Xu Wuyi also chose to log out.

His consciousness returned to reality as he sat up in the Battle Network connection pod.

The constant light of the Cultivation Room cascaded down, and everything was as quiet as ever.

But Xu Wuyi knew that some things had already changed.

He closed his eyes and turned his focus inward, performing Introspection on his sea of consciousness.

There, his "Mountain" and "Scorching" True Intentions were no longer sharply divided. Instead, they showed signs of merging, like a mountain incubating geothermal fire, or sunlight nurturing its peaks.

Although there was still a long way to go before a true, perfect fusion, the most important first step had been taken.

The phenomenon of the great sun over the mountain peak could not be manifested at will; it was an external display that occurred only when the True Intentions resonated intensely.

But the Mental Realm born from that fusion could now be put to preliminary use, which would bring an all-around improvement to his combat power.

The communicator on his wrist vibrated slightly.

Xu Wuyi opened it and found a new sub-icon next to the Battle Network icon—a dark red symbol that looked like a burning star.

He submerged his consciousness into it, and a simple yet information-dense interface unfolded in his mind.

[Red Star Network—Welcome, new member: Xu Wuyi (Codename TBD)]

At the very top was a short, scrolling announcement:

"New member Xu Wuyi (Star Martial University) has passed the test and left his image on the ’Nine Stars Stele,’ replacing the previous ninth-place holder, ’Mountain-Breaking Staff’ Wu Feng (Starry Sky Martial Arts Academy, graduated). This is an official notice."

Below the announcement, a few short messages had already appeared.

"Oh? A newbie pushed Madman Wu off the list? Interesting."

"Junior Sister Hong’s Illusion was defeated? At the Same Ability Level? Tsk, looks like next year is going to be lively."

"Welcome. You can change your codename yourself once you’ve thought of one. I’d suggest not picking anything too cringey. (lol)"