Chapter 629: Seeing Lin Jianyi Again

"This old minister was merely passing by," Li Xuangang said. "Seeing Your Highness practicing the sword, I felt it inconvenient to interrupt."

Zhou Chen did not ask why the State Preceptor would "pass by" the Eastern Palace.

He simply bowed slightly. "State Preceptor, have you come late at night to offer instructions?"

Li Xuangang looked at him, his gaze peaceful.

"I merely wished to see if Your Highness’s sword was still as fast as it was three months ago."

Zhou Chen fell silent for a moment. "What does the State Preceptor think?"

"It is faster," Li Xuangang said. "But not because your techniques have become more exquisite. It is because your heart has grown calmer."

He paused. "Just now, when Your Highness was practicing your sword, you were not thinking of that alien, nor the scheduled duel, nor even the sword itself.

"Your Highness was only thinking of drawing the sword."

Zhou Chen did not deny it.

Li Xuangang nodded. "In that case, this old minister is relieved."

He turned around and slowly walked away, leaning on his cane.

After a few steps, he suddenly stopped.

"Your Highness," he said without looking back. "Although this old minister has not witnessed that alien’s spear with my own eyes, I can deduce a thing or two from Zhao Yuanwu’s description.

"His spear is as heavy as a mountain and as unpredictable as an abyss. It is unlike any opponent Your Highness has ever faced.

"If Your Highness intends to break it with your sword, do not meet force with force. You must use speed to counter slowness, and skill to break raw power."

Zhou Chen listened intently.

"Furthermore," Li Xuangang said. "If Your Highness uses that Divine Weapon, remember that a Divine Weapon is ultimately an external object. Do not rely on it, and do not become consumed by it.

"The sword is the sword, and you are you.

"Only when you forget that what you hold in your hand is a Divine Weapon can it truly serve you."

Zhou Chen bowed. "Thank you for your guidance, State Preceptor."

Li Xuangang said no more, and his figure soon vanished into the night.

Zhou Chen stood at the palace doors, gazing in the direction the State Preceptor had left.

The night breeze grew chilly, fluttering his robes.

...

The day of the scheduled duel.

Red River City Spaceport.

A special plane was already on standby on the tarmac. It was the same VTOL transport aircraft, its silver-gray fuselage bearing the military’s emblem on its tail.

When Xu Wuyi boarded, there were already two people in the cabin who had come specifically to pick him up.

Qin Qinghe sat by the window, flipping through files on his personal terminal. Seeing Xu Wuyi enter, he looked up and smiled with a nod.

"Junior Brother Xu, how is your condition?"

"I’m alright."

The other person sat deep in the cabin, leaning against the window with his eyes closed in meditation. Unexpectedly, this was also someone Xu Wuyi knew—it was none other than Grandmaster Lin Jianyi.

He wore dark cyan cloth garments, looking to be only in his thirties. His features were ordinary, and there was absolutely no energy fluctuation around him; he looked just like an ordinary Martial Artist.

But Xu Wuyi knew that the Grandmaster before him was not only advanced in age but also a top-tier powerhouse within the Federation. He had long since stepped into the Divine Intent Level, second only to Shen Jin and a few others.

With Lin Jianyi leading the team this time, it was clear that the Federation had figured out the Great Liang civilization’s bottom line and wanted to give them a show of strength.

Xu Wuyi walked over and bowed slightly.

"Teacher Lin."

When he was at Star Martial, he had taken Lin Jianyi’s classes. It was customary to call him "Teacher" after graduation.

Lin Jianyi opened his eyes.

In that instant, the light in the cabin seemed to dim for a second. It wasn’t an illusion. It was as if some indescribable "Intention" had withdrawn into his body, taking something from the surroundings along with it.

But it was only for a moment.

The next second, Lin Jianyi’s eyes returned to their peaceful state, as if the previous scene had just been a hallucination.

"Sit," he said.

His voice wasn’t loud, but it entered the ear clearly, like a stone dropping into an ancient well, its echoes lingering long after.

Xu Wuyi sat opposite him.

Lin Jianyi said no more and closed his eyes again.

Qin Qinghe whispered, "Master Lin prefers to rest his spirit before a battle. We shouldn’t disturb him."

Xu Wuyi nodded.

The transport aircraft’s engines started up. The fuselage vibrated slightly and slowly lifted off.

Outside the window, the outline of Red River City gradually shrank, turning into specks of light before finally being obscured by the clouds.

...

Two hours later.

The transport aircraft landed at Plane Passage Base No. 19.

It was the same familiar fortress-like structure, filled with fully armed soldiers and officers rushing about.

Xu Wuyi and his group took an exclusive corridor straight to the Teleportation Hall.

Over twenty people had already gathered here.

Apart from the members of the Federation delegation, there was also the support team responsible for this scheduled duel and a few accompanying representative observers.

Xu Wuyi swept his gaze over them and recognized a few faces.

They were all Quasi-Grandmaster Level powerhouses from various major combat zones in the Federation. Some were from the military, while others hailed from top-tier noble families.

Clearly, this scheduled duel was not just a probe by Great Liang, but also an opportunity for the Federation to flex its muscles.

A middle-aged man in a lieutenant general’s uniform walked over and saluted Lin Jianyi.

"Grandmaster Lin, the Teleportation Array is ready. A temporary stronghold has been established in Star Realm 0492. The two sides have agreed to meet on the plain thirty kilometers outside the stronghold."

Lin Jianyi nodded slightly.

"Let’s go."

The group walked into the teleportation zone one after another.

Silver light flashed, and space vibrated.

When their vision recovered, they found themselves in an unfamiliar world.

The sky was a pale cyan, with two suns suspended in it.

One was large and bright, hanging high in the zenith; the other was small and dusky yellow, hanging low on the western horizon.

The earth consisted of rolling hills covered in dark red vegetation.

Those plants had peculiar shapes, with broad, fleshy leaves and thick stems, looking like countless palms reaching out toward the sky.

An unfamiliar scent permeated the air.

It was not the scorching dryness of the Quicksand Star Realm, nor the freezing desolation of Liang Wei Third, but rather a complex blend of herbal fragrance and mineral odors.

A small Star Realm rich in resources.

Xu Wuyi looked around and quickly confirmed the environmental data.

Gravity was at about 1.1 times the standard value, oxygen content was 42%, temperature was 18 degrees Celsius, and humidity was moderate. It was suitable for long-term human activity and ideal for large-scale development.

No wonder Great Liang was so reluctant to part with it.

"Star Realm 0492, the Federation’s provisional designation," Qin Qinghe said, walking up beside him. "It isn’t large in area—only about three thousand kilometers in diameter—but its mineral reserves are astonishing. Specifically, there are several high-tier energy minerals that the Federation is currently in desperate need of as strategic resources."

Xu Wuyi nodded.

He understood why the military attached so much importance to this scheduled duel.

It wasn’t just for face; it was for tangible benefits.

"Assemble!" an officer commanded from ahead. "We move out in fifteen minutes. Destination: the meeting point!"

...

The meeting point was located on an open plain.

The terrain was flat, offering excellent visibility with absolutely no obstructions within a ten-kilometer radius.

The two sides had agreed to meet here to avoid any ambushes or surprise attacks.

By the time the Federation team arrived, the Great Liang delegation had already formed their ranks on the other side of the plain.

There were about fifty people.

At the forefront stood an elderly man whose hair and beard were completely white. He wore a deep purple robe embroidered with cloud patterns and leaned on a red sandalwood cane.

He stood at the very front of the formation, his face gaunt and his eyes half-closed, his aura as deep and lingering as an ancient pool.

It was none other than Great Liang’s State Preceptor, Li Xuangang.

Behind him stood Great Liang’s entourage.

There were civil and military officials, members of the Royal Guard, and a young man in a black martial outfit with a longsword at his waist.

Zhou Chen.

Xu Wuyi’s gaze fell upon him.