Chapter 702 - 692: Returning to West Desert

"Yes," Xu Wuyi replied. "I’m just here for a visit. There’s no need for such a grand reception."

Xu Wuyi got into the car, and Tana climbed in from the other side to sit next to him. The hovercar slowly ascended, leaving the spaceport and heading toward the Royal Palace. The air conditioning inside was turned up high, creating a stark, chilly contrast to the blistering heat outside.

As the hovercar sped forward, the streetscapes blurred past the window. The streets of the Western Desert Royal Capital were far more spacious than those in Xingjing, and the architecture possessed a more distinct local flair. Red rocks and flame-patterned decorations could be seen everywhere.

After a while, Tana suddenly asked, "How long do you plan to stay this time?"

"It depends," Xu Wuyi said. "My main purpose is to visit the Flame Venerable and seek his guidance. I might stay for a few days, or perhaps half a month. I haven’t decided yet."

Tana nodded. "That’s good. In the West Desert, the Flame Venerable is a true founding-ancestor-level figure. You will definitely benefit from listening to his guidance." She paused for a moment before adding, "By the way, Ufei was beyond thrilled when she heard you were coming. She’s made massive progress since you mentored her last time and shouldn’t have any problem testing into a Star Martial University. She keeps saying she wants to thank you in person."

Xu Wuyi thought of the ponytail-wearing girl with clear yet slightly timid eyes, and nodded. "I can meet her when I have some free time."

The two went on to chat about various trivial matters, with topics ranging from the recent situation at Star Martial University, to the changes in the West Desert over the years, and finally to their own personal experiences.

Tana mentioned she had spent the last few years mostly handling tribal affairs and rarely left the West Desert. Occasionally, she would go to the Star Realm Battlefield to execute missions, but they were always short-term; she hadn’t been stationed there for any prolonged periods.

Xu Wuyi briefly touched upon matters concerning the Inspection Department, but didn’t go into detail. Those matters involved classified information and weren’t suitable for casual discussion. After his promotion to Grandmaster, Captain Meng of the Inspection Department had vanished from the public eye. It wouldn’t be hard for observant people to piece the clues together, so there was no longer any need to deliberately keep that alias a secret.

The hovercar entered the Royal Palace grounds and stopped in front of a standalone two-story building. Xu Wuyi had stayed in this building before; it was the exact same one he had resided in during his last visit to the West Desert. The location was secluded, and the environment was pleasant.

They got out of the car. "Rest up for now," Tana said. "I’ll come pick you up at six this evening. My father has prepared a family dinner. It’ll just be us—no outsiders."

Xu Wuyi nodded and carried his luggage into the building. The interior was immaculately clean. Fresh fruits and tea snacks were laid out on the living room table, the bed in the bedroom was neatly made, and brand-new toiletries had been prepared in the bathroom. He set his luggage down, sat on the sofa for a short while, and then got up to enter the Cultivation Room.

The Cultivation Room wasn’t large, but it was fully equipped. Several pots of drought-resistant plants sat in the corners, a flame-patterned tapestry hung on the wall, and specialized training mats covered the floor.

Xu Wuyi sat cross-legged on the training mat, closed his eyes, and sank his consciousness into his sea of consciousness.

Within his mind, the pale blue Heart of Order still hovered quietly, slowly rotating in the void. Its surrounding halo was noticeably more solid than it had been a few days ago. The Order Fragments that had been burned by the Flame of Order continued to converge, bit by bit enriching this newly formed, rudimentary Domain.

The first step of Grandmaster cultivation was the externalization of the Heart Image, allowing it to become a bridge connecting with Heaven and Earth Energy. He had already accomplished this step, though he still lacked a bit of refinement.

The second step was the construction of a Domain. This required taking the Heaven and Earth Energy drawn in by the externalized Heart Image and subjecting it to compression and refining alongside one’s own power, ultimately forming an absolute Domain entirely dominated by one’s own Rules.

He was currently undertaking this step, and it was proceeding far more smoothly than he had anticipated. Those fragments that had been burned by the Flame of Order would naturally gravitate toward the Heart of Order, inherently becoming integral components of his Domain. This process didn’t require any deliberate pushing; he only needed to wait patiently.

He opened his eyes and checked the time. It was only a little past three in the afternoon—nearly three hours until six o’clock. After a moment of thought, he decided not to continue his meditation. Instead, he got up, walked out of the Cultivation Room, poured himself a glass of water in the living room, and drank it slowly.

The sunlight outside the window was beautiful. It spilled through the glass, casting warm patches of light across the floor. Holding his glass, he stood by the window and gazed at the West Desert-style architecture outside. He looked at the tallest tower of the Royal Palace in the distance, watching the flame-patterned flag fluttering in the wind at its peak.

His thoughts drifted to the Flame Venerable, whom he would be seeing shortly. That veteran Grandmaster had offered him a great deal of assistance on his cultivation path.

When he first came to the West Desert to participate in the Flame Venerable Arena Tournament, the Flame Venerable had personally presented him with his award and asked if he wanted to study under him for three months. At that time, he was merely a Martial Artist, filled with deep reverence for the Grandmaster Realm.

Later, when he visited again upon graduation, the Flame Venerable had guided him on matters concerning his Heart Image and had even helped him get in touch with Grandmaster Liang Sixian of the Northern Lands. By then, he had already advanced to the Innate stage and had been troubled by issues regarding his Heart Image.

Now that he had been promoted to Grandmaster, his status during this visit was completely different. However, Xu Wuyi knew that no matter how his status changed, the Flame Venerable would always remain a respected senior in his heart.

He finished his water, set the glass down, and returned to the Cultivation Room to resume his meditation. Time slipped away in the quiet atmosphere until his personal terminal vibrated gently, bringing a message from Tana: "I’m here. I’m at the door."

Xu Wuyi opened his eyes, stood up, and walked out of the building.

Tana was indeed waiting at the door in the same hovercar. Seeing him come out, she waved her hand, signaling him to get in. Xu Wuyi got in and settled down. The hovercar started up and drove deeper into the Royal Palace.

The destination this time wasn’t the side hall they had used during his last visit, but rather a far more private courtyard.