Crimson Emerges, Sacred Mark Data

The C-Class Valkyrie Armor, Pulse Armor Crimson (incomplete), had been constructed.

When Jing Hongchen returned with the White Training Armor, he saw a brand-new set of armor laid out before Lu Xueling.

Crimson was its primary color, paired with black leather and black combat boots. Its armor possessed a powerful metallic texture without sacrificing the impression of human agility. A pitch-black Katana floated beside it, with wisps of pale blue lightning occasionally coursing across its surface.

Before Jing Hongchen could voice his amazement, Lu Xueling spoke first. "Hall Master Red Dust, give me White Training. Feel free to admire Crimson as much as you like."

So its name was Crimson?

Jing Hongchen committed it to memory. After handing the White Training Armor to Lu Xueling, he stepped forward to carefully inspect the new Valkyrie Armor, even taking out something like a metal detector and sweeping it back and forth.

Taking the White Training Armor, Lu Xueling let out a soft breath. His right hand fumbled with something in Jing Hongchen's blind spot. Soon, a flash of milky white light appeared, and he inserted a thumb-sized, crystal-like object into the armor's chest.

As platinum light flickered, the golden lines on the armor's limbs flowed as though they had come alive. The intense energy fluctuations nearly blew out several energy detectors in Jing Hongchen's office!

The B-Class Valkyrie Armor, Domain Armor: White Lian, was complete.

This dramatic change immediately drew Jing Hongchen's gaze away from the exquisitely crafted Crimson. Comparing the two sets of armor, anyone with eyes could see the vast difference in their levels.

"Mr. Lu... how did you do that?"

Lu Xueling spread his hands. "I'm just saying, Hall Master, can Mingde Hall even figure out the principles behind it at this point?"

"Uh..." Jing Hongchen wanted to argue, but after thinking about it, Lu Xueling did not seem to be wrong.

Wanting to run before learning how to walk? That really was not realistic.

The corner of Lu Xueling's mouth twitched. He patted Jing Hongchen's shoulder. "All right, Hall Master Red Dust. Want to take another look at Crimson's power?"

Jing Hongchen's eyes shifted as he returned with a question. "Mr. Lu, I am not in a hurry about the armor. It is just that you mentioned Sacred Marks before..."

"Of course I have them." Lu Xueling was not surprised by Jing Hongchen's reaction. "I've already prepared a set of Sacred Marks that can be used with the White Training Armor. You'll see them later. But Hall Master, let me remind you: once Sacred Marks are etched onto someone, they are permanent and cannot be removed. You need to think carefully about who will wear this armor."

Naturally, Lu Xueling was lying to Jing Hongchen. Sacred Marks could indeed be removed, but in this world, only he was capable of doing so.

Jing Hongchen fell silent for a moment. His gaze shifted back and forth between Crimson and White Training. "Mr. Lu, what exactly are these Sacred Marks...?"

Lu Xueling chuckled and simply handed Jing Hongchen a document.

Jing Hongchen accepted it, adjusted his glasses, then sat down and began reading it carefully.

"Sacred Marks are the most precious legacy within humanity's bloodline. They are not products of natural evolution, but miracles of biotechnology from a certain civilization. Their principles and mechanisms still contain many unresolved mysteries. Before that powerful civilization perished, they implanted this complex Honkai-resistant genome into the embryos of the final descendants they preserved. These genomes would form markings on the surface of human bodies. Those markings are Sacred Marks."

"Humans possessing Sacred Marks have immense resistance to and control over Honkai Energy, allowing them to display all manner of incredible powers. Regrettably, as humanity continued to inherit its bloodlines, the genes mutated and exchanged to varying degrees, and the once-complete Sacred Mark genome was ultimately scattered. Once the puzzle pieces were scrambled, the meaning of the picture no longer existed."

Jing Hongchen finished reading the record on Sacred Marks in one breath. His breathing grew slightly hurried, his face flushed, as though he had just opened the door to a new world.

"Mr. Lu... so the Sacred Marks in your possession are..."

Lu Xueling finished the sentence for him. "You guessed right. Artificial Sacred Marks. Of course, the set I have still cannot compare to what is recorded in the document..."

Jing Hongchen's mouth had gone dry. "What do you want? So long as the Sun Moon Empire can afford it... could you teach this technology to Mingde Hall?!"

The document did not say that only humans possessing Honkai Energy could cultivate Sacred Marks. In other words, as long as their technology reached the required standard, even ordinary people could cultivate them!

Just imagine it: the Sun Moon Empire's army on the battlefield in such a future...

Valkyries would lead the charge, while ordinary soldiers and Soul Master units alike would all possess complete sets of Sacred Marks.

Shrek? The Three Great Empires? The Body Sect, the Soul Beast Clan?

What kind of trash were they? They knew nothing of the Power of Honkai!!

Lu Xueling shook his head. "Hall Master Red Dust, didn't we agree before? As for research into Valkyrie Armor, no matter how many resources or personnel are invested during the process, including the final research results, I alone get to decide what happens to them."

Jing Hongchen's gaze immediately dimmed. It felt like someone had just handed him food when he was about to eat, only to snatch it back.

Lu Xueling truly understood how to manipulate people. He had just fulfilled one promise, then immediately tossed out another piece of bait. Yet Jing Hongchen had no choice but to open his mouth and bite!

"Mr. Lu... I have one last question."

"Ask."

Jing Hongchen's face twitched. "Um... does Valkyrie Armor come in men's versions?"

The corner of Lu Xueling's lips curled upward. "You want to wear one too, Hall Master?"

Under Lu Xueling's gaze, Jing Hongchen could only grit his teeth and nod.

Lu Xueling chuckled softly, sat down, and took a sip of tea. "Men's versions do exist, but unfortunately, even with my current technology, I can't make one for you. However... if you aren't stingy with your warehouses, Hall Master, I do have another project here that both men and women can undergo."

Just how many secrets are you hiding?

Jing Hongchen sighed inwardly, though his face remained full of curiosity. "What is it this time?"

Lu Xueling suddenly turned his head and glanced at the sky. "Hall Master, if we don't test the Crimson Armor soon, it'll be dark. I still need to go see little Yuhao."

He truly had an important matter to discuss with Huo Yuhao, one that would most likely determine the Ice Herrscher Core's final owner!

As for the next project... heh, he would not tell Jing Hongchen. He was just having fun.

You're whetting my appetite again, aren't you?!

Jing Hongchen was so irritated by Lu Xueling that he nearly laughed. "Fine. I'll find someone to test the Crimson Armor right away. This time, we need to choose a student with stronger cultivation. With that White Training Armor last time, Xiao Meng only used two moves, and her arm still hasn't fully recovered."