Yun Mo Tian

"I..." Lu Feng hesitated.

Hong Kun stepped forward and answered for him: "Lu Feng just broke through to the Meridian Condensing Realm."

"Not bad." Li Xiuwen gave a slight nod. "To step into the Third Realm Warrior at eighteen truly qualifies as a genius. This cultivation speed is even a bit faster than mine back in the day."

So that was it.

Ever since the last outpost battle, the Chasing Wind Squad and the Sky Wolf Squad had grown familiar with each other.

Over these days, the soldiers of both teams often exchanged insights on martial arts.

During Fang Qing's recovery, Li Xiuwen had personally visited and even comforted Gao Zhan.

The relationship between the two squads grew closer by the day.

Hong Kun, a seasoned veteran of the world, had learned that Captain Li was only twenty-eight and already a Mid Innate Realm powerhouse, and that his father was the Jinzhou Military Region Commander. So he took the initiative to strike up a conversation.

But Li Xiuwen had no regard for this kind of Civilian Club Warrior, and his words even carried a hint of mockery.

A civilian martial artist who had barely scraped into the early Innate Realm in his forties—did he think he could latch onto the Jinzhou Military Region's Number One Genius?

Seeing that this guy looked down on him, Hong Kun naturally felt a bit annoyed.

You're a genius? You're impressive?

Are you more impressive than our club's Lu Feng?

So he embellished the fact that Lu Feng, at just eighteen, had already reached Copper Skin Realm Perfection and was now pushing into the Meridian Condensing Realm, laying it on thick.

Li Xiuwen's first reaction, of course, was disbelief.

A high school graduate who could reach Copper Skin Realm Perfection was already good enough to get into a Martial Arts University.

Those with better talent might break through to the second or third level of the Iron Bone Realm.

Even he, the region's top genius, had only been at the Sixth Level of Iron Bone Realm when he graduated from Martial High School.

Then, after four years at a Martial Arts University, he broke through to Peak Meridian Condensing Realm.

After graduation, he entered the military region and formed the Sky Wolf Squad.

This "Spirit Slaughter" operation was already his second Expedition Mission.

And just a few days ago, he had broken through to the Innate Realm Seventh Layer.

In the Jinzhou Military Region, and even across the entire Tianlan Star, this was considered a legendary life for a young man.

An elder had once predicted that he would likely break through to the Grandmaster Realm before the age of thirty.

Becoming the youngest Martial Arts Grandmaster in Tianlan Star's history!

Of course.

Li Xiuwen's achievements were also tied to his background.

With his father as the Jinzhou Military Region Commander, his Cultivation Resources were on an entirely different level from ordinary warriors.

It was precisely because of these accomplishments that Li Xiuwen's temperament had always been arrogant. He only deigned to associate with talented Young Warriors—people like Gao Zhan.

When he heard Hong Kun say that someone had reached Iron Bone Realm Perfection at eighteen, he just assumed the man was bragging and couldn't be bothered to respond.

Seeing that he didn't believe it, Hong Kun dropped a single sentence and turned to leave.

"If Captain Li doesn't believe me, he can ask anyone from the Chasing Wind Squad."

Li Xiuwen was stunned for a long time.

He, who had always considered himself the most talented, eventually couldn't resist sending one of his Team Members to inquire with the Chasing Wind Squad.

And everyone said it was true—this person was Lu Feng!

A high school graduate, not only gifted in Martial Talent but also born with the ability to tame beasts.

So, even though his cultivation hadn't yet reached the Meridian Condensing Realm, he was granted special permission to join this "Spirit Slaughter" Expedition Mission.

Even so, Li Xiuwen still refused to believe it.

He went to find Hong Kun and demanded to meet this Youngster who was even more monstrous than himself.

But over the past few days, Lu Feng had been holed up in his small room cultivating.

He only came out today, and Hong Kun immediately brought him over.

Li Xiuwen stepped forward and reached out to place a hand on Lu Feng's shoulder, intending to probe his true realm.

While a warrior's cultivation level couldn't be seen with the naked eye, one could use physical contact to channel True Qi and detect the energy fluctuations within the other's body, thereby judging their realm.

The moment a wisp of True Qi seeped from his palm, Lu Feng quickly pulled back, watching him warily.

Li Xiuwen hurriedly smiled and explained: "No need to be nervous. I just wanted to check if this eighteen-year-old Young Man really has broken through to the Meridian Condensing Realm."

Though this approach was quite rude, Li Xiuwen was simply too curious.

Since the other party was unwilling, he naturally couldn't force the probe.

"Captain Li! I really have broken through to the Meridian Condensing Realm. But I'm not that impressive, because I'll be turning twenty soon, not eighteen."

When he left Tianlan Star, he had just turned eighteen.

But now, nearly two years had passed.

In two more months, it would be Lu Feng's twentieth birthday.

Still, a twenty-year-old in the Meridian Condensing Realm was plenty freakish!

Hearing this, though, Li Xiuwen felt a bit more balanced inside.

Back when he was at the Martial Arts University, he had broken through to the third realm before he was twenty as well.

"I hear you're currently a club warrior, not officially enlisted in the military?"

"Yeah."

"Then would you be willing to join my Sky Wolf Squad? I can make you a formal soldier right away."

"No need!" Lu Feng refused without a second thought.

"Do you know who I really am?"

Hong Kun immediately leaned in and whispered by Lu Feng's ear: "Captain Li's father is the Grand Commander of the Jinzhou Military Region!"

Hearing this, Lu Feng's face showed clear surprise.

But he still shook his head. "Really, no need."

Rejected twice in a row, Li Xiuwen was a bit annoyed.

This kid had good talent, but he was too rigid.

Without a strong backer, no matter how powerful one's martial talent, the road ahead wouldn't go far.

"Fine, then forget it."

With that, Li Xiuwen turned and left.

Hong Kun watched his retreating figure, then looked back at Lu Feng, his heart itching like a cat was scratching it.

"Xiao Feng! Such a good opportunity, how could you..."

If he joined the Sky Wolf Squad, never mind what martial resources might come in the future.

Right now, that bastard Zheng Yi wouldn't dare keep stirring up trouble behind the scenes.

But he wasn't Lu Feng's elder, so he couldn't make decisions for him, and naturally couldn't say much more.

Two days later.

Eight starships set sail, carrying everyone southward for five or six thousand kilometers, arriving at the southern hemisphere of Planet Caro 9.

On a plateau in the southern hemisphere, they established a new temporary starry sky station.

Fortunately, this plateau—spanning over 800,000 square kilometers and named "Yun Mo Tian" by humanity—did not harbor massive numbers of aggressive exotic beasts.

Only the "Six-legged Birds," which were a bit larger than humans, standing about two meters tall.

As the name suggested, these birds had six legs, but no feathers or wings. Their bodies were covered in lumpy, knotted muscle, and the claws on their feet were as hard as Blue Dai Alloy, able to dig through the plateau's tough ground in search of food.

But they had gentle temperaments. Whenever they sensed danger, they would immediately flee, and they were extremely fast—their top speed nearing three hundred kilometers per hour.

When the humans arrived, they encountered no danger, so there was no campaign to wipe out the exotic beasts.

No campaign meant no bait like the Sudali Plain, which saved quite a few lives.

Still, this "Yun Mo Tian" plateau was a great place for Lu Feng.

Those gentle Six-legged Birds would soon become the energy source for the chest imprint on him.