Blade General

Soon after, Cal returned with a large bundle of materials, a beaming smile on her face. With a single thought, the Flame God Armor could form a backpack, making it very convenient for Planetary Level fighters to carry things.

The bald man, Alpha, who had just learned from Guen about the existence of the Flame God Armor, watched Cal with envy. But he also knew that if he joined a major faction, he had a good chance of obtaining a Flame God Armor himself.

Cal landed and said with some emotion, "Guen, I have to thank you for this kill. That one slash of yours severely wounded the Squid Sea Beast. On land, I could finish it off easily. Without a Force Weapon, a sea beast's tenacious vitality makes it far too hard to harm."

The Aoyu Empire had ample foundational knowledge and Secret Methods, but weapons and Battle Suits were a huge shortcoming. The highest-grade weapons that could be mass-produced were only Diamond Level—sharp enough for Apprentice Level fighters, but insufficient for Planetary Level. It was common for several Diamond Level weapons to shatter in a single Planetary Level battle.

Only a handful of people could produce First-rank Force Weapons, leaving most Planetary Level fighters in the Aoyu Empire without them.

Guen just smiled and said nothing.

Just then, the bald man Alpha suddenly spoke up: "Two seniors, I've heard much from Senior Guen. I'd like to join the Forest Goddess Temple. Is that possible?"

Guen sighed helplessly. "I told you, just call me brother. Besides, I'm younger than you. Just call me Guen."

Alpha quickly waved his hands. "How could I do that? If not for the two seniors' rescue, my brothers and I would have all died in the beast tide. If I hadn't seen Senior Guen's overwhelming power, I wouldn't have understood how to break through to Super Tier... Planetary Level. I must repay this kindness. How could I call my benefactor 'brother'?"

Guen exchanged a helpless look with Cal.

Despite Alpha's rough appearance, he was extremely stubborn. Guen had no way to change his mind.

Cal laughed. "A Planetary Level fighter won't be rejected by any faction. Even the top ten in the trials aren't worth as much as a single Planetary Level. Not all of the top ten can advance to Planetary Level, either."

Cal sighed.

In the trials held every four years, the probability of advancing to Planetary Level was measured in decades. Only three or four of the top-ranked would make it. Although the foundation was better now, raising that number to six or seven, the overall count was still low.

In four years, the Aoyu Empire accumulated so many talents, yet only five or six achieved Planetary Level in a decade. That was already rare. This was only possible because the empire had sufficient foundational knowledge and guidance methods. On an ordinary Life Planet in the universe, whether even one Planetary Level could appear was uncertain.

Of course, if the timeframe was extended to twenty or thirty years, more Planetary Level fighters would emerge. But compared to those who advanced within a decade, their potential was far smaller.

Within the Forest Goddess Temple, the official member roster numbered nearly a thousand—all Planetary Level fighters or those with great potential to become one. Compared to the empire's population of over a billion, that was impressive. But it also showed how rare Planetary Level fighters were. Even among official members, the number of those still alive was probably only five or six hundred. Some failed to advance to Planetary Level and died of old age after a century. Others perished in various conflicts.

Planetary Level fighters faced many dangers on this planet as well.

Keep in mind, a Planetary Level being had a lifespan of a full thousand years.

Many of these Planetary Level fighters had lived for centuries. Only through accumulation over time had so many been gathered. If only those from the last hundred years were counted, the temple had just thirty or forty.

So if a Planetary Level fighter was willing to join, Guen and Cal naturally wouldn't refuse. As sponsors, they would also receive contribution rewards.

Alpha hesitated, then said cautiously, "But I have a small request. I wonder if the two seniors can fulfill it?"

Cal remained composed. "Whether it can be accepted is up to the temple's high-ranking members. We can't decide. But you can tell us first, and we can give you some advice."

Alpha took a deep breath. "I want to bring my brothers into the temple with me. Every one of them is a good fighter. The weakest is a Ninth-rank Fighter now—what Senior Guen calls Apprentice Level 9. We've been through life and death together. I know their character best. There's no problem. Actually, years ago, when we participated in the trials, we learned about the Forest Goddess Temple and wanted to join. But we searched the entire Aoyu Empire and couldn't find its trace. That's why we joined the Lion-Tiger Legion under the Imperial Council."

Alpha was a little nervous. Although he only knew of the temple from the trials, he could sense its mystery!

Its extraordinariness!

While Cal was chasing the Squid Sea Beast, Alpha had talked with Guen and learned that both were from the Forest Goddess Temple. The mysterious temple had produced two Super Tier fighters at once. The impact on Alpha was immense. So he wasn't sure if his request would be granted.

To his surprise, Guen and Cal both laughed upon hearing it.

"Alpha, do you know who guards our Forest Goddess Temple?"

Alpha shook his head. He didn't even know where the temple was, let alone who guarded it.

Cal continued, "They're all disabled fighters. The Forest Goddess Temple is a gathering of experts. Even the empire's strongest, the High Priest, resides there. Who would dare cause trouble? Guards aren't really needed. But these disabled fighters made great contributions in resisting the beast invasions. Should they be neglected just because they're disabled?

"That would be too unfair! So the temple's guards are all such meritorious fighters. Those with less severe disabilities often receive guidance from Planetary Level members. Over time, some disabled fighters have even advanced to Planetary Level, becoming a celebrated story. So you don't need to worry about this."

Alpha's eyes widened. "Disabled fighters can advance to Planetary Level? Are there treasures that can restore their bodies?"

"Of course. There's a treasure called the Spirit of Vegetation. Some of them can repair limbs and regenerate severed body parts. But they aren't abundant. They're only awarded to guards with good performance or great potential," Cal explained.

Alpha said gratefully, "I owe my life to the two benefactors. Now my brothers have this opportunity too. If we really can join the Forest Goddess Temple, I'll work like a beast of burden to repay this kindness."

Guen shook his head inwardly, then said seriously, "This beast tide came so fiercely. There must be more than one Planetary Level sea beast that came ashore. In the sea, that's one thing. But on land, we'll make sure they never return."

"Right. Blood for blood. Three of my brothers died in the beast tide. I'll make those beasts pay," Alpha said through gritted teeth.

Guen warned, "You don't have a Flame God Armor or experience fighting Planetary Level sea beasts. Be very careful. Don't act rashly."

Alpha nodded solemnly.

Then, the three flew off in different directions.

The beast tide's trail was easy to follow. Even if they didn't spot it directly, the temple's Smart Watch quickly gathered intelligence.

For three or four hours straight, Guen led the two in slaughtering everywhere, repelling and killing countless sea beasts. Even Cal, with her Planetary Level 5 body, was exhausted and had to rest.

And Guen was dubbed the Blade General!

One slash, and the sea beasts routed.

Earlier, when Guen killed the Imperial Council fighters, many had learned his name. This time, he carved out a fearsome reputation. Wherever he went, routed human armies immediately found the courage to fight back, even to counterattack.

Ordinary soldiers didn't know Guen's identity. Since he always defeated enemies with a single slash, they called him the Blade General. Within three or four hours, the name spread to Planetary Level fighters and was widely accepted as a fitting title.

"Awesome! So satisfying!"

Guen found a random spot to rest and began absorbing Cosmic Energy. This time, he absorbed dozens of times more energy than before, astonishing him. He vaguely understood that using full-body force had made all his cells "hungry," whereas previous training only made some cells hungry. That was why he absorbed so much energy now.

It seems full-body force is also very beneficial for cultivation. But the burden on my body is too great. I can't keep unleashing my full power.

Guen mused to himself.

Cal and Alpha, hearing the commotion from Guen's side, both looked over. Cal even praised, "Brother Guen, in just a few months, you've gone from a newcomer to a renowned powerhouse! Most Planetary Level fighters don't even qualify for a title. Your progress is truly astonishing."

It must be noted that titles aren't handed out casually. Being strong alone isn't enough; one needs remarkable achievements and public recognition to earn a title. Having a title doesn't necessarily mean absolute peak strength—for instance, if a Planet First Order Fighter excels in hidden weapons and wins a battle one against three, they could easily gain a title too. A powerhouse might be formidable but low-key, making it hard to earn a title. A title often signifies outstanding performance within one's rank, special skills, or unique experiences, so Cal wasn't jealous.

"Actually, it's nothing special. These sea beasts are just stupid. Over the years, the ones attacking land always follow the rivers. These ones that come straight onto land have no real fighting chance. I just happened to make a name for myself," Guen said seriously. "If a human went deep into the sea and encountered sea beasts, they wouldn't stand a chance either."

Alpha muttered, "Who'd be dumb enough to jump into the water themselves?"

Guen nodded in agreement. If sea beasts could be this foolish, would humans do the same?

Suddenly, Guen's Smart Watch vibrated. He raised his hand to see a call request from the East Guardian and quickly accepted.

"Sir, it's me."

The East Guardian's voice came through the Smart Watch, still fascinating Alpha who had seen it several times before: "Guen, I heard your strength has surged, rivaling Planet Fifth or Sixth Order. You didn't use any drugs, did you?"

The East Guardian worried that Guen might have used a Tempering Potion to hunt sea beasts ashore for contribution points—a shortsighted waste.

"Sir, it's just that after blocking a Four-Claw Red Crab before, I had some insights. I didn't use any drugs."

"A Four-Claw Red Crab? Still alive? There's only one in the deep sea, not particularly strong, but it stirs up trouble every time. The Demon Hunters and Dinghai City have tried to eliminate it several times. Anyway, enough of that. Since you didn't use drugs, it means you've made tremendous progress. A year ago, you were just Tier 7 Apprentice; now you rival Planet Fifth or Sixth Order, no longer relying solely on weapons for similar attack power. At this rate, you might surpass me soon."

Alpha's eyes nearly popped out hearing this. A year ago, just Tier 7 Apprentice, now rivaling Planet Fifth Order?

Guen humbly said, "Even if I progress quickly, it'll take who knows how long to reach your level, let alone surpass you."

The East Guardian disagreed: "The gap between us is still significant now, but it took me over three hundred years to go from Planet First Order to where I am! My chance of reaching Star Level is slim, while you've only spent a year. Surpassing me is just a matter of time. Even if you reached Star Level within a hundred years—no, fifty years—I wouldn't be too surprised. If I hadn't seen geniuses similar to you, I probably wouldn't sleep tonight."

A genius similar to me? Guen's mind stirred.

The East Guardian changed the subject: "By the way, Guen, I wanted to ask—are you interested in going into the sea?"