Goddess Luo Squad, Prepare to Assemble!

"Satellite city preliminary selection depends on regional rankings."

"Only the top 160 can participate in the preliminary selection, where the ten strongest representatives of the satellite city will be chosen to compete in the Central Imperial Capital. Only those ten will receive Starflow Pulp rewards..."

"Now, newly advanced Starry-Sky Warriors from every satellite city are all urgently preparing to head into the Astral Realm, hunt Star Beasts for Contribution Points, and improve their regional rankings."

Inside the café, the young man and woman sat talking for quite some time. The atmosphere was harmonious, and the earlier awkwardness had vanished.

As Lin Yuan listened to Gu Yiyi reveal a series of important, little-known details, his gaze grew solemn, as though he were considering something.

Only ten people selected from an entire satellite city?

Looks like this so-called preliminary selection will be pretty intense too...

I need to speed things up.

Besides, he had long wanted to see this so-called Astral Realm and those so-called Stellar Behemoths for himself!

"Would you like to join my squad?"

The girl suddenly asked. It sounded casual, but her jade-like hands were tightly clutching her skirt, and her breathing had quietly quickened.

Hmm?

Lin Yuan looked up at the girl before him.

"Newly advanced Starry-Sky Warriors have little Natal Stellar Force in their bodies, so they can't maintain peak combat strength for long. And it'll be their first time facing extraordinary creatures like Star Beasts..."

"To be safe, people generally join warrior squads. Fighting as a team is safer, and hunting efficiency is higher too..."

Gu Yiyi hurriedly explained.

Of course Lin Yuan knew that.

In fact, he had originally planned to join a warrior squad as well. After all, the Astral Realm was different from the Wilderness Zone. The enemies there were Star Beasts born with extraordinary power!

Star Beasts possessed all kinds of innate talents. Even the weakest among them were comparable to Starry-Sky Warriors in the Mortal Transcendence Realm.

For a newcomer exploring the Astral Realm for the first time, going alone was practically suicide... No matter what, he needed to become familiar with the Astral Realm's environment and sufficiently temper both his strength and experience before daring to act alone.

"Tell me more."

So Lin Yuan did not refuse. He had to join a warrior squad anyway, and having an acquaintance was better than randomly joining a completely unfamiliar squad.

"The squad I'm in is called the Goddess Luo Squad. It's an elite warrior squad under the Luo Goddess Martial Hall."

Having received a response from the man she liked, Gu Yiyi was visibly delighted and hurriedly introduced it.

"The Goddess Luo Squad has seven members. Every one of them is an experienced warrior who has been in the Starry-Sky Warrior field for years. Though none have broken through to the Second Realm, they're all very strong."

"Our captain is even a genuine Second-Realm Starry-Sky Warrior..."

A Second-Realm Starry-Sky Warrior?

Lin Yuan was a little surprised.

That was pretty impressive...

One had to know that the realms of the Stellar Martial Path were like a vast chasm. The difference in strength between the First and Second Realms was enormous.

Therefore, warrior squads generally consisted of people in the same realm. It was rare for someone of a higher realm to lead those of a lower realm.

After all, too great a difference in strength was not a good thing.

A target that was just right for a Second-Realm Starry-Sky Warrior could be a devastating calamity for a First-Realm Warrior. Even being slightly caught up in the aftermath could result in tragedy.

Unless there was one possibility...

Lin Yuan could not help looking at the girl in front of him.

A protector!

That powerful Second-Realm Starry-Sky Warrior might not have been there to hunt Star Beasts, but to protect someone.

Only then would it make sense.

"Special Constitution... Thunder-Origin Immortal Body."

With such exceptional talent, she was qualified to have a protector...

"In that case, exploring the Astral Realm will be much safer."

Lin Yuan pondered inwardly.

To him, the Star-Martial Prodigy Talent Development Program was merely something he had taken an interest in. He wanted to mooch off the authorities a little.

He would not truly risk his life in the Astral Realm for a spot in the program... After all, with the Game Panel and the heaven-defying effects of his many Talent Traits, all he needed to do was lie low. One day, he would become invincible!

Staying alive was what mattered most.

An elite warrior squad protected by a Second-Realm Starry-Sky Warrior, versus some random unfamiliar squad of First-Realm newcomers found at the Starry-Sky Warrior Association...

Even an idiot knew which one to choose!

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Gu Yiyi."

Lin Yuan smiled and extended his hand.

"No need to be polite... You're a Special Constitution awakener too. They won't disagree."

Gu Yiyi shook Lin Yuan's hand with a serious expression.

But inwardly, she was screaming—

Three years!

I finally got to hold my idol's hand!!!

Watching the beautiful girl leave with a delighted bounce in her step, Lin Yuan immediately returned to Zhonghai Sky City.

Since he had decided to mooch off the authorities and witness the splendor of the true Star-Martial Prodigies for himself,

he could not slack off.

After all, he had only broken through a few days ago, and his preparations were still incomplete... The Star-Martial Prodigy Talent Development Program started counting from the very moment the June Joint Exam ended.

Some geniuses might have broken through long ago and already spent several months fighting in the Astral Realm, putting them far ahead of him.

When Lin Yuan returned home, the various pieces of equipment he had ordered online had already been delivered, including the Stellar Force Secret Art he had chosen.

"Heaven-Sundering Sword Draw!"

This was the Stellar Force Secret Art Lin Yuan had been looking forward to for a long time, and one of the sources of confidence that gave him the courage to enter the Astral Realm now.

A Sky-Tier Stellar Force Secret Art, a purely offensive extraordinary sword technique!

Once mastered, its power would be unfathomable.

His combat strength would also increase drastically, leaving him unafraid of any so-called Stellar Behemoth.

"According to Gu Yiyi, the Goddess Luo Squad plans to assemble in one week and head to the Minor Astral Realm."

"With her backing me, joining the Goddess Luo Squad shouldn't be a problem."

"So, during this week..."

"I'll master the Heaven-Sundering Sword Draw!"

Lin Yuan's eyes flashed like lightning, as though they contained boundless sharp sword aura.

Master a Stellar Force Secret Art in one week?

And a Sky-Grade Stellar Force Secret Art, whose difficulty was second only to the Star-Shattering Tier?

Anyone who heard it would think it was utter fantasy and believe Lin Yuan had gone mad.

But he was serious!

"Swordsmanship Mastery" granted him godlike comprehension of the sword and sword techniques.

"Transcendent Comprehension" greatly enhanced his understanding, far surpassing that of so-called ordinary geniuses.

He would not dare boast about other types of Stellar Force Secret Arts, but the Heaven-Sundering Sword Draw... was worth a try.

"Draw!"

"Sunder the heavens!"

Inside the spacious training room, the young man let out a sharp cry and drew his sword. The blade flashed deep blue and cold, as though it could truly tear apart the sky...

One week later, Lin Yuan arrived at the Starry-Sky Warrior Association as promised.

He was dressed in a black Full Combat Suit, with the Deep-Blue Battle Sword slung diagonally at his waist. On his hand were a Stellar Communicator and several ring-shaped accessories.

His eyes were sharp as lightning, his brows bold, his features bright.

He stood tall and straight, strikingly handsome.

For a time, he attracted many admiring gazes throughout the hall.

"Lin Yuan, over here!"

At that moment, a delighted voice rang out, lively as a lark.

It was Gu Yiyi.

Lin Yuan strode over, but the moment he arrived, he abruptly froze. Staring blankly at the group of beautiful women before him, he felt his head buzzing.

Uh...

Women, women, all women!

The Goddess Luo Squad... was actually an all-female warrior squad???