After resting at the hotel for the night, the next day arrived, and Free Stars Academy dispatched Joseph and other reception staff to welcome the delegation.
Chen Chuan, Gui Zihan, and the others boarded dedicated cars, driving along streets that had been swept in advance and were now lined with armed guards and security forces, heading toward the academy.
Those participating in this visit were all graduates of Wuyi Academy or closely affiliated with it.
Although Chen Chuan was currently head of the Defense Department, he also held the title of Wuyi instructor, making his participation in this exchange visit completely fitting for his position.
As for Gui Zihan, he had graduated from a regional Wuyi academy and still served as a combat consultant for Wuyi. Absorbed entirely in his cultivation, he held no post in the government, so considering him Wuyi Academy personnel posed no issue either.
Among the rest of the entourage, Wei Dong was a bona fide Wuyi Academy student through and through. Beside him were two students from the capital and three from regional Wuyi academies; previously they had served as security personnel for the team, and now they followed along as well.
In addition, there were two accompanying Wuyi instructors. Originally part of Delegation Leader Xie's group, they had arrived in Vea Center City a step ahead of Chen Chuan's contingent after the itineraries split, rendezvousing with the team the previous night, and now joined in the visit as well.
The technical team, logistics staff, and remaining security personnel did not take part in this excursion, staying behind at the hotel.
Chen Chuan gazed at the scenery outside the window. Unlike the modern high-rises that made heavy use of glass and reinforced concrete, the buildings flanking the streets still preserved styles from one or two centuries ago.
Most were masonry structures, their exteriors boasting ornately intricate decorations and carvings, with domed colonnades visible everywhere. Aurelian Palace in the current federal capital appeared to share this same architectural style.
Yet it conveyed a profound weight of accumulated history. After looking for a few moments, he turned to Joseph beside him and asked, "Mr. Calvin, has your academy prepared a specific itinerary?"
Joseph replied, "Please forgive us, but the tenet of Free Stars Academy is to follow the freedom in every person's heart and explore infinite possibilities. Therefore, we strive to impose no constraints on any visitor."
With a smile, he continued, "As such, your delegation is welcome to freely tour every corner of the academy. We haven't set a rigid schedule, but rest assured, my colleagues and I will accompany you the entire way to introduce each location and see to any requests you might have."
Chen Chuan gave a slight nod. "I have received your academy's goodwill."
From his seat, Joseph offered an elegant bow.
As the hotel was near the academy, the motorcade arrived at Free Stars Academy in less than ten minutes.
The most iconic structure at the academy's front was the Mirror Gate—a colossal mirrored portal.
When approaching, the first thing to meet one's eyes was another self walking forward to meet them. Gaze upon it, and a blend of familiarity and strangeness welled up unbidden, at times leaving one unable to tell which was the true self.
As the motorcade drove up, watching the duplicate convoy approach in sync from ahead truly gave everyone an indescribable feeling.
After crossing the deceleration lane before the entrance, the Mirror Gate suddenly parted from the middle. Six evenly spaced fissures slid open slowly, dividing the entire gate into vertical segments. In a daze under the wash of light streaming from the other side, the gate seemed to vanish abruptly, and with it, the duplicate self, leaving behind only the grand avenue leading into the heart of the academy.
Once the motorcade passed through, towering marble colonnades flanked the avenue, and through them one could see the academy's gardens and artificial lakes.
Before long, they reached the avenue's end. Ahead stood a bronze fountain sculpture of a spear-wielding warrior; after circling past it, they came to a halt in the parking lot behind.
This area directly faced the academy's Great Star Hall. The hall retained the same classical style, its outer walls built from pale-gold masonry in a perfectly symmetrical layout, with marble columns carved with ornate vine and floral motifs on their capitals extending outward to both sides from the main entrance.
On the plaza, a middle-aged man and woman, accompanied by an entourage, were already waiting. All wore everyday academy attire—dignified without being rigid.
As Chen Chuan and the others stepped out of their vehicles, reporters and media personnel on either side promptly surged forward to take photographs. Joseph led him over to the middle-aged pair and introduced them: "These two are members of our board of trustees: Mr. Elton Clavel and Ms. Viola Castina."
Chen Chuan shook hands with each of them. Castina appeared to be in her thirties, with lustrous white hair that was clearly a cosmetic implant. Her delicate features had likely undergone artificial refinement, and fine patterns were carved into the skin at the corners of her eyes, yet on her slender frame it looked surprisingly well matched.
Clavel appeared to have Outer Ocean heritage, with deep-set eyes, slightly dark skin, and remarkably thick strands of hair braided symmetrically into two plaits on either side. Distinct implant engraving lines marked his face.
Noticing Chen Chuan's lingering glance, he took the initiative to speak: "Is Mr. Chen wondering whether I have Great Shun blood? Actually, no. I have Makan heritage. The ancestral home of the Makan people lies right in your Jibei Dao, Mr. Chen. Once, the Makan people enjoyed friendly relations there. Alas, I hear things have changed." His tone was thick with regret.
Chen Chuan smiled. "Maka Island now falls under the governance of Great Shun, and the Makan people are citizens of Great Shun as well. If Mr. Clavel ever wishes to visit, he will always be welcome."
Castina tilted her head slightly and sent a connection message to Chen Chuan. "This is our academy's information platform. Anything you wish to know can be browsed there. For the remainder of your visit, we have arranged for Joseph to accompany you. Of course, should you require our presence instead, we would be pleased to assist."
Chen Chuan replied, "My thanks to you both. Having Mr. Calvin accompany us will be more than sufficient."
Seeing this, the two shook hands and exchanged greetings with Gui Zihan and the other members before making their way over to the media.
Joseph stepped up with a smile. "May I ask where Mr. Chen would like to visit first?"
Chen Chuan said, "Do you have any recommendations, Mr. Calvin?"
Joseph said, "I recommend that Mr. Chen visit the Pioneers' Avenue and the Information Hall first. Along the Pioneers' Avenue stand the statues of twenty-seven legendary martial artists who have made outstanding contributions to the Federation since its founding. The Information Hall houses the combat database of our Free Stars Fighting Academy.
"As Mr. Chen knows, every nation possesses its own combat database, though those are strictly for internal use. Our Vea Center City, however, is different.
"Over the past ninety years, through exchange visits with martial arts academies and fighters from various nations, we have meticulously recorded the relevant data. Using field simulation technology, we can recreate the appearance and fighting capabilities of most individuals, allowing any visiting guest to interact and spar with designated figures."
He smiled and added, "Naturally, all of this is done with the subjects' consent and authorization, and the interaction data is shared with the individuals themselves."
Chen Chuan nodded slightly. That was indeed an excellent technological platform. He said, "Then let us visit there first."
"Please follow me."
Chen Chuan and his entourage boarded an internal tracked sightseeing car. Seven or eight minutes later, they arrived before a straight, expansive boulevard. Life-sized marble statues lined both sides, each standing atop an obsidian pedestal in a distinct fighting stance.
Once they stepped off the car, Joseph took the lead and gestured with a touch of theatrical flair: "Allow me to introduce them to you. The twenty-seven legendary martial artists presented here span from the Federation's Pioneer Era to the Grand Alliance and down to the present day. Every one of them has left a profound mark on Federation history.
"First, take a look at this one..."
Joseph indicated the sculpture beside him, depicting a Federation man clad in attire from over a century ago.
"John Calvin Raynes.
"He was born into a nomadic herding family in the northern Federation and lived from childhood upon the land he loved. An ardent champion of expansionist 'Manifest Destiny,' he joined the Federal Army at the age of sixteen, where he displayed extraordinary martial talent and caught the eye of another legendary figure of the era, General Hall, who took him in as an adoptive son.
"At twenty-seven, Raynes was dispatched to the northern wilderness to quell conflicts with the First People. He achieved proud triumphs in the Battle of Laibul and was hailed as a defender of civilization. The federal government later awarded him numerous medals of honor.
"His autobiography chronicles his lifetime of combat experience in detail, and to this day, the book remains a classic for us in the Federation."
Chen Chuan stared intently at the statue. He knew full well that in the so-called Battle of Laibul, the federal government had attempted to allocate land originally promised to the First People to settlers, and had murdered the First People envoys who had come to reason with them.
In the subsequent engagement involving tens of thousands on both sides, the First People lost five Sacred Land Warriors, and their remaining strength was completely shattered.
As for Raynes himself, his name was infamous in Great Shun. At the time, he had launched a surprise assault on a First People village attempting to negotiate, massacring more than three thousand villagers—including vast numbers of innocent women, children, and elderly. Even within the Federation, some called him a butcher.
Yet despite all this, he was still treated as a hero in the Federation, and currently even served as a national consultant within the government.
Walking ahead, Joseph continued, "Next, consider Yas White—a legendary martial artist, frontier missionary, and religious reformer...
"And here, Edmond Carswell: a great explorer, high-ranking colonial official, and architect of the Carswell Act of the Sanmawojia Continental Association..."
Chapter 1103