Operation

That night, Su Yu stayed overnight in Liu Wenyan's faculty dorm. This was Su Yu's first time spending the night at Liu Wenyan's place. Everything was fine, except the old gentleman got up quite a few times in the middle of the night, jolting Su Yu awake each time. Truly, time spared no one. Without manifested will, Liu Wenyan was merely an ordinary old man now, even though he had reached the Qianjun Realm. *** Having cultivated with the Yuan Absorption Art once and absorbed origin qi, Su Yu felt his cultivation speed had been remarkably fast over the past two days. It was likely because during that origin qi tempering, all nine apertures had briefly opened. After his left ear aperture opened, Su Yu felt over the past couple of days that his right ear aperture was close to opening as well. "I should find an opportunity to show that I've reached the Kaiyuan Fourth Layer. In any case, I've been stuck at the Kaiyuan Third Layer for half a year, so it wouldn't be strange if a stroke of luck pushed me to the fourth layer." As for having strong cultivation talent, what was wrong with that? In the past, he had focused mainly on learning All-Races languages. Couldn't it simply be that he hadn't put effort into cultivation? Now that he was working hard, advancing rapidly to the Kaiyuan Fourth Layer, or even the Fifth Layer, wouldn't be strange at all, right? Pondering this to himself, Su Yu accompanied Liu Wenyan to the academy again the next day. By following Liu Wenyan around, Su Yu had learned quite a lot more. *** Inside the office. The Academy Head arrived once more, not surprised to see Su Yu there, having already known about it yesterday. "Nearby Tianshui City suffered an attack over the past two days. The City Guards took heavy casualties." "As for Nanyuan, last night..." The Academy Head paused before continuing, "A small village near the mountains was attacked. Many died. Only a few children hiding in a cellar managed to escape the catastrophe. It was the All-Races Sect's doing. The City Guards have already set off in pursuit." Liu Wenyan's face turned cold. "Those beasts!" Soon, Liu Wenyan suppressed his fury and said, "They really did come to Nanyuan! It's the same old trick—sowing chaos to divide our forces. It seems they have big plans!" With that, Liu Wenyan asked, "Can the Longwu Guards still not locate their main force?" "No." The Academy Head was equally helpless. "They're lurking too deep. Nanyuan lacks the manpower, and we can't cast a wide net to search all over, or it would be disastrous if they pick us off one by one." "Then what does the Great Xia Prefecture have to say?" Liu Wenyan grew somewhat anxious. The All-Races Sect truly had arrived. Nanyuan was merely a small city with meager defensive strength. The Great Xia Prefecture had plenty of elites; even a modest amount of reinforcements would keep the All-Races Sect from acting rashly. "The City Lord has already sent an urgent request for aid, but the other cities are all requesting aid as well. The Great Xia Prefecture still needs to hold the prefectural capital firm to prevent the All-Races Sect from stirring up chaos there, so..." "No reinforcements?" Liu Wenyan said, growing irate. "Then ask the major academies for help!" The Academy Head replied with resignation, "I did. But with the recent draft for the frontline, many teachers and students from the academies have gone to the front lines and haven't returned yet. The academies themselves need to be guarded, and they're more important than Nanyuan, so..." "Can't they even spare a few Tengkong Realm cultivators?" Liu Wenyan grew even angrier. "They aren't short on Tengkong experts! If just a few Tengkong experts came, the force deployed by the All-Races Sect in Nanyuan wouldn't be too strong to handle!" The Academy Head said gloomily, "Don't take your anger out on me; it's useless. I told you, every city is asking for aid. Nanyuan isn't considered critical among the twenty-eight cities. Some cities are far more important, so the Great Xia Prefecture naturally has to prioritize reinforcing them." Hearing this, Liu Wenyan felt helpless as well. "Such a vast Great Xia Prefecture, reduced to scrambling for aid in every direction by the All-Races Sect! The Longwu Guards... are truly useless!" "Cough, cough!" The Academy Head coughed lightly. From outside the door, a voice carried in, "Instructor Liu, the All-Races Sect simply picked the right timing. Ten days ago, three thousand Longwu Guards departed for the All-Heavens Battlefield, so... we truly are short-handed." "That just means your Longwu Guards failed at internal secrecy! I had no idea three thousand Longwu Guards had left, yet the All-Races Sect knew. Isn't that your own fault?" Liu Wenyan was not afraid of the Longwu Guards, speaking without mincing words: "Even if nothing is wrong within the Longwu Guards, there is certainly a problem in the Great Xia Prefecture! There must be eyes and ears of the All-Races Sect there. Otherwise, how would they know your main force departed and choose now to stir up trouble in the Great Xia Prefecture?!" The Longwu Guard member said nothing. This was indeed a fact. Not long after the main force of the Longwu Guards left, the All-Races Sect struck. Evidently, the information had been leaked. Otherwise, with the Longwu Guards presiding over the Great Xia Prefecture, the cultists would never dare act so recklessly here. "Now is not the time to argue!" The Academy Head interrupted them and said, "Old Liu, why don't you try asking the Great Xia Civilization Academy to lend us a few Tengkong experts?" "Do you even need to tell me that? I already asked this morning. But even if they rush over, it will take at least a day." "They agreed to send people?" "They agreed, but..." Liu Wenyan sighed helplessly. "They won't stay long. They said that once they pick up the students, they will leave together. They won't help us defend the city." "That's good enough!" The Academy Head was overjoyed. As long as someone came, it was good. Liu Wenyan was not nearly as excited, still grumbling in dissatisfaction, "Even if the Longwu Guards left, letting the Great Xia Prefecture get thrown into such chaos is a disgrace! Who knows if the Great Xia Prefecture has grown too comfortable over the years, letting its military preparedness slacken!" Only Liu Wenyan would dare say such words; the Academy Head was wise enough not to touch that topic. The Longwu Guard outside did not reply either, because it truly was embarrassing. The Great Xia Prefecture was known for having countless fierce soldiers and valiant generals, yet they had been thrown into disarray by the All-Races Sect. This truly did not reflect the prestige of the Great Xia Prefecture. Su Yu remained a bystander throughout, listening quietly without interjecting. These matters were for Nanyuan City's upper echelon; he was not qualified to participate. As for Liu Wenyan, Su Yu also felt a bit curious. Although Instructor Liu held considerable status, his martial strength was meager. What was the use of consulting him on such matters? As if discerning Su Yu's thoughts, Liu Wenyan—who had been paying some attention to him—saw him stealing a glance and asked with a slight laugh, "What's the matter? Looking down on your teacher?" "No." "You are!" "Really, I'm not!" "I can tell!" At this moment, Liu Wenyan was like a child insisting on winning an argument. He chuckled and said, "Just wait. When the time comes, you'll understand why your teacher gets to participate!" Su Yu did not quite understand what he meant, and Liu Wenyan did not explain. The Academy Head wanted to say something, but after a second thought, he kept his mouth shut. He only hoped that opportunity never came. For Liu Wenyan to prove himself under those circumstances would be far too tragic. *** In the tall building opposite the academy. The middle-aged man's lips trembled slightly. "The City Guards have left the city. Aside from a portion guarding the city gates and the City Lord's estate, the rest have set out to eliminate the Blood Fire Sect people." "What about the Longwu Guards?" The woman asked, and the middle-aged man shook his head. "No sign of the Longwu Guards." "The Longwu Guards are still inside the city. Also... Nanyuan intends to transfer the geniuses to the Great Xia Prefecture. They are leaving the day after tomorrow." The man reported, and the woman's brow furrowed slightly. "Bait?" "Possibly." The man was also suspicious. "An evacuation out of the blue, with the order only issued yesterday—it could very well be to lure us out. What do you think we should do?" "Have any experts secretly entered Nanyuan City recently?" "Probably not..." "Probably?" "There's no way to be certain. We can't monitor the entire city around the clock. However, none of our informants have reported anything—not from the City Lord's estate, nor from Nanyuan Secondary Academy." The woman fell into deep thought. After a moment, she said, "We cannot let them leave. If they leave, slaughtering Nanyuan Secondary Academy would still earn us merit, but it would be cut in half. If this year's prep-exam genius students get away, the higher-ups will not be pleased." "I know." The man hesitated. "However... the Longwu Guards haven't been drawn away yet. They are likely inside the academy. If we act rashly and fail, it will be disastrous." As they spoke, the communicator beside the man sounded. He picked it up and glanced at it—an incoming message that looked like an advertisement. However, the man's expression changed slightly, and he quickly said, "We either call off the operation, or... we act as soon as possible! Word from the Great Xia Prefecture: Liu Wenyan asked the Great Xia Civilization Academy for help today, and they agreed. They will soon send people to escort these geniuses out of Nanyuan City." "Damn it!" The woman cursed. "Liu Wenyan, that old bastard again! He's only one step away from will manifestation, though the chances of him crossing over are slim. To think the Civilization Academy would actually agree to send aid for his sake... He has more face than I thought." The man remained silent until the woman's anger subsided, then continued, "What do we do now? City Lord Wu Wenhai and Longwu Guard Xia Bing are both at the Tengkong Second Layer. If people from the Civilization Academy arrive as well, we'll have no choice but to abandon the mission..." Saying this, the man hesitated before adding, "The Great Xia Prefecture is formidable. It was only because the main force of the Longwu Guards left that we could stir up chaos. Once their main force returns... we'll have to retreat. The higher-ups took a wait-and-see stance toward the Great Xia Prefecture before, so why this time..." For this operation, the higher-ups had not even hesitated to expose chess pieces that had been undercover for years. Even if the plan succeeded, the losses would be severe. The man could not comprehend it. Even if they killed some geniuses, such losses would be hard to recover from. One had to know that some people had spent years embedding themselves as deep moles. The woman held a higher rank in the sect than he did and knew more, whereas he was merely responsible for coordinating between the factions. "Don't ask about what you shouldn't ask!" The woman snapped coldly. After thinking for a moment, she added, "Actually, it's nothing that needs to be kept secret. What is needed is for the Great Xia Prefecture to fall into chaos so the main force of the Longwu Guards returns! The Longwu Guards' target in the All-Heavens Battlefield this time is the Tianyi God Race!" Hearing this, the man's expression shifted erratically. The Tianyi God Race—that was the very God Race they had pledged allegiance to. Could it be... "The God Race... fears the Longwu Guards?" The man dared not contemplate it, but the woman knew what he was thinking and sneered. "Though the Longwu Guards are strong, the God Race does not fear them! However, the God Race is currently attacking the Tianyan Race. If the Longwu Guards interfere, it will disrupt the plan." "The Tianyan Race!" the man said hurriedly. "The God Race is launching a war?" "No, they are returning the Tianyan Race to order!" The woman said, leaving the subject at that and steering back to the matter at hand. "You, me, and another hall master at the Tengkong Fourth Layer who will arrive tonight! He will deal with Xia Bing, I will pin down Wu Wenhai, and you will lead the people to destroy Nanyuan Academy!" "Once Nanyuan Academy is destroyed, our mission is complete, and we retreat immediately!" "Tomorrow evening... we strike!" As the woman finished speaking, the man hesitated before quickly replying, "Understood!" Choosing dusk was because by nighttime the students would have dispersed, making it impossible to gather them together; hunting them down individually was not worth the effort. Striking at dusk and retreating right after meant darkness would fall soon, making escape much easier. The man had no objections to this. He was simply somewhat concerned. After accepting the order, he still reminded her, "Aside from Wu Wenhai and Xia Bing, I'm worried Liu Wenyan might be provoked into manifesting his will. That would be troublesome." "True, we must guard against that!" The woman did not think his concern was excessive; it was indeed a variable. "However, we have three Tengkong cultivators while they have only two, and both of theirs are merely at the Tengkong Second Layer. Even if Liu Wenyan really manifests his will, he won't have time to temper his body. Even if his willpower reaches the Tengkong Realm, his physical body will still be in the Qianjun Realm. You should be able to handle him." "About that..." Just as the man was about to speak, the woman's gaze turned chillingly cold. "He is already over seventy, his physical body withered. Even if his will manifests, it won't amount to much. Don't tell me you don't even dare to face Liu Wenyan?" "No!" The man said hurriedly, "I'm worried that if I deal with Liu Wenyan, no one will handle the other members of the Longwu Guards. They are all in the Wanshi Realm. While we have Wanshi cultivators too, once the Longwu Guards form their battle array, no one below the Tengkong Realm can withstand them." "What you're talking about is only a remote possibility. Liu Wenyan hasn't managed to manifest his will for so many years; will he definitely manifest it this time?" Even as she said this, the woman soon conceded, "Then let the Tengkong Fourth Layer hall master pin down the entire Longwu Guard squad. Xia Bing is only at the Tengkong Second Layer; our hall master is more than enough to deal with him! You kill Liu Wenyan swiftly, then go assist him against the Longwu Guards!" "Understood!" The man breathed a sigh of relief. That was much better; a Tengkong Fourth Layer expert should be able to handle it. Besides, he was at the Tengkong Second Layer himself, so there was no need to be so anxious. The woman was stronger than him, also a hall master in the All-Races Sect—the hall master of Nanyuan—at the peak of the Tengkong Third Layer. After all, Nanyuan was a small city. For the All-Races Sect to station two Tengkong cultivators here was already extraordinary. As for the Great Xia Prefecture, they only had two Tengkong cultivators here: the City Lord and the squad leader of the Longwu Guards. The main forces of the Great Xia Prefecture were all on the frontline, so the strength left behind in the rear was not particularly formidable. The All-Races Sect did not need to go to the frontline or hold any territory, making mobilizing personnel far easier for them than for the Great Xia Prefecture. "Eternal True God!" The woman's lips moved slightly, and the man quickly echoed the chant silently. The God Race! Uncontainable yearning burned in his eyes—the God Race! Immortality! If one could accumulate enough merit to enter the God Realm, step into the legendary Divine Transformation Pool, transform one's human foundation, and become a member of the God Race... that would be eternal life! Infinite lifespan! Fire ignited in the man's eyes. The higher-ups offered quite a lot of Divine Points this time. With a few hundred more missions like this, he would be able to redeem a chance to enter the God Realm. "Fifty years... Within fifty years, I must enter the God Realm, or else I will die of old age..." The man muttered in his heart. He hadn't wanted to betray the human race, but he... yearned for eternal life! He could never forget his teacher, a formidable expert of the Tengkong Ninth Layer, who had died of old age in his bed that year because his physical body had withered. He was terrified. The Tengkong Realm only granted a lifespan of a hundred and fifty years. He was already over sixty. Although his body had not yet reached the point of decay, it had taken him more than ten years just to cultivate from the Tengkong First Layer to the Second Layer. Reaching the Ninth Layer—did he have any hope in this lifetime? None at all! Only by siding with the God Race could he obtain eternal life. "I'm not wrong. Humanity will never be a match for the myriad races! There is no suppressive force in the Human Realm; it cannot possibly withstand the myriad races and will fall sooner or later. It's only a matter of time. My choice is not wrong!" The man's expression gradually hardened into conviction, growing ever more devout. For the God Race, even living a thousand years at the Tengkong Realm was not difficult. In a thousand years, one could surely take another step forward no matter what. That was eternal life—boundless ages!