That very night, Li Yao and Venina were arrested in a state of panic and escorted overnight to the global headquarters of the Extreme Dojo.
Meanwhile, Luo Feng and Xu Xin, the young couple, leaned against each other and shared the longing they had carried for more than a year.
“Staying here tonight?” Luo Feng asked softly with a smile, holding Xu Xin in his arms.
“In your dreams.”
Xu Xin scolded playfully. Then she looked down at her watch.
“It’s already midnight. Luo Feng, take me home.”
“Alright.” Luo Feng smiled. After talking so intimately for so long, both of them had calmed down considerably.
They boarded the intelligent fighter aircraft and departed from Mingyue District in Yangzhou City, heading for the Xu family residence in the main urban area.
Only a few minutes later, the intelligent aircraft arrived several thousand metres above the Xu residence.
Inside the aircraft high in the sky.
“Luo Feng, I want you to promise me something. Before doing anything dangerous in the future, you must tell me first.” Xu Xin stared at him. “I won’t interfere with your career or your ambitions. But I need to know how you’re doing…”
“Xu Xin.” Luo Feng nodded repeatedly. “Alright, I’ll tell you in the future. Before, I just didn’t want you to worry.”
“I want to worry about you.”
“I want to worry about you!” Xu Xin looked directly at him. “What I fear most is you not telling me anything.”
Luo Feng nodded slightly, warmth filling his heart.
Although his girlfriend came from a powerful family, the elite upbringing she had received had made her intelligent and understanding.
There were many stories online about women who constantly clung to their partners and gave them no space, or who endlessly argued over trivial matters.
But Xu Xin was not that kind of person, and Luo Feng felt fortunate because of it.
“By the way, now that you’ve withdrawn from university, can you still re enrol?” Luo Feng asked.
“I withdrew, I didn’t take a leave of absence. Through normal channels, it would be difficult to enrol again unless I use some family connections.” Xu Xin shook her head. “Anyway, I don’t care much about a degree. After more than two years at university, I’ve already learned most of what my major has to offer. I’ve experienced university life, that’s enough. I’m planning to start my own company.”
“Start a company?” Luo Feng was surprised.
“Yes.”
Xu Xin nodded.
“The family wants me to take over some responsibilities, but I don’t intend to do that immediately. Whatever you do, it’s better to start from the bottom and work your way up. I’ll start my own business first and gain experience through practice. Then I’ll gradually take over the family business in the future.”
“Oh, so my girlfriend is a strong businesswoman.” Luo Feng laughed.
“You don’t like that?” Xu Xin looked at him.
“I do. After all, as a martial artist, there are many times when I can’t be with you. Even if we get married in the future, I wouldn’t want you to become a housewife without a career of your own.” Luo Feng said.
The views of most young people nowadays were like this. Husbands and wives generally both had careers.
Without a purpose or career, life felt dull.
“Thank you, esteemed Councillor Luo Feng, for understanding this humble young lady’s thoughts.”
Xu Xin smiled and performed an old fashioned bow like a woman from ancient times.
The moment she finished, she could not help laughing herself.
After taking Xu Xin home, Luo Feng remained in a good mood.
Late that night, in the training hall of Luo Feng’s home in Mingyue District, Yangzhou City, he sat cross legged in meditation.
“They work efficiently.”
Looking at the message received on his auxiliary optical computer, Luo Feng smiled.
“They arrested Li Yao and Venina so quickly. Hmm, tomorrow at 15:30, the Supreme Court at the global headquarters of the Extreme Dojo? Li Yao, Venina… tomorrow will be the end of things between us.”
He closed the message.
At this point, Luo Feng no longer regarded the Vulture and Scorpion couple as opponents.
Different status, different horizons.
Back when he had fled through the wilderness in desperation, and when the Vulture and Scorpion couple had placed an enormous bounty on his head, he had been fearful, cautious, and extremely careful.
But after experiencing the Elite Training Camp, Misty Island, and Ancient Civilisation Ruin No. 9, he had grown tremendously.
The Vulture and Scorpion couple were no longer his match.
“According to what the Crystal Man said, these so called ancient civilisation ruins should have been left behind by races from the universe. For example, Ancient Civilisation Ruin No. 9 was left by the master of Yun Mo Planet. That planet is obviously one among countless worlds in the vast universe.”
An inexplicable sense of crisis arose within Luo Feng.
If races from the universe could leave ruins on Earth, then it meant that one day they might descend upon Earth as well.
Whether that would bring fortune or disaster to humanity was impossible to say.
“And the Crystal Man also said that one day Earth will be discovered by nations from the universe. The stronger I become, the better I’ll fare in the future. I might even be able to help my homeland.”
Deep down, Luo Feng no longer regarded Earth’s monster races as his true enemies.
Earth’s real crisis…
Lay in the universe.
Compared with the powerful nations and races of the cosmos, Earth was indeed weak.
There were pitifully few Planetary level experts.
As for Earth’s so called advanced technology, it was utterly insignificant in the face of true cosmic civilisation.
“What I need to do now is exactly what the Crystal Man said, work hard. First, I’ll use Hong and Thunder God as my targets and strive to surpass them.”
“I’ll become the strongest person on Earth.”
Luo Feng’s eyes became sharp and determined.
The Crystal Man had left instructions in his auxiliary optical computer regarding the method for breaking through to the Planetary level.
However, after returning home today, Luo Feng had first been occupied with dealing with Li Yao and later comforting Xu Xin.
He had not had any time to read it.
Now that he finally had a moment free, he immediately opened the document.
“At present, there isn’t even an effective method on Earth for breaking through to the Planetary level.”
Filled with anticipation and curiosity, Luo Feng quickly located the guide within his armguard computer.
He began reading carefully.
“There are countless Apprentice level beings throughout the universe.”
“The transition from Apprentice Level Nine to Planetary Level is the most important leap in one’s life level and also the most fundamental. Once crossed, one officially becomes a genetic warrior or spirit reader of the universe.”
“This chapter explains the method of becoming a First Stage Planetary Level Spirit Reader.”
“Spiritual force may also be referred to as mental power or soul power.”
“The human body consists primarily of the physical body and the spirit, or in other words, the body and the soul. Spirit and soul are essentially the same thing.”
“The spirit, or soul, is divided into spiritual force and consciousness.”
“When spiritual force becomes sufficiently powerful, it can leave the sea of consciousness, manipulate external matter, infiltrate the sea of consciousness of other living beings, and more. Such powerful spiritual force is known as spirit power.”
“How does a Ninth Stage Apprentice spirit reader break through to the Planetary level?”
“First, the strength of their spiritual force must reach the peak of Ninth Stage Apprentice.”
“Second is consciousness. The spirit is divided into spirit power and consciousness. Spirit power fills the entire sea of consciousness and is a tangible existence. Consciousness, however, is intangible and impossible to touch. What exactly is consciousness? What purpose does it serve?”
“It can be explained this way. Spirit power is the soldier, while consciousness is the commander.”
“The combat strength of an army depends first on the soldiers and second on the commander.”
“The simplest example is that an ordinary person can lift heavier objects when mentally excited. When mentally exhausted, they may only be able to lift half as much as usual. Their physical strength remains the same. The difference comes from two states of consciousness, heightened and depressed, producing different levels of performance.”
“Consciousness is important to warriors for the same reason it is important to spirit readers.”
“A capable commander can deploy troops more effectively.”
“Likewise, among Ninth Stage Apprentices, someone with stronger consciousness can precisely control ten hidden weapons or even more. Someone with weaker consciousness may only control four or five. That is the difference consciousness makes.”
“There are many methods for tempering consciousness.”
“For example, enduring suffering and hardship strengthens a warrior’s will. A strong will is itself a manifestation of powerful consciousness.”
“Of course, that is a crude method. Throughout the universe there are many secret techniques for training consciousness. On Yun Mo Planet, the most mainstream ones are the Controller School’s secret art, Basic 312 Forms, and the Illusionist School’s secret art, Basic 186 Forms. One emphasises strength, the other flexibility. Both produce excellent results.”
“Naturally, apprentices have different talents. Some possess low brain domain breadth, while others exceed twenty, thirty, or even forty.”
“The higher the brain domain breadth, the more difficult the breakthrough becomes. However, stronger consciousness also means greater future achievements.”
“Once both consciousness and spiritual force meet the requirements, the next step is breakthrough.”
“When both reach their limits, breakthrough may occur at any moment, but the timing is uncertain. At that stage there are three methods.”
“The first is to wait for an opportunity. A sudden emotional surge or special circumstance may trigger an explosive rise in consciousness, leading to breakthrough. Or one may wait three to five years without success.”
“The second is to continue strengthening consciousness. A sufficiently powerful consciousness can instantly push spiritual force into breakthrough.”
“The third is the method explained in this chapter, Nine Nine Spirit Tempering. It consists of eighty one stages. Each stage requires one and a half hours. Once begun, interruption means starting over from the beginning. The entire process must be completed in one uninterrupted effort. Upon finishing all eighty one stages, one can break through to the Planetary level.”
“What follows is the detailed method of Nine Nine Spirit Tempering…”
Luo Feng’s heart surged with excitement.
The secret left behind by the Crystal Man was absolutely priceless.
It was far superior to the Fundamentals of Spirit Readers that Hong had given him.
The translated language was remarkably straightforward.
It explained from the very foundation the source of a spirit reader’s power, the spirit, or soul itself.
This spirit was divided into two components, spirit power and consciousness.
“Consciousness is the commander, spirit power is the soldier?”
“According to the Crystal Man, both my consciousness and spirit power have already reached their limits. I could break through at any time.”
“But if I just sit around waiting, who knows how long it will take?”
Luo Feng made his decision instantly.
“I’ll cultivate using this Nine Nine Spirit Tempering method.”
He had no idea that even throughout the vast universe, secret techniques capable of helping someone advance from Ninth Stage Apprentice to Planetary Level were extraordinarily precious.
Powerful cosmic races and nations would never casually pass them on.
“Each stage takes one and a half hours. Eighty one stages means a little over five days in total.”
Luo Feng took a deep breath.
“The trial is tomorrow, so there isn’t enough time. After the trial ends and the Vulture and Scorpion couple are executed, I’ll complete the entire Nine Nine Spirit Tempering process in one go.”
“Now let’s take a look at the Soaring Heaven secret technique.”
“According to the Crystal Man, only through the Soaring Heaven technique can the true power of the Soaring Heaven Shuttle be unleashed. Perhaps after just one night of practice, I’ll improve considerably.”
With a thought, the surface of the black vest he wore immediately revealed a secret manual glittering with tiny points of starlight.
It was the Soaring Heaven manual he had obtained from the ancient civilisation ruin, hidden all this time within the inner layer of the vest formed by the Black God armour.