CHAPTER 45: CHAPTER 45: IT FEELS...NOT TOO DIFFICULT.

"Completion of the rescue mission for the primary trial grounds awarded thirty thousand experience points and five hundred skill points."

Wang Lan originally wanted to sleep in a bit longer, but the reminder in his mind woke him up.

After being roused, the negative side effects from using the phoenix form hit Wang Lan like a tsunami. In an instant, all I wanted was for someone to end my misery quickly.

I’ve realized that the after-effects of the phoenix form are directly proportional to the duration of its use. The first time I used it for five seconds, it took two hours to recover. The second time for thirty seconds, I was utterly listless for three hours.

This time, I used it for three minutes. Although five hours have passed since I fell unconscious, now... I want nothing more than to die.

Time passed indeterminably. As if enduring one brutal torture after another in hell, Wang Lan finally felt a bit less miserable.

Bearing with a splitting headache, he opened up the system to investigate.

First was the character panel—What a sight, Star Shine Stage 3!

Completing this mission had allowed Wang Lan to evolve straight from Star Shine Stage 1 to Star Shine Stage 3. Both his health and mana had been greatly enhanced, and the changes in his base stats were earth-shattering.

Strength broke past the threshold of twenty points. Agility, defense, and other stats all exceeded fifteen.

What does this mean? The limit of a normal person’s physical fitness is ten, with most people having a physique of six, and those who exercise regularly around seven or eight. Those who manage to reach ten points in physical quality are rare existences, one in ten thousand from ancient times to the present.

As for me, the quality of my physique at this moment exceeds that one-in-ten-thousand benchmark by more than one and a half times. I’ve truly surpassed human limits and reached a non-human level.

In other words, if I were to participate in sports events for ordinary humans, except for technique-based ones, I could easily come in first in all the rest. The enhancement of his physical attributes was just a bonus. What truly delighted Wang Lan was the enhancement of his Star Power.

Star Shine Stage 3. I’ve completely left my weakling days behind, becoming a core force in the world of Star Martial Warriors. But the problem is, I only awakened as a Star Martial Warrior half a month ago.

Thinking about it, Wang Lan felt a bit carried away.

My skill points were depleted by the phoenix form, and the mission reward was a mere five hundred skill points. Was that a loss? It couldn’t be considered that way. How could I have completed the mission without spending skill points? And without completing the mission, how could I level up? Skill points are like money. Money is a real bastard, but it sure looks good... Ah, whatever! If I run out, I’ll just earn more.

To me, as long as I can level up, spending any amount of skill points is worth it.

Five hundred skill points isn’t too little. After getting out, I can go to the Star Martial Hall to buy and learn a few Star Martial Skills, and my combat power will soar instantly.

The Starlight Stage wasn’t suitable for learning Star Martial Skills; that’s common sense. At the Starlight Stage, one has so little Star Power that they can hardly release even the most basic Star Martial Skills more than a few times, making it rather meaningless.

Besides, I’m not short on money. Why buy low-level Star Martial Skills? If I’m going to learn, I need to learn the impressive ones. And the minimum requirement to learn impressive Star Martial Skills is the Star Shine Stage. Therefore, leveling up is the foundation for my strength growth.

"If you’re awake, stop pretending to sleep." An unfamiliar voice sounded by his ear, so close it felt like the person was sitting right by his bed.

Yet despite being awake for so long, Wang Lan hadn’t noticed anything! In an instant, Wang Lan’s eyes snapped open, and he turned his face nervously to look.

A middle-aged man, who looked to be in his forties. But extremely handsome, his face was both masculine and beautiful, with stubble that made him especially sexy.

Such older men can be quite attractive to young girls, but for male creatures like me... completely immune. MISS!

Wang Lan’s gaze moved from the man’s face and then noticed the shoulder badge.

Whoa, a colonel! That’s a pretty high-ranking officer! In Jade Country, military officers are divided into three classes and twelve ranks. Although colonels are considered mid-ranking officers, the higher the rank, the fewer their number. In a regular army, a colonel could be a brigade commander or even a deputy division commander. Star Martial Warrior military ranks tend to be one level higher... so this person in front of me must be a regimental commander, right?

"My name is He Jinze, commander of the Martial Arts Corps of the Southeast Military Region’s Star Martial Special Combat Brigade!"

Just as I thought!

"Now, I have a question for you. How did you learn the phoenix form?"

He Jinze was holding a pen, with a notebook already open in front of him. He looked at Wang Lan, full of expectation, ready to take notes.

This question exploded like a bomb in my mind. He wasn’t asking where I learned it from, nor how I managed to learn it, but how I *came to master* it.

That left Wang Lan somewhat puzzled about the other party’s intentions.

"You don’t need to feel any psychological burden. Your phoenix form was acquired legitimately, and no one will object to it. Plus, you don’t have to worry; nobody would dare to covet the phoenix form you possess," he said, which counted as a promise to Wang Lan.

Nobody would dare, not that they didn’t want to. Even if there were those who had ideas, they wouldn’t have the guts. This made me curious about what Wu Changfeng had previously said about Eld Di’s lineage, or the possible forces behind my mother.

"As far as I know, you learned the phoenix form shortly after awakening your Star Martial Warrior talents, right? The conditions for learning the phoenix form are incredibly stringent. Even your mother managed to master it only by a stroke of good fortune at the Star Cloud Stage."

"She was already a miracle. Yet, to my surprise, you turned out to be even more miraculous than your mother. It’s simply... simply..." He Jinze really wanted to describe it as ’freakish,’ but felt that the term wasn’t quite appropriate, so he ultimately kept quiet and just stared intensely at Wang Lan.

"Colonel He..."

"Your mom and I were classmates and had a good relationship, so you can call me Uncle He. I’m not an outsider, so don’t be so formal."

"Uncle He? What exactly happened to my mom? Is she dead or missing?"

"Don’t ask me about that. I don’t know! And even if I did, I couldn’t tell you."

"Okay. Well, my mom left me a Soul Bead, which was in my aunt’s possession. After I awakened as a Star Martial Warrior, it was given to me. The phoenix form was imprinted in the Soul Bead, and that’s how I learned it."

"..."

He Jinze’s eyes suddenly bulged as big as a bull’s.

Imprinting a Star Martial Skill into a Soul Bead wasn’t incomprehensible. To ordinary people, it might seem like highly advanced technology. However, for someone like He Jinze, who had access to a vast amount of confidential information, it wasn’t particularly remarkable. Spirit Engraving was a subject taught at the university, instructing how to record Star Martial Skills or some memory images into Soul Beads.

But... you just learned it? What kind of explanation is that? Is that even an explanation? I’m asking how you learned it, and you just fob me off with ’I just learned it’? It’s like someone asks you how to solve a math problem, asking for the method, and you just blurt out the answer to dismiss them?

"How did you learn it?" He Jinze felt his heart couldn’t take much more.

"I don’t know. After I absorbed the Soul Bead, the method to cultivate the phoenix form was imprinted in my mind. I just tried it out according to the method, and that’s how I learned it."

"It felt... not too difficult," Wang Lan remarked.

Not too difficult... not too difficult... too difficult... difficult...

"SNAP!"

The pen broke, the crisp sound surprisingly melodious.

He Jinze’s face gave nothing away. Even the smile that hung on his lips was as refreshing as a cool breeze. But... the pen in his hand had snapped, and ink spilled all over Wang Lan’s pristine white sheets.

"Sorry... The quality of this pen isn’t great," He Jinze said awkwardly as he came back to his senses.

Wang Lan’s mouth twitched slightly.

"Alright, rest up. The Corps will commend you for your part in thwarting the Demon Clan’s plot this time. You’re still a student, so your military achievements will be recorded in your file. I heard you’re doing well in your studies?"

"Average, I guess," Wang Lan replied modestly.

He Jinze felt an itch in his hand. Looking at Wang Lan’s innocent expression and his rather cute face, he didn’t know why, but he just felt like smacking him. Average? First in the entire city is ’average’? Thinking of his own troublesome son, he decided it was better to go home and discipline him instead.

"Uncle He!" Wang Lan called out, seeing He Jinze getting up to leave.

"I think I’ve rested enough... Um... When can I leave?"

"You can leave now!"

"Then I’ll go now. I came here with my companions. We only stayed behind to assist the Star Martial Army. They must be worried sick."

"No problem. Just wait here for a moment; I’ll get you a release form."

Not long after He Jinze left, Wu Changfeng entered the room with a beaming smile.

"Wang Lan, how on earth did you do it?"

"Do what?" Wang Lan replied, utterly confused.

"Making our Corps Commander as furious as a charred coal briquette! I haven’t seen that in years. You’re something else."

"I... Did I make him angry? You must be mistaken. Our exchange was very pleasant. I answered all his questions fully and frankly."

"Alright, alright. I heard you’re leaving?"

"Ah, yes. Now that everything’s sorted, it’s time to go. Otherwise, my friends will worry," Wang Lan said.

"Yeah, there’s nothing else for you here. Here, take this. You’re allowed to take it out." Wu Changfeng said, handing a backpack to Wang Lan. Wang Lan opened it to find a layer of Soul Beads inside.

"There aren’t many Soul Beads, just a hundred. But they’re a token from the brothers; it’s their way of showing their appreciation."

"This... It’s really too much," Wang Lan said, feigning reluctance.

"Are you going to refuse? Well, then I..."

"Then it would be disrespectful of me to decline! Thank you, Wu, and thanks to all the Soldiers..." Wang Lan hastily interrupted.

"You... still the same old opportunist. How about coming to the Southeast Military Region in the future?"

"Let’s talk about the future when it comes. I’ll consider it when I’m about to graduate from university. No point in thinking about it now."

"Fair enough!"

「Outside the trial grounds, the atmosphere was somewhat desolate.」

Because the trial grounds were closed, Star Martial Warriors had stopped visiting, leading to the successive shutdown of the shops at the entrance.

Where once the trial grounds’ entrance teemed with life, now only three cars were quietly parked at the gate.

Jiang Xinyu, dressed in a sexy T-shirt and hot pants and wearing a grayish-white sun hat, stood under the scorching sun, her arms folded, quietly looking at the firmly closed gates of the trial grounds.

A breeze blew by, lifting the long hair beside Jiang Xinyu’s ears.

Xu Xiangwen and Gong Feiyu sat in the shade of a tree nearby, each holding a roasted chicken wing sprinkled with cumin.

"Xinyu, the chicken wings are ready. Want to have some?" Xu Xiangwen called out.

"No thanks!" Jiang Xinyu replied coldly.

"Don’t worry too much. I’ve checked. The Star Martial Army stationed inside belongs to the Martial Arts Corps—the Southeast Military Region’s elite assault force. Plus, Wang Lan, as a medical Star Martial Warrior, would’ve stayed in the rear. He’s definitely safe."

"I know!" Jiang Xinyu’s words were still curt and devoid of emotion. "What about Jiajia? How is she?"

"She played with Feiyu for a while and fell asleep in the hammock."

"Keep the mosquitoes off her."

"Oh," Xu Xiangwen muttered, turning to do as she asked.

RUMBLE—

Suddenly, the gates that had been shut tight for two days shook with a loud rumble. Jiang Xinyu’s eyes lit up instantly. Xu Xiangwen also abruptly dropped his chicken wing and shot to his feet.

The iron gates slowly began to open.

"Ah? Is the gate opening?" Song Jia, startled awake by the rumbling, quickly jumped down from the hammock.

The gates creaked open, revealing a narrow gap. The pale white spatio-temporal glow from inside the trial grounds spilled out through the opening.

Jiang Xinyu and the others stared with wide eyes as a lean figure emerged from the gap, stepping toward the outside.

The person, with a backpack slung over one shoulder and a war saber in hand, walked out of the iron gate and flashed a sunny smile at Jiang Xinyu and the others.

"You’re all here? Waiting for me?"