Chapter 204: 169: Thirty Years in One Town

"You applied for the trial adventure here, so your school has sent me your information," the elder in blue smiled.

Li Yuan and Shi Xiao suddenly understood.

This was normal.

"My surname is Liu, and my name is Liu Jing. I am the chief officer of the third base," the elder in blue said, "As elite students from Kunlun Martial University, you are different from ordinary martial artists who come here for adventure. We will place more importance on you."

"Senior Liu," Li Yuan and Shi Xiao immediately changed their address.

As the chief officer of a war base in the Star Realm, the authority of the elder in blue was absolutely astonishing.

And the independence of a war base here was certain to be extremely high.

In a place where life and death were battled out on someone else's territory, it was natural to show respect.

Moreover, Li Yuan had vaguely guessed the reason for the other party being a 'Prime Warrior' and couldn't help but feel a hint of admiration in his heart.

"Since this is your first time here, there are some things I need to make clear to you in advance," the elder in blue said, "Firstly, our human civilization has four main outpost bases in the Mingxu Star Realm, with both the first and the second being thousands of kilometers away from us, too far to rely on."

"Are the first and second entry point bases in the Africa Continent?" Li Yuan couldn't help but ask.

The four entry points into the Mingxu Star Realm.

Two in the Africa Continent and two in Xia Country.

"Correct," Liu Jing nodded, "Our third and fourth bases are relatively close to each other, but they are still over two thousand kilometers apart... Usually, contact between them is made through the Blue Star."

Li Yuan and Shi Xiao were stunned.

Two thousand kilometers, in the perilous and exotic-beast-filled Mingxu Star Realm, was very distant indeed.

"So, if our third base wants to survive, we essentially have to rely on ourselves," the elder in blue, Liu Jing, said looking at them. "The base's main tasks are, first, to constantly kill the Entry Rank alien species nearby, continually expanding our living space. This is the combat mission."

"Second is the search for various resources, such as Heavenly Materials Treasures, veins of minerals, and suitable Earth of Spiritual Nature. This is the resource exploration task."

"Third is the defense mission. Over decades, the region within three hundred kilometers of the base has become our territory. We have opened up many resource spots, but we still suffer occasional attacks from the alien species, so we need warriors to guard," the elder in blue continued, looking at them. "Which mission do you want to participate in?"

Ordinary martial artists wouldn't have a choice.

"Combat mission," Li Yuan and Shi Xiao said in unison.

"Alright." S~eaʀᴄh the Nôvel(F)ire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Liu Jing smiled faintly, "I'll arrange for you two to join a squad of martial artists, to find you a team that's strong enough."

"With more people in a team working together, the chances of survival will be much greater."

"Alright," Shi Xiao nodded. It wasn't her first adventure in the Star Realm.

She had some experience.

"Senior Liu, can I venture alone?" Li Yuan suddenly asked. "I remember you can apply to form a team on your own."

Before Liu Jing could reply, Shi Xiao exclaimed, "Are you crazy, Li Yuan? Is this your first time venturing into the Star Realm? How high can your Physical Quality be?"

In her memory, Li Yuan's true strength shouldn't even match her own.

And without experience.

"Forming a team on your own? According to the rules, only Eighteenth Rank martial artists are allowed to venture alone," the elder in blue, Liu Jing, said, eyes narrowing slightly and smiling, "Your information indicates that your power is comparable to a Nineteenth Rank martial artist, so you do qualify."

"Comparable to a Nineteenth Rank martial artist?" Shi Xiao was shocked.

"It seems this young girl is still in the dark," Liu Jing chuckled, "Li Yuan, you performed well in the Fish Spirit Tide in Jiang City and even received a First Rank Silver Quality Medal. That's really quite impressive."

"A First Rank Silver Quality Medal?" Shi Xiao's mouth formed an 'O' shape.

She wasn't naive; she knew full well how difficult it was to receive such a medal.

She was aware of the Fish Spirit Tide that had erupted in Jiang City.

But she was not aware of Li Yuan's deeds, as she wouldn't go out of her way to pay attention to the commendation ceremonies.

"Li Yuan, you're quite strong, but strength and experience are two different things. Are you sure you don't want an older person to guide you?" Liu Jing asked.

"No need," Li Yuan shook his head.

Considering his strength, he was almost a Prime Warrior... A normal squad of martial artists would only hold him back.

Besides, if he wanted to quickly increase his Spiritual Awakening Level, he had to kill a large number of alien species, and it would be better to be alone.

"Alright, the path is yours to choose, and I won't force you. You can venture on your own," Liu Jing said. "Shi Xiao, what about you? Do you also want to venture alone?"

"No." Shi Xiao shook her head quickly. "Please arrange a squad of martial artists for me, senior."

With Physical Quality surpassing the Seventeenth Rank, and Fourth Level technique prowess, Shi Xiao's frontal combat strength was also approaching that of a Nineteenth Rank martial artist.

However, she didn't possess Li Yuan's confidence.

"Very well, you'll receive information soon," Liu Jing said. "Before you go and fight for life and death with the alien species, remember three things. First, be sure to avoid Second Rank alien species."

"Second, do not readily use thermal weapons."

"Third, within a thousand kilometers of the war base, if you call for help, we can know immediately. Beyond a thousand kilometers... the signal becomes very bad."

"Understood," Li Yuan and Shi Xiao said solemnly.

They both roughly knew the reasons for these warnings from Liu Jing. In the Mingxu Star Realm, human civilization was merely a small force... They were all about low-profile development and cautious advancement.

Each war base operated only a few hundred kilometers around it.

Indeed, thermal weapons can cause massive casualties among the alien species.

Even Second Rank exotic beasts would fall victim to an onslaught of thermal weapons.

But who are the real overlords of the entire Mingxu Star Realm? Not those Second Rank exotic beasts, but the Flying Heaven Level beings!

If the Flying Heaven Level entities harbored hostility, it could spell disaster for the human civilization's outpost bases.

Similar incidents have been commonplace in the history of human exploration of the many star realms.

"Commander," the door opened, and the officer from before walked in.

"Arrange for Wu Qiong and their squad to take in Shi Xiao," Liu Jing instructed. "She's been clamoring for a strong member, so I'll give her one."

"Yes," the officer nodded. "Martial Artist Shi Xiao, follow me."

"Xu An, keep in touch with me, okay?" Shi Xiao winked. She guessed that Li Yuan had his own cultivation plans and did not insist on staying with him.

"Okay," Li Yuan nodded with a smile.

...

The two people left, and the door was closed again.

Only Li Yuan and Liu Jing remained inside the door.

"Don't worry, your detailed information is known only to me," Liu Jing said with a slight smile. "How is your teacher Li Yang?"

"Do you know Teacher Li?" Li Yuan asked in surprise.

"We were students of the same year at Kunlun Martial University. Back then, we had a rather good relationship," Liu Jing said with a smile. "It's just a pity that it's been more than thirty years since we last met."

Li Yuan sighed inwardly. More than thirty years?

The more he saw, the more Li Yuan could feel the influence of Kunlun Martial University on Xia Country. Everywhere he looked, many of the Prime Warriors in Xia Country had come out of Kunlun Martial University.

"As per your teacher's instructions."

"I'm going to score your life-and-death adventure," Liu Jing said with a smile. "So, during your solo adventure, if you kill an Alien Race, you must take an emblematic item from their bodies as proof. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Li Yuan nodded.

The Mingxu Star Realm was not like the Combat Assessment, without the omnidirectional surveillance.

Everything had to be done on one's own.

"Shi Xiao joined a team of Martial Artists; she has teammates to help her, so there is no need for me to say more. Since you are venturing on your own, I will give you a few more pieces of advice," Liu Jing said.

"During your adventure, in addition to being wary of those Exotic Beasts, you need to be cautious of two situations," Liu Jing said seriously. "First are the lifeforms of the Tianliang Civilization. They look similar to us humans, and their activity areas are adjacent to our Base Three."

"According to the Inquiry, one of their star realm's entrances and exits is less than two thousand kilometers away from us."

"That close?" Li Yuan expressed his surprise.

Less than two thousand kilometers meant that it was indeed possible for the strong from both sides to encounter each other during exploration and adventure.

"Yes, very close," Liu Jing said. "Besides that, pay attention to other human Martial Artists."

"Other human Martial Artists?" Li Yuan's pupils shrank.

Internal conflict?

"People have selfish desires. If two teams of Martial Artists discover an astonishingly valuable Heavenly Materials Treasure at the same time, how should it be divided?" Liu Jing said indifferently.

Li Yuan fell silent.

"If one side gives in, it's fine, but if both sides want it, there's bound to be conflict," Liu Jing said. "On Blue Star, within the War Fortress, there are legal systems in place that forbid internal strife."

"But faced with the temptation of treasures, do not test human nature."

"Beyond 300 kilometers from the War Fortress... if human Martial Artists kill each other, we will not intervene."

"So, against other human Martial Artists, you must keep your guard up," Liu Jing said.

"Thank you for the reminder, senior," Li Yuan said.

Liu Jing was so thoroughly transparent in his advice; it was no doubt genuine care.

"Go."

...

He watched Li Yuan leave.

"I am slowly getting older," Liu Jing thought to himself with a sigh. "It's been more than thirty years."

As a Prime Warrior, he could live much longer, but his heart was already weary.

Wishing to return to his hometown but unable to do so.

This life would continue indefinitely.

...

After leaving Liu Jing's office.

Another Martial Artist officer came to receive Li Yuan.

His main role was to introduce Li Yuan to the environment within a 500-kilometer radius of the War Fortress, such as where Second Rank Alien Races were and where a large number of Alien Races congregated.

The resource points (crops, minerals) of human civilization, the precise locations of observation points.

Even the main activities of other Martial Artist teams were detailed.

These were all things that wouldn't be written in the Starfire Martial Hall's databank.

With Li Yuan's current spiritual power, although he could not yet remember everything he saw, he was able to quickly jot down the gist.

Finally.

"How many years has Senior Liu been here?" Li Yuan asked a question that was on his mind.

"The chief?" The Martial Artist officer was startled momentarily and then smiled. "It's said to be more than thirty years."

"He is the first commanding officer of Base Three, having volunteered to stay here. It's said he used to be a 25th Level Prime Warrior, but later his strength suffered a lot due to an injury."

"Several other Prime Warriors inside the base are also volunteers who chose to remain here."

"Only with Prime Warriors, and with the War Fortress as the final defense, can our human civilization barely stand firm in the Mingxu Star Realm," the Martialist sighed. "It is the reason why many Alien Race forces around us default to recognizing the several hundred kilometers as our sphere of influence."

"However."

"Unlike us First Rank Martial Artists who still have holidays and rotations, and can eventually return to our country... the Prime Warriors will have to stay here for the rest of their lives."

Li Yuan nodded slightly, feeling an unspoken empathy in his heart.

Within human civilization, there were always those who made quiet sacrifices.

...

There was no night in the Mingxu Star Realm, as the sky was always interwoven with two suns.

Therefore, on the day he arrived at the Mingxu Star Realm.

At six in the evening by Blue Star's time, after getting everything ready, Li Yuan left Base Three on his own.

He embarked on his first Star Realm adventure.