The final technique the Evil Cultist used was the Blood Feeding Sect’s secret Blood Light Escape Technique.

Xing Tianzhu slammed his fist on the table. The alloy surface let out a muffled THUD, his eyes filled with frustration.

"By burning one’s essence blood, they can instantly escape several miles away."

"We pursued him with everything we had, but the airship’s speed... We still lost him!"

He looked up, his complicated gaze falling on Han Feng.

"If you had been in the sky, you might have actually been able to lock onto his position after he fled!"

Although his tone was regretful, his words were an undeniable acknowledgment of Han Feng’s extraordinary tracking ability.

"You overstate things, Major General Xing."

Han Feng’s expression was serene.

"He was an Enlightenment Realm expert, after all. They have an endless supply of desperate, life-risking techniques."

"Even if I had been there, there’s no guarantee I could have kept a lock on him."

His tone was humble, but he knew the real reason.

’The victory wasn’t due to any piloting skill. It was all thanks to the Sword Control Technique and the Sword Immortal Cultivation Assistant!’

’A trump card like this could never be revealed to anyone.’

"There’s no need to be so modest, Student Han Feng."

A gentle voice suddenly spoke up.

The old man in the gray scholar’s robe pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses.

His eyes, which seemed capable of perceiving all things, were sizing up Han Feng with keen interest.

"Your Perception Talent is extremely rare, and very valuable."

"Pardon my forwardness, but what is your talent’s assessed Level?"

"I haven’t had a chance to get it assessed yet."

Han Feng replied honestly.

"Oh?"

The old man raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised.

"I suggest you get it done as soon as possible."

"With a Talent like yours, the university will certainly allocate extra resources for your development and prioritize your training."

He paused, then smiled knowingly.

"My name is Wen Boyan. I’m a professor at the School of History and Relics at East Sea Martial Arts University."

"Student Han Feng, would you have any interest... in working in my laboratory after you graduate?"

’School of History and Relics?’

’Archaeology?’

Everyone present, including Xing Tianzhu, was taken aback.

Wen Boyan saw their confusion and explained with a smile.

"The Cultivation Techniques you all practice."

"The Spiritual Energy Technology you use."

"Even the Demon Beasts that threaten our very existence."

"Their origins are all tied to the ’Relic Fragments’ that descended upon Blue Star thirty years ago."

"These fragments come from different worlds. They fused with our planet, and while they brought us Spiritual Qi and Extraordinary Power, they also brought immense danger."

"Our work as archaeologists is to explore these relics, unearthing lost civilizations, Cultivation Techniques, and technologies, all to find a path forward for humanity."

At this, his gaze fixed on Han Feng, burning with intensity.

"Student Han Feng, your ’Spiritual Vision’ Talent gives you an unparalleled advantage in identifying residual energy within relics and locating hidden mechanisms and secret caches."

"If you’re willing to join us, I can guarantee that you will receive resources and opportunities far beyond those of any ordinary student!"

His words were like a giant stone dropped into a calm lake.

The air in the conference room seemed to freeze.

Everyone in the room, from a high-ranking officer like Major General Xing to prodigies like Zhang Hao and Gu Yun, fixed their eyes on Han Feng.

One path was to become an ace Pilot with a limitless future, a Body Tempering Realm cultivator who had already demonstrated the astonishing ability to influence a battle between Enlightenment Realm experts.

The other was to delve into archaeology at one of East Sea Martial Arts University’s most mysterious schools, exploring the very origins of the world and unearthing lost civilizations.

This choice would be enough to determine a young man’s entire future.

"Professor Wen, I appreciate the kind offer."

Beneath everyone’s differing gazes, Han Feng stood and bowed slightly to Wen Boyan, his attitude sincere.

"It’s just that my current strength is too low. I feel it’s a struggle just to survive in the wastelands, so I dare not dream of grand undertakings like exploring relics."

He paused, his tone frank and his eyes clear.

"To me, knowledge and history are important, of course, but the only thing that’s truly real is the power I hold in my own hands."

"Once I have sufficient strength, if you’d still have me, I will be sure to pay you a visit."

His words were perfectly balanced, neither servile nor arrogant, and his reasoning was clear.

Everyone present nodded to themselves in approval.

Zhang Hao’s gaze toward Han Feng held a new level of admiration.

’This kid is so young, yet he sees his own path so clearly. He didn’t let such a huge temptation go to his head.’

The look Xing Tianzhu gave Han Feng also softened considerably.

’This rookie Pilot not only has superb skills, but his temperament is frighteningly steady as well.’

"Haha! ’Strength is all that matters’! Well said!"

Far from being angry, Professor Wen Boyan clapped his hands and roared with laughter, his eyes filled with undisguised approval.

"You’re right. In this age, without strength, everything else is just empty talk."

"I was too hasty."

He took a business card made of a special metal from his robes and handed it to Han Feng.

"This has my contact information."

"Student Han Feng, the doors to the School of History and Relics at East Sea Martial Arts University will always be open to you."

"Thank you, Professor Wen."

Han Feng solemnly accepted the business card.

The card was cool to the touch. Besides a name and a string of contact numbers, it was also imprinted with the mark of an archaic compass.

Gu Yun, who was standing to the side, pursed his lips and muttered under his breath.

"Hmph, it’s just archaeology. What’s the big deal..."

Despite his words, the envy in his eyes was impossible to hide.

That was a personal invitation from a professor at one of the Martial Arts University’s three great mysterious schools.

Few people in the entire Flight Academy had ever received such an offer.

...

After the debriefing, Xing Tianzhu, Wen Boyan, and the others boarded an airship and hurriedly returned to East Sea Fortress City.

Before they left, Wen Boyan made a preliminary assessment based on the traces and residual energy at the scene.

"The ley lines under the land here at Golden Ears Farm are somewhat special."

"A hundred years ago, a minuscule world fragment fused with this land, creating the special soil that allows Purple Crystal Wheat to grow."

"The Blood Feeding Sect’s goal was to use the special ley lines here, along with the immense Spiritual Qi released when the Purple Crystal Wheat ripens, to cultivate some kind of evil creature."

He pointed to the location of Warehouse #3 on the map.

"The evil creature has escaped. We will issue a top-priority wanted notice for it."

"As for the farm, the military will reinforce the ley line nodes here and establish a permanent Tier Two Defense Array to prevent this kind of incident from ever happening again."

Wang Meng was completely lost and couldn’t help but ask a question.

"Professor, I just don’t get it. If this place is so important, why didn’t they just send a Tier Four Grandmaster to guard it from the start?"

"One slap from a Grandmaster, and this whole mess would’ve been over, right?"

Many of the others had been wondering the same thing.

Wen Boyan smiled, and Zhang Hao took the initiative to answer for him.

"Wang Meng, do you think Tier Four Grandmasters grow on trees?"

"In all of East Sea Fortress City, there are fewer than one hundred Tier Four Divine Containment Realm Grandmasters. Every single one of them is a strategic-level asset responsible for guarding an entire region."

"Golden Ears Farm is important, yes, but the Purple Crystal Wheat it produces has a negligible effect on experts at the Grandmaster level."

"Its value lies more in providing cultivation resources for low and mid-tier Martial Artists and securing the city’s food supply."

Zhang Hao continued to explain.

"In the city’s strategic ratings, Golden Ears Farm is only a standard Third Level resource point."

"Assigning an Enlightenment Realm expert to stand guard is already standard procedure."

"No one could have predicted the Blood Feeding Sect would orchestrate such a massive operation for a single evil creature."

"There are dozens of resource points, large and small, like Golden Ears Farm surrounding East Sea Fortress City."

"If we had to post a Grandmaster to guard every single one, they’d have no time for anything else. They’d be stuck on permanent guard duty."

After his explanation, everyone finally understood.

At the end of the day, resources were limited and had to be allocated where they were most effective.

What seemed like a world-ending event to them at Golden Ears Farm was, on the grand chessboard of East Sea Fortress City, perhaps just a minor disturbance.

Han Feng listened in silence, committing all this information to memory. His understanding of the laws that governed this world deepened once again.