Lu Lingyun appeared to be around fifty years old. He had a plain face, a restrained aura, and was dressed in a simple gray robe.

If one didn’t know his identity, they might mistake him for an ordinary middle-aged man on the street.

But only those with keen perception could sense the unfathomably deep aura around him, one that was subtly in harmony with the natural world.

He was none other than the current principal of Star Martial University, one of the Federation’s top Grandmasters, and a grand-disciple of the late Elder Principal Xia.

At this moment, he stood before a window, his hands clasped behind his back, gazing at the swaying bamboo forest outside while listening to He Yifeng’s somewhat excited report.

"Principal, that’s the situation. This young man, Xu Wuyi, has broken through to the Martial Master Realm on his own in less than a year since enrolling."

"His foundation is solid, and his temperament is steady. He is truly a rare gem, the likes of which our Star Martial University has not seen in recent years!"

He Yifeng’s tone was filled with a vicarious pride.

Lu Lingyun slowly turned around, a gentle smile on his face. "Yifeng, calm down. I am already aware of this matter."

He Yifeng was taken aback. "You already knew?"

Lu Lingyun nodded slightly. "When Anna updates the core database, important information of this nature is synchronized to me. To be promoted to a Martial Master in his first year is rare indeed."

A look of approval crossed his face.

"As far as I know, neither Black Stone Academy nor Starry Sky Martial Arts Academy has produced such a student this year. For our Star Martial University to have him is a matter of luck, and also fate."

His tone was calm, but He Yifeng could sense the principal’s inner joy.

For someone at Lu Lingyun’s level, the university’s honor and the cultivation of the Federation’s future powerhouses were already ingrained in his very being.

He was naturally gratified to see an outstanding junior begin to make his mark.

"Principal, do you think... we should give him some special attention, or perhaps allocate more resources to him?" He Yifeng asked tentatively.

For a genius like him, gaining the principal’s favor, even if it was just a word or two of guidance, would be of immense benefit.

Lu Lingyun pondered for a moment before shaking his head. "There is no need to be deliberate. A tree that stands out in the forest is the first to be felled by the wind. Excessive attention, at times, is merely killing with praise."

"Just let him grow at his own pace. The university won’t skimp on the resources he is entitled to. Make sure he participates in the Youth Tournament this time."

"Barring any surprises, he’s certain to be the number one freshman in the Entire Federation. The point reward for that will be enough for him for quite some time."

He paused, looking at He Yifeng with a more solemn tone. "Yifeng, you are the Dean of the East Courtyard. This young man is under your charge, so you must handle this with the proper measure."

"You must give him enough room to grow, but also ensure he does not go astray. Temperament is sometimes more important than talent."

He Yifeng’s expression turned solemn, and he replied respectfully, "Yes, Principal. I understand."

He understood the principal’s meaning.

The more astonishing the talent Xu Wuyi displayed, the more cautious his teachers had to be, despite their joy. They had to avoid stunting his growth by rushing him, and more importantly, prevent him from losing his mental balance due to a sudden surge in strength.

Because there was a cautionary tale from the past.

Over sixty years ago, the Federation had a super genius of commoner origin who stepped into the Grandmaster realm before the age of forty. He was hailed as one of the most promising candidates to achieve the highest echelons of Martial Arts.

However, he had a difficult early life. After becoming a Grandmaster, he began to frantically take revenge on the individuals and family clans that had previously bullied and oppressed him.

Given his status as a Grandmaster and his potential, most people within the Federation chose to turn a blind eye, and as a result, the situation escalated.

In the end, he got into a major fight with an old Grandmaster, leading to the only instance of a Grandmaster Martial Artist dying in an internal conflict since the Federation’s founding.

Afterward, that Grandmaster also felt immense guilt. He stopped his "settling of scores" and permanently stationed himself on the Star Realm Battlefield, but as a consequence, he became plagued by inner demons.

For more than twenty years after that, his Martial Arts saw little progress, until he eventually died on the battlefield.

That incident was even one of the catalysts for the reform of the Martial Arts College Entrance Examination.

Grandmaster Level figures like He Yifeng had experienced that era firsthand, and the memory was still fresh in their minds.

"Mm, you may go. The Youth Martial Arts Tournament is imminent, so have him prepare well." Lu Lingyun waved his hand, his gaze returning to the bamboo forest outside the window as he resumed his tranquil, unperturbed state.

He Yifeng bowed and quietly exited the small building.

「 ... 」

Xu Wuyi slowly exited the top-of-the-line Virtual Pod, his consciousness fully returning to reality.

The simulated ambient light on the pod’s inner walls gradually dimmed, reflecting his contemplative face.

Just a moment ago, he had finally reached the Sixth Rank on the Battle Network.

The Sixth Rank was the tier for Martial Masters, and it was also one of the last few relatively active Ranks on the Battle Network.

Once you got to the higher Eighth or Ninth Ranks, there were basically very few people available for real-time matchmaking.

However, the joy of his promotion did not last long.

Because after advancing to the Sixth Rank, he had far more losses than wins.

If the system hadn’t matched him mostly against opponents who were also just over Level 30 due to his recent promotion to Martial Master, his win rate would likely be even lower.

’The battles between Martial Masters are truly on another level.’

Xu Wuyi walked to the center of the Cultivation Room, sat down cross-legged, and began to review his recent battles.

His foundation was undoubtedly extremely solid.

Having just become a Martial Master, his Life Energy Level had stabilized at 30.1. However, the sheer volume and condensation of his Qi and Blood, as well as the resilience of his physique, were in no way inferior to veterans who had been immersed in the Martial Master Stage for a year or two.

In head-on confrontations and clashes of Qi and Blood, he even held a slight upper hand.

But the problem lay elsewhere.

First, there were his Martial Arts.

His Eight-direction Soul Suppressing Spear had reached Minor Achievement. At the Martial Artist stage, it was an ultimate weapon capable of suppressing his peers.

But at the Martial Master level, everyone’s Combat Skills were of a higher grade. Minor Achievement in a B-Level Combat Skill was only considered standard, or upper-mid tier at best, and it had lost its former decisive advantage.

Second, and most importantly, he had not yet fully adapted to the unique combat style of Martial Masters.

Beyond physical weapon combat, the external release of Qi and Blood—controlled by one’s Spiritual Will to interfere, assault, or even attack directly at short to medium range—had become the norm.

His opponents would either condense their Qi and Blood into blades or form them into palm imprints and fist auras, striking from a distance with endless variations.

His own response to these tactics, however, was quite clumsy.

The Eight-direction Soul Suppressing Spear was more focused on close-quarters combat and will-based impacts; it lacked effective responses and counters for such flexible and varied methods of releasing Qi and Blood.

’I can’t rely solely on my Spear Technique.’

Xu Wuyi realized he had to quickly master—or rather, develop—his own method for externally releasing Qi and Blood.

At the Youth Tournament, he would definitely have to face other Martial Masters.

He once again sank his consciousness into his mind, carefully looking through the essential secrets of the Hundred Refinements Melting Furnace’s Minor Achievement stage.

Previously, his energy had been mainly focused on the Heart Fire Refining Spirit Visualization Method, with the primary goal of refining his Spirit and stabilizing his Realm.

He had only briefly skimmed through the offensive Techniques, without studying them in depth.

Now, as he re-examined it with a clear purpose, a section he had previously skipped over came clearly into view.

[Blood Burning Seal].