The door of the training room slowly opened. Li Yao walked out.
Brilliance was flowing around his body like flowing water. He seemed to be wearing a translucent armor which was glittering under the sunlight.
Yuan Manqiu, Xiong Baili, President of the Grand Desolate War Institution, and many other teachers and soldiers were gathered together. They understood what was going on the moment they saw Li Yao.
"Building Foundation! A Cultivator has entered the Building Foundation Stage!"
"Who is it? Let me see. Who has entered the Building Foundation Stage? "
"Li Yao! Li Yao of the Grand Desolate War Institution! "
"Vulture Li Yao has entered the Building Foundation Stage!"
Exclamations came from the crowd. More and more people ran over from afar. They clicked their tongues and looked at Li Yao with envy.
Xiong Baili, Yuan Manqiu, and the rest of them were not battle-type Cultivators. Naturally, they wouldn't enter Red Lotus City to fight. They were all doing their duty in different posts in the war base.
Xiong Baili was a knowledgeable admin-type Cultivator. He was in charge of analyzing the identities, features, and moves of the demon experts in the command center and storing the detailed information in the database for future use.
Yuan Manqiu was a refiner. She was responsible for the maintenance of the magical equipment damaged in the fierce battle as the leader of the refining team of the Grand Desolate War Institution.
When they received the news that Li Yao was in the Building Foundation Stage, they hurried over immediately. They happened to see Li Yao walking out of the training room in glamour.
Yuan Manqiu's eyes were beaming with excitement. Xiong Baili nodded his head, too. The rest of the teachers were grinning from ear to ear.
Breakthroughs were common occurrences in the fierce battles that had not been seen in a hundred years. In the past ten days, the spiritual roots of many ordinary soldiers had mutated and turned into Cultivators. Many Refinement Stage Cultivators had also perceived the True Self Dao and stepped into the Building Foundation Stage.
Li Yao was not the first, but he was the youngest.
He had entered the Building Foundation Stage before he was 25 years old. He was one year ahead of Ding Ling Dong. He was a monster in the entire Xing Yao Federation!
Xiong Baili and Yuan Manqiu glanced at each other. All sorts of feelings welled up in their hearts.
In recent years, the Grand Desolate War Institution had been quite lucky. Ding Ling Dong, one of the youngest Building Foundation Stage Cultivators in the Federation, had emerged. Then, the Refining Department suddenly rose to prominence, and now, Li Yao had built his foundation as a student!
Gradually, the comprehensive strength of the Grand Desolate War Institution was no longer at the bottom of the Nine Elite Universities. It was on par with veteran institutions such as Star Nebula University and the First Military Academy of the Federation.
"Teacher, Principal, I've built my foundation!"
Li Yao inhaled the liquefied spiritual energy into his body, feeling the wonderful feeling of his veins and nerves being nourished by the nectar. His heart was filled with emotions.
He had finally caught up with Ding Ling Dong more than a year ago, but only he knew the hardships and dangers.
The road ahead was still very long.
However, with so many people supporting him, he was confident that he could take it one step at a time.
Beep! Beep!
Li Yao put on his mini crystal processor, opened the war mission system, and entered his latest information:
"Grand Desolate War Institution, Li Yao, has stepped into the Building Foundation Stage!"
"Request missions that are suitable for the Building Foundation Stage!"
Li Yao nodded to Xiong Baili and Yuan Manqiu and apologized:
"I'm sorry. Teacher, Principal. I've just stepped into the Building Foundation Stage. My Cultivation is still very unstable. I need to consolidate it through a lot of fighting! "
"It doesn't matter. Go!"
Yuan Manqiu smiled. She and Xiong Baili were both experienced people. They knew that the period when one had just entered the Building Foundation Stage was the most critical period. Naturally, they wouldn't stop him.
"Li Yao, remember, the Grand Desolate War Institution will always be proud of you!"
Principal Xiong Baili heavily patted his shoulder and said in a deep voice.
Li Yao was dazed for a moment. He didn't expect that the usually solemn... How could the high and mighty principal say such words?
After being dazed for a long time, he raised the corner of his mouth and revealed an incomparably brilliant smile:
"Principal, teacher, I will always be proud of the Grand Desolate War Institution!"
"Shua!"
The Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit was rearmed.
Different from when he was in the Refinement Stage, Li Yao did not feel any hindrance at all at this moment. His armor and his flesh had completely melted into one. The crystal processor and his brain had become an inseparable whole, too.
Li Yao turned into a streak of golden light and flew toward the Red Lotus City.
The distance of fifty kilometers was devoured in an instant. He appeared in the sky above the battlefield that was filled with gunfire and smoke.
"Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh!"
Four Acid Arrows, three Poison Liquid, and an invisible shockwave intertwined to form a deadly net of fire, instantly attacking him.
"This feeling … is amazing!"
Li Yao carefully sensed his brand-new body after stepping into the Building Foundation Stage. His telepathic thoughts spread out like ripples, following the fierce attacks and locating eight bizarre-looking shadows in a dark corner.
"Shua!"
The eight attacks tore apart his afterimage at the same time, but Li Yao dodged and turned into a gust of wind, rushing toward a burning ruin.
"The first battle after the Foundation Establishment stage begins!"
…
From this day on, Li Yao's battles in Red Lotus City were even more intense than before.
As a Building Foundation Stage Cultivator, and with the assistance of the Crystal Suit, Li Yao could be counted as one of the main forces on the battlefield. Whenever he showed up, the outcome of a battle would always be decided.
Together with many other Building Foundation Stage Cultivators, he went deep into the underground and destroyed dozens of nests of the demon clan. He even executed a heavily wounded high-level demon general in person.
Day after day, his capability improved in the bloody battles and he gradually consolidated his position in the Building Foundation Stage.
The Battle of Seven Cities came to an end, too.
The fierce battle lasted only twenty days, which was not as long as some large-scale beast tide outbreaks.
But it was the performance of the regular army of the demon clan.
Until the last moment, the regular army of the demon clan maintained a high level of command and retreated silently almost overnight, leaving only the mediocre beast tides as cannon fodder.
They also left a lot of traps in the underground.
The situation in Red Lotus City was still okay, but in Wonderful Cloud City, more than half of the ghost market was blown up by the demon clan. Two Jin Dan experts were caught off guard. One was killed and the other was wounded. A lot of Building Foundation Stage and Refinement Stage Cultivators were buried hundreds of meters below the ground, their status unknown.
This tragedy cast a layer of haze over victory.
…
In the early morning, the first ray of sunlight illuminated the broken city.
Li Yao and Yuan Manqiu were walking on the bumpy streets.
"In this battle, not only have you made a lot of contributions, you've also earned a lot of credits. You've met the requirements for graduation.
"Besides, you're in the Building Foundation Stage, and you're still a student. It's not very suitable for you."
Yuan Manqiu smiled, "After you go back, you should prepare for your graduation. What's your plan? "
Before Li Yao could answer, she continued, "The demon clan's invasion was sudden.
"The demon invasion was quite unexpected. Thankfully, two divisions of the army have been equipped with the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit and become 'Exo Chemists'.
"These two divisions performed very well in the Battle of Seven Cities. They were stationed in East Rock City and Eternal Mountain City, where they firmly resisted the tide-like attacks of the demon clan. They basically didn't need the help of high-level Cultivators to wipe out a large number of demon clan's regular army. They were like a millstone made of flesh and blood.
"This is also one of the reasons why the demon clan suddenly retreated.
"The army is very satisfied with the performance of the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit. A few days ago, they revealed that they were going to expand the scale of their purchase. In three years, at least twenty 'Exo Chemists' will be established.
"Therefore, we'll be very busy in the coming days. What do you think? Will you stay in the school as a researcher after graduation?
"It's President Xiong's request. It's an official invitation to you.
"In terms of benefits, you'll be treated according to the highest standards. It's even better than Ding Ling Dong's.
"Also, you can continue to share the profits of the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit.
"As for the training of martial arts, the teachers of the school can still communicate with each other. No one will keep anything to themselves."
Li Yao narrowed his eyes and looked at the morning sun. He pondered for a long time. He shook his head.
"Professor, I've made my own plans for the next few years.
"Project Mystic Skeleton has succeeded. Right now, many people in the army and in the world of Cultivators are familiar with the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit. It's meaningless for me to stay here as a test pilot. As for the improvement work in the future, it's more than enough to count on the teachers and specialists.
"There's one thing that I haven't mentioned to you yet.
"I have an invitation card for Occult Orbs Fellowship in my hand.
"In the coming days, I'd like to devote myself to training and then join Occult Orbs Fellowship to explore the relics and secret treasures left from the bloody battles of the past 40,000 years.
Over the past half year, the Federation of Cultivators had announced a lot of secret projects and plans to the public. Occult Orbs Fellowship was gradually unveiled to the public, too.
Besides, an extraordinary person such as Yuan Manqiu had vaguely heard about Occult Orbs Fellowship when she was still the 'Deep Sea Goddess'. She had even been invited to several magical equipment conferences to study the secret treasures excavated from the Occult Orbs.
Therefore, she was not surprised when she heard that Li Yao was going to Occult Orbs Fellowship. She raised her eyebrows and said,
"Exploring the Occult Orbs is very dangerous."
Li Yao nodded his head.
"Yes, it is. The fatality rate is very high. That's why I can't accept the school's invitation right now.
"However, exploring and training in the Occult Orbs will improve my capability very quickly, too!
"Professor, we all know that the Battle of Seven Cities is just the beginning. The battles in the future will be more and more intense. More demon experts will show up in front of us.
"I don't want … to be a spectator on the ground, craning my neck and watching the experts fighting each other.
"I'm eager to improve my capability and fight against the experts!
"I hope that I can excavate a piece of unparalleled ancient magical equipment from the Occult Orbs, one that can blow a demon emperor to death with a single blast!
"Therefore, I have to go to the Occult Orbs!"
Yuan Manqiu was amused.
"You idiot. Even if there are primordial treasures in the Occult Orbs, they must be protected by multiple traps. How can a Building Foundation Stage Cultivator like you discover and manipulate them?
"But you're right. A great war is coming. Everybody has to try their best to train themselves. President Xiong and I both support your decision!
"The gate of the Grand Desolate War Institution is always open for you. You're always welcome to come back!"
"Of course!"
Li Yao smiled. "I'll definitely come back. I'm going to lead the Refining Department of the Grand Desolate War Institution to turn the Refining Department of Deep Sea University upside down!"
The two of them looked at each other and smiled. They stopped talking and enjoyed the construction in full swing under the illumination of the sunset in silence.
Deep below the ground, sporadic battles were still going on.
On the ground, the reconstruction work had begun.
Countless Union Army soldiers were driving large bulldozers and excavators. Some of them were even carrying shovels and pickaxes that were engraved with rune arrays and cleaning the place day and night.
Red Lotus City was located on the enormous mother lodes below the ground. Naturally, the Federation wouldn't give up such an important place.
The old Red Lotus City had been destroyed by the war. But with the help of the powerful treasures of the modern Cultivation civilization, a brand-new, even larger Red Lotus City would soon rise from the ground.
This time, human beings would build higher city walls, more solid defenses, denser barricades, flying sword bases, automatic defense systems, and more sensitive surveillance systems for the underground world.
Countless Union Army soldiers and Cultivators who had been baptized by the flames of war and were better at fighting would be stationed here, too.
Li Yao suddenly stopped next to a ruin.
His eyes were attracted by a new patch of green.
A blade of grass popped up from the blackened debris and danced in the morning breeze.
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