"Alright, this is a safe zone. You all return the way you came. I need to go back once," said Jin Tun.
"Leader!"
"Big brother!"
All at once, everyone panicked.
Ghost Calculator stepped forward, his face grave, "Old Pang, don't be impulsive. I know you are someone who values loyalty, but going back now means facing dozens to hundreds of Desert Sand Insect Beasts. And in the time we've escaped, it's likely Wang Xu has already been overwhelmed by them. Going back is nothing but a death wish!"
Jin Tun waved his hand, "Ghost Calculator, out of all these people, you know me the best. Wang Xu joined the Red Flame Battle Group, which makes him a part of Red Flame. Even if I die, I have to bring his remains back. Even if I can't, I need to kill a few Desert Sand Insect Beasts, to avenge brother Wang Xu!"
Ghost Calculator sighed. Jin Tun is stubborn, he couldn't be persuaded. He had no choice but to say, "Since you've made up your mind, take me with you. Though my strength isn't high, I can still hold off one or two Desert Sand Insect Beasts."
"Leader, I'll go too. I must contribute to avenging brother Wang!"
"Big brother, I'm in as well!"
No one backed down, all insisted on returning. Jin Tun silently sighed, his eyes became resolute, "Alright, let's go back to avenge brother Wang. But remember, we're not going to die. If things get dangerous, run immediately, understand?"
The group had barely left the territory of the Desert Sand Insect Beasts but now turned back again.
"Eh?" Jin Tun, holding an Alloy Shield, was at the front of the group. He sniffed a strong scent of blood.
"Such a strong smell of blood, was there a massacre here?" Red Eye also noticed it.
Jin Tun frowned, "Everyone, be cautious, don't let your guard down."
The group moved across the sand, with the last person erasing their footprints. Soon, they arrived at the scene of Wang Xu's massacre.
"My God, what...what happened here?" Red Eye's eyes widened.
The sand within a hundred meters seemed like it was soaked by a spilled dye pot, blood seeped into the sand, dyeing it blood-red.
A thick scent of blood hung in the air, even a gentle sniff felt pungent.
Most startling of all, dozens to hundreds of Desert Sand Insect Beasts were nowhere in sight. The smell of blood was theirs, yet not a single body was left behind.
"Could other battle groups have come through with a bloodbath?" Red Axe voiced his concern.
Facing a swarm of Desert Sand Insect Beasts would be troublesome even for Tier Six Genetic Warriors, but now only blood was left, and no bodies. Apart from being crushed by a powerful battle group, they couldn't think of another explanation.
"Wait! Look over there!" Suddenly, Blue Sword spotted a figure and pointed hurriedly.
Everyone looked over to see a familiar figure sitting cross-legged on the ground, covered in blood, his face plastered with dust and sand from the blood, looking quite disheveled.
"Wang Xu!"
"Brother Wang!"
Everyone was thrilled. Being surrounded by dozens of Desert Sand Insect Beasts was as horrifying as facing a Tier Seven Genetic Warrior, yet Wang Xu had survived, it was unbelievable!
"Hmm? It's the leader and others," Wang Xu heard the noise, opened his eyes, and saw Jin Tun and the others rushing towards him, revealing a grin.
"It's really you, I'm so glad you're okay!" Red Axe shouted happily.
"I blame myself." Jin Tun looked apologetic, "I ordered the retreat when you were in the most danger, planning to come back for revenge, seems I was a bit redundant."
Wang Xu smiled. When Jin Tun and the others left, he was completely unaware, immersed in comprehending Spirit Level Body Technique without a moment to spare for anything else. It was only after he slaughtered a large number of Desert Sand Insect Beasts that he realized Jin Tun and others had already left.
In retrospect, indeed, the Tier Five Insect Beast swarm was horrifying. Had he not comprehended the Spirit Level Body Technique, he would have been a goner. In the Red Flame Battle Group, only Jin Tun was Tier Six, the rest were Tier Five, confronting the Desert Sand Insect Beast swarm would be suicide.
And Jin Tun returned at this time, clearly unable to let go, proving once again he is indeed a good leader, worthy of following.
"By the way, why is there such a large bloodstain here? Where's the Desert Sand Insect Beast swarm?" Red Eye remembered the crucial question and asked.
"Was there a strong battle group here?" Red Axe quickly added.
Everyone looked curiously at Wang Xu, who smiled mysteriously, then rolled his eyes and nodded, "Yes, a particularly strong battle group came, called 'Phantom'.
"Oh my God!"
"It's actually them!"
The crowd gasped in shock, even Jin Tun couldn't help being astonished. Ranked fifteenth, the Phantom Battle Group was acknowledged as strong, with three Tier Seven members and the rest were Tier Six—a terrifying lineup, how could it not be powerful?
Wang Xu hid the truth from others not because he didn't trust them, but in this place preserving a little strength was something. The more cards exposed, the closer to death, Wang Xu understood this truth.
"Why would they save you?" Black Whip asked.
Everyone nodded, the stronger the battle group, the less inclined to meddle. Plus, dealing with a Desert Sand Insect Beast swarm would require effort, who would go out of their way for a stranger?
"I know someone in the Phantom Battle Group, named Zhang Xinglin, from the same academy as me," Wang Xu said.
Wang Xu wasn't lying about this. Upon coming, he had inquired about the whereabouts of Ying Xing, Zhang Xinglin, and others, finding out Ying Xing joined a battle group ranked eighty-first, Tang Yan joined one ranked ninety-seventh, and Zhang Xinglin surprisingly joined the one ranked fifteenth.
"Oh, that makes sense, no wonder. The Phantom Battle Group indeed is powerful, sweeping through dozens of Desert Sand Insect Beasts in a short time," Red Axe exclaimed with a hint of envy in his eyes.
"Axe, stop dreaming, they're elites of the elites, not your turn," Blue Sword teased.
Everyone burst into laughter but Ghost Calculator suddenly spoke, "Wang Xu, have you reached Tier Five?"
As soon as these words fell, all eyes locked on Wang Xu, with a look of surprise. In the discussion about why Wang Xu didn't die, they completely overlooked his own breakthrough in strength.
"Haha! This is wonderful, adversity certainly brings good fortune! Let's keep on with the mission, and when we get back, let's have a drink to calm brother Wang Xu," Jin Tun beamed, Wang Xu's promotion to Tier Five meant a significant boost in Red Flame Battle Group's strength, which was naturally a cause for joy.
...
The subsequent tasks were completed even more smoothly. Wang Xu's addition was like adding wings to a tiger. Even when six or seven Desert Sand Insect Beasts attacked simultaneously, they could be resolved smoothly, greatly accelerating the task's progress. In just two hours, they collected fifty Desert Sand Insect Beast corpses, and the whole team immediately returned to the battle group base.
The rewards for the task were generous, but there wasn't much left for each member. Wang Xu didn't care about these; the most important thing for him now was to improve his body technique.
Wang Xu realized that the progress in his body technique was even more impressive than the improvement in realm. Hunting Insect Beasts felt like being a harvesting machine; the beasts couldn't hit you, but you could reap them... Just thinking about it made Wang Xu excited.
The body technique is not omnipotent. If one encounters students equally skilled in body techniques, only the strength of the realm can prevail. Although excited, Wang Xu hadn't become arrogant and disrespectful.
"Upon advancing to Tier Five, 'Nine-Column Thunder Saber' and 'Milo Body Technique' should both be cultivated to perfection."
Once back at the battle group base, after eating and drinking to his fill, Wang Xu hurried back to the Cultivation Room without going to the bar for entertainment or relaxing his mind, seizing every second for cultivation.
Sixth Column: Thunder Dragon Entering the Earth
Seventh Column: Violent Thunder Strike
Eighth Column: Thunderous Saber
Ninth Column: Nine Transition Thunder Saber
Now that Wang Xu had reached Tier Five and had the foundation of the Fourth Layer of the Basic Flesh Body, 'Nine-Column Thunder Saber' presented no obstacle for him, and he comprehended it thoroughly.
'Nine-Column Thunder Saber' is considered a High-Class Ancient Martial Art. After cultivating to the ninth column, Wang Xu discovered that his level of exertion had reached 2.0, meaning he could instantly unleash double the power!
"I haven't tested the punch force level for Tier Five yet, let's see how much my fist power has improved."
The Cultivation Room only had simple equipment, and the Punch Force Tester could only be found in a public training room. Wang Xu casually found a training room and walked in, noticing someone testing their punch force.
"Boom!"
A loud noise, then Wang Xu saw the numbers on the electronic screen accelerating rapidly.
3560kg
5862kg
6854kg
9685kg
...
The numbers finally settled at 10254kg.
Wang Xu's pupils suddenly shrank; a punch force breaking ten thousand could only belong to a powerful Tier Six or someone already stepping into the Master Level Tier Seven!
Wang Xu immediately looked at that figure, eyes lighting up.
It was a woman with a ponytail in a white vest, her figure enchanting, with her snow-white neck and translucent skin. Just this back view could captivate countless male students.
Wang Xu, being a man, couldn't help but take a couple of more glances, and the woman seemed to sense the presence of his gaze, turning her head.
So beautiful!
Wang Xu was stunned. He had seen many beauties, with Tang Yan being the most gorgeous among them, but to describe the woman before him with one word—it would be "calamity"!
Thin lips, a slightly upturned delicate nose, and a pair of bright, large eyes—the kind of beauty Wang Xu had only ever seen depicted in ancient scrolls, and he didn't expect such earthly perfection to exist in reality!
However, Wang Xu quickly regained his composure. Seeing the woman looking at him, he awkwardly rubbed his nose.
The woman barely glanced at Wang Xu, seemingly accustomed to it, and indifferently turned to leave the training room.
Wang Xu calmed his emotions slightly, then moved to the Punch Force Tester, adjusted his stance, sank his waist, and felt power rising through his spine. His gaze focused forward, a vast aura surged forth, and he underwent a complete transformation in temperament, starkly different from before.
Boom!
Another loud noise, and the numbers on the electronic screen jumped wildly.
"Hmm, it should be around 5000kg," Wang Xu thought to himself.
3569kg
5896kg
7592kg
8521kg
9825kg!
Hiss!
Even Wang Xu was shocked by himself. How could this be? He was only Tier Five, and he barely reached 3000kg at Tier Four. How could the punch force have such a drastic change after advancing just one tier?
9825kg, just a bit away from breaking ten thousand. If word got out this was from a Tier Five student, nobody in the Genius Battle Group would believe it!
Immediately, Wang Xu pondered over this while heading to the Cultivation Room.
A moment later, a graceful figure walked into the empty training room—it was the ponytailed woman who had broken ten thousand just now. She had left in a hurry and forgotten her clothes, so she returned to retrieve them.
But when she saw the numbers on the Punch Force Tester, she was stunned.
That guy... seemed to be only Tier Five!