Chapter 128: Martial Arts and Technology

"Rune armor?"

Upon hearing this unprecedented term, Professor Yang immediately stopped walking and turned around sharply, frowning: "What is rune armor?"

The old man’s reaction put Cang Luo at ease, yet also stirred a quiet sigh within him.

Names don’t attract them.

Profit doesn’t attract them either.

Only technology that benefits the nation can draw their interest.

Cang Luo sighed inwardly, then looked at Professor Yang and asked instead: "Professor Yang, what do you think determines the combat power of armored vehicles like tanks?"

"You’re testing me?" Professor Yang frowned, impatiently: "Fire control systems, power systems, missiles, and armor—all four are indispensable."

"Also, let me correct you: strictly speaking, tanks and armored vehicles are two different types of combat vehicles."

"In your young people’s terms, tanks are ADC, armored vehicles are supports."

Cang Luo nodded awkwardly—he wasn’t a military enthusiast; he had no idea about any of this.

"Then how do our armored vehicles and tanks compare to those of Western nuclear powers?"

Professor Yang saw Cang Luo was stringing him along. If it were any other topic, he’d have already walked out, but Cang Luo had used the very subject he cared about most—armor technology—to lure him in. How could he leave now?

Professor Yang shook his head helplessly and said seriously: "The Type 99 main battle tank I helped design is the most advanced in China, ranking among the top three globally in comprehensive performance."

"Its fire control system and missile armament are on par with the Western M1A2 main battle tank, but..."

Here he sighed and continued: "But its power system and armor performance lag far behind the M1A2, especially the armor."

"Their M1A2 tanks and armored vehicles use the world-leading 'depleted uranium armor,' which only they can manufacture."

"The strength and performance of depleted uranium armor far surpasses the composite armor used on our Type 99 main battle tank..."

Cang Luo frowned slightly, muttering: "So that’s how it is..."

He had assumed the Chinese army was the strongest in the world, yet never imagined its armored vehicles and tanks were so far behind the West!

Other areas must be lagging too—like aircraft carriers. China has only two carriers and two accompanying carrier groups, one of which is a secondhand relic from last century.

The other, domestically developed carrier has just been launched and hasn’t even been tested in combat.

Meanwhile, one nuclear superpower possesses dozens of carrier groups—insanely powerful...

For some reason, after hearing Professor Yang’s explanation, Cang Luo felt an unexpected, heavy sense of loss. He realized he needed to do something for his homeland—even if it meant sacrificing his own interests.

First there is the nation, then there is the family!

If the motherland isn’t strong, how can it protect the small family? How can the small family know happiness?

Think of those living in oil war zones—their nations are weak, leaving hundreds of millions in misery, living in constant fear, never knowing when a missile might land on their roof...

Compared to them, the people of China are already happy, already lucky.

But it’s not enough. If the motherland remains weak, history will repeat itself—the Five Barbarians’ Rebellion and the Eight-Nation Alliance are still fresh in memory!

After sorting through these thoughts, Cang Luo exhaled deeply, his gaze suddenly hardening, as if resolving a long-standing inner knot.

Li Weiguo and Professor Yang noticed Cang Luo’s subtle change and exchanged a knowing glance—they knew he had been moved.

Professor Yang couldn’t help asking: "Xiao Cang, what exactly is this rune armor you mentioned? Is it a new material? Or a new armor manufacturing technique?"

If it’s a new material, it’s useless before the two worlds connect—it’s just something to marvel at, unless Cang Luo can send the material back to Earth, which is clearly impossible.

But if it’s a manufacturing technique from a cultivation civilization, Earth might not be able to directly apply it, yet it could still offer some inspiration, perhaps even direct reference in certain areas.

Cang Luo organized his thoughts, placed his phone on the table, and freed his hands to explain: "It’s both a new material and a manufacturing technique."

As he spoke, Cang Luo drew his third-rank longsword and continued: "This is a third-rank longsword. Third-rank refers to the grade of the metal forged into this blade—I don’t know its exact name."

On the video, Professor Yang frowned: "So, how strong is this third-rank metal? And is the rune armor manufacturing technique you mentioned the same as the forging technique of this sword?"

Professor Yang was slightly dismissive. Though Yuanwu Continent is a cultivation civilization, its cold weapon forging techniques aren’t necessarily superior to Earth’s.

On today’s Earth, with sufficient materials and energy, what equipment can’t be made?

Even a Iron Man suit is possible—what’s lacking is only a micro-energy source suitable for battle armor.

Cang Luo smiled: "As for strength, I think it can cut through a tank—though that’s not the point."

With that, Cang Luo suddenly let out a low shout.

The next instant, an orange-red aura condensed instantly around his right arm, swirling like blood qi and swiftly enveloping the sword.

The third-rank longsword, originally over three feet long and less than an inch wide, now became a four-foot heavy blade, its entire length wrapped in orange-red aura, emitting a soft rustling sound.

From the phone came Li Weiguo’s startled cry: "Qi aura? Xiao Cang, are you now a second-rank martial artist?"

For the cultivation ranks on Yuanwu Continent, Li Weiguo and others preferred to use first-rank, second-rank—it felt awkward to say Warrior, Martial General, Martial Master.

Professor Yang also showed slight surprise at the aura—he simply couldn’t comprehend this unscientific phenomenon.

He frowned: "What does this have to do with rune armor?"

Cang Luo didn’t answer Professor Yang’s question. Instead, he said calmly: "I’m currently at Martial General Third Layer—think of it as second-rank, third segment."

As he spoke, Cang Luo’s expression turned icy, and he swung the sword coldly: "This is qi aura—the ability only second-rank martial artists possess. The higher the segment, the larger the area covered by the aura."

"Only when one becomes a third-rank martial artist can the aura cover the entire body—this full-body aura is called ‘bodyguard aura.’"

"A third-rank martial artist unleashing bodyguard aura is impervious to blades and bullets—I believe he can even withstand a single soldier’s missile, and take an enemy commander’s head from within ten thousand troops..."

"Xiao Cang!" Li Weiguo snapped, frowning: "What are you trying to say?"

Cang Luo dispersed the aura and smiled: "Nothing. I just wanted to show you how powerful qi aura is. Also... to let certain people who want to harm me hear it."

Ignoring Li Weiguo, Cang Luo put away his smile and turned to Professor Yang: "The rune armor I just mentioned is related to qi aura."

Professor Yang said nothing, watching Cang Luo, waiting for him to continue.

But Cang Luo didn’t continue. Instead, he pulled out a piece of beast hide and ink made from beast blood and demon core, preparing to draw a newly learned array on the spot.

The array’s name was crude: Wind Shield. Its rank was low—Yellow Grade, Low Class—and its function simple: pure defense.

But it was practical and cheap—the most common and favored array among low-rank bounty hunters.

When activated, it generates a wind-attribute qi shield capable of withstanding a full-force strike from a third-rank demon beast—critical in saving one’s life.

Professor Yang and Li Weiguo watched the screen, staring as Cang Luo drew something on the beast hide. After patiently waiting over ten minutes, it seemed he was done.

Cang Luo held up the completed Wind Shield, activated it toward the phone camera, and instantly a life-sized, translucent blue qi shield appeared before him—like a police riot shield.

Since the array had no embedded spirit stone—and couldn’t be embedded—Cang Luo had to continuously supply it with unaligned spiritual energy, or the Wind Shield would last only two minutes.

Of course, continuous spiritual energy input didn’t mean indefinite duration. A Wind Shield drawn on second-rank demon beast hide could be recharged at most two or three more times before it was destroyed.

Meaning, this Wind Shield could last about seven minutes total.

As for why spirit stones couldn’t be embedded—arrays drawn on beast hide are all one-time portable arrays, naturally incapable of embedding spirit stones.

Arrays that can embed spirit stones are always fixed in place.

For example, the steel war vehicle Cang Luo envisioned: arrays engraved on the armor, spirit stones embedded inside.

Cang Luo had just given it a new name: Rune Armor!

In the video call, Li Weiguo exclaimed: "Isn’t this the energy shield from sci-fi movies?"

Cang Luo nodded: "Spiritual energy and the qi aura it forms on Yuanwu Continent are indeed a form of energy. Calling it an energy shield isn’t wrong."

"But it has another name: Wind Shield—a Yellow Grade, Low Class array. Don’t underestimate it just because it’s the lowest rank."

"I dare say, tanks and artillery can’t pierce it—though they might still shock the person behind it."

As he spoke, Cang Luo added: "Actually, Wind Shield and a martial artist’s qi shield are fundamentally the same—only the conditions of use differ."

"To generate a qi shield of this level, a martial artist must reach third rank."

"But with Wind Shield, even a beginner—zero-rank martial artist—can activate and use it."

After Cang Luo finished, Li Weiguo’s eyes suddenly lit up, his face flushed with excitement.

He realized: if war ever broke out between the two worlds, high-yield missiles couldn’t be used on Earth, while low-yield firearms were useless against martial artists.

Human soldiers facing Yuanwu Continent’s martial artists would be instantly slaughtered—a problem that had long plagued every nation.

Though every nation believed martial artists would emerge on Earth after the worlds connected, their numbers would be extremely few—and likely no match for Yuanwu Continent’s martial artists.

So currently, every nation’s only option was to heavily invest in developing new weapons.

The research direction was a weapon with small area of effect but high speed and pinpoint power—only such weapons could harm martial artists without destroying Earth. Unfortunately, progress was minimal.

But just now, seeing Cang Luo demonstrate the Wind Shield, Li Weiguo suddenly had an idea.

Humans might never become martial artists—even if they did, in the short term they’d be low-rank, useless.

But humans could very likely use arrays.

And humans, with their limitless creativity, could surely modify arrays using scientific methods, integrating Earth’s technology into them to create weapons and equipment combining martial arts and science.

The more Li Weiguo thought about it, the more excited he became...

Beside him, Professor Yang suddenly spoke: "Xiao Cang, you mean painting the Wind Shield... onto tank armor? That’s what rune armor means?"

"After painting the Wind Shield on a tank, it forms an energy shield?"

Li Weiguo added: "Not just tanks, not just Wind Shield—we could also draw attack arrays on firearms and single-soldier missiles."

"Turn conventional thermal weapons into... Rune Guns, Rune Missiles, Rune Cannons?"

Cang Luo blinked, then chuckled: "Rune Guns? Rune Missiles? Rune Cannons? You’re almost bald, uncle—how’s your imagination so wild?"

Cang Luo hadn’t thought that far—he’d only imagined modifying electric motorcycles and applying rune armor to tanks and armored vehicles.

In the video call, Li Weiguo’s face darkened. Who’s bald?

You’re bald!

Your whole family is bald!