Chapter 128: The Way of Martial Arts and Technology

"Rune Armor?"

Upon hearing this unprecedented term, Professor Yang immediately stopped walking and spun around in confusion: "What is Rune Armor?"

The old man's reaction put Facing Facing 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.

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

"You're testing the old man?" Professor Yang frowned, impatiently: "Fire control system, power system, missiles, and armor—these 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 support."

Facing Facing Cang Luo nodded awkwardly—he wasn't a military enthusiast; how would he know such things?

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

Professor Yang saw Facing Facing Cang Luo was stalling. If it were any other matter, he'd have already walked away, but Facing Facing Cang Luo had used the very subject he cared about most—armor technology—to lure him in; how could he possibly leave?

Professor Yang shook his head helplessly and said seriously: "The 99-type main battle tank I helped design is the most advanced tank in Huaxia; its overall performance ranks among the top three globally."

"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 fall far behind the M1A2, especially the armor."

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

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

Facing Facing Cang Luo frowned slightly and muttered: "So it's like this..."

He had assumed the Huaxia army was the strongest in the world, yet never imagined that in armored vehicles and tanks, it lagged so far behind the West!

Other areas must be behind too—like aircraft carriers: Huaxia has only two carriers and two accompanying carrier task forces, 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 power possesses dozens of carrier task forces—ridiculously strong...

For some reason, after hearing Professor Yang's explanation, Facing Facing 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 homeland 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—because their homeland isn't strong, hundreds of millions live in misery, constantly fearful, never knowing when a missile might land on their roof...

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

But it's not enough. If the homeland isn't strong, history will repeat itself—the Five Barbarians' Rebellion and the Eight-Nation Alliance are still fresh in memory!

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

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

Professor Yang couldn't help asking: "Xiao Cang, what 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 can only satisfy curiosity, unless Facing Facing Cang Luo can send the material back to Earth, which is clearly impossible.

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

Facing Facing Cang Luo organized his thoughts, placed his phone on the table, and freed both hands before explaining: "It's both a new material and a manufacturing technique."

As he spoke, Facing Facing Cang Luo drew his Rank 3 longsword and continued: "This is a Rank 3 longsword—the 'Rank 3' 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 Rank 3 metal? And is the Rune Armor manufacturing technique you mentioned the same as the forging technique of this sword?"

Professor Yang was somewhat 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 materials and energy, what equipment can't be made?

Even a Iron Man suit is feasible—what's lacking is only a micro-energy source applicable to battle armor.

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

With that, Facing Facing Cang Luo suddenly let out a sharp cry.

The next instant, a layer of orange-red gangqi condensed instantly around his right arm, swirling like blood qi and swiftly enveloping the sword.

The original Rank 3 longsword, barely over three feet long and less than an inch wide, now became a four-foot heavy blade, its entire length and Facing Facing Cang Luo's arm wrapped in orange-red gangqi, emitting a soft rustling sound.

From the phone came Li Weiguo's exclamation: "Gangqi? Xiao Cang, are you now a Rank 2 martial cultivator?"

For the cultivation levels on Yuanwu Continent, Li Weiguo and others preferred to use Rank 1, Rank 2—calling them Wu Shi, Wu Jiang, Wu Shi felt awkward.

Professor Yang, watching the gangqi, was slightly startled—he simply couldn't comprehend this unscientific phenomenon.

He frowned: "What does this have to do with Rune Armor?"

Facing Facing Cang Luo didn't answer Professor Yang's question, but said calmly: "I am currently at Rank 3 of Wu Jiang cultivation—you can understand it as Rank 2, Stage 3 martial cultivator..."

As he spoke, Facing Facing Cang Luo's expression turned icy, and he swung the sword coldly: "This is gangqi—the ability only Rank 2 martial cultivators possess. The higher the stage, the larger the area covered by gangqi."

"Only when one becomes a Rank 3 martial cultivator can the gangqi cover the entire body—this full-body gangqi is called 'Bodyguarding Gangqi.'"

"A Rank 3 martial cultivator unleashing Bodyguarding Gangqi is impervious to blades and bullets—I believe he can even withstand a single soldier's missile, and can cut down enemy commanders in the midst of ten thousand soldiers..."

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

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

Ignoring Li Weiguo, Facing Facing Cang Luo put away his smile and turned to Professor Yang: "The Rune Armor I just mentioned is related to gangqi."

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

But Facing Facing Cang Luo didn't continue—he took from his backpack 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, Lower Tier—and its function simple: pure defense.

But it was practical and cheap, the most commonly carried and favored array among low-rank bounty hunters.

When activated, it generates a wind-element gangqi shield capable of withstanding a full-force strike from a Rank 3 demon beast—critical in moments when it can save one's life.

Academician Yang and Li Weiguo, along with others, watched the large screen, staring as Facing Facing Cang Luo drew something on a beast hide; after waiting patiently for over ten minutes, it seemed he had finished.

Holding the completed Wind Shield, Facing Facing Cang Luo activated it before the phone camera; upon activation, a translucent, cyan-colored aura of gangqi, equal to a person's height, instantly appeared before him, resembling a police riot shield.

Since the formation had no Spirit Stones embedded—and indeed could not have any embedded—Facing Facing Cang Luo needed to continuously channel attribute-less Yuan Force into it; otherwise, the Wind Shield could only last two minutes.

Of course, continuously channeling Yuan Force did not mean the Wind Shield could last indefinitely; a Wind Shield drawn on second-grade demon beast hide could only be recharged two or three more times before being destroyed.

In other words, this Wind Shield could last a total of about seven minutes.

Regarding the inability to embed Spirit Stones, formations drawn on beast hides were actually all single-use portable formations, naturally unable to have Spirit Stones embedded.

Formations capable of embedding Spirit Stones were all fixed in a specific location.

For instance, in Facing Facing Cang Luo's vision of the Steel Chariot, the formation was inscribed on the armor, while the Spirit Stones were embedded within the armor's interior.

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

During the video call, Li Weiguo exclaimed in surprise: "Isn't this the energy shield frequently seen in science fiction movies?"

Facing Facing Cang Luo nodded and said: "The Yuan Force of the Yuanwu Continent and the gangqi condensed from it are indeed a form of energy; calling it an energy shield is no mistake.

However, it has another name: Wind Shield. It is a Yellow Grade Lower-Tier Formation. Do not look down on it just because it is merely the lowest-grade Yellow Grade Lower-Tier Formation.

I dare say that tank cannons cannot pierce it, though they might be able to shock and injure the person behind the Wind Shield."

Speaking thus, Facing Facing Cang Luo thought for a moment and added: "Actually, there is no essential difference between the Wind Shield and a martial artist's gangqi shield; the main distinction lies in the conditions for use.

For a gangqi shield of the Wind Shield's level, a martial artist must reach the Third Grade to condense it.

But for the Wind Shield, a Wu Tu... a Zero-Grade martial artist can activate and use it."

After Facing Facing Cang Luo finished speaking, Li Weiguo's eyes suddenly lit up, his face filled with excitement.

At that moment, he realized that if a war were to break out between the two worlds, high-powered missiles could not be used on Earth, while low-powered firearms would be of little use against martial artists.

Human soldiers encountering martial artists from the Yuanwu Continent would absolutely be instantly killed; this problem had long troubled all nations.

Although all nations believed that martial artists would also emerge on Earth once the two worlds connected, their numbers would certainly be extremely small, and moreover... they would likely not be a match for the martial artists of the Yuanwu Continent.

Therefore, what all nations could do for now was only to vigorously develop new types of weapons.

The development direction was a single-person weapon with a small damage radius but high attack speed and immense single-point power; only such weapons could injure martial artists without destroying Earth, yet unfortunately, there had been no progress.

However, just now, after seeing the Wind Shield demonstrated by Facing Facing Cang Luo, Li Weiguo suddenly had an idea.

Humans might not be able to become martial artists; even if they could, they would be low-grade martial artists for a short time, which would be utterly useless.

But humans had a high probability of being able to use formations.

Moreover, humans, possessing infinite creativity, could certainly modify formations, modifying them through scientific methods, integrating Earth's technology into formations to create weapons and equipment combining martial arts and technology.

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

Beside him, Academician Yang suddenly said: "Xiao Cang, do you mean drawing the Wind Shield... onto tank armor? Is 'Rune Armor' referring to this?

After drawing the Wind Shield on the tank, can it form a layer of energy shield?"

Li Weiguo jumped in and said: "Not just tanks, not just the Wind Shield; offensive formations could also be drawn on firearms and single-person missiles.

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

Facing Facing Cang Luo was momentarily stunned, then laughed and said: "Rune Guns, Rune Missiles, Rune Cannons? You balding uncle, how is your imagination so rich?"

Facing Facing Cang Luo had not actually thought that far; what he had considered was only how to modify the electric motorcycle, and how to apply Rune Armor to tanks and armored vehicles.

In the video call, Li Weiguo's face turned gloomy; who was balding?

You are the one balding!

Your whole family is balding!