Chapter 714

“That gaze?!”

Vic was stunned.

As an elite student of the Alliance, his martial will had reached the level of a Rank-One martialist—his spirit indestructible.

Yet he never expected that beneath the weight of that single gaze, he nearly knelt down and made a fool of himself.

“I never imagined that after tens of millions of years, it would be you who resonated with the True Martial Talisman…”

Fang Xing sat upon the throne, one hand propping his chin, speaking as if bored.

Back then, he used the body of Wu Kuangtu to save the world, then unified the Eastern and Western continents and founded Blue Star Academy.

Because Wu Kuangtu’s power was weak, that body was soon about to collapse.

So before his final death, he erected a statue of Wu Kuangtu and left behind legends of a hidden fortune.

In truth, it was meant to have generations of Blue Star Academy students come here to judge, then select a suitable host.

He had occasionally left, but spent most of his time in slumber.

Of course, each time he did leave, the hosts he chose achieved feats that shook the Alliance, even having their own statues erected within the academy.

This time, he was stirred awake by the world’s ascension.

‘Another great ascension… far surpassing the level of when I first discovered Bai Ying Continent…’

‘This time, within this starry cosmos, it’s entirely possible a being rivaling a Thirteenth-Rank Celestial Master will emerge…’

‘Which means… the great decisive battle is coming.’

Fang Xing sighed inwardly and looked at Vic.

“True Martial Talisman? The legendary number-one treasure of the Source Star? I always thought that was just a myth…”

Vic was utterly stunned: “I… it chose me?”

He seemed too excited to speak coherently, but Fang Xing watched coldly and noticed this man was already nervously scanning his surroundings, secretly trying to send a message outward.

‘Of course… students from the interstellar age are impossible to fool.’

‘He probably doesn’t believe me at all… maybe he thinks I’m some schemer or a demonic cultivator trying to possess him?’

‘His vigilance is far higher than any of the previous hosts.’

Fang Xing stirred, sending a streak of light into Vic’s forehead: “This is the secret technique I grant you, along with the method to use the True Martial Space… go try it yourself… if you wish to leave, you may exit freely.”

He smiled at the end: “If after trying all this, you still choose to abandon it… I don’t think the True Martial Talisman will object to leaving you. After all, a divine artifact bestowed by heaven belongs to the worthy…”

After casually summoning a veil of gray mist to isolate the space around Vic, Fang Xing’s gaze drifted, filled with melancholy: “After decades of secluded cultivation, I’ve barely sketched the outline of the True Martial Dao… but the Panwu Dao is simply too powerful.”

After all, Panwu, even among the Eternal Beings of the Fifteenth Rank, was no weakling.

And the Dao he created could suppress all other Daos with a single thread—naturally, it was immensely strong!

Manifested in this world, it meant that even after the Demon Cult’s leader was slain tens of millions of years ago, the cult still rose from the ashes.

Worse, the Demon Cult’s leader had poisoned the world before his death, spawning endless End Existences.

Had this “immortality” been perfect—had there been no risk of soul decay—those End Existences would have spent no time in slumber, and the entire Source Star Alliance would long ago have been exterminated, all life planets turned into breeding worlds.

If this kind of "immortality" weren't imperfect, still carrying the risk of soul decay, forcing those End Beings to spend most of their time in slumber, the Source Star Alliance would likely have been wiped out long ago, all life planets turned into breeding worlds.

“In the Forbidden Star Federation, this means that although they periodically harvest, some ‘geniuses’ who survive their brutal trials are absorbed, ascending into End Existences themselves, then granted a few life planets as new Forbidden Star overlords…”

“But I believe civilization will ultimately crush barbarism… even if barbarism has destroyed civilization many times in history, if you stretch the timeline long enough, civilization’s superiority over barbarism is utterly overwhelming…”

“That is the principle of progress: undulating advancement, spiral ascent…”

Fang Xing’s gaze grew solemn: “Now, the Source Star Alliance, in a sense, represents the True Martial Dao… while the Forbidden Star Federation represents the Panwu Dao… if the Source Star Alliance destroys the Forbidden Star Federation, it means the True Martial Dao has won.”

“With this world’s ascension again, the great decisive battle is imminent… even a martial genius unprecedented in history will emerge in this era, breaking through the Cosmic Realm to become a true Thirteenth-Rank being!”

A Thirteenth-Rank Celestial Master is one who has fully comprehended a single law and possesses infinite lifespan!

Such beings are barely capable of serving as vessels for Panwu’s resurrection.

Of course, they could also serve as Fang Xing’s vessel.

“Will that little guy be the first to reach this step?”

Fang Xing gazed at Vic, whose face glowed with excitement after his initial test of the True Martial Space, enclosed within the gray mist, and murmured to himself.

He was no longer choosing a host at random.

This Vic possessed the potential to awaken the True Martial Holy Body.

And his talent was the strongest he’d seen in years.

He also bore a blood feud with the Forbidden Star Federation—irreconcilable hatred.

He was, without doubt, the perfect protagonist material—no, the perfect main character!

“This one can be a backup… if he fails…”

Fang Xing shook his head.

After verifying through Wu Kuangtu, he had long ago left karmic traces within Blue Star Academy’s contemplation methods.

Now, with the Source Star Alliance’s rapid development, he had far more temporary vessels to choose from…

After verifying it on Wu Kuangtu, he had long since left karmic traces within the Blue Star Academy's visualization method.

With the current great expansion of the Source Star Alliance, he now has even more potential temporary vessels to choose from...

Morning.

Vic awoke from meditation, staring at his right hand, then suddenly clenched his fist.

*Crack!*

A faint ripple of void fluctuation flickered, a thread of void energy emerging, easily controlled by him.

“Indeed… I’ve broken through! Void Realm!”

Vic exhaled deeply: “Last night wasn’t a dream… within the True Martial Space, not only did I gain tenfold cultivation time, but it also resolved the bottleneck that plagued me for so long!!”

In Blue Star Academy, students who reached the Void Realm were already exceptional.

Especially first-year freshmen—those were rarer than phoenix feathers.

“Then… what is the price of this gift?”

Vic touched his forehead, then his expression hardened: “It doesn’t matter… as long as I can break through to the Cosmic Realm and avenge myself against the Forbidden Star Federation… I’ll pay any price. I have nothing left to lose.”

He thought of his hometown—a beautiful little place.

On a remote planet, everyone lived in peaceful seclusion.

But while he was away taking interstellar exams, his home was targeted by an awakened End Existence!

Such ancient ones, after millennia of slumber, craved life force beyond imagination.

When they discovered most inhabitants of the planet practiced the “Poisoned Body of Fate’s Demise” scripture and offered little life force, they vented their rage by destroying entire cities.

Vic’s hometown—Shaoxing City—was among them.

Thus, the Forbidden Star Federation had destroyed his family and home—this was absolute blood vengeance.

His sole goal in entering Blue Star University was revenge!

He was willing to sacrifice his entire life—and everything else—for it.

“Rest assured… in toppling Panwu, our goals are aligned.”

A mental voice echoed in Vic’s ear: “Well? Have you finally accepted all this?”

“Of course. I have nothing left to lose. Whether you’re the True Martial Talisman or not, I’ll swallow the bait.”

Vic replied calmly.

“Hah… your mindset is like a villain who must fatten you up first… but perhaps the harvest has already begun right now?”

Fang Xing chuckled, uttering words that startled Vic: “…But I won’t do that.”

“You… are truly the True Martial Talisman?”

Vic fell silent, then asked: “Then what exactly is the entity behind the Forbidden Star Federation—the one sustaining all the End Existences? In the Alliance’s Academy of Sciences, it’s called the demon-god Panwu, residing in the subspace. What is it?”

He had wondered this for a long time; now that he’d met the True Martial Talisman, he had to ask.

“A demon-god residing in subspace?”

Fang Xing found this notion absurd: “No! You’ve been wrong from the start… Panwu isn’t hidden in some undetectable subspace—he exists in heaven and earth, within every sentient being and insentient object. He… is everywhere!”

After all, he’s the Creator—of course he’s that grand!

“So… it’s not external contamination, but internal contamination?”

Vic was momentarily stunned: “The ‘Subspace School’ has always been mainstream in the Alliance… I never imagined the obscure ‘Intrinsic Source School’ was correct…”

As sworn enemies, the Source Star Alliance had established many institutions to study the Forbidden Star Federation.

Regarding the hidden “Panwu Demon Lord” above the End Existences, countless theories and probes had been made.

The prevailing view still held that he was a demon-god dwelling in an unobservable subspace.

But now, hearing the True Martial Talisman’s words, the truth was far more terrifying—his origins likely unimaginable.

“Discussing this is meaningless. What you need most now is to grow stronger…”

As for the hidden "Pan Wu Demon Sovereign" above those End Beings, there are numerous speculations and probes.

The prevailing view still holds that he is a demon god existing within an unobservable subspace!

Vic waited for the mysterious True Martial Talisman spirit to continue.

“So… you must first activate your own True Martial Holy Body… there are many beasts outside the academy—you can hunt them, or apply for the academy’s bloodline tonic support…”

Fang Xing said: “The True Martial Holy Body is the supreme martial physique for humanity. Once you obtain it, it will greatly aid your future breakthroughs into the Tower Realm and even the Cosmic Realm.”

"And then?"

Wei Ke waited for the mysterious Zhenwu Talisman Spirit to continue.

"So... you first need to activate your own 'Zhenwu Holy Body'... fortunately, there are many exotic beasts outside the academy; you can hunt them, or apply for the academy's bloodline potion support..."

Fang Xing said: "The Zhenwu Holy Body is the premier martial physique of the human race. Once you obtain it, it will greatly benefit your future breakthroughs into the Tower Ascension realm and even the Cosmic Realm."

"True Martial Sacred Body?"

Wei Ke’s expression turned wistful, then he added: "I’ve heard that in the Forbidden Star Federation, there is also a body type called 'Pan Wu Demon Body'... I wonder which is stronger, the True Martial Sacred Body or the Pan Wu Demon Body?"

"Hah... they are essentially the same body type—used rightly, it is righteous; used wrongly, it is evil."

Fang Xing chuckled softly, revealing a secret.