Chapter 746: Seeing Qiao Zhiyao Again

The car pulled over by the highway. Ye Guanlan stepped out to shake his hand in farewell.

“Have a safe trip,” Ye Guanlan said. “Next time you visit, I hope to see you having mastered all those new Rules.”

Xu Wuyi nodded and got into another car waiting nearby.

It was a dedicated vehicle sent by the military to take him directly to the spaceport, where he would transfer to a flight to Dongjiang.

As the car started and slowly pulled away, he looked through the window to see Ye Guanlan still standing there, watching him leave.

The Federation’s youngest top-tier researcher currently wore a faint smile, as if seeing off an old friend.

Xu Wuyi withdrew his gaze, leaned back in his seat, and closed his eyes.

Next stop: Dongjiang.

Qiao Tongyu had already made preparations, just waiting for his arrival. Seven Rifts, around ten hunts, with seventy percent of the profits going to him.

No matter how one looked at it, this partnership was worth taking seriously.

When he arrived in Dongjiang Province, it was already four o’clock in the afternoon.

Walking out of the spaceport, Xu Wuyi immediately spotted a familiar face waiting at the exit. It was Zhao Kun.

The Innate Martial Artist was still dressed in his sleek combat uniform. The bandages on his left arm were gone, replaced by a faint scar.

Zhao Kun was a native of Dongjiang Province to begin with. Now that the Profound Abyssal Rift had been eradicated, there was no need for him to remain stationed there.

Seeing Xu Wuyi emerge, Zhao Kun quickly approached him with a wide smile.

“Grandmaster Xu!” he greeted, hurrying over and coming to a halt before him. He offered a respectful bow. “Director Qiao sent me to pick you up. The car is already prepared.”

Xu Wuyi nodded and followed him out. As they walked, he asked casually, “Has your injury healed?”

Zhao Kun subconsciously touched the scar on his left arm and grinned. “It’s healed. It was just a flesh wound, anyway. After resting for over a month, I’m completely fine.”

He paused, a hint of deep gratitude entering his tone. “Speaking of which, I have to thank you. If you hadn’t slaughtered all those Star Beasts that day, we wouldn’t have harvested enough materials to exchange for resources. Thanks to you, the equipment I’m using now is leagues better than what I had before.”

Xu Wuyi shook his head, not saying much in response.

The two walked out of the spaceport and got into a black off-road vehicle. The engine roared to life, merging onto Dongjiang Province’s expressway.

From the driver’s seat, Zhao Kun briefed him on the situation as he navigated the road.

“Director Qiao said to take you to the first Rift right away. He’s already there waiting, and some core members of the Battle Group will be heading over as well.

“We’ve fully investigated the seven Rifts we need to handle this time. The Star Realm behind each Rift is different, meaning the scale of the Beast Tides they can unleash varies too.

“Director Qiao thinks it’s best to start with a moderately sized one to test the waters. Once you’re used to the rhythm, we’ll tackle the bigger ones.”

Xu Wuyi listened in silence, nodding occasionally without interrupting.

The vehicle glided smoothly down the expressway as the scenery outside blurred past. They drove steadily eastward, transitioning from a bustling city to the tranquil countryside, and from a straight highway to winding mountain roads.

Over two hours later, a continuous mountain range appeared ahead.

The mountains weren’t particularly high, but they were lush and densely forested. Nestled amidst the peaks, a man-made clearing could faintly be seen.

Entering the mountainous region, the car proceeded along a newly paved, makeshift road.

The further they drove, the more pronounced the Energy Fluctuations in the air became. It was a sensation Xu Wuyi was intimately familiar with—the distinct aura of a Rift.

Finally, the vehicle pulled up in front of an encampment.

The camp was already bustling with activity. Some people were transporting supplies, others were calibrating equipment, and a few were on patrol. At the sight of the arriving car, everyone turned their gazes toward them.

Xu Wuyi pushed the door open and stepped out. His eyes swept across the camp before landing on a familiar figure.

Qiao Tongyu stood in the center of the camp with his hands clasped behind his back, a warm smile on his face.

Upon seeing Xu Wuyi, he immediately stepped forward and extended a hand.

“Wuyi, you’re finally here. We’ve been eagerly waiting for you.”

Xu Wuyi shook his hand. “Uncle Qiao, sorry to keep you waiting.”

Qiao Tongyu shook his head and laughed. “Not at all. We actually used this time to iron out the finer details of our preparations. Come, come, take a break and have some water first. Then I’ll take you to see the Rift.”

With that, he guided Xu Wuyi toward the central tent of the camp.

They had only taken a few steps when a figure suddenly darted out from the side.

The figure was dressed in a well-fitted combat uniform, her hair tied in a neat ponytail, and a thrilled smile plastered on her face. She sprinted over in a flash, skidding to a sudden halt right in front of Xu Wuyi.

Seeing the person’s face clearly, Xu Wuyi paused in slight surprise.

It was Qiao Zhiyao.

However, the Qiao Zhiyao standing before him was entirely different from the young girl in his memory.

Her aura was vastly stronger than before. A faint fluctuation of Qi and Blood lingered around her—condensed and restrained, radiating the quiet confidence of an expert.

With a single glance, Xu Wuyi could tell she had successfully advanced to become an Innate Martial Artist.

“Senior Brother!” Qiao Zhiyao greeted, unable to suppress her grin. “It’s been so long!”

Xu Wuyi looked at her, sizing her up with a glance, and gave an approving nod.

“Not bad,” he said, a touch of praise in his tone. “You’ve broken through to the Innate stage.”

Qiao Zhiyao nodded vigorously, her ponytail swishing behind her.

“Mhm! I just broke through last month!” Her voice carried a hint of pride, but mostly pure excitement. “You have no idea, Senior Brother Xu—the only reason I could advance so quickly was all thanks to what you taught me back then.”