Chapter 747: Seeing Qiao Zhiyao Again

She paused, her tone turning serious. “If you hadn’t told me to rebuild my foundation, I’d definitely still be stuck at level 39, and who knows for how long.”

Xu Wuyi listened in silence, simply nodding.

He knew Qiao Zhiyao was telling the truth. Back when she had been stuck at a bottleneck while practicing the Hundred Refinements Melting Furnace, unable to even grasp the basics, he had told her to go back and practice the Basic Body Refining Technique. After a few months, the bottleneck had indeed loosened. Later, Grandmaster Yue Lianshan’s reply letter had also verified the correctness of this approach. Now that she had advanced to an Innate Martial Artist, it proved this path was indeed the right one.

Watching his daughter, Qiao Tongyu smiled and shook his head. “This girl. When she heard you were coming, she insisted on tagging along, saying she wanted to thank you in person.” He paused, a hint of helplessness in his voice. “I couldn’t talk her out of it, so I let her come.”

Xu Wuyi looked at Qiao Zhiyao and asked, “Are you participating in this operation too?”

Qiao Zhiyao nodded, her eyes sparkling. “Mhm! Father said I should come gain some experience. Since advancing to Innate, I haven’t truly fought a Great Commander Level Star Beast yet.” She paused, then added, “Of course, I won’t cause you any trouble. When I need to hide, I’ll hide, and when I need to run, I’ll run.”

Xu Wuyi nodded, saying no more.

He understood Qiao Tongyu’s intentions. As the most outstanding descendant of the Qiao Family’s current generation, Qiao Zhiyao would sooner or later have to shoulder the responsibility of protecting their territory. Letting her encounter a true Great Commander Level Star Beast early on to accumulate real combat experience was highly necessary. Moreover, with him and the elites of the Dongjiang Battle Group present, her safety shouldn’t be an issue.

The three walked into the tent, where tea and pastries were already laid out. Qiao Tongyu gestured for Xu Wuyi to take a seat, then sat down opposite him.

“Wuyi, let me first brief you on the situation regarding this Rift.” As he spoke, he pulled up a projected map with a striking red dot marked on it. “This Rift is located in the northeastern part of Dongjiang Province, codenamed ‘Qingya.’ Its Energy Level Limit is around level 45. Behind it is a relatively enclosed Star Realm fragment. It isn’t large in area, but the density of Star Beasts inside is extremely high.”

He paused before continuing, “Based on our observations over the past few years, there shouldn’t be any Beast King Level existences in the Star Realm behind that Rift. The strongest are Great Commanders, numbering somewhere between five and eight. The number of ordinary Star Beasts is conservatively estimated to be over three thousand.

“Of course, the absence of a Beast King is only an estimate. We must make ample preparations, and we can’t even rule out the possibility of a Beast King actively seeking you out once it discovers you.”

Listening, Xu Wuyi quickly made calculations in his mind. Over three thousand ordinary Star Beasts and five to eight Great Commanders. This scale was slightly smaller than the Profound Abyssal Rift, but not by much. For his current self, it was completely manageable.

Qiao Tongyu went on, “Our plan is this. First, the Battle Group will set up a defensive line near the Rift. Then, at the appropriate moment, we will intentionally release a Beast Tide.

“The instant the Beast Tide surges out, you will strike, eliminating all the Star Beasts in the shortest possible time. Leave the remaining cleanup work to us.”

He looked at Xu Wuyi, his gaze carrying an inquiring intent. “What do you think?”

Xu Wuyi thought for a moment before replying, “That works. But there’s one thing—I need to see the specific conditions of the Rift first and sense the Energy Fluctuation behind it. That way, I’ll have a better grasp of the situation when I strike.”

Qiao Tongyu nodded. “That’s only natural. I’ll personally take you there to have a look first thing tomorrow morning.” He then added, “Rest up and recharge your spirit for today. We’ll check the Rift tomorrow, and the day after, we make our move.”

Xu Wuyi nodded without objection.

Beside them, Qiao Zhiyao’s eyes grew brighter and brighter as she listened. Once Qiao Tongyu finished speaking, she couldn’t help but ask, “Senior Brother Xu, can I tag along to have a look tomorrow?”

Xu Wuyi looked toward Qiao Tongyu.

Qiao Tongyu considered it and said, “Go ahead, but you can only watch from afar. Do not get close.”

Qiao Zhiyao nodded vigorously, her face full of excitement.

The three chatted for a bit longer before Qiao Tongyu had someone lead Xu Wuyi to rest.

Outside the tent, the sky was gradually darkening. The distant mountains grew blurry in the twilight, leaving only rolling silhouettes.

Xu Wuyi followed the guiding Martial Artist through the camp, arriving in front of a small, solitary tent.

“Grandmaster Xu, you’ll be staying here tonight,” the Martial Artist said respectfully. “If you need anything, just call for me anytime.”

Xu Wuyi nodded and lifted the flap to step inside. The tent wasn’t large, but it was kept very clean. It held a simple cot, a folding table, a chair, and a portable energy stove sitting in the corner.

He sat on the chair, closed his eyes, and began to regulate his breathing.

In his sea of consciousness, the pale blue Heart of Order was still rotating slowly. Its light was more solid than before, and the halo surrounding it was even more stable. Over a month of cultivation had not only allowed him to perfect his Martial Arts but had also made his Power of Heart Image far purer.

He would check out the Rift tomorrow and make his move the day after. Over three thousand Star Beasts and five to eight Great Commanders might be a massive headache for others, but for him, it was just a routine strike.

He opened his eyes and looked outside the tent.

Through the thin canvas, he could see figures moving about and hear the occasional murmur of conversation. They were all preparing for the operation the day after tomorrow—transporting supplies, inspecting gear, and calibrating equipment.

In this temporary camp, everyone was on edge.