Chapter 166: The Fierce Battle of Verdant Tarn City
Translator: Strivon Editor: Geoffrey
Three days before the start of school.
Li Yao stretched out his muscles under the setting sun. Sitting at the base of the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit, he let the blood red color of the setting sun dye both him and the crystal suit red. The shadows of the two merged as one, trailing out long like a black saber.
Li Yao had formed a particular habit starting from an unknown time. No matter how busy the day was, he would take out half an hour during the evening to come beneath the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit and sit in silence for a moment.
He started doing this one day due to exhaustion. He discovered that when occasionally resting against the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit for a few minutes, he would suddenly feel his mind especially open up and his thoughts would become exceptionally clear. Many theories and blueprints that he wasn't able to understand normally would suddenly become clear at once.
This sort of feeling was like entering the Super Perceptive State, yet it didn't have the side effects of the Super Perceptive State. He was able to maintain it for a very long time.
It was as if there was someone else thinking with him in the darkest depths, much like joint problem-solving.
Li Yao was at a loss. He thought for several days and could not think of a reason why. He could only take it as blessings from the refining department's senior brothers and teachers from the underworld, hoping that Li Yao would able to smoothly get 40,000 credits, test and become a registered refiner, and bring Grand Desolate War Institution's Refining Department to glory.
He maintained this habit from that day forth.
The half hour with the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit became his moment of relaxation that was hard to come by during the day.
It was as if all the teachers and elder brothers of the refining department were hibernating in the depths of the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit. They cheered for his sake, letting him have the morale to madly cultivate beyond his limits and letting him press on through gritted teeth!
Based on his current state, to make something from nothing, to refine a magical equipment completely produced by himself was still something where the will was there but not the strength.
But based on sturdy fundamentals that stemmed from the strong and ferocious forging techniques of forty millenniums ago as well as his unrestrained devil modification style, Li Yao had already conducted crazy enhancements for several dozen types of typical magical equipment. Quite a few of these magical equipment had performances that far exceeded the original, so much so that they differed completely, seemingly as if they were different objects.
He refined until today, having completed 18 primary battle magical equipment and several dozen auxiliary magical equipment, displaying all the techniques he possessed to the utmost detail.
However, would his modification train of thought be accepted? Would these magical equipment be like what he had envisioned? Could they display their might on the battlefield? Would they be welcomed by his classmates? Could he exchange them for school credits...
All of these questions will have their answers found in true battle after the start of the new school semester!
"I have decided now. Once the new school semester starts, I will bring all my artifacts to the depths of the Wasteland and hunt demon beasts. On one hand, I will be able to use live combat to test the magical equipment produced from my devil modification and go a step further in fine tuning the details. On the other hand, I can record a live combat video and upload it to the Wasteland Battle Network as a live advertisement!"
More importantly, Li Yao really wanted to hone his combat skills.
Fiend Blade Peng Hai had told him this back in Floating Spear City: to become an outstanding refiner, it was best to first become a remarkable soldier.
He did not take these words to heart at the time.
But when he started to truly refine using the crafting furnace, even for engaging in minor modifications, Li Yao suddenly became aware of the reasoning behind these words.
If one doesn't dance with blades and handle guns, how would one know how to refine an outstanding saber?
Only in actual combat would he be able to gain a deep understanding of the nature of each magical equipment, and only then could he understand the essence of a refiner and become a super, top-notch master refiner.
Li Yao turned his head when his thoughts reached this point. He gave a deep glance at the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit, and emotions of disappointment and frustration were born inexplicably from the bottom of his heart.
There will be a day when he will successfully refine the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit. He will make this majestic Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit rise to the highest heavens and roar with wind and thunder!
But he didn't know just who would don the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit when that day comes and laugh in defiance against the heavens and earth.
Li Yao's eyelids twitched. An image of him wearing the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit suddenly appeared in the depths of his pupils. He had a world-shaking appearance.
This scene was impossible to erase once it had appeared and stabbed deeply within his heart like a growing barb. No matter how he pulled, he was unable to remove it.
"If there is a day when I can don the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit, break through the skies of the highest heavens, and brave the winds and waves of the star ocean... How refreshing that would be!"
Li Yao chuckled and giggled as he let his imagination run wild.
Right at this time, Wild Waves City suddenly sounded with a resonating horn in all directions.
It was as if countless giants were standing up straight at every corner of the city, ferociously pounding their chests and letting out roars that shook the heaven and earth.
"Roar!"
"Roar!"
"Roar!"
Li Yao's pupils suddenly constricted and he suddenly jumped up. He sized up his surroundings with a bit of astonishment.
Even though he couldn't see even half a person, when the horn sounded, the entirety of Wild Waves City underwent a bizarre change.
The strong odor of blood and metal flooded the air. Even though the frigid winter wasn't over, it was as if the scorching summer had suddenly arrived.
"Whoosh!"
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
Several dozen streaks of light consisting of every color imaginable ascended slowly towards the skies from all directions. They interweaved together, faced the northeast direction, and shot out like lightning.
They were several dozen experts of at least the Building Foundation Stage!
The crystal processor on Li Yao's wrist crazily vibrated. The Wasteland Battle Network had pushed out a notification, and there was a sudden outburst of extremely important information.
This was an unprecedented event. Li Yao activated the crystal processor at once.
A stream of information made up of a mixture of gold and blood colored lights popped up. It was an ad-hoc mission of complete urgency.
"Emergency military situation!"
"Verdant Tarn City, located 478 kilometers away from Wild Waves City, has encountered a beast tide of level 8 or higher! The beast tide has already broken through the outer defense lines and has rushed into the city!"
"There are still many civilians remaining in Verdant Tarn City who are staying entrenched within the center of the stronghold. The entire city has already sunken into a messy situation where humans and demon beasts are mixed together. It is impossible for us to use super-heavy magical equipment to destroy the beast tide."
"We can only summon masses of federation forces and cultivators to enter the city and engage in alleyway and street combat!"
"The federation forces have officially asked the cultivators of all sects and universities surrounding Verdant Tarn City to enter the battlefield!"
"Our school, at its roots, is a local university of the Wasteland. When faced with a neighbor in crisis, we are bound by duty!"
"The name of this ad-hoc mission is... The Fierce Battle of Verdant Tarn City!"
"Every student who has more than 8000 credits can sign up!"
"Those who are interested, please register on the Battle Network and assemble at Field No. 2 within an hour. Time is of the essence!"
"Repeat. This mission is extremely high risk. It is very likely to lead to heavy injuries or even death. Those that do not have confidence in their own strength, don't apply!"
"Due to the urgency of the battlefield situation, the quantity and species of the demon beasts are not known. The official school credit reward for this mission has yet to be calculated; however, the school promises to give participating students rewards in accordance with the highest standard!"
"Cultivators are the sabers of human civilization. Now is the time to unsheathe these blades. An hour later, at Field No. 2, we will leave and behead the demons and exterminate the devils!"
"Behead the demons and exterminate the devils!"
The last few words made Li Yao dry at the mouth and tongue; his blood was racing.
He was just a normal person during the last beast tide invasion. He had to rely on Ding Ying, Wei Qingqing, and the red-eyed officer... these cultivators to come protect him.
But today, he had already become a cultivator of the 5th level of the Refinement Stage and had even refined several dozen masterwork weapons that could cut through steel like mud.
When it comes down to him versus a thousand, death will rain down all around him!
"Excellent! In the ancient cultivation world of forty millenniums ago, a newly forged masterwork weapon would undergo slaying several demons and devils as a baptism!"
"Verdant Tarn City. Beast tide. I will use you all to baptize my first batch of magical equipment!"
...
Field No. 2 of Grand Desolate War Institution.
A Thunderbird class light transport ship had landed at the corner of the field.
This was a transport ship that was specialized for quick response usage. It could transport over 800 passengers each trip, and it can carry ten medium-sized crystal tanks underneath it. This was a model that was specifically refined to deal with beast tides.
Generally, besides taking the crystal rail, cultivators below the Building Foundation Stage would board this kind of transport ship to enter battlefields where danger lurks at every corner.
Flying solo on a sword was tantamount to throwing away one's life. All sorts of demon beasts hibernating or lying in wait in the darkness would unleash their demonic energy and poison to instantly kill you!
Grand Desolate War Institution's dean, Xiong Baili, and his administration had already gathered below the Thunderbird transport ship.
Quite a few of the teaching and administrative staff were wearing battle armor, fully armed and prepared to enter combat.
Xiong Baili's entire face was serious and his eyebrows were locked tight. He faced a young officer with stripes of a major and asked:
"A'Chao, how did things turn out this way? Isn't Verdant Tarn City a mining town? There are several dozen military camps in its surroundings and three overlapping defensive lines. It could be said to be near invulnerable to attacks, so how did a beast tide suddenly break through? Normally, a few rounds from the crystal warships would be able to resolve this issue, but now, we're at the point where we need to engage in street fighting?"
The major’s name was Xiong Zongchao. Not only was he a graduate of Grand Desolate War Institution, he was also a distant relative of Xiong Baili; he was Xiong Baili's distant nephew.
So, Xiong Baili had asked him openly and honestly.
Xiong Zongchao spoke with a bitter laugh:
"Fourth Uncle, the outer defense perimeter of Verdant Tarn City hasn't been broken through. This time, the wormhole appeared right inside the city. The beast tide directly rushed into the city region and engaged in street warfare. Even great immortals wouldn't have been able to do a thing about this."
Xiong Baili was stunned:
"We're this unlucky?"
From the past until now, the original strategy executed by the Star Glory Federation against the Demon Beast Wasteland was an encroachment fortification tactic. Every city was constructed as a near invulnerable fort to nibble away at the Wasteland inch by inch, forcibly reducing the amount of room for demon beasts to exist.
Only through wormholes could demon beasts break through to the Heaven Origin Sector from the Blood Demon Sector and launch a surprise attack.
The emergence point of a wormhole is random. If a wormhole appears in the middle of the wilderness, then the beast tide could only gnaw against the outer defensive perimeter of the city.
They need at least three to five hours, and even half a day may not be enough for them to gnaw through the defenses.
Humanity's crystal warships can fly leisurely to the skies above the beast tide with their Primeval True Fire Cannons, Taiyi Lightning Railguns, and Shattered Star Bombarders... Various mighty, powerful, and unrivaled super-heavy magical equipment can be unleashed, cleaving skulls and brains together in an indiscriminate bombardment. No matter how unbridled the beast tide is, they would all turn to roast duck!
But this time, they were truly unlucky. The wormhole directly appeared within the city. The beast tide came pouring into the city region in an instant, mixing together with the human race.
No matter how strong crystal warships were, in the end, they couldn't just bombard the entirety of Verdant Tarn City to smithereens, right?
They could only mobilize the federation soldiers and cultivators to engage in street combat!
Xiong Baili gave a cold snort. His expression turned incomparably sharp:
"Who cares if its street combat? We of the human race are the most powerful combat race of the endless sea of stars. It doesn't matter which environment we fight in. We will surely be the ultimate victors! A'Chao, come. Experience for yourself the bearing and style of Grand Desolate War Institution's new generation!"