Chapter 127: Summoning

On the last day of April, in the morning, spring rain was drizzling outside, bringing a chill to the air.

Within Hongning Base City, inside a quiet, ancient-style villa belonging to the Elite Training Camp.

Jiang Fang, wearing white undergarments, was sitting cross-legged in the middle of the martial arts hall, performing slow, deep breaths. As she breathed, sweat poured from her skin, and her muscles and skin flushed a faint red. Suddenly, a distant, melodious flute sound rang out, and Jiang Fang opened her eyes.

“Who could be calling at this time?” puzzled, she rose and walked barefoot through the martial arts hall toward the phone resting in the corner.

Looking at the name displayed on the phone screen,

Jiang Fang’s expression changed instantly, her attitude growing serious: “Inspector Wang!”

“Jiang Fang, go and summon your disciple, Luo Feng, and bring him to me,” came a slightly hoarse voice from the phone.

“Yes,” Jiang Fang replied promptly.

After hanging up, a faint smile appeared on her face: “So they’re finally coming for Luo Feng. It makes sense, after all. It’s been eight years since the Training Camp had a student who immediately broke into the Top 100 upon arrival. And Luo Feng even made it to 68th place.” She had expected this summons for quite some time. She immediately dialed Luo Feng’s number.

“Beep… Beep… Beep…”

The sound of a busy signal.

“Hmm?”

“Why isn’t he answering?” Jiang Fang slightly frowned, hung up the phone, changed clothes, and headed directly toward Luo Feng’s residence.

…

In the secret underground chamber beneath Jiangnan Pavilion, which belonged to Luo Feng.

Barefoot, wearing only long pants and bare from the waist up, Luo Feng was drenched in sweat, his hair soaked.

“Slash!” Within the five-meter-by-five-meter underground chamber, Luo Feng’s footwork exploded forward in a flash, his right hand slicing downward like a blade. A sharp sound like tearing paper echoed through the air, followed by a thunderous boom. Immediately after the downward slash, Luo Feng smoothly transitioned into a backward step, his hand sweeping upward!

“Rise!”

Luo Feng’s mental power clearly sensed the air currents splitting apart like water, generating a powerful shockwave.

Each hand strike was like a real blade, each strike surpassing the speed of sound.

Within the reinforced alloy chamber, Luo Feng’s figure flickered between clarity and blur. Each movement of his feet was startlingly fast, and his hand strikes mimicked the precision of a real blade, executing continuous attacks with a force of 2.8 times his normal power.

Practice a thousand times, and the technique becomes instinct.

That was a saying from Jiang Fang. She once said that whether it’s blade techniques, footwork, or anything else, only through repeated practice can one improve. Thinking alone, no matter how much, is useless.

Want to improve footwork?

Train!

Want to improve blade techniques?

Train!

Want to increase striking power?

Train!

Only through long-term, repeated practice, combined with intelligence and insight, can one truly progress!

…

Dressed in a loose, black silk training outfit, Jiang Fang, holding an umbrella, arrived at Jiangnan Pavilion.

“Luo Feng!” she called out upon entering the courtyard.

From the second floor of another pavilion nearby, a girl leapt down holding an umbrella. It was Zhao Ruo. Smiling, she said, “Teacher Jiang Fang, looking for Brother Luo Feng? You could have just called him instead of coming all the way here yourself.”

Swoosh!

From Luo Feng’s pavilion, a figure darted into the first floor and quickly climbed upstairs: “Teacher, I’ll be right down.”

Jiang Fang and Zhao Ruo exchanged glances.

Both were martial artists of high skill, their eyes sharp. They had clearly seen Luo Feng was barefoot and wearing only pants.

“Brother really works hard, covered in sweat,” Zhao Ruo praised, then added teasingly, “Though his physique isn’t bad either, right, Teacher?”

“You little rascal,” Jiang Fang chuckled helplessly.

She had been playfully teased by Zhao Ruo.

Zhao Ruo made a face and giggled.

“Where’s Shi Jiang? Not here?” Jiang Fang asked.

“Brother Shi Jiang went to the Nine-Tier Tower early this morning. He’s different from us. He gets a lot of time each month in the training chambers and ancient gravity chambers,” Zhao Ruo shook her head dramatically, “Poor guy. Probably in a year or two, Brother Luo Feng will also break into the Top Ten. Compared to them, I feel so inadequate!”

Jiang Fang smiled: “You’re not going to improve unless you put in more effort.”

At that moment, Luo Feng came rushing downstairs in casual clothes, holding an umbrella: “Teacher.”

“Come with me,” Jiang Fang said.

Luo Feng obediently opened his umbrella and followed Jiang Fang’s side, leaving Jiangnan Pavilion together.

Walking through the Training Camp, enveloped in drizzle, it felt uniquely serene.

Jiang Fang glanced at Luo Feng and smiled: “Luo Feng, Inspector Wang wants to see you.”

“Inspector?” Luo Feng was surprised.

Inspectors were the true top echelon of the Pinnacle Martial Arts Academy. It was said that the Academy was truly governed by the Headmaster and the Five Great Inspectors. The Headmaster, standing above all, was the world’s strongest warrior, and rarely involved himself in affairs, leaving major decisions to the Five Inspectors.

“I told you earlier that you’d be summoned, didn’t I?” Jiang Fang smiled.

“Teacher, what should I pay attention to when meeting the Inspector?” Luo Feng felt uneasy.

After all, this was an Inspector!

One of the greatest warriors in the world. Luo Feng had only seen a Super-Warrior named Zhu Xi once at a memorial for the warrior Lu Gang. At that time, military and political leaders, as well as warriors, all showed deep respect, even going to the airport to greet him.

“Don’t worry. You’re not going to beg for anything. You’re being summoned by our academy,” Jiang Fang said casually, “So don’t be nervous. I believe even if Inspector Wang doesn’t smile, he won’t act like a superior showing off his authority.”

“Just maintain a respectful attitude, don’t be arrogant, and treat him like you would a teacher or elder,” Jiang Fang advised.

“Okay,” Luo Feng nodded.

Following Jiang Fang, they soon arrived at a seemingly ordinary but quiet villa within the area where the warrior instructors of the Training Camp resided. The villa had a Tang Dynasty-style Chinese architectural style. Compared to the other instructors’ villas, its only distinctive feature was its slightly larger size.

“Teacher Jiang Fang, Inspector Wang is waiting for you and Student Luo Feng inside,” an elderly steward at the villa’s entrance greeted with a smile.

Entering the courtyard.

Luo Feng immediately noticed three women chatting and laughing in the first-floor hall.

“Oh, it’s you, little Jiang,” one of the women, well-groomed and exuding the aura of a noble lady, smiled, “Old Wang is in the reception room upstairs. He said just let that kid Luo Feng go up. Jiang, come and chat with us. Maybe play some Mahjong later?”

“Yeah, Jiang, don’t always be training,” another woman chimed in.

The women in the Training Camp were mostly family members of the warrior instructors.

“You go ahead,” Jiang Fang instructed.

“Okay.”

Luo Feng walked alone up the stairs to the second floor, where he already smelled a faint, soothing tea aroma. Following the scent, he easily reached the reception room door.

The door was open.

“Come in,” a slightly hoarse voice called.

Luo Feng stepped into the reception room and immediately saw the only other person inside—a thin man sitting cross-legged, with a mustache resembling the shape of the number eight. At first glance, he looked about forty years old. His youthful handsomeness was still visible in his face. The thin man had his eyes closed, idly playing with Buddhist prayer beads.

A cup of tea sat on the table before him.

“Inspector Wang,” Luo Feng slightly bowed.

The thin man slightly opened his eyes. As he stared at Luo Feng, the young man felt as if he had been separated from the entire world. The reception room seemed like an isolated space, and this thin man was like a ‘deity’ within it. The invisible pressure made Luo Feng hold his breath.

“Sit!” the thin man pointed to the opposite side of the table with one hand.

There were no chairs in the room. How could he sit?

Luo Feng could only follow Inspector Wang’s example, sitting cross-legged on the floor.

“This contract in front of you, read it carefully. If there’s no problem, sign it,” Inspector Wang said indifferently, then closed his eyes again, continuing to play with the prayer beads.

Indeed, there was a contract on the table—three pages in total.

Luo Feng picked it up and began reading carefully.

It was an official recruitment contract from the Pinnacle Martial Arts Academy, different from ordinary contracts. For example, ordinary martial artists joining the academy received no salary. Like Luo Feng before. Although there was no salary, the academy also had few requirements for these martial artists.

But this contract was different!

It came with power and benefits—but also responsibilities!

“An annual activity budget of 50 billion Huaxia Credits?” Luo Feng slightly frowned. That wasn’t high—it was even low.

A junior warrior could earn that much in a year.

And Luo Feng now was more valuable than a senior warrior. Other organizations offered no less than 100 billion Huaxia Credits annually.

“Ah…”

“According to this contract, only a select few within the Pinnacle Martial Arts Academy receive salaries, based on their rank?” The contract also detailed the activity budget for various levels. Even the highest-ranking warriors, the ‘Inspectors,’ only received 100 billion credits annually.

The Pinnacle Martial Arts Academy’s activity budget was relatively low.

However, those joining the academy usually didn’t do so for money!

“Ah?”

As he turned to the third page, Luo Feng’s eyes lit up.

“If Party B attains a combat power amplification of 12 by August 1, 2057, they shall be rewarded with a full set of Series 9 battle armor and weaponry, any complete martial arts manual of their choosing, and a vial of dragon’s blood valued at 80 billion credits.”

“If Party B achieves a combat power amplitude of 12 between August 1, 2057, and January 1, 2058, he will receive a complete set of Series 9 combat gear and weapons, and a drop of jade essence worth 30 billion credits.”

“If Party B achieves a combat power amplitude of 16 before January 1, 2060, he will receive a complete set of SS-grade combat gear and weapons, a vial of dragon blood worth 80 billion credits, three complete sets of martial arts manuals, and a complete set of artifacts from the ancient civilization site ‘Heishen.'”

“If Party B…”