Hello, I'm looking for an old man with the surname Feng here.

Great Xia, Demon City.

The core strategic conference room of the military headquarters.

The atmosphere was even more oppressive than the Black Forest of the Origin Realm.

Around the elongated alloy conference table sat over a dozen figures, their auras heavy and unyielding.

They were the highest decision-makers of this nation in the realm of the extraordinary, each name powerful enough to shake entire factions.

Yet at this moment, their faces bore none of their usual authority—only an unshakable gravity and division.

"I’ll say it again—I disagree."

A grizzled general with a rigid, iron-like countenance broke the silence first.

His fingers struck the table with a heavy thud.

"'Sourceflow Construction Method'—sounds impressive, but what is it, really? No one knows!"

"His speed is nothing short of a fantasy! It defies the laws of energy, let alone the ironclad principles of cultivation we’ve upheld for generations!"

"We can’t embrace something completely unknown, something that might be the devil’s creation, just for the sake of speed!"

His words drew agreement from others.

They represented the most traditional, the most entrenched factions of the extraordinary—their power built upon decades of grueling cultivation.

The emergence of the "Sourceflow Construction Method" was like a boulder hurled into a still lake, threatening the very foundation they relied on.

"General Wang, that’s not entirely fair."

Opposite him, a middle-aged man with gold-rimmed glasses, scholarly in demeanor—more like a university professor—adjusted his spectacles.

He was the chief of Great Xia’s Academy of the Extraordinary.

"Times change, and so do our enemies. The infiltration of the 'Descenders,' the anomalies in the Abyss—each is a sword hanging over our heads."

"Our current system is already struggling. We need breakthroughs, a new power that lets us overtake the curve."

"Proof?" General Wang sneered. "Who can guarantee this power has no side effects? Who can swear that those who cultivate it won’t one day lose control and become monsters worse than the creatures of the Origin Realm?"

His gaze flickered almost imperceptibly toward the elder seated at the head of the table—the one who had remained silent, eyes closed in meditation.

Elder Feng.

The sole, and most resolute, advocate of this plan.

The debate in the conference room grew fiercer.

Neither side could convince the other.

The rest remained silent, eyes shifting as they weighed the stakes.

They were the observers—the weights that would tip the scales.

Finally, Elder Feng opened his eyes.

His weary gaze was as still as an ancient well.

He didn’t join the argument. Instead, he simply raised a hand and tapped the table lightly.

The room fell into immediate silence.

Every eye turned to him.

"Finished arguing?"

Elder Feng’s voice was quiet, yet carried undeniable weight.

He scanned the room, taking in every expression.

"Theory won’t reveal truth. Only practice can."

Leaning back in his chair, he spoke calmly.

"A month ago, I approved a small-scale pilot training camp. A group of promising young talents underwent a comparative test."

General Wang’s brow furrowed. "Elder Feng, you acted without approval!"

Elder Feng ignored him, continuing.

"Coincidentally, the training concluded this morning. The final assessment results should be ready."

He raised a hand and swiped lightly through the air.

A massive screen materialized silently at the center of the room.

On it was the chaotic training ground at the entrance of the Black Forest.

"Before deciding whether to uproot a rotting foundation, why not see how the new saplings fare?"

Elder Feng lifted his teacup, blowing gently on the steam.

"Let’s review the results first."

The screen displayed the scene with perfect clarity.

The testing proceeded methodically.

"Number Eleven, Lu Fang. Initial rank: early-stage Seventh Tier, 15%. Final rank: early-stage Seventh Tier, 56%. Overall evaluation: Excellent!"

A few approving nods rippled through the room.

By any standard, this was an outstanding result.

"Li Ran. Initial: early-stage Seventh Tier, 27%. Current: mid-stage Seventh Tier, 3%. Evaluation: Outstanding!"

"Liu Feiyu. Initial: early-stage Seventh Tier, 31%. Current: mid-stage Seventh Tier, 13%. Evaluation: Outstanding!"

One stellar result after another was announced, yet the tension in the room didn’t ease.

General Wang’s face even twisted with disdain.

"Hardly worth the risk. Trading stability for such minor gains is foolish."

Elder Feng said nothing, sipping his tea in silence.

Then—

"Number Twenty-Two, Yun Huang!"

On the screen, a figure of icy elegance stepped forward and placed a hand on the testing pillar.

A blinding golden light erupted with terrifying force, shooting skyward like an unstoppable tide!

Early-stage Seventh Tier—gone in an instant!

Mid-stage Seventh Tier—shattered without resistance!

Finally, the light stabilized just shy of late-stage Seventh Tier!

"Yun Huang… current rank: late-stage Seventh Tier, 6%! Ev-evaluation… Legendary!!"

The proctor’s voice, cracking with shock, echoed through the dead-silent conference room.

Legendary!

A rating that existed only in theoretical discussions—a miracle made real!

Clang!

General Wang’s thermos slipped from his grasp and hit the floor.

His eyes were locked onto the golden pillar of light that seemed ready to pierce the heavens, his face twitching uncontrollably.

The others weren’t faring much better.

The Academy chief’s face flushed red with excitement, his hands trembling as he adjusted his glasses.

The previously neutral observers leaned forward, their expressions a mix of awe and disbelief.

One month.

From early-stage to late-stage Seventh Tier.

This wasn’t cultivation—it was divine intervention!

Elder Feng set down his cup, a faint smile finally touching his lips.

But he knew this wasn’t enough.

This was just the appetizer.

The main course had yet to arrive.

"Next, Number Twenty-Three—Su Qi!"

On the screen, a languid figure sauntered into view.

He walked up to the testing pillar, knocked on it, and even listened to the echo—as if inspecting a watermelon.

General Wang’s barely regained composure teetered again.

"Absurd! Is this a joke? What kind of behavior is this?!"

But in the next second, what unfolded on the screen cut his curses short.

Everyone watched as Su Qi casually pressed his palm against the pillar.

And then…

Nothing happened.

Just as General Wang prepared to sneer again—

BZZT! BZZT! BZZT!

Every testing pillar on the field suddenly erupted in a deafening alarm!

The one under Su Qi’s hand cracked from within, crimson fissures spiderwebbing across its surface!

Then—

BOOM!!!!

A thunderous explosion roared through the screen.

The testing pillar, capable of withstanding a full-force strike from an eighth-tier powerhouse, exploded in front of everyone's eyes!

Dust filled the air.

When the chaos settled, the one responsible simply shook his hand and innocently asked the instructor,

"Uh... I don’t have to pay for this, right?"

The conference room was dead silent.

So quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Everyone sat frozen in their seats, as if petrified.

Their minds had completely shut down, unable to process the scene before them—something far beyond their comprehension.

The pillar... was destroyed?

What did that even mean?

Yun Huang’s "legend" was a heavily emphasized chapter in the textbooks.

But this Su Qi...

He had just torn the entire textbook to shreds.

After a long pause, the chief scientist of the Academy trembled and muttered in a dreamlike tone,

"An eighth-tier strength... shattered the testing pillar?"

Elder Feng slowly rose to his feet.

He walked to the window, gazing at the bustling city outside, and spoke calmly.

"Now... does anyone still object?"

No one answered.

Or rather, no one could answer.

Their worldviews were being ground into the dirt—violently, mercilessly—until nothing recognizable remained.

General Wang’s mouth hung open, his face cycling from red to green, then pale, before finally settling into ashen gray.

A realization struck him.

He jerked his head up, staring at Elder Feng’s back with eyes wide, his voice hoarse like a punctured drum.

"The Black Forest... that flower..."

"Was it also him?"

Elder Feng didn’t turn around. He merely uttered two words.

"Passing by."

General Wang collapsed back into his chair, his eyes vacant.

He felt as though everything he had ever prided himself on—his beliefs, his unshakable order—had been utterly crushed today by a young man named Su Qi, in a way he couldn’t even begin to comprehend.

Crushed so thoroughly, not even scraps remained.

---

Su Qi returned to his residence in Modu and slept soundly through the afternoon.

By the time he woke, dusk had fallen.

Liu Yuan sat obediently on the carpet, watching Yosuga no Sora. Seeing him stir, she immediately handed him a glass of water.

"Brother, drink."

Su Qi gulped it down, feeling refreshed.

He stretched, pulled out his phone, and was about to order takeout as a reward for himself.

But as his fingers swiped across the screen, he paused.

The fleeting image of a star-robed man, glimpsed high above the Origin Realm, resurfaced in his mind.

It wasn’t a hallucination.

It was a warning—or perhaps, a mark.

Like a beast marking its territory.

That self-proclaimed "Starweaver" seemed to have labeled him as some kind of interesting collectible.

Su Qi hated trouble.

Especially the kind that came knocking uninvited.

Frowning, he opened his contacts, found the number labeled "Old Man Feng," and dialed.

The call rang for a long time before being answered.

"Hello?" Elder Feng’s voice sounded like he had barely survived a brutal meeting.

"Old Feng, it’s me," Su Qi cut straight to the point.

"You again, you brat..." Papers rustled on the other end. "What is it this time? Need money? Or did you break something else? Just so you know, the military’s covering the cost of that pillar. You’re off the hook."

"Do I look like that kind of person?" Su Qi huffed. "I’m a model citizen. Just helped you eliminate a major threat, and not even a commendation banner?"

"If you want one, I’ll have it made tomorrow—'Environmental Hero, Protector of the People'—delivered to your doorstep with a marching band. Happy?" Elder Feng shot back sarcastically.

"No need. I prefer to keep a low profile." Su Qi cleared his throat. "Serious talk now."

"What do you know about this 'Starweaver'?"

The other end of the line plunged into silence.

Even the sound of shuffling papers stopped.

After a full ten seconds, Elder Feng’s voice returned—but all traces of exhaustion and humor were gone, replaced by unprecedented gravity.

"...How do you know that name?"

"Saw him on my way back today," Su Qi replied casually. "Some guy dressed like a theater performer, glowing all over, smiled at me from a distance, then shattered into sparkles. Real flashy."

Elder Feng sucked in a sharp breath.

The Starweaver had personally appeared?

And targeted Su Qi?

The stakes had just skyrocketed.

"Did he attack you?" Elder Feng’s voice tightened.

"Attack? What for?" Su Qi sounded baffled. "He just smiled. I’m not a rabid dog—I’m not gonna lunge at him. Besides, it was just a projection. Pointless to fight."

Elder Feng felt like his heart had just ridden a rollercoaster.

He fell silent, rapidly weighing the risks.

This was classified intel, among the military’s highest secrets.

But now, the enemy had made contact.

"Su Qi," Elder Feng’s voice dropped to a whisper. "This is complicated. I can’t explain over the phone."

"I’m sending you an address. Get here immediately."

"Right now."

"Or your life might be in danger."

---

Su Qi hung up and clicked his tongue.

"Tch. What a hassle."

Turning around, he saw Liu Yuan hugging her knees, her clear, wide eyes fixed on him.

"Brother, going out again?"

"Yeah. Some old man’s insisting on a heart-to-heart." He stretched, then ruffled her hair. "Stay home. I’ll order you something good."

Pulling out his phone, he swiftly navigated the food delivery app.

His fingers flew across the screen with practiced ease.

"Spicy crayfish, extra pork belly and chicken wings for the skewers..."

Once done, he slipped on his jacket, satisfied.

Why? Simple—military rations were terrible.

His little sister kept complaining her mouth was "so bland a bird could fly out," so she needed to eat some birds to compensate.

Liu Yuan nodded obediently, her eyes curving into crescents.

"Come back soon, brother."

---

Modu, Great Xia Military’s Eastern Sea Command Center.

One of the most heavily guarded locations in the nation.

"Hey," Su Qi greeted the stiff-backed sentry at the entrance. "I’m here to see some old guy named Feng."