True Solution of the Sword Dao

Lin Fei and another person stood in the crowd, surrounded by others who were there to sign up, some of whom also emitted strong auras, indicating they were at least D-ranked.

Among them, two individuals were particularly eye-catching. One was a man around twenty years old, with a burly and strong build, carrying a long curved saber on his back, and exuding an aura on the D rank level. The other D-ranked individual was a woman of average build wearing a tight red leather jacket, with short, refreshing hair. Her face wasn’t particularly beautiful, but she had a certain wildness about her, with a slightly raised chin that made her look exceedingly proud.

After the waiting line had cleared, a square-faced, beardless middle-aged man in black leather armor stepped out from the left passage. The middle-aged man’s dark skin and big, round eyes, which looked like copper bells, were quite intimidating.

"The rules should be clear to everyone, right? We don’t care about registration forms or anything like that. As long as you can get through the city gate, that’s fine! First, we’ll test physical fitness before arranging the examination venue. Those of you who came here wanting to enlist, your goal is, of course, not just to become mere junior officers. Accordingly, the tests for you will differ from those of ordinary soldiers. Today we settle everything at once, everyone follow me!"

The man loudly declared and turned to walk up the staircase to the second floor.

All those holding registration forms immediately followed him.

The so-called fitness test was actually a multifunctional scanning machine, similar to one that used a thin red laser line to scan up and down the body. If one passed, it would beep twice; if not, there would be no sound.

It was natural for Lin Fei and his companion in golden clothes to pass the test easily.

Next were some arranged opponents, and one had to win against them to pass. Finally, there were mutually arranged battles to determine the ranking.

With no doubts, Lin Fei and his companion in golden clothes took the first and second place respectively.

"We at the Temple of the Gods are not like other organizations; nobody wishes to be our enemy, nor do we have any intention of being enemies with others. But please be aware, if someone intentionally causes trouble, our Inspection Troop and the Reactive Investigation Agency are not vegetarians," the beardless middle-aged man warned sternly in conclusion.

"Now, the allocation of personnel will be announced."

"Kataya, to the Army’s Third Unit, go find your immediate superior!"

"Luo Kai, to the Air Force’s Third Unit."

"Zhao Man, to the Air Force’s Third Unit."

"Golden Clothes, to the Army’s Third Unit."

"Feilin, to the Army’s Staff Department."

"Huh??" Lin Fei was startled. The Staff Department? The test had not evaluated intelligence at all; it wasn’t possible he’d be assigned to the Staff Department.

"Excuse me," the earlier woman in the red leather jacket frowned and said, "How could he possibly be assigned to the Staff Department!? Hasn’t the review even finished yet?"

"Those with a certain level of brain development are assigned to the Staff Department! There will still be a review, a second test, and basic military training to come. What? Do you have an objection?" the middle-aged man replied impatiently.

"No," the woman in red looked dissatisfied, glancing at Lin Fei.

"So, does the Staff Department have an Energy Stone supply?" Lin Fei directly inquired.

"Of course, about half more than the other departments," the middle-aged man stated.

"That’s good to hear," Lin Fei nodded.

"Pauper!" the woman in red scoffed disdainfully.

Lin Fei smiled indifferently at her comment.

The Temple of the Gods’ recruitment was indeed unique, seeming very lax and unguarded, but every stage was exceptionally strict.

Lin Fei inquired a fellow applicant standing nearby, one who had been trying to enlist for four consecutive years. The base level for recruitment here was at least F rank, conducted annually, and only a few people were taken each time. And this was just the first layer of testing; there would be a second test to follow.

Lin Fei’s goal was to seek resource support; he didn’t have time to waste on these trivial matters. Without needing to reveal his own strength, just by using his current position, he could access the core member’s resources. His current position appeared to be only a C rank, which he had intentionally downplayed to the Preliminary Rank of D. The other two individuals did likewise. Golden Clothes did the same as well.

After the test was complete, an officer came to distribute some forms, clearly printed with corresponding positions as well as the rights, obligations, and other details.

Lin Fei noticed that the supply position corresponding to Purple Raw Ore was merely for the rank of lieutenant, and small team leaders and members of the Combat Command could obtain a monthly supply of Purple Raw Ore and an Energy Stone of the same rank. A slightly higher ranking, such as a sub-department level in the Combat Command, could get a monthly supply of ten pieces of Purple Raw Ore, which was more than enough to meet Lin Fei’s requirements.

However, under the Staff Department, there were many other divisions such as the Intelligence Department, Information Liaison Department, Military Training Department, Mapping Bureau, Military Affairs Department, and more. To enter one of these high-level departments, what was primarily needed was proof of absolute non-hostility towards the Temple of the Gods. In other words, one needed a clear background and a normal origin, as well as potential, to be able to enter the higher-level divisions.

Under the department level were sub-departments, followed by offices, and then branch divisions—it was a system so vast and complex that it was awe-inspiring. The entire Staff Department was an immensely large and intricate division, its functions interconnected and forming a part of the Temple of the Gods’ grand, intricate, and nearly perfect organizational structure.

"In three days, take your test forms to the location noted above to report for the second review and second test," the officer declared after distributing the forms before turning to leave.

***************

Inside the First Sword Room of the Swordsmanship Club.

Yuan Yicheng was on his phone, making a call.

After two light beeps, Lin Fei’s figure emerged in the middle of the Sword Room.

The two nodded slightly to each other, then Lin Fei opened the door and stepped out.

The main locations of the current Swordsmanship Club had already moved to another new building, which meant fewer people around the original site—just a few figures lingering about.

However, Lin Fei’s main attention was not on this.

To smoothly obtain a sufficient supply of Purple Raw Ore, one must reach a high-ranking position, and during wartime, service ranks and positions naturally advanced quickly. As for the matter of his origins, it was best dealt with locally in Cloud City. Lin Fei had already planned for this and had sent Golden Clothes to gather intelligence.

"My lord, we’ve got information about the Violet Family," Golden Clothes’ voice came through from the Inner World.

"Go ahead," Lin Fei said.

"The members of the Violet Family we encountered are from a branch family in the Desert City, having been victims of a vendetta by rivals. They are the only surviving members of their clan, planning to seek refuge with the main family in Cloud City. However, according to information, Cloud City’s main family has recently suffered an unexplainable attack and has been in a state of decline. Now we could possibly disguise ourselves as Violet Family members for the second review to check our identities."

"Don’t they have purple eyes as a bloodline trait?"

"It’s fine, not everyone has them, and some members of the clan have different eye colors like ordinary people. As long as we communicate well with the Violets and concoct a good story, there shouldn’t be any problems. If it really doesn’t work, the master can directly integrate them with True Force seeds to achieve absolute control."

Lin Fei slightly furrowed her brows. Speaking of the True Force seeds, the supply of the Power of the Divine Artifact from the Divine Artifact Crystal seemed to have been wilting slowly, and interrupted messages kept urging him to find the remaining parts of the Divine Artifact Crystal. She was unclear how far the tasks she had previously assigned had progressed.

However, the main issue right now was to get hold of the Purple Raw Ore and break through the bottleneck. Everything else was secondary.

*****************

India, Indore

In a residential community in the suburbs. The double-story houses were exceptionally quiet, surrounded by an abundance of green trees. The hot noon sun poured down, making the forest steamy and humid. The nearby Khan River evaporated large amounts of water vapor every day. A strange smell, a mix of the forest and something else, permeated the area.

Within the woods, a series of faint green semi-invisible shadows moved towards the community silently.

These shadows blended seamlessly with the surrounding greenery, making them difficult to discern.

Two Indian women clad in white saris sat far away on a tree branch at the other end of the forest, watching the distant movement.

"Gesha, do you think we can succeed? The Night Demon troops are said to be the strongest organization under the Night King," one woman said.

"Maybe, this is a command from the Ancestor. All we have to do is follow it," the other woman whispered back.

In the basement of a villa in the distance.

In the pitch darkness.

A series of giant display walls formed a fan shape around the entire basement.

In the center, an old man with white hair and beard sat quietly at the control panel.

"Night King, you dare to contact me directly."

On the display wall in front of the old man, the Night King’s crimson eyes gleamed with a hint of mirth.

"Long time no see, old Luo Kai."

"I will find you," the old man said in a low voice as he looked down, "And then, I will hang your corpse from the tallest building in India for three days and nights, just like you did to my family."

"Don’t be so hot-tempered," the Night King chuckled.

"I’ve approached you this time because I have a proposition I’d like to discuss with you."

"What proposition?" Luo Kai asked coldly.

"A proposition regarding a ceasefire."

"A ceasefire? Hahaha..." The old man suddenly laughed softly. His laughter grew louder and more ear-piercing.

"You think a ceasefire is still possible between us?"

"Of course," the Night King said, his smile fading.

"You must have a ceasefire." A virtual figure suddenly appeared in the basement, presumably using virtual imaging technology. Griffin sat in a high-backed chair, legs crossed, and spoke calmly.

"Griffin!!" Luo Kai’s expression darkened, and he gripped the armrest of his chair tightly. "Are you threatening me?"

"It’s been a long time, old Luo Kai." A small figure appeared beside Griffin, the Serpent Woman, leaning on a cane, quietly observing him.

At the same time, a golden mist dispersed, and Lin Fei’s figure appeared from another side.

"It’s rare to meet such a senior figure. I heard you experienced the Peacock Dynasty, truly inspiring," Lin Fei said.

"Join us, or die!" Griffin said flatly.

Three powerful auras slowly circulated in the cramped basement.

Luo Kai’s face turned ashen, and he fell silent.

"Night King, as Luo Kai’s old enemy, you are the one at fault. How do you plan to dissipate his grudge? Shouldn’t you make some gesture?" Lin Fei said with a light chuckle.

The Night King’s figure suddenly materialized beside Lin Fei.

"The Night Demon troops, they include fifteen of my sons and four daughters. Luo Kai, as an exchange, you can deal with them," the Night King said indifferently.

"Four A-level characters... I was too arrogant," said Luo Kai as the armrest crackled, revealing countless tiny cracks. "Then let’s have a ceasefire." 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

"Then, announce it," Griffin said flatly.

Black halos suddenly appeared in his eyes.

The rest also had halos of different colors appear in their eyes.

Their auras entwined instantly. They passed through the basement and shot straight into the sky.

At the same time, all personnel involved in the fighting received the message of the truce. (To be continued. If you like this work, please come to Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendation votes and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)