Chapter 548: Departure
"The test data for both martial arts met expectations," Ye Guanlan’s voice came. "However, Martial Artist Xu, I noticed one detail."
"Go on."
"You only performed one round of tests for *Water Drop*. But with *Returning Ruins Seal*, even after the Seal Platform landed, you had enough mental capacity left over to simultaneously observe the suppression effect and the lingering Mental Realm. Your focus seems to be more heavily allocated to the latter."
Xu Wuyi was silent for two seconds.
"You’re right."
He’d felt it himself.
Cultivating *Water Drop* required him to concentrate all of his Heart and Spirit on achieving ultimate compression and control. The whole process was like walking a tightrope—the slightest lapse in concentration meant failure.
*Returning Ruins Seal*, on the other hand, while also demanding precise control, was more about maintaining the stability of the overall structure. It valued uniformity over extremity.
This was more akin to maintaining big-picture control, a natural fit for the tactical awareness Xu Wuyi had developed over his long career on the battlefield.
"Perhaps it’s because I’m naturally good at this kind of ’control’," Xu Wuyi said.
Xu Wuyi wasn’t surprised.
The path of Martial Arts cultivation was different for everyone.
Even the best Martial Arts depended on whether they suited a cultivator’s temperament, habits, and even their combat style.
*Water Drop* pursued an ultimate ’point,’ requiring the focus and precision of an assassin.
*Returning Ruins Seal* pursued an ’area of effect,’ requiring the grand-strategic view and control of a commander.
And he, Xu Wuyi, had never been a pure assassin.
"Will the gap continue to grow?" he asked.
"Very likely," Ye Guanlan answered honestly. "But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Cultivating one martial art to its absolute peak is more valuable than being mediocre in two."
"I understand."
Xu Wuyi exited the virtual environment and sat up from the connection pod.
Ye Guanlan was already waiting outside, holding the latest data pad.
"At this rate, *Returning Ruins Seal* is on track to break through to the Great Success threshold within twenty days. As for *Water Drop*... that might take a month, or even longer."
Xu Wuyi wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead, took the data pad, and glanced at it.
It displayed detailed comparison curves for the various parameters of the two Martial Arts. Just as Ye Guanlan had said, the growth curve for *Returning Ruins Seal* was consistently steeper.
"Twenty days..." he repeated in a low voice.
"What is it? Do you have other plans?" Ye Guanlan keenly sensed the change in his tone.
Just as Xu Wuyi was about to speak, his personal terminal vibrated.
He glanced at the caller ID. It was Chen Zhang.
He answered the call, and Chen Zhang’s figure materialized on the light screen.
He appeared to be outdoors, with a background of snowfields and glaciers unique to the Northern Lands. A cold wind whipped up fine flurries of snow.
"Martial Artist Xu, sorry to disturb you." Chen Zhang’s voice held a hint of delight. "Grandmaster Liang has returned."
Xu Wuyi’s eyes narrowed. "Oh?"
"She arrived at Cold Pool Villa yesterday evening," Chen Zhang said.
"I was notified by her contact this morning. It seems Grandmaster Liang’s seclusion was very fruitful. She’s expected to stay in the Northern Lands for about a month to handle some matters, and she’s also willing to receive a few ’fated’ visitors."
He paused, then added, "Your name is first on the visitor list."
Xu Wuyi understood.
’This must be because Senior Flame Venerable put in a good word for me beforehand.’
"When is Grandmaster Liang available?"
"Anytime," said Chen Zhang. "The contact’s exact words were: ’The Grandmaster says that if Fellow Xu is ready, he may come at any time. If he is still in the middle of his cultivation, he needn’t rush. The foundation of his Martial Arts is what matters most.’"
’How considerate. And so composed.’
’That’s the bearing of a Grandmaster for you.’
Xu Wuyi was silent for a few seconds, then looked at Ye Guanlan.
"Senior Brother Ye, the foundational frameworks for the two sub-arts of the ’Heavy Water Ball’ project are complete now. The rest of the cultivation is just a matter of personal refinement and practice, right?"
Ye Guanlan nodded. "In theory, yes. The institute has done all the optimization it can. The rest is up to you to build proficiency and integrate it through real-world combat application."
"Then there’s no reason for me to stay at the institute," Xu Wuyi decided.
"This trip to the Northern Lands is crucial for perfecting my Heart Image. Grandmaster Liang’s guidance could be more valuable than another ten days of cultivating *Water Drop*."
"A wise choice." Ye Guanlan wasn’t surprised. "Martial Arts are tools; the Heart Image is the foundation. Tools can be polished over time, but a fundamental opportunity like this can’t be missed."
He closed the data pad. "I’ll organize the project files, archive them, and send an encrypted copy to your terminal. If you run into any new problems with your cultivation, you can always consult me remotely."
"Thank you."
After ending the call, Xu Wuyi didn’t waste any time. He immediately returned to his quarters and started packing.
Actually, there wasn’t much to pack.
A few changes of clothes, his personal terminal, the encrypted data storage device from the institute, and the Liaoyuan Long Spear that never left his side.
Half an hour later, he stood before the exit tunnel of the institute’s underground facility.
Ye Guanlan came to see him off.
"How long will you be in the Northern Lands?" he asked.
"It depends," Xu Wuyi said. "At least ten days or so, at most a month or two. If Grandmaster Liang’s guidance really resonates with me, I might enter a period of seclusion in the Northern Lands."
"I understand. Safe travels." Ye Guanlan clapped him on the shoulder. "By the time you return from the Northern Lands, I expect *Returning Ruins Seal* will have reached the Great Success realm."
"I hope you’re right."
Xu Wuyi turned and stepped into the tunnel.
A hovercar was already waiting outside. The doors closed, the engine started, and it sped off toward the Capital’s airport.
Inside the car, Xu Wuyi leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes to rest.
In his sea of consciousness, the vast, dark-gold marsh breathed slowly as the Golden Crow Illusion drifted up and down within it.
*Returning Ruins Seal*: Minor Achievement (28.9%), *Water Drop*: Minor Achievement (26.7%).
The gap had widened to 2.2 percentage points.
And as his Realm increased, that gap would likely continue to widen.
’But... maybe this isn’t a bad thing.’
Xu Wuyi thought to himself.
He immersed his Heart and Spirit in his memories of cultivating *Returning Ruins Seal*. That feeling—of evenly distributing the Heavy Water and suppressing an entire area at once—was a much better fit for his combat style.
’I need to test it more in actual combat.’
Xu Wuyi opened his eyes and looked at the scenery rapidly receding outside the window.
The hovercar had already entered the airport grounds. In the distance, a dark gray military transport plane was preparing for takeoff on a massive landing platform.
He opened his personal terminal and sent a message to Chen Zhang:
"I’m on my way. ETA at Frost Airport in seven hours."
A reply came back almost instantly:
"Pickup has been arranged. Grandmaster Liang has been notified as well. She said she’s free tomorrow morning, so you can go directly to Cold Pool Villa."
Xu Wuyi sent back a quick "Okay" and closed his terminal.
The roar of the transport’s engines grew louder, approaching from the distance.
He grabbed his backpack and stepped out of the vehicle.
The cabin door slowly closed.
Xu Wuyi sat down in a window seat and fastened his seatbelt.
The engine’s thrust surged. The transport taxied, pitched up, and soared into the sky.
Outside the cabin window, the mountainous region where the institute was located rapidly shrank, finally disappearing beneath the layer of clouds.