High Martial: I Use Everything as Swords

「Half a month later.」

East Sea Martial Arts University, Lakefront No. 9 Villa, Underground Cultivation Chamber.

Han Feng slowly opened his eyes. A silvery glint, so sharp it seemed tangible, flashed deep within his pupils before vanishing.

He had devoured all the dense Spiritual Qi in the room, creating a momentary vacuum that was quickly refilled by the Spirit Gathering Array.

He looked inward with Introspection. Eighteen of his twenty Dao Veins were now open, and a vast reserve of Sword Essence surged through them without rest, like silver dragons coiled and ready to strike.

Cultivation: Meridian Passage Realm Ninth Layer!

Total Sword Essence: 2,000 drops!

If word of his progress got out, it would be enough to make every genius in all of East Sea City want to curl up in a ball from shame.

Yet Han Feng’s face showed not a trace of joy.

He opened his personal terminal, his brow furrowing slightly as he read the news. In fifteen days, the Dragon Abyss Mist Sea would fully stabilize, and its spatial barrier would completely dissipate.

’Time... It’s still too tight.’

He was at the Ninth Layer of the Meridian Passage Realm, just one step away from the Enlightenment Realm.

However, that step not only required him to fully open the two remaining Dao Veins, but also to establish a grand cycle connecting all twenty of them.

Even with immense resources at his disposal, that was not something that could be accomplished overnight.

"Time to go see my new toy."

Han Feng rose, his joints letting out a series of sharp cracks.

...

Celestial Craft Group, Hangar 7.

The place had been completely converted into the exclusive domain of the "Shadow" project team, bustling with a level of activity comparable to a wartime factory.

Hundreds of engineers and technicians bustled about their stations, the air thick with the scorching scent of cut metal and energy welding.

"Consultant!"

Zhou Ming jogged over to greet him, clutching a thick stack of reports. His face sported two enormous dark circles, but his eyes were alight with a feverish excitement.

"You’re finally out of seclusion! The first mass-produced Ghost X-02 Type model just completed its final system diagnostics yesterday!"

Han Feng nodded, his gaze traveling over the crowd to land on the menacing, pitch-black construct in the center of the hangar.

The Ghost X-02 Type.

Its shape was about seventy to eighty percent similar to Han Feng’s X-01 Prototype, but its lines were cleaner and more defined.

Some of the complex curved surfaces, which had been designed for extreme aerodynamics, were gone. As a whole, it had lost some of its graceful agility in favor of a cold, industrial hardness.

"Let’s go take a look."

Han Feng strode over. Lin Xue, Zhao Yu, and Wei Chen were already waiting there.

"You’re finally here!"

Zhao Yu grinned, rubbing his hands together in excitement.

Lin Xue, meanwhile, handed him a datapad. "All the ground test data is here. It perfectly matches your design specifications, and in some areas, even exceeds them."

Han Feng didn’t take the datapad, simply placing a hand gently on the cold fuselage.

[Ding! Connectable target detected: Ghost X-02 Type (First Production Model)]

[Quality: Top Grade Magical Artifact]

[Traits: Solid, Wind-Piercing, Spiritual Power Amplification]

[Connecting will grant a Sword Control Technique cultivation efficiency bonus: +360%]

[Connect?]

’No.’

Han Feng thought to himself as he activated [All Things Identification].

[Item: Ghost X-02 Type (First Production Model)]

[Status: Pristine]

[Materials: Wind Pattern Steel, Tier Three Star Pattern Tungsten Steel, Deep Sea Sinking Silver...]

[Core Array: Nine Palace Flying Stars (Simplified), Turtle Shell Array (Variant), Central Harmony Talisman...]

’Good, they didn’t cut any corners.’

Han Feng pulled back his hand and said to Lin Xue and the others, "Good work. Everyone who participated gets a double bonus this month."

"Whoo-hoo! Long live the boss!"

Enthusiastic cheers erupted from the crowd.

Han Feng ignored them, turning to Zhou Ming. "Bring me the number one ’Neural Resonance’ helmet. I’m going to test it myself."

Soon, a streamlined helmet with a futuristic sci-fi design was brought over.

This helmet was the true technological core of the mass-produced Ghost X-02 Type model.

Its interior contained no old-fashioned brainwave collectors. Instead, it was densely inscribed with a "Soul Resonance" Rune Array of Han Feng’s own design, derived from the Puppetry Technique of the Cultivation Immortality Realm.

The fighter was the body; the helmet was the brain.

Through the helmet, a pilot could establish a mental resonance with the fighter’s Core Array, directly translating their thoughts into flight commands.

To protect the pilot’s fragile psyche, the helmet was also fitted with a triple-layered "Clear Heart and Guard Spirit" Array. This could filter out the overwhelming flood of information from high-speed flight and reduce the mental strain from G-forces.

The system also had a built-in interface that allowed Martial Artists at the Enlightenment Realm or higher to inject their own True Qi or Primordial Qi into the jet’s frame via a special array. This provided a short-term performance burst, helping them execute extraordinary maneuvers.

This was no longer a mere product of technology.

It was a new breed of Magical Artifact, a fusion of Cultivation Immortality wisdom and Spiritual Power-based industry.

Han Feng didn’t bother with a flight suit, leaping directly into the cockpit.

He put on the helmet, and a strange, cooling sensation instantly enveloped his head.

The helmet’s interior was not cold metal, but a bio-material as warm and smooth as jade. Countless microscopic runes, invisible to the naked eye, flowed slowly within it.

[Ding! External Spiritual Energy Device detected. Initiate Mental Resonance?]

This wasn’t a system prompt, but feedback from the array inside the helmet.

’Resonate.’

The next moment, Han Feng felt his Spiritual Power drawn out by a gentle force. It passed through countless complex nodes and connected with the fighter jet’s central control core.

There was no dizziness, no discomfort.

It was as if, in that instant, the cold steel machine had become an extension of his own body.

He could "feel" the pulse of the wings, "hear" the breathing of the engine, and "touch" every wisp of air flowing over the fuselage.

The sensation wasn’t as absolute as the system-forced state of Human-Machine Unity, but it was still enough to upend all existing theories of flight.

[Neural Resonance Synchronization: 91%]

A line of data materialized on the helmet’s visor.

’Not bad.’

Han Feng mentally assessed.

He didn’t touch the emergency control stick that had been left in the cockpit. Instead, he simply had a thought.

WHIRRR—

The X-02’s engine let out a low hum as the jet lifted off vertically, rising without a sound to hover steadily ten meters above the hangar floor.

"My God... it’s actually flying!"

"There’s no exhaust, no powerful turbulence... It’s like it’s being held up by a giant, invisible hand!"

On the ground, everyone stared upward, their faces filled with utter disbelief.

Han Feng paid no mind to their shock. With another thought, the jet shot upward like a black bolt of lightning, instantly passing through the open hangar roof and piercing the clouds.

Thousands of meters in the air.

Han Feng began testing the jet’s various performance parameters.

Acceleration, turning, rolling, climbing...

Every maneuver was incredibly fluid, the response time nearly instantaneous with his thoughts.

Compared to the X-01’s completely physics-defying "fantasy maneuvers," the X-02 still seemed a bit "conventional."

But the maneuverability it displayed far surpassed that of any other mass-produced fighter of its era.

’Auxiliary Maneuver Array, activate.’

Han Feng injected a wisp of Sword Essence through his mental link into the special rune sets inscribed on the wings and tailfin.

HUM!

The fighter jet shuddered violently, as if it had just been infused with a soul.

Its once-fluid movements instantly became nimble and eerily unpredictable!

It executed a sharp ninety-degree turn at high speed without the slightest hint of a shudder.

It went from a dead hover to flying in reverse so fast it left only an afterimage in the sky.

These auxiliary arrays, which drew on the pilot’s own energy, were the X-02’s true trump card!

It perfectly integrated a Martial Artist’s own power into the fighter’s performance.

This was no longer a technological fighter jet, but a magnified, standard-issue Flying Sword that could soar through the heavens!

’The synchronization still isn’t high enough.’

After running his tests, however, Han Feng frowned slightly.

For him, 91% synchronization still came with a noticeable sense of "disconnect."

He could only imagine that for the ace pilots, whose Divine Soul Strength was far weaker than his, their initial synchronization would likely be less than 50%.

In such a state, they would be completely unable to control the auxiliary maneuver arrays. If they forced an activation, losing control and crashing would be the only possible outcome.

’Relying on the Meditation Program to grind out the synchronization is too slow...’

Han Feng’s mind raced.

He needed a faster, cruder, and more effective method to forcibly establish a deep connection between the pilots and their jets.

A method that would allow even a Mortal to gain rudimentary control over a Magical Artifact.

’Mortal... Magical Artifact...’

A crazy idea struck him like a bolt of lightning.

’In the Cultivation Immortality Realm, what was the most common method used by mundane Martial Artists, those without a Spirit Root, to activate a Low Tier Magical Artifact given to them by a Cultivator?’

Blood Refining!

’Use one’s own essence blood as a medium to brand a Magical Artifact with a unique life imprint, establishing the most primitive and direct soul connection!’

The moment the idea appeared, it began to grow uncontrollably, wildly.

’It’s feasible!’

’Absolutely feasible!’

’Enlightenment Realm Martial Artists have abundant Qi Blood. Their Spiritual Power isn’t strong, but losing a bit of blood definitely won’t kill them. They can just replenish it with Spirit Medicine afterward.’

’Once the pilots use the Blood Refining Technique to establish a strong connection with the Neural Resonance Helmet, their synchronization will skyrocket!’

’Only then will the Ghost Squad truly have what it takes to sweep aside all competition!’

"Hahaha..."

Han Feng couldn’t help but laugh out loud in the cockpit.

’Getting a group of ace pilots to perform Bloodletting on their own helmets... The very thought of that scene is thrilling.’

’But before that, there’s still one problem.’

’The current helmet is still fundamentally a high-tech product that just happens to use Rune Technology.’

’It doesn’t possess the "Spiritual" quality needed to bear an Essence Blood Mark.’

’To make Blood Refining possible, I have to treat it like a true "Magical Artifact" and use the Artifact Refining techniques of the Cultivation Immortality Realm to reforge it through Sacrificial Refining!’

At this thought, Han Feng could no longer contain his excitement.

He immediately piloted the X-02 into a dive, landing it precisely back in its berth in Hangar 7.

POP!

The canopy popped open, and Han Feng leaped out.

"Han Feng, how was the flight?" Zhao Yu asked, rushing up excitedly.

"Not bad. There’s a small issue that needs to be fixed."

Han Feng tossed out a comment that left everyone baffled.

"Huh? What’s wrong? Is it the engine or the frame?" Lin Xue asked nervously.

"The helmet,"

Han Feng pointed to the helmet in the cockpit. "This thing... it doesn’t have enough ’punch.’"

With that, he gave a direct order to Zhou Ming. "Send word to suspend the Ghost Squad’s training schedule.

"Tell them to focus on their ’Meditation’ for now.

"Also, put in a request to requisition the High-Energy Particle Melting Furnace from the No. 3 Research Institute. Highest priority. I need to use it now!"

Under the baffled gazes of the crowd, Han Feng snatched the priceless Neural Resonance Helmet and strode purposefully toward the smelting laboratory.

On his face was a fanatical smile, one that sent a chill down Zhou Ming’s spine.

He knew that his consultant’s "mad streak" was acting up again.