Top-Tier Perception Starts From Basic Fist Techniques

The days passed quietly. About a month later, Senior Sister Xiang arrived at the Extreme Martial Dao Center accompanied by a high-ranking official of the Jade Dragon Kingdom.

"Master, this is Minister Gao, the head of the kingdom's intelligence department," reported Senior Sister Xiang. "We've uncovered some information regarding the matter you asked us to investigate, but the situation appears serious. Minister Gao is here to share the details with you in person."

Lu Changsheng opened his eyes and looked at the man before him. "Minister Gao, speak freely. Tell me what you've found."

Though Minister Gao was a great noble of the Jade Dragon Kingdom and held considerable power as head of the intelligence department, he knew exactly how much influence Lu Yuan now had, so he dared not show any trace of arrogance.

"Mr. Lu, after receiving your instructions, we investigated recent weapons research around the world," said Minister Gao respectfully. "We discovered that the Flame Dragon Federation began developing a secret weapon in one of its desert regions several years ago.

"About a month ago, there was an unusual amount of activity in that area, which strongly suggests that the project has succeeded.

"We've also been closely monitoring the Federation's military movements. They clearly haven't abandoned their intentions toward the Jade Dragon Kingdom. Their forces have been redeployed frequently, but unlike before, they haven't been gathering for another large-scale attack. They seem to be waiting for something...

"Our suspicion is that they're waiting for this new weapon to be ready for deployment. Once it is, they may use it against the Jade Dragon Kingdom."

Minister Gao laid out everything the intelligence department had uncovered without holding anything back. He understood the stakes all too well. The Flame Dragon Federation's national strength far surpassed the Jade Dragon Kingdom's, and if another conflict broke out, the Kingdom would have to rely on Lu Yuan, the founding figure of the evolutionary age.

"So there really is a secret weapon..."

Lu Changsheng fell into thought.

Ever since he destroyed three of the Flame Dragon Federation's warships, the Federation had been staying strangely silent. There had been no retaliation, no public condemnation, and there was barely any response at all, as though the loss of three warships weighing over ten thousand tons each had never happened.

That was far too abnormal; a nation as proud as the Federation could not possibly accept such a devastating loss without intending to strike back. They had been quiet all this time, and there was only one reasonable explanation—they were preparing something powerful enough to settle the conflict in one go.

Now that Minister Gao had uncovered evidence of a secret weapon, everything clicked together.

If the Flame Dragon Federation intended to launch another attack against the Jade Dragon Kingdom, Lu Changsheng would inevitably be its greatest obstacle. He had already proven that conventional military forces could do little against him, and as long as he remained alive, no attack on the Jade Dragon Kingdom could proceed without the risk of being overturned by him again.

That meant the Federation's first priority was obvious. Before they could crush the Jade Dragon Kingdom, they would have to eliminate Lu Yuan.

After piecing together everything in his mind, Lu Changsheng spoke again, "I understand the situation now. Continue monitoring the Flame Dragon Federation closely. I want to know if there are any major changes in its military movements."

"Understood." Minister Gao and Senior Sister Xiang bowed before taking their leave.

Once they were gone, Lu Changsheng quietly calculated the remaining time.

He only had a little over three months left here. Whatever the Flame Dragon Federation was preparing, he only needed to wait until then. Once the secret world and the Immortal Martial World drew close enough for the power of his true body to be projected inside, no weapon this world could produce would matter against him.

Furthermore, at Fourth Growth, his strength and defenses were already comparable to peak Dao Foundation, so even if the Federation's secret weapon posed a threat, killing him would not be easy.

There was no reason to disrupt his plans over a threat that had yet to materialize anyway, so Lu Changsheng closed his eyes again and continued waiting.

***

Time passed quickly. Across the secret world, the Extreme Martial Dao continued to spread at an astonishing pace, and the number of people reaching Second Growth steadily increased. Third Growth, however, still remained out of reach for everyone except Lu Changsheng.

The difference between Second and Third Growth was enormous. Reaching Third Growth meant truly stepping into transcendence, and Lu Changsheng suspected it would take a long time before another person managed to reach that level. By then, however, it would no longer concern him. He would almost certainly have already returned to the Immortal Martial World.

Meanwhile, the highest-ranking officials of the Flame Dragon Federation had gathered for a secret meeting.

"Everyone, Zero is complete, and its destructive power is several times greater than what we achieved during the original test," one official reported. "Everything is ready for deployment. We'll use a high-altitude bomber to deliver it. Lu Yuan can't fly, so once the bomber reaches operational altitude, there will be nothing he can do to stop it.

"As for the Jade Dragon Kingdom's air force, especially around the capital, we'll eliminate that problem before the bomber even enters their airspace. Our missile strikes will destroy every major airfield near the capital."

"Their aircraft can't reach the altitude of our bomber anyway."

"Perhaps not, but there's no reason to leave anything to chance. We need absolute certainty."

The officials had all reviewed Zero's test data. Its destructive power was beyond anything they had previously possessed, and no one in the room believed that even Lu Yuan could withstand it. He might be the founding figure of the evolutionary age, but he was still made of flesh and blood.

Zero had been designed as a weapon of extraordinary destructive power, yet no one considered using it against Lu Yuan excessive. He had already destroyed three warships by himself and derailed the Federation's plans to annex the Jade Dragon Kingdom. They were going to eliminate him at all costs.

"Then it's settled. Proceed with the operation." The group reached a consensus, and the orders were set in motion.

First came a missile barrage. Because the Flame Dragon Federation and the Jade Dragon Kingdom shared a relatively close geographic position, long-range missiles could strike deep into Jade Dragon territory. The airfields surrounding the capital became the Federation's first targets.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Missiles tore across the sky and struck one airfield after another, destroying runways, hangars, and aircraft. The Jade Dragon Kingdom was thrown into chaos, but there was little they could do—its defenses were simply incapable of intercepting the barrage.

After the airfields were destroyed, the Flame Dragon Federation's most advanced high-altitude bomber took off, ascended rapidly into the upper atmosphere, and set a direct course for the Jade Dragon Kingdom's capital.

At the headquarters of the Extreme Martial Dao Center in the capital, Lu Changsheng watched missile trails streak across the sky. He frowned at the sight, but there was little he could do about them.

Even at Fourth Growth, with strength comparable to the Dao Foundation Realm, he was not without weaknesses. The Extreme Martial Dao was ultimately a path of body refinement, and one of its greatest limitations was that he could not fly.

Hence, against missiles streaking through the sky beyond his reach, his powerful physical strength was of little use. He had no way to intercept them and could only watch as they descended.

"All of you, go to the air-raid shelters," he told the people at the Extreme Martial Dao Center.

Senior Sister Xiang hesitated. "Master, what about you?"

Lu Changsheng looked toward the distant sky. "The Flame Dragon Federation wouldn't launch an attack like this without something else planned. The missiles are only the beginning. I'll stay back and act based on what they come up with."

He had promised to help protect the Jade Dragon Kingdom. More importantly, he did not believe there was currently anything in this world capable of killing him.

"Very well. We'll head to the shelters. Please be careful, Master," Senior Sister Xiang said, then she quickly led the others away.

Lu Changsheng left the Extreme Martial Dao Center and stepped into streets already consumed by panic. Crowds surged toward the air-raid shelters as cries and shouts rang out across the city. Those who could still reach safety pushed forward desperately, while the people left outside could do little but find whatever cover they could and hope the next missile fell somewhere else.

Lu Changsheng watched the panic around him and silently calculated the remaining time.

There was only a little over a month left here. Once three full years had passed, the secret world and the Immortal Martial World would draw close enough for the power of his true body to be projected inside.

He would then shatter the Martial Dao, obtain its fragments, and return to the Sacred Region.

Before leaving, however, he also intended to wipe out the Flame Dragon Federation's upper ranks.

The Extreme Martial Dao Center was rooted in the Jade Dragon Kingdom, and people such as Senior Sister Xiang had been following him for years. If he simply disappeared while the Flame Dragon Federation still intended to conquer the kingdom, they would inevitably be in danger.

However, once the power of his true body entered this world, he would have enough power to eliminate the Flame Dragon Federation's leadership and destroy the forces responsible for continuing the war. Once the Federation's resistance was dismantled, allowing the Jade Dragon Kingdom to absorb its territory would no longer be difficult.

He just needed to hold on a little longer.

However, the Flame Dragon Federation was clearly unwilling to give him that time.

Lu Changsheng looked up and saw that high above the capital, an aircraft was passing overhead. Something had just been released from its underside and was now falling rapidly toward the city.

A bomb? He narrowed his eyes.

As the object drew closer to the capital, closer to the ground, a faint sense of threat stirred within him.

Could this be the weapon that caused a spike in this world's energy level? Could it be... a nuclear weapon? Lu Changsheng's expression changed. I need to get out of here!

He immediately turned and fled at full speed, putting as much distance as possible between himself and the falling bomb. If it really was a nuclear bomb, then it was more serious of a threat than he had thought.

However, no matter how fast Lu Changsheng retreated, he could not outpace the bomb as it plummeted from high altitude. In moments, it was about to strike the ground, which was only around a hundred zhang away from him.

Boom!

The detonation swallowed the capital in an instant. Blinding fire erupted outward as a devastating shockwave tore through the surrounding city, and an enormous mushroom cloud surged into the sky above the ruins.