"..."
The awkwardness was quite stifling within the squad. The supposed Squad Leader was awake, but his complexion was incredibly pale, as ashen as snow itself. Despite having a rather burly body with protruding muscles, the air of dominance he normally exuded was deflated. In fact, Ji Tu, this Squad Leader of the 49th Unit in the Helix-Titan Battalion, and highly renowned Starlord, required the assistance of two soldiers to maintain his footing.
Wei Wuyin stood off to the side, being like a dwarf amongst tall beings. The stares and glares were quite noticeable, but Wei Wuyin pretended they didn't exist. It wasn't his fault that this Squad Leader had lost his mind, randomly assaulting individuals in his devolving panic. In a way, it was Ji Tu's fault.
That being said, Wei Wuyin kept these thoughts to himself. He was surrounded by a foreign race, with not a single member amongst them being beneath the Ninth Stage of the Astral Core Realm, genuine Starlords. It would be foolish to antagonize the pack needlessly.
Zun Torju soon finished his rousing speech, reordering the 40th through 50th Squads in his Company. Wei Wuyin shuffled along, still being relatively short. This actually caused him to feel slightly awkward. While he wasn't the tallest, he was in the upper-echelon of height in his race. At the very least, he never felt short as a full grown man.
"Ayo," a voice sounded out, soft and feminine. The voice added: "Ayo, you!" At this point, Wei Wuyin noticed that a female titan was calling out to him. When he turned and 'looked' in her direction, his spiritual sense swept across her and grasped her appearance. She was quite fit, having firm muscles and a sturdier frame. Fortunately, those muscles weren't bulging and explosive, and it gave her a fierce and tigress-like air.
She reminded Wei Wuyin of Da Shan, but Da Shan's thickness of her thighs and breast area was more prominent. That battle freak dawned in his memories, and a strong lingering yearning emerged in his heart. He hadn't seen that gorgeously energetic and passionate figure since the Four Extreme Continent, nearly seven years ago.
Thinking about the time spent away, their last moments together where her sensual moans were as clear as the sounds of his own heartbeat, the melancholy increased to higher levels. Fortunately, those emotions were soothed by his intentions to see her again.
Despite pushing off to war, he firmly believed that he would return. While a man can prepare for death, they should never expect to die. He had learned his lesson long ago before he faced the Second Calamity of Hell, and this belief was reaffirmed upon his success.
It was only after his thoughts passed that he directed his senses back to the female titan donning the uniformed armor of the Helix-Titan Battalion. He gave her a faint hum and nudge of his head, indicating that he noticed her.
The female titan, now grasping his attention, looked around at the other titans that were eyeing her. It seemed they were already intent on isolating this foreign human of strange origins, settling to stay with their own kind. This was especially so considering Ji Tu, their Squad Leader, seemed to have the light of rancor in his eyes. Clearly, that palm strike had bruised more than his body.
The female titan shrank back. The thought of being ostracized by her squad members caused her initial intentions to falter. However, Wei Wuyin snorted coldly, sending out an explosive wave of targeted spiritual bursts. The minds of a few members in their unit rung like a heavily struck bell.
They tumbled and nearly fell, barely catching themselves.
How terrifying!
The gazes of many fell on Wei Wuyin once again, and even Zun Torju directed his eyes over. However, the Company Leader, this Lieutenant Colonel, merely watched and observed. Even the steps of the eleven units halted.
Wei Wuyin coldly said with a shout, "Are you all not elite cultivators? Are we not about to fight a war together? I didn't know the Helix-Titan Battalion had children or cowards, yet here I'm exposed to the antics of both."
"..." Those words caused a few titans to grit their teeth, more to clench their fists, and a few to look downwards in shame. While Wei Wuyin's eyes remained closed, he firmly swept his 'gaze' to all those in his sight line. Due to their height difference, this was actually a little difficult, but the gesture was the most important aspect of his actions.
"He's right; Our Helix-Titan Battalion are not cowards, and we are not children, but soldiers of war! Since you're a member of the 49th, you're no different than the rest of us'”human or titan." Shockingly, Ji Tu stood out at this moment. While the rancor in his eye was quite apparent, he seemed to have set aside his differences.
Seeing such a quick change, Wei Wuyin was both taken aback and highly skeptical. He really didn't expect it. Was this the prelude to a scheme? Yet the expression markers of Ji Tu displayed his earnest belief in those words. However, his next words caused Wei Wuyin's expression to darken.
"Since I've suffered an unintended assault at the hands of our fellow soldier, my injuries are severe and have made me unfit to lead this unit. Lieutenant Colonel Zun, I ask that I be sent back to recover from my injuries! I do not wish to drag down my fellow squad members due to my ego, no matter how much I wish to accompany them." Ji Tu coughed at the beginning and end of his words, laying credence to his injuries. With his ashen complexion, he truly seemed to have suffered a fierce injury.
Wei Wuyin 'looked' at Ji Tu.
'So that was it.' Inwardly scoffing in his heart with disdain, Wei Wuyin realized that no matter what race there was, shameless beings existed no matter what.
Zun Torju glanced at Ji Tu with a faint sharpness in his eyes. In the end, he held back his desire to send this Squad Leader flying again. There was indeed a series of rules that kept an injured soldier from being allowed to enter the Battlefield or lead. However, there was no way Wei Wuyin injured a Star Core Phase expert to such an extent where they couldn't fight, especially since he was only at the Gravity Emission Phase.
No wonder Ji Tu's expression was so pale when he returned. This was likely his plan from the get-go, wanting to back out with deserting. Why else would a Squad Leader assault others except to use this chaos to his advantage.
"Go." Zun Torju had no desire to entangle with this shameless titan nor be cited for going against some of the military rules. He'll deal with him later. For now, he turned to Wei Wuyin and said: "Since you were responsible for causing his injuries, you're promoted to Squad Leader."
"But Lieutenant Colonel!" A titan of the 49th Squad hurriedly shouted out his disapproval, yet his next words were shoved back in his throat after Zun Torju's aura briefly flared and killing intent mustered in his eyes.
"I'm using my authority to do so, so why the words? Any other objections?" Zun Torju coldly asked, his appearance rather sinister and frightening. With the killing intent leaking from the eye slits of his helmet, no one said a thing in opposition.
Wei Wuyin frowned slightly, but he didn't object in the end. He hadn't expected this. Still, it was a welcomed development. As for injuring Ji Tu, that wasn't false. The rancor in his eyes was evidence of that. He was truly made unconscious and dealt a tremendously devastating blow. As for taking him out of commission, that might not be far from the truth.
While Wei Wuyin had held back his strength, turning fist into palm, he still slammed forward with astonishing force. It was clear when Ji Tu had asked for someone to bring him back that his current state wasn't too good. He was literally carried back to their camp.
Despite not having armor with a special design to designate him as Squad Leader, the Identity Rune of his lit with a faint radiance. Its black color had a single white strip, indicating his official rank had elevated. When he inspected it, he couldn't understand the new characters.
It was quite frustrating being unable to read this so-called Mysticism.
The Company of 125 marched until they reached the base of the gigantic arc that was the Void Gate leading to the Battlefield. As Wei Wuyin took the lead position before his twelve titan subordinates, the female titan scooted over at this time while Zun Torju handled a few things with spiritual light flickering from his fingertips, dancing at the edge of some panel at the sides of the Void Gate.
Wei Wuyin felt that the world he was being exposed to was developing more and more technology-wise. He remembered his amazement when he saw moving stairs, and now there were panels and screens revealing real-time spiritual projections. It was amazing.
"Ayo-ah, S...Sir!" The female titan spoke again. She realized that Wei Wuyin had suddenly become their Squad Leader and her form of address needed to change, losing its informal manner.
Wei Wuyin turned once again, 'seeing' this female titan. He had nearly forgotten about this woman after being promoted as a Squad Captain so suddenly, experiencing the shamelessness that even titans seemed to possess. "Is there an issue?" Wei Wuyin asked.
The female titan gave the closed eyed Wei Wuyin a glance. Despite his height being relatively short in comparison to them, she couldn't help but think that he was quite handsome. A little too handsome.
She blushed a little. However, she calmed herself rather quickly revealing her excellent mental fortitude. "Sir, are you a Spiritualist?"
Wei Wuyin's expression showed some change, revealing his interest. He felt as if he had heard this saying before, but it didn't feel the same. What Wei Wuyin didn't realize was that the term Spiritualist was said in Mysticism by Battalion Commander Borus, hence why it felt familiar yet unfamiliar. If anyone knew that Wei Wuyin had this feeling, they would be shocked! Only those who've come into contact with the Ways of Mysticism should experience this! Typically only Starlords had such qualifications, beings at the very edge of the Mortal Limits!
"Why do you say that?" Wei Wuyin didn't outright reveal his ignorance. Earlier, he had pretended that he was aware of Titan's reputations, even going as far as to say they weren't cowards or children, so he didn't want to lose that image of being knowledgeable and reliable. This was especially so as a Squad Leader.
The female titan looked at Wei Wuyin for a long moment, then her expression became awkward. She asked directly, "...Do you not know what Spiritualists are?"
Wei Wuyin's expression darkened! He had deliberately wanted her to reveal why she thought this, not lobby an accusation! There were already eyes from his squad and the others glancing his way. Women had frightening instincts, and their words were quite harmful.
Deciding to own up to his ignorance, Wei Wuyin answered without skipping a beat: "I don't. Why don't you explain it to me?" After revealing a casual and unconcerned smile, the hearts of everyone shook slightly. To them, they felt as if Wei Wuyin was insulted by the female titan's question, calling him ignorant before his squad members and now forcing her to explain something so simple before everyone!
Even the female titan was taken aback, a trace of awkwardness in her heart. Why did she ask such a stupid question? Of course he knew what a Spiritualist was! He was likely one! When she thought about his previous words, her emotions went into turmoil.
Wei Wuyin was unaware of their thoughts, feeling that he might as well admit his ignorance since he was put on blast. "Well?" Urging, Wei Wuyin could tell that Zun Torju was nearly completed.
The female titan nodded, saying after a faint breath: "A Spiritualist is a cultivator that has fused with their Spirit of Cultivation with their Sea of Consciousness and physique, replacing their mental and physical energies with spiritual energies. They become Spiritual Beings or a Spiritualist."
Wei Wuyin's expression froze.
Wait, that was possible?!