The roster was finalized, and the time remaining for the infiltration team's preparation slipped away like sand through an hourglass. The Alliance's resources with unprecedented efficiency. What they needed to do was sharpen themselves into a blade able to pierce the Demon Nest's heart in the shortest time. The training location was set at a simulated environment constructed at enormous cost by the Alliance at the edge of near-Earth orbit—"Abyss Secret Realm."
Inside the secret realm, not true, yet most of its characteristics were simulated: nearly absolute vacuum, faint yet omnipresent, chaotic gravitational fields, and space ripples intensity-controlled by formations. Light was dim; only distant simulated nebulae provided a bleak glow, depressingly suffocating.
First item: adapting to environment.
The five had not entered for the first time, but extended high-intensity combat under this environment was an entirely new challenge. They needed to get used to no air conducting sound, battle roars and shouts only transmitted through spiritual sense; get used to weightlessness and chaotic gravitational fields affecting movement; and need to constantly operate spiritual power for protection, resisting energy's slow erosion of body and soul.
Xiao Qi surrounded by a faint Green Lotus light aura, was most. Mu Xue encased in a thin ice crystal armor, isolating harmful radiation. Third Senior Sister Liu Yun sword intent restrained, like a drawn blade cutting through chaotic energy fields. Zhao Tiezhu was most direct—Vajra Subduing Demons Divine Art operating to extremes, his skin taking on bronze luster, forcefully countering environmental pressure with his body. Second Senior Brother resided in his so-jokingly-called "iron coffin"—a man-sized metallic rhomboid inscribed with countless defensive and concealment runes—observing everything through external sensing formations.
"Wander, evade, feel the 'folds' of space." Xiao Qi's voice resonated in everyone's minds through spiritual sense. He demonstrated personally, executing Swimming Dragon Nine Turns. His form floated like a ghost in the weightless environment, sometimes using faint gravitational assists for propulsion, sometimes seeming to space ripples, disappearing and reappearing on the other side.
Mu Xue attempted integrating ice techniques; wherever she passed, brief ice crystal trails remained,. Liu Yun's swordsmanship was even more fierce; sword light sliced through, briefly cutting the simulated space ripples. Zhao Tiezhu was like a human meteor, charging recklessly, practicing how to explosively generate maximum power in weightless state and how to emergency brake.
Second item: familiarizing with Void Piercing Shuttle extreme operations.
That Void Piercing Shuttle, having undergone emergency repairs and partial reinforcement, currently floated quietly at the secret realm's center. Core training content included five people's (including Second Senior Brother) coordination inside the shuttle.
"Ultra-short-range continuous spatial jump, prepare!" Xiao Qi sat at the main control position, spiritual sense tightly connected to the shuttle's core. Mu Xue was responsible for monitoring energy flows and external environment scanning; Liu Yun"" (simulated by the secret realm's formations); Zhao Tiezhu prepared to deal with violent collisions or energy impacts after jumps. Second Senior Brother's "iron coffin" was fixed at a cabin wall interface, connected to the shuttle's control system through spiritual networks, responsible for jump trajectory micro-adjustments and troubleshooting unexpected failures.
"First jump, coordinate offset three zhang, start!"
Weng! The Void Piercing Shuttle's silver light flashed; it vanished instantly and almost simultaneously appeared at the preset coordinate. The enormous g-force made everyone in the cabin sink slightly.
"Energy fluctuation residual obvious; concealment array not fully synchronized! Second Senior Brother, adjust rune sequence nodes seven and nine energy output ratios!" Xiao Qi immediately pointed out problems.
"Received! Optimizing... energy diversion three percent to buffer array..." Second Senior Brother's spiritual sense quickly responded.
"Second jump, coordinates locked, three continuous flickers!"
The shuttle started again—this time, silver light became more restrained, three short spatial jumps completed in less than a breath. The shuttle body, like performing three instant-translations in, left minimal spatial fluctuation.
"Good! Maintain this state!" A trace of satisfaction flashed in Xiao Qi's eyes. This was exactly the lightning-like advance they needed—too fast for the Demon Nest perimeter's defensive systems to react.
Third item: actual combat drills and emergency response.
The secret realm's formations were activated, simulating various extreme scenarios:
Scenario one: encountering large numbers of low-rank demons siege. Liu Yun's sword light like a cascade, precisely killing targets; Mu Xue's ice sealed thousands of miles, instantly retarding large enemy groups; Zhao Tiezhu roared, like a boulder blocking frontal assault; Xiao Qi controlled the Void Piercing Shuttle, darting, occasionally throwing training "simulated Void Mines," clearing large areas. Second Senior Brother rapidly analyzing the "demons'" energy weaknesses, providing everyone with optimal attack paths.
Scenario two: Void Piercing Shuttle encountering strong energy interference, forced to halt. Cabin door instantly opened; Xiao Qi charged out first, using himself as bait to attract firepower; Mu Xue and Liu Yun followed closely, clearing nearby enemies; Zhao Tiezhu used brute force, forcefully pushing a simulated asteroid toward the interference source, creating chaos; Second Senior Brother inside urgently eliminated interference, attempting to restart the jump.
Scenario three: communications completely cut off, spiritual sense strongly suppressed. Five people immediately switched to preset hand signals and specific spiritual fluctuation signals for communication. Xiao Qi made a "scattered assault, converge at center" gesture; Mu Xue nodded, releasing a unique ice crystal mark as a rendezvous reference. Liu Yun's sword fingers pointed toward front-left, indicating high-value target discovered. Zhao Tiezhu thumped his chest three times, indicating preparation for assault. Even in absolute silence and isolation, relying on the teamwork cultivated through countless drills, the squad.
Scenario four: simulated Demon Lord willpower shock. Powerful mental oppression descended like substantial force, attempting to collapse everyone's morale and spiritual connections. Xiao Qi's Green Lotus Origin protected instinctively; purifying light aura, forcefully withstanding the shock. Mu Xue operated the Ice Heart Art, maintaining absolute calm. Liu Yun's sword heart illuminated, slicing away invading distracting thoughts. Zhao Tiezhu simply grunted, forcefully withstanding through stubborn willpower. Second Senior Brother's "iron coffin" external runes, blocking most spiritual attacks.
Day after day, within the secret realm: energy collision flashes, spatial jump silver glows, sword energy hisses, body cultivator roars echoing... weaving into a tense and intense preparatory movement. The five's auras became increasingly refined; their coordination grew more seamless—one look, one subtle movement, and they understood each other's intentions.
They were not merely familiarizing with new environments and equipment; they were melting five independent individuals into one true entity capable of surviving and fighting in.
When training neared completion, the Void Piercing Shuttle performed an ultra-difficult, twelve-continuous-spatial-flicker run, ultimately precisely docking at the simulated "Demon Nest shell weak point"—inside the cabin, five people, including Second Senior Brother in the "iron coffin," though exhausted, had the same resolute fire burning in their eyes.
They were ready. For the ultimate "coordinated strike," for everything that must be protected behind them—this blade had been sharpened to its sharpest state, awaiting the moment to unsheathe and taste blood!