The return journey to Outpost Seven was smooth and uneventful.

When the sturdy, gray-white fortress came into view again, everyone felt a heartfelt sense of relief.

At the entrance to the base, Liu Qing was already waiting with Professor Chen and the others who had returned safely.

Liu Qing visibly relaxed upon seeing Xiang Yong, Xu Wuyi, and the two Martial Artists from the reinforcement team, who, despite their injuries, were out of danger.

Professor Chen hurried forward, anxiously asking about the situation. When he learned that the rescue had been a success but that two Martial Artists had unfortunately perished, a pained expression appeared on the old professor’s face, and he sighed softly.

The bodies of the fallen were solemnly taken away by base personnel. There would be a special ceremony and compensation later.

The injured Martial Artists and researchers were immediately sent to the medical center for further treatment.

Xiang Yong, Xu Wuyi, Old Cat, and Liu Qing, meanwhile, headed to the mission hall to finalize the mission.

The base commander received them personally. When his gaze fell on Xu Wuyi, his eyes held undisguised admiration.

"Xu Wuyi, a top student from Star Martial University... Your performance on this mission was outstanding."

"You single-handedly killed two Wolfman War Generals and worked with Old Cat to take down a War General-level leader. A record like that is rare, even among our resident Martial Artists."

The commander’s voice echoed through the mission hall, causing many of the garrisoned Martial Artists who were there to report on their own missions to glance over.

Old Cat stood to the side with his arms crossed. The scar on his face twitched, a silent acknowledgment of the commander’s praise.

Xiang Yong puffed out his chest, sharing in the honor.

"Based on the assessment of your mission contributions and the extra reward for the rescue operation, your squad’s points have been distributed." The commander operated the light screen in front of him.

"Xu Wuyi, you will personally receive 300 points for the basic escort mission, an additional 200 points as a bonus for the rescue operation, and 150 points for killing the Wolfman War Generals, for a total of 650 points."

"It’s a shame you’re still a student. Otherwise, these wouldn’t be university points, but Federation merits."

points!

Even with Xu Wuyi’s calm disposition, his heart warmed slightly upon hearing that number.

As for the Federation merits the commander mentioned, Xu Wuyi didn’t pay them much mind.

It wasn’t that he didn’t value merits, but that university students weren’t allowed to directly accept Federation missions. This was a strict Federation regulation.

This was because Martial Artists who were still students had no way of accurately estimating the difficulty of various missions. Direct contact with the merit system could easily lead to situations where people got themselves killed for wealth.

And if a mission failed, not only would the Martial Artist be in danger, but the Federation’s military objective would go unfulfilled, and the person who accepted the mission would be held responsible.

The Martial Arts Universities acted as intermediaries, essentially shouldering this responsibility for the students. If a mission failed, the university would step in to clean up the mess.

There were only two ways for university students to earn merits.

First, they could be conscripted by the Federation for an emergency mission, with the subsequent reward settled in merits. Second, they could join certain social organizations and participate in missions already accepted by others.

It was just like how Xu Wuyi had been hired this time, except Xiang Yong had gone through Star Martial University’s channels, whereas a social organization wouldn’t necessarily go through a university.

In that scenario, the person who accepted the mission was directly responsible for its outcome.

"Thank you, sir," Xu Wuyi replied calmly, suppressing the excitement in his heart.

The commander nodded. "You’ve earned it. I hope to see you on the Star Realm Battlefield again in the future. The Federation needs young geniuses like you."

With the mission debriefing complete, a wave of exhaustion washed over them. It wasn’t just physical; it was the release of tension after being mentally wound so tight.

Xiang Yong stretched hard and said to Xu Wuyi and Liu Qing, "Mission’s over. We can head back. Time to go home and get some proper rest."

Old Cat clapped Xu Wuyi on the shoulder, as concise as ever. "Kid. Stay alive, get stronger."

With that, he turned and walked into the depths of the base, his figure quickly disappearing into the shadows of the corridor.

Xu Wuyi watched the spot where Old Cat had vanished and nodded silently.

...

The dizziness from the teleportation completely faded, replaced by the feeling of solid ground beneath his feet and familiar air filling his lungs.

Xu Wuyi opened his eyes. Before him was the spacious, brightly lit, domed hall of the teleportation hub in the suburbs of Xingjing City.

The soft artificial light, the mirror-smooth floor, and the endless stream of people formed a stark contrast to the dim, oppressive, and perilous environment of the Celestial Spirit Star Realm.

The low hum of Energy Turbulence was gone from his ears, replaced by broadcast announcements, the low murmur of conversation, and the whirring of various aircraft taking off and landing.

It was the clamor of human civilization, but for the first time, Xu Wuyi found it so reassuring.

"We’re back."

Beside him, Xiang Yong let out a long breath. The tension in his shoulders and neck visibly eased, and a genuine smile spread across his face.

Even for a veteran Martial Artist like him, a ten-day mission on an Extraterrestrial Planet was mentally taxing.

Liu Qing also gave a slight nod, her stern features softening a little. She looked at Xu Wuyi. "Thank you for everything on this mission."

Xu Wuyi shook his head. "You’re too kind, Sister Liu. We were just fighting side-by-side."

The pickup team sent by the Social Sciences Academy arrived quickly to escort Professor Chen and his two companions away.

Before leaving, Professor Chen once again gripped the hands of Xiang Yong and Xu Wuyi tightly. The old professor’s gratitude was heartfelt, not just for their protection, but also for the timely rescue.

"Martial Artist Xu, you are young and full of promise, with a boundless future," Professor Chen said, looking at Xu Wuyi with eyes full of admiration and expectation. "If you’re ever interested in commissions from the Social Sciences Academy in the future, please don’t hesitate to contact us."

Xu Wuyi nodded seriously. "I will."

After seeing the researchers off, Xiang Yong clapped Xu Wuyi on the shoulder. "Come on, I’ll take you back to the university. My aircraft is parked outside."

Liu Qing lived in Xingjing, so she didn’t need a ride.

Walking out of the teleportation hall, the scorching late-summer sun of the Federation beat down on them, carrying the unique dusty scent of the city.

Xu Wuyi squinted. The sunlight felt a bit harsh, yet also incredibly welcoming.

He boarded Xiang Yong’s sharp-lined, military-issue aircraft. The engine gave a low, steady hum as it lifted off vertically, then sped off in the direction of Yuntai City.

Looking down through the viewport, the bustling metropolis of Xingjing City unfolded below like a giant scroll.

Skyscrapers pierced the clouds, gleaming with metal and glass. A web of aerial routes crisscrossed the sky, with all sorts of aircraft flying through them in orderly swarms, like bees.

Compared to the primitive, savage landscape of the Celestial Spirit Star Realm, the peace and prosperity before him gave Xu Wuyi a faint sense of unreality, as if the past ten days had been a particularly vivid dream.

"Finding it a little hard to adjust?" Xiang Yong noticed his gaze and smiled. "It’s like this every time you come back from the battlefield or an Extraterrestrial Planet."

"You’ll get used to it in a couple of days. Eat what you should eat, train what you should train. But this feeling of appreciation for peace... it really helps you stay clear-headed."

Xu Wuyi pulled his gaze back and nodded.

He understood what Xiang Yong meant. Having witnessed the cruelty of life-and-death situations, he now had a deeper appreciation for the value of a stable environment for cultivation. It also served as a greater motivation to constantly push himself forward.

The aircraft landed smoothly on Star Martial University’s dedicated landing pad.

"I won’t go in," Xiang Yong said to him. "It was a pleasure working with you. Let’s fight side-by-side again if we get the chance."

"Take care, Martial Artist Xiang," Xu Wuyi said in farewell.

After watching Xiang Yong’s aircraft ascend and depart, Xu Wuyi stood in silence for a moment before turning and walking toward the Hidden Dragon Garden.