After saying this, Fu Yun gave a complicated smile.

"You must have seen her at last year’s Youth Tournament. Her Saber Technique... forget just our class, even if you include all the current university students, very few are her match."

"Senior Brother Pan might have been able to... hmm, but he already graduated this year, so he doesn’t count," Fu Yun said, shaking his head.

Xu Wuyi nodded. This didn’t come as a surprise.

The power of Hong Nianyi’s saber strike from the Youth Tournament was still fresh in his mind.

"So, you’re saying Senior Sister Hong recommended me?" he confirmed.

"Correct," "Red" added from the side, a stream of data flowing calmly within her pupils. "According to the rules, the recommended individual must pass a test to prove they are qualified to join Red Star."

Fu Yun picked up the conversation. "It’s fine if you fail the test. Since you were recommended, you can take the test at any time until you pass, or until you’re over 25 years old."

Xu Wuyi didn’t respond immediately. He needed more information.

"What are the obligations for joining Red Star? And what are the benefits?" he asked directly.

Fu Yun wasn’t displeased by his directness. He smiled and said, "Obligations? Practically none. Red Star itself is a very loosely-organized platform with no mandatory missions or gatherings."

"The only thing that could be considered a ’restriction’ is probably the unspoken rule of confidentiality among members. You’re not to publicize the existence of ’Red Star’ to the outside world."

"Also, members can leave at any time. You just need to submit a request to ’Red’ to have your Red Star permissions within the Battle Network revoked."

"As for the benefits," he chuckled, "first is the network. You’ll get to connect with the top geniuses from the Three Great Academies and other places from the past decade or so."

"Some of them are still students, while others have already graduated. We have people in every field: the military, exploration teams, research institutes, large corporations, and even government departments."

"You can often get immediate access to information and resource channels that are hard to find through public means. The same goes for high-value missions with limited availability."

"Second is the foundation of trust. Red Star’s admission process itself filters out most of those with malicious intent or insufficient strength. While members aren’t necessarily all friends, when you cooperate, the shared identity of being ’part of Red Star’ establishes a basic level of trust and a bottom line."

"If someone crosses that line—for example, by maliciously backstabbing a companion during a mission or committing a serious breach of a Martial Artist’s code of ethics—it can be verified, and a vote can be initiated by three or more members. If more than half the members agree, that person will be permanently expelled."

"Red" chimed in with some specific data at the right moment: "Red Star was founded twelve years ago. There are currently two hundred eighty-seven official members, with an average age of twenty-nine."

"Throughout its history, a total of four people have been expelled. Three were for severe treachery, and one was for committing a major Federation felony."

Xu Wuyi listened in silence.

The terms were indeed surprisingly lenient. It was, for all intents and purposes, a pure networking platform built on a shared identity and basic credibility.

There were no mandatory commitments, members were free to come and go, and the risk was extremely low.

As for the benefits, the two points Fu Yun mentioned were very practical.

Moreover, it was an organization that existed entirely on the Battle Network. If any risks were to arise in the future, he could just report it directly to the Battle Network officials.

An organization like that would surely be shut down immediately if it violated any Federation laws.

"What’s the test?" Xu Wuyi asked after a moment of thought.

"A battle," Fu Yun said, pointing to a portal that had suddenly lit up on one side of the reception room. "’Red’ has constructed a special challenge space within the Battle Network. Inside, she has stored the combat Illusions of nine Red Star members, recorded before they reached Life Energy Level 35."

"You can choose any one of them to challenge. The opponent’s Life Energy Level will be adjusted to match yours."

"I understand." Although Xu Wuyi said this, he still frowned slightly and couldn’t help but ask, "Combat Illusions... they can actually simulate a Martial Artist’s fighting style?"

In Xu Wuyi’s understanding, the Battle Network could only simulate beings like Star Beasts and Alien Races, which possessed powerful physiques but lacked any real Martial Arts.

Because a Martial Artist’s "Intention" was based on their Spirit, if the Battle Network could simulate it out of thin air, then even Rank Battles would be pointless.

’Why not just simulate a few hundred opponents to use as daily training partners?’

"The technology isn’t mature yet," Fu Yun said. "It’s the latest research achievement from the Starry Sky Martial Arts Academy, and it’s been around for less than twenty years."

"For Martial Artists above Level 35, attempts to simulate a Heart Image Prototype fail nearly one hundred percent of the time. Even for a fully-fledged Martial Artist, the simulation can only replicate about eighty to ninety percent of their actual skill. That’s why it has never been widely implemented."

"I see..." Xu Wuyi nodded. He looked at the faintly glowing portal, his decision already made.

’Joining Red Star has far more pros than cons. As for the test...’

"I accept," he said.

A smile appeared on Fu Yun’s face. He turned to the side and made an inviting gesture. "Follow me."

Xu Wuyi stepped into the portal, with Fu Yun and "Red" following close behind.

As light and shadow swirled around them, the scene before him suddenly opened up.

It was a circular space resembling the Ancient Roman Colosseum, over a hundred meters in diameter. The floor was made of a matte, dark-gray alloy, surrounded by gradually rising, ring-shaped stands, though they were currently empty.

The dome was a simulated, deep Starry Sky, with specks of starlight scattering down, making the entire space feel vast and solemn.

In the center of the arena, nine half-human-height silver pedestals were arranged in a circle.

A faint, humanoid silhouette of light hovered silently above each pedestal. Their faces were blurry, but their postures were all different. Some stood with their arms crossed over a saber, some stood quietly with their hands at their sides, and others sat cross-legged.

Xu Wuyi’s gaze swept across them, quickly settling on one of the silhouettes.

The silhouette was tall and slender, with long hair tied back in a neat ponytail. Though its face was indistinct, the familiar stance and the hand at its side, gripped as if holding an invisible long saber, was unmistakably Hong Nianyi.

"You can choose any pedestal. Stand in the activation zone in front of it, and the test will begin," Fu Yun’s voice sounded from the side.

Xu Wuyi nodded, his gaze lingering on the nine Illusions for another moment.

Aside from Hong Nianyi, he didn’t recognize the other eight Illusions.

’But from the fragments of aura they exude, every single one of them has a solid foundation and condensed Qi and Blood. They’re by no means mediocre fighters.’

However, his choice had been clear from the very beginning.

Xu Wuyi walked straight toward the pedestal holding Hong Nianyi’s Illusion and stopped about five meters away.

"I choose this one."

A knowing look flashed in Fu Yun’s eyes. He chuckled and said, "Challenging the Illusion left by ’Sister Yi’... Bold. When she recorded this Illusion, her Life Energy Level was exactly 33. But don’t worry, ’Red’ will adjust it down to 32.5 to match yours."

"Do you need a moment to prepare?"

"No need." His fighting spirit stirred by the challenge, Xu Wuyi stepped directly into the activation zone.