Chapter 48: Chapter 47: Sword Control Technique Upgrade! An Immortal Operation Stuns Everyone

"Next up, Group Two. Wang Qi, Zhou Yun..." Fan Jian read the names aloud.

The ten members of the second group stepped forward and entered the simulation pods.

An hour later, the virtual assessment was over. Of the more than fifty participants, fewer than thirty remained. Those who passed were ecstatic, while the eliminated were crestfallen, leaving in silence.

The atmosphere on the training grounds grew increasingly heavy.

Fan Jian’s gaze swept over everyone, his tone icy.

"The virtual assessment was just an appetizer to test your baseline."

"The upcoming live-aircraft assessment is the main event. Only the best will survive."

His voice wasn’t loud, but it made everyone present tense up.

"I don’t care who you are or what your background is. The Sharp Sword Society will only be recruiting five people this time."

That single sentence extinguished all the joy that had just blossomed.

This meant that another four-fifths of the people present would be eliminated. No matter how well they performed, if they weren’t in the top five, they were out.

Everyone’s expression changed. They now looked at the people around them with wariness.

Fan Jian was very satisfied with this effect. ’Only pressure can force out a person’s true potential.’

"Follow me."

He wasted no words, turning and leading the group through a long metal corridor to a massive underground hangar.

WHOOM—

The massive alloy gate slowly rose. A cold gust of wind, thick with the smell of jet fuel and metal, rushed out to meet them. Over a dozen Falcon First Generation trainers, painted with blue training insignias, were parked silently in the hangar.

Their streamlined fuselages gleamed coldly under the lights.

"The second round of the assessment: live-aircraft combat," Fan Jian said, pointing to the fighters on the tarmac.

"You will be divided into an assessment group and an interference group. The assessment group will pilot a Falcon First Generation through the fifty-kilometer ’Death Route’ ahead, activating ten virtual beacons along the way."

"The interference group’s mission, without using any weapons, is to use any means necessary to interfere with the assessment group."

Fan Jian paused, his voice growing even colder.

"This includes, but is not limited to, close-proximity pressure, creating turbulent wakes, and tactical harassment. Your goal is to prevent the assessment group from completing its mission."

"Now for the groupings." Fan Jian opened his personal terminal, and the names on the light screen began to scroll again.

"First assessment group: Han Feng, Su Yue."

"First interference group: Wei Dong, Zhou Kai, Chen Bin."

As soon as the list was announced, a low murmur rippled through the crowd.

"Su Yue? The genius girl from the Rune Academy? I heard her Spiritual Power control is terrifyingly strong. I didn’t expect her piloting skills to be this amazing too!"

"Isn’t this grouping a bit too targeted? Wei Dong, Zhou Kai, Chen Bin... aren’t they the members of Wei Dong’s squad from the first round of the virtual assessment?"

Standing not far away, Li Wei’s brows furrowed instantly. ’This isn’t random grouping at all. Fan Jian is clearly doing this on purpose!’

The corners of Wei Dong’s mouth curled up involuntarily, his eyes filled with malicious glee as he looked at Han Feng.

’You passed up the path to heaven and came knocking on hell’s door.’

He turned to Zhou Kai and Chen Bin beside him and lowered his voice.

"There’s something off about that kid. He dared to play for keeps with me in the virtual battle. The three of us will go at him together later. Don’t give him a single opening."

"If the three of us can’t even take down a C Level Mechanic, we might as well just quit and go home to be farmers! There’s no way we’re letting someone like him take our spots!"

Zhou Kai and Chen Bin nodded immediately, their gazes toward Han Feng turning hostile.

Han Feng ignored the malicious stares and walked straight toward a Falcon First Generation. As his palm gently brushed against the cold fuselage, a long-unheard system prompt sounded in his mind.

[Detected "Flying Sword". Model: Falcon First Generation.]

[Grade Determination: Lower Grade Magical Artifact.]

[Establish Spiritual Link?]

"Yes."

BZZZT!

A sense of resonance, far clearer than with the Initial Training-3, spread throughout his body. Every single part of the Falcon First Generation—every component, every wire, every screw—became incredibly distinct in his Perception.

At that moment, this steel eagle felt as if it had become a part of his own body!

[Link established with "Lower Grade Magical Artifact". Sword Control Cultivation efficiency increased by 100%. Body Tempering Cultivation efficiency increased by 100%!]

He vaulted into the cockpit and skillfully initiated the system self-check.

"Assessment group, ready."

"Interference group, ready."

"Assessment begins!"

At Fan Jian’s command, the engines of the five Falcon fighters roared to life simultaneously! Han Feng took the lead, the first to push the throttle, and piloted his fighter toward the entrance of the distant canyon!

"He’s in! Follow him!" A vicious glint flashed in Wei Dong’s eyes. He, along with Zhou Kai and Chen Bin, formed a triangular pincer formation and dove headfirst into the "Death Route" right behind Han Feng.

Inside the canyon, the airflow was chaotic, and fierce winds howled. Countless sharp rocks flew past on either side. At its narrowest, the passage was less than fifty meters wide. The slightest mistake would mean a fiery death.

"He can’t escape! Zhou Kai, block him from the left! Chen Bin, hold the right! I’ll get on his six!" Wei Dong’s voice, full of confidence, rang out over the public channel.

The three fighters quickly broke formation, moving to encircle Han Feng from three directions.

Wei Dong stared intently at the blip representing Han Feng on his radar screen, trying to get a firm lock with his fire-control radar.

[Locking... 35%... 58%... 82%...]

In just another second, he could use the mental pressure from the radar lock to interfere with Han Feng’s piloting!

However, just as the lock-on progress bar was about to hit 100%, a thought flickered through Han Feng’s mind.

The fuselage gave an almost imperceptible shudder, as if blown by a gust of wind, and shifted less than three meters to the right.

[Lock lost!]

The piercing alert made Wei Dong’s expression change.

"Damn it, am I seeing things?!"

He cursed, adjusted his position, and tried to lock on again.

[Locking... 41%... 67%... 91%...]

’So close again!’

The moment the radar waves converged on his fuselage, Han Feng once again used the Sword Control Technique. He expended a faint amount of Qi Blood, applying it precisely to the ailerons. The jet abruptly shifted several meters to the left once more!

[Lock lost!]

[Skill Proficiency for Sword Control Technique·Entry Level +8!]

[Body Tempering Cultivation +1!]

"Fuck!" Wei Dong couldn’t help but curse.

At the same time, Zhou Kai and Chen Bin, responsible for flanking him from the left and right, were experiencing the same thing.

"Captain! There’s something weird about this kid! My radar can’t lock onto him either!"

"Mine too! Every time I’m about to get a lock, it’s like he uses Instant Teleportation! This is insane!"

Han Feng wasn’t even looking at his radar. He was simply enjoying the thrill of grinding his Skill Proficiency.

[Skill Proficiency for Sword Control Technique·Entry Level +10!]

[Skill Proficiency for Sword Control Technique·Entry Level +9!]

...

After he effortlessly dodged another lock-on, the voice in his mind fundamentally changed.

[Skill Proficiency for Sword Control Technique·Entry Level has reached 1000/1000!]

[Upgrading Skill...]

[Sword Control Technique has been upgraded to: Skilled Level!]

[Triggering "Skill Implantation" and "Skill Body Sculpting"!]

BOOM!

A massive torrent of information rushed into Han Feng’s mind.

It was no longer about simple piloting techniques. It was about how to pilot a "Flying Sword" through evasive maneuvers, how to leverage the minimum amount of Qi Blood for maximum maneuverability, and how to make the fighter jet a true extension of his own arms and Will!

Countless profound insights instantly elevated his understanding of Sword Flight to a whole new level.

At the same time, a warm current surged through his limbs. His bones emitted a series of faint CRACKLING sounds as they grew tougher, becoming more resistant to the pressures of high-speed maneuvers.

[Sword Bone Transformation progress: 7/100!]

All of this happened in a flash.

When Han Feng opened his eyes again, the entire world was different.

The Human-Machine Unity state, which had felt a bit clumsy before, was now incredibly smooth, as natural as moving his own limbs. He could even feel the subtle changes in every wisp of airflow as the wings cut through it.

"I refuse to believe this shit!" Wei Dong was thoroughly enraged. "All units, forget locking on, use direct physical pressure! Pin him against the wall!"

The three fighters’ engines roared as they accelerated sharply, hurtling toward Han Feng!

Seeing the three jets about to form an inescapable Iron Barrel Array, the corner of Han Feng’s mouth curled up slightly.

He yanked back hard on the control stick while simultaneously cutting the engine power to a minimum! 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

[Actively using Skilled Level-Sword Control Technique to correct flight attitude.]

[Qi Blood -20]

[Body Tempering Cultivation +3!]

The nose of the jet pitched up high, and the aircraft, in a near-stall state, decelerated dramatically!

This was a move he could use even at the Entry Level, but it was nowhere near as silky smooth and effortlessly graceful as it was now.

Wei Dong and his two wingmen, chasing at high speed from behind, had no time to react. Like three cannonballs, they shot past right underneath Han Feng!

’Shit! It’s a trap!’ Wei Dong’s heart sank.

By the time he frantically regained control of his aircraft and pulled its nose up, Han Feng’s jet was already cruising leisurely above them, having easily activated the first virtual beacon.

[First beacon, activated.]

The cold system prompt made the expressions on Wei Dong and his men turn instantly grim.

In the ground control room, all the observing students were completely stunned.

They stared at the unbelievable scene on the main screen, their mouths hanging open.

"What was that maneuver just now? A Cobra Maneuver? No, that was even more insane!"

"How did he dare to pull a move like that in a canyon? What if he stalled? And while being cornered by three people!"

"This guy... is he even human?"

Li Wei, however, just grinned and muttered to himself.

"I knew this kid would pull something! That move was even slicker than last time!"

In front of the main console, Fan Jian stared intently at the screen, his body leaning forward unconsciously.

In his eyes, usually as still as a deep well, a trace of disbelief finally appeared.

What he was seeing wasn’t a Pilot’s maneuvers.

It was a monster that defied aerodynamics, that defied the very laws of physics.

In the canyon, the tables had turned in an instant.

Wei Dong and his two wingmen had scrambled chaotically ahead.

And Han Feng, who should have been the one being chased, was now leisurely trailing behind them, the Hunter.