Chapter Seventy: The Sairei Testing Device

"A fourth-tier soul general card of the mental cultivation type," Tang Tian raised his hand. "Do you have any special cultivation cards?"

"Fourth-tier... That really suits my shop," Sairey understood, but was a little puzzled. "Coming all the way to Three Souls City to buy a fourth-tier soul general card—you're quite an odd one. Looks like it's for your own use. What cultivation method did you train for the third tier?"

"Cranes' Breath Technique," Tang Tian answered truthfully.

"Cranes' Breath Technique!" Sairey was visibly moved, surprise flashing in her blue eyes as she sized Tang Tian up and down. "I wouldn't have guessed, young man. You’ve got some skill! The Cranes' Breath Technique is famously difficult to master!"

Tang Tian stood with hands on his hips, looking smug and proud. "Haha! Of course—I’m a prodigy! If you have any powerful cards, feel free to show them!"

"Such confidence, young man." Sairey’s seductive red lips curved into a slight smile. "Actually, I do have a few interesting cards here. What’s your main martial skill?"

"I specialize in close combat," Tang Tian replied without the slightest hint of modesty. "I’m really good!"

"A close combat expert..." Sairey paused again. "Now I’m genuinely curious."

She pushed open the door leading to the warehouse. "Come, young man, let’s see how much skill you truly possess!"

Tang Tian perked up at her words. "Are you planning to fight me?"

"Fight you?" Sairey laughed heartily. "I have no intention of fighting a close combat specialist."

The warehouse behind was much larger than expected—over two hundred meters in length, far bigger than the martial arena at Sachima Academy. Inside were all kinds of strange apparatus and many machines. Tang Tian understood why Sairey was so fond of her bronze mechanical ostrich.

Sairey walked to a black iron automaton. "Come, young man, let’s see what you’re made of."

Tang Tian approached curiously. "What’s this?"

"The Sairey Tester." Sairey’s beautiful face was now earnest and proud. "This is my most successful creation. I’ve always loved collecting all sorts of low-tier soul general cards, and through my research, I’ve made many discoveries. Soul general cards are methods for wielding power, while stardust stones are the source of that power. If you combine the two, isn’t that a complete system? But I spent ages trying to make it work, without success—until last year, when I realized I’d missed a crucial element: the Stardust Relic!"

Tang Tian was deeply drawn in by her words, blurting out subconsciously, "Stardust Relic?"

It was the first time he’d heard someone interpret soul general cards in this way, yet the more he thought about it, the more fitting it seemed. Soul general cards were used to express martial techniques, which themselves were ways of harnessing power!

"To this day, there’s no definitive explanation for how Stardust Relics are formed. Relics of the same constellation often share common traits, so humanity named them after constellations. The most remarkable thing about Stardust Relics is that they possess martial spirits. The higher the tier, the closer their martial spirits resemble humans. They can train themselves, absorbing and refining energy from their surroundings. No soul general can do that."

Sairey’s powerful, slightly manic voice echoed in the warehouse.

Tang Tian was about to argue—after all, Uncle Bing could train himself!—but was immediately captivated by her next words.

"I suddenly realized—just like humans, we have meridians, true force, and a dantian, but it’s our brains that drive them. In the system built by soul general cards and stardust stones, there’s no brain! Yet Stardust Relics perfectly fill that gap. When I began integrating relics into the system, I succeeded at last!"

Tang Tian listened, utterly spellbound.

"Because of their power, Stardust Relics are used as weapons. But what a waste! The spirit within the relic is squandered. People care only for their strength, dismissing the intelligence of the martial spirit. Only the highest-tier relics, whose spirits can train themselves and grow stronger, earn people’s favor. Such short-sighted humanity!"

"And then? What happened then?" Tang Tian asked impatiently.

"Then I completed the Sairey Tester," Sairey declared triumphantly.

Tang Tian looked at the Sairey Tester—it was entirely human in form, jet black, life-sized, intricately constructed, with distinguishable facial features, and limbs with complicated joints.

"Bronze would have been ideal, but ancient bronze formulas are long lost. I tried many times, but energy conduction was still poor. So I went with black steel—it’s cheap, too," Sairey continued. "Inside, the relic is a bronze Stardust Relic, a bargain I found somewhere. Since you’re a close combat specialist, I’ll have to select a few cards carefully."

With that, Sairey chose five cards, opened the Tester’s back, and inserted them.

"Welcome to witness the Sairey Tester’s debut!" Sairey’s face was wild with excitement as she pointed at Tang Tian. "Go, Sairey Tester!"

The black automaton flickered suddenly.

Tang Tian’s heart skipped—a swift move!

Without hesitation, he sidestepped and punched to his flank.

Bang!

His fist met the automaton’s iron fist head-on, no tricks.

Tang Tian staggered back several steps—such strength! More importantly, the force from the automaton’s fist was uncanny, almost like a drill trying to bore into his hand.

The automaton suddenly powered up, launching toward Tang Tian like an arrow.

Tang Tian’s palm twitched, and the Shadow Fragment Palm burst forth.

The automaton’s left palm swept in midair, dispersing all the fragments, while its right fist shot out like a bent bow releasing an arrow.

Tang Tian stepped aside, narrowly avoiding the punch; the sharp energy grazed his cheek. His five fingers hooked, locking onto the automaton’s wrist.

But the automaton countered by twisting its own hand.

Tang Tian reacted instantly, pulling in and striking with his knee.

Smack!

The automaton also bent its knee in response.

Bang bang bang!

Within a tight space, both sides exchanged blows at dizzying speed—so fast it was hard to follow.

Sairey looked tense, while Bing appeared calm and unruffled.

As the fight heated up, Tang Tian’s movements grew even quicker; it was his first time fighting so freely and heartily. It was difficult to find a suitable sparring partner. The automaton’s techniques were all unfamiliar, strange and unpredictable.

Yet Tang Tian felt no fear, his moves increasingly nimble, his repertoire at his fingertips. He had trained each of these martial skills to perfection; in terms of proficiency, he was flawless—this was theoretically perfect. To rise to the next level, he would need deeper understanding, reaching the master’s realm.

A master’s level could break free from tier constraints.

This was the first time Tang Tian faced an opponent whose reactions rivaled his own. Previously, others might have surpassed him in skills, but none could match his reflexes. That was why Old Wei advised him to pursue close combat—Tang Tian’s reaction speed was far above normal.

Their fists and movements sped up, Sairey growing increasingly nervous, unable to clearly see either side’s actions.

To her eye, both fighters moved like blurred shadows.

Tang Tian’s eyes lit with a crimson flame; those who knew him well recognized that his fighting spirit was boiling over, though none realized his mind was icy calm.

His intuition was like a smooth mirror, reflecting every detail around him.

His attacks and counters became faster, more precise.

Earlier, Tang Tian’s movements were still a bit stiff and disconnected. Though he had perfected each martial skill, he’d never before needed to seamlessly blend several together. Now, those rough edges were gradually smoothed away; his movements grew more fluid, with a hint of effortless freedom.

As Tang Tian progressed, the automaton felt the mounting pressure.

Its eyes flashed with an eerie red glow, and its attacks intensified dramatically.

Sairey’s expression changed; she knew what this meant—the Sairey Tester judged that ordinary attacks could no longer threaten Tang Tian. It had activated its power mode; in this mode, stardust stone consumption would double, and the soul general cards risked burning out.

Tang Tian was immediately thrown into disarray; the automaton’s attacks became a storm.

He quickly fell behind.

Yet Tang Tian did not lose focus or panic—instead, his fighting spirit soared, his mind cool as snow, his intuition like a mirror.

Half a minute!

Within thirty seconds of the automaton activating power mode, Tang Tian was completely suppressed, unable to do more than defend. His shoulders and thighs took several hits.

But at the forty-second mark, Tang Tian stabilized, his attack frequency rising again, his movements even more fluid and logical.

His concentration peaked; the various martial skills seemed to blur together in his mind.

Bang bang bang!

Fists, palms, and legs struck like rain.

Tang Tian had regained control, and for some reason—perhaps because his focus was so intense—the automaton’s storm of attacks seemed less frightening.

Sairey was stunned; Tang Tian’s attack frequency was still increasing! She suddenly realized she was facing a true anomaly!

Suddenly, a cold gleam flashed in Tang Tian’s eyes.

A flaw in the automaton’s right shoulder!

Without thinking, he blocked a punch, then his shoulder twisted in an odd way and sprang forward, smashing into the automaton’s shoulder.

The automaton faltered, trying to block with its arm.

But Tang Tian seemed to anticipate this; his hand slid down to lock its elbow joint, his own elbow bent sharply, and he rammed it into its chest.

His elbow struck the automaton’s chest, Cranes’ Energy surging in.

The automaton froze.

A breath later, flames flickered from its chest, quickly spreading upward. Tang Tian, startled, snapped out of combat mode and hurried aside.

Sairey stood frozen, speechless.