A figure bathed in brilliant gold slowly rose from the bottom of the pit. “I never thought … I’d be hit by a ‘descend-from-the-sky’ attack …” The slightly disheveled Lu Sheng reappeared before the woman. Lu Sheng held a silver weapon case in one hand, and with the other, he casually undid a few buttons on his military jacket collar. His calm gaze fell on the woman as he said lightly, “So, you’re the Black Devil Society’s backup? Interesting …” The woman’s eyes showed a hint of surprise as she tilted her head and glanced at Lu Sheng. Suddenly, she vanished into the air. The golden energy on Lu Sheng’s left side exploded as a figure flashed past.  Then it was the right side, below, above … The aura and energy surrounding Lu Sheng kept erupting. The woman’s figure became a blur, transforming into dark red lightning that lashed at Lu Sheng from all directions. Her speed was extreme. Her attacks were terrifyingly powerful.  Her body, energy, and martial will were seamlessly fused, reaching a strange level of transformation. The martial and spiritual field that had withstood the combined attacks of over a hundred masters during the Eastern Military District competition was now rapidly collapsing under the woman’s relentless assault, like an avalanche. Yet Lu Sheng showed no intention of fighting back. His eyes glowed slightly. The woman’s strength was clearly at the Grandmaster level, and she was already beginning to touch the realm of a Level 9 Martial Sage. The upgrade of his access to the Fireseed repository hadn’t included information on the path to becoming a Level 9 Martial Sage, so Lu Sheng’s understanding of it was still somewhat vague. He had only learned a bit from the memories of the Martial Sage Gu Xuan. “To break through from Level 8 to Level 9, the key is to completely fuse the essence, energy, and spirit into one, thereby connecting with the heavens and earth, and using the energy of the natural universe to create one’s own martial avatar!” In simpler terms …  advancing from Level 8 to Level 9 is about the further elevation of martial will. One must clarify their own path, then create a unique “symbol” or martial imprint. Using this symbol or imprint, they can harness the energy of the natural world, unleashing destructive power hundreds or even thousands of times greater than that of a Level 8. The breakthrough from Level 6 to Level 7 is one such transformation, and the leap from Level 8 to Level 9 is another. This breakthrough is even more significant, as many incredible martial arts abilities are manifested at this level. If the gap between a Level 7 master and a Level 8 grandmaster is measurable, then the gap between Level 8 and Level 9 is immeasurable.  It’s no exaggeration to call it a chasm as vast as the heavens and earth. This is why Level 8 practitioners are called Grandmasters, while Level 9 practitioners are revered as Martial Sages. They command the respect and faith of millions, essentially becoming gods among men. In the three thousand years since the beginning of the Martial Era, Level 9 has always been recognized as the ultimate limit of martial arts by all of humanity. The woman now standing before Lu Sheng, launching a frenzied assault, was already at the pinnacle of Grandmaster-level strength. Her essence, energy, and spirit had fused into one, and her next step would be to create her own martial symbol, her martial imprint. Although it seemed she hadn’t quite figured it out yet, her efforts were still of great research value to Lu Sheng as he explored the path to Level 9. The martial field around Lu Sheng exploded, completely shattered by the woman’s attacks. A slender arm slashed across Lu Sheng’s chest. The high-quality military jacket was sliced open like paper under the woman’s elegant, long nails, cutting into Lu Sheng’s flesh. The nails scraped across his chest, making a sound like a knife scraping across metal, sparks seemed to fly. The woman’s figure flashed again, and she reappeared dozens of meters away from Lu Sheng. She looked at her nails, now completely worn down, and then at Lu Sheng, her eyes finally showing a hint of emotion. “No wonder …” The woman murmured softly, her face returning to calm. “If this is all you’ve got, you might be going home empty-handed tonight …” Lu Sheng didn’t care about his torn clothes and smiled at the woman. The woman’s brilliant red hair fluttered slightly in the night breeze. She tilted her heads lightly, her posture playful as she looked at Lu Sheng. “So, is this what you’re relying on?” The woman smiled, a fleeting moment of allure and charm flashing across her stunning features. “Unfortunately, you’re going to regret it.” She extended her tongue and gently licked her crimson lips, like a cat. In a low voice, she murmured, “You should feel lucky. Because you … are the first person in five years to see my most powerful form.” As she finished speaking, an indescribable surge of energy erupted from her. Her original aura, already strong, began to intensify continuously.  At the same time, her appearance began to change rapidly … The woman’s skin, already pale, now became even more translucent and radiant. The faint freckles on her cheeks completely vanished, and her entire body emitted a jade-like glow. Her eyes grew narrower, with the corners extending further to the sides.  Her nose became higher, and her chin sharper and more refined.  Her waist-length red hair grew even longer, while her limbs became more slender and perfectly proportioned. Thıs text ıs hosted at 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵~𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖~𝙣𝙚𝙩 It seemed even the stars in the sky were captivated by her transformation, peeking through the clouds to cast a few beams of starlight on her. When her transformation was complete, her resplendent red hair reached down to her ankles. She stood before Lu Sheng like a seductive and stunning red fox, exuding elegance and grace. This was, by far, the most perfect woman Lu Sheng had ever seen. No exceptions. Her purple eyes fell on Lu Sheng, gazing at him with a look that seemed to hold deep affection, like the gaze shared between lovers. Even her words sounded like a seductive invitation. “Are you ready … to meet your death?” But the icy killing intent in her voice shattered any illusion of tenderness. Her figure slowly faded away. Lu Sheng was momentarily stunned. It was the first time anyone had left an afterimage in his eyes. In the next moment, a drill-like attack came from the side of his face. Lu Sheng’s body was sent flying to the side. But before he hit the ground, another blow sent him hurtling again … Lu Sheng was like a ball, being struck from different angles by terrifying attacks. The woman’s speed was so fast that nothing could capture her movements. It seemed as though Lu Sheng was being pummeled by invisible forces, with dull thuds constantly sounding from his body. Suddenly, the air exploded with the sound of a sonic boom. Lu Sheng, as if hit by a massive blow, was sent hurtling backward like a cannonball. In an instant, he flew several hundred meters before crashing into the side of a small mountain. The impact caused rocks and soil to crumble as Lu Sheng’s body embedded deeply into the mountainside, falling silent. The woman’s figure reappeared, walking gracefully toward the crater. Her hands hung naturally at her sides, with blood-red nails extending like blades from her fingertips, glinting darkly in the night.