Chapter 657: Core Technology Holder

BOOM!

A ball of lightning exploded on the Unparalleled Extension. It was from one of the Exos behind Ding Hao who launched a remote attack. However, the seemingly powerful explosive bullet did nothing but make the Unparalleled Extension shake for a moment. Then, most of the energy of the lightning was absorbed by the Unparalleled Extension and formed a new layer of brilliance on its surface!

Ding Hao came back to himself and took the opportunity to step back. He crouched and activated all the power rune arrays on his crystal suit to the maximum. The moonlight-like aura of his saber was as unpredictable as smoke, but it quickly reappeared in the upper, middle, and lower part of the Unparalleled Extension in the blink of an eye.

All three Hidden Moon Slashes had hit the target precisely!

Deep inside Ding Hao's brain, he felt that his soul was shivering. Judging from his spurting spiritual energy, he could tell that his opponent had failed to dodge his attacks.

But what was horrifying was that, although the attacks hit the target, they seemed to have cut into a boundless ocean or a thick, heavy swamp. There was not the usual sense of gratification when he cut an object in half, and he could not have felt more uncomfortable!

Ding Hao did not know whether he should continue attacking or retreat. However, he was so short of breath that he felt like vomiting blood. In the meantime, the breastplate of the Unparalleled Extension blossomed like a flower from the middle, revealing a dazzling light ball that was growing larger and larger in front of Ding Hao.

Ding Hao felt that the world was swirling, and he completely lost control over his crystal suit, which was shrieking in alarm. All the performance parameters on the light beam were as red as scorching coal that was burning through his heart.

Huala!

Ding Hao fell to the ground heavily, unable to stand on his feet anymore. He could not even lift his finger. The only functional part of his crystal suit was the crystal camera, which captured the scene where You Wenjun, the Core Formation Stage Cultivator, was charging at the opponent.

BOOM!

After an earthshaking explosion, an invisible blast was quickly expanding from the center of the test field. The air currents were raging like a tsunami and tossed Ding Hao and the rest of them away brutally.

In the stands, all the teachers, experts, and professors from the Combat Department, the Flying Sword Department, the Battlesuit Department, and the Refining Department stood up.

They held their breath and widened their eyes while they gazed at the center of the test field, which was now enshrouded in sand and smoke!

When the obstructions finally died down, a giant crater, which was ten meters in diameter, appeared in the center of the test field, as if a shooting star had just visited the place. Hot steam was popping up from the depths of the crater nonstop, distorting the view nearby.

You Wenjun and the user of the Unparalleled Extension had been blasted to two sides of the crater, each with a deep ravine in front of them.

They were like fossils that had been embedded into the soil, unable to move at all.

Both the crystal suit and the Ares Extension had been seriously wrecked. Sparks were dancing all over their bodies, and light flames of chaotic spiritual energy were jetting from everywhere.

"Hua..."

Low exclamations echoed from the auditorium. Everybody cast their eyes to the outcome light beams in front of them.

Hundreds of indexes that represented the vital signs of the two Exos were changing constantly, while the crystal processor was examining their body status.

"Both of them have been heavily wounded and will be in a weak state for more than five seconds. It remains to be seen which of the two recovers faster."

"This is a battle with no winners!"

Hiss!

The conclusion raised a round of gasps among the faculty.

However, after only three seconds, on the light beam that represented the user of the Unparalleled Extension, the indexes underwent drastic changes again. A new line appeared.

"Beep. Anomaly in the vital signs of the No.1 tester has been detected. After reevaluation, his combat ability will be partly restored in 3.3 seconds!"

Hardly had the sentence was concluded when the user of the Unparalleled Extension staggered to his feet on the test field!

Every spectator was greatly shocked.

After a head-on clash with a Core Formation Stage Cultivator, the guy could still stand on his feet.

What kind of Ares Extension was that? And who exactly was wearing it?

Although some ten Exos were still standing in a corner of the test field, and the Unparalleled Extension had been twisted beyond recognition with flames bursting out here and there, none of them dared rush close and get themselves killed. They had all been awed by the air around the Unparalleled Extension, which made them feel that it was a primordial beast.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

The green lights on the two sides of the test field turned red again. Multiple pieces of flying magical equipment hovered above every tester and covered them in defense rune arrays.

"The first field test of the Unparalleled Extension has now ended!"

In the auditorium, everybody was looking at the members of the Ares Laboratory in compliment and admiration.

"As expected of Master Xue Yuanxin. As expected of the Unparalleled Extension!" The dean of the Battlesuit Department was the first to stand up and applauded. "This is a very successful test. Congratulations, Master Xue, and every researcher in the Ares Laboratory!

"I believe that the Unparalleled Extension will definitely become the ultimate extension that every Exo in the Flying Star Sector dreams of when it shows up in the Edge Sharpeners' Meeting in half a month!

"Hahahaha. Master Xue, so many people from my Battlesuit Department have been terribly beaten up by the Unparalleled Extension. You must bear our contribution in mind. When all the tests are done, please make sure that you spare some of the extensions for the Battlesuit Department!"

The dean of the Combat Department nodded in approval, too. "Returning the enemy's attack to themselves is indeed a marvelous design. The user of the Unparalleled Extension was apparently far weaker than You Wenjun, and yet, he could instantly unleash the spiritual energy that the Unparalleled Extension accumulated previously and deal as much damage to You Wenjun as You Wenjun did to himself. Moreover, his combat ability even recovered faster than You Wenjun's. Impressive. Very impressive!"

Now that the Unparalleled Extension had proved to be a great success, Wei Wenyao, dean of the Refining Department, was of course the happiest of all. He was so delighted that he could barely stop smiling. He said, "Master Xue, after the explosion half a year ago, we thought that it would take another two to three years before the Unparalleled Extension was produced. We did not expect that you would receive a huge investment from the Glorious Sunlight Group and complete the project right before the Edge Sharpeners' Meeting!

"Compared to the Unparalleled Extension, the new material, Super Bendable Steel, has endless potential and can be applied to shields or defense facilities. It has a very bright prospect!

"It was definitely the right call to introduce Master Sand Scorpion as a visiting scholar. No wonder you asked him to be in charge of the test!"

In a corner of the test field, Li Yao walked unhurriedly toward the Unparalleled Extension with a giant box of tools on his back.

"The guy is unbelievably lucky to be listed among the researchers of the Unparalleled Extension and to be responsible for the first field test!"

"That can't be helped. He has paid a fortune after all. Your money is your voice. If you want to do the same, why don't you sponsor a project with loads of money, too?"

"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. I didn't expect that the idiotic magnate from Iron Plateau would take advantage of his wealth so much!"

Many refiners were eyeing Li Yao with admiration and jealousy. They lowered their heads and whispered to each other.

Xue Yuanxin smiled and, glancing over everyone, said, "You think that Master Sand only brought a sum of funding to the Ares Laboratory?"

"What do you mean?" The refiners were dazed.

Xue Yuanxin cleared his throat and said casually, "Before, since the Unparalleled Extension was still being developed, everyone in the Ares Laboratory was wholly dedicated to our work and did not have the time to brief anyone on our progress.

"But now that the Unparalleled Extension has worked out the way we expected, we are now able to give a summary of our progress so far.

"Truth be told, during the development process, other than providing funds, Master Sand Scorpion has also offered 32 core technologies and was engaged in the research of 155 new rune arrays. He has also invented three different models of Super Bendable Steel independently that all boast very amazing attributes.

"Besides, the forging, polishing, and assembling work of the Unparalleled Extension was all taken care of by him. Sometimes, he would be standing next to the furnace for the refining work that could take as long as twenty hours.

"Because of his contribution to the project, it has been unanimously agreed that he is the well-deserved second refiner of the Unparalleled Extension. He will be listed right behind me in the name list of the researchers."

"What!"

Not only were the experts and professors of the Refining Department greatly shocked, those from the Combat Department, the Flying Sword Department, and the Battlesuit Department were dumbfounded, too!

"Moreover..."

As if he felt that everybody's mouth had not been opened wide enough, Xue Yuanxin said, "Although the Unparalleled Extension has been successfully refined, seven indispensable components employed in it can never be crafted directly by us no matter what. They have been forged by Master Sand after repetitive tempering.

"Perhaps I am too old and shortsighted, but in my opinion, no refiner in the entire Flying Star Sector will be able to copy Master Sand's tempering technique.

"Therefore, it is not a problem if anyone wants to order an Unparalleled Extension, but you'd better make an appointment with Master Sand first and see if he's willing to forge a batch of new core components for you."

Xue Yuanxin's remarks stirred chaos in everyone's mind.

Although some of the refiners had guessed that Li Yao was capable in refining, they had never anticipated that his skills in refining could be so proficient that the core part of the Unparalleled Extension was in his hands!

It meant that anybody, including the high and mighty Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators, had to come and beg Li Yao if they wanted an Unparalleled Extension!

That was really—

The refiners who were envious of Li Yao's wealth a moment ago were now rendered speechless. They looked at each other in bewilderment, each refiner's face redder than the next.

In the test field, Li Yao opened the tool box. His hands were like the wind as he dissected the Unparalleled Extension and the crystal suit below it, both of which had been seriously deformed.

Wu Mayan lunged out of the remains of the crystal suit.

Although his face was swollen and there was blood dripping from the corner of his lips, Wu Mayan could not have been more ecstatic. He exclaimed in wild joy and hugged Li Yao.

"That is so satisfying, Master!

"The Unparalleled Extension is indeed satisfying! I felt that I could defeat a hundred opponents all by myself when I was wearing it!"

It was not until this moment that the Exos on the test field realized that the user of the Unparalleled Extension, who had fought them unstoppably, who had left the deepest fear and desperation in their heart, and who had engaged in a head-on clash with a Core Formation Stage Cultivator, You Wenjun, was actually the young genius Wu Mayan who was only fourteen years old!

For a moment, everybody was dumbfounded.