Having helped Princess Qianqian evolve the Prison Emperor’s Divine Sword into the Tiger Prison Divine Sword — not only achieving one of the most keenly desired goals of recent times, but gaining an unexpected bonus in the form of the Heaven-Devouring Beast earth divine soldier sword sheath — Yue Yang’s spirits were genuinely high.

He didn’t return to Star Diamond Castle.

With Steward Duli and Cook Sushan there, he trusted that even without him, everything would be arranged with perfect care.

The Heavenly Pride Wanderer’s Academy seemed to have received no information about Yue Yang’s remarkable performance at the mining district.

Business as usual.

This was likely because General Leihou and Prince Reno behind him, as well as Zhonghua and the Silver Maple City Lord behind him, all had their own reasons not to publicize Yue Yang’s involvement too early and attract more unwanted attention. Particularly that final moment when Yue Yang had used mysterious rune-force to conjure a Black Obsidian Giant from nothing in an instant — an entity before which every construct and puppet had bowed in submission — that alone had sealed the matter’s classification as something to be kept tightly under wraps.

“Titan student — how was your rest?” The principal regarded this prodigious student of his not only as the most satisfying disciple he’d ever taught, but as someone akin to family. When the three days of leave ended and Yue Yang returned to school, the principal had prepared ahead of time, asking Grandma Doluo to make Hundred Blossom Sweet Dew Pastries in his honor.

“Thank you for your concern, Principal. I rested very well.” Yue Yang naturally performed the role of an obedient child with complete conviction.

“No trouble at Star Diamond Castle, I hope?” The principal had spent these days supervising the teachers’ research progress and knew nothing of what had transpired at the mining district.

“No trouble at all. I even made time to walk through the domain and look around a bit.” Technically the truth, even if not the whole of it.

“Is that so? Anything good come of it?” The principal smiled, assuming Yue Yang had been welcomed warmly by his subjects during the tour, and that this was the source of his evident good mood. Seeing Titan student looking so cheerful brought the old man considerable comfort.

“‘Good’ is probably too strong a word — I met some people and learned a few things.” Yue Yang shifted the subject, smiling. “During the break, thinking quietly, I actually developed some new ideas. If they can be implemented, they might meaningfully advance the research. For instance, regarding the flying battle construct — if we use rune-force reinforcement as a substitute for certain material choices, we remove concerns about excess weight from material selection, and that opens up improvements in the construct’s form, weight distribution, structure, and size. And if we can successfully apply rune arrays in this way, they could assist with various modes of aerial movement — gliding, sustained flight, banking, circling, inverted flight, climbing, and more. I’ve also been thinking about something further: could we design the flying battle construct to transform? If it flies as an aerial construct and then converts into a ground combat puppet upon landing, the possibilities for tactical arrangement and strategic deployment become considerably richer.”

“My goodness — who would have imagined a flying battle construct could be designed like this!” The principal’s mind was sent reeling the moment he looked at the designs, and he lost himself in them entirely.

“I’m planning to design the flying battle construct in three variants overall. First, a reconnaissance type optimized for maximum speed — most combat capability is sacrificed, but speed and agility are pushed as high as possible. As forward scout constructs before battle, they’ll be the eyes of the battlefield and the key tool for understanding both sides’ positions. Second, a combat type that balances speed with fighting power — these will be the primary strike force, the sword of victory, and their mission will also include engaging enemy aerial forces. Even if no enemy aerial forces exist right now, they will in time, so our combat-type flying constructs must stay at the leading edge of all research achievements. The third type I envision as a heavy assault type — combining transport capacity with overwhelming destructive power against enemy targets.” Yue Yang elaborated at length.

“Heavy assault type?” The principal had followed the first two clearly, but this third one wasn’t yet fully clear to him.

“Like this: the third type, the heavy assault construct, doesn’t necessarily need transformation capability, and doesn’t need exceptional aerial combat ability. What it must have is outstanding transport and flight endurance — these will be the largest-bodied, heaviest-armored flying battle constructs, capable of ferrying large numbers of combat-type flying constructs or ground constructs to a target in a single run. This enables decapitation strikes against key objectives — in tactical and strategic terms, the heavy assault type will be the dominant force on the battlefield. Once deployed, enemy ground targets will face overwhelming raids and sudden strikes, becoming exactly the targets we designate for destruction. Against enemies, this will be the single greatest force multiplier.”

“Good heavens — if all of this can truly be realized, enemy fortifications will tremble before our flying battle constructs. All of Human Valley will turn a new page of history the moment these appear, opening an entirely new chapter.” The principal felt that if this came to pass, being forgotten by history would be nearly impossible for him.

“I already have the full design schematics — we just need the prototype fabrication and battlefield testing.” Yue Yang dropped this as another bombshell.

In reality, he’d only provided the conceptual framework.

The actual work of refining everything into practical designs had been done by the women in his Grimoire World.

The quiet beauty, Luohua, and Inan were primarily responsible for refining the rune array components. Fengxian and the Southern Wilderness Demon King handled the blueprint design work, with Xia Yi and Xiao Nu serving as assistants. Yue Yu, Princess Qianqian, and the Wine Cat Imperial Lady oversaw materials selection and final model specification. In short — with all of them involved, Yue Yang essentially only needed to propose the concept, and they would rapidly turn that concept into something real.

Many hands made light work. That was simply a truth of the universe — especially when those hands belonged to individually accomplished women who had long since learned to work in perfect synchrony with Yue Yang, anticipating his intentions instinctively.

The principal was so agitated his beard was trembling.

He immediately pulled Yue Yang into the laboratory and gathered all the participating instructors together to collectively absorb this entirely new and audacious concept. With clear research direction established and design schematics in hand, the previously uncertain path for the flying battle construct quickly produced successful simulation models. The previously clunky flying battle construct prototype hadn’t even been built yet, and already Yue Yang had thrown out ideas for three distinct variants — leaving the principal and the assembled teachers genuinely crying out that they couldn’t keep up with the wave of revelations.

They had no choice.

How could they not be overwhelmed with excitement? How could they not be consumed by enthusiasm?

What Yue Yang had laid out was comparable to someone in the age of cold weapons proposing the creation of smoothbore muskets and minié balls — catapulting combat into the age of gunpowder in an instant.

And that wasn’t all. Following immediately with the three-type evolutionary framework for the flying battle construct was like taking that smoothbore-and-minié-ball foundation and then proposing breech-loading rifles and brass-cased cartridges, while simultaneously mapping out the development paths for pistols, rifles, and machine guns. In the age of cold weapons, could any of this be described as anything other than an epoch-defining miracle?

When the group finally achieved a successful simulation model and burst into celebration — embracing each other and weeping, cheering together —

The principal suddenly noticed something. He drew Yue Yang aside, looked at his face for a long moment without speaking, and then, unable to contain himself, let out a sudden cry: “Titan student — I — I need to criticize you!”

Yue Yang was taken aback.

Everyone else froze completely. What was happening? The principal wasn’t offering praise — he was criticizing Titan student?

The principal’s hands gripped Yue Yang’s shoulders, and they were trembling. “You — you child — how could you do this? How could you? I gave you leave to rest properly — and you haven’t rested at all. These past few days you’ve been doing nothing but research. You didn’t tour your domain at all, did you? You never properly rested — you’ve been researching the entire time.”

The moment he said it, everyone’s understanding shifted into place.

Of course Titan student hadn’t rested. Otherwise there simply wouldn’t have been time to produce all these flying battle construct designs. Even a single set of design schematics, from initial concept to successful finalization, could take days — or considerably longer. And these were multiple complete design packages combined with fully developed research concepts.

Every pair of eyes in the room went red. Every face turned toward Yue Yang brimming with emotion.

The principal, above all, was terrified that Yue Yang, without proper rest, might have weakened his body to the point of collapse at any moment.

He extended his hands like a mother hen sheltering a chick, protectively hovering.

Yue Yang opened his mouth to explain.

The principal raised one large hand. “Don’t say anything. This is completely non-negotiable. Rest. You must rest. Otherwise, we old people would rather never see a flying battle construct in our lifetimes than watch you work yourself into collapse. Child — my child — do you understand how important you are? You are a treasure given to this earth by heaven itself. Your thinking is like the spark of inspiration flowering in the world — it has no measure of value. Compared to the walking dead going through the motions around you, you are the one who truly deserves to enjoy everything this earth has to offer. And yet you don’t spare a thought for your own body, overextending yourself again and again and again. Child, do you know how worried I am? Do you know how much Grandma Doluo, who talks about you constantly, would ache for you? Do you know how much self-reproach we instructors would feel? All right, all right, say nothing more — you will rest immediately. This is my command as your teacher and your elder, and it is my request as a witness and participant in this piece of history.”

“But —” What could Yue Yang say?

Could he explain that all he’d done was provide a concept, and that he’d then spent his time in hot spring baths and tender company, sleeping in every morning until his body woke naturally, and was in fact in better physical condition than he could ever remember?

That everything on those design sheets had been produced by a group of remarkable women back home?

He couldn’t say any of that.

And even if he did, they wouldn’t believe him.

So Yue Yang had no choice but to bow his head in the manner of a confessing criminal. “You’re right. I was wrong. I’ll rest immediately. I’ll leave the schematic refinement and model construction entirely in your hands.”

“You’re still thinking about schematics? The one and only thing you need to do right now is find the most comfortable pillow available and sleep.” The principal was genuinely incensed.

“Yes, yes, absolutely, resting immediately, thinking about nothing whatsoever —” Yue Yang made his exit at speed under the pressure.

“This child — everything about him is wonderful except that he refuses to listen.” The principal’s voice broke at the end. He turned his back so no one would see the moisture gathering at his eyes — which he claimed, as always, was a chronic condition that caused watering in any breeze.

He wasn’t alone. Every instructor in the room was the same.

Overcome with feeling, overcome with admiration.

The principal and his teachers went absolutely mad with inspiration.

They threw themselves into the research around the clock, their spirits blazing as though lit from within.

With the principal and teachers investing three hundred percent of themselves in frenzied development, and with the “rested” Yue Yang returning to guide them at various points —

The first flying battle construct was fully assembled five days later.

This was still only an untested first-generation prototype — it had no transformation capability, no high speed, no agility, no combat power whatsoever, could carry nothing beyond its own exterior volume, and hadn’t actually left the floor of the underground laboratory yet.

In short — it was the most primitive, most rudimentary flying battle construct in existence.

But for the Heavenly Pride Wanderer’s Academy of Silver Maple City, it was an epoch-defining achievement.

For the principal and the teachers who had given themselves to sleepless, relentless research, it was equally epoch-defining.

No one doubted now that it would fly.

The only question remaining was how high and how far.

The flying battle construct had been successfully developed — even though it hadn’t yet truly left the ground, entered a battlefield, or received the recognition of the War God law. It could silently announce to the world: the age of flying battle constructs had arrived.

And the one who had created all of this was Titan student — who had been compelled by his principal to “rest” for a further three days.

“We have created a miracle!” Instructor Oumon’s face was radiant with joy. Even on the day of his wedding, he hadn’t felt anything close to this moved.

“No — this is only a beginning. The age of miracles is about to arrive.” Instructor Oup kept writing in his journal — it was his habit; when overcome with feeling, words failed him and only his pen could release the flood of emotion inside.

“We created all of this with our own hands. We are in the process of creating a new age. Honor is marching toward us with great strides — and all of this begins with Titan student. Titan student — as your teacher, I am proud to have a student such as you.” The principal stood beneath the flying battle construct like a proud old rooster, head held high. He placed one hand on Yue Yang’s shoulder, eyes tightly shut, voice breaking slightly — but the corners of his lips were curved in a smile. “To share an age with you, I feel deeply glad. To have a young person of your caliber as my student, I feel deeply satisfied. Child — you must spread your wings and fly. Carry our dreams with you.”

“Please spread your wings and fly — carry our dreams with you.” Every person who had been part of the research — instructors, Instructor Oumon’s brothers, every last one — turned toward Yue Yang now, the words rising from the deepest part of them.

“Please spread your wings and fly. Carry our dreams.”

“Please fly. Carry our dreams.”

(End of Chapter)