The spaceport was a massive station, one thousand meters long and wide, divided into ten levels, housing comprehensive facilities for transport, lodging, dining, and entertainment, capable of docking ten large starships simultaneously. {First release.}

These spaceports were invariably built directly above the equator, with twenty-four dotted around the entire globe, serving both passenger and cargo traffic, acting as the essential bridge between Earth and the solar system’s colonies.

In the corridor, Yang Ying spotted several investigators standing midway, stopping passengers intermittently to ask pointed questions.

Yang Ying was questioned as well, and from the nature of the inquiries, it was clear they were focused on the pirates encountered en route. However, since the attempted robbery had failed, the personnel involved didn't seem overly concerned; after a few unproductive questions, they released the passengers.

When Yang Ying and the Ghost Agents acted, they left no trace that could expose their identities, merely leaving behind ten bodies with broken necks in the mess hall and significant bloodstains at the entry and exit points. Nineteen bodies were taken back to the pirate vessel and jettisoned into space far away, coupled with zero eyewitnesses. Under these circumstances, no matter how much the investigators prioritized the case, they wouldn't uncover anything substantial.

Next, Yang Ying took a shuttle craft to Hong Kong, then switched to an aircraft to reach the foot of Wudang Mountain.

This was because shuttle crafts imposed far stricter requirements on landing facilities than conventional aircraft; only a few super-metropolises possessed the necessary spaceports capable of accommodating them.

Yang Ying had three objectives for returning to Earth this time.

First, tourism: to observe the changes here. Five centuries had wrought profound transformations, and Yang Ying was genuinely curious about the Earth of today.

Second, now that the Trant Plan was fully underway, many personnel would be dispatched to Earth to scout for various suitable machinery for the mechanical plants in the Asteroid Belt. Once purchased and installed, CV would refine these machines to suit the manufacturing of Human race equipment. Moreover, to better integrate into mainstream society, they needed to recruit some local Earth talent as external staff for the Trant Corporation. Kalia and his team were handling these matters, but having Yang Ying physically present on Earth would facilitate any crucial decisions requiring his final say.

Third, swordsmanship. With the rise of the Nian Energy Temple and its powerful role in warfare, the art of the sword had gradually come to be regarded as a discipline encompassing elegance, utility, self-cultivation, and self-defense. A wave of learning swept across the globe, filling martial arts schools, dojos, and sects everywhere, leading to immense development for the various sword schools that had once remained hidden among the populace. While the Nian Energy Temple housed the culmination of all swordsmanship—thousands of styles in its archives—these were only accessible to those who became Nian Energy practitioners; they were not given out freely. To hone his own skill, Yang Ying decided to directly observe and learn from the various schools and dojos. If he could assimilate the strengths of many schools, the benefit would be no different from studying at the Temple itself. Wudang Mountain was his first stop.

Emerging from the hotel, Yang Ying walked along the street, gazing at the towering buildings flanking the road, the various futuristic architectural styles, and the ceaseless flow of magnetic vehicles. He felt a surge of emotion; this was indeed Earth five centuries later.

At the base of Wudang Mountain, martial arts schools and dojos were the most numerous, their signs proclaiming all manner of attractive slogans: “Sword of a Thousand Years,” “True Lineage of Wudang,” “The Essence of Tai Chi,” and the like.

Yang Ying casually selected one, the “Tai Chi Sword Arts Hall,” and stepped inside.

The receptionist at the entrance was a comely young woman dressed in a green suit, with wide, expressive eyes that seemed capable of speaking. Upon seeing Yang Ying enter, her gaze brightened. Yang Ying’s body, honed by rigorous training, adhered to the golden ratio; his attire was neat and sharp, and the iron will forged in combat gave him an inherent aura of vigor as he stood there.

The young woman asked with a smile, “Are you here to study swordsmanship?”

“Precisely!” Yang Ying nodded. “However, could you first allow me to observe how your hall conducts its sword training?”

“Certainly, please follow me.” The young woman smiled, signaled for another person to take over her post, and led Yang Ying into the heart of the facility.

In a large room, over twenty students were practicing forms with wooden swords. The youngest among them were only seven or eight years old, and the oldest barely fifteen. Perhaps still novices, their movements were somewhat uneven.

The young woman pointed to the room. “This is the beginner’s class. Students without any foundational knowledge of swordsmanship study here for a period. We also have intermediate and advanced classes, as well as private instruction. If a student achieves good results in a sword competition, our hall can even recommend them to study under a Sword Master as an in-house disciple.”

She then escorted Yang Ying to the intermediate class on the second floor and the advanced class on the third. The intermediate class increased the focus on physical conditioning and more form training, supplemented by limited one-on-one sparring, using wooden swords to prevent accidents. The advanced students were already capable of spirited mock combat, wielding unsharpened steel swords.

Afterward, the young woman led Yang Ying up to the fourth floor, settling down in a rather spacious coffee lounge. “Would you like coffee or tea?” she inquired.

“Tea, please,” Yang Ying replied while discreetly surveying the surroundings.

The coffee lounge held about ten patrons. The tables and chairs featured streamlined designs, and beside each table was an electronic tablet serving as a remote ordering system—selecting from the menu and placing the order were completed in one step.

“Tea is a wise choice,” the young woman commented. She picked up an electronic tablet, drew a stylus from beneath it, and tapped a few times on the screen.

About half a minute later, a service robot, half a person's height and driven by treads, approached the table, raising its tray to table height. On the tray rested two cups of steaming tea. Yang Ying and the young woman each took a cup.

The young woman had spoken quite a bit while showing Yang Ying around, leaving her slightly parched. She blew gently on her cup, took a sip, and said, “Private instruction involves some of the Sword Masters’ unique secret techniques, so I cannot give you a tour of that area.” Her face was alight with a warm smile as she asked, “What are your impressions of our hall?”

Yang Ying considered for a moment. “Your foundational training is executed quite rigorously. If someone were looking to establish a solid sword base, your facility is entirely capable of handling that.”

“Then you’ve decided to register?” The young woman’s delight shone through her eyes.

“The beginner, intermediate, and advanced classes are not suitable for me,” Yang Ying shook his head. “May I ask, is the Sword Master who conducts the private instruction the same as the Sword Master you mentioned earlier?”

The young woman’s expression fell slightly upon hearing Yang Ying’s rejection, but she still replied, “Sword Master is a professional title; Grand Master of the Sword is an honorific bestowed upon those who, in addition to holding the Sword Master title, possess an exceptionally profound understanding of swordsmanship.”

“My sword skill is already far beyond the level of your advanced class. It seems I must ask you to introduce me to one of the hall's Sword Masters,” Yang Ying said, taking a sip of tea with a slight smile.

“What arrogance!” A booming voice echoed from a nearby table.

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