The Secretive, Powerful Hall Master

"Captain Lin, why didn't you introduce the other three of the Four Great Famous Schools, or my alma mater, Jiangnan Martial School?"

Xiao Li asked as she drove.

She had already dropped off Shi Yan and the principal of Baiyun No. 1 High School. Now, only she and Lin Ye remained, so she dared to ask.

It felt less like Lin Ye was explaining the Four Great Famous Schools to Shi Yan and more like he was introducing Magic Martial University to him.

Besides, Jiangnan Martial School was quite good too. Although it could not compare to the Four Great Famous Schools, it had consistently ranked among the nation's top ten.

With Shi Yan's performance, he would receive abundant resources at any school he attended. He might not necessarily receive less than he would at Magic Martial University.

"Is it because you graduated from Magic Martial University too?"

Lin Ye had also come from Magic Martial University. She felt that might have been part of the reason.

"Xiao Li, you're getting rather chatty."

Lin Ye put on a stern expression, startling the girl until her face changed slightly.

Yet a few seconds later, he began clearing up the doubts of this girl who had only recently graduated.

"To be honest, Lingnan Martial School and Modu Martial School suit Shi Yan best. The reason I strongly recommended Magic Martial University is because Po is in Shanghai."

"Ah! So the Hall Master of the Extreme Martial Arts Hall is over there!"

At the mention of Po, Xiao Li's eyes lit up, her face filled with fervent adoration.

"Huh, Captain Lin, isn't Po guarding that Monster Emperor on Furong Peak in Dongying Country?"

"Guarding it? Nothing of the sort. Part of its body has already been forged into a weapon."

Lin Ye spoke, and the same yearning appeared in his eyes.

Martial artists, especially Martial Kings and those above them, were most wary of crossing national borders.

Yet Po alone dared to do so. Not only that, but no one in Dongying Country dared make a sound, and they had even ordered their citizens not to spread the news.

One person suppressing an entire nation—just thinking about it made one's blood boil.

"You mean Shi Yan..."

"Watch your words. Don't say it."

Bigui Residential Area.

Gu Guoping and his wife, Zhang Shufen, paced back and forth before the gate, glancing toward the end of the road from time to time.

"Oh, I'm worried sick! Gu Guoping, can't you call one of the teachers at the school? The College Entrance Examination ended an hour ago already."

Seeing Gu Guoping pacing as well, Zhang Shufen could not help complaining.

Nearly forty, she had maintained herself well. She looked as though she were only thirty, a mature and beautiful woman.

But the moment she opened her mouth, that beauty was ruined.

"I know you're anxious, but can you stop being anxious for a moment?"

Gu Guoping stopped walking, somewhat irritated.

Zhang Shufen was worried about one person, but he was worried about two.

"Stop worrying? Aren't you worried about Xiao Feng's College Entrance Examination?"

The moment she heard the word "worried," Zhang Shufen became even more worried, losing some of her reason as well.

"And Gu Guoping, if Xiao Feng doesn't do well this time, I will never forgive you! The child had been preparing for the exam perfectly well, but your brain suddenly short-circuited and you made him help that precious nephew of yours."

"Zhang Shufen, enough! Didn't you benefit too if Xiao Yan did well?"

Gu Guoping's head began throbbing. Had he known, he would not have told her about searching for his nephew.

"Forget it, forget it. Help him however you want, so you won't say I'm making trouble out of nothing again."

Thinking of how the neighborhood leaders had come to visit their home, Zhang Shufen stopped berating Gu Guoping.

If Shi Yan got lucky and killed a few monsters too, he would have earned some points regardless.

As long as he had points, he could attend a Martial Arts College.

A Martial Arts Vocational College was also a college.

Two martial artists in one family, and both attending college—she would gain quite a bit of face just saying it aloud.

Just as she was thinking this, a bus that radiated a heavy, imposing presence stopped at the end of the road.

The doors opened, and a young man with confidence and joy written all over his face stepped down.

It was Gu Feng, returning home after the College Entrance Examination.

"Xiao Feng!"

Zhang Shufen cried out in delight, waving continuously at Gu Feng.

But Gu Guoping's heart gave a thump.

Only one person came back!?

Thinking of the news he had seen online, of how candidates died in the jaws of monsters every year during the College Entrance Examination, Gu Guoping's vision went dark as the world spun around him.

"Hey, hey, hey! Old Gu, what's wrong?"

Zhang Shufen forgot all about greeting her son and hurriedly supported Gu Guoping.

"Don't scare me like that. What's wrong with you?"

A gust of wind swept past, and Gu Feng swiftly appeared at Gu Guoping's other side.

"Dad, I'll take you to the hospital."

Seeing Gu Guoping's pale face, Gu Feng was about to carry him on his back.

But Gu Guoping pushed him away.

"Where's your cousin?"

"My cousin? He left."

"He left..."

Gu Guoping staggered and nearly collapsed to the ground.

Fortunately, Gu Feng was quick-eyed and quick-handed. He also realized what Gu Guoping meant.

After firmly supporting him, he quickly explained, "Dad, my cousin was picked up by a Monster Suppression Bureau vehicle. He's perfectly fine."

Gu Guoping froze for a moment at those words. Then he drew a deep breath and exhaled sharply.

The despair in his eyes turned into hope. "He's not dead. It's good that he's not dead! He could soften an iron can by burning it. How could anything happen to him? I was overthinking."

"Soften an iron can? Pfft. Dad, Mom, let's go home first. I'll tell you all about it properly."

"You bastard! Gu Feng, is your skin itching? Your cousin was taken away, and you can still laugh!"

Gu Guoping's face hardened as he sternly rebuked him.

Being taken away by the Monster Suppression Bureau, Shi Yan had probably committed some kind of offense.

As relatives, they absolutely must not laugh at him!

"Dad, it's not what you think. Let's go back first, and I'll explain."

Gu Feng was helpless and could only force himself to suppress his smile.

Zhang Shufen also pulled Gu Guoping back, insisting on checking his blood pressure.

Not long after, the three returned home and gathered together.

Gu Guoping looked anxious as he asked again, "Hurry up and tell us. What happened to your cousin?"

"It was nothing much. My cousin just became the Top Scholar and was invited by the principal and people from the Monster Suppression Bureau for a chat."

Gu Feng spoke with deliberate calm.

Gu Guoping abruptly shot to his feet, barely believing his own ears.

"What did you say? The Top Scholar?"

"Xiao Feng, are you exhausted from the exam?"

Zhang Shufen reached out to touch Gu Feng's forehead, thinking her son was talking nonsense.

D-Class Biological Ignite and the Top Scholar—no matter how she looked at it, those two things did not belong together.

"Dad, Mom, every word I said is absolutely true. Our cousin is this year's College Entrance Examination Top Scholar. If you don't believe me, wait two days and look it up online. The news should report it too."

Gu Feng spoke with a smile, finding his parents' stunned expressions rather amusing.

"Maybe you won't even need to wait two days. Baiyun City's leaders might come to our house today. After all, we're the only relatives my cousin has left."

"Xiao Feng, Dad believes you, but the Top Scholar you mentioned... is he that Shi Yan I asked you to help?"

Gu Guoping's hands trembled slightly. His son rarely talked nonsense, especially about major matters.

But Shi Yan becoming the Top Scholar sounded like a fantasy, as absurd as Gu Guoping becoming the richest man in the country.

"Dad, to be honest with you, it wasn't me helping my cousin. It was my cousin helping me."

Gu Feng then told them what had happened in the examination grounds.

The story was so bizarre that the two people opposite him seemed nailed to their chairs, unable to move for a long time.

"The Top Scholar, personally received by the leaders of the city's Monster Suppression Bureau... Son, I've said a few bad things about your cousin over the years. Am I done for?"

Zhang Shufen asked cautiously.

The strength and inviolability of martial artists had long been deeply rooted in people's hearts. She felt she had caused a terrible disaster.

"Mom, what are you thinking? Is my cousin that kind of person?"

Gu Feng was speechless. Did he not know what his mother was like?

Her mouth was just a little too sharp. Otherwise, after he and Shi Yan entered high school, they would not have handed financial authority over to his father.

High school was the period when abilities awakened, so one's physical condition had to keep up.

Every time his father bought the two cousins many things to improve their physiques, his mother would always make all sorts of sharp-tongued remarks.

But over the past three years, she had never once stopped them.

Moreover, her income had always been transferred into that card as well.

But that was not important. What mattered was that his cousin Shi Yan also knew his mother's temperament and character.

Besides, Shi Yan had even spoken well of his mother during the examination.

He said that with his father's temperament, if his mother's personality did not balance it out, much of the family's money would probably have been lent to others.

Gu Feng deeply agreed.

These days, there were far too many examples of loans turning people into enemies.

He just could not understand why his cousin, who was only a few months older than him, seemed so mature.

"I hope so. Xiao Feng, you said just now that Shi Yan worked with a girl. Tell Mom about it. What was that girl like?"

"Dad wants to know too."

"..."