A gentleman does not stand beneath a crumbling wall

"Could it be because his Martial Arts Technique is so advanced?"

Lin Lanyue could only think of that one possibility. Then she said, "Auntie, let's go home. I still have exercises to do when I get back."

"Alright." The young woman nodded. As they walked, she looked at Lin Lanyue. "Yueyue, you really didn't know that Li Yuan had signed with Starfire Martial Hall early?"

"I really didn't." Lin Lanyue shook her head.

"How about asking him about it later? A B-level Contract only has two or three slots a year at the Martial Hall." The young woman asked curiously, "You seem pretty close to him."

"I won't ask." Lin Lanyue shook her head decisively. "If he didn't say anything, he must have his reasons."

"Oh, right. Don't go blabbing about this in the parents' group, and don't use it as gossip either." Lin Lanyue glanced at her aunt.

She knew her aunt had a big mouth.

"Fine." The young woman answered perfunctorily.

"I'm serious." Lin Lanyue said sternly, "Otherwise, I won't help you get that card later."

"Alright, alright, my little ancestor. I promise I won't tell anyone." The woman in the mink coat repeatedly waved her hands in surrender.

When Li Yuan took his younger brother and sister home in the Martial Hall's car.

On the twelfth floor of the Martial Hall building, inside an office decorated in an antique style.

"Hall Master."

Instructor Xing pushed open the door and entered.

Before the enormous floor-to-ceiling window, a middle-aged man in a traditional Chinese tunic stood with his back to the door, his head lowered as he watched the night outside.

"How was it?" Hall Master Wan did not turn around. His voice was calm.

"I asked around and retrieved the testing equipment data from each Martial Arts Room. The six Probationary Members who signed early all performed well." Instructor Xing said respectfully, "The best performance and greatest improvement should have come from Li Yuan."

"According to Fang Longhu, Li Yuan's physical fitness should be close to level 8, while his technical level may have already approached Peak Third Stage." Instructor Xing said. "Compared with two months ago, his improvement has been astonishing."

"Oh?"

"So his improvement has been quite fast." Only then did Hall Master Wan turn around. Smiling, he said, "Instructor Xing, what do you think?"

"Hall Master, your insight is unmatched." Instructor Xing lowered his head.

"Old Xing, relax. Don't worry that I have some ulterior motive." Hall Master Wan smiled. "I know what you're thinking. In your eyes, based on Li Yuan's current performance, he would only barely qualify for a C-level Contract."

"Your subordinate would not dare." Instructor Xing hurriedly said.

"Don't worry." Hall Master Wan smiled. "I had my reasons for giving him a B-level Contract. Just record the data properly."

"Yes." Instructor Xing said.

He grumbled inwardly, You're the Hall Master, anyway. As long as you don't dump the blame on me later, whatever you say goes.

After Instructor Xing left.

"The person Tie Ta recommended truly isn't bad." Hall Master Wan sighed inwardly. "It's just that if he ultimately cannot awaken Martial Arts Spirituality, growth may become rather difficult after level 10..."

He gently shook his head and stopped thinking about it.

Martial arts geniuses who signed early were only a small part of his work. He only needed to check on them once every other month.

Half an hour later.

"Beep beep—warning—" A sound suddenly rang out in the office.

Buzz~

Red lights began flashing on Hall Master Wan's Smart Ring Watch, making his expression change. He immediately tapped it to check the message. "Star Realm Creatures? At least nine First Order creatures, with the strongest close to Second Order? They appeared around Southeast Lake to Binhu Road and have already caused at least thirty-five deaths?"

"Could they be the remnants from the last sweep along the Xiang River basin?" Hall Master Wan instantly recalled the previous operation.

Every martial artist was registered with the Martial Arts Hall.

Their identity information was linked to their Smart Ring Watch.

Once a Star Realm Creature appeared and was detected by Xia Country's "Skynet," a request for aid would immediately be sent to nearby martial artists.

As a Source Martialist, Hall Master Wan's Smart Ring Watch had a maximum detection range of one hundred kilometers.

In other words, so long as an Entry Rank Star Realm Creature was discovered within one hundred kilometers, he would receive a notification.

Without the slightest hesitation.

"Dahe, immediately send word to the Martial Hall's combat-ready martial artists. Team One and Team Two, deploy and coordinate with the military in extermination and containment." Hall Master Wan issued several orders in succession. "Bring me my weapons."

"Yes, Master." The Auxiliary AI's voice echoed through the office.

One of the Martial Hall's major responsibilities was protecting local residents.

Every grassroots Martial Hall had martial artist squads on combat-readiness duty, able to deploy at any time.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Two furniture robots rushed out from the nearby Weaponry Room. One carried a shield, while the other carried a saber.

Hall Master Wan reached out, seized the shield and saber, then lightly pressed the metal button on his chest.

Immediately.

Visible to the naked eye, his originally loose tunic rapidly transformed into a thin, metallic battle suit that completely covered his body. The entire suit was pitch-black.

It radiated a cold, oppressive air.

"Master, the single-pilot aircraft has arrived." The intelligent voice sounded. "Would you like to open the window?"

"Open it." Hall Master Wan barked.

"Rumble~" The floor-to-ceiling window rapidly opened outward, completely exposing the office as gusts of wind rushed inside.

Whoosh!

Hall Master Wan subtly exerted force through one leg. With a flash, he shot sideways dozens of meters, tracing an arc through the air as he plunged toward the ground like a cannonball.

This was the twelfth floor! More than forty meters above the ground!

Boom!

A sonic blast rang out in the air as a single-pilot aircraft shaped like an assault boat skimmed past at astonishing speed just above the ground.

At precisely the right moment, it caught Hall Master Wan.

The aircraft soared into the sky, rising to roughly one hundred meters above the ground before racing toward the scene.

The next day, after cultivating all night, Li Yuan did not leave home until after four in the morning.

He walked down the street.

In winter, it was still pitch-black after five o'clock. A fine drizzle fell, making the ground slick.

"Hm?" The moment Li Yuan left the residential complex, he sensed that something was wrong. He saw heavily armed troops in the distance.

There were also two soldiers patrolling.

From time to time, drones swept through the air overhead, conducting inspections.

Security was extremely tight.

"Are they hunting an escaped criminal? No... could it be..." Li Yuan instantly thought of a possibility.

Without a moment's hesitation.

Li Yuan immediately opened his Smart Ring Watch and entered an app called "Star Realm Creature Warning." Its location had been directly marked as Guanshan District, Jiang City.

His gaze swept across the dozens of alert messages that had been issued one after another.

"It really is Star Realm Creatures? They actually dared to appear within Jiang City?" Li Yuan was secretly alarmed. "But according to the news, dozens have already been killed or injured so far?"

"More than thirty Star Realm Creatures have also been killed."

"Even now, Star Realm Creatures are still suspected to be at large. The entire Guanshan District has been placed under martial law, and a full-scale manhunt is underway?"

After pondering for a while.

Li Yuan turned around directly.

He went upstairs and returned home.

"Although there are military vehicles and drones on the roads right now, and it seems safe, walking alone like this makes me far too conspicuous." Li Yuan thought. "Binhu Road is less than ten kilometers from here."

"If my luck is bad, I might really run into a fleeing Star Realm Creature on the street."

"At home..."

"There are warning systems both above and below the residential complex. The buildings, doors, and windows have all been reinforced. The hallways require facial recognition to enter. Home is very safe." Li Yuan thought to himself. "Though the chances are slim, it's better not to take the risk."

That was right!

As an elite student, Li Yuan's combat ability now surpassed that of most adults... but he would still be helpless against firearms, let alone Star Realm Creatures.

A gentleman does not stand beneath a crumbling wall.

This was what his uncle, Li Changzhou, had taught Li Yuan since childhood.

Likewise.

From kindergarten onward, all students were taught one rule: without the strength of a martial artist, if you encountered a Star Realm Creature, immediately scatter and flee! Call for help and report it to the authorities as soon as possible!

In truth.

All martial artists received the same warning: without the strength of a Source Martialist, do not casually fight Star Realm Creatures alone. Wait for heavy weapons! Wait for attack drones and combat robots!

After returning home, Li Yuan was not overly flustered.

Instead, he opened his bedroom door.

Then, in his bedroom, he calmed his mind and focused his spirit, standing in stance and practicing his fist techniques as he cultivated the Basic Cultivation Method.

Ever since he was young.

In Li Yuan's memories, Jiang City suffered Star Realm Creature attacks every half year or even more frequently.

There was no helping it.

Jiang City stood where great rivers converged, with hundreds of lakes scattered about and waterways extending in all directions.

Jiang City was one of the cities in Xia Country most frequently attacked by Star Realm Creatures.

Most attacks were small-scale. As long as they waited peacefully for the military and martial artists to clear them out, everything would be fine.

As for large-scale attacks? Li Yuan had only encountered one when he was very young, and his memories of it were already hazy.

Very soon, it was past six.

"The warning has been lifted?" Li Yuan received a notification on his Smart Ring Watch.

(End of chapter)