Genius

The journey passed in silence. Ever since they had mounted Little Gold to travel, Lian Chenghao had not spoken to Qin Shaofeng again, merely sitting cross-legged.

Qin Shaofeng did not seek out embarrassment either. He sat behind Lian Chenghao without saying a word.

Yet although he appeared to be meditating cross-legged, he had actually fallen asleep.

Although Little Gold flew incredibly fast, Lian Chenghao had deliberately created a barrier during the flight, so they could not feel the fierce winds caused by their speed atop Little Gold's back.

Moreover, Little Gold's flight was exceptionally steady. With nothing to do, Qin Shaofeng gradually drifted off to sleep.

Who knew how long had passed before Qin Shaofeng suddenly felt the Golden Feathered Eagle jolt violently. Startled, he opened his eyes.

Before Qin Shaofeng now stretched a lush green mountain forest. As far as the eye could see, it was an utterly uninhabited region.

Where was this?

Qin Shaofeng was deeply puzzled, but at that moment, Lian Chenghao stood up and looked into the distance, seemingly waiting for something.

Could it be the other examinees?

His heart stirred. Lian Chenghao had told him earlier that, besides himself, there were two other people they needed to pick up.

Of course, Lian Chenghao had only mentioned that much. Qin Shaofeng had no idea who they were.

Yet the scene before him made Qin Shaofeng speculate that this was where Lian Chenghao was picking up the second person.

But...

Wasn't this place far too remote, far too devoid of human habitation?

Did anyone really live in a place like this?

Why did it feel like some scene from a backwater mountain ravine? Would someone like that truly warrant Lianyang Academy sending someone to fetch them?

Qin Shaofeng was somewhat uncertain.

But what happened next gave Qin Shaofeng quite a fright.

"Screech—!"

A sharp cry that pierced the clouds and soared straight into the nine heavens suddenly rang out. Then Qin Shaofeng saw the shadow of some enormous creature rapidly closing in on them.

Looking closer, his heart gave a violent leap.

What black shadow was this supposed to be?!

The enormous creature before him was clearly a gigantic eagle!

Setting aside everything else, its fully spread wings alone spanned a full hundred meters. And that overwhelming aura that blotted out the sky and covered the earth made Qin Shaofeng's heart tremble in fear.

Strong!

This was a demonic beast so powerful it was monstrous!

That was Qin Shaofeng's first impression of the giant eagle before him. He could even sense that when the giant eagle appeared, Little Gold beneath his feet had involuntarily shuddered, growing somewhat fearful.

And that was while the giant eagle bore no hostility. If it truly showed even a trace of hostile intent, this Advanced Level Three Golden Feathered Eagle would likely have no will to fight at all and would have long since fled in panic.

Though perhaps by then, it would not even be able to flee—it would already have been frightened flat on the ground.

Qin Shaofeng was not merely scaring himself. This was a genuine thought that had arisen after sensing the giant eagle's aura.

Although Fiery Golden Eyes could not currently investigate the giant eagle's specific information, perhaps because of Fiery Golden Eyes, Qin Shaofeng's senses had become somewhat sharper.

This giant eagle was likely the strongest existence Qin Shaofeng had ever seen. Its aura was more than a hundred times more powerful than that of Lian Chenghao, whose strength had seemed somewhat mysterious to him.

It was only a feeling, but Qin Shaofeng believed it.

"This junior, Lian Chenghao, has come by my master's command to bring Junior Sister to Lianyang Academy."

The moment the giant eagle stopped before Little Gold, Lian Chenghao bowed and spoke respectfully.

As soon as Lian Chenghao spoke, Qin Shaofeng understood that the giant eagle had an owner.

The giant eagle was already so terrifying—wouldn't its owner be even more terrifying?

Even Lian Chenghao was being so respectful. The other party had to be an incomparably powerful expert.

Seeing this, Qin Shaofeng did not dare be careless. He straightened himself and stood behind Lian Chenghao.

"Oh, so it's Little Hao. It's been a few years, and you little brat have grown up. But your cultivation is only so-so—you've rather let down your master's illustrious reputation!"

A somewhat indifferent voice came from atop the giant eagle. Still, from those words, it was clear that the giant eagle's owner was somewhat familiar with Lian Chenghao.

Lian Chenghao's expression turned a little awkward, but upon hearing that voice, he relaxed instead.

"So it's Senior Aunt Qing!"

Lian Chenghao seemed to know the owner of that indifferent voice extremely well, and their relationship appeared quite good. His tone not only grew more relaxed, but also carried the familiarity of a junior speaking to an elder.

"Enough, I won't say more. I'll leave the young miss to you. I'm going back!"

The giant eagle's owner apparently did not wish to linger. After exchanging a word or two with Lian Chenghao, she prepared to leave.

But before departing, she added one more sentence.

"I hope that the next time I see you, boy, you'll have at least half of Xiao Kun's ability!"

That one sentence made Lian Chenghao's face fall bitterly.

Half of Senior Brother's ability? Isn't that asking for my life?

Boom!

With a tremor, the giant eagle gave a slight beat of its wings and vanished in an instant.

From beginning to end, Qin Shaofeng had never been able to tell when or from where the giant eagle had appeared. Even now, when it left, it was the same.

However, though the giant eagle had disappeared, it left behind a patch of white where it had been.

Focusing his eyes, Qin Shaofeng finally realized that it was a white crane, like an immortal crane.

Although the white crane was only half Little Gold's size, the aura it gave off made Qin Shaofeng feel that it was no weaker than Lian Chenghao.

But that was not what concerned Qin Shaofeng most. What caught his attention now was the girl seated upright on the white crane's back.

The girl was about Qin Shaofeng's age, around fourteen or fifteen. Dressed in white, with her dark hair flowing loose over her shoulders, she was still somewhat young, her exquisite face retaining a trace of childishness, yet she was already breathtakingly beautiful.

Qin Shaofeng was entranced at first sight.

Originally, Qin Shaofeng had thought that a girl as pretty as Little Yue'er was already exceptionally outstanding among girls of fourteen or fifteen.

But compared to the girl before him, Little Yue'er fell far short.

It was not that there was an enormous difference in their features, but in their bearing!

Yes, it was her bearing!

This girl his own age made Qin Shaofeng feel as though he were looking upon a little fairy who had fallen into the mortal world.

She made one yearn for her, yet not dare to profane her!

So beautiful!

Though countless words of praise filled his heart, Qin Shaofeng ultimately found that he did not know how to describe the beauty of the girl before him.

In the end, only the two words so beautiful remained in his heart!

Lian Chenghao, however, did not notice Qin Shaofeng's expression. Upon seeing the girl, he smiled faintly and said, "Junior Sister, I hope you've been well!"

"Mhm, greetings, Fifth Senior Brother."

The girl gave a slight nod in response, her expression utterly unchanged.

Lian Chenghao did not seem to mind. His expression showed that he was already accustomed to it. Then, seeming somewhat sentimental, he said, "Three years apart, and I never expected Junior Sister's cultivation to have surpassed mine, her senior brother's. No wonder Aunt Qing rebuked me just now. It seems I really have grown lax!"

This time, the girl did not answer. She merely guided the white crane over beside Little Gold.

From beginning to end, the girl had only glanced lightly at Qin Shaofeng at the start, and never paid him any attention afterward.

And judging by Lian Chenghao's attitude, he did not seem to have any intention of introducing the girl to Qin Shaofeng.

But Qin Shaofeng did not care about any of that. What he cared about was Lian Chenghao's statement: "Junior Sister's cultivation has surpassed mine."

Her cultivation surpassed Lian Chenghao's?

Qin Shaofeng did not even dare think any further.

In Qin Shaofeng's heart, Lian Chenghao's cultivation was at least that of a Xiantian Fifth Layer expert, perhaps even higher.

Yet such a person said that the girl before him, who was nearly the same age as Qin Shaofeng, was even stronger than himself.

Qin Shaofeng felt that his brain was no longer enough.

After meeting Lian Chenghao, Qin Shaofeng had thought he had already witnessed a true genius of this world.

But the appearance of the white-clothed girl made Qin Shaofeng understand the truth that beyond one mountain lies another, and beyond lofty peaks lies a sky beyond the sky.

He had always underestimated this world too much.

Qin Shaofeng fell silent.

Little Gold sped onward once more. As for the white-clothed girl, her white crane could easily keep pace with Little Gold, following neither too fast nor too slow.

After remaining silent for quite some time, a sharp gleam flashed through Qin Shaofeng's eyes, and he rallied himself again.

Perhaps he truly was no genius, unable to stand shoulder to shoulder with those favored children of heaven.

But with the system's help, I, Qin Shaofeng, refuse to believe that I am truly inferior to those so-called favored children of heaven!

Though the enormous gap between himself and true geniuses had dealt him a blow, Qin Shaofeng recovered quickly.

The gap now did not represent the future.

What did I, Qin Shaofeng, have to fear?

"Wuu—!"

As though it sensed the turbulent emotions in Qin Shaofeng's heart, the little fellow Bai Xue, who had been sleeping soundly in his arms, stirred slightly, poked out its tiny head, and gave Qin Shaofeng a soft whine, as if cheering him on.

"This little fellow!"

Qin Shaofeng smiled gently and could not help stroking the little fellow's head.

This little fellow had slept quite soundly. Even what had happened earlier had not woken it up. What a sleepyhead and lazybones!

As though it realized that its master was speaking ill of it, the little fellow gave several protesting cries, crawled out of Qin Shaofeng's arms, and wore an expression that said it was very displeased.

"Eh!"

Just as the little one poked her way out, the white-clothed girl suddenly gave a soft cry of surprise. When she looked at Bai Xue, a flicker of delight first flashed through her eyes, followed by a trace of puzzlement.

Whoosh!

Just as Qin Shaofeng was about to say something to Bai Xue, he suddenly felt the space to his right tremble slightly as a white figure appeared.

Turning his head, Qin Shaofeng realized that, at some point, the white-clothed girl had guided her white crane to Little Gold's right side and was now looking at him.

More precisely, she was looking at Bai Xue on Qin Shaofeng's body.

"What is her name?"

This was the first time the white-clothed girl had spoken to Qin Shaofeng since appearing, though it was because of little Bai Xue.

Qin Shaofeng froze briefly, but quickly came to his senses and said with a smile, "Oh, this little one? Her name is Bai Xue!"

"Bai Xue?" the white-clothed girl murmured softly, then suddenly smiled.

"A lovely name. Just like her, she's very beautiful!"

Uh...

That smile from the white-clothed girl instantly left Qin Shaofeng staring blankly.

It was simply too captivating—so captivating that Qin Shaofeng could not keep himself in check.

She was already this enchanting at such a young age. Once she grew a little older, wouldn't this girl become even more terrifying?

By then, not even "fish would sink and geese would fall, the moon would hide and flowers would blush" could suffice to describe her beauty, could it?

Lost in his fascination, Qin Shaofeng never noticed that the two instances of "she" the white-clothed girl had used for Bai Xue were not "it."

But the white-clothed girl's next words instantly snapped Qin Shaofeng awake.

"Can you give her to me?"