Du Jun's Surprise

"Zhang Yu?"

After a brief moment of dead silence, the great hall erupted with suppressed gasps and murmurs.

"Who is Zhang Yu?"

The vast majority of the Imperial Family's high-ranking officials found the name "Zhang Yu" unfamiliar.

"The legitimate eldest son of Marquis Yong'an's Estate, that... that famous 'martial arts waste,' the 'Discarded Son of a Marquis Estate'?"

"How is that possible?"

"Did Princess Fenghua mistake him for someone else?"

Even those who recognized Zhang Yu only remembered him as a family outcast and a sycophant.

"Impossible, absolutely impossible."

A Prince exclaimed, his face filled with absurdity and disbelief.

"That Zhang Yu from Marquis Yong'an's Estate, I've heard a little about him. He's just a First Rank waste.

Furthermore, he's cowardly and only knows how to fawn over his stepmother and siblings. He's a well-known joke in the Capital City.

How could he possibly possess such incredible skills?

Niece Fenghua, are you sure you're not mistaken?"

"Yes, this is too absurd."

Others chimed in, utterly unable to accept this reality.

Allowing someone they considered a "waste" to slap the entire Imperial Family in the face was even more unacceptable than being slapped by a hidden Grandmaster.

It was a double insult to their intelligence and the dignity of the Imperial Family.

However, Du Jun suddenly stood up from his seat, staring intently at Zhang Yu on the light screen, his eyes filled with unprecedented shock and... a hint of bitter realization.

"It's him... it really is him..."

Du Jun muttered to himself, incredulously, "This is simply unbelievable. Not only is Zhang Yu's alchemy heaven-defying, but he also cultivates formations. And his formation mastery isn't inferior to Xiao Xuan, a Formation Grandmaster. How did he do it?"

He truly couldn't imagine how one person could cultivate both formations and alchemy simultaneously.

"President Du, you know this person?"

Xiao Xuan suddenly turned his head, his sharp gaze piercing Du Jun like a falcon's.

Du Jun gave a wry smile, his expression filled with self-mockery and a deep sense of powerlessness. "More than just knowing him... he's my... friend, despite the age difference."

"Friend, despite the age difference?"

Everyone was shocked again.

What was Du Jun's status? He was the President of the Alchemist Guild, someone even the Emperor treated with respect.

He was "friends, despite the age difference" with a Discarded Son of a Marquis Estate, a young man in his early twenties?

"That's right."

Du Jun took a deep breath and said solemnly, "Everyone, we've all misjudged him.

This Zhang Yu is by no means a 'martial arts waste' or a 'Discarded Son of a Marquis Estate.'

His alchemy attainments... are not below mine, and perhaps... even higher."

"What?"

This statement was no less than another thunderclap, exploding in the great hall.

His alchemy attainments were not below Du Jun's?

Du Jun was the foremost alchemist in the Wei Kingdom, a Grandmaster and an Alchemy Master.

Zhang Yu, a twenty-year-old young man, had higher alchemy attainments than Du Jun?

How was this possible?

"Brother Du, is this true?"

Xiao Xuan's expression became extremely grave, his voice even changing slightly.

A young man who was a divine master of formations and whose alchemy attainments rivaled Du Jun's?

This... was this still human?

"Absolutely true."

Du Jun's tone was incredibly firm, a complex glint flashing in his eyes. "I personally witnessed him refining pills. His techniques were divine, and his understanding of medicinal properties reached an unbelievable realm.

Furthermore... he could casually produce a sacred-grade pill like the Bodhi Pill, which has been lost for ages."

"Bodhi Pill?"

Everyone gasped again.

Those were legendary Pills, sacred medicines that could improve aptitude and help people break through bottlenecks.

How could Zhang Yu just casually take one out?

"Your Majesty, Old Ancestor."

At this moment, the intelligence chief, who had been silent, presented a compiled, detailed report on Zhang Yu.

Xiao Zhengshan took the report and quickly scanned it, his expression becoming increasingly complex.

From confusion, to shock, and then... bewilderment and deep disbelief.

The report detailed Zhang Yu's life.

This... this was the perfect image of a standard, thorough, out-and-out "Waste," "Good-for-nothing," and "Discarded Son of a Marquis Estate."

He was completely different from the "mysterious expert" in the light screen who controlled the Heavenly Prison's formation, rendered Grandmasters helpless, and earned Du Jun's high praise!

"What... what in the world is going on?"

Xiao Zhengshan's hand trembled slightly as he held the report. He looked at the intelligence chief, his voice hoarse, "Are you sure... this report is correct?"

Cold sweat beaded on the intelligence chief's forehead. He bowed and said, "Replying to Your Majesty, the report... is absolutely true, verified repeatedly. As for why... this subject... this subject does not know."

Yes, why?

This was also the biggest question in everyone's minds in the grand hall.

The report clearly stated that he was someone everyone considered a "Waste," so how could he suddenly become a peerless genius who was divine in formations, unparalleled in alchemy, and shocked even Du Jun and Xiao Xuan?

The only explanation was... he had been faking it all along!

Faking it for a full three years, or even longer.

Upon realizing this, everyone shivered.

What profound scheming!

What masterful disguise!

He had deceived the entire Marquis Estate, the eyes and ears of the Capital City, and even... their Imperial Family's intelligence system!

"Well done, Zhang Yu... well done, 'Discarded Son of a Marquis Estate'..."

Xiao Xuan looked at the young man still calmly standing in the light screen, a flicker of unprecedented apprehension and... a trace of inexplicable fear in his eyes.

"Endured for three years, then astonished everyone. This temperament, these methods... this child is too terrifying."