Special Spectator

Lin Feng said solemnly, "Our martial arts hall possesses a treasure: a Wine Crystal condensed from century-old Monkey Wine. It has the miraculous effect of cleansing the marrow, regulating qi and blood, and solidifying one's foundation."

"That is why your senior brother has told you time and again that it is not too late to turn back now."

"Give up those miscellaneous studies and focus on what the master has taught. With the help of the Wine Crystal, you will surely be able to build the most solid foundation. Given your comprehension, your future achievements might even allow you to break through the limitations of your natural talent."

"Do not be headstrong and throw away such a bright future."

After hearing this, Li He remained silent.

His eyes were complex.

"Thank you for your concern, Senior Brother. I truly appreciate your good intentions."

He did not offer much explanation, picked up his water glass, and drained it in one gulp.

Lin Feng opened his mouth as if he wanted to say more, but seeing that Li He's expression remained completely unshaken, all his words dissolved into a long, heavy sigh.

The smoky air of the barbecue stall swirled around them, and the voices of the crowd were noisy, but this corner table fell into a strange silence. Lin Feng ate his food in silence, his eyes unfocused as he stared at the flickering candlelight on the table, as if recalling something.

Li He felt a stir in his heart and asked, "Senior Brother, if I may be so bold, why are you so concerned about me?"

Lin Feng was silent for a long time.

"Because I, too, have fifth-grade talent."

Li He was stunned.

As the senior disciple, Lin Feng was a second-tier martial artist, and being so young, anyone at a glance would assume he had a limitless future.

He never expected that he was just like him—both possessing only fifth-grade talent!

According to current Federation records, in all of history, only one martial artist with fifth-grade talent had ever achieved the third tier, and that person had already fallen on the front lines of the Abyss.

For Senior Brother Lin Feng to reach the second tier was already far beyond what most people could achieve.

Lin Feng opened another bottle of wine and poured himself a glass: "I am an orphan, adopted by Master when I was young, and raised in the martial arts hall. What does fifth-grade talent mean? It means you need to put in a hundred, a thousand times more effort than others just to barely keep up with their pace."

"Don't look at me as a second-tier martial artist, a dignified martial master at such a young age; the heart's blood that both Master and I have poured into this goes without saying."

"So, when I see you—when I see that you also have fifth-grade talent, yet possess astonishing comprehension and that unyielding, ruthless drive—it is as if I am looking at another version of myself."

He looked deeply at Li He: "That is why, Junior Brother, I urge you to turn back. It is precisely because I see your potential, a potential far exceeding my own, that I do not wish to see you go astray."

Li He listened quietly, finally understanding why Senior Brother Lin Feng was so persistent, even to the point of being overly concerned about him.

This bond was as heavy as a mountain.

"Senior Brother, I now understand your intentions and your past. I will keep this friendship close to my heart."

"...You brat, you really are stubborn. But then again, if you weren't stubborn, perhaps you wouldn't have come to the Yellow Mountain Martial Arts Hall and would have long since faded into the crowd. Very well! Come, let's drink. Tomorrow is the minor examination; I wish you all the best."

"Thank you, Senior Brother!"

The two clinked their glasses in mid-air and each finished their drink.

The day of the minor examination.

Li He stepped onto the grounds with a steady gait, noticing that there were many new faces in the martial arts hall today.

On the temporarily erected high platform, in addition to Master Yuan Shan and Senior Brother Lin Feng, there were several distinguished-looking observers.

At the edge of the arena, there were several unfamiliar figures warming up, their auras condensed and their eyes sharp, carrying the seasoned air of those who had traveled far.

"Oh, Junior Brother Li, you're here?" Yuan Lingling's voice rang out beside him.

She clearly noticed Li He's gaze and took the initiative to ask: "Are you wondering who those gentlemen are? As it happens, let me introduce them to you. Do you see that gentleman by the stone platform wearing the expensive suit and a beaming smile?"

Li He looked in the direction she indicated.

It was a plump, fair-skinned middle-aged man who looked like he had been cut from the same cloth as Jin Yongsheng. He wore a smooth, warm jade ring on his finger and a slick, enthusiastic smile on his face; one look was enough to tell he was a wealthy merchant accustomed to a life of luxury.

At this moment, he was laughing and patting Jin Yongsheng on the shoulder, seemingly offering words of encouragement.

"That is Jin Yongsheng's father, Mr. Jin Wancai, the chairman of Wancai Electric."

As if sensing their gaze, Jin Wancai happened to turn his head.

His eyes swept over Li He quickly, his smile widening, and he actually walked over, bringing Jin Yongsheng with him.

"Haha, this must be my nephew Li He, right? I am Jin Wancai, a pleasure to meet you!" He reached out his hand enthusiastically, his movements natural and fluid.

Li He was somewhat surprised and shook his hand: "Hello, Mr. Jin."

"My son has mentioned you quite a bit at home, saying your comprehension is astonishing and that you are the best among the new disciples in the martial arts hall. Seeing you today, you truly have a steady demeanor and are a man of great talent."

"Mr. Jin, you are too kind."

"Eh, no need to be humble, nephew. Please take care of my Yongsheng in the future; you are both young, so you should learn from each other and progress together." After saying this, he cupped his hands: "You two go ahead and get busy; I won't disturb you any further."

With that, he turned and left with Jin Yongsheng, appearing very easygoing and friendly.

After seeing off the Jin father and son, Yuan Lingling pointed to the other side of the stone platform.

There, a middle-aged man in an expensive suit with a stern face was whispering to Sun Ao.

Sun Ao's expression was somewhat unnatural, even carrying a hint of nervousness.

"That is Sun Ao's uncle, Mr. Sun Zhenhai," Yuan Lingling said. "He is the helmsman of the Zhenhai Catering Group, specializing in martial artist nutritional meals made from exotic beast ingredients. He holds quite a bit of influence in the industry."

"Look at the young man beside him. That person is Sun Jiaoyang, Sun Zhenhai's son. He will also be participating in our minor examination this time!"

"Hm?" Li He was somewhat surprised. "He isn't a disciple of our Yellow Mountain Martial Arts Hall, so why would he participate in our minor examination?"

Hearing this, Yuan Lingling giggled, her face wearing an expression that said, "You've finally asked the right question."

She pointed toward several other unfamiliar faces on the high platform.

"Do you see those people on the platform? That is Senior Brother Wang Meng, Senior Sister Zhao Xue, and Senior Brother Chen Lei. They have been traveling abroad."

"Returning this time isn't just to observe the minor examination," she said, pointing to the young people warming up below the stage. "They also brought back the new disciples they took in during their travels."

Li He's gaze sharpened.

Those young people all possessed vigorous auras and sharp eyes, faintly carrying a murderous air. It was clear they had been tempered by real combat and were by no means comparable to ordinary disciples.

"As for Sun Jiaoyang... he is a bit special. Half a year ago, he was taken directly under the tutelage of Hall Master Yuan Shan, but he has been training at the main family estate the entire time. Since he has been initiated for less than a year, he is also qualified to participate in our minor examination."

Once this news broke, it instantly stirred panic among the ordinary disciples.

"What? We really have senior brothers and sisters traveling abroad? I thought that was just a lie!"

"It's over, it's over. Look at those guys—they all look fierce and vicious. They clearly aren't people to be trifled with!"

"Sigh, I originally thought that with a nine-into-five ratio, if I just worked a little harder, I might make it. But with so many people suddenly added, how are we supposed to compete?"