Whoosh!
In an instant, countless gazes shot like arrows toward Chen Yao, who occupied several positions.
They stared until her fair cheeks flushed bright red.
Hong Ming noticed that the speaker wasn't Chen Yao, but Zhou Min.
Although the two stood in the same row, Zhou Min had deliberately left half a zhang between herself and Chen Yao, keeping her at a subtle distance.
There was also a plainly visible hint of disdain in the way she looked at Chen Yao.
Lin Zhen asked Chen Yao, "What do you think, Chen Yao?"
"I..." Chen Yao parted her lips, instinctively wanting to decline.
But then she caught sight of Hong Ming's gaze and thought of how he would be left all alone. She couldn't bear to see that happen.
She sighed softly and finally nodded, accepting the task.
"Chen Yao, you..."
Her answer barely stirred Lin Zhen, but it left Wen Xin astonished.
Wen Xin suddenly felt abandoned. She widened her eyes, silently asking, What about me?
Chen Yao looked as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, she could only shake her head.
Lin Zhen quickly settled where Shen Lin and Hong Ming would be assigned.
And then? Nothing!
Lin Zhen seemed to have come specifically to deal with the two of them. As soon as he'd sorted things out, he turned and left.
The other soldiers were used to this by now. Each returned to their original place and resumed training.
Wang Heng called Shen Lin over, and Shen Lin scampered off after him.
With Qin Hao watching him with a knowing look, Hong Ming headed toward Chen Yao.
Seeing this, Wen Xin gave a soft snort, put on a look of utter despair, and dejectedly withdrew.
Chen Yao shook her head slightly and said to Hong Ming, "Come with me."
"Thank you for your help, Miss Chen," Hong Ming said, thanking her for what had just happened.
Chen Yao understood his meaning and replied gently, "It's nothing."
She led Hong Ming to a sparsely populated spot near the corner, intending to teach him there.
"Hong Ming, I'll demonstrate it twice first. Watch carefully and try to understand."
At first, Chen Yao seemed a little stiff, but once she began teaching, it was as if she'd become a different person. Her manner turned exceptionally serious.
Her movements gradually grew freer, revealing her agility. Her sturdy build seemed almost irrelevant.
Hong Ming watched closely, but as he watched, his expression gradually turned strange.
Why did Chen Yao's demonstration of Frost Sky Fist seem even more fluid than Instructor Lin Zhen's?
Some of her movements even had less unnecessary complexity and a touch more finesse.
Was it an illusion?
Hong Ming was puzzled. He decided to inspect Chen Yao's traits.
He would have been better off not looking. The moment he did, he stood there dumbstruck.
As soon as he got close, he saw Chen Yao's traits pouring out one after another:
[Metal Affinity] [Status: Available for Solidification] [Required Fortune: 99 points] [Solidification Effect: Sense the rhythm of metal energy in the world; gain a slight boost in power when using any weapon; double the efficiency of training in metal-based martial arts...] -- [Sword Heart Clarity] [Status: Available for Solidification] [Required Fortune: 99 points] [Solidification Effect: See through the tricks and bottlenecks of ordinary sword techniques, making them easy to use and master.] -- [Above-Average Aptitude] [Status: Available for Solidification] [Required Fortune: 99 points] [Solidification Effect: Greatly increase the efficiency of training in any martial art.]
That was it?
No, there was more!
For example, Fist Technique Expert (Level 3 · Green), Breathing and Exhalation (Level 2 · Green), Rhythm of Metal, and Boundless Stamina.
There were a full seven traits in total!
And nearly all of them were excellent in both level and effect.
Hong Ming had to admit, the moment he saw those traits, his heart leaped with longing.
How could he not envy her? Many of these traits were ones he didn't have.
Even the ones he did have were at lower levels than hers.
At last, he understood why Chen Yao's demonstration had seemed superior to Lin Zhen's.
It hadn't been an illusion. It was all thanks to her talent.
Chen Yao was the real hidden rich woman!
"I'm done demonstrating. Do you have any questions?"
Chen Yao had no idea of the storm raging inside Hong Ming. After finishing, she asked him a question.
Still absorbed in her wealth of traits, Hong Ming shook his head. "No."
"No?" Chen Yao was slightly taken aback.
Then she noticed how distracted he seemed and subtly furrowed her brows.
She thought for a moment, then asked, "So, have you learned it?"
"Please demonstrate it for me once more, Miss Chen," Hong Ming said after a moment's thought.
He'd already watched four times. Once he finished watching the fifth, he would be able to activate the Photographic Memory trait. By then, he'd have no more questions.
Chen Yao fell silent. After a moment, she seemed to give in. "This time, follow along with me."
Just watching from the sidelines made it hard to get involved, so she decided to lead Hong Ming through the moves directly.
Hong Ming had no objections and did as she said.
Chen Yao quickly assumed her stance and, as she led him through the moves, kept an eye on his progress.
The more she watched, the tighter her brows knitted.
Hong Ming's punches looked clumsy and unfamiliar.
At this rate, even with the best possible effort, it would take him three or four days to fully master Frost Sky Fist.
That was assuming he trained diligently. If he kept up this halfhearted attitude, it would take even longer.
She didn't mind that Hong Ming was slow to learn. It was his attitude that bothered her...
"Got it!"
When the fifth demonstration ended, Chen Yao hadn't yet finished her routine, but Hong Ming could already feel the change.
Both the Frost Sky Fist taught by Lin Zhen and the version taught by Chen Yao had become engraved in his mind in an instant.
All the movements and essentials of Frost Sky Fist surged into him like a torrent, sinking deep into his body and soul.
Finally, they became clear-cut data, etched onto his panel:
[Frost Sky Fist (Beginner 2/500)]
"Chen Yao, we're almost out of time. Are you done yet?"
Just then, Wen Xin came over on quick, light steps to hurry them along.
Chen Yao pressed her lips together. She herself was done, of course. The real question was Hong Ming.
Hong Ming didn't know what Chen Yao was thinking. He said, "Miss Chen, if you have something to do, you can go ahead."
"Never mind. What I need to do isn't urgent. I'll teach you one last time," Chen Yao said after a brief hesitation, shaking her head.
Wen Xin's pretty face drooped. She was utterly helpless. Chen Yao's damned sense of responsibility had reared its head again!
Hong Ming glanced at Wen Xin, who was frantically signaling to him with her eyes, and had no choice but to say, "Miss Chen, I've basically learned Frost Sky Fist. There's no need to rush."
Basically learned it? So he still hadn't learned it!
Chen Yao didn't expose Hong Ming's lie. She gave Wen Xin an apologetic look, then prepared to lead him through the moves again.
Seeing this, Wen Xin stomped her foot in frustration and glared fiercely at Hong Ming.
After thinking it over, Hong Ming interrupted, "Miss Chen, why don't you let me demonstrate it first?"
"You?" Chen Yao looked doubtful. She didn't think Hong Ming could perform the entire routine.
But she considered that she could point out his shortcomings this way, which would help her teach him afterward, so she nodded in agreement.
Hong Ming took a light breath, lowered his shoulders, shifted his hips, and quickly began performing Frost Sky Fist.
The moment his first punch shot out, Chen Yao's eyelid twitched. She immediately sensed something unusual.
"This technique..."
Her pretty face froze slightly as she caught the difference between Hong Ming's punches now and before. She was somewhat surprised.
The technique Hong Ming displayed this time was utterly different from before.
It was as if he'd spent months immersed in it, turning every movement into instinct.
There wasn't the slightest hitch between his moves; they flowed with complete familiarity!
The change left Chen Yao astonished and baffled.
Could this guy have suddenly had a breakthrough?
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