A Futile Attempt to Deceive Oneself

Chu Ming nodded slightly. After deep reflection, he realized it was impossible to hide his identity from this Baiyuan County Registrar, so he might as well admit it directly.

If the other party truly meant him harm, then...

His physical strength and blood energy surged, though his face remained largely expressionless.

A Registrar was a civil official; their martial prowess was generally not considered high.

This Master Feng appeared lean and did not look like a martial artist who had trained his body.

Feng Yuan tapped his fingers on the table and chuckled softly, "So, have you been biding your time? Or did you hide away in this border town after losing your mother's protection, simply to save your own life?"

He had seen Chu Ming's academy entrance exam papers, which were almost entirely correct, proving that the youth before him possessed significant scholarly depth.

Coupled with the astonishing performance during the memory exam, Chu Ming's talent was clearly exceptional.

For someone with such talent to have previously held a reputation as a good-for-nothing playboy—when combined with the treatment his mother suffered in the Chu Family—gave him reason to believe the youth had been enduring in silence all along.

Enduring in silence?

Chu Ming's heart stirred.

Looking at it from the other party's perspective, his current performance could indeed be framed by such a persona.

"Your choice to endure was correct. The waters of the Chu Family run deep; it is no small feat that you survived and emerged," Feng Yuan picked up a teapot, poured a cup, and pushed it toward him. "Would you like a drink?"

Chu Ming respectfully accepted the tea, but merely held it in his hands without drinking.

He was a bit thirsty, but he dared not drink it.

Until he understood what this Registrar was up to, he would not lower his guard.

"Heh heh, such caution, and such talent—not bad, not bad at all."

The smile on Feng Yuan's face only deepened. He showed no emotional fluctuation at Chu Ming's refusal to drink the tea he had personally poured, instead revealing a look of admiration.

At the same time, he became even more convinced that the youth before him had been biding his time all along.

"The Chu Family cares for their reputation. By quietly exiling you to this border town, they inadvertently gave you a chance to enter officialdom. Was this part of your calculation?" Feng Yuan continued to probe.

"..." Chu Ming remained silent.

This Registrar certainly had a vivid imagination. If the original owner had possessed such foresight and depth of character, he wouldn't have ended up in this situation.

However, let him imagine what he wanted. It sounded good and saved him the trouble of explaining.

"Very well." Feng Yuan interpreted Chu Ming's silence as tacit agreement, a sharp glint appearing in his eyes. "But you still underestimate the Chu Family."

"As a wealthy merchant family in Baiyuan County, even if they have no one in the imperial court, their methods still exceed your imagination."

"Do you think that by hiding in this tiny Willow Town, secretly taking first place in the academy exam, and sneaking into Baiyuan Academy to study, you can avoid the Chu Family's eyes and ears?"

"That is merely burying one's head in the sand."

Feng Yuan stood up slowly, hands behind his back, facing away from Chu Ming toward the pavilion. His posture was upright, his robes fluttering in the breeze.

Chu Ming frowned slightly. He had already considered what the Registrar said; otherwise, he wouldn't have spent most of his time on martial arts.

With his current strength...

Text appeared on the panel.

[Wind-Slapping Palm (Perfect)]

[Tiger Python Body-Forging Technique (Minor Achievement)]

[Progress: 11/100]

During the ten days before the entrance exam, aside from memorizing the contents of three books of poetry, he had spent all his remaining time on martial arts.

After the Tiger Python Body-Forging Technique was deduced and optimized, his progress surged twice, significantly increasing his cultivation speed. He had condensed three complete strands of blood energy within his body, and a fourth was currently being refined.

Furthermore, the blood energy refined by the optimized technique was much thicker, twice as potent as the initial strand.

This meant his actual usable blood energy was equivalent to six strands of ordinary blood energy.

Under the internal vision of the [Sword Gourd Spiritual Sense], his damaged meridians and foundation had not only healed but had become even more robust.

His palm technique was perfect, and its power was astonishing.

According to Steward Fang, the Chu Family had dozens of martial artists at the early Blood Activation Realm—meaning those with three strands of blood energy or less—and over a dozen with four strands, whom they paid handsomely to keep on retainer.

There were only two people in the Chu Family with five strands of blood energy.

The Chu Family still posed a threat, but for the current Chu Ming, it was something he could handle. In terms of raw stats, he even surpassed those martial artists.

"I wonder why the Registrar is telling me all this?" After a moment of thought, Chu Ming felt it necessary to clarify what this official was truly after.

Feng Yuan turned around, squinting at the youth whose expression remained as indifferent as ever. His tone suddenly turned slightly stern. "With that attitude, I could charge you with the crime of disrespect."

"The Master is in a position of great power; isn't it true that you can charge anyone you wish?" Chu Ming said unhurriedly.

If he truly intended to charge him, he wouldn't be wearing such a deliberately stern expression.

"Heh heh, this temperament and composure—you are indeed a fine seedling." Feng Yuan relaxed his brow and chuckled softly. "I will personally intervene to help you cover up your first-place finish in the Willow Town entrance exam."

Chu Ming's heart stirred, and he replied in a deep voice, "Thank you, Master."

"Is that how you thank someone? Won't you show some proper respect?"

"Oh, thank you, my lord." Chu Ming did as he was told.

"..." Feng Yuan's face darkened slightly. Looking at the calm youth who wore no extra expression, he suddenly felt a strange sensation in his heart.

It was as if he had performed a feat worthy of praise, yet the result was a lukewarm reaction.

He had first showered Chu Ming with compliments, then played up the complexity of the Chu Family, pointed out the crisis Chu Ming was in, and finally offered his assistance.

Logically speaking, the other party should have been overflowing with gratitude.

Yet, the youth before him offered only a single, emotionless word of thanks, as if he did not care much at all.

"The Chu Family's reach is long. Although they are merchants, they have deep ties with many powerful figures. Helping you conceal your upcoming entry into Baiyuan Academy will likely take quite a bit of effort..."

Feng Yuan emphasized this point once more.

I will pretend I never heard that. Chu Ming found it amusing. What this official was doing might be enough to coax a youth who had never seen the world, but as for himself...

However, since this man was a big shot in Baiyuan County, he could not make his attitude too obvious.

The reason he reacted so flatly to the help Feng Yuan offered was actually due to two considerations.

First, his own strength was increasing rapidly every day; it would not be long before the Chu Family was no longer a concern.

It would be best if it could be concealed, but if it could not, he had his own countermeasures.

Second, this Lord Feng held a high position, and his verbal promises could not be taken at face value.

Having been in this world for less than a month, he would not easily trust someone he had only met once.

Hearing this, Feng Yuan's expression froze for a moment, and it took several breaths before he returned to normal.

"Good. For the sake of that stubborn streak of yours, I, Feng Yuan, will help you cover this matter up, even if it means offending others."

A stubborn streak?

Chu Ming lifted his eyes slightly to look at this middle-aged man.

What was the meaning of that complex expression on his face? Was it because he hadn't received the recognition or gratitude he expected?

"Many thanks, my lord."

This time, there was emotion in Chu Ming's tone. He clasped his hands in front of him, doing his best to put on a look of gratitude.

Regardless of the other party's intentions, he still had to play along with the performance; after all, the man was a lord.

"Good, good!" Feng Yuan seemed very pleased, and a gratified smile finally appeared on his face.

Following that, he waved toward the outside of the pavilion, and two people walked over from a distance.

"Come, let me introduce you." Feng Yuan looked at the slightly taller youth. "His name is Xu He. He studies in the middle courtyard of Baiyuan Academy and is your senior."

"And this is Xiang Changgu, the top scorer in the Jade Town academy entrance exam. He recited three complete sections of the Poetry, Politics, and Military Strategy and is about to enter the upper courtyard of Baiyuan Academy to study. He is younger than you."