The Martial Arts Association headquarters in the Imperial Capital.
The lights in the top-floor office blazed, making the night outside the windows seem all the darker.
"Chairman, at nine o'clock tonight, the Professional League officially entered its second round." A secretary wearing gold-rimmed glasses projected an electronic report into the air and began his briefing in a steady voice.
Chairman Chu looked up from behind his broad desk, set down the document in his hands, and interlaced his fingers in front of him.
"Mm. How are those few people I asked you to keep a close eye on doing?"
"Luo Yan, one of the favorites to win as we'd predicted, advanced to the Grandmaster Realm the day before yesterday and automatically withdrew from this league." The secretary lightly swiped a finger across the virtual screen.
Chairman Chu nodded, unsurprised.
"As for the other two, both won their matches cleanly."
The secretary paused, then added, "Chu Feng in particular. His strength has been steadily improving, and his understanding and application of a wide range of martial arts have reached the pinnacle. He truly deserves the title Master of All Martial Arts."
As he spoke, he secretly watched the chairman's reaction out of the corner of his eye.
Many people in the Association privately suspected that Chu Feng, the prodigy who had appeared out of nowhere, was the chairman's illegitimate son. Yet Chairman Chu had always remained inscrutable. He neither showed Chu Feng excessive favor nor deliberately kept his distance. His evenhanded attitude left everyone guessing.
"Anyone else worth mentioning?" Chairman Chu, as expected, didn't pick up on the subject of Chu Feng. He merely asked in a calm voice.
"Yes." The secretary immediately switched to another page of the report. "Of the twenty-eight foreign contestants competing as exchange participants, only ten