The Drunken Snow Blade had brought Chu Yun tremendous changes, making him strong and robust. Among these youths, he stood out like a crane among chickens. Along the way, the boys and girls had cast him curious, solemn, and puzzled looks. More than anything, though, they had sized him up and challenged him.
These people were the most promising Spirit Beast Master candidates on their respective islands. They were young prodigies, towering above their peers, each with pride in their bones.
"They're all a bunch of cocky little brats... But if I were still my old self, I'd probably act the same way here, wouldn't I? Heh."
At that thought, Chu Yun smiled faintly. He kept walking, climbed several steps, and emerged onto the deck, where the view suddenly opened up before him.
Standing on the deck, he gazed out at the vast sky and sea. White clouds dotted the heavens, and seabirds glided lightly through the blue expanse.
It was a magnificent seascape.
Chu Yun unconsciously exhaled, then drew in a deep breath. The sea breeze swept across his face, and the ocean-scented air lifted his spirits. The stuffiness from cultivating in his room dissolved completely.
"It seems your diligent cultivation, day in and day out, has paid off," a steady voice said from beside him.
Chu Yun turned to look. There stood the White-Browed Alchemist, clad in a green robe, with black hair and white eyebrows. He was turned slightly toward Chu Yun, sizing him up.
At that moment, he sat at the side of the ship, holding a long, blue-green fishing rod in both hands as he fished.
After spending several days together aboard the ship, Chu Yun had gained a general understanding of this teacher from Heavenly Song Academy.
The White-Browed Alchemist was steady by nature, calm and meticulous, and shrewd. He was a pillar of Heavenly Song Academy, the sort of man who wouldn't so much as blink if Mount Tai collapsed in front of him.
People like him never showed their emotions, and their thoughts were unfathomable. But Chu Yun had far more experience dealing with people than any thirteen-year-old his age. After a few encounters, he could sense that the White-Browed Alchemist had some measure of goodwill toward him.
"This student, Chu Yun, pays his respects to the Alchemist." Chu Yun bowed from a distance. He knew the man wouldn't have spoken to him without reason; he must have something to say. So he walked over to the White-Browed Alchemist.
But the latter turned away, fixing his gaze back on the sea.
The Treasure Ship sailed onward. Waves churned along both sides of the hull, and white foam swallowed the fishing line, hiding whatever lay beneath the water.
The White-Browed Alchemist seemed wholly absorbed, as if he had forgotten Chu Yun was beside him. He stared intently at the line, as though he had entered a world of his own.
Chu Yun came to stand beside the White-Browed Alchemist, and his gaze fell on the fishing line as well.
For a time, they both remained silent.
After a full quarter of an hour, the White-Browed Alchemist suddenly spoke. "The Drunken Snow Blade is good, but your aptitude is limited. The Heavenly Fox should be the one you focus on nurturing. You understand that, Chu Yun?"
His words were truly startling!
The moment he heard them, Chu Yun felt a bolt of lightning explode in his mind.
The White-Browed Alchemist already knew the Heavenly Fox's identity?!
"What should I do? Is he testing me with a bluff, or has he already confirmed it? Should I keep hiding the truth, or come clean?"
For a moment, Chu Yun's thoughts were in turmoil, and he felt a little panicked.
The Heavenly Fox was an ultimate-grade Demon Beast. If its existence became known, the entire All-Star Archipelago would erupt. A treasure in one's possession was a crime; even Shu Family Island couldn't protect the Heavenly Fox.
Chu Yun had planned to keep this secret hidden for as long as he could. When you carried a priceless treasure, you had to keep a low profile. But he had never imagined the Heavenly Fox's identity would be exposed so soon!
Hearing the White-Browed Alchemist's words, Chu Yun's heart nearly missed a beat. His breathing grew ragged, and thoughts raced through his mind, tangling into a mess.
"Yes. That's exactly what I intend to do." Chu Yun took a deep breath and made up his mind. He followed his instincts and admitted it calmly, without trying to hide anything.
"Heh, heh, heh." The White-Browed Alchemist couldn't help chuckling. He turned to look at Chu Yun, unmistakable admiration in his eyes.
This young man really was interesting.
He was the second-in-command at Heavenly Song Academy and had met the finest young talents across the All-Star Archipelago. After so many years, his standards had grown ever higher, and ordinary geniuses no longer caught his eye.
Yet even he had to admit that Chu Yun gave him a different impression. He seemed outstanding—exceptionally so.
First, there was his aptitude.
At thirteen, he could already command a Great Demon. That spoke to abundant spiritual energy and excellent aptitude, something rarely seen among his peers.
Next, there was his temperament.
He was brave—fearlessly brave. Even against an opponent like Remnant Wolf, with no chance of winning, he still dared to strike.
Bravery alone was nothing special. A newborn calf didn't fear a tiger, and youths this age were often ignorant and unafraid.
But Chu Yun was not only brave; he was also steady and hardworking. There were plenty of youths aboard the Treasure Ship, and most had been noisy and boisterous when they first boarded. Once the novelty wore off, they often sat around bored or buried their heads in sleep.
Chu Yun alone remained calm in both mind and body, unaffected by changes in his surroundings. During these past few days, he had hardly left his cabin, absorbing the spiritual energy of the Drunken Snow Blade and cultivating diligently.
This sort of temperament had truly made the White-Browed Alchemist's eyes light up. If he hadn't known Chu Yun's background, he might have thought him some peerless old monster, pretending to be young while wandering the mortal world for amusement.
Just now, the White-Browed Alchemist had been unable to resist testing him. He had deliberately ignored Chu Yun, focusing on fishing instead. He hadn't expected Chu Yun to remain patient and unhurried, waiting quietly at his side. The young man's temperament made the White-Browed Alchemist marvel.
Next, there was his potential.
The ultimate-grade Demon Beast, the Heavenly Fox, represented immense potential. Once it grew up, combined with Chu Yun's temperament, it was certain to achieve great things.
That's right—the White-Browed Alchemist had indeed seen through the Heavenly Fox's true identity. The first time they met, he had grown suspicious. The explanation that it was a "mutated Fire Fox" might fool some people, but it couldn't fool the well-informed White-Browed Alchemist.
In particular, after secretly observing it a few more times, he became even more certain of his guess.
At first, despite his shock, the White-Browed Alchemist had thought Chu Yun himself didn't know the Heavenly Fox's true identity. But after gradually getting to know him and learning what sort of person he was, he understood that Chu Yun must know the truth. He had only used that excuse to conceal it and protect himself.
If an ordinary youth had encountered such good fortune, he would have shouted it from the rooftops at the first opportunity. Compared with them, Chu Yun seemed all the more steady, brave, and resourceful.
Last came his character.
To save his adoptive father, he had disregarded his own safety. Facing an enemy dozens of times stronger than himself in a battle he could not possibly win, he had been willing to give up his bright future and march to his death without hesitation.
At that time, even his own son and his wife had given up...
That was filial loyalty!
Character had nothing to do with talent. There were plenty of talented people without virtue, and virtuous people without talent. But good character could still win people's favor.
Someone so loyal and filial would win people over even if he had no talent.
Even when someone had committed a crime, public outrage would ease somewhat upon learning that the culprit was a deeply filial person. Of all virtues, filial piety came first; a filial person couldn't be all bad.
That was human nature.
A youth who possessed all four—aptitude, temperament, potential, and character—would achieve a bright and glorious future, so long as he didn't die young.
It was practically a foregone conclusion.