Undercurrents Stirring

"Ha! I really don't believe it, Old Fang. Today, you'll fight whether you want to or not! Let's go, right now!"

Murong Hongchen's eyes widened furiously as he grabbed Fang Tianhai and tried to drag him outside!

Cao Yiming hurriedly signaled everyone. After a great deal of pulling and tugging, they finally got the two old men to abandon the idea of sparring!

"Phew!"

Cao Yiming wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. Damn it, they already had one foot in the grave, yet they were still so restless!!

"Alright! We'll settle things like this for now! If there's nothing else, everyone can disperse!"

"Hmph!"

Murong Hongchen snorted at Fang Tianhai, rose to his feet first, and left the meeting room. Although he had already explained everything at Sky-Leaping Hall, and the matter here had been resolved, he still needed to check whether anything had gone wrong.

Lin Yizhong brought Lin Yu to the logistics office!

"Teacher Qian, the principal asked me to come collect an Intermediate Spirit Recovery Pill. Sorry to trouble you."

Lin Yizhong spoke to the teacher on duty with a smile!

"Oh! Teacher Lin, long time no see! What contribution have you made to the school this time? The principal actually rewarded you with an Intermediate Spirit Recovery Pill!"

"It's not for me. Here, my student Lin Yu! The principal's Spirit Recovery Pill was a reward for him!"

After hearing Teacher Qian's words, Lin Yizhong pointed at Lin Yu and replied with a smile!

"Hm?"

Teacher Qian looked at Lin Yu in confusion. He had heard of the name Lin Yu before. He was one of the top students in Banyan City No. 1 High School's senior year, often mentioned by the senior-year teachers. After all, students with good grades were the teachers' favorites!

"So he's Lin Yu. Isn't he one of your senior-year prodigies? What, did he awaken some high-level talent during today's Awakening Ritual?"

Teacher Qian knew that today was the day of the Awakening Ritual, but he had been on duty at the logistics office, so he did not know what had happened at Yuetian Pavilion!

Now that Lin Yizhong had said this, he guessed that Lin Yu had probably awakened some high-level talent!

"More or less!"

Lin Yizhong said somewhat proudly!

"Congratulations, Teacher Lin! An S-rank? Looks like this year's Outstanding Teacher title will be yours again!"

"Hahaha! That depends on the principal. It doesn't matter whether I get it or not. As for Lin Yu's awakened rank? You'll probably find out very soon!!"

Lin Yizhong's eyes were full of amusement as he kept him guessing!

"Don't tell me it's above S-rank? You're keeping me in suspense now! Fine, don't tell me! Here, this is your Spirit Recovery Pill. Take it."

"Mm! Thanks, Teacher Qian! We'll be leaving now!"

Teacher Qian watched Lin Yizhong and the other's retreating backs, his eyes full of confusion.

"Could Lin Yu's awakened talent really be above S-rank? Could it be SS-rank? Then Lin Yizhong is ridiculously lucky!"

Lin Yu and the other entered the classroom. The previously somewhat noisy room instantly fell silent, and everyone turned to look at Lin Yu in unison, their faces filled with nothing but curiosity!

"Lin Yu, go back to your seat first!"

Lin Yizhong gestured to him. Lin Yu nodded and calmly walked to his seat under the entire class's gaze!

"Students, there was a small mishap during the Awakening Ritual just now, but fortunately, everyone in our class has completed it!"

"First, I would like to congratulate all of you who successfully awakened. You are about to embark on a new journey, but I hope you won't become complacent. Successfully awakening does not mean that you can immediately become powerful. You need to properly develop and train your talents. Strength cannot be achieved overnight!"

"Now, I'll give each of you who awakened successfully a form. Fill in your talent rank, specific type, and general abilities!"

After speaking to the students from the podium, Lin Yizhong took a stack of forms and handed them out one by one to the students who had awakened successfully!

The reason for collecting information on each student's awakening was, firstly, for applying to martial universities, and secondly, to enter it into the Federation's database. It was like the DNA database from his previous life. Although it could not precisely identify a specific person like DNA, it could still narrow down the scope, preventing awakened criminals from escaping investigation and thereby maintaining the Federation's stability!

Lin Yizhong was very satisfied with the results of this awakening. There were over forty students in Class One, and nearly half had awakened successfully. Among them were two A-ranks and one S-rank. That alone was already far better than in previous years, not to mention the inhuman Lin Yu. Lin Yizhong could already foresee the scenes of martial universities competing to recruit students in a few days, as well as students fighting tooth and nail to enter Banyan City No. 1 High School's key classes next semester.

Having nurtured the first SSS-rank talent awakener in the Federation's three-hundred-year history, that gimmick alone would absolutely shake the entire Federation. By then, Banyan City No. 1 High School and he, the homeroom teacher, would both become incredibly sought-after!

The more Lin Yizhong thought about it, the more excited he became. This was truly one person rising to prominence and bringing everyone around him along. His nephew had made something of himself, and as his uncle, he would benefit as well!

"Aiguo is blessed too, having given birth to such an exceptional son!"

"Alright, students, hand in your forms once you've filled them out!"

After collecting the forms, Lin Yizhong looked at the students below, some happy and some upset, and spoke.

"Students, the Awakening Ritual is over. Next comes preparing for the college entrance exams."

"Those of you who awakened successfully should spend the next few days familiarizing yourselves with your respective talents. In a few days, the school will organize a trip into a secret realm, so prepare yourselves mentally!"

As soon as Lin Yizhong finished speaking, whispers broke out among the students below the podium.

"Ah! We're entering a secret realm so soon?"

"What do we do? The internet says magical beasts are terrifying! And they're supposedly really strong. Isn't it too risky for students like us, who have only just awakened, to enter a secret realm?"

"What are you afraid of? Didn't we awaken precisely so we could take down magical beasts? I want to charge in right now! I really hope the trial comes in a few days!"

"Exactly. You're so timid. If I had awakened successfully too, I'd definitely go in without a second thought!"

"You're talking big because you don't have to do it, huh? Do you know how dangerous secret realms are? Every year, so many fearless fools enter secret realms and never come back out. Those of you who didn't awaken should stop making sarcastic remarks. If you've got the guts, go into a secret realm and see for yourselves!"

"You..."

"Quiet! Since the school dares to arrange for you to enter a secret realm, it has definitely made thorough preparations. You don't need to worry about that. The most important thing now is to familiarize yourselves with your abilities, so you don't let the team down in the secret realm. Understood?"

"As for those who failed to awaken, don't be too upset. What you need to do next is prepare properly for the academic subjects."

"Don't think that failing to awaken means you have no future. You should know that two-thirds of the Federation's population are not awakened. Rather than sitting here feeling sorry for yourselves, study hard and strive to get into a good school!"

"Fighting enemies bloodily is certainly admirable, but isn't maintaining stability in the rear also a contribution?"

"So don't give up on yourselves just because you didn't awaken. Ordinary people can also become useful members of society!"

Seeing the students below becoming increasingly agitated, Lin Yizhong immediately knocked on the podium. It was perfectly normal for students who failed to awaken to become psychologically unbalanced. Lin Yizhong had been a teacher for so long that he saw this scene almost every year, and he had long become used to it. After all, whether someone awakened successfully was not something he could decide. All he could do was offer guidance as a teacher. The rest depended on them finding their own way out.

"Got it!"

"Mm! Everyone, study on your own now. Remember not to make too much noise!!"

After saying that, Lin Yizhong left the classroom with the forms!

The moment Lin Yizhong left, Lin Yu instantly became the center of attention! Whether they had awakened successfully or failed, everyone was secretly glancing at Lin Yu, who sat quietly in the back row.

"Brother Yu! The talent you awakened just now... it couldn't have been that one, right?"

Ignoring what others thought, Fatty Zhu quietly sought confirmation from Lin Yu.

"What do you think?"

Lin Yu gave Zhu Fugui a look! A golden talent that had never appeared before, combined with the teachers' reactions—wasn't it obvious?

"Holy shit! Brother Yu, you really are something else! One of a kind!!"

"Alright, calm down. It's not like you haven't seen it before. You're acting like some country bumpkin!"

"I really haven't seen it before. One was already enough to cause a sensation, but you've got two! Tsk, tsk..."

"Stop talking nonsense. Yours isn't bad either, alright? Hurry up and familiarize yourself with your talent. When the trial comes, I'll help you show off and carry you to victory!!"

"Got it, bro!"

At that moment, in a luxurious six-story building located in the city center, the two gilded words Night Feast gleamed brilliantly under the sunlight on its magnificent facade.

Night Feast was, on the surface, one of Banyan City's leading entertainment clubs. It boasted that as long as one had money, one could enjoy treatment fit for an emperor there!

Yet behind the scenes, it was the Eternal Night Church's largest stronghold in Banyan City.

At that moment, in a luxurious office on the top floor, a man stood with his hands behind his back, silently watching the bustling traffic below through the blinds.

"Knock, knock, knock..."

"Enter!"

A soft, feminine voice came from the man's mouth. He did not turn around and continued looking outside, as though there were some rare treasure beyond the window holding his gaze, one he could not bear to look away from even for a moment!

The office door slowly opened, and a woman wearing professional attire entered.

"Envoy!"

The woman called out respectfully, her lightly made-up face bearing a fanatical expression as she stared at the man before her!

The man did not respond. He simply stared silently out the window. After a long while, he spoke in a low voice.

"Why are these ignorant fools still allowed to live in this world... I could kill every one of those fragile ants below in an instant, yet they can live freely beneath the sunlight while we can only survive in darkness!"

"..."

The woman did not reply. She knew that the man was merely talking to himself. She was not qualified to speak to him as an equal!

"How are things progressing?"

The man turned around. His facial skin was an unhealthy pallor, and his slightly sinister eyes looked indifferently at the woman before him.

"Reporting to the Envoy, I have passed down your orders. The church members in Banyan City have also temporarily gone into hiding and have not acted rashly!"

"Mm! What about the person who planned the attack on the arena?"

"He has already been brought under my control. Shall I bring him before you, Envoy?"

The woman carefully questioned the feminine-looking man before her. This man was a true high-ranking figure within the church. He had come to Banyan City on important business, yet trouble had arisen the moment he arrived.

The woman hated that self-righteous idiot to death. Of all places to attack, he had chosen to attack that madwoman's territory. Ji Xuejun had already destroyed several of their strongholds over the past two days. Although it had not crippled them, it had caused considerable trouble. Just thinking about it filled her with anger.

More importantly, it had made her lose so much face before the Envoy. If nothing else, she would certainly be left with the impression of being incompetent.

"No need. Dispose of him directly! There's no need to keep such trash!"

The man looked utterly unconcerned as he spoke lazily to the woman. Even he had never considered such a foolish idea as attacking the arena.

As one of the Federation's most important institutions, the arena housed countless powerful experts. Setting everything else aside, in the Dragon Glory Special District alone, renowned Emperor-rank experts such as the Sword Emperor and Blade Emperor all held positions at the arena. If they provoked any of those Emperor-rank figures into acting, the Eternal Night Church would truly find it impossible to move an inch on Blue Star.

"Yes!"

"Any other news?"

"Mm? There is one piece of information, but it hasn't been confirmed yet. I don't know whether I should report it!"

"Oh? What news?"

"Envoy, today is the awakening day for elementary academies. A believer of ours at Banyan City No. 1 High School just sent word that a student seems to have awakened a golden talent that has never appeared before this year!"

"What did you say?"

The man's voice suddenly rose. His previously calm and indifferent expression turned to horror, and the disbelief in his eyes was impossible to conceal.

Seeing how agitated the Envoy had become, the woman repeated herself, then asked in confusion.

"Envoy, is there something special about a golden talent?"

The man ignored her question. His expression became incomparably grim, and his face took on an unprecedented seriousness!

"Is the information reliable?"

"I'm not certain. We only just received the news and haven't had time to verify it!"

"Then what are you standing around for? Investigate it immediately! Put every other matter aside. I don't care what methods you use, but you must confirm this matter before today is over! I only want results!"

The man was no longer as calm as before. His terrifying expression made the woman realize the severity of the matter, and she hurriedly nodded.

"Yes, I'll arrange for someone to investigate immediately!"

After saying that, the woman hurriedly left the office.

"A golden talent, a golden talent... How is that possible... Didn't the Supreme God deliver an oracle saying that such a talent could not appear in this world!!"

The man thought irritably. The news brought by the woman was like a muffled thunderclap. The man, who had previously held everything in his grasp, now appeared at a complete loss because it contradicted the message his Supreme God had delivered to him.

"Could something have happened that even the Supreme God did not foresee?"

"No! That's impossible. The Supreme God is omniscient and omnipotent. Nothing can escape the Supreme God's eyes! Where exactly did things go wrong?"

The woman worked very efficiently. Of course, part of that was probably driven by her desire to repair her image before the Envoy. Less than two hours later, she returned with information about Lin Yu!

"Envoy, I've found it. The information is true. This Lin Yu awakened a golden talent during the Awakening Ritual!"

"And right before the eyes of several hundred people, he blew up the Awakening Stone!"