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"Sorry, I instinctively used my full strength just now. I broke the rules. Let's count this match as your win."

Hao Xi hurriedly jumped down from the arena as well. Seeing that Chen Yu was unharmed, she immediately let out a sigh of relief.

If something had happened at her martial hall, the aftermath would have been troublesome.

"The Eighth Layer of the Body Tempering Realm really is impressive," Chen Yu remarked softly.

Even with multiple talents boosting him, the gap of five full realms was still impossible to bridge.

Ape Arms and Elephant Legs were ultimately only slightly better talents than those of ordinary people. How could they possibly overcome a gap of five entire realms?

The differences in strength, speed, and physique were too great. He could not even withstand a single move.

Although he had gained the [Martial Dao Grade-B Bone] talent, rapidly improving his Martial Dao realm was still unlikely.

Unless he acquired an even stronger talent!

Without dwelling on it, Chen Yu got to his feet and shook his head.

"To be honest, I simply wanted to challenge strong opponents. Winning or losing doesn't matter to me."

Just as he had told Wang Qianjun before, Martial Dao realm was also a part of one's strength in his view. There was nothing to argue about.

Besides, he had now copied a Blue-Quality Talent, making this quite a fruitful trip. Naturally, he had no complaints.

"Challenge strong opponents? Seriously?" Hao Sangui raised his brows slightly and asked in a low voice.

"Weren't you sent by a rival martial hall specifically to challenge our hall?"

He simply could not believe that a genius like Chen Yu had come just for that little challenge reward.

Still, if Chen Yu truly just liked challenging strong opponents, it was not impossible.

"A rival martial hall?" Chen Yu froze, never expecting the martial hall owner to see him that way.

But thinking about it, the saber talent he had displayed was not something an ordinary person should possess. It was only natural to be suspected.

"I don't belong to any martial hall. Later, I'll definitely be challenging other martial halls in River City too,"

Chen Yu said.

"Oh? You're going to challenge other martial halls too?!" Hao Sangui was startled.

This was a newly opened establishment with opening promotions, which was why he had not made things difficult for Chen Yu.

But if Chen Yu went to challenge established martial halls, it would be an outright challenge to their hall. Those places might not be so good-natured.

Moreover, when one actively challenged a martial hall, they would not match opponents at the same realm. Everything depended on actual strength.

At the very least, he would certainly get taught a lesson. Getting injured was unavoidable.

"This guy... isn't afraid of dying at all!" Even Hao Xi could not help giving him another look.

Even she did not dare challenge other martial halls. The consequences were serious, and it was far too offensive.

"I told you, I like challenging experts!" Chen Yu emphasized again as he displayed his Terminal payment code.

Hao Sangui did not waste words and transferred the money immediately.

Yet Chen Yu discovered that while the challenge reward should have been three thousand Red Radiance Coins, Hao Sangui had transferred a full ten thousand.

"Boss, didn't you transfer too much?" Chen Yu frowned slightly.

Unsolicited favors are either schemes or traps.

"Not too much, not too much." Hao Sangui laughed, then explained, "Three thousand is what you were supposed to receive."

"As for the remaining seven thousand, consider it payment for doing me a small favor."

"If you really plan to challenge other martial halls next, you can go straight to Extreme Bear Martial Hall."

"Of course, if you don't go, forget it. Consider those seven thousand a gift from me."

Chen Yu understood.

Hao Sangui was turning around and using him as hired muscle!

Still, even without this matter, he would definitely be challenging the major martial halls throughout River City. The order did not really matter, so it was an easy favor.

"Boss, does this Extreme Bear Martial Hall have geniuses like Hao Xi?"

Hao Sangui thought Chen Yu was worried that Extreme Bear Martial Hall had powerful experts stationed there, and he immediately puffed out his chest confidently.

"My daughter is the class monitor of the Martial Arts Class at River City No. 1 High School, a genius with a chance to enter a prestigious Martial Dao academy. How could there be people like her everywhere?"

"Don't worry. As long as the owner of Extreme Bear Martial Hall doesn't step in, at most there'll be a few students at the sixth or seventh layer of Body Tempering holding down the fort!"

"Even if you can't beat them, protecting yourself shouldn't be a problem!"

However, after Hao Sangui finished speaking, he noticed that Chen Yu was not excited in the slightest. Instead, a trace of disappointment appeared on his face.

"This guy... isn't he some Martial Arts Madman?" Hao Sangui muttered involuntarily.

Only a Martial Arts Madman would be this obsessed with challenging powerful Martial Dao experts.

"Fine. If I challenge a martial hall later, Extreme Bear Martial Hall will be the first one I visit." Chen Yu sighed. He truly was somewhat disappointed.

Still, that was only normal. Geniuses like Hao Xi and Wang Qianjun were rare across all of River City. They could only be encountered by chance.

But he would definitely give it a try and strive to copy more talents.

Even Gray- and White-Quality Talents were better than having none at all, despite their mediocre effects.

After leaving Heroic Martial Arts Hall, Chen Yu returned home.

"I never expected fortune itself to be a kind of talent."

Chen Yu glanced at [Fortune's Blessing (Blue)] on his System Panel. It was the talent he had copied from Hao Xi.

He had thought he would copy her Martial Dao Bone or perhaps a swordsmanship talent. He had never expected it to be fortune.

"The fortune of an entire city probably means River City."

"If this were a novel, would that mean Hao Xi is River City's protagonist?"

Chen Yu was not entirely sure.

A person could possess many kinds of talent. Especially for geniuses, having several talents at once was normal.

Take Fang Xiong, for instance. Naturally, Blade Technique Grandmaster was not his only talent. His Martial Dao Bone and fortune could also be considered formidable talents.

Chen Yu had merely copied one of them.

For example, Wang Qianjun might also possess the fortune of a city, just like Hao Xi.

"The second Blue-Quality Talent is mine. Now I only need one last one to unlock a new function of the System Panel."

"Where am I supposed to find this final Blue-Quality Talent?"

Chen Yu felt troubled.

Geniuses like Hao Xi and Wang Qianjun were even rarer, and unless something unusual happened, he would not even get the chance to meet them. Others would not bother with him either.

The best opportunity was actually the Martial Exam, when geniuses from all across River City would surely gather.

But Chen Yu needed to become as strong as possible before the Martial Exam. Waiting until then would be too late.

"Tomorrow, I'll ask Teacher Fang for some information and see whether I can find an opportunity to fight a genius."

Lying in bed, Chen Yu opened his Terminal and casually browsed through the recent news while looking up information on River City's martial halls.

Yet the moment he opened it, a conspicuous news alert popped up.

[Recently, a family of three in River City was brutally murdered. Their internal organs were completely devoured. Evil God Cultists are suspected.]

Several images from the crime scene were attached below the article.

"Evil God Cultists?!"

Although the images had been censored, Chen Yu could still make out how horrific the scene was.

This world contained many Outer Evil Gods. Their influence was everywhere, and there was no effective way to isolate it.

People were often tempted by the thoughts of Evil Gods and fell into corruption, becoming Evil God Cultists—no longer human.

"It's only three or four kilometers from here, and it's even along the route I take home!"

Chen Yu looked at the location of the incident and immediately felt deeply concerned.

He planned to buy a blade tomorrow, just in case.

At the same time, he noted down the names and locations of several martial halls, including Extreme Bear Martial Hall. He planned to challenge it tomorrow.

After finishing all that, Chen Yu leaped off the bed, consumed an Advanced Body-Tempering Elixir he had gotten from Fang Xiong, and began practicing the Star-Treading Stance!

The instant he began cultivating, streams of turbulent warmth flooded through every corner of his body from his stomach. That was the effect of the Body Tempering Elixir.

"As expected, the effects are obvious with a Body Tempering Supplement assisting me!"

"And with the Martial Dao Grade-B Bone talent, my efficiency in absorbing supplements has increased tremendously!"

"It's just that a supplement meant to last three days will probably only last me one day."

"Efficiency and time really can't both be had."

Chen Yu sighed.

Absorbing supplements quickly was a good thing. It greatly reduced the time needed for Body Tempering.

But it also caused the supplements to be used up extremely fast, and he had no money to buy more.

"I need to hurry up and deduce the Thunder Extreme Saber to the Proficient Stage, then earn some extra money."