Discovery

Shen Heng sat silently in place.

The sound was the same as usual, yet it seemed slightly different.

The joyful shouts of children reporting their grades; the soft sighs of elderly people; the whispers of lovers parting; the warning hiss of stray cats...

as well as...

Shen Heng slowly opened his eyes and looked at the crowd standing not far away.

"Hmm? You're looking this way?" Han Ling looked at Shen Heng carefully.

"Is the trial over?" the captain asked, mentally preparing himself.

"Was it a success or...?" Le Gu Nan asked with some worry.

"It's been so long, it can't be lost..."

"..."

"Is that kid who imitates pig noises any better yet?!" The voice was unfamiliar, somewhat rough.

Shen Heng silently gazed at the captain and the others in the distance.

They were staring in this direction, not saying a word, but their voices, similar yet slightly different, drifted over intermittently.

"This is..."

As if it were innate, Shen Heng had a general understanding of the new ability.

"Can you hear the thoughts and emotions of other beings, and influence their emotions...?"

"So, what we just heard was the voice of other people?"

Thinking of this, Shen Heng breathed a sigh of relief.

Although this evolution was not one of the two best evolutionary directions he originally envisioned.

But at least it's not the limit of expanding hearing.

but...

"That last sentence... was it you kid who imitated a pig's squeal?"

Shen Heng raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping across the room before slowly settling on Dahuang.

The only people who knew he had studied, no, had imitated pig noises were Le Gu Nan and Dahuang.

Le Gu Nan obviously wouldn't call him that, so that leaves only Dahuang, but...

Shen Heng looked at Dahuang.

Although he always knew that Dahuang was quite intelligent, no less so than a three- or four-year-old child.

But those two sentences just now don't seem like something a three- or four-year-old with the intelligence of would say. So what is it...?

Shen Heng looked at Dahuang, and saw that it seemed to be suddenly attracted by something, looking to the side.

At the same time, a rough sound came again.

"What's wrong with this kid? Why is he staring at me like that? Hmm... never mind, this kid's a bit strange. I'd better keep my distance."

Shen Heng frowned, glancing between the Dahuang on the left and then on the right.

He pondered for a moment, closed his eyes, and then looked up again.

A faint, shimmering white light emanated from Dahuang's body; this was...

After confirming that Shen Heng had finished evolving, Wang Hai was the first to walk over.

The rest of the group followed behind him.

Dahuang followed the group, but after glancing at Shen Heng Shen Heng realizing he was still looking at it, it turned its head away again.

"Why is this pig-oinking brat still staring at me, the Great Sage?" The rough voice carried a strange undertone.

Shen Heng did not react; he simply continued to calmly gaze at Dahuang.

"How was it? Did the evolution succeed?" Wang Hai asked as he walked over.

"Yes, it worked." Shen Heng looked at Wang Hai.

"Very good!"

A sigh of relief rang out.

Shen Heng glanced at Le Gu Nan, then looked away.

"It's good that you evolved successfully. I thought you had failed because it took you so long!" Han Ling smiled.

"Perhaps it's because the abilities after this evolution are slightly different," Shen Heng thought, recalling the new abilities.

"Different? What's your new ability?" Han Ling blinked and asked curiously.

The others also turned their gazes over.

"Let's talk about that later," Shen Heng said.

"Let's talk about it later?" Han Ling was a little confused. Why did they have to wait until later?

Shen Heng didn't reply. He turned his gaze to Da Huang, who was sneaking glances at him, but immediately looked away when Dahuang looked at him, as if he had been looking at something else.

"Dahuang."

Why is this kid calling for me, the Great Sage, for no reason?

Dahuang paused for a moment, but then turned its head naturally as if nothing had happened, and then...

"Woof, woof!"

Its fluffy yellow and white tail swayed behind it.

The crowd looked at Dahuang with some confusion, then turned their gaze to Shen Heng Shen Heng, wondering what he was up to.

Shen Heng ignored everyone's thoughts and looked at Dahuang, saying:

"When did you learn cultivation again?"

Dahuang froze, and its tail, which had been wagging behind it, stopped wagging.

At the same time, everyone was shocked.

They hadn't understood why Shen Heng was waiting before, but now, hearing Shen Heng words, they immediately understood.

As he looked at Dahuang, he quickly checked the concentration of its Origin Power.

Soon, Wu Cheng's exclamation rang out.

"Holy crap, Tier 2!"

"Haji Huang?" Wei Leyang's eyes widened.

"Big... Dahuang!" Old Li looked at Dahuang in disbelief.

Everyone stared at Dahuang in shock.

You should know that the highest level in the Martial Arts Association of Linhai City is only the First Tier!

They may need several more months to reach the Second Tier.

So, Dahuang actually reached Second Tier?

How long have you been secretly cultivating without their knowledge?

Under everyone's gaze, Dahuang stood there blankly.

But its mind was far from as calm as it appeared.

"It's over, it's over, I'm going to die, I'm going to die--!!"

"Run! Yes, run!... But where's the door? My legs won't obey me?!"

"Oh no! What should we do now?! This episode wasn't shown on TV!"

"I knew I shouldn't have come with my master to join in the fun today!"

"Is this the very path of the Great Sage destined to end here today?!"

The crowd gathered around, their eyes fixed on Dahuang.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Dahuang's body began to tremble.

It opened its mouth and spoke in a rough but somewhat trembling voice, not unlike the one Shen Heng had heard.

"Listen to me... no, listen to my explanation!"

Hearing Dahuang speak, everyone frowned, but they weren't too surprised.

Having cultivated to the Second Tier rank and still living in human society, it's not surprising that they can speak human language.

"Go on," Wang Hai said, his gaze darkening slightly as he reached out to shield Old Li behind him.

The others instinctively surrounded Dahuang as well.

Seeing this scene, Dahuang's body trembled even more violently, and he began to stutter.

"What... what... should I say?"

Wang Hai glanced at Dahuang and asked in a deep voice:

"When did you first sense the Origin Power and then start cultivating it?"

"I... I started to sense the Origin Power last February, and then I began to try to imitate everyone else and start cultivating," Dahuang said tremblingly.

"Last February? So early?" Han Ling asked in surprise.