C18 Guests from All over

The Spirit Selection, in a way, was an opportunity to leap over the metaphorical dragon gate. With nine great dynasties coexisting on this vast continent and an unimaginable population, how does one stand out from the masses? The Spirit Selection, held every three years, was the answer. As long as one was within the age limit, there was a chance to participate. Yet, with such fierce competition, the struggle was brutal. But isn't it true that the strongest warriors emerge from such cutthroat environments? This was a battle worth fighting for!

Yang Rui, however, wasn't particularly keen on the Spirit Selection. He checked his status: 937/1600 Experience Points!

Wow, leveling up needed to be quick. In half a year, he figured he could rack up about 259,200 Experience Points. With his current rate of progress, advancing a dozen or so levels seemed feasible.

If he could trigger a few quests, reaching 260,000 Experience Points would be no sweat. He chuckled to himself. Having been given a second chance at life, he felt he owed it to himself to make a splash in this world. Plus, what was the thrill in lingering in the confines of Chiba City? The true quest was to become stronger!

"Come on, it's only Rank Nine. With my talent, reaching Rank Nine shouldn't be too hard, right? Why the shock?" Yang Rui was baffled by Yang Zhantian and the others' reactions.

"What do you know?" Yang Yiyi gave him a dismissive glance. "Rank Nine in two days, little brother? Even with exceptional talent, it's not possible to hit Rank Nine in the Bone Forging Stage that quickly."

Yang Yiyi gazed at Yang Rui with an exaggerated look of disbelief, as if she were staring at someone completely clueless. "Unless your innate meridians are clear and your Qi Mansion is naturally formed, no one can reach such heights!"

"Indeed, Rui," Sikong Jiao interjected, her background from a prominent family granting her a broader perspective. "Tell me, have you experienced anything unusual during your cultivation?"

Yang Rui scratched his head, feeling completely bewildered.

How was he supposed to know what had just happened? How could he possibly explain it? If it weren't for the system, what could he even say?

Nonetheless, Yang Rui spoke up honestly, "An anomaly? Does having an overwhelming amount of Qi during absorption, to the point where it feels inexhaustible, count?"

Seriously? I ask if there's anything abnormal, and this is what you tell me? Are you deliberately trying to irritate me?

If I weren't your own mother, I'd have given you a thrashing today!

"Hehe, that counts! Anything else?" Sikong Jiao asked, her mouth twitching slightly as she continued.

"Emmmmm, I felt no resistance when drawing Qi into my body. It flowed naturally and the process was completed with ease..." Yang Rui explained with an innocent look on his face.

"Pfft!"

Yang Yiyi felt like she had just heard the sound of arrows piercing flesh, one after another!

Yang Zhantian covered his face, wondering why he had never noticed how his son's words could sting so much before.

"Speak properly!" Sikong Jiao chided.

"I've never practiced cultivation before, so how would I know what's abnormal?" Yang Rui said with a shrug, the picture of innocence.

Oh boy, this is getting interesting. This kid has no clue about cultivation, so asking him about abnormalities is just making things awkward, isn't it? Once Yang Zhantian and the others realized this, they stopped their questioning, and Yang Rui breathed a silent sigh of relief. Good thing he had never dabbled in cultivation before, or they might have actually gotten something out of him.

Seeing that Yang Zhantian and Sikong Jiao had nothing more to say, Yang Rui announced, "Father, Miss Jiao, if there's nothing else, I'll go ahead and start my cultivation."

Without waiting for a response, he dashed off, disappearing in the blink of an eye. Yang Zhantian turned to Sikong Jiao and chuckled, "This kid used to run away at the mere mention of cultivation, but since that incident, he's become so dedicated. It's a good thing, though. At least he can carve out his own path. With his talent and a bit of hard work, I'm confident he'll make a name for himself in this empire someday!"

Sikong Jiao didn't respond immediately; instead, she gazed at Yang Zhantian with a pensive look and sighed, "Zhantian, do you think Rui will ever hate me?"

Neither Yang Zhantian nor Yang Yiyi spoke, and a hush fell over the hall.

"Perhaps the decision I made back then was wrong."

"Jiao, let's not dwell on it. We had no other choice at the time. Moreover, he's now embarked on the martial path. Given his talent, I'm confident he'll work through these issues on his own eventually!" Yang Zhantian interjected, trying to reassure Sikong Jiao, "But tell me, is that fellow going to show up in half a year?"

"Him? He's probably coming for revenge, isn't he?" Sikong Jiao said with a light laugh, "That man can hold quite the grudge."

"Let's not worry about what's half a year away."

Yang Yiyi had already left following Yang Rui's departure, missing out on this exchange. Otherwise, she would have had a field day gossiping about it.

"Hahaha! Yang Zhantian! An expert's presence has just descended upon Chiba City. Could it be a guest of the Yang family?" The moment of quiet was shattered by the booming laughter of Chung Liangjin from the Chung family. His loud voice was a constant source of irritation.

Yet, Yang Zhantian was not one to be rude. He stepped out of the hall with a smile, "What expert? I haven't noticed anyone. But your visit, Master Chung, certainly graces my modest home."

"Pfft! As if I could outshine you," Chung Liangjin retorted, unfazed by his inability to best Yang Zhantian. He looked at him quizzically, "You really didn't sense it?"

Now it was Yang Zhantian's turn to be perplexed. What expert?

Seeing the look on Chung Liangjin's face, Yang Zhantian realized he was just as clueless, so he let the matter drop.

"Hmm? Are you all here because of this so-called expert?" Yang Zhantian quirked an eyebrow and turned to Ximen Po and Lau Wuyan, as the most prominent families of Chiba City had all come together.

Ximen Po and Lau Wuyan glanced at Chung Liangjin, who subtly shook his head to show he was also in the dark. They both smiled and said, "Not at all, we're simply here for a friendly visit."

"Humph!" Yang Zhantian cast a disdainful glance their way. "Don't think I'm clueless. If there's truly a powerful person out there, I'll make sure to pay your family a visit first!"

We believe that! They were aware of Yang Zhantian's capabilities, but the recent mysterious aura had eluded him, prompting a collective sigh of relief.

After a brief exchange, each of them took their leave.

"What a bunch of oddballs. If you come back and mess with my affairs again, I'll beat you senseless!" Yang Zhantian grumbled under his breath.

Chung Liangjin, trailing behind, nearly tripped over his own feet. That guy could never take anything seriously!

Meanwhile, Sikong Jiao watched Yang Zhantian's retreating figure, a glint of intrigue in her eyes. Yang Zhantian turned, approached her, and wrapped an arm around her with a soft chuckle. "What's the matter? You seem preoccupied these past few days."

Sikong Jiao simply shook her head, indicating nothing was amiss.