C3 It Seemed a Bit Weak!

Lu Yi, baffled by the woman's vanity, pulled Gong Binghan aside and said, "I'm not crazy."

At that moment, Gong Tian and Liu Shao'an sprang into action. Both were immensely talented: Gong Tian with the fire element and Liu Shao'an with the earth element. One boasted powerful offensive capabilities, while the other excelled at entrapment. Despite their recent awakenings, their combat strength was formidable. Taking on Lu Yi seemed like a walk in the park for them.

"Column of Blaze!"

"Earth Spike!"

Their Holy Spirit Powers burst forth, with visible fire and earth elements materializing in the air. The earth shattered, and the atmosphere ignited.

Those who disliked Lu Yi stood with arms crossed, smugly discussing the spectacle:

"Tian's got some serious moves!"

"That's a three-star skill for you—absolutely terrifying!"

"Shao'an's skill is three-star, too, right?"

"Lu Yi must enjoy being punished. Why doesn't he just obediently act like a dog? He seems to find pleasure only when he's getting beaten."

Meanwhile, Gong Binghan's expression was frosty. As a guest of the Gong family, she couldn't stand by and watch Lu Yi get hurt by these two on her watch. Holy Spirit Power swirled around her, drawing in a vortex of ice elements.

"Grasp of Frost!"

Gong Binghan intended to shield Lu Yi with an immense hand of ice. Yet, Lu Yi appeared utterly unfazed, his interest piqued by the display of their abilities.

"This Otherworld is turning out to be more entertaining than I thought," Lu Yi murmured.

Just then, the ground cracked open, earth pillars soared into the sky forming a prison, and debris scattered in all directions. Beneath Lu Yi's feet, a fiery circle emerged, and a massive pillar of flame erupted skyward.

Gong Binghan gasped in alarm, "It's too late!"

The icy hand was moments away from completion. Onlookers from Gong Tian's camp were already debating whether Lu Yi would meet his end in this encounter.

As he was on the brink of being overwhelmed, Lu Yi sprang into action.

"Gale Summon!"

Beneath Lu Yi's feet, a wind began to stir from nowhere.

Defying the impenetrable earth prison, he burst forth with sheer force.

Amidst a cloud of dust, Lu Yi sped towards Gong Tian and Liu Shao'an, swift as a bolt of lightning.

Simultaneously, the Cold Winter Sword materialized in his hand.

"Bang!"

With a powerful kick, he sent Liu Shao'an flying, then Lu Yi brandished his sword.

"Whizz."

The Cold Winter Sword sliced through the air, shearing off a lock of Gong Tian's hair and halting at his throat.

"It seems you two aren't quite up to par," Lu Yi said, his voice tinged with disappointment.

He had assumed that, as recent awakeners, they wouldn't be very strong.

Yet, he hadn't anticipated that the duo, despite their bluster, would be so feeble.

He had used but a single skill, and they were already defenseless.

The fight lacked any semblance of a challenge.

It was only then that Gong Tian's lackeys snapped to attention.

"Lu Yi, how dare you! Drop your sword now!"

"You're asking for death!"

Liu Shao'an, picking himself off the ground, glared at Lu Yi with bitter resentment.

"Die!"

His body thrummed with Holy Spirit Power, poised to strike once more.

"Silence!" Gong Tian barked. "Can't you see the sword at my neck? Stop your yapping.

I'd prefer to stay alive."

"Lu Yi, let's not be hasty," Gong Tian said, edging back subtly. "I concede defeat this time."

"Sure," Lu Yi replied, though his grip on the sword did not waver.

Applying slight pressure, the Cold Winter Sword nicked Gong Tian's neck, drawing a thin line of blood.

"What do you want from me?"

"A lesson to remember," Lu Yi stated, sheathing his sword. He turned to Gong Binghan, his demeanor as serene as a clear sky.

"Let's go."

"Who said you could leave?" Liu Shao'an, flanked by his men, blocked their path.

Having been bested by Lu Yi in a single exchange, Liu Shao'an realized his own complacency.

Now, he was determined to reclaim his dignity.

"Let him go," commanded Gong Tian.

"Brother Tian!" Liu Shao'an blurted out in a panic.

If they let Lu Yi walk away now, what would become of their reputation?

But before Liu Shao'an could finish his protest, Gong Tian cut him off, "Didn't you hear me? Let them leave!"

Despite his reluctance, Liu Shao'an stepped aside, influenced by Gong Tian's authoritative words.

"Ding! Congratulations, host, for redeeming yourself and earning 1 free skill point."

"Ding! Congratulations, host, for activating the mission system."

"Ding! Beginner mission: Stand out at the assessment."

Lu Yi's heart surged with joy upon hearing the system's notifications.

A free skill point!

In the Holy Spirit Continent, there were only two ways to enhance a skill level.

One required mastery of the skill to the point of absolute perfection, achievable only through countless uses.

The other involved the rare blood essence, found in only one out of a thousand elite soul beasts.

Both methods were daunting challenges, but now, Lu Yi had earned a skill upgrade simply by engaging in a casual brawl.

How could he not be thrilled?

With a lighter step and a buoyant heart, Lu Yi moved on.

...

Watching Lu Yi depart, Liu Shao'an spoke up, "Brother Tian, why let him go? With all of us here, taking him down would be a cinch."

Gong Tian replied with a complex tone, "We can't blow this out of proportion."

The others nodded, only half understanding.

Yet, Gong Tian left one crucial detail unspoken: "He didn't even use his full strength just now."

A short distance away, Gong Binghan was still reeling from the revelation.

The man before her seemed utterly transformed.

After a moment's thought, Gong Binghan inquired, "Lu Yi, what skill did you awaken?"

"Gale Summon, why do you ask?"

Confronted with Lu Yi's penetrating gaze, a flicker of unrest stirred in Gong Binghan's heart.

"It's nothing," she deflected, shifting her gaze. "It's quite an impressive skill."

Once past her initial pride, the two engaged in easy conversation.

As they walked, Lu Yi and Gong Binghan drew closer with each step.

"In my past life, I never had the chance to chat with beauties. This time around, I'm going to meet all the world's beauties!" Lu Yi mused to himself.

Their conversation flowed effortlessly.

Engrossed in their talk, they arrived at the training ground before they knew it, oblivious to the envious stares that followed them.

At the entrance, Gong Binghan's impression of Lu Yi had taken a complete turn.

In a hushed tone, she cautioned him just before they went in, "Lord Xiahou will be attending this assessment. Make sure to take advantage of the opportunity."

Lord Xiahou, the ruler of Smallfrost City, commanded a legion of formidable warriors and wielded immense influence. Even the Gong family was merely one of the many powers under his sway.

Lu Yi simply nodded, "Okay," not really taking it to heart.

What did it matter if he was the City Lord?

Could anything he offered compare to the power of the system?