C6 The Qi Pavilion Opened.

The children gathered here varied widely in age—the eldest among them was around fourteen or fifteen, while the youngest was merely seven or eight. A closer look would reveal that they naturally split into two distinct groups.

One group consisted of eight prodigies from the family, including the likes of Hanyu Duofeng and Hanyu Shengxi. The other was made up of family juniors with more modest talents, older in age but still without a whisper of inner Qi to their names.

Hanyu Duofeng and Hanyu Shengxi shared the same birth year as Hanyu Xiaotian. Perhaps it was destiny that these unparalleled talents, adored and cherished by their kin, never looked down on Hanyu Xiaotian, who was unable to practice martial arts. In fact, the trio often played together. It wasn't until recent years, as Hanyu Duofeng and Hanyu Shengxi matured and began cultivating their inner Qi, that they embarked on the rigorous training regimens preordained by their family, gradually fading from Hanyu Xiaotian's life.

Now, with the Qi Pavilion's doors swinging open, they reemerged, intent on leveraging its mystical properties to elevate their martial prowess.

Among this elite cohort, the eight young talents had already outstripped their peers in achievement. Notably absent were Hanyu Kong and Hanyu Xinger, whom Hanyu Xiaotian had once looked up to with envy. Oddly enough, a robust teenager, who had yet to cultivate inner Qi and bore the sturdy build of a young bull, stood among these geniuses. None of the others seemed to take issue with his presence.

Beyond these eight luminaries were the other children, those with less remarkable aptitudes. They had earned their place here through the contributions of their lineage to the family, harboring dreams of entering the Qi Pavilion to emerge as Martial Cultivators.

As for Hanyu Xiaotian, he had always floated on the periphery of these two groups, a solitary figure on his own path.

At that moment, one of the middle-aged men responsible for guiding these family geniuses addressed the children who had yet to cultivate inner Qi. "You are both unfortunate and fortunate," he began. "Unfortunate, because many of your contemporaries have already harnessed their inner Qi, leaving you in their wake. Fortunate, because you've been granted access to the Qi Pavilion, where the future may yet see you become pillars of the Hanyu Family."

The children's faces lit up with excitement, their minds awash with visions of mastering ancient martial arts and commanding respect far and wide.

A few of the prodigious children, observing this excitement, couldn't hide their disdain. To them, these hopefuls, even with the Qi Pavilion's aid in grasping inner Qi, might advance in martial arts and perhaps surpass ordinary Martial Cultivators, but they would never be considered true powerhouses.

"Let me reiterate," the middle-aged man continued, "each of you will have only one hour inside. When time's up, regardless of whether you've felt the gaseous sensation or reached a certain stage in your cultivation, you will be escorted out. So, make sure to focus and adjust your state as soon as you enter. I wish you all swift and resounding success." With that, he pushed open the grand doors of the Qi Pavilion.

At that moment, the child who towered over the rest in the gathering of prodigies didn't rush to enter the Qi Pavilion. Instead, he pivoted abruptly and strode toward Hanyu Duofeng.

His muscles were visibly well-defined, rivaling those of many seasoned Martial Cultivators, and his movements were both stable and exceptionally fluid—a testament to his rock-solid physical foundation.

Standing before Hanyu Duofeng, he fixed a fierce gaze on the aloof teenager who barely reached his chest. With a finger as thick as a small carrot, he pointed at the youth before him and declared, "Remember my name—Hanyu Xiongba. I am the future leader of the Hanyu Family's younger generation, not you!"

With a dismissive glance at Hanyu Shengxi, who stood by Hanyu Duofeng's side, he paid no heed to anyone else. Then, Hanyu Xiongba, the child who had claimed his place as a future leader, was the first to stride through the grand doors of the Qi Pavilion...