C1 A down and out Genius

In the heart of Swallow Azure City, within a bustling square of the Ling Family—one of the four great families—numerous young disciples had congregated.

"The spectacle this morning was truly thrilling. Who would have thought that Ling Yunfan, the so-called trash, could hold his own for half an hour against Ling Jie, whose strength surpasses even that of a Body Refining Level Five."

"True, that guy can't seem to win a fight these days, but to put up such a fight against a far stronger opponent is impressive. It's just too bad he's still covered in wounds. Can he even make it over here to test his talent?"

"Hehe, dreaming of testing his talent? He's no high-level martial artist. How's he supposed to heal such serious injuries so quickly? Last I heard, he's barely clinging to life in that shabby hut of his."

The topic dominating the conversation among all those gathered in the square was the morning's duel, where Ling Yunfan—labeled as trash for seven years—faced off against Ling Jie of Body Refining Level Four.

Ling Yunfan's own strength was merely at Body Refining Level Two. Despite his grueling training and unique techniques granting him an extra two hundred pounds of force beyond the typical one thousand pounds of a Level Two martial artist, he still couldn't match those of higher cultivation levels.

"Has everyone arrived? It's nearly time for the talent test. The procedure remains unchanged: channel all your strength into striking the Essence Measuring Stone. If it emits light, you've passed," announced an elderly woman in a dark green robe, her white hair betraying her age, from the front of the square.

Her eyes narrowed into slits as she continued in a frosty tone, "Ling Yunfan, step forward to test first."

"Our Ling Family's top prodigy hasn't even shown up yet," came a mocking voice from the crowd.

Laughter erupted anew, echoing across the square as the voice faded.

"Silence!" The old woman's command fell once more, and the crowd swiftly hushed. Her displeasure was evident as she asked, "Where has Ling Yunfan gone off to?"

"I'm right here. Who says I'm not?" In the midst of the quiet square, a slight young man emerged from the rear.

As Ling Yunfan approached, many onlookers smirked and cleared a path for him.

"Make your move quickly. I'm eager to see if you've made any progress," the old woman stated icily as Ling Yunfan drew near.

Ling Yunfan understood the subtext of her words; the old woman was anticipating the moment he would fail the test, giving her the chance to mock his father. Aware of her intentions, Ling Yunfan chose not to defy her. She was, after all, the overseer of the talent test ceremony, and not even the Patriarch's son could disregard her authority.

Bang!

Without wasting another moment and paying no heed to the old woman, Ling Yunfan struck the Essence Measuring Stone with full force. Yet, the stone remained inert, emitting neither light nor sound.

Predictably, the onlookers beneath the platform erupted into jeers.

"Haha... I told you, this failure might be of the Ling family, but he has no Cultivation Talent whatsoever."

"Never mind the rest, his failure to advance beyond Body Refining Level Three after seven years is proof enough that he's a lost cause."

"Indeed, I thought he was diligently cultivating, but to no avail. He's clearly fated to be nothing more than a commoner."

"It's baffling, really. The guy's just an adopted son with such poor Cultivation Talent, yet the family has always held him in high regard. I can't fathom what the elders are thinking."

"Had his father not been the Patriarch, he'd likely be begging in the streets by now."

The young man's heart ached as he listened to the scornful laughter of his peers, a pain that cut deeper than the blood drawn from his clenched fists.

The young man lifted his head ever so slightly, revealing a face that bore the hallmarks of youth. His deep, black eyes scanned the crowd below before he stepped away.

"Is this their true nature? Maybe it's because they once smiled humbly in my presence, and now, upon seeing me again, they seek to reclaim that deference," Ling Yunfan mused with a wry smile before he retreated to the very back row. His solitary silhouette seemed oddly disjointed from the world around him.

As Ling Yunfan walked away, a succession of individuals ascended to undergo the test, each eliciting varying degrees of luminescence from the Essence Measuring Stone. The standouts were Ling Yunfan's cousin, Ling Hong, and Ling Jie's elder brother, Ling Xuan.

"This year's talent testing ceremony concludes with Ling Xuan and Ling Hong achieving the highest scores, both at Body Refining Level Eight. The lowest, regrettably, remains Ling Yunfan," the elderly woman on stage declared. She then shifted her focus to the last row, where Ling Yunfan stood, and continued, "Effective today, the family has resolved to revoke all privileges associated with Ling Yunfan's status."

Upon the middle-aged man's declaration, those who should have departed began jeering at Ling Yunfan anew.

"Ha! This is perfect. Without the family's resources, this good-for-nothing is done for. He's truly on his way to becoming a beggar now."

"Absolutely! The Second Elder once saw great potential in Ling Yunfan, but with these words, it's clear he's fated to be nothing more than a cripple."

"Scram, waste of space. You're no longer welcome in the Ling Family."

To the onlookers, Ling Yunfan appeared unaffected by their scorn, continuing his retreat with no visible sign of anger. Yet, beneath the surface, his reality was starkly different. His heart brimmed with rage, though he had no outlet for release.

Ling Yunfan understood the futility of expressing his fury; everyone present outmatched him in strength, and any one of them could easily leave him gravely injured. Thus, even if he wished to lash out, there was no viable target. Any attempt to do so would only bring him more misery.

"I just can't fathom why the Patriarch would shelter someone like you, a disgrace who does nothing but bring shame to our family. And it's beyond me why the family puts up with such a waste of space. Maybe the Patriarch's grief over losing his wife has clouded his judgment, making him coddle a worthless nobody like you as if you're some precious gem."

As Ling Yunfan took a couple of steps forward, a scornful voice echoed from behind. The words seeped into his ears, and his rage reached a boiling point. Whirling around, he locked eyes with a man clad in a green coat and black shirt amidst the crowd, who was staring back at him with a look of utter contempt.

"Ah, so it's you, Ling Jie—the same guy I once pummeled into the dirt, begging for mercy. You think you have the right to insult my father? Or have you forgotten the fear you had of me? Don't mistake my current weakness for fear of you!" Ling Yunfan's face, twisted with anger, suddenly sported a mocking sneer.

"Hmph, looks like you're asking for trouble!" Ling Jie, the youth in question, was clearly provoked, his whole body shaking with fury as if a raw nerve had been struck.

The onlookers, sensing Ling Jie's rage, parted to create a path to Ling Yunfan.

"Grab your popcorn, folks. This 'good-for-nothing' had the nerve to hit Ling Jie where it hurts. Keep in mind, Ling Jie has reached Body Refining Level Four and is rumored to have mastered a Human Rank Middle Level martial skill called Qi Fist. His power rivals that of a Level Five martial artist. Yunfan's in for a world of pain."

"Ling Yunfan's about to get a beating that'll leave him with more than just a few bruises."

"I bet his father will have to step in again."

With a menacing stride, Ling Jie advanced towards Ling Yunfan, the crowd watching with a mix of anticipation and schadenfreude.

As he closed in, Ling Jie balled his right hand into a fist. A visible white vortex of air swirled around it, amplifying the force of his punch. Without an ounce of mercy, he launched his attack on Ling Yunfan.

Witnessing his opponent unleash a martial skill right off the bat, Ling Yunfan realized he stood no chance in a direct confrontation. The adversary was a formidable Body Refining Level Four martial artist, wielding an impressive strength of 2,500 kilograms—far beyond what someone at his unbroken Body Refining Level Three could handle.

Nonetheless, Ling Yunfan mustered all the power his Body Refining Level Two could offer, channeling 1,200 kilograms of force into his fist. He struck at Ling Jie's fist without a hint of hesitation or weakness.

Ugh!

As the crowd anticipated Ling Yunfan to succumb to Ling Jie's superior attack and sustain grave injuries, the tables turned unexpectedly. Ling Jie, the presumed victor, grunted and staggered back several steps.

"Ah, what a drag. Same old story," someone lamented.

"Time to head out. It's the same scene every time, and I'm tired of it," another voice chimed in.

"Seriously, I can't fathom why Ms. Ling Hong insists on bailing out this loser," a third spectator added.

With Ling Jie retreating, all eyes shifted to the figure behind Ling Yunfan—Ling Hong, clad in a deep red gown, her beauty enchanting, her frame delicate, her hand resting on Ling Yunfan's back. Recognizing her as the intervener, the crowd dispersed, their excitement deflated.

They all understood that with Ling Hong stepping in, the spectacle of Ling Yunfan being beaten to a pulp by Ling Jie wouldn't unfold. Their weariness stemmed from witnessing Ling Yunfan's repeated rescues by Ling Hong, earning him the unflattering nickname of a freeloader in their minds.

"So it's Ms. Ling Hong again, huh!" Ling Jie, his arrogance bruised, dabbed at the blood trickling from his mouth, dusted off his clothes, and straightened up. Swallowing his rage, he too made a hasty exit.

On the sidelines, the Second Elder watched Ling Hong save Ling Yunfan once more, shaking his head in resignation before departing.

"Ms. Ling Hong, I owe you my thanks. Without your intervention, I might've ended up seriously injured again," Ling Yunfan said, offering a grateful bow with his fists clasped, once they were alone.

Watching the smile that was more grotesque than tears on his face, Ling Hong felt an inexplicable pang of heartache. Ling Yunfan was her cousin, and they had always been close. Yet now, due to the gap in their cultivation talents, they had grown apart. This wasn't a result of her deliberately avoiding him; rather, it was Ling Yunfan who had been keeping his distance.

This was the reason their relationship had deteriorated, no longer as strong as it once was. And it was precisely because Ling Hong had always cherished her younger cousin that she remained one of the few people in Ling Yunfan's life who was both a friend and family.

"Don't mention it. If anyone ever bullies you, just let me know. I'll set them straight," Ling Hong said, her face etched with sorrow as she gazed at his bloodied hands.

"I should get back to my training. And you, Ms. Ling Hong, shouldn't neglect your own cultivation," Ling Yunfan said, looking at Ling Hong, who was nearly his height and wore a look of concern. He felt a twinge of a headache, managed a strained smile, and then turned to leave without another glance.

"That line again?" Ling Hong murmured, her brow furrowing slightly as she listened to Ling Yunfan's departing words.