Lu Yuan followed Liu Si, walking along a wooden corridor. The corridor and floor were both made of high-quality teak, coated with tung oil and polished with beeswax. The slanted sunlight cast a beautiful brownish-yellow hue. It had a vintage charm without appearing old-fashioned. Stones were piled along the edge of the corridor, and beyond it was a small stream. Some bamboo leaves, either withered yellow or pale green, bobbed on the surface, carried along by the current with a gentle, tinkling sound as they flowed downstream.

Lu Yuan's mood also grew calmer in this peaceful and tranquil environment.

Before long, Liu Si, who was leading the way, stopped.

"We're here."

Lu Yuan also stopped, his gaze falling to the right side of the corridor. It was a room, its door emblazoned with a large 'Crane' character, evenly divided by the sliding panels.

"The Sect Master is waiting inside for you. Go on in," Liu Si said with a smile, clasping his hands in a bow to Lu Yuan. Then, he quickly departed the way they had come, leaving Lu Yuan alone.

Lu Yuan looked at the 'Crane' door before him. He didn't rush to enter but first used his Spiritual Power to probe inside slightly.

However, this room seemed to be much larger than Lu Yuan had expected. Within his twelve-meter range of Spiritual Power scan, all he could 'see' was the floor, and more floor.

The Crane Sect Master... If I remember correctly, Zhou Ling mentioned him. His name seems to be Master Liudao Yuan...

Standing before the 'Crane' door, Lu Yuan's arms hung naturally at his sides, his expression calm as he silently pondered.

There are only two possibilities for Master Liudao Yuan wanting to see me now.

First, he thinks I performed excellently, is very pleased with me, and wants to praise me in person.

Second, he thinks my performance is problematic, harbors doubts about me, and wants to probe and scrutinize me further in person.

Lu Yuan had experienced this kind of thing once before. It was when he first transmigrated here and ranked in the top three in the monthly test for the first time. His form teacher had called him into the office, and the first question asked was whether he had cheated.

This was quite normal. A student who was usually mediocre, then suddenly displayed abilities far beyond expectations, would naturally arouse the suspicion of others. He had already experienced a wave of this when he stepped out of the assessment room.

...No matter which possibility, it's highly likely that there will be a deeper examination and testing of my talent and strength.

So, what should I do?

Lu Yuan had made a similar decision once before at school. There was nothing to hesitate about now.

No one can resist the rise of the sun, nor can one resist the unstoppable arrival of a genius...

The 'Crane' door before him slowly slid open to both sides.

Are you ready, Crane Sect Master... Master Liudao Yuan?

Lu Yuan took a light breath and stepped inside.

---

TAP—

The sound of a footstep.

Even with anticipation and preparation, when the group of direct disciples stepped into the assessment room, they were inevitably stunned by the impactful scene before them.

On the four walls of the assessment room, five direct disciple candidates were embedded deep into the steel walls in various postures. All of them were in a state of shock and unconsciousness. The only one not embedded in a wall lay on the floor, his body strangely contorted, eyes closed, and still.

It seemed as if a ferocious, colossal beast had ravaged the place, leaving devastation in its wake. And those hanging on the walls and lying on the ground were the 'residue' after being chewed by the colossal beast.

"Was all this... done by that kid?" someone murmured.

But it was quickly refuted.

"Impossible!"

A man in his early thirties, with a well-proportioned body and regular features, stepped forward. It was Qin Feng, also from the Burnt Rock City Origin Martial Arts Hall.

"That ki—" Qin Feng glanced at Lin Zhiquin beside him and corrected himself, "Lu Yuan only began his martial arts training three months ago. Although he has good talent, to think he could do this... that's a pipe dream."

He walked over to a candidate 'hung' on the nearest wall, pulled open the man's clothes, and examined his injuries.

"There are traces of Crane Strength eruption... These people must have been defeated by Xiao Mubai, the candidate recommended by Second Senior Brother," Qin Feng stated, his expression calm and his tone firm.

"Then who did this to Xiao Mubai?"

The crowd was perplexed, their gazes converging on Xiao Mubai, who was lying on the ground. Xiao Mubai had the most severe injuries. It was evident at a glance that he had suffered multiple severe bone fractures throughout his body, and possibly even damage to his internal organs. The B-grade protective suit he wore, shimmering with a fish-scale luster, was particularly conspicuous.

The moment they saw the protective suit, everyone couldn't help but subconsciously glance at the black-haired, middle-aged man standing before Xiao Mubai, sighing in their hearts: Second Senior Brother is truly generous. For this direct disciple assessment, they had only casually provided some minor items. Second Senior Brother, true to form, was a big spender, directly providing a B-grade protective suit.

Normally, anyone wearing this suit could withstand a frontal collision with a medium-speed car without injury. And for Xiao Mubai, a Martial Artist who had already entered PracticeOrgans, even a martial master who had generated Vigor would find it very difficult to kill him while he wore it. Such an arrangement in this kind of direct disciple assessment was somewhat like a high school student participating in an elementary school sports meet.

Yet, paradoxically... Xiao Mubai, the 'high school student,' was the most severely injured person on the scene!

"I'm not sure," Qin Feng shook his head and looked at the black-haired, middle-aged man. "Second Senior Brother should be able to discern something, right?"

The black-haired, middle-aged man, the focus of everyone's gazes, withdrew his eyes from Xiao Mubai, looked back, and said faintly, "Get Liu Si over here. Review the surveillance footage."

Everyone's eyes lit up slightly.

But before they could act, Liu Si, who had led Lu Yuan away earlier, had already entered the assessment room with his men.

"No need for Second Master's instructions. Liu Si will arrange it immediately." Liu Si beckoned, and the servants from Linghe Pavilion quickly set up all the necessary projection equipment.

Everything that had transpired in the assessment room twenty minutes prior slowly unfolded before everyone's eyes.

---

Seven people entered the assessment room; the door closed.

The five candidates ganged up, making Xiao Mubai their common target.

Up until the point where the two sides started to fight, the development of the situation was within everyone's expectations. No one's expression changed; they all tacitly overlooked the so-called schemes and maneuvers.

Until...

In the video, Xiao Mubai, trying to break the five-person siege and perhaps also intending to eliminate an eyesore, reached out to grab Lu Yuan, who was standing aside, virtually unnoticeable.

"Why... did you have to pick me first..."

In the video, Lu Yuan sighed lightly, seeming to only slightly raise his hand.

Then Xiao Mubai, who had been so imperious and dominating the scene, was sent flying with a SWOOSH, crashing heavily into the wall.

BANG!

The pupils of all the direct disciples watching the screen contracted. Then, they all turned their heads in unison to look at one person—Lin Zhiquin.

Lin Zhiquin's face was a mask of utter astonishment. Evidently, he too had not anticipated this sudden turn of events.

At this point, Xiao Mubai in the video had already stood up, his face flushed with shame and anger, and launched a second attack on Lu Yuan.

Then…

Another BANG!

"You... you've comprehended Crane Strength too?!"

Xiao Mubai's voice, distorted with astonishment, made the watching direct disciples' eyelids twitch violently.

Finally, someone couldn't help but speak up, "Lin, you've hidden him quite well. You've been secretly cultivating this Lu Yuan for how long? You planned all along to unveil him this time and shock everyone, didn't you?"

"Hidden? I didn't know either..." Lin Zhiquin muttered at the screen, as if seeing the upright young man in the footage for the first time.

"Didn't know? Heh." Someone sneered.

Even the short-haired woman standing beside Lin Zhiquin turned cold, saying faintly, "I didn't expect Lin to keep secrets even from me now. Very good..."

"Senior Sister..." Lin Zhiquin opened his mouth, gave a bitter smile, and shook his head, saying, "How could I hide it from you? I indeed only taught Lu Yuan the body tempering method a month ago. Half a month ago, I checked his progress; he had barely achieved proficiency in skin toughening. Who could have known he would actually comprehend Crane Strength..."

The others frowned, about to say something more, when a voice suddenly interjected.

"Lin is indeed not lying..."

"I saw Lu Yuan when he enrolled at the martial arts hall. It's true he has only been training for three months. When his strength had just reached the standard for an official disciple, I was the one who reviewed his application form... Seventeen years old, a high school student. I've seen his identification documents as well..."

The speaker was Qin Feng. However, Qin Feng's current expression was incredibly complex. It conveyed a sense of reluctance to admit, yet a profound frustration of having to accept the truth. His eyes were also filled with indescribable shock and disbelief.

"Seventeen years old... training in martial arts for three months... taught the body tempering method a month ago..."

Everyone fell silent. The assessment room suddenly fell quiet. Only the occasional sounds from the surveillance video could be heard.

A few seconds later, a deep voice spoke.

"Continue watching."

It was the black-haired, middle-aged man who spoke.

Everyone, with various complex emotions, cast a deep look at Lin Zhiquin before returning their attention to the video before them.

At this point, Xiao Mubai in the video was already consuming a potion, stimulating his potential, and roaring as he threw a punch embodying the Crane Sect's True Skill. Even though he was relying on external aid, the others had to admit that, at this moment, Xiao Mubai possessed a strength that could vaguely threaten them. The potential-stimulating potion plus the esoteric True Skill fist technique—even through the screen, they could feel the astonishing might contained in that punch.

Next, they would see how Lu Yuan—who had only been training in martial arts for three months and had comprehended Crane Strength in one—would respond. If things went as expected, the biggest turning point of this assessment, and the truth... would be completely unveiled by this punch.

Everyone focused their attention, watching the deliberately slowed-down footage. They saw Lu Yuan, facing Xiao Mubai's punch, leap lightly into mid-air. Then, he took a deep breath, and his well-proportioned, slender physique began to rapidly swell like an inflating balloon. Thick veins bulged, and muscles swelled one after another.

In less than a single breath, Lu Yuan, who was originally fair-skinned and handsome, had silently transformed into a massively built figure with rippling, corded muscles. His skin turned a dusky, bruised color, and his body, now engorged with blood to an exaggerated degree of muscularity, delivered an unparalleled visual impact to everyone through the screen.

HISS—

Everyone involuntarily gasped, staring blankly, as if they had witnessed something utterly incredible. So much so that when Lu Yuan in the footage subsequently executed the True Skill fist technique, Crane Shadow Floating in the Air, it no longer seemed as shocking.

The vast assessment room instantly fell into an eerie silence. Everyone remained motionless, staring blankly at the footage playing on the screen.

It was unknown how much time had passed when a voice, filled with astonishment, shock, and a certain disbelief, slowly sounded.

"Palace... of Flesh..."

"This kid... his talent is the Palace of Flesh!"

"No wonder he could reach this level in three months... Xiao Mubai, your defeat was not unjust!"

---

CLICK…

Lu Yuan entered the room. The room was unlit, and the light from outside streamed in from behind him. This, paradoxically, made the interior of the room seem even darker.

Lu Yuan squinted, scanning his surroundings, but all he could see was a vast expanse of deep, pitch-black emptiness. He thought for a moment, then spread his Spiritual Power. Then, he continued to walk forward.

He had no idea what this room was for; it was astonishingly large. Lu Yuan walked for several tens of meters before vaguely sensing something ahead.

He stopped.

Just as he was about to extend his Spiritual Power to investigate... Suddenly, two points of eerie blue light flared up in the darkness before him, like indicator lights on some machine.

Then, a hoarse voice, like the scraping of a rusty blade, sounded before him.

"Come closer... even closer...

Let me have a good look at you."

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