C200 Chu Tianfeng's Persuasion
For the upcoming inter-district war, each district had made thorough preparations. They were determined to select the crème de la crème from among their ranks—the most exceptional Geniuses they had to offer. The younger generation boasted remarkable potential and strength, signifying even greater prospects for their districts' futures. Moreover, these young individuals would one day steer the destiny of their districts, becoming their leaders. Hence, what appeared to be a simple inter-district war was, in fact, intertwined with the future allocation of power, warranting a cautious approach.
In the past, the fourth round of the national examination typically commenced no more than two or three days following the third round. This time, however, to ensure that the wounded Geniuses could return to their peak condition and to identify the true top talents, the federal government extended the rest and recovery period to three full days. The significance the federal government placed on this examination was evident.
"This examination features a total of 256 top talents and Geniuses," they said. "Over a third of them are at Genius Level, with some even reaching the Gold Level." Despite this, fewer than 50 candidates managed to emerge successfully from the examination. Chu Yi was taken aback by the figures displayed. The extent of the challenge was somewhat staggering—three-quarters of the participants had failed to complete the assessment, a fact that was truly astonishing.
What was even more astounding was that a majority of the successful Geniuses had sustained serious injuries. Without the advancements in modern technology, such injuries could have dashed the hopes and futures of these gifted individuals. Yet, even with access to state-of-the-art medical facilities and the use of rare and valuable medicines, a full recovery within a day or two remained an impossibility.
Chu Yi didn't linger long in the First Martial Arts Stadium. While it was a time to revel in cheers and glory, he preferred to avoid the clamor. The pressing matter for him was the Chaos Origin Crystal. With roughly three days remaining until the fourth stage of the national examination, the time allotted for recovery was tight for the average Genius.
For Chu Yi and Lee Zi, the time they had was more than sufficient!
They were no ordinary geniuses, after all.
An average student would have found it difficult to leave, especially with the throngs of media reporters present at the event, some of whom were from national media outlets controlled by the federal government.
They were there to capture stories about the elite geniuses.
And when it came to elite geniuses, Chu Yi's name was bound to come up.
His departure would certainly drain much of the excitement from the event.
Ordinary students would struggle to decline such attention.
But Chu Yi was far from ordinary. Now a member of the Aristocratic Alliance, he was under their protection.
Chu Yi was key to securing a spot at the Milky Way Academy and accessing untold resources.
To the heads of the families, his value surpassed even that of their direct heirs.
So, when Chu Yi decided to leave, there was no question of anyone trying to stop him.
In the flying car, Chu Tianfeng wore a look of deep concern.
He glanced at Chu Yi, hesitated, but ultimately chose not to speak. Instead, he turned to Lee Zi.
"Lee Zi, have you made any plans for the national exam?" he asked.
Chu Tianfeng might not openly acknowledge Chu Yi's invincibility, but he was acutely aware of it.
Invincible!
That was how Chu Tianfeng saw Chu Yi!
To claim Chu Yi was the undisputed best in the world, or even on Earth, was a stretch. But among his peers—the younger generation?
That was less certain, given the broad spectrum that term covered, including geniuses in their thirties and forties.
So, whether Chu Yi was truly unbeatable among his peers was something Chu Tianfeng couldn't confirm.
But as for the upcoming national exam...
Chu Tianfeng would stake his life on Chu Yi's victory!
In the national exam, even in the national war, the age limit was set. Even if some tried to bend the rules, no one could be older than twenty.
Before turning twenty...
Chu Yi was indeed invincible.
Chu Tianfeng really had nothing to say about Chu Yi.
His focus was on Lee Zi.
Others might be oblivious, but how could Chu Tianfeng be unaware?
Lee Zi might not be Chu Yi's equal at present, but the future could tell a different story.
His views aligned with those of Chu Yun.
Lee Zi, with her awakened battle body, was destined for tremendous achievements, likely on par with Chu Yi, if not greater.
Yet, this particular assessment...
She was bound to miss out.
Of course, if Lee Zi were willing to tap into her full strength and reveal the full extent of her capabilities, she might avoid early elimination.
She could even stand a good chance of advancing to the national war.
But in truth, Chu Tianfeng didn't want Lee Zi to reveal her battle body for the sake of a mere spot.
A battle body was a rare and legendary existence within the entire Milky Way Galaxy.
While humans are members of the Milky Way Alliance, Chu Tianfeng had never placed his full trust in it.
Generally, they proved to be dependable, but what about the unforeseen?
Chu Tianfeng, being human himself, was all too familiar with human nature.
Humans in the Milky Way Galaxy had numerous enemies.
If Lee Zi's information fell into the hands of greedy individuals aligned with hostile forces, the danger would be real.
The Chu family might be a formidable force on Earth, unafraid of any challenge.
But on a broader scale, among civilizations, the Chu family was a minor player.
For Lee Zi's safety, Chu Tianfeng preferred to keep her abilities hidden unless absolutely necessary.
Lee Zi caught Chu Tianfeng's gaze, filled with concern, and fell silent.
Truthfully, she was indifferent to her performance this time.
Moreover, Lee Zi had already proven everything she needed to.
Thus, the outcome of the national exam was of little consequence to her.
However...
Lee Zi was not one to concede defeat easily. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been a top student in both martial arts and academics.
Still, she had to honor Old Master Chu's request.
After some thought, Lee Zi finally spoke up, "Grandpa Chu, I understand your concerns."
"I will definitely keep my battle body a secret."
"However, apart from that, I want to prove myself through my own strength and keep moving forward!"
Chu Tianfeng grinned with satisfaction.
All he needed was for Lee Zi to keep her battle body under wraps.
As for Lee Zi's determination to rely on her own strength...
To be honest, Chu Tianfeng had little faith in their chances.
The reason was simple: Chu Tianfeng had come to learn some of the secrets of the national examination.
"This national examination is going to bring in the true top-tier prodigies!"
"Geniuses? There won't be any!"
"Those who make it to the national examination are undoubtedly prodigies, and not just any prodigies, but the cream of the crop!"
Indeed, geniuses no longer qualify for the national examination.
Even the ordinary prodigies don't have what it takes.
Only those at the pinnacle of prodigious talent are eligible to participate in the national examination.
"Furthermore, the average level of these individuals will be... Gold!"
Gold Level prodigies.
And they're not the kind who've just barely managed to reach that level through the use of potions or other means!
If Chu Yi from before were here, he might not believe it, but after interacting with the aristocratic families, he came to understand that being a young Gold Level wasn't as far-fetched as it seemed!
It might not be an overstatement, but to the average person, it's still incredibly impressive.
Of course, not everyone in the national examination will be at the Gold Level.
When Chu Tianfeng refers to the average Gold Level, he's talking about those prodigies who are in the running for a spot in the national competition—all of whom are at the Gold Level.
"They might not be as powerful as you in the same realm, but their level has far exceeded yours now!"
Chu Tianfeng spoke with earnestness, his gaze fixed on Lee Zi.
Lee Zi fell silent once more.
In the past, there wouldn't have been much to discuss.
Typically, to be considered a top prodigy, one would have awakened at least one or two types of genetic power.
When combat abilities are similar, the realm becomes the ultimate determinant.
And the gap between the Silver Level and the Elementary Gold Level is massive!
At such a realm, there's no need to even mention combat strength; they could completely overpower others with their sheer overall capability.
Lee Zi, in the past, stood no chance at all.
But now...
If they were to enter the fray without a battle body, their prospects seemed rather dim.
These were genuine Gold Level geniuses, not those artificially enhanced by drugs to reach such a status.
Yet, Lee Zi refused to give up.
"Grandpa, I understand..."
Lee Zi realized that Chu Tianfeng's extensive advice was meant to temper her expectations. If she were to fail, the disappointment could be crushing.
"In the first stage of the assessment, it's just ordinary folks."
"The second stage brings forward top talents from smaller noble houses."
"The third stage is where the most formidable geniuses from the premier noble families come into play."
"But the fourth stage of the assessment..."
Chu Tianfeng's gaze grew even more intense.
"That's when the truly ancient noble families step in, with top geniuses who have been cultivated with every resource at their disposal—these are the most elite among geniuses!"
"They are in a league of their own, far surpassing the so-called powerful geniuses of the past."
"And most crucially, during the third stage of the national exams, the most fearsome geniuses secretly trained by the federal government will make their appearance!"
"These are the apex of terror among geniuses, matching, if not surpassing, the top talents from the noble families."
"Moreover, due to the government's training methods, they are, in some ways, even more formidable than the Invincible Geniuses of the noble families!"
"So, you must proceed with the utmost caution!"
Despite Chu Yi's exceptional abilities, Chu Tianfeng continued to caution him.
He certainly did not wish to see Chu Yi face any unforeseen dangers.
