C207 The Banquet(4)

Chu Yi would have preferred to spend his time cultivating rather than being here if he had the choice. The only reasons he attended were because his grandfather, Chu Tianfeng, had expressed a desire for his presence and there was a reward to be claimed. Otherwise, Chu Yi would have certainly stayed away.

The gathering was filled with familiar faces, including Grandpa Ma and Grandma Zhang. By the time Chu Yi had finished making his rounds, he had played the role of the dutiful grandson to the hilt.

Eventually, Chu Yi and Lee Zi came to a halt before a man whose refined demeanor belied his middle age. Chu Yi sensed that this man's youthful appearance was maintained not by nature but by his formidable abilities. He was undoubtedly older than Chu Tianfeng.

Upon seeing this man, Chu Tianfeng fell into a rare silence. Both Chu Yi and Lee Zi were taken aback; it was their first time witnessing such a reaction from Chu Tianfeng. Instead of introducing himself right away, Chu Tianfeng's gaze lingered on Lee Zi, who stood beside Chu Yi.

The refined gentleman seemed unconcerned with the usual formalities. He regarded Chu Yi with approval, but his attention soon shifted to Lee Zi. This marked a notable first at the evening's banquet. Most of the guests who had paid their respects to Chu Tianfeng hadn't paid much heed to Lee Zi. Despite her exceptional performance, she was somewhat overshadowed by Chu Yi's prominence.

Moreover, while Lee Zi was a commoner, Chu Yi was the sole heir to the Chu family. This distinction alone was enough to earn him special recognition.

The man before him was the first Chu Yi had encountered whose interest seemed to lie elsewhere. "You must be Lee Zi," he addressed her with a hint of curiosity.

Lee Zi, taken aback by the attention, nodded in response.

"Not bad at all," the man commended. "Everyone else seems fixated on Chu Yi's achievements, overlooking your presence. In my opinion, you are every bit as capable as Chu Yi!"

He paused thoughtfully before adding, "Moreover, I sense that even during Chu Yi's most intense battles, you have yet to unleash your full strength. Am I right?"

Lee Zi's body shook slightly with the revelation. She was astonished that he had perceived so much. Indeed, it was true. Her real forte was her battle body, which was the source of her greatest power.

If it had been anyone else, they might have thought that Lee Zi had played all her cards during the third stage of the assessment.

Yet, her opponent discerned at a glance that she wasn't at her peak performance!

That seemed a bit far-fetched...

"Who might you be?"

Instead of answering, Lee Zi inquired with respect.

The middle-aged man across from her offered a slight smile, though Chu Yi sensed a touch of bitterness in it.

Just then, Chu Tianfeng's voice broke the silence: "This is Principal Zhang Zhongqi of Adirang Academy..."

Those few words were enough to make Chu Yi and Lee Zi tense up.

Principal Zhang Zhongqi of Adirang Academy!

Adirang Academy is not only one of the top three premier institutions in the Redmarsh area of the Adirang Region but also ranks among the top ten academies globally within the Terran Federation.

While Milky Way Academy is considered a sacred place by all beings within the Milky Way Galaxy, Adirang Academy holds a similar reverence in the hearts of commoners everywhere.

The title of Principal of Adirang Academy alone is awe-inspiring, but the name Zhang Zhongqi carries even more weight.

"You're General Zhang Zhongqi?!"

Indeed, it was General Zhang Zhongqi!

In the military hierarchy of the Terran Federation, Marshal is the highest rank, followed by General.

In the entire Adirang Region, there are only three Marshals.

These individuals are the top three authorities in the military of the Adirang Region.

While there are many Generals beneath the rank of Marshal, with over ten in Redmarsh City alone, not all Generals are equal. Some wield immense power, while others come from scientific backgrounds.

The more powerful Generals naturally command greater authority.

Among these, a few are considered legendary, such as Zhang Zhongqi.

General Zhang Zhongqi is truly a legend among his peers.

Starting as a commoner, he rose from obscurity to prominence.

Through countless dangers and upheavals, he ultimately ascended to his rank as General, stepping over a trail of hardships to achieve his position.

Zhang Zhongqi stood out from his fellow generals.

While most generals served their time and climbed the ranks through seniority, Zhang Zhongqi carved his path to the top with his military exploits, ascending in record time!

As soon as he was eligible, Zhang Zhongqi would be promoted—his advancement was unstoppable.

His combat record was simply too impressive to ignore.

The Adirang Region was once home to five Life Restricted Areas.

Aside from the ancient Silverdeer, there were four other formidable Life Restricted Areas.

But that's history now!

According to the textbooks Chu Yi studied, aside from Silverdeer, only three Life Restricted Areas remain.

And the reason for the reduction from four to three is the very man before us—Zhang Zhongqi!

He had spearheaded the campaign to eradicate one of the forbidden zones, marking the pinnacle of his illustrious career.

That particular zone was in its nascent stages, not as formidable as others; otherwise, Zhang Zhongqi wouldn't have been able to eliminate it so thoroughly. But a forbidden zone is still a forbidden zone, with immense power!

To obliterate a forbidden zone, one would typically need to deploy thrice the enemy's strength.

But...

Tripling the strength was an excessive demand.

For the Adirang Region at that time, even doubling their forces was an unattainable feat.

Then came Zhang Zhongqi!

He didn't rely on overwhelming numbers. The forces at his command were only marginally stronger than those of the Life Restricted Area at the time.

In the hands of any other general, the outcome would have been uncertain, and direct confrontation with the Life Restricted Area might not have been possible.

The Life Restricted Area earned its name due to the numerous special environments within, perfectly suited for demonkind to thrive.

Leveraging these environments and additional powers, the demons could achieve a frightening increase in strength.

In a one-on-one fight, with comparable power levels, the outcome might be evenly split outside the Life Restricted Area.

But to attack and enter the Life Restricted Area was tantamount to courting death.

Zhang Zhongqi, with just a sliver of his power, managed to achieve the impossible!

He single-handedly leveled a Life Restricted Area, cementing his name in the annals of history.

Since the conclusion of the war between the Humans and the Demon Clan, numerous Life Restricted Areas have emerged, yet not one had ever been eradicated.

The Life Restricted Area that Zhang Zhongqi eradicated was the first, and to this day, it remains the only one.

The tactics Zhang Zhongqi employed in that battle have been the subject of endless fascination.

Most notably, the combat methods he authored himself have become legendary.

In this day and age, to think that such battle strategies not only exist but also play a pivotal role is beyond anyone's wildest dreams.

But the reality speaks for itself!

As the originator, Zhang Zhongqi's legacy is nothing short of mythical...