C251 The Storm at the Banquet(4)
From the moment he entered the venue, Chu Yi had been closely monitoring the interactions between himself and the elite scions of Fairmoor. He believed that if any conflict were to arise, Chu Yi would most likely be at the center of it. The Half Step to War God couldn't quite decide whether Chu Yi's actions were brilliant or foolish. To the wealthy young elites, Chu Yi's behavior was a breach of their unwritten codes. Yet, from the team leader's perspective, Chu Yi was worthy of admiration.
Still, Chu Yi remained one of their own, a member of the affluent youth. There was a certain fondness for him, but to say they were willing to go out of their way for Chu Yi would be an overstatement.
The banquet proceeded with minor disturbances and provocations, but it never escalated into the conflict the Half Gods' leader had anticipated. In the end, the evening was notably peaceful, which surprised many.
It was clear to the attendees that Chu Yi played a pivotal role in this outcome. Had it not been for his earlier actions, the event might have unfolded as usual, with the usual tensions. But Chu Yi's presence seemed to steer the evening towards a more harmonious conclusion.
Throughout the night, Chu Yi and Lee Zi indulged in an array of exquisite dishes. While it wasn't difficult for the young aristocrats to sample such fare separately, the sheer value of the food consumed by Chu Yi and Lee Zi that night was astonishing, potentially exceeding millions. To the scions of great families, the cost was trivial. Yet, the opportunity to savor all these delicacies in one sitting was rare, typically reserved for grand banquets like this one.
Only those who truly embraced the experience, like Chu Yi and Lee Zi, could fully appreciate the feast. Overall, this was perhaps the most satisfying banquet Chu Yi had ever attended, though whether the other guests shared his sentiment was unclear.
Upon returning to the hotel, Chu Yi didn't sleep. Instead, he engaged in quiet cultivation. The skies of Fairmoor, he noted, were indistinguishable from those of Redmarsh. The cultivation process was unaffected by location. Chu Yi's reliance on spiritual energy and strength wasn't significant; while they could enhance his realm, his true foundation lay in the Stellar Combat Body.
Therefore, Chu Yi's primary focus in his cultivation was to enhance the strength of his physical body.
He was well aware of this.
Over the course of the night, his physical strength had increased slightly.
Early the next morning, he received a message from the team leader calling them to assemble.
In theory, today marked the opening ceremony of the national exam—the first day.
Yet, according to the previous announcement, the opening ceremony was scheduled for tomorrow.
Initially, Chu Yi was somewhat puzzled, thinking that arriving a day early was meant to give everyone a chance to relax and rest.
But now, it appeared that things were not as simple as he had thought.
"I wonder how many will be eliminated this time..."
Chu Yi exhaled deeply.
While the elimination of others had no direct impact on him, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of regret.
So many had paid a tremendous price to get to this point, believing they had finally secured their entry ticket, only to realize now that it might have been in vain.
Of course, it wasn't fair to call it a joke. It was more accurate to say that the final outcome was yet to be determined. They still had to contend with the government's nurtured top talents. Victory over these formidable opponents was the only way to truly succeed.
The government's elites...
Even though Chu Yi was not privy to the inner workings of these high-level circles, he understood the caliber of the government's prodigies. Each one was extraordinarily powerful and exceptional.
It's important to remember that the government's selections were made from the entire global population.
This was not something that could be matched by the noble families.
Indeed, there were many top talents within these families, some of whom were even considered the crème de la crème. But they were all products of their family's lineage and training methods.
Naturally, the genes of these noble families were formidable, which meant that their offspring were born with incredibly strong genetic advantages.
In this world, powerful genes signified a fearsome potential.
However, one must not overlook the sheer number of commoners compared to the relatively few noble families, despite the rarity of top geniuses emerging from the common populace.
This wasn't just a difference in levels!
In the world of aristocratic families, you might find one Genius Level individual among every hundred people.
For commoners, it could require tens or even hundreds of thousands to produce a single Genius Level being.
But how many are there in aristocratic families compared to the number of commoners?
The latter likely outnumber the former by tens, hundreds, or even millions of times!
It's not even a contest of levels.
As a result, the government boasts a far greater number of Geniuses than all the aristocratic families combined.
The government possesses the same nurturing techniques as the aristocratic families, and their methods are arguably even stronger.
This is coupled with an abundance of resources.
Keep in mind, many of the potions are such that even the wealthiest families must purchase them from the government!
So, when you look at the big picture, the government's approach to nurturing Geniuses surpasses that of the aristocratic families.
Sure, some might argue that the government has to support a multitude of Geniuses, whereas the aristocratic families only need to focus on a select few within their own clans.
But that's not actually the case!
The government doesn't indiscriminately nurture just anyone; their support is not evenly distributed.
Their cultivation is stratified.
The level of support you receive is directly proportional to your performance.
If you're exceptionally gifted, the government won't hesitate to concentrate all available resources on you.
But if your talents are mediocre…
Well, the government certainly won't waste resources on nurturing the inept.
Within the aristocratic families, due to issues of legitimacy, birthright, and background, resources are unlikely to be fully allocated to those most in need or most deserving of cultivation.
The government, however, doesn't have to contend with these issues.
While there may be some favoritism reminiscent of the aristocratic families, generally speaking, in the government, those with talent get access to more resources.
Thus, the Geniuses that emerge from the government have been thoroughly nurtured with ample resources, having fought their way to the top from a vast pool of contenders.
They are simply not on the same level as the scions of aristocratic families.
That's why, when these scions learned that their next adversaries were Geniuses from the government, their faces turned particularly sour.
There was simply no way around it. The scions of noble families might hold themselves in high regard, but deep down, they quivered at the thought of facing those prodigies who emerged from the government ranks.
Chu Yi was well aware that, despite appearances, this confrontation wasn't just between the elite youth of the noble houses and the government. In essence, it was a standoff between the common folk and the aristocratic young geniuses.
With that in mind, the upcoming competition was bound to be quite the spectacle.
At the moment, the candidates from Redmarsh had all convened in the great hall. Yet, their faces bore grim expressions. They were all too aware that a grueling challenge still lay ahead of them.
