C12 Personal Gains

In what seemed like a fleeting moment, yet also an eternity, darkness suddenly enveloped the space, and Hanyu Xiaotian vanished from sight...

Time had elapsed, and all who had entered the Qi Pavilion were automatically transported out.

The plaza outside the Qi Pavilion was now a hive of activity.

Children emerging from the Pavilion were eagerly sharing their experiences with the proud family members who had come to greet them.

"I've finally become a Martial Cultivator!" boomed a voice, brimming with vigor and authority, startling birds from the trees. The crowd fell silent, then turned to see the source: none other than the imposing Hanyu Xiongba.

Many onlookers wore expressions of both shock and envy. Their own children had merely touched upon the gaseous sensation and would need another month or two of cultivation to truly generate neixi. Yet, Hanyu Xiongba had mastered his neixi within a mere two hours inside the Qi Pavilion, ascending to the status of an Ancient Martial Cultivator.

Furthermore, the roar he had just issued clearly contained neixi, indicating that in just a short time, he had grasped the basic manipulation of neixi within his dantian and meridians.

Was this what set a genius apart from the rest?

Turning to Hanyu Shengxi and Hanyu Duofeng, Hanyu Shengxi stood calmly beside a middle-aged woman, speaking softly. She nodded occasionally, her face breaking into pleased smiles, suggesting that Hanyu Shengxi's time in the Qi Pavilion had been fruitful.

Hanyu Duofeng maintained his cool demeanor, yet the sharpness of his aura had intensified.

Before entering the Qi Pavilion, Hanyu Duofeng had the air of an unsheathed sword, its latent sharpness concealed. Now, he radiated an edge so pronounced it seemed capable of slicing through any barrier.

An ordinary person standing within three meters of Hanyu Duofeng might feel as if they were being sliced open. Clearly, Hanyu Duofeng had advanced further along the path of "soldierly Qi" during his time in the Pavilion.

The crowd, amidst their complex thoughts, came to a realization: these individuals might well be the future leaders of the Hanyu Family. It was time to prepare, to ensure their own children established good relationships with them—who knew when such connections could catapult their lineage to greatness?

Putting aside the varied thoughts of the onlookers, the two middle-aged men overseeing the Qi Pavilion's operations were scrutinizing each teenager as they exited. They took particular interest in one scene: a frail, pale-faced youth at the edge of the area, speaking timidly to an elder who seemed quite moved, patting the boy's shoulder in encouragement.

While this moment went unnoticed by most, the two men were acutely aware of the cautious youth who seemed to have erred, for they detected a distinct fluctuation of inner Qi emanating from him.

Could this be another undiscovered prodigy?

Since the youth had previously stayed hidden in the crowd, they had overlooked him. Now, recalling the family juniors' records, they finally pieced together some details about this enigmatic teenager.

The two middle-aged men exchanged a glance before making their way toward the old man and the child. The sudden approach of two prominent family figures left the elder and the youngster somewhat bewildered. The child clutched the old man's sleeve in nervous anticipation, while the elder maintained a semblance of composure. "What can we do for you, gentlemen?" he asked.

"There's no need for nerves; we've simply come to meet the boy," one of the men reassured them.

"You're Hanyu Xiaoxin, correct?" inquired the other middle-aged man.

"Yes," the teenager responded timidly, barely able to meet the gaze of the man before him.

"Have you become a Martial Cultivator?"

The question hung in the air, silencing the crowd. The onlookers, who had been discreetly observing the two men, were taken aback by the inquiry.

"Indeed, my grandson has just officially attained the status of a Martial Cultivator!" the old man exclaimed, thumping his chest with pride as if he himself had achieved the rank.

The old man's excitement was understandable. They were from a secondary branch of the Hanyu Family, which had never produced any notable figures. The resources allocated to them by the family had dwindled over time, and they were now barely scraping by, managing a few small martial arts schools and shops.

The elder was the most accomplished cultivator in their line, having only reached the ninth level of Martial Cultivation. He was one step shy of the tenth level, and to rejoin the main family line, one needed to achieve at least the Profound Rank.

The old man had long since abandoned any hope of returning to the main family line until his grandson's emergence reignited that possibility. Testing revealed that Hanyu Xiaoxin possessed the most exceptional talent and constitution their branch had seen in over a century, far surpassing anyone else in their lineage.

After much deliberation and consultation with his kin, the old man resolved to place his bets on Hanyu Xiaoxin. He invested all the resources the family had carefully gathered, along with the debts of gratitude owed by other powers to their branch, to lay a strong foundation for his grandson. He even offered up the prized Ten Millennia Cold Iron Essence, a treasure said to have been found by an ancestor on a primitive planet and cherished ever since. In exchange, he secured a significant number of contribution points, which he used to secure Hanyu Xiaoxin an opportunity to enter the Qi Pavilion.