Chapter 2: Iron Will

Liu Qingfeng paused for a moment, turning towards the person who had spoken.

Upon realizing it was Yu Sheng, the corners of his mouth twitched slightly.

To him, the boy was exceptional, never once complaining about the exhaustive training he put them through.

And his resilience was particularly high.

But he was a bit odd in temperament. Although he appeared easygoing on the surface, his heart was like that of a hedgehog, difficult to get close to, naturally guarded against everyone.

These traits were actually manageable, the only real headache for him was...

Yu Sheng's mouth.

It wasn't exactly venomous, but those occasional remarks could always hit where it hurt the most.

"Alright, take a quick rest."

"Relax your mind, don't think about all that mess."

Liu Qingfeng shifted the topic swiftly and adeptly.

But after an eighteen-year wait, how could anyone truly calm their mind when the assessment was so close at hand?

Even Yu Sheng cast his gaze out the window, his eyes filled with a hint of anticipation.

Finally...

The broadcast announced, all senior year students, gather in the Awakening Room.

Three sophisticated Instruments were placed separately in each of the three Awakening Rooms.

Several teachers stood by the Instruments.

Students formed three long lines outside the doors, waiting for their turn to undergo the Awakening Test.

The Principal stood on a platform not far away, looking at the scene before him with a touch of emotion: "Every time I witness these kids awaken, it deeply moves me. In the blink of an eye, it's already the fifth generation. Back when we were fighting bloodily at Demon-Suppressing Pass..."

"Principal, you are also from the fifth generation."

A middle-aged woman wearing glasses and a wrinkle-free women's suit corrected him in a very strict manner.

The sudden reminder caused the Principal, who was in the midst of his sentimental reflection, to stiffen, but he quickly regained his breezy composure.

Yet, he seemed to have lost the interest to continue speaking.

...

"Class six, Liu Yuxuan. Four Stripes Egg."

A somewhat frail-looking youth stood next to the Instrument, a Phantom emerging behind him.

It was a black egg.

The egg shone with four golden stripes, emitting a faint glow.

The youth was clearly excited!

In a small city like this, with a sparse population, talent was naturally scarce.

Having Four Stripes was already quite an achievement.

At the very least... if managed properly, one could join the Security Bureau, become a police officer, and comfortably live out their life with little trouble beyond dealing with minor offenses like prostitution.

After the resurgence of spiritual energy.

Beasts had become greatly strengthened, but humans had also awakened Special Abilities.

Upon first Awakening, an egg would appear behind a person, and the patterns on the egg determined one's aptitude.

They ranged from 1 to 9 Stripes.

At this stage, one was referred to as an Intern.

They didn't have much ability, but their physical condition would improve significantly.

By absorbing the energy of Elemental Crystals from Demon Beasts, in just a few months, the egg would hatch.

What hatched determined one's future development path.

For example, a tiger would follow the Power System. A longsword, the Offense System. A sunflower, the Healing System.

In short, there were a variety of possibilities.

There was nothing you could imagine that couldn't hatch from these eggs.

Students were being tested in an orderly fashion at the Instrument, some cried, some laughed.

Clearly...

Most were not very satisfied with their results.

"I think I can awaken a Nine Stripes Egg."

"Then a Phoenix, one of the Four Divine Beasts, will hatch from it, and riding it across the skies would be absolutely cool."

In front of Yu Sheng, a student with a face full of pockmarks spoke excitedly, full of anticipation.

"Yeah, yeah, I think I can also hatch one of the Four Divine Beasts, and then we can form a Divine Beast hunting team!"

The two were clearly indulging in their fantasies.

However...

Yu Sheng kindly shared a fact: "Among the Four Divine Beasts, there's one called Xuanwu. Commonly known as the Divine Turtle..."

...

The two fantasizers stiffened.

"And if a Phoenix hatches, riding it as it flies, wouldn't the bird get roasted..."

"A Divine Turtle with no bird team?"

Yu Sheng seemed to be seriously pondering this question.

A double critical hit.

The two lost their enthusiasm instantly.

Soon, it was their turn for the aptitude test.

They walked forward with heads held high, not forgetting to look back at Yu Sheng with disdain.

As if at that moment, they had already awakened Nine Stripes and had become the most elite beings in the world.

...

"Zhang San, Double Stripes Egg."

"Li Si, Double Stripes Egg."

Beside the Instrument, the teacher's cold voice snapped them back to reality.

Dejected, they turned and walked away, their fantasies about life completely shattered.

Finally...

"Yu Sheng!"

At the sound of his name, Yu Sheng let out a breath, controlling his emotional fluctuations as he walked toward the Awakening Room.

Until a sound...

Beep—Beep!

The metal detector flashed red, its piercing alarm echoing across the empty plaza.

"Yu Sheng, are you carrying metal objects?"

Liu Qingfeng, frowning at the scene, approached from a distance and looked at Yu Sheng.

"Yes."

Yu Sheng nodded naturally: "One must always carry some weapons for self-defense when going out."

Weapons... for self-defense?

The other students behind exchanged bewildered glances.

In the cities where humans lived, it was relatively safe, right? At least for ordinary people, there was no need to carry weapons when going out.

Either nothing happens, or carrying a weapon wouldn't change the outcome if it did.

"Take it out. The Awakening Instrument is very expensive, and metal objects can affect the test results."

Liu Qingfeng looked earnestly at his student as he explained.

Yu Sheng nodded, then...

Removed the daggers strapped to both arms and legs.

The spikes from his jacket pocket.

The fine needles hidden in the jacket's interlayer, ready to be shot out with a flick.

One by one, Yu Sheng placed these items on a nearby table.

The surrounding area was filled with silence.

This...

Is this still a student?

After completing a series of actions, Yu Sheng walked through the detector again.

*Beep—Beep!*

The sound went off once more.

The somewhat stunned gazes of the crowd fell on Yu Sheng again.

Everyone was a student, and even in these times, when experiences might be broader, how many would carry so many weapons at the age of seventeen or eighteen?

"Is there anything else?"

Liu Qingfeng asked with a frown.

Yu Sheng pondered for two seconds: "Perhaps... it's my will of steel?"

The others: ???

Liu Qingfeng fell silent for a moment, then looked at Yu Sheng and said wearily, "Keep going!!!"

"Oh."

Yu Sheng nodded, hesitated for a moment, but finally took off his jacket. Through his shirt, he fiddled with something on his back and then removed a small crossbow.

It was strapped to his back with a switch connected to a thin rope, the other end of which ran down his arm, close at hand.

In other words, if Yu Sheng suddenly bent his head and pulled the rope...

Even Liu Qingfeng, a veteran who had battled through blood and carnage at Shanhaiguan for years, found himself involuntarily taking a second look at Yu Sheng.

It typically took a soldier several years to accumulate such an arsenal.

Fortunately, this time the Instrument remained silent.

Under the shocked gazes of all present, Yu Sheng walked into the Awakening Room with a grimace.

For one simple reason...

A third of his secrets had just been revealed.