https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-84-The-Provincial-Palace-Master-s-Order/12972808/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-86-A-Class-Contract-and-Connections/12972810/
Chapter 85: Jade in Stone
Chapter 85: Jade in Stone
"Starlight Core Crystal?" Wan Qinghe's eyes flickered with confusion, wondering what this was.
Marrow Crystals, he had heard of a few types.
But one with this name, he had never heard of before.
Instead, the black-robed elder, Fei Qian, was startled by the mention, "Starlight Core Crystal? Sir, is this real?"
This treasure, Fei Qian had only heard other Sky Soaring Martial Artists casually mention it.
He had never actually seen it before.
"Are you questioning my decision?" A cold female voice echoed through the holographic display.
"I dare not," Fei Qian quickly replied, his head lowering involuntarily.
As the City Palace Master of the provincial capital and one of the top five figures in the Jiangbei Branch of the Starfire Combat Palace, Fei Qian held immense authority in the eyes of ordinary people.
But regardless of his ranking, even the other three Deputy Provincial Palace Masters would show deference to Yang, the Provincial Palace Master.
The reason was simple—strength!
The gap between a Level 29 Origin Martial Artist and a Sky Soaring Martial Artist was like heaven and earth.
Human Origin Martial Artists possessed formidable strength, with their burst speeds reaching sonic levels. It was not uncommon for them to raze an entire town to the ground in a single battle. However, they were still unable to fly, and their Origin Energy was not infinite.
Sky Soaring Martial Artists? Bullets and missiles might not even match their flying speed.
Only large-scale destructive weapons like nuclear weapons could pose a threat; conventional weapons were almost useless.
The key was to launch a surprise attack!
Otherwise, if a Sky Soaring Martial Artist spotted the attack from a distance, they could easily escape the blast radius of a nuclear explosion and survive.
A human nuclear weapon was no exaggeration.
"Ding!"
The communication abruptly ended.
Fei Qian let out a sigh of relief, leaning back in his chair. Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at Wan Qinghe, who was sitting beside him, looking apprehensive.
"My esteemed Wan, the Grand Palace Master," Fei Qian leaned back in his chair, placing his legs on the desk, "Are you implying that I'm getting senile, or that I don't value talent? Go on, I'm listening."
One second!
Wan Qinghe's face lit up with a smile, and he leaned forward slightly, taking the initiative to pour tea, "Elder Fei, you misunderstood my intentions. What you said earlier is true; you've always been wise and fair."
Wan Qinghe understood the situation. After receiving Li Yuan's profile, Fei Qian must have reported it to Yang, the Provincial Palace Master.
Otherwise, the Provincial Palace Master wouldn't have come so quickly.
"I came here to mention Li Yuan as an afterthought. My main purpose was to report on the recent developments in the Guanshan Branch," Wan Qinghe began, respectfully offering a cup of tea, "Elder Fei, just the aroma of this tea is exquisite."
"I brewed it last night."
"I was too lazy to make a new batch this morning, so I just added some hot water," Fei Qian took the cup and set it aside.
"You're referring to the previous pot." Wan Qinghe smiled heartily, "This one, I brewed it anew when you stepped out just now."
"You little..." Fei Qian shook his head with a smile, "You've probably cursed me a thousand times in your heart already."
"I wouldn't dare."
"If I didn't know you were so wise and magnanimous, how could I have come directly to you?" Wan Qinghe spoke with conviction.
"Enough of that," the black-robed Elder Fei Qian said seriously, "The Li Yuan you mentioned is indeed impressive. Even before I received his profile, I received a notification of his entry into the Meteor Rank on the Starfield Combat Network."
"The Meteor Rank?" Wan Qinghe nodded, not finding it strange.
"Combined with your report..."
"Offering him an A-Class Contract is indeed appropriate," Fei Qian smiled, "But I decided to apply for an S-Class Contract for him. Do you know why?"
Wan Qinghe shook his head.
An A-Class Contract was within Fei Qian's authority as the City Palace Master.
But an S-Class Contract required the approval of the Provincial Palace Master or at least two Deputy Provincial Palace Masters.
"Progress speed," Fei Qian said, emphasizing each word.
Wan Qinghe looked thoughtful.
"Martial geniuses often follow two trajectories," Fei Qian explained with a smile, "The first type is similar to Jiang He, who shines brightly from the start, rising with dazzling brilliance. Tian Dazhuang, who was signed by the Martial Hall this year, also has a hint of this."
Wan Qinghe nodded in agreement.
Indeed, in the evaluations of various factions' higher-ups, Tian Dazhuang was considered slightly superior to Wu Dongdong, primarily due to his physical fitness.
Physical fitness was undoubtedly important.
However, Tian Dazhuang's inferior physical fitness was mainly due to a lack of resources. With better resources, he might very well catch up.
"The second type is like 'Fang Hai'," Fei Qian continued, "Initially dazzling and unbelievable, but as time goes on, they seem less impressive."
Wan Qinghe nodded again.
Fang Hai was a legendary figure in the history of both the Xia Nation and the Blue Planet's martial world. At fourteen, he had reached the Fourth Stage of Martial Arts, and by sixteen, he had attained the Fifth Stage... A true monster.
He had been regarded as a peerless genius with the potential to rival the Grand Palace Master of the Starfire Combat Palace, Dongfang Ji.
But later... His achievements, though still remarkable, fell far short of the lowest expectations.
"There's also a rare third type, beyond these two trajectories, like jade hidden within stone," Fei Qian smiled.
"Jade within stone?" Wan Qinghe contemplated the metaphor.
"Initially, it appears as rough stone, but as the stone's shell is chipped away, its true nature gradually reveals itself. And the more it's carved and polished, the more it shines, eventually becoming a masterpiece," Fei Qian explained with a faint smile.
Wan Qinghe held his breath, "Elder Fei, are you referring to Li Yuan?"
"It's too early for conclusions," Fei Qian smiled, "But if you only consider his middle school records, he's just a decent middle school student."
Wan Qinghe nodded in agreement.
"In his first year of high school, his progress accelerates; in the second year, even faster. In the past six months of senior year, his progress is even more astonishing, surpassing that of other S-Class students in terms of speed," Fei Qian added.
Wan Qinghe nodded, impressed.
"Whether it's a piece of jade or not, we'll have to wait and see," Fei Qian said, "But it's definitely a piece of jade."
"Yang, the Provincial Palace Master, probably had similar thoughts, which is why he offered the Starlight Core Crystal."
"What is the Starlight Core Crystal?" Wan Qinghe couldn't help but ask.
"Don't ask."
"I have to go to the Xia Nation headquarters today and won't be back until tomorrow," Fei Qian said, "Your application has been approved. Sign the contract on my behalf, and when I return, bring him to meet me."
"Yes, Elder Fei," Wan Qinghe agreed.
"Go ahead." Fei Qian instructed, "Pay extra attention to Li Yuan. Report any changes immediately, and handle the minor matters yourself."
"Yes, sir."
...
Wan Qinghe left Fei Qian's office and headed straight to the third floor. He entered one of the offices.
"Old Wan, what brings you here?" asked a middle-aged man with a plump build, who was reviewing documents.
"Tiger, Fei Lao asked me to come and handle something with you," Wan Qinghe whispered.
The plump man immediately understood that it was a personal matter.
"What is it?" he asked, lowering his voice as well.
"The Starfire Nanhu Neighborhood, isn't there an apartment that just became available?" Wan Qinghe nudged the plump man's hand and winked.
The middle-aged man stood up, glanced around, closed the door, and then spoke, "Which apartment?"
"The one in Zone One?"
"You're quick with the news." The plump man said, "Who is it for?"
"A young fellow who's about to sign an A-class contract. According to the contract level, he's eligible for free residence in Zone Two." Wan Qinghe spoke in a low voice, "Fei Lao wants to upgrade him to Zone One."
"Zone One is for at least Origin Martial Artists or S-class contract holders." The plump man frowned, "Or there should be a special approval document from the City Palace Master."
"Aren't the special approval quotas for this year already used up? If they could issue one, why would Fei Lao send me to you?" Wan Qinghe smiled, "Tiger, I've sent you the information. Fei Lao wants you to figure out a way."
"I'll be waiting for your good news. Next time, I'll treat you to a meal."
Without waiting for a response, Wan Qinghe turned, opened the door, and closed it behind him in one swift motion.
"An A-class contract?"
"Was the approval time five minutes ago?" The plump man muttered, scanning Li Yuan's information in the contract, "Li Yuan? But he hasn't even awakened his Martial Spirituality yet?"
There was no recent information about Li Yuan in the documents.
The middle-aged man didn't doubt Wan Qinghe's words.
Having just approved an A-class contract, it meant Fei Palace Master had just reviewed it. Combined with Wan Qinghe's sudden visit... the answer was obvious.
"Could he be Fei Palace Master's secret son? Hey, they do look alike."
The more the middle-aged man looked, the more he saw the resemblance.
...
At Jiangbei Martial Arts University, after lunch, everyone returned to their dorms to pack their belongings.
"Auntie."
Li Yuan received a video call from his aunt, Chen Hui.
"Hmm? Uncle was at Base Three? I thought he was at Base Seven?"
"Has Base Three been relieved? Great! That's wonderful!" Li Yuan pretended to have just found out, his face filled with excitement as he reassured his aunt.
Over the past few days, they had exchanged messages twice.
"Auntie, I placed first in the practical assessment yesterday." Li Yuan smiled, "During this mission, I performed exceptionally well, and Jiangbei Martial University and the military rewarded me with 3.5 million Blue Star Coins. Everything's fine, don't worry."
"I'll be home by tonight." Li Yuan shared the good news from the past few days with his aunt.
As for reaching the Meteor Stage?
Since he hadn't directly upgraded to an A-class contract, Li Yuan didn't want to reveal too much.
He ended the call.
"According to Lin Lan Yue, she knows more than what's in the news, so Base Three should be safe now." Li Yuan sighed inwardly, "But there's still no news."
"I wonder how things really are."
All morning, he had been browsing the war news about Lop Nor, but there wasn't anything new.
"Li Yuan, let's go." Gu Qianghan called out, carrying his bag.
"Okay, okay."
...
At 2 p.m., the vast runway at Jiangbei Martial University was filled with numerous flying vehicles.
"Li Yuan, see you online later." Tian Dazhuang smiled and waved at Li Yuan.
"Sure." Li Yuan smiled and waved back.
They had added each other on V-Communication, and although they had just met, they had a mutual respect for each other's abilities, a rare connection.
Soon, Wu Dongdong showed his small tiger teeth and said, "Li Yuan, I'm leaving too. Come to my place sometime."
"No problem." Li Yuan smiled. Wu Dongdong was outgoing and quickly became friends with others.
Before long, Li Yuan, Lin Lan Yue, and the others boarded a flying vehicle and headed towards the Guanshan District.
They arrived at the school at 2 p.m.
The principal, several vice-principals, Xu Bo, and others were already at the school field to welcome them.
"Haha, excellent! Li Yuan, Lin Lan Yue, the school is proud of your performance, and we're all happy for you." The principal, Mr. Tan, beamed with joy.
The other school leaders also had smiles on their faces.
They all felt that this year's 'college entrance exam results' were looking very promising.
"The school has decided."
Mr. Tan announced solemnly, "To reward Li Yuan with a scholarship of 200,000. To reward Lin Lan Yue with 100,000."
"The other students will also receive..."
The fake smiles on Li Yuan, Dong Hai Feng, and the others' faces finally turned into genuine ones.
Money was the real deal!
...
After the welcome ceremony, Lin Lan Yue, Dong Hai Feng, and the others headed to their martial arts rooms.
Only Li Yuan was called aside by Xu Bo.
"Teacher." Li Yuan said respectfully.
"You did a great job this time, and I'm very proud of you." Xu Bo smiled.
"It's all thanks to your guidance." Li Yuan said sincerely.
Xu Bo laughed.
He viewed Li Yuan differently from the other students.
The other students were just students.
But Li Yuan was like his half-disciple.
"Okay, follow me to the office. Master Wan has been waiting for you for a long time." Xu Bo said.
"Master Wan?" Li Yuan was slightly puzzled, "What's the matter?"
"It's probably about upgrading your contract, but it seems like it's not just a simple A-class contract." Xu Bo said, "He didn't want to tell me more."
"Upgrading the contract?" Li Yuan was surprised, as he hadn't yet met the A-class contract standards.
"That's right!"
"There's one more thing." Xu Bo's expression suddenly turned serious, "My friend just informed me that the first batch of people from Base Three has been rescued."
"Your uncle's name is on the list."
"But he's injured, and the situation doesn't look optimistic." Xu Bo hesitated, "You should prepare yourself mentally."
(End of Chapter)
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