Chapter 129: Training in Progress

Chapter 129: In Training

The middle-aged man and the young girl walked into the Yincheng Martial Arts Hall. Soon, they caught snippets of conversation regarding Shen An.

"That young man from just a moment ago was truly incredible. If there were any chance, I would really want him to join our hall. Sigh, I can’t believe I let such an important matter slip my mind," a young man sighed.

"Exactly. Based on his performance, he likely isn’t part of the Yincheng Martial Arts Hall. If he could join us, our hall would certainly attract a great deal of attention."

"To think we missed out on such a golden opportunity."

The little girl tugged on the man’s arm and said, "Daddy, listen! They seem to be talking about that big brother who just left."

The middle-aged man was slightly surprised, but he couldn’t bring himself to associate the subject of their praise with Shen An. In his eyes, Shen An was nothing more than a weakling.

"It couldn't be him. That person looked so weak; how could he possibly command the respect of so many Awakened?" the man remarked. "Come, daughter, let’s go sign up. I’m sure the Master of the Yincheng Martial Arts Hall will be delighted once he sees your potential."

Just then, a disciple of the martial arts hall approached them. "Are you talking about the young man who just walked out of the hall?" Since Shen An was the only one who had left recently, he was easy to identify.

"Yes, he was the only one who left," the man replied.

"You don’t know, do you? That man is the one who defeated our Master. You actually looked down on him? I don't think you need to join our hall anymore—just leave now," the disciple said coldly.

"What? He wants me to leave?" The middle-aged man felt it was absurd, but since the hall had issued an eviction notice, there was no point in staying.

Meanwhile, Shen An had already arrived in a stretch of forest near Yincheng. The area was known for monster sightings, and ordinary Awakened would not dare to venture there easily. Finding a secluded spot, Shen An began his cultivation.

He first regulated his breathing, then, building upon that, recited the twelve-character mantra. He formed a seal with his hands in front of his abdomen and began to exhale slowly. After half an hour, Shen An immediately felt the results: the vitality energy wandering in the heavens and earth surged toward him, absorbing into his body.

Talent points +100
Talent points +100
Talent points +100
...

In half an hour, he had gained a full 500 talent points. He summoned his interface to check his attributes:

Talent [Devour]: Talent Level A (1/50,000)
Talent [Space]: Talent Level S (1/1,000,000)
Hidden Talent [Connect to Future]: Talent Level SA (1/10,000,000)
Available Talent Points: 102,500

Talent Shop: Psychic Ability (500,000), Hunyuan Body-Refining Technique (1,000,000).

After another half hour, Shen An opened his eyes and let out a soft sigh. "As I thought, training out here isn't as efficient as the gravity chamber. My current rate of improvement is much slower than it was in there," he muttered.

At that moment, several Awakened were passing by. They were startled to see Shen An in the middle of his cultivation.

"He looks like he has significant strength. Could he be an Awakened of the second rank or higher?" a robust man whispered.

"It’s likely. Ordinary Awakened don’t possess such powerful vitality energy," another added.

"Why don't we go over and ask him to join our team? With such a powerful teammate, our strength would improve significantly," one of them suggested with a smile.

"Haha, that’s a great idea! We should invite him, but how do we approach such an expert?" the robust man frowned, fearing it might be a difficult task. After all, they had nothing to offer that might interest someone of his caliber.

"Isn't there a powerful monster in this forest called the Crimson Flame Rhino? Maybe if we offer him that information, he’ll be willing to join us," one of them proposed.

"Haha, that’s a great decision! Let’s use that as our reason," the robust man agreed.

Soon, the group approached Shen An. Feeling the surging vitality radiating from him, they were stunned. The strongest among them was only at the late first rank; they couldn't even imagine the terrifying power of those above the second rank.

"His... his vitality is so powerful. I doubt he’s just second rank—he might even be third rank or higher," a young man exclaimed in awe.

"Third rank? You think he has third-rank strength? I can't believe it. How could we run into a third-rank expert in such a desolate wilderness?"

"A third-rank expert is quite formidable even within Yincheng. To think we’ve encountered one—it’s unbelievable."

They were well aware of the incredible nature of a third-rank expert, and some were already starting to lose their nerve. Inviting a third-rank expert to join their group of first-rankers was nothing short of delusional—like someone with a hundred dollars trying to buy a Ferrari.

"Look, look! He’s opening his eyes! Is he going to talk to us?" one of them said, vibrating with excitement. To them, speaking to such an expert was a rare, almost impossible event.

"Is there something you need?" Shen An asked without a trace of arrogance. This immediately endeared him to the group.

"Master... we wanted to invite you to join our team. Would you be willing?" the young man asked.

Shen An smiled faintly, his gaze resting on one of them. "You want me to join you? From the looks of it, your strength is only at the first rank, correct? I am a mid-stage third-rank Awakened. Do you really think you have the qualifications for such an invitation?"

Shen An’s words carried no disdain; he was simply stating the facts. He was indeed at the mid-stage of the third rank—a level even higher than a beginner third-ranker.

The Awakened were shocked. They never imagined they had provoked a mid-stage third-rank expert. Fortunately, he was approachable, or they would have been in serious trouble.