On the spectators' platform, enthusiastic discussions broke out as Han Ye stepped off the stage.
"Who is he, possessing such divine strength?!"
"You don't know him? Haven't you heard of his heroic exploits in the Black Cliff Forest?"
"So, it's Han Ye... No wonder... He could kill a ferocious tiger with bare hands. Not just a tiger, even if those barbarian beasts were to come, they might not stand a chance against him. I've seen many cultivators, but those with lower cultivation levels are not as good as him."
As Han Ye lifted a thousand-pound stone lock with his bare hands, Liu Lingqi's eyes filled with astonishment.
It seemed that she and her father had underestimated him.
Only her mother's words were quite accurate.
This man who could wrestle a tiger with bare hands indeed possessed some skills.
When she checked the roster in her hand, she found something even more surprising.
"He is only twenty years old?!"
When these words slipped from her mouth, they attracted the attention of both Liu Xinglong and Lady Liu.
"Ling'er, are you saying that this Han Ye is just barely of age?" Lady Liu's eyes shone brightly.
Liu Xinglong on the other hand, wore a complicated expression, and spoke with an odd tone:
"Is he really just twenty years old?"
Lady Liu said with a smile, "So young, he is about the same age as Ling'er."
Noticing her mother's unusual expression, Liu Lingqi frowned and urged:
"Mother, you can't be thinking of marrying me to him."
Upon hearing this, Liu Xinglong immediately shook his head like a drum: "No way, no way, how can my daughter marry a tenant farmer."
Lady Liu's smile faded, and she huffed coldly: "I did not say that, nor did I mean it. You are just overthinking. All I desire is not to let your father miss out on this talent."
"The two of you, father and daughter, are just jealous of talents, just like the villains in the stories."
"Mother, how can you say that? After all, I am your daughter. I clearly sensed that you wanted to bring him into our family, to be a son-in-law."
Liu Lingqi spoke with great unease.
"You..."
Seeing the mother-daughter pair about to argue again, Liu Xinglong quickly intervened:
"Alright, stop arguing. There's nothing to debate about. This is just the first round, there are two more to go. It won't be too late to discuss this once he passes those two rounds."
"My wife, I admit, I was indeed somewhat impulsive just now. This Han Ye is indeed extraordinary, and he is part of the Liu Manor after all. How can I treat him unfairly?"
Liu Xinglong, who built his business from scratch, is a person who can let go when necessary.
This prompts him to apologize to his wife.
All in all, Han Ye is a capable person.
He certainly won't treat him poorly.
As a businessman, he knows the kind of elements that can maximize benefits.
This made Lady Liu's face turn a little more pleasant to look at, although her pride prevented her from immediately recovering her usual pleasant demeanor. She simply said in a calm voice:
"Let's continue watching his performance."
...
Back on the martial arts platform.
The selection quickly entered the second round, Bone Exploration.
The elderly steward on the stage has been replaced by a middle-aged martial artist. He wore a Douli hat, and a brown hemp long robe with a pair of iron arm guards on his wrists.
He had sharp eyes and restrained aura. Despite his simplicity, he seemed capable of creating a stir the moment he made a move.
Han Ye felt in his heart that this man was very powerful.
He was far stronger than the martial artists he had seen training in the inner courtyard so far.
He might be the strongest person he had met till now.
The middle-aged martial artist scanned his eyes over everyone with a voice like thunder, declaring:
"I am the master of Xilin Martial Arts Hall, Hong Yuan. I was invited here to preside over the selection. The second round is called Bone Exploration, the main form is to withstand powerful impacts to test your root bone. Simply put, it's about enduring beatings."
"Isn't enduring beatings just getting hit?"
"Yeah, what's up with this round?"
At that moment, everyone was considerably puzzled.
Seeing everybody's doubts, Hong Yuan slowly began to explain:
"You may be unaware, but in the path of cultivation, going through the four levels of Body Forging is an essential process, a foundation. After that, it is the well-known stage of Qi Cultivation. Spiritual root, however, is for cultivation efficiency and is considered as progress."
"When we say root bone, what we are really referring to are bone structure and spiritual root."
"If you want to go further in the path of cultivation, both are indispensable."
"If you desire to join the Dragon Sparrow Sect, having these basics is a must. The prestigious sect is not a place where anybody can enter. If you are just a miscellaneous task disciple, what's the difference between you and a servant?"
Hearing this, Han Ye finally understood.
What this martial artist was actually telling them was the shortcut to the path of cultivation.
Ordinary people who want to join a sect either need outstanding talent or solid foundations.
Because, after all, talented cultivators are a minority, and ordinary cultivators are in the majority.
Talents can soar through the sky with their extraordinary spiritual roots.
But ordinary cultivators can only establish a solid foundation, starting from Body Forging.
That is the true cultivation path for those like them.
Between Body Forging and establishing a strong foundation,
The Liu Manor, as a family who has produced cultivators, knows these skills better and has more say in the selection process. Choosing individuals with stable foundations is much better than relying on luck and looking for those with fated spiritual roots.
Single Spiritual Root, Dual Spiritual Roots are extremely rare. Most people have Mixed Spiritual Roots, or even no spiritual roots.
Establishing a foundation is the best approach.
As they often say, if talent isn't sufficient, supplement it with effort.
The Liu Manor intends to cultivate a number of good candidates and send them to the Dragon Sparrow Sect, rather than gambling on so-called probabilities.
"Who will go first?"
After finishing his explanation, Hong Yuan asked this question aloud.
Who dares to be the first one?
Hearing that it would involve getting beaten, everyone shrank back, unwilling to step forward.
"I'll go!"
Just as everyone retreated, Wang Da Niu took a step forward.
Appreciation flashed in Hong Yuan's eyes.
"Good! Very brave."
Wang Da Niu stood in front of Hong Yuan, a full nine feet tall, extraordinarily robust, half a head taller than Hong Yuan.
"Huff huff!"
Hong Yuan took a deep breath and stirred up his Qi Force, which splashed around him. As he raised his palm, his power was instantly displayed.
A gust of palm wind blew.
"Bang!"
He exerted a palm strike, directly sending Wang Da Niu's tall figure flying out, throwing him off the Martial Arts Platform.
This scene shocked everyone.
He really hit him?!
Hope he doesn't kill anyone!
Just as everyone was worried, Wang Da Niu got up from the ground, grinding his teeth as he rubbed his chest, sucking in cold air:
"Hiss, it hurts rather badly."
"Not bad, a good martial arts seedling with great potential, passed, next one."
Hong Yuan appraised Wang Da Niu and nodded in approval, then turned to the crowd and said:
"Everyone, rest assured, I'll control my strength. It won't hurt you. The most important thing is to test everyone's root foundation."
Upon hearing this, many people let go of their defenses and worries.
"Just like that, so soon? Then I should be fine too!"
A young man sneered, volunteering:
"I'm next!"
"Good."
"Bang!"
In the next instant, Hong Yuan's palm strike arrived, and the young man was instantly sent flying.
But he couldn't get up and was directly carried off by a family servant.
Only then Hong Yuan added: "It's normal if you can't handle it and pass out."
"His physiognomy is inadequate, his root foundation is poor, next!"
Upon seeing this, everyone's faces turned pale.
Indeed, they didn't want to get beaten up.
But Hong Yuan did not have time to waste with them. Quickly, he moved like a shadow.
One palm strike after another.
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
Accompanied by silhouettes being hit and sent flying, Hong Yuan leisurely gave his evaluations:
"You're somewhat promising, the foundation is ordinary, next."
"The foundation is mediocre, barely satisfactory."
"Next."
...
Hong Yuan dealt with each person with a palm strike, and quickly cleared the field.
A large portion of people were sent flying by him and couldn't get up again.
Those who could do as Wang Da Niu did,
Take a palm strike, just feel a little pain, and quickly stand up again were very few.
"It's your turn."
Finally, Hong Yuan stood in front of Han Ye, raising his eyebrows, he said with a smile:
"I've heard of you, you're Han Ye, right? The recent hero of County of Skyfire, who got rid of the pests for the people. Your skills are not bad, but I won't be lenient."
"I am ready."
Han Ye stood calmly in place. Unlike those who were fearful before, he seemed to be quite confident.
Fighting with tigers might be difficult, but in front of a truly powerful martial artist, it might also be a casual punch.
Luckily, this was just a test, not a battle against an enemy.
Hong Yuan retracted his smile, began to circulate his energy calmly, and launched a palm strike.
It hit Han Ye's chest.
"Bang!"
Han Ye immediately felt a surge of enormous strength pouring upon him, his body uncontrollably started to fall backward, which surprised him.
But then, the attribute "Dragon-Tiger Physique" quietly operated, and the Dragon and Tiger Breath in his Dantian rose up.
They protected his chest, completely blocking this strong Qi force.
He stepped back forcefully, breaking free from the backward inertia.
To the observer,
It seems he took a palm strike, merely retreated ten meters, and then stopped.
He did not fall down.
Seeing this, Hong Yuan looked surprised.
At this point, Han Ye walked up with a smile and asked, "May I ask, Hall Master Hong, how is my root foundation?"
...