Chapter 42: A gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall

"Could it be because his martial arts technique is high?"

Lin Lan Yue could only think of this one possibility, then said, "Aunt, let's go home. I still have problems to solve when I get back."

"Alright." The young woman nodded, looking at Lin Lan Yue as they walked: "Yue Yue, do you really not know that this Li Yuan signed with the Starfire Martial Hall in advance?"

"I really don't know." Lin Lan Yue shook her head.

"Why not ask about the situation later? A B-grade contract—the Martial Hall only has two or three such spots each year." The young woman asked curiously, "He seems to have a pretty good relationship with you."

"I won't ask." Lin Lan Yue shook her head decisively. "If someone doesn't say, there must be a reason for it."

"By the way, don't go blabbing about this in the parents' group, and definitely don't use it as gossip." Lin Lan Yue glanced at her aunt.

She knew her aunt had a big mouth.

"Fine." The young woman replied perfunctorily.

"I'm serious." Lin Lan Yue said sternly. "Otherwise, I won't help you get that card later."

"Okay, okay, my little ancestor, I promise not to say anything." The woman in the mink coat waved her hands in surrender.

……

When Li Yuan took his younger brother and sister home in the Martial Hall's dedicated vehicle.

On the twelfth floor of the Martial Hall building, inside an office with antique decor.

"Hall Master."

Instructor Xing pushed the door open and walked in.

In front of a massive floor-to-ceiling window, a middle-aged man in a Tang suit stood with his back to the door, looking down at the night view outside.

"How was it?" Hall Master Wan didn't even turn his head, his voice very flat.

"I asked, and I also pulled the data from the testing instruments in the various martial arts rooms. The six reserve members who signed early all performed quite well." Instructor Xing said respectfully. "The one with the best performance and the greatest progress should be Li Yuan."

"According to what Fang Longhu said, Li Yuan's physical fitness should be close to level 8, and his technical level is already approaching the perfection of the third stage." Instructor Xing said. "Compared to two months ago, the progress is truly astonishing."

"Oh?"

"So, the progress is indeed quite fast." Hall Master Wan then turned around and smiled. "Instructor Xing, what do you think?"

"The Hall Master has a discerning eye." Instructor Xing kept his head low.

"Old Xing, relax. Don't worry that I have ulterior motives." Hall Master Wan smiled. "I know what you're thinking. In your heart, based on Li Yuan's current performance, he barely qualifies for a C-grade contract, right?"

"This subordinate wouldn't dare." Instructor Xing said quickly.

"Don't worry." Hall Master Wan laughed. "I have my reasons for giving him a B-grade contract. You just need to record the data properly."

"Yes." Instructor Xing said.

He muttered to himself, *Anyway, you're the Hall Master. As long as you don't dump the blame on me later, whatever you say goes.*

After Instructor Xing left.

"The person recommended by Iron Tower is indeed not bad." Hall Master Wan sighed inwardly. "It's just that if he ultimately fails to awaken martial arts spirituality, I fear growth will be difficult after level 10..."

He shook his head lightly, then stopped thinking about it.

Martial arts geniuses signed in advance were only a small part of his work; he only checked in on them once a month.

Half an hour later.

"Beep—Alert—" A sound rang out in the office out of thin air.

*Hum~*

Red light flashed on Hall Master Wan's smart ring, causing his expression to change. He immediately clicked to view the message: "Star Realm creatures? At least nine first-tier, the strongest approaching second-tier? Appeared in the Southeast Lake to Binhu Road area, already causing at least thirty-five deaths?"

"Could it be the remnants from the last sweep along the Xianghe River basin?" Hall Master Wan instantly recalled the previous operation.

Every martial artist is registered with the Martial Arts Hall.

Identity information is bound to the smart ring.

Once a Star Realm creature appears and is detected by the Xia Kingdom's 'Sky Net', it is immediately transmitted to nearby martial artists to request assistance.

As a Source Martial Artist, Hall Master Wan's smart ring has a maximum sensing range of 100 kilometers.

That is, as long as a ranked Star Realm creature is discovered within 100 kilometers, a message will be sent to him.

Without hesitation.

"Dahe, immediately send a message to the Martial Hall's combat-ready martial artists. Team One and Team Two are to mobilize, coordinate with the military to encircle and blockade." Hall Master Wan issued orders in succession. "Bring me my weapon."

"Yes, Master." The auxiliary AI voice echoed in the office.

An important duty of the Martial Hall is to protect local residents.

Every grassroots Martial Hall has martial artist teams on combat duty, ready to mobilize at any time.

*Whoosh! Whoosh!*

Two furniture robots rushed out from the weapon room to the side, one carrying a shield, the other a battle saber.

Hall Master Wan reached out and grabbed the shield and saber, then tapped the metal button on his chest.

Immediately.

Visible to the naked eye, the originally loose Tang suit rapidly transformed into a thin layer of battle suit with a metallic texture, completely covering Hall Master Wan's entire body. The entire suit was pitch black.

It was filled with a sense of coldness and oppression.

"Master, the single-person aircraft has arrived." The AI voice sounded. "Shall I open the window?"

"Open the window." Hall Master Wan ordered coldly.

"*Rumble~*" The floor-to-ceiling window rapidly opened outward, completely exposing the interior, while simultaneously causing a gust of wind to blow into the office.

*Whoosh!*

Hall Master Wan exerted force with one leg, his figure darting across dozens of meters, tracing an arc like a cannonball as he plummeted toward the ground.

This was a twelve-story high-rise! More than forty meters from the ground!

*Boom!*

A sonic boom came from the air as a single-person aircraft shaped like an assault boat streaked across the low altitude at an astonishing speed.

Perfectly timed, it caught Hall Master Wan directly.

The aircraft soared into the sky, about a hundred meters from the ground, and rushed toward the scene at extreme speed.

……

The next day, Li Yuan, who had cultivated all night, only 'leisurely' walked out of his home after four o'clock.

Walking on the street.

In winter, it was still pitch black after five o'clock, with a light drizzle falling, making the ground slippery.

"Hmm?" Just as Li Yuan walked out of the residential complex, he sensed something was wrong. He saw the military, armed with live ammunition, in the distance.

And two patrolling soldiers.

Occasionally, drones would streak across the sky, conducting inspections.

The security was tight.

"Are they catching fugitives? No, could it be..." Li Yuan instantly thought of a possibility.

Without a shred of hesitation.

Li Yuan immediately opened his smart ring, clicked into an app called 'Star Realm Creature Early Warning', and saw the location marked directly as Guanshan District, Jiangcheng City.

His gaze swept over the dozens of warning messages posted one after another.

"It really is a Star Realm creature? Daring to appear in Jiangcheng?" Li Yuan was secretly shocked. "However, according to the news, dozens of people have already been killed or injured so far?"

"More than thirty Star Realm creatures have also been killed."

"As of now, there are suspected sightings of Star Realm creatures, the entire Guanshan District is under martial law, and a comprehensive search is underway?"

After thinking for a while.

Li Yuan turned around directly.

Went upstairs, back home.

"Although there are military vehicles and drones on the road now, it seems safe, but walking on the road alone like this is still too conspicuous." Li Yuan pondered. "Binhu Road is less than ten kilometers from here."

"If I'm unlucky and walk on the road, I might actually run into a fleeing Star Realm creature."

"At home."

"The complex has warning facilities in the sky and on the ground, the building, doors, and windows are all reinforced, and the hallway requires facial recognition to enter. Home is very safe." Li Yuan thought to himself. "Although the probability is very small, it's better not to take the risk."

Right!

As an elite student, Li Yuan's current martial strength is stronger than most adults... but it is futile against firearms, let alone Star Realm creatures.

A gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall.

This was something his uncle Li Zhangzhou had taught Li Yuan since he was a child.

Likewise.

From kindergarten, all students are taught a principle: without the strength of a martial artist, when facing a Star Realm creature, scatter and run immediately! Call for rescue and report to the police as soon as possible!

In fact.

All martial artists are also given a warning: without the strength of a Source Martial Artist, when facing a Star Realm creature, do not easily engage in combat alone; wait for heavy weapons! Wait for attack drones and combat robots!

……

Back home, Li Yuan was not too panicked.

Instead, he opened the bedroom door.

Then, he calmed his mind in the bedroom, stood in a stance to practice boxing, and carried out his basic cultivation method.

From childhood to adulthood.

In Li Yuan's memory, every half a year or even shorter, Jiangcheng City would always suffer from Star Realm creature attacks.

No way around it.

Jiangcheng City is where the great rivers converge, with hundreds of lakes, and water systems extending in all directions.

Jiangcheng City is one of the cities in the Xia Kingdom that suffers the most attacks from Star Realm creatures.

Most attacks are small-scale, as long as one waits peacefully for the military and martial artists to clear them out.

As for large-scale attacks? Li Yuan had only encountered one when he was very young, and his memory of it was very blurry.

Soon, it was past six o'clock.

"Warning lifted?" Li Yuan received a message notification on his smart ring.