The Strongest Talent Tree

Feng Hao saw the two of them come out and approached with a faint smile. "So," he asked, "are you coming with me?"

Xiyue Frost’s brow furrowed slightly. She glanced hesitantly at Houhuiyao and asked doubtfully, "I suppose we can, but are you sure you want to bring a good-for-nothing Treatment Magic Master into a Secret Realm?"

"Don’t underestimate Treatment Magic Masters," Feng Hao said with a mysterious smile. "Once we’re in the Secret Realm, you’ll see just how important this fella is."

"What good is a Treatment Magic Master?" Xiyue Frost asked, her eyes filled with skepticism.

Hearing this, Houhuiyao timidly shrank to the side, not daring to make a peep.

Feng Hao grew a little impatient. "Look, don’t worry about all that. If you’re coming, let’s go. As for whether Houhuiyao is useful or not, you’ll find out when the time comes."

Xiyue Frost knit her brows in thought for a moment before giving a reluctant nod. "Fine."

"There we go," Feng Hao said with a satisfied smile. "Let’s move out!" He turned and led the two of them toward the Central District of Five States City.

As the largest city in Beilang Country, Five States City naturally had more than just one Origin Node. In addition to the one in the academy’s Central Square, there were two others available for use by the other Mages in the city.

And while Feng Hao and his companions were heading to the Origin Node in the Central District, a different scene was unfolding in the Artifact Refining department.

As the academy’s top designer and the second-ranked beauty on the campus belle list, Yao Ying had always been proud and arrogant. Even when branded with the title "Five States’ Number One Seductress," she merely scoffed, dismissing it as the jealousy of ugly women and the slander of pathetic losers.

But these past few days, Yao Ying had grown more miserable by the day, and for one reason only: the appearance of the Dazzling Gear!

As the academy’s top designer, her creations had always been a guarantee of high sales, sought after by countless men. But the arrival of the Dazzling Gear shattered all of that.

In just a few short days, sales of her designs had plummeted, and even her long-term partners had terminated their collaborations.

After some inquiries and investigation, she learned that the Dazzling Gear was the cause. What shocked her even more was that this gear—which she herself found heavenly—was actually the handiwork of Xiong Tianfang.

This made her feel even more resentful.

’No wonder he hasn’t asked me for any designs lately. He must have found a new designer. This won’t do. I have to go talk to him.’

After much deliberation, Yao Ying decided to confront Xiong Tianfang. She would reclaim everything that was rightfully hers and, while she was at it, find out just who this master designer was.

However, when she arrived at the dormitory area for the Artifact Refining department, she was utterly stunned by the scene before her.

A dense crowd of students was packed outside Xiong Tianfang’s dormitory, and the air was filled with the sounds of their arguments and complaints.

’Do those designs really have that much appeal?’ Yao Ying thought to herself, her gorgeous face a mask of jealousy and resentment. It was the first time in her life that she had been so utterly crushed in the field of design.

Meanwhile, Yao Ying’s arrival naturally caused quite a stir. After all, her title as "Five States’ Number One Seductress" was quite renowned.

"Hey, isn’t that Yao Ying? Has she been won over by the Dazzling Gear too?" surprised voices called out from the crowd.

"Doesn’t look like it. She’s probably here to make trouble. I heard Master Xiong Tianfang had always used Yao Ying’s designs, only switching to that mysterious designer’s work after the Dazzling Gear came out."

"That mysterious designer really is something else, though. I have no idea where Xiong Tianfang found them."

"I know, right? The gear Xiong Tianfang has been putting out lately is drop-dead gorgeous. The first time I saw it, I could barely breathe!"

"Barely breathing is nothing. Look at that group of women over there. They’re all acting like a bunch of fucking lunatics, ready to bite anyone’s head off."

"Where do you think that designer even came from? Their skill is just absurdly high. If someone could find them, they could absolutely dominate the entire Artifact Refining Market."

"You’re not the only one who thinks so. See those people from off-campus wandering around? They’re all scouts from the major Artifact Refining Shops."

"It makes sense. The appearance of that gear is just too beautiful, and the styles are so diverse. There’s always one that’ll make your heart race."

"Tell me about it! Ever since I saw the set a student from the next class was wearing, I’ve been too excited to sleep for days!"

"That’s nothing! My cousin is at the Mu Country Royal Academy. After she got my Stone Listening Communication, she’s been rushing over here day and night."

"Same here. My family’s in the equipment business. My dad will probably be here this afternoon."

"I guess that makes us pretty lucky, huh?"

"You bet. This whole craze started right here at our Five Provinces Academy, after all. I’m just hoping Xiong Tianfang takes my order soon so I can go out and flex with my new Dazzling Gear!"

...

Listening to the students’ chatter, Yao Ying felt her world crumbling. Every word was a crushing blow.

Her lifelong confidence was being shattered piece by piece, the feeling crashing against her heart like a bursting dam. Jealousy, resentment, and bitterness—a thousand complex emotions tangled within her.

’This can’t go on. I have to find that mysterious designer!’

Her mind made up, Yao Ying stopped hesitating. Swaying her magnificent figure, she made her way to the front of the line. After a few sweet nothings, she cut the line perfectly. Though it earned her a barrage of curses from the female students behind her, she paid them no mind.

In her eyes, beauty was her birthright. Those plain, ordinary girls would never be more than her backdrop.

Finally, the door to Xiong Tianfang’s dorm swung open again, and the crowd instantly erupted.

Mentally and physically exhausted, Xiong Tianfang froze when he saw Yao Ying. He frowned. "What are you doing here?"

"And why couldn’t I come?" Yao Ying shot him a coquettish glare and pushed her way inside. Her beautiful eyes swept the room, instantly locking onto the stack of design sheets. "Hehe, I knew you wouldn’t hide them."

Xiong Tianfang slammed the door shut with a sour expression and turned back to challenge her. "If you’re here to cause trouble, don’t expect me to be polite!"

"Honestly, after working together for so long, can’t you show me a little respect?" Yao Ying pouted, already engrossed in flipping through Feng Hao’s designs. She frowned at times, looked amazed at others, completely lost in them.

"You’ve got some fucking nerve bringing up our ’cooperation’!" Xiong Tianfang seethed. "You’ve been ripping me off for ages! I’ve been sick of your shit for a long time!"

But Yao Ying was completely absorbed in the designs and didn’t hear a word he said.

Xiong Tianfang’s anger flared. He stepped forward and barked, "Hey! I’m talking to you!"

Yao Ying looked up, her eyes gleaming, and asked, completely ignoring his outburst, "Who drew these?"

"I did," Xiong Tianfang snapped. "If you don’t have any other business, get lost. I’m busy!"

"You?" Yao Ying paused, then covered her mouth to stifle a laugh, her eyes filled with scorn. "It’s not that I’m looking down on you, but with your skill level, you think you could draw something like this?"

"Believe it or not," Xiong Tianfang retorted, partly because he didn’t want to talk to her and partly to protect Feng Hao’s secret.

Yao Ying said teasingly, "If you can draw another one even close to this quality, I’ll be your woman."

"Hah! As if I’d even want you," Xiong Tianfang said with contempt. Perhaps because of his skewed sense of aesthetics, Yao Ying wasn’t particularly beautiful in his eyes. In fact, he considered the entire campus belle list a joke.

Yao Ying was left speechless. A dark cloud passed over her stunning face; she had almost forgotten what a weirdo Xiong Tianfang was.

Resigned, she could only go back to flipping through the designs.

When she flipped to the last few pages, she froze completely. The designs depicted revealing, sexy outfits that made her breath catch and her heart pound.

If the previous designs had left her feeling amazed yet inadequate, then these last few struck a chord deep within her soul. They were so exciting she couldn’t tear her eyes away!