The Strongest Talent Tree

The Tier-4 young man was named Luo Yong. He was a genius from a minor organization in Five States City, and his prodigious talent led him to look down on his peers.

Especially after becoming a Seven-Star Member of the Iron Hand Martial Arts Hall, his confidence became boundless. He had finally found a beauty he liked and was on the verge of winning her over, only for someone to suddenly butt in out of nowhere. How could he possibly stand for that?

Feng Hao hadn’t expected a single sentence from him to cause such chaos. He had only wanted to take the opportunity to promote the Wind Clothing Store; after all, he owned a stake in it and was entitled to a share of its profits.

But he never imagined it would turn into this. All he could say was that he had underestimated the appeal of Wind Attire.

"Ahem, I was just saying that casually. Ladies, please don’t take it seriously," Feng Hao said, quickly backtracking.

Hearing this, the beauties who had swarmed him instantly scattered, leaving a few disappointed complaints in their wake.

Luo Yong got an "I-knew-it" look on his face and said sarcastically, "If you don’t have the strength, don’t go around posturing. The Wind Clothing Store? It’s way out of your league!"

Feng Hao seized the opportunity to glance at Luo Yong, a wicked grin spreading across his face. "It seems this gentleman knows a lot about the Wind Clothing Store. Ladies, why don’t you try asking him?"

The moment he spoke, all the surrounding beauties swarmed Luo Yong.

"You’ve got some sense, kid." Luo Yong was ecstatic. Being suddenly surrounded by so many beauties, he couldn’t help but feel a little thrill of excitement.

He thought his moment to shine had arrived. However, when the beauties, one after another, asked him for Wind Attire in their sweet, delicate voices, Luo Yong finally realized he’d been had.

When he looked for Feng Hao, he was already long gone. Since it had come to this, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and pretend he could deliver.

And so, for the next several months, a certain young man could be seen waiting in line outside the Wind Clothing Store day and night.

Meanwhile, Feng Hao and Houhuiyao had already found the Monster Simulators. He had to admit, the Iron Hand Martial Arts Hall was an excellent place for training. It was fully equipped with all sorts of facilities and grounds—if you could think of it, you could find it here.

"Monster Simulator, Gravity Room, Secret Technique Simulator, Neural Reflex Tester... Damn, this place is even more incredible than the Academy. No wonder so many Crystal Stele experts love coming here," Houhuiyao marveled, reading the signs on the wall.

"Stop gawking. Let’s head to the Monster Simulators first."

Feng Hao shot him an annoyed glance. Following the signs, they soon arrived at the Monster Simulator area.

Unlike the Monster Simulator Feng Hao had seen at Rongcheng Academy, the one before him now was far more advanced and impressive. Judging by the size of the machine alone, it was in a completely different league.

’Whoa, it’s pretty crowded,’ Feng Hao noted with surprise, looking around before striding to the rental counter.

The receptionist was a beautiful woman who looked to be in her thirties. She had a voluptuous figure, a sweet face, and a mole by the corner of her eye that gave her a unique charm. Seeing Feng Hao and his companion approach, the woman asked in a gentle voice, "Are you two here to rent a Monster Simulator?"

"Just one. He’s just here with me to check it out," Feng Hao said with a smile. "What are the rates?"

The woman glanced at Feng Hao’s badge and smiled sweetly. "For Five-Star Access, it’s fifty thousand Magic Crystals per day."

"What the hell, that expensive?" Feng Hao exclaimed in disbelief.

"You have Five-Star Access. A fee like this should be nothing to you," the woman said meaningfully.

Feng Hao pursed his lips and shook his head. He was just here to grind his skill proficiency, not to show off. "Can’t you make it a little cheaper?"

"I’m sorry, but those are the rules," the woman replied with an apologetic smile.

"Fine, fifty thousand it is. I’ll take it for a month to start," Feng Hao said without further argument, immediately paying the fee for one month.

The woman was stunned speechless. In all her years managing the Monster Simulators, this was the first time anyone had ever rented one for a full month. ’Is he kidding? A Monster Simulator isn’t a hotel room. Does he plan on living in there?’

"What, is that a problem?" Feng Hao asked, frowning.

"Oh, no, it’s fine, it’s fine." The woman snapped out of it. She gave the control panel data a strange look, then said softly, "Machine number twelve is about to free up. Here’s your access card. You can go in as soon as the current user comes out."

Feng Hao nodded in understanding and took the access card. "How long is the wait?"

"Less than ten minutes," the woman replied.

"That’s not bad." Feng Hao nodded slightly, then dragged the completely dumbfounded Houhuiyao toward machine number twelve.

It took Houhuiyao a long moment to recover from his shock. Finally, he asked in disbelief, "Brother Feng, are you really going to stay in there for a month?"

"It’s only a month," Feng Hao said nonchalantly. "By the way, you should head back after I go in. Don’t come and bother me unless it’s something important."

"..." Houhuiyao was struck speechless. ’What does he mean, *only* a month? That’s an entire month!’

Who on earth could last a month inside a Monster Simulator? If the exhaustion didn’t kill you, the boredom would.

DING!

Just then, the door to machine number twelve slid open, and a stunningly beautiful woman in white stepped out. It was Bai Yin of Five Provinces Academy.

Feng Hao didn’t have much of a reaction, just a slight frown. ’What a coincidence,’ he thought.

Houhuiyao, on the other hand, was thrilled. After yesterday’s tournament, he had become one of Bai Yin’s most devoted fans. The moment he saw her, he yelped and rushed over. "Senior Sister Bai Yin, can I have your autograph?"

"And you are?" Bai Yin’s dark brows knitted slightly. She clearly didn’t recognize Houhuiyao.

"My name is Houhuiyao! I’m a first-year in the Apothecary Department! Senior Sister, your performance in the tournament yesterday was absolutely spectacular!" Houhuiyao said, his eyes shining.

"Houhuiyao? That name sounds familiar." Bai Yin pondered for a moment, looking quite charming. Then, as if remembering something, her beautiful eyes widened in surprise. "Oh, you’re that Healing Mage from the two-person team tournament, aren’t you?"

"So you do know me, Senior Sister!" Houhuiyao said, blushing. Feng Hao couldn’t help but roll his eyes.

Bai Yin nodded with a lovely smile, seeming not nearly as aloof as her reputation suggested. "We should team up sometime. I’m quite interested in your healing Secret Technique."

"Really?" Houhuiyao exclaimed excitedly.

"Of course," Bai Yin confirmed with a gentle smile that, combined with her stunning looks, could make a hundred flowers pale in comparison.

Feng Hao couldn’t stand to watch this any longer. He stepped forward with a smirk. "Hey, pretty lady. I hear you’re quite the fighter. How about we have a round sometime?"

"And who are you?" Bai Yin asked, frowning.

Houhuiyao quickly jumped in to explain. "I’m sorry, Senior Sister! My friend here isn’t great with words, please don’t mind him."

Feng Hao’s temper flared when he heard that. ’Isn’t this a blatant case of choosing a pretty face over your bro?’

"Get lost and cool your head somewhere else. You have no right to speak here," Feng Hao said viciously.

"Brother Feng, let’s not get ahead of ourselves, okay? You’re definitely no match for Senior Sister Bai Yin," Houhuiyao said with an expression that screamed, ’I’m saying this for your own good.’

The more Feng Hao listened, the angrier he became. He had dominated the game "Mage" for years, and this was the first time he’d ever been looked down on by a Priest and a Mage. This was the last straw. He shoved Houhuiyao aside and looked at Bai Yin arrogantly. "So? Do you dare to fight me or not?"

"You’re too weak. Come back in a few years," Bai Yin stated calmly.

Her words probably weren’t meant to be insulting, but Feng Hao was livid. ’Damn it,’ he thought, ’I’ve never seen someone look down on a person with such a straight face.’