"Yi Lower."
The test elder's calm voice echoed across the training courtyard.
For several breaths...
Nobody reacted.
Then the entire courtyard erupted.
"What?"
"Yi Lower?"
"How is that possible?"
"Are you sure?"
Countless gazes immediately gathered upon Chen Hao.
The young man himself stood completely frozen.
He stared at the elderly test elder in disbelief, as though he hadn't understood the words.
Yi Lower.
Those two words were far more significant than the time he had spent reaching Skin Refining.
Within the Thunderbolt Martial Hall, Root Bone aptitude was divided into four major classifications.
Jia.
Yi.
Bing.
Ding.
Each was further divided into Upper, Middle and Lower grades.
Although other factors such as comprehension, physique and compatibility with specific martial arts also mattered, Root Bone remained one of the most important indicators of a martial artist's future potential.
And Yi...
Was already considered an excellent aptitude.
Even Yi Lower was enough to attract considerable attention.
Yet everyone knew Chen Hao.
For nearly three months, he had struggled desperately just to enter Skin Refining.
Many disciples had assumed his Root Bone must be extremely poor.
Some had even mocked him for wasting resources.
Now...
The result completely overturned everything they believed.
An outer disciple who had spent almost three months reaching Skin Refining had unexpectedly possessed Yi Lower Root Bone.
Someone behind the crowd swallowed nervously.
"Maybe..."
"Maybe the elder made a mistake?"
Another disciple immediately raised his voice.
"That's right!"
"Test him again!"
"The result must be wrong!"
His voice quickly spread through the courtyard.
"Retest!"
"Retest him!"
"I've been here for years and I've never heard of someone with Yi Root Bone progressing this slowly!"
The crowd became increasingly noisy.
Some genuinely couldn't believe the result.
Others...
Were simply unwilling to accept it.
After all, several of those people had mocked Chen Hao before.
Some had even bullied him.
If Chen Hao truly possessed Yi Root Bone and entered the inner hall...
Their previous actions could easily become a problem.
Lou Feng's brows immediately furrowed.
He stepped forward.
"Quiet!"
His voice wasn't particularly loud.
Yet the moment his powerful body refining realm boosted his voice as it spread through the courtyard, the surrounding noise abruptly weakened.
Lou Feng calmly looked across the disciples.
"The test elder has been responsible for Root Bone examinations for many years."
"Do you think he would make such an obvious mistake?"
The courtyard gradually fell silent.
Nobody dared answer.
The elderly test elder looked toward Lou Feng.
A faint approving expression appeared within his eyes.
This young instructor...
Was quite amicable.
He understood that Lou Feng wasn't merely protecting him.
He was also preventing the disciples from creating unnecessary trouble.
The test elder gently stroked his beard.
"Since everyone is so concerned..."
"We'll test him again."
Chen Hao immediately stood straight.
The elder placed his fingers against Chen Hao's wrist before slowly circulating a trace of Internal Energy through his body.
He carefully examined his bones.
Then his tendons.
His muscles.
His skeletal structure.
After several breaths...
The elder withdrew his hand.
"Yi Lower."
The same result.
The courtyard became completely silent.
This time...
Nobody dared question him.
The expressions of those who had demanded the retest gradually became ugly.
One person quietly stepped backward.
Then another.
Those who had previously mocked Chen Hao suddenly found themselves surrounded by people distancing themselves from them.
It was almost comical.
The same disciples who had laughed at him yesterday...
Were now desperately trying to prove they had nothing to do with him.
Chen Hao quietly watched the scene.
His expression remained calm.
There was no anger.
No satisfaction.
No arrogance.
He had already experienced enough human ugliness during his three months in the outer courtyard.
He had seen how quickly people changed their attitudes according to strength and status.
Therefore...
He wasn't surprised.
The test elder looked toward Chen Hao.
"According to the Thunderbolt Martial Hall's rules..."
"Those possessing Yi Lower Root Bone or above may enter the inner hall directly."
"Chen Hao."
"From today onward..."
"You are an inner disciple of the Thunderbolt Martial Hall."
Boom!
The words struck the courtyard like thunder.
Several disciples' faces immediately turned pale.
Inner disciple.
The words alone carried enormous weight.
The resources available to inner disciples were completely different from those available to outer disciples.
Better cultivation environments.
Better martial arts.
Better teachers.
Better medicinal resources.
Most importantly...
An inner disciple had already stepped onto a completely different path within the martial hall.
Chen Hao's fists slowly tightened.
He had once believed that merely becoming an outer disciple would be enough to change his fate.
He had never imagined...
That he would enter the inner hall directly.
"Thank you, Elder."
His voice remained steady.
The test elder nodded.
"Work hard."
"Don't waste your Root Bone."
"I won't."
Chen Hao bowed respectfully.
The moment the announcement spread...
The surrounding disciples immediately changed.
"Senior Brother Chen!"
"Congratulations!"
"I knew your talent was extraordinary from the beginning!"
"Senior Brother Chen, we've trained together for months. If you ever need anything..."
The fawning began almost instantly.
Chen Hao looked at them quietly.
He remembered their previous expressions.
Their laughter.
Their insults.
Their contempt.
His expression remained indifferent.
He simply cupped his fists.
"Thank you."
Nothing more.
Lou Feng watched from the side.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
Who would have thought?
A few words of guidance had unintentionally helped him gain an ally who would soon enter the inner hall.
That could become extremely useful.
Especially considering his current mission.
Although he had joined the Thunderbolt Martial Hall under an external martial arts instructor identity, gathering information wouldn't be easy.
The inner hall...
Was where the true disciples of the martial hall gathered.
Chen Hao's position would naturally allow him to see things that ordinary outer disciples couldn't.
Lou Feng wasn't planning to use the young man.
But having a trustworthy connection within the inner hall...
Was certainly beneficial.
Not long afterward, an elder arrived.
He looked toward the test elder before turning toward Lou Feng and Chen Hao.
"Come with me."
Chen Hao immediately followed.
Lou Feng naturally walked alongside him.
They passed through several courtyards before reaching a heavily guarded entrance.
Two martial artists stood there.
Their bodies were thick and powerful.
Even while standing still, their Qi-Blood continuously circulated beneath their skin.
Lou Feng's eyes narrowed slightly.
Muscle Refining.
The guards alone possessed cultivation considerably higher than the average outer disciple.
As they entered...
The difference became even more obvious.
The inner courtyard was several times quieter than the outer courtyard.
There were no noisy arguments.
No disciples casually sparring everywhere.
Instead...
Every person seemed to be focused on cultivation.
Some stood beneath trees practicing fist techniques.
Others sat cross-legged while circulating their Qi-Blood.
A few were practicing sword techniques in an open training ground.
Lou Feng's Mental Perception quietly swept across the surroundings.
Muscle Refining.
Muscle Refining.
Muscle Refining.
Then...
Tendon Refining.
His expression remained unchanged.
But inwardly, he couldn't help acknowledging the difference.
The quality of the inner hall's disciples was vastly superior to the outer courtyard.
The elder led Chen Hao toward a small registration hall.
A middle-aged administrator immediately stood.
"New inner disciple?"
"Yes."
The elder handed over the test record.
The administrator glanced at it.
Then...
His expression changed slightly.
"Yi Lower?"
"Yes."
The administrator immediately became more serious.
He looked toward Chen Hao.
"Name?"
"Chen Hao."
"Age?"
"Sixteen."
"Previous cultivation?"
"Skin Refining."
The administrator paused.
"Skin Refining?"
"Yes."
The man's expression became slightly strange.
He looked toward the elder.
The elder merely smiled.
"His Root Bone was tested twice."
"Both times..."
"Yi Lower."
The administrator nodded slowly.
"I understand."
He quickly began registering Chen Hao's information.
As he wrote, he explained,
"With Yi Lower Root Bone, you are guaranteed to reach at least Bone Refining provided you cultivate normally."
Chen Hao's eyes brightened.
Bone Refining.
Previously...
That realm had seemed impossibly distant.
Now someone was telling him that it was practically guaranteed.
The administrator continued.
"Those possessing Jia Root Bone are extremely rare."
"Even within the entire Dongtai Prefecture, such people might not appear for several years."
"Therefore, Yi Root Bone is already considered an extremely valuable discovery."
Chen Hao listened silently.
The elder nodded.
"This is one reason the martial hall has expanded recruitment this year."
"Most recruits will possess ordinary aptitude."
"But occasionally..."
"Someone like him will appear."
The administrator smiled.
"Indeed."
"For the martial hall..."
"That's quite a bargain."
Lou Feng quietly observed Chen Hao.
The young man's expression remained calm.
But his clenched fists revealed the excitement hidden beneath his composure.
For years...
He had believed that he was simply destined to remain ordinary.
He had worked at a butcher's shop.
Saved every coin.
Entered the martial hall with almost all his wealth.
Then struggled for three months just to reach Skin Refining.
Yet today...
Everything had changed.
Not because someone had handed him wealth.
Not because someone had pitied him.
But because the Root Bone hidden within his body had finally been discovered.
The elder closed the registration record.
"From today onward..."
"Chen Hao, you are officially an inner disciple of the Thunderbolt Martial Hall."
Chen Hao bowed deeply.
"This disciple understands."
The elder nodded before looking toward Lou Feng.
"Instructor Lou."
"Yes?"
"Your disciple's future..."
"May be worth watching."
Lou Feng smiled faintly.
"He'll have to walk it himself."
Chen Hao looked toward him.