Chapter 93: A Strange Talent

Dolan Yushan smiled and said, "That's all ancient history. Now, the one representing my Father Emperor roaming the Innerverse is Wendy. She's doing quite well in the Council."

Barzel smiled. "Councilor Wendy is not someone I can casually discuss. My apologies."

Dolan Yushan smiled and didn't mind.

"Are these the elites of your Great Yu Empire? So weak," a discordant voice sounded, coming from the Limiteer Realm man beside Barzel.

Dolan Yushan's expression didn't change. He glanced past Barzel and looked at the crowd from the Martial Hall.

Barzel snapped, "Shut up! Our Council is only responsible for assessment, not for training."

"Yes, my lord," the Limiteer Realm man replied in a low voice.

Lu Yin stood among the court officials to one side, looking at the Martial Hall crowd. There were many acquaintances among them; Las and Mo Nuo were there, but Zhang Dingtian and the others were not.

"That Big Guy looks very powerful," Tao Xiang said in surprise, appearing from nowhere beside Lu Yin.

Lu Yin was startled. "Why are you here?"

"Came to take a look. I heard some formidable people showed up," Tao Xiang said.

"Didn't His Majesty notify you?" Lu Yin found it strange.

Tao Xiang shook her head. "No."

A glint flashed in Lu Yin's eyes, but he said nothing.

On the other side, Barzel was curious. "Crown Prince Dolan, I heard the Martial Hall has Five Great Hall Masters. Why do I not see them?"

Dolan Yushan looked embarrassed. "The Martial Hall's Hall Masters will be out shortly. Please wait a moment."

A hint of coldness flashed in Barzel's eyes. He nodded, his gaze sweeping around, then suddenly fixing on Tao Xiang. This woman gave him an extremely dangerous feeling. She was clearly a little girl, so why was that? Crown Prince Dolan beside her was a Cruiser Realm expert, yet even he couldn't give him such a sense of danger.

"Crown Prince Dolan, may I ask who that little girl is?" Barzel asked.

Dolan Yushan followed Barzel's gaze and said casually, "She is the captain of the Sixth Squad of our Great Yu Empire's Imperial Court's Thirteen Squads, Tao Xiang."

"I've heard the Great Yu Empire has the Imperial Court's Thirteen Squads, and their captains are all absolute experts. Why did I not see them in court?" Barzel's tone was not very friendly.

Dolan Yushan smiled nonchalantly. "The Imperial Court's Thirteen Squads have the special privilege of not needing to attend court. Besides, they are not of the younger generation. Captain Tao Xiang may look young, but in reality, she is also a hundred years old. Councilor Barzel need not mind."

"Oh, so that's how it is." Hearing that the other party was over a hundred years old, Barzel finally relaxed. Otherwise, if even a little loli was that strong, it would be too bizarre.

At this moment, at the entrance of the martial arena, five figures appeared one after another and entered. The one in the lead was Shuz, shirtless, carrying a red battle saber on his back, his face filled with a harsh aura.

Barzel and his group, who were originally uninterested in the Martial Hall elites, now had their eyes light up. This one was a bit interesting. Although he was only in the Melting Realm, the feeling he gave them was enough to fight against an ordinary Outerverse Limiteer Realm expert.

Seeing the group arrive, Dolan Yushan breathed a sigh of relief. Although the Martial Hall's members were disciples, the Martial Hall held a special status in the Great Yu Empire. Like the Youth Council, they were a group of disciples, yet they were independent of the power system and even held authority. This was the trend of countless years of development in the universe: the rejuvenation of power. No one dared to look down on these students. Even Dolan Yushan, as the Crown Prince, could not interfere in the Martial Hall.

The utility and practicality of the Physique Tempering Art had made it inevitable for the younger generation to take power. The youth developed too quickly with the Physique Tempering Art, enough to contend with the older generation. The appearance of the Ten Arbiters was the clearest example. Especially in recent years, for some unknown reason, young experts had become increasingly terrifying, far surpassing previous generations, leaving countless people unable to understand.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince, we have arrived," Shuz said in a low tone. He was speaking to Dolan Yushan, but his eyes were fixed on Barzel.

Dolan Yushan smiled. "These gentlemen are the councilors from the Outerverse Youth Council, who will be supervising the empire's youth in the future."

Shuz, Gurbach, and the others looked at Barzel, their eyes filled with shock. This Barzel was at most ten years older than them, still in the ranks of the youth, yet he was a Star-Wandering Realm expert, giving them a pressure that made it hard to breathe.

Barzel glanced at them faintly. In the Melting Realm, they were considered not bad. But, just not bad.

"No wonder Councilor Wendy didn't want to re-establish the Great Yu Empire's Youth Council and instead had Lord Barzel come to supervise. There really is no talent," Gui Huo, who had been silent all this time, now spoke up, his tone full of provocation.

As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of everyone from the Great Yu Empire turned ugly, including Dolan Yushan. Wendy Yushan had been ordered to re-establish the empire's Youth Council but had bluntly said there was no talent. This was a humiliation for the Great Yu Empire, and for this person to say it in front of everyone made the empire lose face.

Barzel did not stop him. It was the truth.

Shuz glared at Gui Huo. "Who are you?"

Gui Huo, with his pale face, sneered. "Gui Huo, a junior councilor of the Outerverse Youth Council."

Shuz's eyes showed shock, and the others were stunned. This Gui Huo was only in the Reaching Realm, yet he had joined the Outerverse Youth Council? Absolutely terrifying. At the very least, Shuz, as the strongest of the Great Yu Empire's younger generation, was not qualified. This didn't mean Shuz was not Gui Huo's opponent, but it was about talent. This person definitely possessed a terrifying talent.

"You don't believe me by the looks of it? You lot are all in the Melting Realm. I can play with you, no need to suppress my realm," Gui Huo said arrogantly.

A glint flashed in Dolan Yushan's eyes, and he glanced at Barzel.

Barzel clearly had no intention of stopping him, his gaze indifferent.

"Such big words. In that case, I will represent the Martial Hall and fight you," Tian Ming stepped out, his expression solemn.

Shuz said calmly, "Suppress your realm."

"I said, no need. Realm is also a type of strength. Did you think battles in your country all have to be between equals? Out there, no one will talk to you about fairness," Gui Huo said with disdain.

In the distance, Lu Yin was surprised. He had witnessed the strength of the Five Great Hall Masters like Tian Ming; with his own strength, he was no match for them. After all, those people were the Hall Masters of the Martial Hall, absolute peaks of the Melting Realm. Yet this Gui Huo wanted to challenge them with the strength of the Reaching Realm. If he really won, that would be terrifying.

Everyone spread out. Tian Ming's expression was grave as he stared at Gui Huo. For this person to dare challenge him, he must be prepared. Barzel was no fool either; allowing him to fight proved he had confidence. Based on what? He was just a Reaching Realm cultivator.

"You may make your move," Tian Ming said.

Gui Huo sneered, raising his hand. A ball of black flame floated there. Everyone was surprised. A talent, a black flame talent.

The corner of Barzel's mouth lifted as he looked at Gui Huo with admiration. This person had joined them by virtue of this very talent, becoming a peak existence among the young and powerful.

With a whoosh, the black flame formed a chain and whipped towards Tian Ming, burning the void along its path and distorting the air. Tian Ming didn't dare to make contact carelessly. He raised his hand, his palm turning into a claw, and immediately executed 20 forms of the Heavenly Beast Claw. A beast's roar echoed in the void as the Heavenly Beast Claw swiped past the flame chain and slammed heavily onto the ground. Dust flew up, and everyone stared intently at the arena.

They saw Tian Ming with a look of surprise. His attack had no effect.

Opposite him, Gui Huo brandished the black flame chain and whipped it at Tian Ming again. The chain tore up the ground, attempting to seal the space around Tian Ming.

Tian Ming's body shot towards Gui Huo at high speed, and he struck out with a palm. "Triple Impact!"

Three consecutive explosions rang out as the same force was stacked in three attacks. A shockwave swept across the area, and the pressure forced the Martial Hall elites to retreat in unison, looking at the arena in horror. This was Tian Ming's strength, enough to suppress all the Martial Hall elites by himself. Unfortunately, Gui Huo, who should have been hit, was completely unharmed, standing in his original spot, looking at Tian Ming arrogantly, the black flame chain still burning in his hand.

Everyone looked at this scene in shock. The Martial Hall's Hall Master, Tian Ming, was actually unable to land a blow on that person.

Dolan Yushan's pupils contracted. "This is... a conversion between substance and form. This person's talent allows him to instantly convert his body into a special state, avoiding physical attacks. Is that right, Councilor Barzel?"

Barzel was amazed. "As expected of Crown Prince Dolan. That's right. Gui Huo's flame is called the Fire of Nothingness. It allows him to burn himself to almost nothing and then reassemble. Although the time is very short, it's enough to avoid physical attacks."

"What a great talent. No wonder he could join the Outerverse Youth Council as a Reaching Realm cultivator. With such a talent, he is invincible in the Reaching Realm," Dolan Yushan said, shaken.

On the other side, Tao Xiang gave the same explanation and continued, "Some cultivators with supremely powerful talents can develop their talents to a terrifying degree, switching between tangible and intangible at will, even replacing the sun, moon, stars, and natural disasters. This Gui Huo is far from reaching that level, but the special nature of his talent has determined that his future is limitless. The universe is truly magical; it has all kinds of people."

Lu Yin narrowed his eyes and thought to himself, "A switch between tangible and intangible? It's quite similar to that person. But that person didn't rely on the special nature of their talent, but on development—true development to an extreme and terrifying degree. This Gui Huo is still far from that. But in the Reaching Realm, this person is very difficult to defeat. No wonder he dares to challenge a Martial Hall Master while being in a lower realm. This kind of talent is hard to lose against."