Chapter 19: Trouble Arrives

"The Top Ten Prodigies of the Great Cang!" Wang Yu couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

When he had first descended into this world, he had assumed that being one of the Top Ten Prodigies of the Great Cang was a sign of immense power. Later, however, he realized that compared to rankings compiled jointly by renowned scholars and the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion—such as the Dragon-Tiger Wind and Cloud List, the Hundred Flowers and Thousand Charms List, the Name-Sword Register, and the Weaponry Catalog—this "Top Ten Prodigies" list, which lacked any official backing, was significantly lacking in substance.

The so-called Top Ten Prodigies were not ranked by martial prowess, but rather by a combination of family background, literary talent, martial arts, age, and achievements attained thus far. Consequently, being named one of the Top Ten Prodigies did not truly signify that Wang Yu was one of the ten most outstanding young people in the Great Cang, nor did it mean he was definitively stronger than others in any particular field.

"That is correct; I am indeed Wang Yu," Wang Yu replied with a modest smile, his tone leisurely.

"It really is Young Master Yu!" The moment Wang Yu acknowledged his identity, it immediately stirred a commotion among the onlookers. A few young admirers even seemed to have hearts appearing in their eyes. Although Wang Yu no longer placed much stock in the title of "Top Ten Prodigy," for others—especially the youths present—this title still carried significant weight.

"I wonder how Brother Xiao came to know of me?" Wang Yu asked with feigned curiosity. Even though he didn't know the man's purpose in stopping him, he had to play along. If the man had a hidden agenda, his true colors would eventually surface. Moreover, it was a rare opportunity to encounter someone connected to the Imperial Guard; he couldn't let it slip by. He hadn't forgotten that he had yet to begin his mission of investigating the mastermind behind the selection process.

"When I was young, I had the honor of accompanying my father to the Eastern Frontier, and I caught a glimpse of you from afar! I never imagined I would have the chance to run into you here in the capital city," Xiao Buyu said, as if lost in memory.

"Young Master, I have a somewhat presumptuous request. Would you be willing to grant it?" Xiao Buyu’s tone shifted, sounding slightly hesitant.

*Finally, you're showing your fox's tail,* Wang Yu thought, becoming both expectant and vigilant.

"Brother Xiao, please, speak your mind!" Wang Yu said with hearty enthusiasm, clapping Xiao Buyu on the shoulder.

"I have long heard that your martial arts are astonishing—having broken into the First-Rate realm at the age of thirteen, with hardly any among the younger generation who can compare. I wonder if I might spar with you to learn a thing or two, and perhaps identify my own shortcomings?" Xiao Buyu cupped his hands in a salute, his expression appearing troubled.

*Hardly any who can compare.* Upon hearing those words, Wang Yu took a deep, deliberate look at Xiao Buyu. This statement sounded like praise, ranking him at the pinnacle of the younger generation, but it was anything but a compliment; it was a subtle way of inciting enemies against him. If these words reached the ears of others, it would surely spell trouble for him sooner or later, even if they suspected it was merely a provocation. Furthermore, he suspected there was more to this young man’s motives than just that.

"I hear that Xiao Buyu is quite a formidable expert among the youth in the capital. At Young Master Yu's current age, I fear he may not be his match," the bystanders whispered among themselves.

Indeed, Xiao Buyu was nearly eighteen, while Wang Yu was only fifteen. While a difference of two or three years might seem small, the period between sixteen and twenty was one of the fastest stages of progression for a martial artist. For many external-style martial artists, strength often reached its peak between twenty and twenty-five, as the body reached its prime. This was especially critical for them; while internal-style martial artists often grew stronger with age as their internal energy deepened, external-style practitioners faced physical decline after a certain age, potentially causing their strength to wane.

Thus, for those focusing on external arts, this was a period of rapid advancement. Unlike Wang Yu, who practiced both internal and external arts as was common for noble families, Xiao Buyu, coming from the Imperial Guard, likely prioritized external techniques; even if he possessed internal energy, it was surely far inferior to his external prowess.

"Surely a martial artist of your caliber isn't afraid of someone as lowly as me?" Perhaps seeing Wang Yu lost in thought, Xiao Buyu began to use a goading tactic.

*Trying to make me lose face,* Wang Yu thought to himself. Given his reputation as one of the Top Ten Prodigies, if he lost this bout, the higher he stood, the harder he would fall.

*How laughable,* Wang Yu thought with disdain. Had this been before, Xiao Buyu might have had a chance. But he had just acquired his second skill, and his strength had increased significantly.

"System, analyze this person's attributes!" Wang Yu decided to play it safe.

"Ding! Xiao Buyu: Command 62, Martial Arts 94, Intelligence 71, Politics 58, Charisma 79. Note: This character's current attributes have not reached their peak."

"System, can you not detect his peak attributes?" Wang Yu pressed.

"Ding! Since the Host and the System arrived in this world, the destinies of individuals have shifted, and the future cannot be predicted."

"System, will the future attributes of summoned characters also change?" Wang Yu asked out of curiosity. If the destinies of local characters had changed, what about those from the System?

"Ding! Once a System character manifests, if they undergo sufficient tempering, they may break through their own limits and advance further. However, the higher the attribute, the more difficult it is to breakthrough. Beyond the level of a Divine General, it becomes as difficult as ascending to the heavens."

Wang Yu understood this logic. Taking martial arts as an example, the difficulty of breaking through for someone with 80 base martial arts versus someone with 100 was clearly on a different scale, let alone beyond 105. If breaking through were that simple, there would be a crowd of 110s everywhere!

Judging by Xiao Buyu's attributes, his talent for martial arts was indeed not bad. After all, Meng Tian’s current base martial arts was 95, with a peak of 103, while Zhao Yun’s current was 97, with a peak of 104. Since Meng Tian and Zhao Yun were of a similar age to Xiao Buyu, it was highly probable that Xiao Buyu would eventually advance to the Heavenly Rank.

"Brother Xiao, a spar is certainly acceptable. However, fists and feet have no eyes; it would be a pity if I were to injure you," Wang Yu said with a faint, modest smile, though his words carried a sharp, confrontational edge.

"Young Master is too kind. Injuries are unavoidable in a spar; that is of no consequence," Xiao Buyu replied nonchalantly, though Wang Yu caught a fleeting, dangerous glint in his eyes.

Seeing that dangerous spark, Wang Yu thought with disdain: *Don't even mention the fact that he lacks the ability—even if he did, would he dare to do anything to me in such a public setting?*