There were originally quite a few students in the cultivation room, and they had all witnessed the entire incident. Now, when they looked at Brian Carter, there was a clear sense of awe in their eyes. After all, Brian Carter's sudden attack just now, with its thunderous and intimidating momentum, was simply overwhelming.

Amidst the students' hushed discussions, there were also many looks of regret. These students all knew about Brian Carter's locked meridians—he had talent, but was unable to advance to bloodline awakening. It truly was a pity.

Chapter Four: The Birthday Invitation

Brian Carter left the cultivation room and went alone to a nearby room, which was a place to test one's strength. After what had just happened, although Brian Carter was already sure that his strength had increased, he still wanted to undergo an accurate test to get a precise result.

When he came out of the room, Brian Carter's face was openly joyful, because the test showed that his strength had increased by a large margin compared to before. The force of his punch had already reached eight hundred jin, which was the level of a Level Eight Power User.

Brian Carter thought about how he had promised Edward Clark yesterday to participate in the academy's Power User Ranking Competition. He turned and headed toward the grade director's office, since signing up for the competition required the grade director's approval.

There was still some time before the competition. If he worked hard to train in the virtual space and made it into the top three in the final competition, it wasn't impossible.

……

"You want to participate in the Power User Ranking Competition?"

Grade director Richard Harris pushed up the thick, black-framed chip glasses on his nose, a look of surprise in his eyes. "The reward for the top three in this Power User Ranking is a Blood Spirit Fruit, which can help a Level Nine Power User awaken their bloodline. Your meridians are sealed— even if you get it, it won't be of any use to you at all. It would just be a waste of a Blood Spirit Fruit..."

Looking at Richard Harris's posturing, Brian Carter was already quite annoyed inside, but he still smiled and said, "This competition is being held by Jinyun Academy for all Power User students. As long as you're a Power User at Jinyun Academy, you can participate. As for whether the Blood Spirit Fruit will be useful to me if I win it, or how I choose to handle it, that should be my own business..."

Richard Harris frowned, a hint of displeasure in his eyes. Brian Carter's words sounded like self-justification, but there was also a subtle underlying meaning.

As for Brian Carter, Richard Harris looked down on him in his heart. Brian Carter and his father depended on each other, and neither of them were locals. His father wasn't a martial artist, but ran a small grocery store. As for Brian Carter's mother, she had never been seen—Richard Harris even suspected that Brian Carter's mother might already be dead.

An ordinary poor family, meridians sealed and unable to break through, destined for an ordinary life.

People like this naturally weren't worth Richard Harris's attention.

Now he wanted to participate in this ranking competition. While Richard Harris was annoyed, he also added four words in his mind: asking for humiliation.

Even though Brian Carter's strength wasn't bad—Level Seven Power User, ranked eighth on the Power User Ranking—wanting to make it into the top three and win the Blood Spirit Fruit was simply wishful thinking.

Although in battle, strength alone doesn't always determine the outcome, which of those ranked didn't earn their place through real fights?

Seeing Brian Carter argue his case, Richard Harris sneered inwardly and said no more, just nodded, "Alright, I'll sign you up."

Brian Carter smiled politely. "Thank you, Director Harris."

Leaving the director's office, Brian Carter was about to return to his dormitory when he saw a familiar face.

Grace Howard.

Beside Grace Howard was a handsome and elegant young man, also one of Jinyun Academy's prominent figures, named Samuel White.

Samuel White was smiling and saying something to Grace Howard. Grace Howard wore a faint, reserved smile—neither so distant as to push people away, nor so close as to feel intimate, but with a subtle sense of distance.

Grace Howard's gaze fell on Brian Carter as he walked out of the director's office, and her eyes lit up with surprise as she called out, "Brian Carter..."

Brian Carter touched his nose and smiled lightly. Seeing the slight confusion in Grace Howard's eyes, he took the initiative to explain, "I came to sign up for the Power User Ranking Competition..."

A completely unrestrained, happy smile appeared on Grace Howard's face. This smile was entirely different from the reserved one she wore earlier—it was heartfelt, like a beautiful flower in full bloom, its radiance enough to make one's heart flutter.

Samuel White saw the smile blossoming on Grace Howard's face, and his eyes instantly filled with intense jealousy. This guy was just a Power User, and one whose meridians were sealed, destined never to awaken his bloodline, from a poor and struggling family. Why was Grace Howard so warm toward him, her smile so genuine, while toward himself, though she wasn't cold, her smile clearly held a sense of distance?

The Yun family was a renowned business family in Zilan City, running industries such as forging, textiles, potions, and auctions. They were famous and respected throughout Zilan City and even the entire Zishan County. Grace Howard was the beloved youngest daughter of the Yun family head, who had several sons but only this one daughter.