“Sigh…” David Newman let out a long sigh, his expression full of disappointment.

　　“However.” Ethan Lewis changed the subject, frowning as he said, “William Newman’s vitality is extremely strong. I noticed it during the lottery assembly—he’s stronger and more robust than all the other children his age. His flesh and bones are very resilient. If you take away the factor of spiritual power and compare only physical strength and brute force, in this generation of the The Newman Family, I’m afraid no one can match him.”

　　“What’s the use of that?” Grace Newman said bitterly, “Those children are still young now, but once they grow a bit older and can understand adults, they’ll all start cultivating spiritual power. Spiritual power is the true foundation of a cultivator’s strength, the real source of power. How far can he go relying on brute strength alone?”

　　“That’s my concern as well,” David Newman added. “Those children with special spiritual attributes in their bodies can cultivate techniques that match their attributes, and they’ll progress rapidly, establishing a solid foundation early on. Only such children have a chance to reach the ninth level of Qi Refining by the age of fifteen and thus attract the attention of your Hillcrest Order.”

　　“For someone like William Newman, who hasn’t shown any obvious cultivation attribute, his cultivation speed will naturally be much slower. This means that by the age of fifteen, it’s almost impossible for him to reach the ninth level of Qi Refining. The gates of Hillcrest Order will be permanently closed to him, and he’ll never be able to go to your Hillcrest Order to cultivate. His life will be limited to our The Newman Family.”

　　Ethan Lewis walked up to David Newman, patted him comfortingly on the shoulder, and said earnestly, “Not entering Hillcrest Order may not be a bad thing. Many of the talented youths in our Hillcrest Order have died young. To reach the pinnacle, every step is fraught with danger, and only those with great fortune can survive each trial.”

　　“For someone like William Newman, living a peaceful life may not be a misfortune.”

　　These words from Ethan Lewis made David Newman think of his deceased daughter Emily Newman again, and his heart ached, leaving him speechless.

　　“Now that things are settled here, I’ll be returning to Hillcrest Order. When little junior sister was on the mountain, I was the one who guided her on behalf of our master. I care for her deeply. Rest assured, brother, I will keep searching for the one who harmed her, and I’ll inform you as soon as I have any news.”

　　With that, Ethan Lewis patted David Newman’s shoulder again before turning and leaving.

　　“Thank you for your kindness, Mr. Liu,” David Newman said gratefully.

　　“Thank you, Mr. Liu,” Grace Newman quickly added.

　　The two wanted to see him off, but when they reached the door, they found that Ethan Lewis was already walking faster and soon disappeared from sight.

　　“Mr. Liu has always treated us well,” David Newman mused for a moment, frowning. “If it weren’t for Mr. Liu today, those clan members… I’m afraid they wouldn’t have let William Newman off so easily.”

　　“After little Tian and I left, did those people…?” Grace Newman said angrily.

　　David Newman nodded slowly. “Of course they made a fuss. Each of them seized on the excuse that William Newman isn’t a direct descendant of the The Newman Family, saying he made trouble at the lottery assembly and insisting I punish him. Fortunately, Mr. Liu spoke up for us, so they didn’t dare press further. Otherwise, even I wouldn’t have been able to handle it.”

　　“It’s a pity Mr. Liu has left and won’t come often in the future,” Grace Newman sighed.

　　“As long as I am still the head of the The Newman Family, I won’t allow them to act recklessly!” David Newman snorted.

　　“I just fear, I fear, Father, that you won’t be able to hold that position for much longer,” Grace Newman said with a bitter smile.

　　“I’ll hold on for as long as I can. I must get justice for you and Jin’er!” David Newman said resolutely. With these words, he too left.

　　Watching his fading heroic figure, Grace Newman’s face was full of sorrow as she sat down in a daze at the door.

　　Inside the house, William Newman was still sleeping. The traces of spiritual light left on his body from Ethan Lewis’s examination lingered for a long time.

　　William Newman’s skin and flesh, under the nourishment of those spiritual lights, quivered slightly like ripples on water.

　　With every slight tremor of his flesh, the spiritual light would dim a little, as if it were being greedily absorbed and refined by his body.

　　None of this was known to Ethan Lewis, David Newman, or Grace Newman.

　　Usually, William Newman would only nap for half an hour.

　　But today, he slept unusually long—two full hours. Only when there was no trace of spiritual light or fluctuation left on his body did he wake up feeling completely refreshed.

Chapter 5: Undefeated Record

　　Time flowed like water; nine years passed in a flash.

　　In the early morning, as the sun rose, many of the younger generation of the The Newman Family gathered in the square—some sat cross-legged, quietly absorbing the faint spiritual energy of heaven and earth, while others honed their combat skills with swift punches and kicks.

　　In one corner of the spacious square, a group of The Newman Family children around ten years old clenched their fists, each of them glaring resentfully toward the stone path to the east.

　　“He’s only at the third level of Qi Refining. I don’t believe he can keep winning! Yesterday, I just broke through again. Today, I’m definitely going to teach him a lesson!” Nine years later, the ten-year-old Charles Newman, relying on the pearl he obtained at the lottery assembly years ago, had already cultivated to the sixth level of Qi Refining. As he spoke through gritted teeth, sparks of electricity flickered at the tips of his left fingers.

　　“Brother Hong, he knows you broke through again. He probably won’t dare show up today, right?” Matthew Newman said.

　　“No, he’ll definitely come. I know him!” Charles Newman shook his head.