Many of the younger generation looked at Hugh Reed with eyes full of admiration.

“John Reed cousin, you’ll definitely surpass him.” Next to John Reed, a little girl about his age leaned in and whispered in his ear.

……

“Number forty-three, Rachel Jackson.” The voice of the testing steward rang out, and the little girl beside John Reed brightened up and stepped out from the crowd.

Rachel Jackson, a collateral member of the Luo family. The Jiang family is a small cultivation clan in Pingyang County, with several women married into the Luo family, making them relatives.

As Rachel Jackson stepped out from the crowd, countless eyes focused on her. Though only ten years old, she already had the makings of a beauty and was hailed as the number one beauty among the younger generation of the Luo family.

Of course, the reason she attracted so much attention was not her looks, but her talent and potential.

In last year’s test, her strength was 397 jin. After a year of cultivation, she had already reached the Great Accomplishment stage of Muscle Refining. Her performance was in no way inferior to the number two, Hugh Reed, and perhaps even surpassed him—Hugh Reed’s first-year strength was only a little over 360 jin.

Rachel Jackson walked up to the strength testing stone and threw a punch with her small frame.

Ripples appeared on the surface of the strength testing stone, and a number immediately appeared—899.

“Rachel Jackson, strength: 899 jin, Great Accomplishment of Bone Refining,” the testing steward announced.

“This little girl’s potential is in no way inferior to Hugh Reed.” Someone gasped.

“A genius has emerged from the collateral line. If, in time, this little girl can step onto the path of immortality, the Jiang family’s status in Pingyang County will surely rise greatly,” someone commented.

……

However, the testing steward’s next words instantly silenced everyone: “Number forty-four, John Reed.”

Chapter 002: A Bolt from the Blue

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone’s eyes lit up, all fixed on the upright young boy standing in the center of the martial arena.

Even the other younger generation participants all turned to look at John Reed.

Most of the gazes were filled with envy, though a few carried a hint of jealousy.

With a slight smile on his lips, John Reed walked up to the strength testing stone under everyone’s watchful eyes and threw a punch.

What seemed like a casual punch carried a sharp force that cut through the air and struck the strength testing stone directly, producing a loud bang.

After the bang, the entire place was silent for a third of a second, then erupted in cries of disbelief…

Looking at the four bold digits on the strength testing stone, even the steward standing closest to it felt as if he was seeing things. 2359—this was no longer just a number, but the hope of the Luo family. He had never seen anyone in the Luo family achieve such a result at this age.

“John Reed, strength: 2,359 jin, Minor Accomplishment of Blood Exchange.” Amidst the exclamations, the steward finally read out this earth-shattering number.

The place erupted—the guests all around were in an uproar.

Last year, in his first year, John Reed had already shocked everyone present with a strength of over 900 jin. No one expected that after just one year, he would become even more monstrous.

In just one year, his strength had soared by more than 1,400 jin.

Other younger generation members, even after five or six years of cultivation, would struggle to reach this number. Even those with outstanding talent hadn’t managed to increase their strength by 1,400 jin in three years, but John Reed had done it in just one.

“This child is even more brilliant than his father!” William Watson sent a voice transmission to Timothy Foster.

Timothy Foster frowned slightly but said nothing.

Everyone present looked at John Reed as if he were a monster. At only ten years old, he possessed over 2,300 jin of strength and had reached the Minor Accomplishment stage of Blood Exchange. Not just in Pingyang County—even in the entire jurisdiction of Jiangyue City, it would be hard to find anyone comparable.

Especially among the younger generation of the Luo family, both direct and collateral lines, all looked at John Reed with faces full of admiration.

Even if there were jealous glances, there was even more envy.

On the path of cultivation, while there are late bloomers who achieve greatness later on, the vast majority take the lead step by step, and one’s potential can be seen early on.

Cultivation begins with martial arts, and in the two realms of martial arts, the Body Tempering Realm involves only physical training, so strength increases slowly. But once one reaches the True Qi Realm, strength will skyrocket—within a year, it can increase by tens of thousands of jin.

Therefore, whoever can quickly increase their strength in the Body Tempering Realm can step into the True Qi Realm earlier, and their strength will soar ahead, widening the gap with those behind.

With John Reed’s trend of increasing his strength by over a thousand jin in a year, stepping into the True Qi Realm next year is almost a certainty.

Once he enters the True Qi Realm and his strength skyrockets, in next year’s test, John Reed’s strength might exceed 5,000 jin, or even reach six or seven thousand, perhaps even eight or nine thousand…

These underage juniors will only be able to see his back.

“Number forty-five, Jane Taylor.”

The steward’s voice continued, but everyone’s attention was still focused on John Reed.

Behind where John Reed had been standing, a short figure stepped forward.