Do geniuses need others to believe in them?

That group of "divine" family members from the Lin family had finally left.

Lin Yuan let out a long sigh of relief.

The entire world was finally quiet.

In the backyard, the peace and tranquility that belonged solely to him returned once more.

The sunlight was just right, and the breeze was gentle.

He lay back down in that creaky Grandmaster's chair and closed his eyes.

This... this is life.

Fighting and killing was just too exhausting.

Saving the world was too much trouble.

Being a quiet "salted fish" suited his temperament best.

However...

This comfort did not last long.

A slightly hurried yet hesitant sound of footsteps broke the silence of the courtyard.

Lin Yuan's brow furrowed imperceptibly.

Why was someone else here?

Could they not let a person have a proper afternoon nap?

He didn't even bother to lift his eyelids; he just thought irritably that if the visitor didn't have anything important, he would just kick them out.

“Lin Yuan.”

A crisp female voice, tinged with complex emotions, rang out in the courtyard.

It was Gu Ningxue.

Today, she wore a sharp martial arts uniform that perfectly outlined her curvaceous and explosive figure.

However, her expression at this moment was far from as confident as the curves of her body.

That usually proud face was filled with shock, confusion, and... a sense of defeat she hadn't even noticed herself.

“I really didn't expect...”

Gu Ningxue looked at the man lying in the chair, who seemed to have fallen fast asleep, took a deep breath, and spoke with a dry voice.

“You... are actually this powerful.”

“Overnight, your name has become famous throughout Yan Capital.”

“Now, everyone in the city is saying that you are the savior of our Yan Capital City.”

Lin Yuan finally deigned to move.

He shifted into a more comfortable position, turning on his side with his back to Gu Ningxue.

His voice carried the heavy nasal tone of someone who had just woken up.

“What's there to be surprised about?”

“I told you long ago that I am a Genius.”

“It's just that you didn't believe me.”

“...”

Gu Ningxue's breathing suddenly hitched!

Her beautiful Phoenix eyes widened instantly!

An indescribable wave of shame and frustration surged into her heart!

That's right!

He had said it long ago!

Before the Wasteland Hunt, on the campus of the Capital Martial Arts University, and during every seemingly ridiculous chance encounter!

He had used that cynical, joking tone to proclaim his title as a “Genius” over and over again!

But what was she thinking back then?

She only thought he was an unlearned, silver-tongued playboy!

She thought every word he said was just a clumsy pick-up line to get her attention!

She had never believed him!

In fact, from the bottom of her heart, she was filled with disdain and contempt!

Yet now, reality had dealt her a resounding slap in the face!

The man she once looked down upon now stood at a height she would have to give her all just to look up to!

Without making a scene, he could save a city and tens of millions of lives!

And what about herself?

In that brutal City Defense Battle, she had fought with all her might, yet she only barely managed to protect herself and kill a few Vicious Beasts.

The gap!

A massive gap, like a bottomless chasm!

Gu Ningxue's nails dug deep into her palms, sending a sharp pang of pain.

That sting made her extremely proud heart twitch violently as well.

No!

I, Gu Ningxue, will never admit defeat!

I must Cultivate even harder!

One day, I will catch up to you!

I... Before her heart's grand declaration could fully take shape.

Another set of footsteps approached from the courtyard entrance.

A girl wearing a simple yet elegant long dress, with an intellectual temperament and features as exquisite as a Fairy in a painting, walked over slowly.

Her body didn't have the sharp Battle Intent of Gu Ningxue; instead, she carried a scholarly air.

But in those bright eyes, there flickered a near-fanatical focus and persistence for something.

It was Chen Ruoxi!

Gu Ningxue's pupils constricted slightly.

Why was she here too?

At Capital Martial Arts University, she and Chen Ruoxi were considered the two peerless geniuses who were equally famous in different Domains.

One was the much-anticipated favored daughter of the heavens in the Martial Dao.

The other was the undisputed future Grandmaster in the path of Artifact Refining.

Although there wasn't much friendship between them, they were considered geniuses of the same level who acknowledged each other.

But now, Chen Ruoxi's face held a mix of reverence and gratitude that Gu Ningxue had never seen before... and even a bit of the nervousness an elementary student feels when meeting their headteacher.

Moreover, her gaze was locked onto the man lying in the Grandmaster's chair from start to finish!

It was as if there was nothing else in the entire courtyard but him!

“Student... Lin Yuan.”

Chen Ruoxi walked up to Lin Yuan and bowed deeply.

Her posture was respectful to the extreme!

“I... I came specifically to thank you!”

Her voice was crisp and pleasant.

Boom!!!

Gu Ningxue's brain suffered another heavy blow!

Again... she's also here to say thanks?!

Just how many earth-shattering things has this man done behind everyone's back?!

Lin Yuan finally deigned to open his lazy eyes a crack.

He glanced at the Artifact Refining Genius before him, who was maintaining an extremely humble posture.

“Thank me?”

“Thank me for what?”

As soon as he said this.

Chen Ruoxi's fair face instantly flushed red to the tips of her ears.

She waved her hands somewhat incoherently and explained hurriedly, “It's... it's about the guidance on Artifact Refining!”

Artifact Refining?!

Gu Ningxue's ears perked up instantly!

“...Every time little sister Ke'er asks you and comes back to tell me the answers, I feel like I've been suddenly enlightened, as if the clouds have parted to reveal the sun!”

A brilliant light flickered in Chen Ruoxi's eyes, filled with fanatical admiration!

“With just a few simple sentences, you pointed out all the errors in my thinking! That feeling... was like standing at the foot of a mountain and suddenly seeing the view from the summit!”

“I... I really don't know how to thank you enough!”

...Silence.

The entire backyard fell into a deathly silence once more.

Gu Ningxue was completely petrified.

She stood there motionless, as if she had turned into an exquisite ice sculpture.

But in her mind, a colossal wave, comparable to a magnitude twelve tsunami, had already surged up!

Or was it... like this?

It turned out that even Chen Ruoxi, who was as proud as a white swan in the field of Artifact Refining.

Had actually been using this method to secretly seek guidance from Lin Yuan?!

This... this was even more inconceivable than the victory in the Yan Capital City Defense Battle!

That man... not only did he possess unfathomable strategic planning abilities!

Not only did he have deep, immeasurable cultivation in terms of martial talent!

He... he actually even had Grandmaster-level attainment in the extremely obscure and complex Ancient Artifact Refining Techniques?!

Is he even fucking human?!

Just as Gu Ningxue's worldview was about to completely crumble and shatter.

Lin Yuan's lazy voice rang out again.

He stretched, his bones making a series of crackling sounds, and finally sat up slowly in the Grandmaster's chair.

“Lin Yuan... no! Great Master Lin!”

“Your great kindness is something Ruo Xi will never forget!”

Chen Ruoxi bowed deeply to Lin Yuan once again!

“Alright, alright.”

“It was just a small favor, not worth mentioning.”

Lin Yuan waved his hand somewhat impatiently and lay back down.

“...”

From beginning to end.

Gu Ningxue didn't say a word.

She just used a scrutinizing gaze to look back and forth between Chen Ruoxi and Lin Yuan.

That look seemed to say:

When did you two get together?