148: Chapter 148 Gold Tier 1? What a load of bull!

"Reporting to Steward Li, we are from the C City Branch."

As soon as Elder Su said these words,

it was like a stone being thrown into a calm lake,

instantly shattering the slightly serious atmosphere.

"C City?"

Steward Li, who was behind the desk and about to write, suddenly paused. He looked up in surprise and once again carefully sized up Elder Su in front of him, as well as the overly young Jiang Yun and Su Qingxue behind him.

His brows furrowed unconsciously.

His eyes were filled with unconcealed astonishment and... a deep sense of suspicion.

He drew out his words.

His tone carried a scrutinizing quality.

"C City? If I remember correctly... your C City Branch hasn't sent any disciples to the Main Family for over a decade, right? These two this time..."

He didn't finish his sentence.

But the subtext of "Can a place like C City really produce geniuses?"

and "Don't tell me you're just here to pad the ranks"

was clearly communicated to everyone present.

A slightly plump steward nearby who was helping maintain order couldn't help but sneer upon hearing this.

"Old Li, if you hadn't mentioned it, I would have almost forgotten! Is there really such a branch as C City in our Su Family Genealogy? There's been no movement for over a decade, and now two pop up at once? You couldn't find anyone else, so you just grabbed two people for show, right? Haha!"

This blunt mockery

was like lighting a fuse,

instantly triggering a burst of irrepressible laughter from the surroundings.

"Hahaha, Steward Wang is right. I've heard C City is a godforsaken place; it's good enough if people can survive there, yet they produce Beast Tamer geniuses?"

"Maybe they just got lucky and contracted two Black Iron rank beasts, and now they dare to come to the Main Family to make fools of themselves?"

"Tsk tsk, it really takes all kinds. How does a branch like this have the nerve to come and share the Main Family's resources?"

The piercing discussions were like cold needles

stabbing into Elder Su's heart.

His face instantly turned flushed red.

His fists were tightly clenched, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force.

Anger surged within his heart.

These people from the Main Family were going too far!

Jiang Yun's brows also furrowed slightly.

Although he had expected the C City Branch's status to be low,

he hadn't expected to encounter such blunt and widespread contempt.

It seemed that not having any disciples meet the standards for over a decade

had already caused the C City Su Family

to become a marginalized existence that was almost forgotten in the eyes of the Main Family.

Su Qingxue

still maintained her detached appearance.

No hint of joy or anger could be seen on her exquisite face,

as if the surrounding clamor and she and Jiang Yun existed in two completely different worlds.

"Enough!"

Steward Li also seemed to feel that his colleague's words were a bit excessive.

He spoke up to stop everyone's laughter.

But his gaze toward Elder Su and the other two

still carried lingering suspicion.

"Less idle talk, report your names and Realms."

The square instantly quieted down quite a bit.

Everyone's gaze carried a playful look of watching a show

as they focused their attention.

They all wanted to hear

what kind of amazing performance these so-called geniuses from the backwaters

could possibly have.

Elder Su suppressed his anger,

knowing that the moment for the first wave of counterattack had arrived.

He took a deep breath.

Looking toward Su Qingxue beside him,

his voice rang out clearly and powerfully.

"Su Qingxue, seventeen years old, Bronze Fifth Tier!"

"Hmm?"

"Bronze Fifth Tier?"

"Seventeen years old?!"

Steward Li's hand, which was about to write, froze again.

He looked up sharply.

A flash of genuine surprise crossed his eyes.

His gaze swept back and forth over Su Qingxue like a searchlight, as if trying to confirm that Elder Su wasn't lying.

Not just him,

but those around who were originally waiting to see a joke

also showed shocked expressions and began whispering to one another.

"A seventeen-year-old Bronze Fifth Tier? In C City?"

"This... this talent would be considered quite good even in our city!"

"The key is the age! She's only seventeen years old! Her future potential is huge!"

"I didn't expect that C City would actually produce a decent prospect this time!"

Exclamations and discussions replaced the previous mockery.

The ridicule on many people's faces vanished,

replaced by surprise and a faint, imperceptible jealousy.

The suspicion on Steward Li's face instantly melted away like ice and snow,

replaced by intense delight.

He clapped his hands and laughed.

"Good! Good! Excellent! This is truly unexpected! Your C City Branch was silent for years only to startle everyone now! Not sending anyone for over a decade, and then sending such a good prospect! Su Qingxue! Just seventeen years old and already at the Bronze Fifth Tier, with immense potential. I permit you to be recorded in our Su Family Main Family Genealogy and enjoy the resource treatment of a direct-line Genius!"

This formal announcement

was like a loud slap

across the faces of those who had been mocking them earlier.

The faces of many branch Elders whose own disciples had failed to enter the Genealogy

instantly turned unsightly.

That sharp-chinned and monkey-cheeked Su San's

expression shifted as if he had swallowed a fly,

finally turning into a sour snort.

"Humph! A blind cat bumping into a dead rat! Just pure luck! In a rural place, to produce one like this, their ancestors' graves must be emitting green smoke!"

He turned his gaze

and stared fixedly at the silent Jiang Yun.

His tone carried malicious speculation.

"However, I think it ends here! This remaining kid looks even younger than that girl; he'd be lucky to even be at the Bronze First or Second Tier, right? C City's foundation couldn't possibly be thick enough to produce two geniuses in a row!"

His words immediately drew agreement from many people.

"Elder Su San is absolutely right, having one is already a fluke!"

"I think this kid looks ordinary; he's surely just a foil."

"Exactly, he'll show his true colors in the next moment!"

All eyes,

carrying lingering surprise and new scrutiny,

focused on Jiang Yun once again.

Steward Li's gaze also fell on Jiang Yun.

He asked, "So, what is this young man's name? How old is he? What is his Beast Taming Realm?"

At this moment,

all of Elder Su's previous frustration and anger

turned into incomparable confidence and pride!

He puffed out his chest slightly.

His face even showed a nearly pious glow, because he was about to announce news that would shock the entire square.

Elder Su cleared his throat.

He deliberately drew out his words.

He said in a loud voice, "Steward Li, everyone, please—listen closely!"

His unusual posture, which clearly meant to show off,

caused Steward Li's brows to furrow again.

The surrounding crowd also broke into an uproar and sighs.

"What is this guy doing? Why is he suddenly acting so smug?"

"Could it be... this kid also has something extraordinary about him?"

"Impossible, right? Can a place like C City really produce two geniuses?"

Everyone couldn't help but turn their gaze toward Jiang Yun again,

trying to see something unusual about him.

Seeing this, Su San sneered aloud.

"Playing tricks! A buffoon!"

After a few breaths,

once everyone's attention was fully drawn to him,

Elder Su finally continued to speak with satisfaction.

He first pointed at Jiang Yun and said loudly, "This is the son-in-law of my C City Su Family branch! Our Su Family's Excellent son-in-law! Jiang Yun! Even though his surname isn't Su, since he has entered the gates of our Su Family, he is a person of our C City Su Family!"

As soon as these words came out,

everyone was stunned for a moment,

followed by a burst of laughter even louder than before.

"Hahaha! I thought it was something special! It turns out he's just someone with a different surname!"

"You're killing me! Has C City really failed to find a Genius within their own Family and started calling for outside help?"

"A live-in son-in-law? It seems they really have no one left!"

The corner of Steward Li's mouth also twitched slightly,

but he still maintained his professional demeanor.

"Even if his surname isn't Su, as a Su Family son-in-law, he counts as half a member of the Su Family. As long as his talent is sufficient, he can also enter the Genealogy. So, his name is Jiang Yun, his age? And his Beast Taming Realm is?"

With Su San leading the way,

another round of cold mockery ensued.

"Even with outside help, what kind of good talent could he possibly have?"

"What kind of decent Beast Taming talent can a native of a place like C City have?"

"I'd say that Su Qingxue's talent might have even benefited from our Su Family's resources!"

Faced with these piercing voices,

Elder Su only responded with a meaningful, cold sneer this time.

Then,

under the gazes of everyone—some curious, some disdainful, and some waiting to see another joke—

Elder Su took a deep breath.

Using all his strength,

he spoke one word at a time,

his voice exploding across the square like a thunderclap.

"My Family's son-in-law is named Jiang Yun! He is sixteen years old!"

sixteen years old?

Everyone subconsciously began making comparisons.

A year younger than Su Qingxue, indeed young.

Then they heard Elder Su spit out

the earth-shattering second half of the sentence.

"His Beast Taming Realm is Gold! First! Tier!"

The information rushed into their minds like a flood.

Most people first caught the 'sixteen years old',

and only then the Realm that followed.

Su San almost reflexively followed up with mocking laughter.

"sixteen years old, hohoho! I told you! It must be Gol... huh?! Gol... Gold First Tier?!"

The smile on his face instantly froze.

The words got stuck in his throat.

His eyes suddenly bulged wide,

as if he had heard the most absurd thing in the world!

"Wha... what?!"

"Gold First Tier?!"

"Did I hear that wrong?!"

"He said Gold First Tier?!!"

The entire square

erupted into a frenzy like a heavy bomb had been dropped!

Everyone had a face full of bewilderment, shock, and disbelief!

The several stewards,

including Steward Li,

were all stunned.

They didn't even notice the pens in their hands dropping onto the desk with a clatter.

Steward Li suddenly stood up.

He leaned forward, staring fixedly at Elder Su.

His voice was slightly out of pitch due to extreme shock.

"Wha... what did you say? Gold First Tier? Say that again?! Did you misspeak?! You meant to say Bronze First Tier, right?"

The other stewards also cast horrified looks,

asking in unison.

"Is it Bronze First Tier or Gold First Tier?! You have to be clear! This kind of thing is no joke!"

Faced with this tsunami of doubt and shock,

Elder Su remained unhurried.

With a vindicated and delighted smile on his face,

he once again repeated word for word in an incredibly clear voice that ensured everyone could hear.

"Everyone! You did not hear wrong!"

"My Family's son-in-law, Jiang Yun! sixteen years old!"

"His Beast Taming Realm is Gold! First Tier!"

"Boom—!"

This time, the confirmed information exploded in everyone's minds like a real thunderclap!

sixteen years old! Gold First Tier!

The impact of these two terms combined

was devastating!

A remote place like C City, which they viewed as a Spiritual Qi desert and a Beast Tamer lowland, producing a seventeen-year-old Bronze Fifth Tier had already surprised them.

And now... a sixteen-year-old Gold First Tier had actually appeared?!

How was this possible?!

This completely defied logic!

It violated the common sense of their understanding of Beast Tamers!

Gold Rank!

That was a Realm that many Beast Tamers could not reach even after decades or a lifetime of hard cultivation!

Even in the Provincial Capital,

those who could touch the threshold of the Gold Rank before the age of twenty

were already as rare as phoenix feathers, the most high-profile and true Prodigies!

And the young man before them,

from the poorest C City,

was only sixteen!

And he had already reached this level?!

This news was too shocking,

so much so that many people's first reaction wasn't belief,

but total bewilderment and a sense of absurdity.

The several stewards were so shocked they couldn't speak for a long time.

They just stood with their mouths open, looking at Elder Su

and then at the calm Jiang Yun,

as if trying to find any trace of a joke on their faces.

If this were true... then Jiang Yun could no longer be described as a Genius.

He was simply a Prodigy!

A monster!

Such a figure... had actually married into their Su Family branch?

And in a remote countryside place like C City?

Their ancestors' graves must be emitting green smoke!

No!

This wasn't just green smoke!

Their ancestors' graves were practically erupting!

They had caught in a towering inferno of luck!

The massive shock was like an invisible tide,

sweeping across the entire square,

making the air itself seem to freeze.

Watching the reactions of everyone around,

Jiang Yun remained calm on the surface,

but he felt awkward inside.

He felt like Elder Su was using him to wipe his own ass... However,

amidst this extreme silence and horror,

a sharp voice filled with doubt and a sour grapes mentality

suddenly rang out like a broken gong,

shattering the silence.

"Wait! You say Gold First Tier just because you say so? Are you bullshitting?!"

Su San, his face flushed red,

jumped out.

He pointed at Elder Su,

with the words "I don't believe it" written all over his face!