10: The Ultimate Force Realm and the Yellow-Rank Genius Contract

"Young Master Lin, wait!"

As the voice fell, Lin Yi turned his head and saw a plump middle-aged man wearing a yellow robe embroidered with copper coins walking over with a smile.

"And you are?"

Seeing the newcomer, Lin Yi frowned slightly; he didn't recall knowing such a person.

"Young Master Lin, oh no, it's Scholar Lin!"

Seeing Lin Yi stop, the fat middle-aged man's face lit up with a smile:

"I am Li Long, a deacon of the Zijing Merchant Guild."

Zijing Merchant Guild?

Upon hearing these four words, Lin Yi, Lin Haichuan, and Ji Xuan were all startled.

The Zijing Merchant Guild was a top-tier merchant guild whose business spanned the entire Qingzhou. Its overall strength was not even inferior to the Heavenly Mountain Sect, one of the overlords of Qingzhou. Its deacons were generally only held by Sixth Grade Martial Artists.

And a Sixth Grade Martial Artist belonged to the "Middle Three Ranks" within the Nine Ranks of Martial Dao. In terms of strength, they were much stronger than the current Lin Yi.

"So it is Deacon Li, a pleasure to meet you! May I ask what important matter Deacon Li has for stopping us?"

Lin Yi smiled slightly and asked with a cupped-fist salute.

"Indeed, there is an important matter!"

Li Long said with a smile on his chubby face:

"The matter is that while watching the Martial Arts Scholar examination today, I discovered that Scholar Lin possesses extraordinary talent. Not only did you pass the Martial Arts Scholar examination at such a young age, but your martial arts skills are even more remarkable. Therefore, I would like to sincerely invite Young Master Lin Yi to join our guild on behalf of the Zijing Merchant Guild."

"As long as Scholar Lin is willing to join, I, Li Long, can guarantee at least a yellow-rank genius contract from our guild for you. What does Scholar Lin think?"

"yellow-rank genius contract? What is a yellow-rank genius contract?"

Hearing this unfamiliar term, Lin Yi's heart stirred, and he asked curiously.

He knew that major powers like the Zijing Merchant Guild, besides nurturing their own experts, had always had the habit of recruiting geniuses from the outside, signing Genius contracts with them, and cultivating them into experts.

Once a Genius contract was signed, the Zijing Merchant Guild would provide a certain amount of resources every year for the Genius's growth, and in return, the Genius would work for the Zijing Merchant Guild once they matured.

Of course, the Zijing Merchant Guild wouldn't make geniuses work for free; generally, they would also provide a certain amount of compensation.

Although this compensation would be slightly lower than the market price, considering the guild had previously invested many resources into cultivating the Genius, signing this Genius contract was still quite cost-effective from the Genius's perspective.

However, Lin Yi had only ever heard of Genius contracts before and had never heard of a yellow-rank genius contract.

"A yellow-rank genius contract is a higher-level contract than a regular Genius contract!"

Seeing Lin Yi's confusion, Li Long continued to explain with a smile:

"In our Zijing Merchant Guild, generally only geniuses who are deemed to have a very high probability of reaching the Fifth-rank Martial Artist level in the future can obtain this level of contract."

"This kind of contract is extremely difficult to obtain. Even in the Guangling Martial Academy, fewer than five people meet this standard every year. However, once obtained, the resources received are more than ten times that of a regular Genius contract."

"For a regular Genius contract, the guild generally gives one thousand taels of silver per year, distributed in three installments, plus a Sixth Rank level Breathing Technique or martial art, and nothing else after that."

"But for a yellow-rank genius contract, the guild not only gives four thousand taels of silver per year but also distributes it in only two installments."

"Meaning, you'll be given two thousand taels now, and another two thousand taels six months later. Additionally, you'll be given a Fifth-Grade level martial art or a Fifth-Grade level Breathing Technique for free."

"Furthermore, yellow-Rank geniuses can enjoy a ten percent discount when shopping at our Zijing Merchant Guild, and they also have priority access to various precious resources. The treatment is much better than that of ordinary geniuses."

"And more importantly, besides these, yellow-Rank geniuses have one opportunity to 'upgrade their contract' every year."

"As long as the yellow-Rank Genius performs excellently within that year, after passing the assessment of our headquarters, they can completely upgrade to a higher xuan-Rank, Earth-Grade, or even Heaven-Grade Genius contract."

"At that time, the resources those geniuses can obtain from our Zijing Merchant Guild every year can be described as massive and incredibly precious. Some resources are even enough to make Fifth-Rank, Fourth-Rank, or even Third-Rank experts green with envy."

"So, Scholar Lin, as well as Big Brother Lin and Sister-in-law Lin, I, Li Long, am sincerely inviting Scholar Lin to sign a yellow-rank genius contract with our Zijing Merchant Guild today. This matter is beneficial for both parties and has no downsides; you must not miss it!"

"This... Yier, what do you think yourself?"

Hearing Li Long's words, Lin Haichuan and Ji Xuan couldn't help but be a little tempted.

But they also knew this was their son's business, and since their son had been mature from a young age, he should make the decision for such a big matter. Although the two of them were tempted, they didn't dare to rashly agree on behalf of their son.

"Me?"

Hearing this, Lin Yi frowned slightly and began to ponder in his mind.

After a moment, Lin Yi shook his head slightly and looked at Li Long:

"Deacon Li, thank you for your kindness, but I don't want to sign this yellow-rank genius contract. If it were changed to a xuan-rank genius contract, then I might consider it."

A yellow-rank genius contract was indeed decent, or even very good, in the eyes of an average yellow-Rank Genius, but Lin Yi wasn't an ordinary yellow-Rank Genius—he was a cheater!

With the attribute panel and the Martial Dao Sacred Body, even with numerous restrictions, Lin Yi was confident that within a year, he could make his level of Genius reach the Zijing Merchant Guild's xuan-Rank or even Earth-Grade Genius level. Then he could sign a better contract with other major powers similar to the Zijing Merchant Guild and obtain even more resources.

If he were greedy for temporary gain now and delayed himself for a year just for a yellow-Rank contract, it would be a huge loss for Lin Yi if his talent reached the xuan-Rank or Earth-Grade standard but he was unable to improve his treatment due to the contract's limitations.

And the most important point was that the four thousand taels of silver for the yellow-Rank contract were not distributed all at once, but in two installments!

Two installments, two thousand taels each time. Although this amount of money wasn't small for Lin Yi, it wasn't enough for him to manifest a talent.

Otherwise, if those four thousand taels were paid in one lump sum, Lin Yi might have just sucked it up and accepted it.

"What! A xuan-rank genius contract? Scholar Lin, you really dare to dream!"

Putting aside what Lin Yi was thinking, upon hearing his words, Li Long instantly exclaimed:

"A xuan-rank genius contract is a contract that only those with a very high probability of reaching the Fourth-Rank Martial Artist level are qualified to sign."

"Such a Genius generally must comprehend the Limit of Strength Realm before the age of fourteen, and their cultivation must also reach the Seventh-Rank Late Stage."

"And if I may be blunt, Scholar Lin, although your talent is good, whether it's cultivation or Realm, you are far from the standard of a Profound Rank Genius."

"Extreme Strength? What is that again?"

Hearing an unfamiliar term once more, Lin Yi didn't even have time to care about the ultra-high standards for a xuan-Rank Genius and couldn't help but ask curiously again.

Li Long also seemed to want Lin Yi to back down and sign the contract obediently, so he explained patiently:

"Extreme Strength is an extremely profound Martial Dao Realm."

"It is divided into four levels: Initial Entry, Minor Achievement, Major Achievement, and Perfection. Generally, only experts above the Fifth Rank can slowly master it. However, once mastered, one's strength can undergo an earth-shattering change immediately."

"Because as everyone knows, the human body is limited by its physical structure. No matter how hard one tries, it is fundamentally impossible to exert the full power of the body."

"For example, when an ordinary person throws a punch, it's already impressive if they can exert thirty percent of their body's strength. Martial Artists can exert more through practicing martial arts, but forty-something percent, approaching fifty percent, is the limit."

"But an Extreme Strength Martial Artist can perfectly exert one hundred percent of their own power through ultimate control over their Physical Body!"

"In this way, compared to an ordinary Martial Artist, an Extreme Strength Martial Artist is equivalent to doubling their own strength. Naturally, their power increases greatly!"

"However, the burst of Extreme Strength is ultimately too taxing on the Physical Body. A Martial Artist who has just entered the Extreme Strength Realm can generally only unleash one full-power burst in ten moves."

"A Martial Artist at the Extreme Strength Minor Achievement Realm can generally unleash one full-power burst within five or six moves."

"At Major Achievement, one full-power burst within two or three moves."

"Only upon reaching Extreme Strength Perfection will the Martial Artist's control over the Physical Body reach the absolute peak. Even unleashing a full-power burst of Extreme Strength will cause no damage at all, and every ordinary move and style will contain immense power!"

"At that point, the power is truly boundless and unimaginable."

Speaking of this, Li Long's fat face showed a look of endless yearning.

"Oh, so this is Extreme Strength? It truly is incredible!"

Hearing this, Lin Yi was also quite shocked.

One must know that although a profound martial arts skill Realm can also allow one to defeat enemies of a higher Rank, this degree of Rank-skipping will shrink as one's cultivation grows.

Take Lin Yi, for example. He is currently at the Eighth Grade Peak. Relying on his Perfection level Sixth-Grade Martial Art, he can defeat many Seventh-Rank Late Stage Martial Artists and even clash with those at the Seventh Grade Peak Stage, nearly skipping a whole major Rank.

But once his cultivation reaches the Seventh-Rank Late Stage, if his martial arts skill Realm is still at Sixth-Grade Martial Art Perfection, then at most he could only fight with the most ordinary Sixth Grade Martial Artists. He probably wouldn't be able to beat even a slightly stronger Sixth Grade Initial Stage Martial Artist.

The Limit of Strength Realm is different; it strengthens from the Foundation, from the very basics.

Not only does it allow one's own power to surge, but it can also be stacked with martial arts skills.

Once he comprehends the Extreme Strength Realm, even if it's just Initial Entry, Lin Yi could briefly burst out with the strength of a Sixth Grade Martial Artist right now, crossing more than a major Rank and killing Seventh Grade Martial Artists like cutting vegetables!

If his cultivation could reach the Seventh-Rank Late Stage, even if his martial arts skill Realm remained unchanged, he could still burst out with the strength of the Sixth Rank, Late Stage, still crossing a major Rank!

This is far more powerful than any Perfection-level Sixth-Grade or Fifth-Grade Martial Art.

"The only pity is that according to what Li Long said, this Extreme Strength Realm should be extremely difficult. It actually requires a Fifth Rank Martial Artist to slowly begin mastering it. This is probably even harder than breaking through to the Great Perfection of a Sixth-Grade Martial Art."

Lin Yi sighed inwardly:

"Even with my Comprehension Ability, which has been enhanced by the dual talents of Saber Dao Genius and Martial Dao Sacred Body, it's probably impossible to step into this Realm in a short time."

"And because I hadn't passed the Martial Arts Scholar exam before, my status and authority in the Guangling Martial Academy were too low, so I hadn't even heard of the Extreme Strength Realm, let alone how to enter it."

"After returning to the academy this time, I'll have to use my Martial Arts Scholar authority to carefully search for information on the Limit of Strength Realm in the academy and see how to step into this miraculous Realm."

While he was thinking, Li Long, seeing that Lin Yi hadn't spoken for a long time, thought Lin Yi had been persuaded by him and had decided to back down. He smiled and said:

"Scholar Lin, now that you know the difficulty of the Limit of Strength Realm, you should understand how hard it is to obtain our Zijing Merchant Guild's xuan-rank genius contract, right?"

"So I advise you to first sign the yellow-rank genius contract with our Zijing Merchant Guild, then obtain resources from the guild to strengthen yourself!"

"If you truly have confidence in your future, you can always show your talent and upgrade your contract later, can't you?"

"In short, signing a contract with my Zijing Merchant Guild now definitely has no downsides for you."

"Deacon Li, I'm sorry!"

Hearing Li Long's words, Lin Yi still shook his head:

"What you say makes some sense, but I have my own considerations, so I still choose to refuse."

"However, I'm grateful to Deacon Li for clearing up my doubts. Since I passed the Martial Arts Scholar exam this time, our family plans to go to a restaurant to celebrate. Why don't I host today and treat Deacon Li to a good meal? This can be considered my thanks to Deacon Li."

"Forget it! No need for a meal."

Li Long shook his head, but his face was still smiling:

"Your family is celebrating; how could I, an outsider, butt in? Let's wait for another opportunity!"

"In addition, all the promises I made before remain valid. As long as Scholar Lin changes his mind and wants to sign a yellow-rank genius contract with our Zijing Merchant Guild, you can come to the Guangling Branch of our Zijing Merchant Guild to find me at any time. I, Li Long, will be waiting."

"Well, in that case, thank you, Deacon Li. Farewell!"

Lin Yi nodded, thanked him once more, and then left with his parents.

While watching the three of them leave, Li Long's face remained smiling. It wasn't until they were far away and only a few blurry figures could be seen that the smile on his face vanished instantly, replaced by mockery and disdain. He then spat a mouthful of phlegm forcefully onto the ground:

"Bah! What a joke! Just barely passing the Martial Arts Scholar exam at fourteen years old, and he really thinks he's some peerless Genius?"

"He actually doesn't even want a yellow-rank genius contract and insists on a xuan-Rank one. Why doesn't he look in the mirror and see if he's worthy?"

"Damn it, saying so much to this dog today was a waste of my breath."

"And this kid is so arrogant at such a young age; he probably won't achieve much in the future. I'll just wait and see how you come crawling back to beg me after you hit a wall!"

"Bah! What bad luck!"

After speaking, Li Long glared fiercely at Lin Yi's back once more and then left immediately.