Zhong was tall, calm, and clear-eyed. He said, "Dayin has a prejudice against me and targets me every time. This time, she even misinterpreted my intentions. I genuinely want to connect with Mr. Wang; I have a good opportunity to invite you to join a young organization I represent, but we need to assess your strength first. This is standard; every new member goes through it."

Zhong briefly introduced the organization, named "New Star," symbolizing a brilliant future for its members, akin to a new star in deep space. It recruits super geniuses or leaders in their fields, all of whom are young. Wang Xuan listened quietly, reminded of an old Mensa club from a couple of centuries ago, though he wasn't interested. Whether it was "New Star" or something else, he had no desire to join.

He quickly dismissed the idea; if New Star was full of super talents, it would undoubtedly attract attention from major organizations and conglomerates, bringing with it a tangle of interests and troubles. Other newcomers would be eager to join for such a rare opportunity, but Wang, who preferred to stay low-profile, would rather act as an "enforcer" for Old Chen, pushing him into the limelight for a while.

Wang politely declined, expressing gratitude to Zhong and honestly stating he felt inadequate in the old arts and needed to focus on his training without the burden of fame. Zhong nodded, admiring Wang's dedication, hinting that he sensed a great master would soon rise. Wang dismissed the flattery; he didn't take such words to heart.

Wu Yin attempted to speak several times but was cut off by Zhong. She continued, "As per tradition, whether or not one can join, everyone invited for evaluation receives a valuable gift. This time, we have prepared 'Snake Crane Eight Dispersion' for Mr. Wang."

Wang scoffed internally; the name sounded unremarkable, and he felt Zhong looked down on him. He shook his head in refusal. He had been focused on studying the Golden Body Technique and had no time for other pursuits. He planned to ask Old Chen for some scriptures to broaden his knowledge. As his protector, he needed to understand what his "charge" was practicing to ensure he wasn't going down the wrong path.

Of course, he kept these thoughts to himself, not wanting to hurt Old Chen's pride, especially if their eventual sparring turned out to be brutal. Wu was quite pleased, not expecting Wang to decline so gracefully, and she smiled at seeing the usually unshakeable Zhong momentarily flustered.

"This is a well-known technique in Daoism; it surprises me that Mr. Wang shows no interest," Zhong said, genuinely surprised. Wang turned to message Qingmu, asking for information on "Snake Crane Eight Dispersion," wanting to understand the level of this technique.

Qingmu, an expert, confirmed he had heard of it because of its fame, adding that even Old Chen had never mastered it. Upon hearing this, Old Chen was surprised and explained, "Long ago, Zhang Daoling witnessed a dragon and a divine crane fighting on Heron Mountain. Inspired, he created the 'Dragon Crane Eight Dispersion,' later changing the dragon to snake, emphasizing a return to simplicity in Daoism."

Heron Mountain is recognized as one of the ancestral homes of Daoism and considered a source of its teachings. Old Chen advised, "Tell him to get the scriptures for this technique and practice it before studying his five pages of Golden Scriptures. It should make understanding easier."

When Wang received this through Qingmu, he paused, then turned back. Those five pages of Golden Scriptures were crucial; he had only mastered the initial move. Understanding it better through "Snake Crane Eight Dispersion" was worth pursuing.

Seeing him return, Wu feigned heartbreak, unsure if it was genuine dissatisfaction or an act. "This technique is important to me," Wang smiled at her, briefly explaining, "When Old Chen was alive, no, when he was healthy, he spoke highly of this technique and wished to see it himself. I want to fulfill that wish."

Zhong smiled, showing understanding, and then turned to a nearby woman. This blonde woman, while not as striking as Zhong or Wu, was still attractive, especially with her curves, possibly due to Western dietary habits, making her similar in figure to Wu.

"Mr. Wang's battle on the Pamir Plateau left a deep impression," the woman said fluently in Eastern languages, introducing herself as Laurianne. Wang recalled that his most notable moment in that battle was the kick that killed the Grandmaster Xia Qing, leaving a gaping hole in his chest. Laurianne's words seemed to imply something deeper.

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Laurianne was quite friendly, offering a Western-style greeting with a hug, saying, "I will test your strength shortly." At that moment, Wang sensed something was off. Laurianne's limbs tightened around him like steel, indicating that if he were another practitioner of the old arts, he might have been easily subdued.

This was a technique combining jiu-jitsu, wrestling, and joint manipulation, aiming to take Wang down instantly. Laurianne's grip on his shoulder hinted at her intention to dislocate his shoulder; the so-called test was about to begin.

Wang had no fear, having mastered the Golden Body Technique, but then his expression changed. Laurianne's forehead glowed—she was using a mental attack, skilled in both old and new arts. While they exchanged a simple greeting, the contest had already started. Wang hesitated not at all, exerting his strength fiercely, trying to see who would give in first; he wasn't concerned about being joint-locked.

The mental attack was ineffective against him; he was on the verge of forming a mental realm. "Ahh..." Laurianne cried out in pain, having misjudged the situation while engaging closely with someone at the sixth level of the Golden Body Technique. Her once stunning figure now seemed ready to explode, especially when she realized her mental assault had no effect, filling her with fear.

"Crack!" A sound of something breaking echoed, followed by Laurianne's more anguished cries. "Quick, let go!" some exclaimed, their faces changing in horror—had someone truly been crushed? Laurianne's eyes rolled back, indicating something was seriously wrong, especially with the sickening sound of flesh tearing.

Wang Xuan froze momentarily, unsure if the person he was holding had truly sustained an injury; he hesitated to release her, fearing the sight of blood. After all, he had already pierced through a Grandmaster's chest; what would people think if he accidentally harmed another expert? He was worried about developing an unfortunate reputation.

He had to understand the situation with the woman he was hugging. Eventually, he loosened his grip, relieved to see there was no blood, and the worst-case scenario hadn't unfolded. However, her clothing was torn; what had exploded? Fortunately, her skin remained unharmed. He quickly turned away, letting Laurianne collapse to the ground.

"Nobody's dead, and nothing's shattered!" Wang Xuan exhaled deeply, realizing that if something had gone wrong, he would have carried a dark history from this incident.

"It's just a 'beauty bowl,' no wonder Zhong's group loves fakes," Wu commented proudly, glancing back at Zhong with a smirk. Meanwhile, four young men nearby realized the situation, murmuring in surprise. "Laurianne's fake? No wonder she looks so good; she really can't compare to Wu Yin."

"But... that guy's a steel beast; how could you hit him?" One young man with a Western appearance gave Wang a thumbs up, mumbling in broken Eastern language, "Impressive!"

Wang Xuan's expression twitched slightly, then he walked towards Zhong with a blank face. Zhong instinctively took two steps back, then stopped, realizing something was off; after all, this was the man who had killed Xia Qing and almost crushed Laurianne.

Zhong smiled, saying, "Actually, we prepared to have someone wear the newly developed super-material armor to spar with Mr. Wang for mutual assessment. But since Laurianne acted first, we can consider that Mr. Wang has passed." She then handed him a book that looked like an ancient artifact, its cover reading: "Snake Crane Eight Dispersion."

"Thank you!" Wang Xuan turned and left, eager to escape the scene. In the distance, he spotted an assistant from the relevant department; no wonder many had come to ensure safety. He also saw three elderly men approaching, indicating they were there for serious discussions.

Wang Xuan quickly left, sensing that the assistant and the elderly men were watching him closely. Had he attracted their attention? He needed to consult Old Chen to ensure he wouldn't be overly scrutinized.

After a day of waiting, Old Chen was still hanging on. However, everyone sensed he might not survive the night, and many prominent figures came to pay their last respects. By evening, those who needed to visit had done so, awaiting tomorrow's "meeting." Wang Xuan arrived, pretending to give Old Chen one last farewell.

Soon, the two gathered, picking up the black sword to make a slight incision on the pure white bone. Instantly, a rich, mysterious aura erupted, quickly permeating the inner realm ahead.

"Old Chen, this is a mysterious bone suppressed under the ancestral ground of Buddhism; I'm starting to feel uneasy," Wang whispered.

"You can't just push me in alone?!" Old Chen felt a chill down his spine, realizing Wang had unceremoniously thrust him inside while he remained outside.

This time, Wang Xuan felt exhausted, nearly on the verge of vomiting blood, panting heavily as he peered into the inner realm, sensing something was off, though not the demonic chaos he had expected.

Inside, a light rain fell gently, with a small bridge and flowing water, and the ancient town seemed to fade in and out through a misty haze—a picturesque scene of an ancient Jiangnan water town.

In a fleeting glance, Wang Xuan spotted a breathtaking beauty in a red dress, holding an oil-paper umbrella, elegantly walking through the misty rain. The image was incredibly poetic and full of ambiance.