Thousand-Faced Dragon

Chapter 471 Third-rate
[The hero's spirit expressed disdain for candidate number 2, King Felipe, resulting in a 5% decrease in satisfaction rating, currently at 14%.]

"Uh, did I screw him over? No, once I see it, I'll deduct it sooner or later. So, does that mean I can use my own eyes to adjust the candidates' winning percentage?"

Rean knew that the classmates had already secretly set odds and betting lines regarding who the winner would be.

"These people have so much free time."

This time, Blue Dragon ranked first and Horse King Felipe ranked second. Clearly, the progress and talent of this "new monk" have also given other candidates for Heroic Souls a great shock.

"Even without inheriting the spirit of heroes, he is destined to become a legend. As long as the opportunity arises, he can become a hero." This is the evaluation given to him by his classmates at a private reunion. For such proud geniuses to say such a thing, the expectations for his future cannot be underestimated.

But Rean felt that most people had probably made the wrong bet this time.

“When the time is right, one could become a devil or a butcher.” Rean, however, had a more nuanced perspective.

He didn't place any bets himself, but he was determined to go back and have Suliman invest all of her savings in the fourth-ranked candidate.

How did a fourth candidate come up from three? That's because the third candidate was "no one was selected".

Wu has a bad temper. During training, he repeatedly expressed things like "You guys are a bunch of trash" and "With this level of skill, you think you can inherit my legacy?"

But the spirit of a hero can truly be given to no one.

Following the precedent set by Kuku, a fifth option was added: "split to multiple candidates."
Rean shook his head. If this were an exam, Felipe's answer sheet wouldn't just be failing, it would be completely scribbled down and then he'd written down the neighbor's name.

Is it bad to do things entirely according to logic? For him, it's fine, but for others, it's hard to judge.

"Go wild when things are going well, surrender when things are going badly, reap the benefits in peacetime, and run away before the battle begins." This is my true self, and perhaps also my ugly self.

The situation in Radiant City and the Kingdom is dire; they are already facing a major headwind. If even the bonds of family cannot restrain the Horse King before him, then he may be destined to become a legend. Everyone else will become stepping stones to legend and "dead men in memories."

"Will the power of the Heroic Spirit change him?" Rean shook his head; it was unlikely.

His tranquil state of mind is the result of a massive influx and constant cleansing of life force, and the soul and body are mutually adapted.

As the physical body constantly changes and its overall essence is continuously diluted and weakened, its soul and emotions naturally become even more diluted.

Even if Wu's spiritual abilities and inheritance were given to him, they would likely be gradually diluted.

"He doesn't actually need anything; as long as someone guides him on the path, he's destined to become a strongman."

Watching the monks fighting calmly and swiftly before him, Rean couldn't help but sigh.

The monk is a profession that pursues inner peace, achieving a fusion of body and soul, and prioritizing the physical over the will.

Felipe was destined to be empty from the beginning; his body directly devoured his soul, and he relied entirely on instinct and logic to drive his body in battle. Is this some kind of innate martial monk's holy body?

Maintaining a calm mind is the most important skill in using physical weapons. Slight mistakes and deviations in movement often stem from inner wavering, while Felipe is simply incapable of making a mistake.

"How can it be!!"

The one who found it most unbelievable was his daughter, Fei Jie, who had once been his proud little genius.

Don't be fooled by the fact that it took her so many years to become a second-tier superhuman. But the fact that she was able to embark on this path and successfully advance is already something most ordinary people would consider a genius.

But now, that experienced martial monk, swift in movement, decisive in action, even capable of taking down an opponent with a single punch.

Is this really my old Deng, who uses being busy as an excuse to avoid communication, only to collapse on the sofa when he gets home, and only acts like a human being when he's fishing?
Old Deng, who exudes an air of old age, is behaving like a hidden assassin? Has he been hiding all along, or has he truly risen to power overnight?
[Heroic spirits express their appreciation for No. 2 candidate Felipe, increasing his compatibility by 7%, currently at 24%]

With both criticism and praise, the ability to withstand the force of such material naturally increases.

He is fine, but some people may not be.

“Talia,” Rean said suddenly after glancing at her.

"Uh..." She instinctively shuddered and almost got bitten by the burrowing worm blocking her way.

"Do your own thing and don't waver."

"Yes."

Rean shook his head. Talia's mentality was out of balance; her previous punches revealed her impetuousness.

It's normal to feel uneasy seeing an "ordinary person" so easily surpass your years of accumulation and effort.

“However, to become the successor of a hero’s spirit, simply being ‘normal’ is not enough.” Rean could understand, but he couldn’t accept it at all. Time was running out, and he couldn’t wait for her to slowly come to her senses, so Rean spoke up.

"What are you hesitating about? My rate of progress is about the same as Felipe's."

You've already seen how fast I, Rean, am growing, so why are you still worrying about these so-called geniuses? How far you go in the end depends on more than just talent.

He shielded her from an attack, and a quiet voice whispered in her ear.

"Think about your life underground, that deadly battle with your sisters, your early life, your accumulated experience, your painful past experiences—could they become nourishment for you?"

Upon hearing this, Talia was taken aback.

A resounding drum doesn't need a heavy hammer; having endured so much, her will remains steadfast, requiring only a gentle nudge.

"My first half of life, my first half as a shadow assassin."

Sure enough, the next moment, she suddenly realized.

Dark shadows surrounded her, and she vanished into thin air once more.

"Buzz!"

The burrowing worms in the attack squad lost their target and became confused.

Talia, emerging from Shadowstep, struck a gap in the burrowing worm's carapace with a powerful blow.

A surge of shadow power erupted, and instantly, the unfortunate man's eyes and nose oozed thick fluid and shadow flames, causing him to die on the spot.

This strike required at least ten years of accumulated skill!

The power of shadow enveloped her limbs, and her high-speed nerve reflexes were fully activated. She was acting as an assassin on the path of shadows, like a monk.

Shadows became her wings, and she drifted freely through the passage, turning monsters into vengeful spirits beneath her fists.

The killing was so fast that even the other two didn't have a chance to come into contact with the monster.

"Senior Sister Talia, you're really amazing."

Felipe spoke slowly as he watched Talia reappear in the shadows.

He was speaking seriously. If someone harbored resentment, it would sound particularly provocative. But Talia just chuckled; she saw through him.

"This is really outrageous."

I'm clearly a senior, how can I act so rudely?

Rean nodded. Competition is fine, but it's really unsightly to just watch the people around him, counting numbers and fighting amongst themselves.

The world is vast and there are many people. There will always be those who are more talented than you and have more experience than you. Just play the cards you're dealt.

"Shadow Sect?"

"Shadow Sect".

Talia also has her own advantages. Not only does she have a talent for shadow magic, but she has also undergone long and brutal training and received illegal modifications in this area. Perhaps her shadow abilities (Shadow Dancer Assassin) even surpass those of the Mirror Maiden's chosen ones.

However, in her resistance to the past, she subconsciously forgot about this part of her power, and only used it without truly developing and utilizing it fully.

Now, this painful memory that haunts her seems to be the foundation of new power.

"Become a Shadow Sect member first, then follow the path of a martial monk. Uh, no problem, anyway, none of us are exactly normal."

Rean looked around and saw that although there were three novice monks here who had been practicing for less than half a month, they seemed to have gathered all three major branches of the common monks.

Rean himself is a member of the Four Symbols Sect who manipulates the elements, Talia can seamlessly transition to the Shadow Sect, and Felipe's total amount of Qi is almost infinite, so taking the traditional monk (striking and fighting) path is the best option.

"Perhaps we really could share in Wu's profound legacy."

As for the Blue Dragon Monk? Well, let's hope that he, who already has skills, doesn't end up getting kicked out of the sect.

(End of this chapter)