The Strongest Talent Tree

Chapter 229: Chapter 226: Don’t Ask Me Why

Feng Hao nodded thoughtfully and didn’t press the matter. After all, reaching level one hundred was still a long way off.

But the Thief Master was extremely interested in him, peppering him with questions. "I heard from Xiaolinzi that you’re also a Ninth-level Alchemist. Is that true?"

"Mhm. Where I come from, Ninth-level Alchemists are a dime a dozen," Feng Hao said with a slight smirk.

The Thief Master froze, his eyes wide with amazement. "A planet where Ninth-level Alchemists are a dime a dozen? To be honest, I spent a long time roaming beyond this realm, and I’ve never heard of such a place."

Feng Hao asked in surprise, "Master, you’ve been outside the realm?"

"More than just ’been there.’ You could say I’ve spent most of my life living outside the realm. Returning to the Ancient Cang Realm was a complete accident," the Thief Master said with a complicated expression.

"But didn’t you say it’s hard to come back because of the Ancient Prohibition? Is there another way?" Feng Hao asked, confused.

"There are always exceptions. The Ancient Prohibition is powerful, but it can be bypassed under certain special circumstances." The Thief Master chuckled and explained, "Take me, for example. I was swept into spatial turbulence during a great battle. I thought I was going to die, but I never expected to end up back on my home planet."

Feng Hao nodded, only half-understanding. He frowned and asked, "So you’re saying there are other people in the Ancient Cang Realm from outside the realm?"

"Of course. Over hundreds of millions of years, a few fish are bound to slip through the net. I know of quite a few. Unfortunately, after those people recuperate, they all leave the Ancient Cang Realm. After all, the cosmos is the true world for a Hundred-level Mage."

"I see." Feng Hao nodded in understanding. ’Come to think of it,’ he thought, ’aren’t I also one of the fish that slipped through the net of the "Ancient Prohibition"?’

The Thief Master pursed his lips into a smile, then looked up and asked, "Let’s talk about your home planet. Honestly, for a place to produce a heaven-defying bloodline ability like yours, your home planet can’t be simple."

Feng Hao gazed up at the sky with a somber look and said with a wry smile, "About that... I discussed it with the Old City Lord of Rongcheng before. If I’m not mistaken, I should be from an Extraterrestrial Planet."

"An Extraterrestrial Planet? No wonder I’ve never heard of it." The Thief Master nodded in surprise, then frowned. "By the way, is the Old City Lord you mentioned that old senior from Rongcheng?"

"Master, you know the Old City Lord too?" Feng Hao asked, astonished.

"Of course." The Thief Master chuckled in spite of himself. "A while ago, the five great sects gathered in Rongcheng. Naturally, our Thief God Hall couldn’t be absent. A few of us old-timers from the Grand Hall and I paid him a visit from a distance. To be honest, that senior’s strength is a bit terrifying."

Feng Hao asked in amazement, "Even you are no match for the Old City Lord?"

"What’s so strange about that?" the Thief Master said with a faint smile. "Even after level one hundred, there are differences in strength. From what I can sense, even if you placed the Old City Lord outside the realm, he’d be an overlord in his own right."

"Whoa, so the Old City Lord is that powerful?" Feng Hao said, incredulous.

"He is the guardian of the ’Ancient Prohibition,’ after all. Of course he’s powerful," the Thief Master said with a light chuckle, pursing his lips.

Just as Feng Hao was marveling to himself, several Magic Energy Flying Vehicles rushed in from all directions. More than ten elderly men hurriedly disembarked and quickly gathered in the small courtyard. Arriving with them were Lin Luo and the other three.

Suddenly surrounded by a group of high-ranking members from the Grand Hall, Feng Hao felt a little nervous.

The old men’s gazes quickly locked onto Feng Hao. The man leading them was relatively young, with a few black strands still visible in his hair. He was dressed in magnificent, extraordinary clothes and possessed an imposing aura without being angry. This man was the number one figure in the Thief God Hall, the current "Thief God," Jing Lou.

As soon as he entered the courtyard, Jing Lou hurried over to the Thief Master, a panicked look on his face. "Thief Master, what’s going on? The preliminaries haven’t even started. How can you have already decided on the Fifth Thief?"

"Good, you’re here." The Thief Master clearly had no intention of explaining. He pushed Feng Hao forward and announced, "He is the Fifth Thief I have chosen. You all can discuss canceling the preliminaries."

The group of old men were all speechless. Jing Lou didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. "Thief Master, the selection of a Thief is a major event. Can you please not joke around?"

"Do I look like I’m joking?" the Thief Master said in a low voice. "In any case, it’s decided. You all can handle the rest."

"This..." Jing Lou was at a complete loss. "Aren’t you just making things difficult for me? Deciding on a Thief just like that, without any advance notice... How am I supposed to explain this to the various branch halls?"

"That’s right, Thief Master. The position of a Thief is of great importance. You must reconsider!" a few of the elders, who were over level ninety, urged.

"This little thief is only level thirty-eight. If you insist on appointing him, I’m afraid it will dishearten the younger generation!"

The Thief Master’s eyebrows shot up. He laughed coldly. "What’s wrong with level thirty-eight? Are you questioning my judgment?"

"No, no, no, we just feel your methods are a bit... inappropriate."

"Inappropriate, my ass! This was supposed to be about choosing a successor for me in the first place. Whoever I say it is, it is," the Thief Master insisted.

At his words, everyone could only sigh in resignation.

Jing Lou shook his head with a wry smile. His gaze fell on Feng Hao, looking him up and down, but he really couldn’t see anything special. "To be honest, this little thief is perfectly ordinary. Any random contestant is stronger than him. By doing this, you’re treating the position of a Thief like child’s play."

"What did you say, you brat? You got the guts to say that again?" the Thief Master demanded, raising his voice.

Seeing the Thief Master getting angry, Jing Lou instantly lost his nerve.

Feng Hao had been silent this whole time, but after hearing Jing Lou’s contempt, he was suddenly displeased. ’Are you kidding me?’ he thought. ’As the number one master in "Mage," when have I ever been looked down on like this?’

"Fine, I’ll compete. The result will be the same either way," Feng Hao declared proudly.

Hearing this, Jing Lou and the high-ranking members of the Grand Hall were all stunned, looking at Feng Hao in disbelief.

Even the Thief Master was startled. He frowned at Feng Hao and asked, "Xiaofeng, you haven’t fully developed your strength yet. Are you confident you can win?"

"Don’t worry, Master." Feng Hao nodded confidently, then swept a proud gaze over Jing Lou and the others. "To be honest, I was already planning to compete for the position of Thief anyway."

Jing Lou gave Feng Hao an astonished look, then quickly struck while the iron was hot. "Thief Master, you see? The young man has decided to compete himself."

The Thief Master pondered for a moment, then clenched his jaw and nodded. "If that’s the case, then hold the competition as planned. But let me make this clear beforehand: regardless of the outcome, I will only acknowledge Xiaofeng. Don’t ask me why. This old man is just that willful!"

"But..." Jing Lou was on the verge of tears.

"But my ass! Get lost and do what you’re supposed to do." The Thief Master snorted coldly. His boundless aura transformed into a gale, instantly blowing Jing Lou and the others out of the courtyard.

Outside the courtyard, Jing Lou and the others exchanged wry smiles and could only leave, feeling helpless.

After Jing Lou’s group was sent away, Lin Luo and the other three all crowded around, each giving a thumbs-up. "Way to go, Brother Feng! That’s the spirit!"

"Exactly. Once you win the competition, those old guys will have nothing left to say," Wang Tongqian said with an appreciative nod.

Mei Meimei stepped forward and patted Feng Hao’s shoulder, speaking with the air of a seasoned veteran. "Now that’s what I call a man. This big sister has high hopes for you!"

"Go on, go on, all of you, scram." The Thief Master irritably shooed the four away, then turned to Feng Hao with a solemn expression. "I’m still not too clear on your actual strength. Fortunately, there are still ten days until the competition. You’ll obediently come with me. I’ll get you a new set of gear while we’re at it."

"Uh."

Feng Hao was just about to say something when he found his feet leaving the ground, followed by a dizzying sensation as the world began to spin...

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