Chen Wen clapped his hands together, and the flame vanished. He looked at Zhong Yun, his gaze filled with eagerness. "Show us your ability too."

Still reeling from the sheer aggression of Chen Wen's Yuan attack, Zhong Yun didn't hesitate. Since Chen Wen had brought it out into the open, there was no point in hiding anything further. He, too, extended a hand.

Tian Hai, still in a state of profound shock, turned toward Zhong Yun. Could it be that this close friend, who had been with him since childhood, actually possessed such an ability?

Under Tian Hai's incredulous stare and Chen Wen's expectant gaze, faint wisps of pale violet light began to wrap around Zhong Yun’s hand. The purple light intensified, growing thicker and more concentrated, until it completely enveloped his entire hand.

With a gentle wave, the purple light dissipated, and everything returned to normal. Zhong Yun looked apologetic. "I didn't mean to keep it from you."

"Huh?" Tian Hai snapped out of his shock, his expression shifting rapidly. Just as Zhong Yun braced himself for his friend's anger, Tian Hai’s face broke into unadulterated ecstasy. He leaped up. "Xiao Yun, teach me, teach me! You absolutely have to teach me..."

It seemed he didn't mind the secrecy at all. A wave of gratitude washed over Zhong Yun; with a brother who understood him this well, what more could he ask for?

"I will, I definitely will teach you," Zhong Yun promised solemnly.

At that moment, Chen Wen let out a long breath. "It is just as I thought." He looked at Zhong Yun with a complex expression. "I wasn't wrong; you truly do have a special type of ability."

"Special type of ability?" Hearing this, Zhong Yun couldn't help but ask. He was extremely curious about how Yuan power was categorized and ranked in Dawo. "How is this ability classified and tiered?"

Chen Wen interlaced his fingers, pressed them lightly together, and paused to organize his thoughts before speaking. "In general, Martial Arts—that is, abilities—are divided into two major categories: Combat types and Special types."

"Combat types possess formidable strength and excel in battle. The military is filled with Combat type Martial Arts masters. Warriors who pilot mechas, for instance, are among the elite in that field. Over ninety percent of those who practice Martial Arts fall into the Combat category. Their most distinct characteristic is that their energy manifests as milky white."

"Special types, however, are wildly varied—every kind imaginable. Like me, my energy is high-temperature flame. Like Zhong Yun, yours is a violet energy wave. In short, any energy that is not milky white is classified as Special."

Chen Wen paused here. "Of course, this classification isn't entirely scientific. My blue flame is extremely effective in combat, far more potent than a Combat type ability of the same level."

"Then how are the strength tiers divided?" Zhong Yun pressed on.

Chen Wen answered without hesitation. "Martial Arts has a very clear stratification. Starting from the first layer, the higher the level, the stronger the practitioner. Strength assessment is done at the Martial Arts Association. They have specialized testing instruments there to measure the intensity of the energy within your body."

"But there's also a combat skill test. Only by passing both criteria can one successfully advance."

"What is the highest level of Martial Arts?" Zhong Yun asked, completely engrossed.

Chen Wen shook his head. "No one knows the total number of Martial Arts levels, because no one has ever cultivated to the peak. The current highest ranking for the strongest individual in our nation is Level Thirteen." As he mentioned this strongest person, a flicker of longing crossed his eyes.

After a moment, he added, "Level Ten is a critical watershed. Martial Artists below Level Ten, no matter how strong, face a dead end against a mecha. But..."

Chen Wen licked his dry lips. "Once past Level Ten, they become super-beings capable of defeating a Type Seven mecha."

"Defeating a Type Seven mecha?" Tian Hai, who had also been listening intently, suddenly cried out. He declared emphatically, "Impossible! How could a human defeat the 'War Devil'?"

Since the appearance of mechas, their flexibility and versatility had made them darlings of warfare. Due to their unparalleled destructive power, they were also dubbed the "War Devils."

The 'Type Seven' mecha was the most powerful model ever produced by the Giant Machinery Group, having achieved a respectable tenth place in the Interstellar Mecha Competition held ten years prior among the intermediate civilization nations of the Omi Star System. This feat caused all the established intermediate powers to view the newly ascended Dawo as a rising star.

The Omi Star System's sovereign power, the Galactic Empire, a member of the High Civilization Club, was one of the most ancient civilizations, its history stretching back one hundred million years. Thanks to the Galactic Empire, the Omi Star System was considered a hub of civilization; though it hosted only one High Civilization, it boasted hundreds of intermediate ones.

Dawo had only achieved intermediate status a few decades ago, and achieving tenth place in its first Intermediate Civilization Mecha Competition was truly a meteoric rise.

This context illustrated just how formidable the 'Type Seven' mecha was; it was the pride of every Dawo citizen. Now, Chen Wen claimed someone could defeat it, and Tian Hai simply refused to believe it.

Chen Wen made no attempt to persuade him. One could not discuss ice with a summer insect; those outside this specific circle would struggle to comprehend the true power of practitioners above Level Ten.

"At what Martial Arts level can one fly in the sky using only their own power?" Zhong Yun suddenly inquired.

"Level Ten."

Zhong Yun nodded. That meant, roughly, Martial Arts Level Ten was equivalent to the Second Level mentioned by ZER. The relationships were finally becoming clear.

"Why have we never known about a group of people like you before?" Tian Hai brought up a pertinent question.

"Probably to prevent causing panic among the general populace," Chen Wen shrugged. "The families used to have strict orders: do not display abilities in front of ordinary people unless absolutely necessary. But now, few adhere to that rule. Although the major media outlets strictly follow regulations and don't report news related to Martial Arts, a significant number of ordinary citizens are aware of the existence of Martial Artists."

"As a method of evolution, it's only natural for Martial Arts to be promoted to the masses," Zhong Yun commented.

"Exactly," Chen Wen agreed. "In fact, the Martial Arts Association established several academies over a decade ago, and Martial Arts centers are distributed across every city. We recently heard that the Association is currently negotiating with the government to introduce Martial Arts courses into major universities."

As they spoke, the automated passage stopped before a door. Chen Wen concluded his discussion. "Let's go in."

Upon entering, they found a very spacious hall with numerous closed doors lining the walls. There were few people inside, but upon seeing the three approach, the few present glanced at them curiously before returning to their business.

Chen Wen led them to the door furthest to the left, knocked three times, and the door slid open automatically. It was a very spartan room where a gaunt old man sat cross-legged in the center.

Chen Wen approached the elder and bowed respectfully. "Ninth Uncle, Chen Wen has brought friends to see you."

"Speak, what is it?" The old man spoke, his voice dry and grating, causing discomfort.

"My friend wishes to test his Martial Arts level," Chen Wen stated.

The old man’s eyes snapped open, his gaze locking onto Zhong Yun. Two brilliant beams of light instantly erupted from his clouded pupils.