And now, Zhong Yaxiu and his group finally arrived at the estate of the 'Tilarri Family.' "Look, this is the 'Tilarri Family' estate!" Linobeli pointed toward the sprawling compound wall that seemed to stretch to the horizon.

Casting their eyes over it, they saw the wall stood about three meters high, constructed entirely of hard stone blocks. Within the walls, numerous winged creatures could be seen soaring through the air—whether they were on patrol or if the inhabitants were practicing controlling magical beasts was unclear. "Why is there no gate?" Tiya asked, slightly puzzled.

Linobeli offered a slight smile before replying, "We are currently positioned at the rear of the 'Tilarri Family' estate. We'll need to walk for about another twenty li before we can see the entrance!"

Just as she said, after walking another twenty li, they could finally make out a substantial courtyard gate, spanning over ten meters wide; and this was merely a side entrance, incomparable to the main gate! Even from the outside, it was clear that the 'Tilarri Family' was a major power. "Huh? Why are so many people gathered over there?" Xia Luo noticed the crowd at the gate with curiosity.

This time, Linobeli didn't know how to answer, as she wasn't sure what those people were doing either. Driven by curiosity, the group walked over, finding the crowd engaged in heated discussion. "To think they expect me to compete with those guards—isn't this a clear sign of distrust toward us!" a middle-aged man grumbled resentfully. "Specialization demands expertise! Asking us to spar against those Berserker guards is practically setting us up to fail!" an elder chimed in agreement. Nearby, several others were incessantly pressing for updates from those inside. "What about the others? Did they really end up fighting those guards? Why haven't they come out?"

"Probably. Whoever wants to fight can fight; I won't risk my old life just to tutor some student!" the elder declared before pushing through the crowd and leaving.

However, the others were even more intrigued. Upon hearing that only those who defeated the guards would qualify to stay, they grew desperate to know the fate of those inside—were they winners or losers, and what kind of contest had taken place?

Xia Luo and the others, catching only snippets of the conversation, felt deeply confused. What exactly was happening inside that required such an unusual trial? "Pardon me, may I ask what's going on here?" Xia Luo approached someone in the crowd.

The person first paused, then whispered, "You don't know yet? The 'Tilarri Family' is hiring a few private tutors. These people are all here to apply. Originally, the standard was an interview, but it suddenly changed; now, only those who win a contest against the internal guards qualify to stay!" "Oh? Are you here to apply as well?" Xia Luo inquired again.

The person managed an embarrassed smile. "No, I'm just here for the spectacle. My own meager skills are barely enough for myself; how could I possibly teach others!"

"What about them?" Xia Luo glanced around. There were at least several hundred people here, amounting to a small gathering!

"Some of them, like me, are just spectators, but the majority are applicants. I heard the compensation offered by the 'Tilarri Family' is incredibly enticing..." The man's sentence was cut short by a sudden clamor. "Look! Someone is coming out!" With that single exclamation, everyone’s attention instantly snapped toward the courtyard entrance.

Five or six individuals emerged from within. One was dressed as a household servant, while the others all wore expressions of utter dejection. Judging by the bruises on their faces and the torn state of their clothing, they were returning defeated.

This time, no one stepped forward to inquire about the situation inside, as the miserable mood of these few individuals was obvious to all.

And indeed, that was the reality. These individuals had already passed the initial interview stage and should have been considered hired. Who would have thought the 'Tilarri Family' would suddenly change the terms, demanding they fight the guards? In the end, despite possessing profound knowledge, they couldn't best those few Berserkers. They ended up beaten and forced to retreat in disgrace—truly humiliating!

After the defeated group departed, the servant cleared his throat and shouted, "Everyone, the hiring standard has changed! Victory against the estate guards grants you the qualification to stay as tutors to our young master. Those who failed the interview earlier can also participate. There are no restrictions on age or gender—only sufficient strength is required!"

This announcement immediately reignited the commotion among the crowd.

"Hey, did you hear that? We still have a chance!" "This time, I'm going to show my true skill! I was rejected earlier just because of my looks; that really ticks me off!" a burly, powerfully built man growled in a deep voice. "Those who wish to try can enter now. Someone inside will attend to you!" The servant's voice rang out again.

As he finished speaking, some people began walking toward the courtyard. The vast majority of these were those who had been eliminated during the initial interview round, unwilling to leave empty-handed, determined to give it one more shot!

In a matter of moments, over a hundred people had gone inside. The rest were either pure onlookers or undecided, choosing to wait and observe a bit longer. "Hey, can I ask if there really are Berserkers inside?" At this moment, Zhong Shenxiu, who had remained silent until now, walked up to the man who had spoken with Xia Luo earlier.

The man blinked again, then responded quite amicably, "Of course. The Berserker guards inside are incredibly formidable. When you get a little older, you can find them to challenge, just like the other uncles! You must work hard now, strive to..."

Without waiting for him to finish, Zhong Shenxiu abruptly turned to Xia Luo. "Robin and I are going inside to take a look. You all can do as you please!"

With that, he gave Robin a meaningful look, and under the stunned expression of the man, he walked toward the compound.

Uh~ J!

He... he didn't misunderstand my words, did he?

"That... aren't you going to stop him?" the man asked Xia Luo. In his eyes, the young boy seemed quite familiar with Xia Luo.

"It's fine, let him go," Xia Luo replied with a slight smile.

Uh~ J!

The man was completely frozen in place!

Meanwhile, the servant was also staring at Zhong Shenxiu and Robin in utter astonishment.

"Wait a moment, this is not a playground. You two, hurry back..." Before the servant could finish his sentence, a blade of wind sliced past his cheek.

"No restrictions on age or gender, wasn't that what you just said?" Zhong Shenxiu looked at the servant with a faint, knowing smile, without slowing his pace at all.

While Zhong Shenxiu was curious to see the so-called Berserkers, his true objective was the 'Soul-Fixing Stone' hidden somewhere within this mansion! He was already certain that the 'Soul-Fixing Stone' resided in a specific location within this estate!

Finally, the servant did not stop Zhong Shenxiu and Robin. One reason was the statement he himself had just made, and the more significant reason was that he had been startled by the gust of wind.

Upon entering the courtyard gate, someone immediately led Zhong Shenxiu and Robin to a training ground. A large crowd had already gathered there. Besides a portion of the applicants, the rest were all imposing and powerfully built guards!

Are these the Berserkers? Zhong Shenxiu frowned slightly. He hadn't expected the Berserkers to look virtually identical to ordinary humans, which was somewhat contrary to his expectations. After all, whether Dwarves, Elves, or Orcs, they all possessed distinct physical traits that made them immediately recognizable!

Subsequently, a new round of matches began. The rules were simple: the match ended when one side either forced the opponent out of the marked square or rendered them incapable of continuing. The training ground was enormous, making it extremely difficult to push an opponent out of the designated area. $ $ $ $

Meanwhile, the young man sitting in the nearby pavilion was named Obot, a direct descendant of the 'Tilarri Family.' For such a vast family, the relations were complex, and there were countless direct descendants alone!

However, Obot was exceptionally unique. This wasn't just due to his handsome appearance; the main reason was his extraordinary talent. He learned anything ten times faster than his peers. While attending the Magic and Martial Arts Academy, he skipped several grades, graduating at the age of fourteen. He was naturally hailed in the family as the 'Genius Heir' and received prioritized cultivation.

Yet, this exceptional talent fostered an arrogant and conceited personality in Obot. In his eyes, he was the smartest, and everyone else was merely a foil to him! While he wasn't the strongest in terms of raw power, he firmly believed that among his peers, no one could surpass him—this wasn't just confidence; it was largely hubris!

Precisely because he mastered everything so quickly, he found everything tedious; he couldn't experience the satisfaction of achieving a goal through persistent effort and sweat like others did.

Originally, he had little interest in the contests between the applicants and the guards. But now, he was profoundly bored, so he strolled toward the training ground. He didn't expect to see anything surprising; he just wanted to pass the time, treating it as watching an ape show.

When he arrived at the training ground, a match was in progress. Indeed, it was dull. The applicant was clearly too weak, unable to withstand the guard's attacks. Hmph, to come here with such little skill is simply overestimating oneself!

Unable to watch any longer, Obot shifted his gaze to the opposite side, and with a sudden, swift glance, his body stiffened.

There was a maiden standing opposite—a girl as beautiful as a celestial being! This person was naturally Robin. This young woman seemed imbued with a strange magical essence, giving off an ethereal, otherworldly aura! For that instant, Obot's mind went momentarily blank! Unconsciously, the fight in the ring concluded—it ended, as expected, with the applicant’s crushing defeat. And the next contestant scheduled to fight was none other than the ethereal beauty Obot was fixated on—Robin! D