Ye Chen frowned slightly, studying the little boy closely for a moment before murmuring, "My name is Ye Chen. Do you know where the Personnel Department is?"

The little boy nodded, raised his hand, and pointed toward the mountaintop. "The Personnel Department is right at the summit. You can take that small path next to it to get there."

Following the direction of his finger, Ye Chen looked up. In the distance, the mountain peak stood majestic, shrouded in swirling mist, its top obscured from view. After gazing for a while, he withdrew his gaze and nodded. "Thank you." With that, he prepared to turn and leave.

Just then—

Several figures slowly descended a winding mountain path nearby. The one in the lead was clad in black, his face sharply chiseled, contours defined. Beneath heavy brows, a pair of violet eyes flashed with icy electricity, and his demeanor was arrogant as he walked toward the base of the mountain. Following him were two others: a stooped, frail old man, and a youth with an oversized head and a diminutive frame.

As the leading man in black stepped off the stone stairs, he suddenly sensed something and turned his head, immediately spotting Ye Chen and the little boy, Mickey, by the threshold. His eyes narrowed slightly. After appraising Ye Chen for a moment, two sharp glints suddenly erupted in his pupils, and he sneered, "So, this is the legendary prodigy!"

The large-headed youth and the stooped elder behind him halted their steps, opened their eyes, and focused on Ye Chen, a flicker of shock immediately appearing in their gazes.

"He’s the one who battled Purple Lightning in the live arena match!"

"It really is him!"

"Judging by his appearance, is he just arriving at the Supreme Genius Hall today?"

The two watched Ye Chen with expressions of fear, their serious eyes filled with apprehension.

Ye Chen glanced at the trio, frowned, waved dismissively at Mickey, and walked directly toward them.

Step by measured step, he approached...

As Ye Chen drew nearer, the three inexplicably felt a sudden tension. The man in black, who led them, seemed to recall something. He furrowed his brow, coughed lightly, puffed out his chest, and looked up at Ye Chen with defiance.

As Ye Chen slowly closed the distance, the three gradually regained their composure. Remembering their status, their expressions returned to calm assurance, and they stood rooted like ancient pines.

Ye Chen’s expression was indifferent. He brushed past the three figures and continued toward the stone steps behind them.

Only after Ye Chen had passed did the three snap back to reality. The man in black let out a sigh of relief, only to discover his back was completely drenched in cold sweat, filling him with alarm.

"Brother Long!" the stooped old man said to the man in black, seeming several generations his junior, his voice laced with apprehension. "Is this person really from the First Grade Genius Hall? When he passed by me just now, I felt my very soul tremble, as if he were a ferocious beast. Such intense killing intent!"

"I felt it too," the large-headed youth murmured dreamily.

The man in black’s expression was grave. He clenched his fists, his palms slick with oozing sweat. He said in a low voice, "From now on, do not provoke this man. Since he could slay Purple Lightning in the live arena match, he clearly possesses considerable ability. Do not underestimate him!"

"Yes!"

"I understand."

The stooped elder and the large-headed youth responded in turn.

Ye Chen left the base of the mountain and followed the winding path upward. Not long after, he reached the mountainside, where a large complex of buildings stood, centered around a grand plaza. Adjacent to this plaza, separated by stretches of forest, were several smaller courtyards.

In this square, people wandered freely. Some sat near the edge of the sun-drenched plaza, leaning against stone pillars while plucking melancholic melodies on ancient qin. Others lay sprawled on the grass, staring blankly at the scorching sun overhead.

Ye Chen’s eyes flickered as he took mental note. He realized the atmosphere permeating the Supreme Genius Hall was entirely different from that of the Second Grade or First Grade Halls.

This place was filled with an air of languor and leisure, as if housing a crowd of people with nothing much to do. It was unlike the First Grade Hall, where one could see fervent practitioners everywhere, enveloped in a blazing, violent energy that shook observers with its intensity.

Ye Chen watched for a moment, a realization dawning in his mind: "When a secret manual reaches a certain level, what's needed is not rigorous practice, but enlightenment! Ten years of hard training are worth less than one moment of sudden awakening!"

With this thought, Ye Chen cast one last glance at the people in the plaza, then withdrew his gaze and continued up the mountain path. Soon, he climbed over the rocks and arrived at the summit. Here, clouds and mist coiled, the air was fresh, scented with mountain breezes and flora. The plaza on the peak was paved with white jade, offering an unobstructed panorama, vast and expansive, seeming to merge directly with the blue sky.

The structures here were sparse, numbering only seven or eight, compared to the terraced buildings on the mountainside. However, each building was constructed with magnificent grandeur and elegant sweep—jade towers and pavilions exquisitely crafted by masterful hands.

Ye Chen scanned the area and immediately spotted a manor situated behind the cluster of buildings. This manor was enclosed by walls of white-gold, behind which four or five towering villas with unique architectural styles were faintly visible.

Ye Chen surveyed the scene for a moment, pondered briefly, and then set off. He soon reached the entrance by the perimeter wall of the manor, where seven or eight guards—both male and female—stood posted. They wore ornate armor and steel helmets, grasping uniform long spears. Nearby, more than a dozen mechanical soldiers crouched on guard.

"Halt!" A mechanical soldier, detecting Ye Chen's bio-thermal signature, immediately strode forward, blocking Ye Chen's path. It was entirely silver, and its thigh alone was nearly as tall as Ye Chen.

Ye Chen flipped his hand and produced his Genius Medal.

A red beam of light scanned over the mechanical soldier's eyes, lingering on the Genius Medal for a moment before retracting. It stepped aside. "Please enter."

Ye Chen pocketed the medal and stepped into the manor. Inside, the grounds were lush with verdant grass, the hillsides gently undulating, and several distinctive villas towered in the distance.

He frowned slightly and asked a beautiful, graceful maid standing by the door, "Where is the Personnel Department?"

The maid bowed respectfully. "Reporting, esteemed sir, the Personnel Department is in the second villa over there." She pointed toward a villa not far away.

Ye Chen followed her gesture, nodded slightly, waved, and walked toward the Personnel Department villa. He soon reached the entrance, walked directly into the main hall. The hall was vast, cold, and deserted, containing only a single counter. Behind it was an office where an old man in a plaid shirt was slumped over a desk.

Ye Chen approached and tapped the desk.

"Hmm?" The old man in the plaid shirt lifted his head groggily. He fumbled on the desk, found a pair of glasses, put them on, and peered at Ye Chen for a moment before muttering vaguely, "Who are you?"

Ye Chen flipped his hand and tossed the Genius Medal onto the desk. "I'm new here. I need to exchange this medal and also acquire the chip for the virtual system."

The old man in the plaid shirt pushed up his glasses, picked up the medal, examined it closely, then looked up at Ye Chen’s face. Suddenly recalling something, he exclaimed in realization, "Ah, you must be the Ye Chen who was expected to arrive soon—the First Grade Hall member who killed Purple Lightning!"

Ye Chen gave a slight nod.

"Tsk, tsk…" the old man in the plaid shirt sighed, then opened a metal safe beneath his desk. This safe was secured by 18 complex codes, requiring input in the languages, scripts, and numerals of 16 different civilizations to unlock.

Suspended inside the safe's inner lining were several purple medals, their edges marked with elegantly sculpted, burnt flame patterns. He casually picked one up, tossed it to Ye Chen, and smiled, "This is yours. Take good care of it, and remember to report it lost if you misplace it."

Ye Chen caught it. The purple medal was engraved in the center with a fire lotus, nine leaves radiating outwards, with a mass of suspended white flame at its core.

"This is the virtual system chip for the Supreme Genius Hall." The old man retrieved it from the lower tier of the metal box—a chip the size of a fingernail, perfectly square, transparent as crystal, exquisite and beautiful. After picking it up, he glanced at it briefly before tossing it to Ye Chen.

Having received his items, Ye Chen said no more and left the Personnel Department hall directly. According to the system notification on the Genius Medal, his residence was in Building Number 18 on the mountainside.

After exiting the manor, Ye Chen crossed the plaza and prepared to walk down the slope. Just then, the lacquered main door of a nearby building suddenly swung open, and a purple-clad youth stepped out. He was slender, with stylishly groomed hair and a face carrying a hint of roguish wickedness, a sardonic, devil-may-care smirk playing on his lips.

The youth in purple stretched lazily, then spotted Ye Chen and exclaimed in surprise, focusing his gaze sharply.

"That face... it looks so familiar. Is it, is it... Ah! It’s that kid!"

He suddenly seemed to remember something, slapped his hand, and his brow instantly furrowed. His figure blurred, and before Ye Chen could even register the movement, the youth appeared before him as if teleported, shouting, "Stop right there!"

Ye Chen, seeing the purple-clad youth approach like a sudden gust of wind, frowned. "Who are you?"

"You don't need to know!" the youth in purple looked down at Ye Chen, standing tall. "I didn't expect you’d have the guts to come to the Supreme Genius Hall. Hmph! I hereby issue a challenge to you today!"

Ye Chen rolled his eyes. "Nuts."

The youth in purple sneered. "You caused quite a scene in the First Grade Hall, slaying our Supreme Genius Hall's Purple Lightning. That trampled upon the dignity of every single person here in the Supreme Genius Hall! Furthermore, long ago, the Seventh Princess commanded us to teach a lesson to someone named Ye Chen—that must be you. We simply didn't bother with such a tiny ant back then, but look at where you’ve gotten now. However, your future ends here."

...

For today, that is one update. I have been suffering from a fever these past two days, and my head feels quite foggy; thinking is difficult. I will make up for it with three updates tomorrow. My brothers, your massive support and tolerance are greatly appreciated; Old Gu thanks you deeply.