Talent doesn’t equate to strength. It is merely a possibility, an advantage. For anyone hoping to stand at the pinnacle of their profession, talent is a necessity, but personal effort is just as crucial. And these are only the most basic elements. The path of growth is fraught with uncertainty.

Only seven or eight of the so-called geniuses were enjoying food in the camp. Yu Fei remembered the announcement on the metal door stating he was the seventeenth to arrive, and he had no idea where the others were.

He glanced around and saw four dazzling silver gems. The rest were all red. Among them were two at the third realm, and he wondered how they had managed to pass.

Ren Feng enthusiastically pulled Yu Fei around, introducing him to every student. Some welcomed him with a smile, while others looked on with disdain.

Every genius had their own personality.

"This is Zhigang! He was born with Divine Power..."

"Mmm... Hello. Want a bite?"

Zhuge Zhigang offered him his roasted leg.

"My mom says you should share good things when you meet new friends!"

Yu Fei didn’t know whether to laugh or cry and quickly refused. This genius also had a silver-level talent, yet he seemed to have the pure heart of a child.

"And this is the great beauty, Li Jueyin..."

Li Jueyin smiled in acknowledgment but didn’t speak. ’The mushrooms are really chewy,’ she thought, hesitating over whether she should offer some to Yu Fei. But she’d already eaten from the plate, and sharing it now would feel strange.

Before she could react, Ren Feng had already pulled Yu Fei away.

"This guy... you’ll never guess his name. This is Gao Shou!"

Gao Shou awkwardly scratched his head. "Hello! I’m Gao Shou!"

Yu Fei was a little bewildered. "Er... Hello, Master!"

"BWAHAHAHA..."

Ren Feng put his hands on his hips and roared with laughter.

Yu Fei thought that for someone to be acknowledged as a master by other silver-level geniuses, his strength must be truly formidable.

Gao Shou explained awkwardly, "No, no, my surname is Gao, and my given name is Shou. So my name is literally Gao Shou. I can’t help it; my parents picked it. I heard my dad wanted to name me ’Gao Wan’—which means ’Pro Gamer’—but my mom stopped him. So, from a list of bizarre options like ’Gao Tie’ for high-speed rail, ’Gao Lujie’ like the toothpaste brand, and ’Gao Ren’ for an exalted person, they picked the supposedly ’less weird’ name: Gao Shou. But I still think it’s ridiculous!"

He finished with a sheepish laugh.

Yu Fei understood now. He offered a compliment, "It’s a very distinctive name. Unforgettable. And it suits your disposition."

"Thank you!"

"Hey, I’m talking to you, Ren! The kid just got here and you’re dragging him all over the place. He’s been starving, let him come get a bite to eat!"

The man at the barbecue called out.

"Coming, Mr. Liu! Let’s go, you have to try this. The Rainbow Mushroom-Roasted Ban Sheep is a local specialty. It’s delicious and super nourishing!"

Following his "NPC guide" Ren Feng, Yu Fei arrived in front of Mr. Liu’s barbecue rack.

The older man looked at Yu Fei with a broad smile and asked warmly,

"You’re the young man named Yu Fei, right? Your stealth skills are quite impressive. Come on, come on, which cut would you like? Let me tell you about them first."

He began his introduction without waiting for Yu Fei to reply.

"This is a Ban Sheep, a high-quality breed of sheep domesticated here in the Borderlands. These creatures are born with abundant Qi Blood, comparable to a third-realm human Martial Artist, but they have a docile temperament. Their flesh is highly nourishing. In fact, one of the main ingredients for a low-grade elixir, the Qi Blood Elixir, is the heart of a Ban Sheep."

"We use all sorts of glowing mushrooms, dried and ground into a powder, to season the roasted Ban Sheep. The flavor is one-of-a-kind. So, young man, which piece would you like? I’ll cut it for you."

Yu Fei remembered Chen Yu once saying that Vitality Elixirs were just failed versions of Qi Blood Elixirs. Now he was hearing the name "Qi Blood Elixir" again.

He’d also heard the term "Borderlands" many times now, but he still didn’t know what or where it was.

The thought vanished as quickly as it appeared. Yu Fei said gratefully, "Thank you, Mr. Liu. I’ll have a hind leg, please!"

He had been starving in the mountains for two days. Although his Yang Qi could replenish his Qi Blood, the hunger itself was very real.

He could have held out a little longer, but watching Zhuge Zhigang eat with such gusto had made his mouth water.

Mr. Liu picked up a bottle of unknown powder from a side table, sprinkled it over the hind leg Yu Fei had chosen, and the meat was instantly engulfed in multicolored flames. A rich, meaty aroma mingled with a faintly dreamlike scent. A moment later, he carved off the entire leg and handed it to Yu Fei.

"Go on, try it. This mushroom powder is only effective when it’s sprinkled on in the two minutes before you eat. Any longer and it becomes sickeningly sweet. If it’s not heated enough, it’ll make you hallucinate. But if the timing is perfect, it completely cuts through the grease of the roast."

Yu Fei eagerly took the roasted meat.

"I can’t thank you enough!"

He found a spot to sit down, and Ren Feng brought him a platter of cold mixed mushrooms, telling him to just ask if he needed anything. Having arrived earlier, he had already figured everything out for the "brothers." Then he pulled Gao Shou over for an impromptu performance, and cheerful singing soon filled the camp.

Ren Feng was an interesting character. He seemed enthusiastic, but Yu Fei couldn’t sense any genuine goodwill from him—though there was no malice, either.

He could sense the pride deep in Ren Feng’s bones. ’His warmth and cheerfulness are just part of the act he likes to put on, nothing more,’ Yu Fei concluded.

These thoughts flashed through his mind, and then he took a huge bite of the roasted leg.

"Delicious!"

Ordinary roasted meat was heavy on the seasoning, but not this Rainbow Mushroom-Roasted Ban Sheep. It was seasoned with only salt and the mushroom powder, giving it a natural, pure, and delicious flavor.

From the very first bite, Yu Fei could no longer control his craving. He devoured the meat ravenously, finishing the entire leg in no time at all.

The main reason was that the flavor was just too unique. Not counting the simple meals provided by Base 209, this was the first time he had truly eaten ingredients meant exclusively for Martial Artists. The instinctual craving rising from deep within his body made it nearly impossible to control his appetite.