Chi Yanqi straightened himself and said, "Listen, Li. This is something most sects and clans would never give freely. You almost never find it elsewhere, and even if you did, you wouldn't be allowed to spread it. No one wants their knowledge to be worthless. I'm telling you this for your own good—keep your mouth shut."
Lin Shu nodded, understanding immediately. If something were accessible to everyone, its value would collapse for those seeking profit or advantage.
Yanqi continued, "Elemental affinity is your resonance, your compatibility with an element—fire, water, earth, and so on. It is even rarer then a good cultivation talent, and it can boost your strength tremendously. For example, a cultivator with no affinity using a fire technique versus a cultivator with fire affinity—the latter will almost always overpower the former. Affinity also provides a natural resistance to attacks of the same element.
"Your affinity exists in the center of your dantian, in what we call the resonance seat. There, it takes form. The shape indicates the type of your affinity: fire manifests as a lotus-shaped flame, water as a droplet suspended in midair, earth as a crystal, and so on. These shapes are created from your Qi, and while they reveal your type, they do not reveal your rank."
He paused, letting the information sink in before continuing. "Yes, there are ranks for affinities, just as there are for talent. The rank determines how much stronger your affinity-related techniques become. You can sense your talent through the materialization of Qi in the resonance seat—the purity and brightness of the manifestation. The dimmer and more diluted the color, the lower the rank. The brighter and purer, the higher the rank."
Yanqi's eyes narrowed slightly as he outlined the hierarchy. "The lowest rank is the Empty Resonance. It is hollow—there is nothing there to indicate talent. No matter what you do, it remains void.
"The first true rank is the Dim Resonance, a dull, weak red light. It grants approximately a 10% boost to related elemental techniques. Even this rank is extremely rare—you have roughly the same chance of encountering it as a Rank Two cultivation talent.
"The second rank is the Flaring Resonance, with a soft red or orange light, providing around a 20% boost. Its rarity is comparable to a Rank Three cultivation talent.
"The third rank, Bright Resonance, glows golden to white and grants a 30% increase in the power of related techniques. Its rarity exceeds even that of a Rank Four cultivation talent.
"The fourth rank is the Pure Resonance, a dazzling white with a golden haze that flows endlessly. The boost it grants is at least 50% to all affinity-related techniques. Such individuals are so rare that I've only ever seen them at grand festivals or gatherings of sects and clans—never unguarded. Encountering one is comparable to finding a Rank Five cultivation talent. That is how valuable they are."
He paused, then leaned back, voice dropping slightly. "These are the only known ranks. However…"
Lin Shu and Aoyan leaned forward, intrigued.
"There is one more," Yanqi admitted, "and while I do not know its effects or even its name, it is considered the peak of resonance. It may only exist in old tales. I cannot confirm its reality."
Lin Shu absorbed every word. This knowledge was invaluable, yet one question remained—how could he see his own affinity? He had long been sensing his dantian through Qi, yet he had never noticed a resonance seat or any elemental manifestation as Yanqi described.
Yanqi noticed the doubt in his eyes. "Do not worry," he said, "no matter how hard you try, you cannot see your affinity on your own. To do so, you need a specialized technique or tool—something far beyond your current capabilities. Of course, you could pay someone to detect it for you, but I assure you, it is never a safe choice. If your affinity is high, such a person will likely sell you to a clan or sect. Given your low talent, Li, the chance of you even having an affinity is extremely slim. If you want, you may try to have it assessed, but I would not recommend it—for you, the odds are negligible."
Lin Shu furrowed his brow. "But… if that's the case, wouldn't they not care? Even if my affinity is high, a low cultivation talent would make it useless in the long term."
Yanqi laughed softly. "Who said anyone wants to recruit you?"
Both Lin Shu and Aoyan looked at him in confusion. Aoyan asked, "Master… wouldn't they want to take him in if his talent is good?"
Yanqi turned his gaze to Lin Shu, his expression unreadable. "Li, that's the end of my answers for now. If you have more questions, you'll have to surprise me later. For now, go rest. And congratulations on reaching the Silver League."
Lin Shu wanted to ask more but knew his achievements weren't enough for further knowledge. He left.
Aoyan, still curious, turned to her master. "What did you mean by not wanting to recruit him?"
Yanqi smiled faintly. "Li wasn't wrong. Even a strong affinity with a low cultivation talent isn't a valuable combination. He may never even reach the second realm, yet who said anyone expects him to? Aoyan, imagine walking across a bridge carrying a chest full of meat. In front of you are a dozen starving beasts. Wouldn't they try to take it by any means necessary, even if the bridge collapses under them?
"Even if the meat is part of you, they wouldn't hesitate to tear through it. That is human nature—cruel, relentless. That chest, in this analogy, is Li's potential affinity. No one can take it directly, no one can transplant a dantian into their own body, but that won't stop them from trying. Just as demonic cultivators never cease their massacres, so too do humans pursue what they covet. The means matter little to them."
Aoyan nodded slowly, the lesson settling in. She had seen the cruelty humans were capable of, yet even she had underestimated it. Unbeknownst to her, the person her master gave that information too was no different.
Lin Shu left with that new information weighing heavily on his mind. It was incredibly valuable—enough to change the way he approached cultivation and combat—but he knew better than to ask outright about ways to increase his talent or gain an affinity. Matters like that weren't shared freely; entire sects waged wars over such secrets. He wasn't expecting a Chi Clan elder to hand him such knowledge on a silver platter.
The following weeks were spent in relentless training and battles. And now, after the long wait, Lin Shu found himself alone in his rented room. He wasn't with his team or his agent today—this was a private moment. Today was the day he would break through.
His expression was calm but resolute as he began refining the last threads of Qi necessary to reconstruct his Dantian. Cracks formed along the walls within, followed by the emergence of new, stronger walls. His Qi deepened in color and density—a clear sign of progress. Slowly, Lin Shu rose to his feet, feeling the difference in his body. His Qi reserves had grown, and with them, his ability to reconstruct his armor had improved far beyond what he could do before.
But that fleeting joy quickly faded. Over the past weeks, he had reached the Silver Rank, followed by Kai two weeks later, and Aoyan four weeks after that. Since then, countless fighters from various teams had challenged him and his team. The most persistent thorn in his side was Rampage. Ever since defeating Aoyan, Rampage had used it to insult her and her teammates, provoking other teams as well. Many agents had grown increasingly dissatisfied with him, seeking to teach him a lesson, since he not only refused their offers but humiliated them in the arena.
Lin Shu observed the effects of all this carefully: rampage's fame had skyrocketed even more than his by many times. The boy had achieved it by standing alone, refusing to join any team, making enemies everywhere, and defeating anyone who tried to challenge him. Even Lin Shu, normally unbothered, had to admit he felt some irritation toward Rampage—but he ignored it. Yanqi had instructed him to wait, to let Rampage climb, and then bring him down at his peak.
With his own Silver Rank achieved, Lin Shu had encountered many teams and fighters. One, in particular, caught his attention. Though he hadn't reached Rampage's fame, he had made a name for himself. This fighter could grow wings from his body, allowing him to fly and fight from the air—a technique Lin Shu found both dangerous and fascinating. The man called himself Zephyr, and Lin Shu recognized him immediately: the same person he had tasked with killing the Thunder Eagle.
Zephyr shared Rampage's arrogance. Both sought fame and recognition, often ridiculing their opponents to do so. Kai had already faced Zephyr in battle once, losing but forming a rivalry that only intensified his drive for revenge. Meanwhile, Aoyan had been steadily improving. Her last loss had ignited a fire in her—she trained harder than ever, determined not to be caught off guard again.
Other challengers had entered the arena as well, including the girl Lin Shu had once stopped from attacking Kai—Chi Ran. Aoyan had taken note of her presence too, and her own training had intensified since Chi Ran's arrival. The arena was becoming a true crucible, and Lin Shu knew the battles ahead would test not only their strength but their ability to survive in a world where ambition and ruthlessness ruled.