The Strongest Talent Tree

Chapter 66: Chapter 64: Beneath No One

Seeing the dumbfounded look on Feng Hao’s face, a smug expression spread across Xiyue Peak’s features. He seized the opportunity to say, "Kid, I’m not an unreasonable man. I don’t object to you and Yaoyao seeing each other, but I absolutely cannot let my daughter marry a man who will amount to nothing. Do you understand what I mean?"

"I get it. You just think I’m not good enough for Yao Girl right now, don’t you?" Feng Hao said with a curl of his lip. "What’s that saying again? ’The river flows east for thirty years, then west for thirty years. Don’t look down on a young man just because he’s poor.’ I’m still young. I have plenty of potential and a future. You can’t argue with that, can you?"

"Right. You do have a few tricks up your sleeve, kid," Xiyue Peak admitted reluctantly. His brow furrowed as he sighed and said, "My requirement is actually quite simple. I don’t need you to achieve great things, but at the very least, you must have enough power to protect Yaoyao."

"Uh!" Feng Hao was stunned speechless. He had a whole arsenal of arrogant, badass retorts prepared, but now he couldn’t utter a single one.

’Seriously, since when were fathers-in-law in the Otherworld so reasonable? This isn’t how it goes in the novels at all!’

’Shouldn’t Xiyue Peak be flying into a rage, viciously belittling and insulting me?’

’If he were more ruthless, he’d just forcefully break us up, angrily cripple my powers, or put Yao Girl under house arrest or something, right? Then I’m supposed to return later, once I’ve achieved greatness, to rub my success in his face?’

"What? Is that all it takes for you to back down?" Xiyue Luan asked, displeased.

Feng Hao snapped back to his senses and quickly shook his head. "No, no, no," he explained. "I just feel like your requirement is too low. It’s a little disconcerting."

"Oh-ho, getting cocky, are we, kid?" Xiyue Peak’s eyes widened in anger. "Fine! From now on, if you can’t reach a position second to one and above all others, don’t even think about getting involved with my Yaoyao."

"Why second to one?" Feng Hao replied calmly. "Why not be second to none?"

Hearing this, Xiyue Peak completely dropped his refined demeanor. Glaring, he fumed, "You audacious brat! You haven’t even learned to walk, and you’re already thinking of conquering the heavens, are you? I, Xiyue Peak, will not accept such an arrogant punk as my son-in-law!"

"Xiaofeng, that’s enough!" Xiyue Luan glared irritably at Xiyue Peak before turning to Feng Hao. "It’s good for a young man to have ambitions, but don’t mistake delusions for ambition. I’ve traveled beyond this world for many years and have met countless geniuses of stunning talent, but this is the first time I’ve ever seen someone so wildly overambitious."

"Overambitious?" Feng Hao smiled faintly, his gaze drifting toward the sky outside the door. "If one doesn’t even dare to be ’overambitious,’ then how can one even dream of being second to none?"

’You wouldn’t understand the mindset of a Transmigrator,’ Feng Hao wanted to say, but on second thought, he decided it was better to just look the part.

’Of course, you need the ability to back up the posturing. When a powerful person poses, it’s called being confident. When a weak person poses, it’s just called being a poser.’

Feng Hao had never been one for empty ambition. He simply possessed an extraordinary desire to reach the pinnacle and was the kind of person who would fight tooth and nail to get there.

It was just like back in the game *Mage*. From the moment he first picked up a dagger, he was constantly striving to reach the pinnacle of the Assassin class.

He had experienced failure and frustration, joy and arrogance, but one thing had never changed: his unwavering resolve and his march toward the summit.

In three years, he had transformed from a total gaming noob into a top-tier expert whose very name struck fear into his opponents, ultimately ascending to the throne of the number one Assassin.

Even after claiming the throne for his class, he never stopped moving forward, always chasing the absolute limits of his skills.

Countless up-and-coming players challenged him, but his throne was never usurped, because on the path to becoming the strongest, he was already walking a road far ahead of them.

After transmigrating into this world, his conviction remained unchanged. The pinnacle, the absolute limit—that was his only pursuit, his only desire.

The phrase "second to one and above all others" sounded like a compromise to him. What he wanted wasn’t to be second to *one*—it was to be second to *none*!

The aura that suddenly erupted from Feng Hao shocked everyone. Even High-level Mages like Xiyue Peak and Xiyue Luan could not completely block its influence, let alone Xiyue Frost and her sister.

Xi Yueyao, on the other hand, was fine. To her, that peerless aura simply translated into a demeanor so cool it was off the charts. Her eyes sparkled as she giggled to herself like a fool.

Xiyue Frost, however, was a different story. Faced with the aura suddenly surging from Feng Hao, her perpetually placid expression changed for the first time. ’What a terrifying aura,’ she thought. ’How did that little thief manage it?’

"The Old City Lord was right. You truly are no mere fish in a pond," Xiyue Luan said with a soft sigh. "It’s a pity your loyalty lies with the Thief God Hall. If you were to serve my Holy Hall, I could at least guarantee you a meteoric rise through the ranks."

"Thank you for the kind offer, Auntie," Feng Hao said, politely declining. "But a path is always more solid when you forge it yourself."

"Very good. I see the makings of a true powerhouse in you," Xiyue Luan said, a charming smile on her face and her eyes full of admiration.

Being praised so suddenly made Feng Hao a bit awkward. He clicked his tongue, and his imposing aura from moments before vanished without a trace.

Xiyue Peak’s expression was complicated. He looked like he wanted to say something but didn’t know where to begin. After a long pause, he sighed in resignation. "Fine, whatever. Come to the mansion tomorrow morning to assemble. You’ll depart with Xiaoshuang."

"Thanks for the trouble, big bro," Feng Hao said with a smile.

"’Big bro’? Who gave you the right to call me that?" Xiyue Peak’s face darkened as he growled.

Feng Hao grinned sheepishly and quickly corrected himself, "Then I’ll just call you Father-in-law."

"It’s too early to be calling me that. Wait until you actually have the power to protect Yaoyao," Xiyue Peak said, immediately putting on airs and looking incredibly smug.

"..." Feng Hao was left speechless.

’I’m starting to think the entire Xiyue family is made up of oddballs,’ Feng Hao thought. ’There isn’t a single normal one in the bunch. And to think I once saw Xiyue Peak as a handsome, dignified gentleman. Turns out he’s just a shameless old coot.’

’I guess it’s true what they say: you can know a person’s face, but not their heart. I still have a long way to go when it comes to judging character.’

By the time he left Xiyue Mansion, the sun was already setting. Yao Girl walked him out, grinning so widely she looked like she could barely contain her joy.

Her thoughts were also jumping all over the place; she’d even started fantasizing about what they would name their future children.

Feng Hao chose to simply ignore Xi Yueyao’s fantasy. He knew her style all too well. If he took the bait, the conversation would inevitably escalate to their grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren... on and on, forever.

’Yep, her thought process was just that insane!’

"This is far enough," Feng Hao said, stopping outside the gate. "You should head back inside for your interrogation. I’m sure they still have a lot to talk to you about."

"But isn’t everything settled? What else is there to talk about?" Xi Yueyao said, looking down and fiddling with the hem of her clothes, her face beaming.

"What do you mean ’settled’?" Feng Hao said, exasperated. "I clearly have countless trials ahead of me, you know?"

"Well, in my eyes, you’re the best, so those requirements will be no problem for you," Xi Yueyao declared with an expression of blind faith.

"Haha, now that’s what I like to hear," Feng Hao nodded in satisfaction, then teased, "Come on, let me hear you call me Brother Feng before you go."

"No way, I’m not saying it! It sounds awful!" Xi Yueyao’s face was beet red, but she still tried to put on a haughty front. Having said her piece, she scurried back into Xiyue Mansion.

Feng Hao smirked, then turned and headed in the direction of the Miao Medicine Tower...