"The rule is, you can't take anyone there, and without absolute necessity, you should not seek him out."

Wen Yan pursed his lips and said nothing.

After leaving Cai Qidong, Wen Yan went to find Seventh Great-Uncle Master. They had nothing to do this afternoon, so they had already gone to the local orphanage for a look. Wen Yan had been delayed selecting items and took more time than expected, so he was only now heading over.

They drove to a certain point, but further in was a narrow street. Vehicles would have a hard time entering, and even if they did, there probably wouldn't be any parking. Wen Yan looked at the street sign: Qidian Road. Following the narrow path for about a hundred meters, he saw the gates of their destination. Judging by its style, it had to be at least thirty years old. A signboard next to it read: Yu State Qidian Children's Welfare Institute.

As soon as Wen Yan stepped through the main gate, he saw Seventh Great-Uncle Master was personally there, bringing a lot of food and distributing it to a crowd of children. Eighth Uncle-Master Ancestor was nowhere to be seen, and it was unclear whether he had come along.

The moment Wen Yan glanced over, a red exclamation mark suddenly appeared before his eyes. His Natural Enemy Profession had reacted; this was the first time he had encountered such an obvious warning sign.

"Qidian Orphan."

"Destined to be without parents and to bring calamity to them. Their childhood is fraught with adversity and suffering. Should they withstand it, they become unyielding, defying the odds at every turn. Should they falter, they can never recover, sinking into the mire.

It is strongly recommended not to use your First Fixed Ability, as he will take it seriously.

To counter this natural opposition, it is advised not to be headstrong."

"Temporary Ability... A fragile little small fry, not worth such focused attention."

Wen Yan's expression changed, barely able to contain himself. Good heavens! To think there could be someone who is a natural counter to his First Fixed Ability.

"I am Your Father" is an ability tailored specifically for 'silly sons' that matches them with one hundred percent compatibility. Against others, however, it's a strong taunt effect. He hadn't expected to come across another one-hundred-percent match, and this time, a different kind of match in this little fellow. If he used it that way, there was an eighty percent chance he wouldn't be able to withstand the backlash. Otherwise, the Natural Enemy Profession wouldn't have issued such a solemn warning for a little fellow who was, frankly, not worth the alert.

Wen Yan felt he should be more cautious in the future. The First Fixed Ability, with its strong taunting effect, was quite useful, even for screening purposes. However, he'd better be more careful from now on and try to avoid indiscriminate, wide-reaching uses. The world is vast and full of wonders. If he happened to include this "Qidian Orphan" in one of his wide sweeps, what an injustice that would be.

Wen Yan entered the yard and looked over the children. At least they didn't seem to be the emaciated type, which meant their basic meals were guaranteed. Wen Yan watched his target: a little boy about seven or eight years old sitting on a stone bench by the back corridor, quietly watching everything, seeming a bit out of place.

Wen Yan walked over, casually picking a few walnuts from the pile Seventh Great-Uncle Master was distributing. He sat next to the little boy, held a walnut in one hand, and gently squeezed it open. After splitting it, he tossed half into his own mouth and handed the other half to the little boy.

The little boy was taken aback and accepted the walnut. "Thank you, Big Brother."

"What's your name?"

"Guo Daoquan."

"Ah, such a name. It seems you are fated to be with us. Would you like to come with us?"

Guo Daoquan didn't reply.

Wen Yan took out another walnut, lightly pinched it with two fingers, and squeezed it until it cracked. Holding the broken pieces in one hand, he picked out the shelled walnut with the other. Guo Daoquan looked on in shock, his fingers subconsciously mimicking the action.

"Want to learn how?"

Guo Daoquan didn't respond. Wen Yan took a small piece of walnut shell, flicked it with his finger, and sent it flying with a POP! against the nearby brick wall, leaving a noticeable dent in a brick.

Guo Daoquan's eyes widened, and he swallowed hard.

"Want to learn?"

"I do."

"It's tough, though."

"I'm not afraid of hardship."

"Then come with us."

Guo Daoquan hesitated for a moment, shook his head slightly, and said in a low voice, "They say I bring disaster. I've been adopted twice, and both times my new parents were injured many times."

"Perfect! Our sect is a martial school. We only have senior and junior martial brothers, Uncle Masters, Great Uncle Masters, and Grand Uncle Masters—no moms or dads."

"Really?" A glimmer of hope flickered in Guo Daoquan's eyes.

"Really."

Wen Yan looked at the boy with a cheerful smile. "But, our place is very strict and very tough. Not only do you have to go to school and study your lessons, but you also have to practice Martial Training and exercise your body. Those who can't bear hardship won't achieve much."

"I'm not afraid of hardship! I can wash clothes, I can change diapers for my younger brothers and sisters, I can stir-fry shredded potatoes, and I always get excellent grades on my exams."

"Alright, I'll go speak to him."

Wen Yan sat beside Seventh Great-Uncle Master and pointed at Guo Daoquan. "Seventh Great-Uncle Master, let's take this little guy with us too."

"Oh? Can you see something special?"

"Well, on Fuyu Mountain, we all teach them together, right? Just don't assign him a personal master, and it should be fine."

Wen Yan gestured for Guo Daoquan to come over. Seventh Great-Uncle Master extended a hand to feel Guo Daoquan's bones.

"His bone structure is average, and his talent for Martial Training is also average."

"Give him a chance to try. We'll teach him as we do the others. How far he can go mainly depends on the individual."

"Alright then, we'll take him."

Seventh Great-Uncle Master wasn't picky. After all, the new disciples usually brought to Fuyu Mountain were of this level. In their early years, they might not have even been as sensible as Guo Daoquan.

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