The Heavenly Court is gone, I don't want to be a True Lord.

Even the Lin family members on the stage noticed that something seemed to have happened between Zuo Qi and Qin Chen.

Did the two have a conflict before?

A sense of worry arose in Lin Yujun's heart. Zuo Qi was someone Lin Yuchan had introduced to her, and he had offended Qin Chen. She wondered if this would bring him any bad consequences.

As he was thinking this, he saw Zuo Qi step forward.

"You'd better be able to lift enough stone weights, otherwise..."

The threat in Qin Chen's tone was self-evident.

He had a mysterious background and was an official in the City Guard, yet he was treated like that by a poor boy who appeared out of nowhere.

It's been a long time since anyone dared to speak to him like that, or call him a dog.

He wanted to see if Zuo Qi would kneel down and beg for mercy like a dog once he realized the difference between them.

Zuo Qi didn't even glance at Qin Chen before landing directly in front of the 800-pound stone lock.

A hint of curiosity lingered in his eyes. Judging a person's strength is not simply based on arm strength or the strength of a particular part of the body. Lifting a stone weight, because it requires mobilizing the strength of the whole body, is a relatively direct way to demonstrate one's strength.

There were stone locks in the Lin family manor before, but they were all relatively light.

He was actually quite curious about his own strength, since there were very few suitable tools available.

Squat down and raise your hand.

He easily lifted the 800-pound stone lock, then raised it above his head with ease and comfort.

There was no praise, after all, it was only the lightest of the eight hundred jin.

Zuo Qi continued forward. His movements were not fast, but they were exceptionally steady, and the time taken for each stone lock was almost the same.

This applies from 800 jin up to 2,300 jin!

The onlookers' gazes changed; a 2,300-pound stone lock was quite a formidable object among them.

Most importantly, Zuo Qi didn't seem to be struggling at all.

His popularity and strength...

Just how strong is it?

"Two thousand three hundred pounds! There are still three stone weights left. How high can he lift them?"

"Judging from his relaxed demeanor, could he be even stronger than Qin Chen?"

"Not necessarily. Maybe he's working hard but his expression doesn't show, so we can't tell."

Lin Yujun's face was flushed, and her hands were clenched into fists, as if she were the one lifting the stone weights in the training ground.

Amidst the expectant gazes of the crowd, Zuo Qi slowly approached the 2,600-pound stone lock, grasped the handles on both sides with both hands, leaned his body slightly backward, and the stone lock slowly and firmly lifted off the ground, at the exact same speed as when he lifted the 800-pound stone lock before!

Those who noticed this changed their gaze.

Three rises and three falls.

Zuo Qi moved on to the next one.

Three thousand catties.

It was almost exactly the same as all the previous processes.

"So strong!"

Chen Yuan murmured to himself.

Han Meng's eyes lit up.

Qin Chen's expression turned slightly unpleasant.

Even more pale than his were Lin Yulian and Lin Yunian.

Lin Yunian, in particular, could even sense that Lin Yulian's gaze towards him was somewhat different.

Qin Chen was strongly supported by Lin Yulian, who introduced the two of them behind the scenes. He originally thought he could get along with the second wife's family in this way, but he didn't expect Zuo Qi to suddenly appear out of nowhere.

The moment Zuo Qi grasped the 3,200-pound stone lock with both hands, he frowned slightly.

It wasn't that it was difficult, but rather... it was too easy.

He even felt that the strength in his waist had not been fully unleashed before the stone lock was already off the ground.

Just how powerful is he right now?

Even he himself didn't quite understand it.

As the 3,200-pound stone weight lifted off the ground, the muscles in his arms inevitably became visible through his sleeves.

It resembled a coiled dragon, with muscles as sharp as if carved by a knife.

Several of the older women in the Lin family slightly parted their crimson lips, as if afraid of making a sound.

Zhang Shuo looked on incredulously.

Is this the charlatan Zhang Heng told him about?

A piece of trash capable of lifting a 3,200-pound stone lock?

Zuo Qi is a piece of trash, so what is he?

Thinking of this, he immediately lowered his head, only to feel that the way the people around him were looking at him had a subtle change, as if they were mocking him.

The boomerang may be late, but it arrives nonetheless.

When he previously accused Zuo Qi of swindling and deceiving, everyone scrutinized Zuo Qi.

Zuo Qi remained silent, but after demonstrating his strength, he himself became the one under scrutiny.

Qin Chen remained expressionless, but his hands clenched into fists as he hung down, his face flushed, and his gaze toward Zuo Qi was filled with resentment.

All I could hear was Zuo Qi's discussion.

Today should have been the day he became famous.

His fingernails dug into his flesh, and a sticky, damp substance spread across his palm, but he seemed completely unaware.

On the other side, Lin Yujun covered her mouth with both hands, her cheeks flushed, and said to Lin Yuxiao with a proud look, "I told you the person my older sister introduced me to must be amazing. See? You believe me now?"

Lin Yuxiao was speechless.

His lips moved slightly, and finally he managed to squeeze out a few dry words.

"Congratulations, Sister Yujun! It seems that what Sister Yulian prepared will be a good thing for your little lover."

Lin Yujun lowered her head shyly, "What? We've only known each other for two days."

However, being born into the Lin family and interacting with these sheltered young ladies in her daily life, she finally realized belatedly that her eldest sister seemed to... really have that intention?

Hearing the conversation between the two women behind her, Lin Yulian's expression was not good, but she still forced herself to be cheerful in front of Lin Yujun, her tone filled with envy, "I didn't expect Sister Yuchan to have such a hidden gem. I've been ruined by you sisters."

Lin Yujun seemed not to understand, "I thank Sister Yulian on behalf of Zuo Qi."

Lin Yulian rolled her eyes and said with a fake smile, "But Zuo Qi and Qin Chen both lifted the heaviest stone locks, so how do we determine the winner?"

Without even thinking, Lin Yujun said, "Zuo Qi definitely won. He lifted it so easily."

"..."

For a moment, everyone was speechless.

Lin Yunian was unwilling to give up, "Why don't we let them spar a bit?"

"Let me ask Brother Zuo Qi what he thinks."

Lin Yujun tiptoed and skipped towards Zuo Qi, holding a handkerchief and water in her hand.

……

Zuo Qi awkwardly enjoyed Lin Yujun wiping away non-existent sweat, listening to her chatter as his gaze swept across the training ground.

Rather than sparring with Qin Chen, he wanted to have a clear understanding of his current strength.

Looking around, all I could see was the giant bronze cauldron standing in front of the Lin family ancestral hall.

"Miss Yujun, how heavy is that cauldron?"

"Brother Zuo Qi, you can just call me Yu Jun. That cauldron is used for sacrificial rites to Heaven; I heard it weighs a full five thousand catties."

Zuo Qi nodded thoughtfully.

Now that we've already made a name for ourselves and offended Qin Chen and the others, there's no need to hold back anymore.

"Then tell Qin Chen that we'll decide the winner by lifting the tripod."

Lin Yujun's eyes widened. "Lifting the cauldron?! That 5,000-pound sacrificial cauldron?"

"No, Brother Zuo Qi, please think about it. Something weighing over 5,000 jin could crush someone to death."

Zuo Qi said with a smile, "Don't worry, I can't lift it, and neither can Qin Chen. As long as I'm stronger than him, that's fine."

Lin Yujun walked away, turning back every few steps.

The news spread quickly.

The sacrificial cauldron is used as a stone lock; whoever can lift it will be the victor for today.

At that moment, everyone in the training ground was stunned.

They stared in disbelief at the massive cauldron, nearly ten feet in diameter, in the distance. Could a person really lift that? Or were these two already masters of the third level of cultivation?

This time, Zuo Qi didn't stay at the end. Instead, he stepped forward, slowly grasping the cauldron's leg, which was as thick as an adult's arm, with one hand and supporting himself on the belly of the cauldron with the other. A sense of heaviness he had never felt before surged up.

Accompanied by a soft hiss.

Leaning back slightly, the bronze cauldron actually began to move slowly.

He stood as straight as a bowstring, his whole body taut, and it was the first time everyone had seen Zuo Qi's red face.

The giant cauldron slowly moved upwards to everyone's disbelief.

Buzz!

A series of buzzing sounds emanated from the cauldron.

At that moment, the entire drill ground fell completely silent!