Pay to Win (2)

"What, another banquet in the Han mansion?" Shi Wenyang's eyes shined. "I wanna come!"

She was excited to come back to the Han Mansion, not realizing she had only been gone for a day.

Her father, Shi Caiqing, gently smiled at her. "Sure. I just wonder what they're up to. Han Liqi just threw a banquet last week for his son's birthday, and they're throwing one again?"

.....

Two days later.

"Hello, and welcome everyone. I am here today as the host of this banquet..."

Han Liqi went on to give a long winded speech.

"Ahem, the quiet butler is a better host..." The people in the audience all had this tacit understanding.

"...The main reason I wanted to hold this banquet is for a celebration." Han Liqi snickered. He, no, his son was about to blow these people's minds.

Han Ganxing, who stood at the corner, saw the cue from his father. He shook his head and approached the main stage. Shi Wenyang, who had just arrived, was curious about the event for today.

An assistant hired by Han Liqi also went to the stage with Han Ganxing. He carried what seemed to be a testing device.

Han Liqi continued. "I'm sure you're all familiar with this artifact. For those of you who don't, this is a Worldly Sphere. There are many types of this artifact, but the one I am using is the orthodox low-level one. Nevertheless, it is capable of telling the cultivation level of someone up to the peak of the Middling Centera."

He continued to explain the mechanics of the device. After all, the banquet allowed entry for not only the rich, but also the middle class who had no knowledge of cultivation, as they had no right to learn about it.

"So you may be wondering, what's the use of this? ...Well, son, come and place your hand here."

Han Ganxing rolled his eyes, seeing the eager expression of his father. 'It's my achievement* to have this fast cultivation speed, so why do I feel like he's proud of himself?'

*Ahem, it's the system's...

"Ganxing's cultivation? He hasn't started yet when I left... leaving him with only 3 days. How much progress did he make for his father to hold a banquet just for this?" Shi Wenyang's curiosity was peaked.

Aside from her, the crowd below the stage also began to discuss amongst themselves.

"Han Liqi's son? Didn't he just turn 12 a week ago? Why would he hold a banquet for this?"

"Maybe his son has got some kind of talent?"

"I'm guessing he made a breakthrough to the First-Step Centera in a week."

"Even though it's not the fastest, it's still something to be proud of."

Han Ganxing placed his hand on the small Worldly Sphere. The crowd quieted down, waiting for the result to show up on the sphere.

A brightly colored mist came out of Han Ganxing's hand and went into the Worldly Sphere.

Han Liqi saw the Worldly Energy that came out of his son's hand and was stunned. 'Th- this purity... What the hell?'

Suddenly, he had an ominous feeling.

Out of nowhere, a crack appeared in the middle of the Worldly Sphere. The crack spread to all directions, following a web-like structure.

In a flash, Han Liqi pulled his son's hand away from the sphere. Han Ganxing didn't have the time to react, because as soon as his hand separated from the sphere, it convulsed at a rapid rate.

Before long, the sphere exploded!

"Uh, erm..." Han Liqi felt beads of sweat rolling down both of his cheeks. It wouldn't have been dangerous for him, but for his son who had only started cultivating, it would be devastating.

"Wh, what happened just now?"

"Did the Worldly Sphere just explode?"

"Doesn't that mean that Han Liqi's son's Worldly Energy was too much for that sphere?"

Han Liqi whispered to his secretary, "B, bring me a higher level Worldly Sphere."

Shi Wenyang stared blankly at the remnants of the Worldly Sphere. "...He's past the second centera? In three days?"

Meanwhile, Han Ganxing examined his palm, the one which was almost caught up in the explosion. "...Would I have been hurt?"

.....

After a while, another Worldly Sphere arrived, this time looking much bigger and more mystical than the last one. It had patterns on its surface, engraved by the artifact masters to strengthen the sphere.

"Erm, sorry for the mishap earlier. The sphere seems to have malfunctioned..."

Han Liqi didn't even believe himself, what more the audience below?

"You call that a malfunction?"

"That's the first time I've seen a faulty sphere explode. I mean, not from overloading..."

"Ha. That's surely not a malfunction."

Clearing his throat, Han Liqi hushed the crowd. "Uh, this time, we have a higher level Worldly Sphere..."

Han Ganxing, as per usual, held the sphere. Han Liqi waited on the side with bated breath.

An impossibly pure mist came out of his son's palm once more and entered the sphere.

This time, it didn't show signs of cracking. That meant it could safely handle his son's Worldly Energy and identify what level he was now. After ridding his fears, it was replaced by curiosity. How high was his son's Cultivation Level?

The crowd was anxious to see the level that this little boy had as well. For him to make the low-level Worldly Sphere explode, he would have to be at least at the Third-Step Centera.

Not long after, the results showed themselves. A series of words was being projected by the sphere, everyone reading it.

"..."

Everyone stayed silent, even after minutes had already passed.

Han Ganxing laughed to himself. He spoke quietly, but as the whole venue was speechless, his words reached every ear.

"...Did I overdo it?"