Yang Ze pursed his lips, then began seriously, "As my framework, I've chosen [Ripples of Shattered Glass], because it's most compatible with me, and it's also legendary-grade. For my sword technique, [The Boundless Blade]; for my fist technique, [Fists of the Silent Sea]. I was deeply impressed by your recording of both techniques, and I plan on learning them both. As for a footwork technique, I'm interested in the pinnacle-grade [Mirrored Refraction]. What do you think?"

"Not bad, not bad at all," Zhang Lie praised. "Your selections were essentially as I predicted. In that case, you can get started right away. Take these manuals and head into one of the unoccupied training rooms."

Zhang Lie handed over the four manuals, causing Yang Ze to still for a moment as he felt their heft in his hands. He glanced up at Zhang Lie, nodded firmly, and headed toward a training room.

After Yang Ze was Li Feng. "Alright, what do you have for me?"

Because he had predicted the manuals Yang Ze had chosen, he was quite confident that he could do the same with Li Feng, but Li Feng's response was completely beyond his expectations.

"Captain, I would like to learn [Arclight Dragon's Imprint]!"

Li Feng's words stunned Zhang Lie. After all, his framework was previously earth-attuned, and although he still wasn't very advanced with it, he had at least gotten a grounding in earth-attuned techniques.

Was he intending to take an entirely different path? Zhang Lie smiled at his audacity.

"Explain your decision. Your previous framework was earth-attuned, wasn't it?"

"Yes, Captain, but not by choice." Li Feng grew visibly deflated as he responded.

He didn't have a choice. Coming from the slums, it took him a whole year of scraping by in the dimensional world to obtain that one high-grade framework, [Earthen Pulse]. Now, however, he wasn't restricted by a paucity of choices, and it was only natural that he would want to pick out the best technique he could.

If Zhang Lie had acquired a mythic-grade earth-attuned framework, he would undoubtedly have chosen that, but of the available earth-attuned manuals, the highest was only legendary-grade.

This prompted Li Feng to look outside his comfort zone and to choose a framework with a different elemental attunement. His background made him well aware that this could be the most important opportunity of his entire life. The framework he chose now would affect his future, and would represent a turning point in his career as a hunter.

As such, he would naturally aim for the very best!

"Your body's already familiarized itself with earth-attune techniques," Zhang Lie warned. "If you study an earth-attuned framework now, you'll be able to advance much more rapidly than if you chose a different elemental attunement. After all, you don't have any experience with light-attuned techniques.

"If you want to cultivate the [Arclight Dragon's Imprint], you'll need to overcome your body's natural aversion to a different elemental attunement, and this could well affect your speed of advancement. For at least a few months, it'll be akin to putting in double the effort for half the gain. Even so, will you take on [Arclight Dragon's Imprint]?"

Zhang Lie didn't forbid Li Feng from making such a decision, but he was very frank about the challenges that Li Feng would have to overcome for success.

He left the choice to Li Feng himself. Upon hearing Zhang Lie's words, hesitation flashed through his eyes, but it vanished in the next instant. Taking a deep breath, he repeated, "Captain, I would like to cultivate [Arclight Dragon's Imprint]."

"Are you certain?"

"Yes, Captain!" Li Feng replied instantaneously.

"Good, I can sense your conviction! In that case, you'll learn [Arclight Dragon's Imprint]. What auxiliary techniques have you chosen?"

Li Feng couldn't help but be surprised by Zhang Lie's cool acceptance of his decision.

He was prepared to receive a harsh lecture from him, and even to be rejected, but his captain seemed to be fully supportive of his decision. He had agreed, just like that!

Li Feng felt as if he were dreaming, to have been granted access to a mythic-grade framework so easily. He pinched himself on the leg until he was gasping in pain. No, it wasn't a dream! After a moment of stunned silence, he began to laugh.

Zhang Lie couldn't help but smile at Li Feng's antics. Li Feng was overthinking things; Zhang Lie was naturally gratified to see his teammates' willingness to improve themselves, to grow stronger. They were his disciples, but they were also hunters in their own right, and Zhang Lie was glad to see them chart out their futures for themselves.

"I intend on taking [Dragon's Triumph] and [Light's Bulwark] as my sword and fist techniques respectively, and [Daybreak] as my footwork technique."

All the manuals he had chosen were pinnacle-grade and higher, with [Daybreak] and [Dragon's Triumph] both being legendary-grade. A mythic-grade framework, along with two legendary-grade and a pinnacle-grade technique… it looked as though he would be spending quite a fair amount of time training from now on.

Zhang Lie raised an eyebrow, but he didn't object. As he handed him the four manuals, he said, "Don't disappoint me, Li Feng."

His hands trembling, Li Feng took the four manuals that Zhang Lie proffered. "Of course. I'll make you proud, Captain!"

No one knew just how much Zhang Lie's gift meant to him. From then on, Zhang Lie would be a figure he viewed on equal footing as his birth parents. Without him, Li Feng would never have been able to touch a mythic-grade manual his entire life, let alone study one. But now, he had a mythic-grade, two legendary-grade, and one pinnacle-grade manual in his hands.

Li Feng felt as though what he was holding weren't just the manuals, but also his fate. 

He had to achieve success, and he had to make his captain proud. This was all Li Feng could think about. Bowing deeply in gratitude, he ran off to a training room with the manuals in hand.

After Li Feng left, Fang Yi, Sun Xiaowu, and Zhou Ying all finished making their selections and walked up to Zhang Lie together.

"Are you all ready?"

"Yes, Captain!"

"Good. Step forward!" Zhang Lie began with Fang Yi. "Explain what techniques you've chosen, Fang Yi."