Elder Xavier's expression froze.
His brow furrowed slightly.
He had assessed countless bone structures, but Evelyn Ross's remained unforgettable.
Her joints had been weak and floppy.
Her bones were brittle and porous.
She simply wasn't built for martial arts.
Even as she grew older, there was no improvement.
Her parents had begged him many times, but he never relented.
With that bone structure, no matter how hard she trained, the martial path was closed to her.
Perhaps studying dance was a better option.
An adult's bone structure shouldn't change significantly.
But this time, as he touched her, he was utterly stunned.
This was nothing like the soft, boneless Evelyn of the past.
No…
This body had hard, strong bones.
The joints were exceptionally flexible.
Her meridians were as clear and open as a seasoned master's!
Elder Xavier couldn't help but study Evelyn Ross more closely.
He asked in a low voice, "How many hours do you train daily?"
Evelyn lowered her gaze.
"Four hours."
Elder Xavier's brow tightened.
That was impossible!
Even if she had trained from the womb, four hours a day couldn't produce such a physique.
He focused his breath and energy.
He carefully examined Evelyn's bone structure again, searching for any trickery.
But after repeated scrutiny, he found nothing unusual.
He moved to feel her other arm.
The sensation was just as strong and powerful.
He called for Ethan Valentine.
"Come here."
Ethan walked to his side.
Elder Xavier began assessing his bone structure.
Ethan felt extremely uncomfortable being handled this way.
He forced a laugh.
"Elder Xavier, what are you doing?"
Elder Xavier's frown deepened.
He was beginning to doubt his own judgment!
An adult's bone structure was indeed different from a child's.
The standards for assessment varied.
But a martial artist's physique was always distinct from an ordinary person's.
Why did he feel that Evelyn's physique was even superior to Ethan's?
This was unbelievable!
Ethan was second only to the First Senior Sister among his generation in the Cortez Sect.
He was truly top-tier.
The First Senior Sister was a natural prodigy.
How could Evelyn, who was so weak as a child, surpass Ethan?
As Elder Xavier wrestled with this, Ethan spoke up.
"Elder Xavier, are you finished? There are others waiting."
"Oh, alright."
Elder Xavier withdrew his hand and looked at Evelyn.
Ethan asked, "How is Evelyn's physique?"
Elder Xavier hesitated for a moment.
He finally gave a safe answer.
"Acceptable. You must have trained diligently all these years. Very well. You may participate in the Outer Disciple Tournament."
Evelyn wasn't entirely sure of her own martial prowess.
She had never lost a one-on-one fight since training with her master.
She was slightly taken aback.
"The Outer Disciple Tournament?"
"Indeed." Elder Xavier stroked his beard.
"Outer disciples do have a path to promotion. The top three in the tournament will earn the right to enter the inner sect. The Sect Leader and various elders will then select the best for further training. With your qualifications, you should try."
Elder Xavier felt this was the safest approach.
If he couldn't determine her depth through assessment, let her prove it in actual combat.
If she won, a talented individual wouldn't be overlooked.