Translator: CinderTL
Jiang Ye and Chen Zilu stood watching the light fade into the distance.
After a moment, Chen Zilu glanced at the young man beside her and remarked casually, "Seems you're quite kind to every girl."
Jiang Ye remained silent.
"Senior Sister," he said helplessly, "we're fellow disciples. I can't just be rude to you."
"I'm not blaming you," Chen Zilu huffed. "I'm just reminding you that if you're going to be kind to others, be kind all the way. Don't let them down in the end."
"What does this have to do with letting them down?" Jiang Ye asked, shaking his head in frustration.
Chen Zilu said nothing more. She looked at Jiang Ye, a flicker of worry crossing her peach-blossom eyes.
He was becoming more and more outstanding.
Each time they met, she felt a sense of awe far beyond what she had in the past.
Perhaps it won't be long before this handsome young man truly surpasses me, soaring to the heavens like a carp leaping through the dragon gate.
Would he still be willing to patiently chat with me like this then?
Chen Zilu could see the unwavering determination in Jiang Ye's heart.
Though he seemed kind to everyone, there was always a steely resolve in his eyes. Such a person would sacrifice anything to become stronger.
One day, when I can no longer help him, will he discard me like trash?
For some reason, Chen Zilu remembered a childhood friend.
When that friend learned about her mysterious illness, they had kicked her away without hesitation, and they had never spoken again.
Chen Zilu gazed into the distance, her eyes flickering with uncertainty.
Suddenly, a warm hand clasped her slender, pale wrist.
"Senior Sister," Jiang Ye said, meeting her gaze.
Chen Zilu snapped out of her reverie, momentarily dazed to see his hand on her wrist.
"You should head back first," Jiang Ye said gently. "I'll be staying on Ancient Star No. 7 for a while longer."
"Take these four bottles of Extreme Sea Primordial Liquid back for me," Jiang Ye said, placing the bottles in Chen Zilu's hands.
"What are you doing?" Chen Zilu glared at him, a mix of embarrassment and annoyance in her eyes.
This guy, not even saying a word and already touching her?
Doesn't he see her as an outsider at all?!
"Why are you giving me this? I already have four bottles," Chen Zilu refused.
"You're at a critical stage for your fifth breakthrough," Jiang Ye said. "It's better to have extra."
"Don't be ridiculous!" Chen Zilu glared at him. "You're not keeping a single bottle for yourself and giving it all to me? Are you crazy?"
"I'm still a long way from the fourth breakthrough," Jiang Ye said with a smile. "I don't need it right now."
"You should still plan for the future," Chen Zilu said seriously.
"Senior Sister, please accept it," Jiang Ye said with a faint smile. "Otherwise, I won't be able to accept anything you give me in the future."
"You..." Chen Zilu gritted her teeth, finding it increasingly impossible to deal with this man.
After a moment, she said, "Alright. I'll take them, but not for free. I'll wait for you to return, and then I'll give you something that will greatly help you with your fourth breakthrough."
"Alright," Jiang Ye agreed without hesitation.
"Can you let go now?" Chen Zilu suddenly shot him a glare, her snow-white wrist still held firmly in his grasp.
"My apologies," Jiang Ye said with a smile, finally releasing her.
"You're really..." Chen Zilu muttered under her breath, "If you're going to grab me, you could at least say something."
She didn't say anything, just reached out and grabbed him. It was so sudden.
Jiang Ye chuckled in surprise.
"Alright."
"Next time, I'll ask my senior sister for permission first," Jiang Ye said with a grin.
Chen Zilu rolled her eyes but remained silent.
"I'll escort you to the Cosmic Void Passage," Jiang Ye offered.
"Okay."
Half an hour later.
Jiang Ye stood at the entrance of the Cosmic Void Passage, having already bid farewell to Chen Zilu.
"Finally."
"Now, I can focus on my own affairs," Jiang Ye declared, his eyes blazing as he gazed across the vast expanse of the cosmos.
The reason he had stayed behind was simple:
The vast Ancient Star No. 7 still held many unexplored opportunities.
Now that Jiang Ye had found Chen Zilu and reconciled, his next priority was to maximize his own growth.
"Third breakthrough?"
Not enough, far from enough, Jiang Ye thought. Not even considering my senior sister's batch.
Even those with Transcendent Aptitude in my year must have already achieved the third breakthrough.
With this in mind, he asked inwardly, Bai Gui, at my stage, what's the typical realm for someone with Transcendent Aptitude?
By now, Jiang Ye was no longer the clueless, poor kid he once was.
Yet when it came to Transcendent Aptitude, he still knew very little.
Even at White Dragon University, those individuals were rarely seen.
"Transcendent Aptitude?"
"This type of aptitude varies in strength," Bai Gui's voice replied. "Even the weakest Transcendent Aptitude in your era would typically reach the third breakthrough or higher."
"What about the strongest?" Jiang Ye asked.
"That would be extremely high—the fourth or even fifth breakthrough is possible."
"Such a huge difference?" Jiang Ye was surprised.
He knew Transcendent Aptitude was powerful, but reaching the fourth or fifth breakthrough before the end of his second year? That seemed outrageous.
"Your Blue Star Civilization—or rather, any civilization below the first-tier cosmic level—doesn't have people like that," Bai Gui explained. "Such prodigies are typically only found in more advanced cosmic civilizations."
"I see," Jiang Ye nodded slightly.
"As for Blue Star..."
"To my knowledge, the strongest Transcendent Aptitude ever born on Blue Star, during your era, reached a level close to the fourth breakthrough," Bai Gui said slowly.
"Close to the fourth breakthrough?" Jiang Ye was surprised again.
"Did she cultivate that fast?"
"It's decent," Bai Gui replied casually. "Transcendent Aptitudes can begin cultivating from the age of ten. By the time of the College Entrance Examination, that individual had already reached the late-second breakthrough. In her first year of university, she managed to break through to a level close to the fourth breakthrough."
As the Guardian Spirit of a third-tier cosmic civilization, the strongest Heavenly Pride of Blue Star seemed rather ordinary in her eyes. But for Jiang Ye, it was still astonishing.
"Close to the fourth breakthrough... that's truly impressive," Jiang Ye couldn't help but click his tongue.
Yet, after hearing Bai Gui's explanation, it seemed reasonable.
Transcendent Aptitudes must have their own opportunities.
For instance, a single trip to an ancient star had caused Jiang Ye's cultivation to skyrocket. But the Extreme Sea Star System was merely a B-grade opportunity zone.
Those with transcendent aptitudes venturing into A-grade opportunity zones would undoubtedly reap far greater rewards.
Breaking through from the late-second breakthrough to a level close to the fourth breakthrough within a year wasn't unusual.
"But that person never truly grew," Bai Gui suddenly said. "She died young."
"Died young?" Jiang Ye was taken aback.
Such a powerful genius, yet she died young?
"Yes."
"She participated in the 'civilization strife crossing' during her second year of college," Bai Gui continued. "She died in the process."
"Civilization strife crossing?" Jiang Ye heard this term for the first time. "What is that?"
"A method cosmic civilizations use to advance their rank," Bai Gui replied calmly. "Typically, the strongest geniuses from each level across all cosmic civilizations are selected to determine their civilization's rank. This ranking process only occurs once every century."
"Successful ranking grants the opportunity for advancement, allowing the entire civilization to upgrade to a higher-tier cosmic civilization."
"That's why it's also called 'civilization strife crossing'."
"The genius I mentioned died in the civilization strife crossing a hundred years ago," Bai Gui said.
Jiang Ye's mind reeled.
Once every century? Civilization ranking? He had never heard of these things before.
If even such a genius could die in the process, one could only imagine the brutal nature of the event.
"Senior Bai Gui..."
"Are there any benefits to being classified as a higher-tier civilization?" Jiang Ye couldn't help but ask, his curiosity piqued.
"Of course, the benefits are enormous," Bai Gui replied. "Otherwise, why would countless cosmic civilizations clamor for it?"
"A higher-tier cosmic civilization means that civilization can obtain a greater share of civilization fortune."
"That alone is enough to drive people mad."
"Because the higher a civilization's fortune, the more likely it is to produce individuals with transcendent aptitude, even higher levels of heavenly pride talent, or even stellar talent."
"And vice versa," Bai Gui added.
Suddenly,
"Wait!" Jiang Ye blurted out. "What exactly are this heavenly pride talent and stellar talent you mentioned?"
"You don't even know that?" Bai Gui seemed surprised. "Above transcendent aptitude lies heavenly pride talent."
"The reason for this designation," she continued, "is that only those with heavenly pride talent are qualified to cross the threshold into the realm of 'geniuses' among the countless cosmic civilizations in the vast universe. Even transcendent aptitude falls far short of this requirement."
Jiang Ye stared in astonishment.
In the cosmos, even transcendent aptitude wasn't enough to reach the threshold of genius?
But when he considered the might of third-tier civilizations, he found it understandable.
Even a behemoth like the White Dragon Civilization met its end. Facing the vast cosmos, humanity truly seemed insignificant.
(End of the Chapter)
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