Translator: CinderTL
"Ahem."
"I was just joking," Jiang Ye said with a laugh, seeing Chen Zilu's expression. "Actually, I've wanted to become Old Qiu's disciple for a long time. Even if Senior Sister hadn't asked, I was already prepared."
"Of course."
"Now that Senior Sister has come to ask, there's even less reason for me to refuse," Jiang Ye said earnestly. "I could never do anything that would make you sad."
Chen Zilu gave him a strange look.
Then she averted her gaze and let out a soft hmph.
"You're quite the charmer, aren't you?" Chen Zilu scoffed. "And you said you weren't good with words?"
"Is speaking from the heart considered charming?" Jiang Ye asked with a smile.
Chen Zilu glanced at him skeptically. "Really?"
"Really."
"Fine. If you ever make me sad in the future, you'll be a liar," Chen Zilu huffed.
"Deal," Jiang Ye replied with a grin.
Chen Zilu changed the subject.
"Actually, Old Qiu asked me to come find you," she admitted. "But since you're not a student at White Dragon University, I thought it might be too early for you to become his disciple."
"Then why did Old Qiu ask?" Jiang Ye asked, puzzled.
"I don't know," Chen Zilu said, shaking her head slightly. "Maybe Teacher has his own reasons."
"Hmm," Jiang Ye nodded.
He didn't press further, figuring he'd get his answer when he saw Old Qiu.
Suddenly, Jiang Ye remembered something. He pulled out the Enlightenment Divine Jade. "Senior Sister, how do you use this? I haven't noticed much effect these past few days."
"How have you been using it?" Chen Zilu asked, looking at him curiously.
"Just wearing it," Jiang Ye replied.
"Idiot," Chen Zilu said flatly. "Wearing it won't do anything. Haven't you ever used Enlightenment Bodhi?"
"Enlightenment Bodhi?" Jiang Ye blinked, then shook his head.
"The Enlightenment Divine Jade works the same way—just hold it in your mouth," Chen Zilu explained.
Jiang Ye's expression turned startled.
Hold it in my mouth?
"What's with the panic? I haven't used it yet," Chen Zilu said, rolling her eyes. "The Enlightenment Divine Jade helps you break through major bottlenecks. Try it when you get back, and you'll see."
"Break through major bottlenecks?" Jiang Ye's mind reeled.
He'd never heard of anything that could help someone overcome such a significant barrier.
According to Teacher Zhu Honglie, breaking through a major bottleneck required one's own efforts.
Even Qiu Cang had said something similar.
Could this Enlightenment Divine Jade truly help him overcome a major bottleneck? What was its origin?
"Senior Sister," Jiang Ye couldn't help but ask, "is this thing very expensive?"
"Not at all," Chen Zilu replied casually. "Feel free to use it without worry."
"Alright, thank you, Senior Sister."
A moment later, Jiang Ye bid farewell to Chen Zilu and retraced his steps.
"That girl's physique is quite peculiar," a cold, clear voice suddenly echoed in Jiang Ye's mind.
"Senior Bai Gui?" Jiang Ye startled, then asked in confusion, "What's so peculiar about it?"
"I sensed it," Bai Gui said coldly. "She possesses a unique power, one that doesn't stem from innate talent. It's more akin to a divine force."
"Divine force?" Jiang Ye exclaimed, shocked.
Divine force—wasn't that something only those at the Divine realm possessed?
How could this be possible?
"Not the kind of divine force you're imagining," Bai Gui clarified. "If my senses are correct, that girl likely suffers from an extremely rare condition known as God-Devouring Syndrome."
"This physique is extremely rare even among Third-Tier Cosmic Civilizations," Bai Gui explained.
Jiang Ye's heart skipped a beat. The name sounded ominous.
"The defining characteristic of God-Devouring Syndrome," Bai Gui continued, "is that each time one cultivates, their Divine Soul is devoured, causing excruciating, soul-piercing pain."
"From the very first breakthrough, the pain is equivalent to dozens of times the suffering of Primordial-Tier Cosmic Tempering."
"As one's cultivation realm advances, this pain intensifies exponentially," Bai Gui explained. "Currently, each time she cultivates, she endures thousands of times the agony of Primordial Tempering."
Jiang Ye was stunned.
"No way..."
"Senior Sister...?" Jiang Ye couldn't believe it. How could she possibly endure such torment?
Thousands of times the pain of Primordial Tempering.
Even he couldn't withstand such agony.
"Even in the White Dragon Civilization, those with God-Devouring Syndrome rarely embark on the path of cultivation. It affects the Divine Soul, making it an incurable condition."
"However," Bai Gui suddenly added, "this syndrome has one advantage. As the Divine Soul is repeatedly devoured and reconstructed, those who endure can break through the limits of their innate talent."
"Therefore, those who truly persevere with God-Devouring Syndrome often become exceptionally powerful."
"In the White Dragon Civilization, there was once a strongman who approached the realm of True God—he suffered from God-Devouring Syndrome," Bai Gui said earnestly.
"Approaching the True God," Jiang Ye murmured, glancing in the direction Chen Zilu had left.
For some reason, he suddenly felt a pang of sympathy for his senior sister.
Even if she had grown accustomed to the pain now, what about when she first began cultivating as a child? How had she endured it?
As Bai Gui had said, even third-tier civilizations couldn't alleviate this suffering, dismissing God-Devouring Syndrome as a "crippled physique."
Chen Zilu, as the daughter of a noble family, could have lived a comfortable life without ever stepping onto the martial dao.
What drove her to grit her teeth, endure such torment, and reach where she was today?
When Jiang Ye returned to the cultivation chamber on the 108th floor, he found his fellow disciples had vanished.
Only a black-robed elder remained, sitting cross-legged in the center of the chamber, suspended four feet above the ground.
"Teacher Qiu," Jiang Ye said, stepping forward and bowing slightly.
Qiu Cang slowly opened his eyes and smiled. "Jiang Ye, you're back."
"Yes," Jiang Ye replied, pausing for two seconds before cutting straight to the point. "My senior sister told me everything."
"Oh?" Qiu Cang seemed surprised by his directness, a flicker of surprise crossing his eyes.
But it quickly faded.
"Then are you willing to become my disciple?" Qiu Cang asked, his gaze fixed on Jiang Ye with a smile.
"This student is willing," Jiang Ye replied, bowing again. "But I'm not a student of White Dragon University. Would it be appropriate for me to become your disciple?"
"No matter," Qiu Cang said.
"In two months, when you participate in the Twenty-Five School Genius Cup, if you can secure the championship," Qiu Cang continued, "I will personally recommend you to the principal and see if he can make an exception to admit you."
Jiang Ye looked up, his eyes wide with surprise.
He knew the requirements for transferring to White Dragon University were extremely stringent.
To meet the transfer criteria, one had to achieve a fourth breakthrough within two years.
Winning the Twenty-Five School Genius Cup alone seemed far short of this requirement.
"Of course," Qiu Cang said, as if reading his thoughts, "I can't guarantee success, but I will do my utmost."
"Your performance in the Genius Cup will also be crucial."
"If you demonstrate exceptional skill and completely dominate your opponents," Qiu Cang smiled, "my recommendation to the principal will carry much greater weight."
"Understood," Jiang Ye nodded.
The champions of past Genius Cups had varied greatly.
Some had crushed their opponents, others had won by a hair's breadth, and still others had barely scraped by.
These different paths to victory reflected varying levels of potential and strength.
"This year's Genius Cup will see students from Star River University and Northern Territory University participating," Qiu Cang said. "Both schools boast numerous prodigies, so be cautious."
"Star River University and Northern Territory University?" Jiang Ye's expression shifted.
These two universities rank seventh and ninth among the ten great schools, respectively.
The latter is understandable.
But Star River University, ranked seventh, is far stronger than Penglai University.
"Why is Star River University participating in the Genius Cup this year?" Jiang Ye asked, surprised.
In previous years, only the bottom two schools from the ten great schools typically participated in the Twenty-Five School Genius Cup.
But this year seemed different.
"The Federation has increased its emphasis on the Genius Cup," Qiu Cang said calmly. "Therefore, they've arranged for stronger schools to participate. Naturally, the rewards will be more substantial as well."
"I see," Jiang Ye nodded.
Both the Great Stellar War and the Twenty-Five School Genius Cup are spearheaded by the Federation.
Otherwise, their prestige wouldn't be so high.
"Furthermore," Qiu Cang added, "the Genius Cup is your only path to participating in the Great Stellar War. Only the top ten finishers in the Genius Cup will qualify for the Great Stellar War."
"Remember, the Genius Cup isn't your destination, but your starting point."
"Only by achieving a ranking in the Great Stellar War can you truly embark on the path of the strong," Qiu Cang said solemnly.
"The path to becoming strong?" Jiang Ye couldn't help but ask.
"Over half of those who make a name for themselves in the Great Stellar War achieve the seventh breakthrough," Qiu Cang explained. "And about ten percent of them surpass even that."
He then went on to describe more about the Genius Cup and the Great Stellar War.
"In short, these events are closer than you might think," Qiu Cang said with a smile. "But for you, it all starts with winning the Genius Cup. Without that, nothing else matters."
"Understood," Jiang Ye nodded.
Champion of the Genius Cup?
He had already resolved to achieve this, even before Qiu Cang's explanation.
Only by making a name for himself in the Twenty-Five School Genius Cup and gaining widespread recognition could Jiang Ye further enhance his innate talent.
This was crucial for his progress.
With this in mind, Jiang Ye didn't hesitate any longer.
"Disciple Jiang Ye," he declared, bowing respectfully to Qiu Cang. "I pay my respects to my teacher!"
"Hmm," Qiu Cang smiled, watching him complete the formal apprenticeship ceremony.
Soon, Jiang Ye rose from the ground.
"Good disciple," Qiu Cang said with a gentle smile. "This is my apprenticeship gift to you."
With a flick of his wrist, he revealed a luminous blue jade.
Buzz! A radiant blue jade emerged, glowing with light.
"What's this?" Jiang Ye asked, taking the jade, his heart stirring.
"This is the Enlightenment Jade," Qiu Cang said with a smile. "It will help you accelerate your cultivation speed."
Jiang Ye blinked, Enlightenment Jade?
"Heh, don't let the name 'Jade' fool you," Qiu Cang chuckled. "It's not actually jade, but a supremely rare Enlightenment Divine Artifact."
"Enlightenment Divine Artifact?" Jiang Ye learned another new term.
But the name sounded somewhat similar to the Enlightenment Divine Jade that Chen Zilu had given him.
"Enlightenment Divine Artifacts are substances imbued with a trace of Divine essence," Qiu Cang explained. "They are exceedingly precious and typically priceless. This is because they can help you break through minor bottlenecks and even increase your cultivation speed by over thirty percent."
"Of course," he added, "there's something even more extraordinary than the Enlightenment Jade—the Enlightenment Divine Jade. Legend has it that it can help one overcome major bottlenecks."
Qiu Cang was about to continue when Jiang Ye suddenly pulled out the jade pendant from his robe. "Teacher, are you talking about this?" he asked curiously.
Qiu Cang stared in stunned silence.
A flicker of shock crossed Qiu Cang's eyes, but his expression remained calm as he asked, "Indeed. Where did you obtain this?"
"My senior sister gave it to me," Jiang Ye replied truthfully.
"You mean Chen Zilu?" Qiu Cang asked, puzzled.
"Yes," Jiang Ye confirmed.
Qiu Cang nodded imperceptibly.
That Xiao Chen girl actually gave this to him?
She risked half her life to obtain this, didn't she? Qiu Cang thought, his mind reeling. Even the Enlightenment Jade is a priceless treasure.
The Enlightenment Divine Jade is ten million times more valuable than the Enlightenment Jade. Even transcendent families would fight tooth and nail for it—a peerless treasure.
During that expedition, she nearly lost her life for this artifact.
And she just gave it away? Why?
Thoughts raced through Qiu Cang's mind.
Suddenly, he remembered something.
Was it because this kid gave her a necklace? Qiu Cang recalled. That thing couldn't have been worth more than a million, right?
Has that foolish girl gone mad?
Turning to Jiang Ye, he said sternly, "Your senior sister entrusted you with the Enlightenment Divine Jade. Guard it with utmost care and never show it to anyone lightly."
"Yes, sir," Jiang Ye replied immediately.
Jiang Ye's heart tightened. Judging by his teacher's tone, the Enlightenment Divine Jade seemed even more precious than he had imagined.
He glanced at the jade in his hand and couldn't resist clenching it tightly.
Suddenly, he remembered Bai Gui mentioning the God-Devouring Syndrome earlier.
"Teacher," Jiang Ye asked, unable to hold back, "is Senior Sister having any difficulties with her cultivation?"
"Hmm?" Qiu Cang looked at him in surprise.
This kid isn't completely ungrateful after all, Qiu Cang thought to himself. Xiao Chen has been so good to him, and he cares about his senior sister.
He turned back to Jiang Ye.
"Your senior sister needs the Extreme Sea Primordial Liquid for her cultivation," Qiu Cang explained. "It would greatly benefit her. One of the rewards for winning the Twenty-Five School Genius Cup is the Extreme Sea Primordial Liquid."
"If you want to thank Chen Zilu, you can give it to her then," Qiu Cang said with a smile.
"Understood," Jiang Ye nodded.
Another reason to win the championship had just been added.
"The Twenty-Five School Genius Cup!" Jiang Ye's eyes burned with determination. "I have to win it."
After Qiu Cang gave him a few more instructions, he drifted away.
Jiang Ye then headed to the 109th floor, to a private cultivation chamber.
After becoming Qiu Cang's disciple, Jiang Ye gained access to an independent cultivation chamber.
Of course, that was all he received.
Due to his student status, his living arrangements at White Dragon University would become quite complicated after today.
"Tomorrow's problems can wait until tomorrow."
"For now, I'll focus on cultivating the White Dragon True God Manual." Jiang Ye sat cross-legged, closing his eyes.
In his mind, the inheritance manifested.
The White Dragon True God Manual was a supreme secret manual that led directly to the True God realm.
However, the currently unlocked portion only covered the first to ninth breakthroughs.
Anything beyond that remained sealed.
According to Bai Gui's explanation, this was intentionally done by her master. If one couldn't even reach the ninth breakthrough, how could they hope to attain the Divine Realm?
Once Jiang Ye reached the ninth breakthrough, the remaining sections of the manual would automatically unlock.
"This is likely also to prevent the inheritor from leaking the True God Manual," Jiang Ye speculated inwardly.
The most valuable part of the White Dragon True God Manual undoubtedly lay in the realms beyond the ninth breakthrough.
If it only covered the first to ninth breakthroughs, it wouldn't seem quite so extraordinary.
"Time to cultivate," Jiang Ye murmured, calming his mind and focusing his spirit.
"If I can master the True God Manual before the Genius Cup, my strength will surely skyrocket."
What power could a cultivation manual from a third-tier civilization possess?
Even Heaven-Tier High-Grade cultivation techniques paled in comparison.
If Jiang Ye could grasp even a sliver of its essence, it would likely bring about a monumental transformation.
"Let's begin," he murmured.
"Following the energy circulation pathways, I'll reshape the Guanyuan Acupoint."
Jiang Ye slowly circulated the cultivation technique, quickly realizing the terrifying nature of the White Dragon True God Manual.
With his current Upper A-tier profound physique, achieving Entry into any cultivation technique should have been effortless. Even mastering a Heaven-Tier Technique wouldn't have been particularly challenging.
But now?
This secret manual, inherited from a third-tier civilization, presented Jiang Ye with immense resistance from the very first attempt.
The sensation was akin to facing a colossal wall forged from solid steel, and he was trying to breach it drop by drop, like water wearing away stone.
Progress was excruciatingly slow.
"Though it's slow," Jiang Ye continued circulating the technique, "I can sense the profound mysteries within this cultivation method."
Whoosh!
A vast surge of energy erupted from his body, slowly reshaping the Guanyuan Acupoint.
During cultivation, one loses all sense of time.
When Jiang Ye finally emerged from his meditative state, six hours had passed.
[White Dragon True God Manual (Upper Volume): Uninitiated (0%)]
"Heh."
Jiang Ye couldn't help but chuckle as he stared at the panel. He had anticipated slow progress, but this was beyond his wildest expectations.
"Now you understand why I haven't granted you access to other secret manuals, don't you?" Bai Gui's voice echoed through the air.
A figure materialized—a cold, white-robed woman with a sword slung across her back.
"Senior Bai Gui," Jiang Ye sighed. "The True God Manual is indeed far more challenging than I initially imagined."
He understood Bai Gui's meaning. Mastering this single cultivation technique would consume all his time and energy. Attempting others would be futile.
"In truth, from the first breakthrough to the ninth, the White Dragon True God Manual is considered relatively easy among third-tier civilization cultivation techniques," Bai Gui stated coldly.
"What?"
"Relatively easy?!" Jiang Ye's face twisted in disbelief.
This terrifying level of difficulty was considered easy?
"The cultivation process for the White Dragon True God Manual, from the first to the ninth breakthrough, possesses no particularly remarkable features," Bai Gui explained.
"Because the true core lies in reaching the Cosmic God stage after the ninth breakthrough," Bai Gui explained. "Only then will its true power gradually manifest."
"Of course, that doesn't mean the ninth breakthrough is insignificant," she added. "It simply lacks the sharpness compared to other third-tier civilization cultivation techniques."
"So, before the ninth breakthrough, it's all about building a foundation?" Jiang Ye mused.
"Precisely," Bai Gui nodded slightly.
Jiang Ye understood.
In other words, cultivators of the White Dragon Civilization had a rather long developmental period! They needed to reach the ninth breakthrough before achieving invincibility.
"Wait a minute," Jiang Ye couldn't help but ask. "If it's so easy before the ninth breakthrough, why am I finding it so difficult?"
"What I said earlier was in comparison to other third-tier civilization cultivation techniques," Bai Gui clarified. "But if you compare it to a Heaven-Tier Technique, it far surpasses the latter."
"So don't be discouraged."
"The core inheritance of a third-tier civilization is several tiers higher than even a Heaven-Tier High-Grade Inheritance," Bai Gui said coldly. "It's perfectly normal for progress to be difficult."
Jiang Ye nodded.
Finally, Jiang Ye felt a sense of relief.
"Based on the True God Manual's cultivation stages," Jiang Ye speculated, "even reaching the Entry stage would probably be equivalent to the fourth or fifth breakthrough, right?"
Thinking about it this way, it seemed reasonable.
If his progress had been too rapid, he would have started doubting the manual's authenticity.
"Don't you have the Enlightenment Divine Jade?" Bai Gui suddenly reminded him. "Why haven't you tried using it?"
"Right."
"The Enlightenment Divine Jade." Jiang Ye retrieved the jade, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.
In the next moment, he opened his mouth and placed the jade inside.
"Hmm?" Jiang Ye's expression froze.
At first, he felt nothing unusual.
But after a few seconds, a peculiar sensation spread through his mouth and radiated throughout his entire body.
"This... is Divine essence?" Jiang Ye realized.
A mystical energy was permeating his entire being.
In an instant, Jiang Ye seemed to be enveloped in a radiant glow.
To an outside observer, nothing appeared different.
But from Jiang Ye's perspective, he had instantly entered a state of profound Void Clarity.
The state of mind was difficult to describe.
If forced to put it into words, it was akin to the flash of inspiration Jiang Ye had experienced during the fourth-level technique creation assessment on the Martial Dao Heavenly Ladder, when he saw the ethereal figure in the white dress.
At this moment, a similar spark of insight seemed to ignite within his mind.
"Cultivate," Jiang Ye thought, not daring to waste a moment.
He swiftly began circulating his cultivation technique.
In the Void Clarity State, Jiang Ye rapidly immersed himself in his practice.
Just as Jiang Ye entered his meditative state,
in a silver-white starry building,
in the conference room,
Click! The door opened, and Qiu Cang strode in.
"Old Qiu," Zhu Honglie, who was standing in the conference room, greeted him with a smile. "Well? Did the kid agree to become your disciple?"
"How could he refuse when I personally made the offer?" Qiu Cang snorted. "I've already told him about the Genius Cup. Now it's up to him to prove himself."
"That kid won't disappoint," Zhu Honglie chuckled.
Though he had only been Jiang Ye's teacher for a little over half a year, Jiang Ye had already become the most outstanding student Zhu Honglie had ever taught in his entire career.
"That kid is truly remarkable," Qiu Cang admitted. "Let him stay at Penglai University for the next two months to avoid unnecessary travel."
"Back to Penglai?" Zhu Honglie frowned. "Jiang Ye needs to focus on the Genius Cup during this critical period. It would be better if you coached him."
With his teaching expertise, guiding students like Shen Changxi and Liu Wanxiao was more than sufficient. But training a Genius Cup champion? That was an entirely different challenge.
Zhu Honglie had a clear understanding of his own limitations.
"My coaching wouldn't make much difference," Qiu Cang said, shaking his head. "Given my style, I'd have him venture into life-or-death trials once a month. Would that work?"
"Absolutely not."
"Any mishap could jeopardize his chances at the Genius Cup."
"That's why he needs this time for consolidation," Qiu Cang explained. "Xiao Chen gave him an Enlightenment Divine Jade. That alone will accelerate his progress significantly."
"Enlightenment Divine Jade?" Zhu Honglie exclaimed in shock.
He knew the value of such an artifact—it was beyond measure!
The "Divine" in Enlightenment Divine Jade referred to Divine-grade materials, substances of extreme rarity.
A peerless treasure capable of helping someone break through a major bottleneck was highly valued even by transcendent families.
"Chen Zilu is being this good to him?" Zhu Honglie exclaimed in surprise. "That's hard to believe."
"I remember she nearly died during her last expedition for that thing," Qiu Cang said. "Her subsequent trial failure was largely due to the aftereffects of that expedition."
"Such a precious item..."
"And she just gave it to Jiang Ye?" Zhu Honglie asked incredulously. "Is she crazy?"
"How would I know what that girl's thinking?" Qiu Cang scoffed, still sounding annoyed.
Zhu Honglie suddenly realized something and grinned. "Could it be that she's..."
"Enough gossip," Qiu Cang interrupted. "You know what that girl's been like since she was a kid—always..."
He trailed off, leaving the sentence unfinished.
Zhu Honglie also understood the unspoken implication and sighed quietly, saying no more.
He changed the subject. "After the Genius Cup, Principal Bai plans to send Jiang Ye to the Cosmic Void Passage for a life-or-death trial. Keep an eye on the situation and make arrangements accordingly."
"The Cosmic Void Passage?" Qiu Cang chuckled. "That aligns perfectly with what I had in mind."
"Venturing into the Cosmic Void Passage is an unparalleled opportunity."
"Xiao Chen seized that chance and directly advanced to the mid-stage of the fourth breakthrough," Qiu Cang said with a smile.
"Speaking of opportunities," Zhu Honglie suddenly said, "I just remembered that the Federation recently discovered the Star Realm Sea, didn't they?"
"That place is said to have been classified as an Upper A-tier opportunity by the Federation."
"An Upper A-tier opportunity!" Zhu Honglie gasped. "You know, even the Cosmic Void Passage is only a Low A-tier opportunity at best."
Qiu Cang nodded. "The Federation currently recognizes only five Upper A-tier opportunity sites."
"Each one contains unimaginable treasures."
Opportunities are also classified into tiers.
According to the Federation's classification system, they are divided into four tiers: A, B, C, and D.
For example, the Cosmic Void Passage of the Extreme Sea Star System is a B-tier opportunity, yet it contains benefits that could drive people mad.
Some strong individuals have obtained astonishing gains there, directly breaking through two minor cultivation realms upon exiting.
And that's just a B-tier opportunity.
What about an Upper A-tier opportunity? Even a single entry slot would be fiercely contested by transcendent families.
"Entry slots for the Star Realm Sea are extremely rare," Qiu Cang said, shaking his head. "Let's wait and see. If Jiang Ye manages to secure a Federation slot and enter the Star Realm Sea, he might even catch up to Xiao Chen in strength after he emerges."
(End of the Chapter)
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