Translator: CinderTL
Inside a massive room at White Dragon University, Qiu Cang gazed at Jiang Ye.
"So," Qiu Cang said, "in the Star Realm Sea, you advanced from the third breakthrough peak to the late stage of the fourth breakthrough. And then, at the Chen Clan, you progressed from the late stage of the fourth breakthrough to the fifth breakthrough?"
"That's right," Jiang Ye replied with a slight nod.
He had just truthfully recounted his experiences over the past six months to his teacher.
"Hiss!"
Qiu Cang couldn't help but gasp, his gaze fixed on Jiang Ye with a strange expression. "Your experiences these past six months are truly... extraordinary."
Jiang Ye chuckled.
His past six months had indeed been nothing short of legendary.
"Could the Star Realm Sea really hold such immense opportunities?" Qiu Cang wondered aloud. "But Xiao Chen didn't advance nearly as much as you did."
"Teacher, how could I possibly compare to Jiang Ye?" Chen Zilu said with a light laugh and a shake of her head.
She then turned to Jiang Ye, a hint of concern flickering in her peach-blossom eyes. "Jiang Ye earned such great rewards through sheer, desperate effort."
"That's true," Qiu Cang sighed. "Jiang Ye, you must have endured considerable hardship in the Star Realm Sea, right?"
"Ahem... It was manageable," Jiang Ye said with a dry laugh.
Hardship? I didn't really notice any.
In truth, Jiang Ye's rapid progress in the Star Realm Sea was entirely due to the effects of his Perceptive Insight ability. Without it, he would never have been able to seize so many opportunities.
Most others might have obtained a few Upper A-Tier Opportunities at best. Jiang Ye, on the other hand, had consumed dozens of them.
Take Chen Zilu, for example. Her journey through the Star Realm Sea only allowed her to advance from the early-stage fifth breakthrough to the mid-stage fifth breakthrough—a relatively modest improvement. She only reached the late-stage fifth breakthrough later, during the hundred cosmic refinements.
"Teacher," Jiang Ye said, changing the subject. "What's the current situation? Has it improved at all?"
"Improved?" Qiu Cang shook his head. "It's still far too early. Shadow Calamities continue to erupt across the land. I heard that a seventh-tier shadow calamity struck Xihai Province just a few days ago."
"Each seventh-tier shadow calamity signals a major battle between eighth breakthrough and even ninth breakthrough experts."
"I sustained these grievous wounds when I was ambushed by several eighth breakthrough Shadow Clan members," Qiu Cang said grimly.
"Several eighth breakthrough Shadow Clan members?" Jiang Ye and Chen Zilu's expressions darkened.
"Teacher," Chen Zilu couldn't help but ask, "how could so many high-realm Shadow Clan members appear?"
In the past, seventh-tier shadow calamities were exceedingly rare. Even fifth-tier shadow calamities were uncommon.
But now? Shadow Clan members comparable to eighth breakthrough experts were appearing in droves—it was utterly absurd.
"The Shadow Clan can never be completely eradicated," Qiu Cang said slowly. "Even if we wipe them out entirely, clones will emerge soon after. As long as the Shadow Clan Nest remains intact, they will continue to spawn endlessly."
"What?" Jiang Ye and Chen Zilu exchanged shocked glances.
Clones appearing even after a Shadow Clan member's death? This was the first time they'd heard of such a thing.
"You've likely witnessed it yourselves," Qiu Cang continued, observing their reactions. "The Shadow Clan members you slay vanish completely. You can never find their corpses."
Jiang Ye nodded involuntarily.
It was true! Every time he had killed a Shadow Clan member, its body would rapidly dissolve, leaving no trace behind.
"In reality," Qiu Cang said gravely, "these slain Shadow Clan members return to the Shadow Clan Nest. The Nest is their core, the source from which new Shadow Clan members continuously emerge."
"Our assault on the Shadow Clan Nest," Qiu Cang explained, shaking his head with a sigh, "was meant to eliminate the Shadow Calamity at its source. But alas, the task is far too difficult. Even ninth breakthrough experts would struggle to accomplish it, let alone us."
Jiang Ye finally understood.
No wonder Teacher Zhu Honglie had taken the initiative to storm the Shadow Clan Nest.
There was another reason behind it.
"Can a demigod destroy the Shadow Clan Nest?" Jiang Ye couldn't help but ask.
According to Qiu Cang, even a ninth breakthrough expert would struggle to shake the Shadow Clan Nest.
What about a demigod?
"A demigod could," Qiu Cang said gravely.
"But if a demigod acts, it will trigger all the Shadow Clan Nests," he added.
"What do you mean?" Jiang Ye and Chen Zilu exchanged puzzled glances.
"There's far more than one Shadow Clan Nest," Qiu Cang explained, shaking his head. "Each cosmic void passage represents a Shadow Clan Nest. If only we act, it won't matter much."
"But if a demigod intervenes, all the Shadow Clan Nests will erupt."
"Blue Star will then face the most catastrophic Shadow Calamity crisis," Qiu Cang warned, shaking his head. "We aren't prepared to handle that yet."
Jiang Ye now fully grasped the situation.
There must be some kind of balance of power between the demigods of the two civilizations.
The fact that the demigod ancestors of the great transcendent families had shown no signs of intervening was likely due to this very reason.
"The civilization strife crossing is still several years away."
If what the teacher says is true, the Shadow Calamity will only become more frequent, Jiang Ye thought to himself. The next few years are likely to be difficult.
Just then, Qiu Cang said, "Jiang Ye, Xiao Chen, you don't need to worry about these matters. For you, the Great Stellar War in a few months is the most important thing."
"Until the Great Stellar War concludes, you don't need to concern yourselves with the Shadow Calamity."
"Yes," Jiang Ye and Chen Zilu replied in unison.
"For the Great Stellar War, I expect both of you to reach the top ten," Qiu Cang said solemnly.
"Top ten?" Jiang Ye and Chen Zilu exchanged glances.
Their eyes were filled with confidence.
"Don't underestimate the competition," Qiu Cang warned. "The Great Stellar War allows participants from the fourth breakthrough to the seventh breakthrough, from dao bone to transcendent. Competing for the top ten among this group of geniuses will be no easy task."
"Fourth breakthrough to seventh breakthrough?" Jiang Ye was stunned.
This was the first time he had heard of such a rule.
The Great Stellar War allows participants from the fourth breakthrough to the seventh breakthrough?
"Teacher, will we have to compete against seventh breakthrough experts?" Jiang Ye couldn't help but ask.
"Indeed," Qiu Cang nodded.
Jiang Ye was stunned.
Compete with seventh breakthrough cultivators? Is he serious?
What's more, his teacher actually expected him and Chen Zilu to reach the top ten in such a competition?
"It seems you're not yet familiar with the rules of the Great Stellar War," Qiu Cang said with a smile. "No matter. You'll learn them when the war begins." He chuckled. "Don't overthink it. Just focus on becoming as strong as possible."
"Understood," Jiang Ye nodded.
Could the Great Stellar War be another form of realm suppression? Jiang Ye wondered, his mind racing with possibilities.
Regardless of the rules, as Qiu Cang had said, if he became powerful enough, he wouldn't need to fear any restrictions.
Soon after, Jiang Ye and Chen Zilu bid farewell to Qiu Cang and returned to their respective star gardens.
(End of the Chapter)
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