Translator: CinderTL
While Jiang Ye cultivated, Song Xuan sat cross-legged at the cave entrance, also meditating on the mysteries of heaven and earth.
"In the past few days, I've gathered a total of 120 strands of civilization fire," she mused. "And I've climbed to 86th place on the All-Stars Rankings." Song Xuan felt a surge of gratitude. "Following Jiang Ye was definitely the right choice."
She knew all too well that without his support, she would likely have been eliminated long ago.
"Brother Song Gang and the others are still outside the top 100," Song Xuan noted, glancing at the rankings.
"Brother Song Gang..."
"You need to work harder too," she thought with a hint of worry. "The Top 100 Battle is probably about to begin soon."
As time passed, more and more participants were eliminated.
According to the tournament rules, the 'Top 100 Battle' would commence when only one thousand contestants remained.
These remaining thousand would advance to the inner region of the civilization ruins to compete for the top 100 spots.
Only the final hundred survivors would successfully advance to the core region and enter the second-tier championship battle.
"The Top 100 Battle will undoubtedly be fiercely contested," Song Xuan thought to herself. "I can't afford to hold Jiang Ye back. I must push my comprehension of the mysteries of water to the seventh breakthrough."
Her current understanding of the mysteries of water was at the peak sixth-tier, still a considerable distance from the seventh breakthrough.
While Jiang Ye and Song Xuan entered secluded cultivation, the vast majority of the top 100 powerhouses within the civilization ruins also retreated into seclusion to prepare thoroughly for the upcoming Top 100 Battle.
In the northern part of the civilization ruins, amidst a snow-covered landscape, a white-robed man stood atop a snow-capped mountain, gazing at the leaderboard projection. His aura was as sharp as a drawn sword.
"Jiang Ye? Is he the one who challenged Zhou Xingkong to a duel?"
"He's already climbed to fiftieth place." The man's gaze narrowed. "I might encounter him in the Top 100 Battle."
"Perfect. I'll test his mettle on Xingkong's behalf."
"Perhaps I'll eliminate him in the first-tier."
The white-robed man was Zhou Kun, the current top-ranked cultivator.
Like Jiang Ye, he hailed from a transcendent family—the Zhou Family.
Though Zhou Kun lacked Transcendent Aptitude, his peak seventh breakthrough cultivation, combined with his aristocratic lineage, made him a formidable force within the civilization ruins.
"Hmm."
"Jiang Ye's initial realm is only the fifth breakthrough. Defeating him shouldn't be difficult." Zhou Kun closed his eyes, sensing the surrounding world.
He paid little attention to Jiang Ye.
In Zhou Kun's eyes, the latter was merely a clown trying to make a name for himself before the transcendent families.
"Jiang Ye?"
"Is this the name Mother mentioned before?" Li Shiyue gazed at the ranking projection, her eyes filled with reminiscence.
Her mother was Li Qingyue.
"According to Mother, this man's existence once brought shame upon our lineage," Li Shiyue thought to herself. "But judging by his performance, he's not entirely incompetent."
Reaching the top 50 on the rankings was proof of Jiang Ye's strength.
Even among the Li Clan, fewer than five members had achieved such a feat.
"I want to test his strength," Li Shiyue's eyes burned with curiosity. "I've been raised in the Li Clan since childhood. Surely I'm not inferior to a discarded member of our family?"
Amidst a range of towering mountains, Chen Zilu sat in a cave, a smile gracing her delicate features.
"Jiang Ye is ranked 50th now?" she murmured, her thoughts drifting to the mysteries of heaven and earth she had been diligently studying.
Her own ranking had plummeted to over 200, but Chen Zilu remained unconcerned.
"I'll break into the top 100," she vowed silently. "I hope I get to face him in the Top 100 Battle. I've comprehended quite a bit of the mysteries of gold now—I should be able to help Jiang Ye."
Gaining even a sliver of comprehension of the mysteries of heaven and earth marked the threshold of the seventh breakthrough.
To Chen Zilu's surprise, the moment she grasped a trace of the mysteries of gold, a peculiar energy erupted within her, granting her a massive surge in comprehension in an incredibly short time.
Now, her understanding of the mysteries of gold rivaled that of some late-stage or even peak seventh breakthrough experts.
"That strange energy..." Chen Zilu pondered, a puzzled expression crossing her face.
She knew how arduous it was to comprehend the mysteries of heaven and earth.
For someone like her to gain such a vast amount of comprehension in such a short time was practically a fantasy.
"Could it be...?"
"Could there truly be a treasure hidden within me?" Chen Zilu recalled her ancestor's words, her mind wavering.
She wondered if she should tell Jiang Ye about this.
Would it be too much for him to handle?
"He's in the top fifty now!"
"Jiang Ye is climbing so fast!"
"No matter the opponent, Jiang Ye finishes them off in just three moves!" Outside the arena, countless spectators watched the tournament with bated breath.
Though Jiang Ye was in secluded cultivation, the combat prowess he had already displayed had astonished countless experts.
"He effortlessly defeated even a mid-stage seventh breakthrough expert?"
"Jiang Ye..."
"Is he really just at the fifth breakthrough?" Many eighth and ninth breakthrough experts felt a chill run down their spines.
From their perspective, it seemed utterly unbelievable.
"The last Great Stellar War, the only one who could leap across cultivation stages like this was Chu Jingye," a ninth breakthrough expert murmured.
Silence fell over the crowd.
Chu Jingye? The one with Transcendent Aptitude, the champion of the previous Great Stellar War!
Comparing Jiang Ye to such a figure? That was absurd.
"Regardless, with Jiang Ye's strength, he'll definitely reach the second-tier."
"I'm looking forward to his battle with Zhou Xingkong," the experts murmured, their voices buzzing with anticipation.
The clamor of the outside world meant nothing to Jiang Ye.
The top 50? That was far from his goal.
He hadn't pushed further for two reasons: his eagerness to grasp the mysteries of heaven and earth, and his uncertainty against peak seventh breakthrough experts.
After all, the mysteries of heaven and earth mastered by peak seventh breakthrough experts far surpassed those of early seventh breakthrough cultivators.
Jiang Ye's sole pursuit was to relentlessly deepen his comprehension of these mysteries.
(End of the Chapter)
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