Translator: CinderTL
"Jiang Ye," Shi Ting called out, stopping and looking at him with a hint of helplessness.
She had actually wanted to tell him she could have handled those three herself.
But Jiang Ye had unleashed a devastating move, instantly obliterating Yin Chen and his companions.
"Senior Sister, are you alright?" Jiang Ye asked with a smile.
"I'm fine. Jiang Ye, you don't need to call me 'Senior Sister' anymore," Shi Ting replied. "Just call me Shi Ting."
They were originally in the same year at White Dragon University.
However, the university's hierarchy was based on strength: the stronger you were, the higher your seniority.
Now that Jiang Ye's power clearly surpassed hers, it felt inappropriate for him to still address her as "Senior Sister."
"According to school rules, I should now call you 'Senior Brother,'" Shi Ting said, her cheeks flushing slightly.
It was still strange to think of her former junior brother suddenly becoming her senior brother. Even she found it hard to adjust.
"Just call me Jiang Ye," he said with a smile, unconcerned about the change in address.
He glanced at the white-haired, gloomy youth, Yin Chen, lying nearby.
Jiang Ye had his own reasons for keeping Yin Chen alive.
After a moment's contemplation, he addressed Yin Chen in Universal Cosmic Language, a language Bai Gui had taught him.
Shi Ting stared at him, utterly bewildered. She couldn't understand a word he'd said.
In truth, her confusion was perfectly normal. Jiang Ye's words meant roughly: "Go scout ahead, or die. Choose."
Yin Chen's body trembled at these words.
He glared coldly at Jiang Ye, then gritted his teeth and rose to his feet. Slowly, he began walking toward the abyss ahead.
Originally, Yin Chen and Yun Hong had planned to force Jiang Ye and Shi Ting to scout the path.
But who could have foreseen this reversal of fortune? Now, he was the one being sent to scout.
Once I'm down there, I'll devour those Five-Colored Treasure Lotuses immediately, Yin Chen thought to himself. If they help me break through, I might have a chance at survival!
He was already close to his third breakthrough.
With this thought, Yin Chen's gaze hardened. Step by step, he advanced toward the abyss.
Soon, the white-haired gloomy youth, Yin Chen, stood at the edge of the abyss.
"Huff!" Yin Chen took a deep breath, then strode forward and leaped into the abyss.
Whoosh! Jiang Ye's figure flashed, and he swiftly moved to the edge of the chasm.
Simultaneously, his Martial Will Perception followed Yin Chen's descent.
"Hmm?"
"It's deeper than I thought!" Jiang Ye sensed that the abyss before him plunged over a thousand meters deep.
His Martial Will Perception could only extend about a hundred meters. Beyond that, his vision was blocked.
Compounding the problem, the abyss was shrouded in a dense purple mist, rendering it completely opaque to the naked eye.
"Jiang Ye, I can't see anything down there," Shi Ting called out urgently. "What about you?"
"Don't worry," Jiang Ye replied calmly, his expression serene.
He wouldn't have allowed Yin Chen to descend without absolute confidence in his plan.
Buzz!
A glint of light flashed in Jiang Ye's eyes, and in the next instant, the abyss before him transformed.
The layers upon layers of thick, oppressive mist vanished without a trace.
At the same time, he spotted a figure plummeting rapidly downward.
Perceptive Insight, Jiang Ye thought to himself. This technique can penetrate most obstacles, but it only lasts for three minutes.
Three minutes was enough.
Jiang Ye primarily wanted to assess the dangers below.
Focusing his gaze, he saw intense, brilliant light emanating from the abyss's depths.
"A Low B-tier Opportunity," Jiang Ye immediately recognized.
The Five-Colored Treasure Lotus! The greatest opportunity within this abyss.
Just then, a thump echoed from below.
"He's gone down," Jiang Ye observed, turning to see the white-haired gloomy youth had already descended into the abyss.
At the bottom of the abyss, Yin Chen landed, his senses on high alert as he scanned his surroundings.
The abyss floor stretched for thousands of meters in every direction, mostly covered by swampy wetlands. Every few hundred meters, a mound of five-colored earth rose from the marsh.
Atop each mound bloomed a Five-Colored Treasure Lotus, radiating a faint glow.
"Five-Colored Treasure Lotuses!" Yin Chen's eyes lit up.
"One, two, three..."
"Six Five-Colored Treasure Lotuses?!" His eyes gleamed with avarice.
The next moment, Yin Chen burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Truly, heaven is on my side!" he thought, his heart pounding with excitement. "Once I consume these precious medicines, I'll definitely achieve the third breakthrough!"
"Then those two Blue Star trash will die!"
Yin Chen glanced upward.
Purple mist swirled above.
"I can't see them up there, and they probably can't see me either," he reasoned.
"I must act quickly!" he thought. "I'll devour everything."
With that, Yin Chen hesitated no longer.
He cautiously stepped forward, approaching the first mound of five-colored earth.
"B-tier opportunity zones are usually guarded by spirit beasts," Yin Chen observed, scanning his surroundings warily. "But I've been here for quite some time and haven't encountered any attacks."
"Could the spirit beasts here be in a deep slumber today?" he wondered.
He couldn't afford to dwell on it.
Whoosh! Yin Chen moved swiftly, reaching out to grab the Five-Colored Treasure Lotus.
Ten meters, five meters, three meters...
Just as he was about to seize it,
ROAR!
A furious roar suddenly echoed through the air.
Immediately afterward, a figure radiating immense pressure materialized as if from thin air, its palm crashing down toward Yin Chen.
Bang! Yin Chen swiftly parried with his blade, but he felt a terrifying force like a tsunami.
Stagger, stagger, stagger!
He stumbled backward several steps before managing to dissipate the overwhelming force.
Without time to think, Yin Chen fixed his gaze on the figure before him, which emanated a terrifying aura.
It was a spirit beast resembling a lion, its entire body shimmering with five vibrant colors, its mane blazing like fiery flames, radiating majesty.
"A mere beast nearing the third breakthrough," Yin Chen sneered. "Die!"
His figure blurred as his long blade flashed like lightning, unleashing a continuous barrage of sword strikes.
The man and beast clashed in a whirlwind of combat.
Though wounded, Yin Chen remained a prodigy of the Fire Ember Civilization.
Driven to the brink, his combat prowess surged to new heights, surpassing even his previous peak.
Just half a minute later—
Thwack! A blade pierced through the spirit beast's skull.
The guardian spirit beast let out a mournful cry as its form gradually dissipated.
"Solved."
Those two fools still haven't come down. Now's my chance to grab it! Yin Chen thought, his heart leaping with joy.
Without hesitation, he reached out to seize the Five-Colored Treasure Lotus before him.
But just as Yin Chen's fingers brushed the lotus...
Whoosh! A golden beam of light shot forth, piercing his skull in an instant.
Pfft!
Stellar energy surged violently!
Yin Chen didn't even have time to react.
The terrifying energy wave erupted, instantly shattering his head and severing his body.
Yin Chen was dead!
[Foreign Race Kill +1]
A system notification quietly flashed before Jiang Ye's eyes.
Beside him, Shi Ting stared in shock at the silver longbow in his hand.
"Jiang Ye..."
"When did you learn archery?" Shi Ting couldn't help but ask. "I thought you specialized in spearmanship?"
"Just picked it up on the side," Jiang Ye replied with a smile.
"On the side?" Shi Ting was stunned.
The sheer power Jiang Ye had unleashed moments ago left even her shaken.
The instant Jiang Ye drew the bow, a phantom image of a shattered star materialized. The arrow shot forth like a comet chasing the moon, carrying terrifying explosive force.
Shi Ting was certain.
If that arrow had been aimed at her, even she would have found it extremely difficult to handle.
Such terrifying power, and Jiang Ye had merely "picked it up on the side"?
What she didn't know was that Jiang Ye's Star-Piercing Arrow Technique was still at the Uninitiated stage. Compared to his spearmanship, it truly was just something he had "picked up on the side."
"As expected of a Heaven-Tier High-Grade arrow technique," Jiang Ye thought to himself. "Its power is truly unparalleled."
"From a thousand meters away."
"Silent and swift, a single strike to kill."
"Spearmanship can hardly achieve that." A smile crept across Jiang Ye's lips.
The Star-Piercing Arrow Technique would undoubtedly become his secret weapon for delivering unexpected and decisive victories.
Soon, Jiang Ye refocused his thoughts.
He turned his gaze back to the abyss.
"The danger below is cleared. Let's claim the opportunity," Jiang Ye said to Shi Ting before leaping down.
"Alright," Shi Ting replied, following closely behind.
A few seconds later, Jiang Ye and Shi Ting landed at the bottom of the abyss.
"Six Five-Colored Treasure Lotuses?" Shi Ting exclaimed in delight.
Five-Colored Treasure Lotuses were actually quite common for Low B-tier Opportunities.
But six of them? That quantity significantly increased their rarity and value.
Jiang Ye and Shi Ting quickly harvested all six lotuses.
No further dangers emerged.
"Shi Ting, you take three, I'll take three," Jiang Ye said, handing her three of the lotuses.
"That's too much," Shi Ting protested, shaking her head. "I'll just take one. Jiang Ye, you killed most of those people. I barely had anything to do with it."
During the recent battle, she had contributed, but Shi Ting knew that without Jiang Ye, she would never have been able to defeat those geniuses from the Fire Ember Civilization on her own.
"You're wrong," Jiang Ye countered, shaking his head. "My ability to defeat them had a lot to do with you, Shi Ting. Just take them."
"Huh?" Shi Ting looked utterly bewildered.
Jiang Ye's victory had something to do with her?
How could that be?
Seeing the sincerity in Jiang Ye's expression, Shi Ting didn't refuse again.
"Then thank you very much, Classmate Jiang," Shi Ting said with a graceful smile. "If you ever need help in the future, I, Shi Ting, will do my best to assist you."
Jiang Ye shook his head with a smile, offering no further comment.
Just then, system notifications suddenly appeared:
[Killed 4 foreign race members. 'Territorial Expansion' effect enhanced.]
[Territorial Expansion: When battling foreign races, within a 100-meter radius centered on you, all attributes of you and your teammates are increased by 30% (+1%).]
"..."
"It can still be enhanced?" Jiang Ye froze in surprise.
He had expected to unlock a new achievement, but never imagined the system would upgrade an existing one.
Does this mean...
...the more foreign race members I kill, the stronger the 'Territorial Expansion' bonus becomes?
This was just for killing four.
What if he killed forty? Four hundred?
Hiss! Jiang Ye couldn't help but gasp.
He dared not imagine the possibilities!
"What's wrong?" Shi Ting asked, noticing Jiang Ye's expression.
"Nothing," Jiang Ye quickly composed himself, forcing a smile. "We shouldn't linger here. Let's move on."
"Alright," Shi Ting nodded.
After dividing the treasures, the two quickly left the deep abyss.
Moments later, several dozen kilometers away from the abyss's lotus pond, Jiang Ye and Shi Ting had been running non-stop until they reached a secluded mountain valley, where they finally slowed their pace.
"No one should notice us here," Shi Ting said, glancing around at the surroundings before turning to Jiang Ye with curiosity. "Where do you plan to go next?"
Jiang Ye pondered briefly.
Beep! He activated the holographic map projection on his wristband.
"Keep moving forward," Jiang Ye said, studying the map. "I'm heading to Thunder Sound Valley."
"Thunder Sound Valley?" Shi Ting nodded with a smile. "Looks like Classmate Jiang is aiming for an Upper B-Tier Opportunity Zone."
Thunder Sound Valley was indeed the closest Upper B-Tier Opportunity Zone to their current location.
"But I should warn you," Shi Ting said earnestly. "Upper B-Tier Opportunities might take longer to mature. You might have to wait several days, or even weeks, after you arrive."
"I know," Jiang Ye replied with a slight nod, unfazed.
Upper B-Tier Opportunity?
If I can snatch it, I will.
If it wasn't ripe, Jiang Ye wouldn't waste time waiting.
With dozens of locations available, he was bound to secure at least a few.
For Jiang Ye, finding Chen Zilu as quickly as possible was his priority.
I wonder if Senior Sister is in trouble, Jiang Ye thought, a faint worry tugging at his heart. The probability of encountering strong individuals from other civilizations on Ancient Star No. 7 seems rather high.
Moreover, the Fire Ember Civilization's attitude toward the Blue Star Civilization isn't exactly friendly. The Returning Cloud Civilization is likely the same.
The universe is indeed filled with darkness.
Jiang Ye recalled Zhang Jianwu's words:
When two civilizations meet in the cosmos, conflict is almost inevitable.
To each side, the other is a foreign race.
The universe is filled with darkness.
A newly rising civilization is often attacked by all sides.
"It seems Classmate Jiang has other matters on his mind," Shi Ting remarked, a knowing smile playing on her lips.
"Mm," Jiang Ye acknowledged.
"I do have a mission," he confessed. "That's why I plan to investigate every Upper B-Tier Opportunity Zone on Ancient Star No. 7."
Shi Ting paused, slightly surprised.
She opened her mouth, as if hesitating.
"Senior Sister, if you have something to say, please don't hesitate," Jiang Ye said with a smile.
"Mm."
"Jiang Ye, let's part ways here," Shi Ting finally said, looking at him. "I want to act alone."
"Part ways?" Jiang Ye was slightly taken aback.
Shi Ting nodded.
"Teacher Qiu asked me to stay with you, but actually, he wanted me to protect you."
"But now it seems..." Shi Ting shook her head and smiled. "With your strength, you don't need my protection at all."
"On the contrary, you're the one protecting me."
"But this trip was always meant to be a life-and-death trial," Shi Ting said earnestly. "If I stay with you, I'll hardly ever face truly life-threatening situations."
Jiang Ye nodded slightly.
That's true.
With Shi Ting by his side, he could easily sweep through most strong opponents approaching the third breakthrough.
"Besides, I don't want to compete for the Upper B-Tier Opportunity," Shi Ting continued. "For me, the Mid B-Tier and Low B-Tier Opportunities are enough."
"So..."
"Jiang Ye, let's part ways here," Shi Ting said, looking at him.
Jiang Ye pondered for a moment.
"Alright."
"Since Senior Sister has made up her mind, I'll follow your wishes," Jiang Ye nodded.
Shi Ting smiled warmly. "Just one more reminder: the Upper B-Tier Opportunity zones are very likely to have true third breakthrough experts."
"So..."
"If you're going there, be careful," Shi Ting said earnestly. "It would be best to break through to near the third breakthrough yourself."
"Understood," Jiang Ye nodded. "Thank you for the reminder."
"It's nothing."
"I'm leaving now."
Shi Ting smiled at him. "Classmate Jiang, take care."
"You too!" Jiang Ye replied.
Shi Ting said nothing more.
Whoosh!
She transformed into a phantom image and swiftly departed the area.
Several hundred meters away, Shi Ting paused and glanced back at Jiang Ye's direction, her eyes shimmering with emotion.
There was something she hadn't said.
The reason for their separation was that she didn't want to continue sharing half of Jiang Ye's battle spoils, especially since she hadn't contributed much herself.
This kind of windfall made her feel deeply ashamed.
"Jiang Ye, may your journey be smooth," Shi Ting murmured softly, her figure dissolving into a stream of light that soared into the sky.
Back where she had stood, Jiang Ye watched Shi Ting's departure, shaking his head slightly.
He had some inkling of her thoughts.
But since she wanted to leave, he wouldn't force her to stay.
"Before heading to Thunder Sound Valley, I really need to prepare," Jiang Ye thought to himself. "I'll aim to break through to near the third breakthrough."
The gap between peak-second breakthrough and near-third breakthrough was three to five times greater—an enormous difference.
The chasm between near-third breakthrough and the actual third breakthrough was even wider, representing a fundamental leap in life level and a disparity beyond imagination.
Jiang Ye remained confident against opponents nearing the third breakthrough.
But facing a true third breakthrough powerhouse?
Even he felt uncertain.
"Let's go." With a flicker, Jiang Ye vanished from the spot.
Moments later...
Jiang Ye appeared in a hidden mountain cave.
With a flick of his wrist, three Five-Colored Treasure Lotuses materialized in his palm. Their surfaces shimmered with a faint, flowing light, emitting an otherworldly fragrance.
Low B-tier Opportunity!
"Can these help me break through?" Jiang Ye asked, his eyes filled with anticipation as he bit into one of the lotuses.
(End of the Chapter)
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