Chapter Thirty-One: Fang Qing's Talent

The endless expanse of the starry void shattered and reformed again and again, in an unending cycle. Wang Changsheng had long since lost count of how many times he had witnessed this spectacle—at least a thousand, if not more. By now, he had memorized each subtle detail of the ever-changing stars.

“What exactly is this thing?” Wang Changsheng grew increasingly bewildered.

Back on the Cloud Ark, he had heard Li Fusheng say that it was widely rumored a mighty and invincible technique was hidden within the void star river, and that many powerful cultivators on the path to the Golden Core sought enlightenment there. Yet, for countless years, no one had ever claimed to gain anything from the star river.

Wang Changsheng had thought perhaps he might glean some insight, but now it seemed he was merely watching a projection, observing the shifting of the stars to no avail.

Just as drowsiness overtook him, a sharp, piercing sound rang out in his mind, and immediately after, a hazy grey aura surged into his body. The aura shot forth from within his own mind, jolting Wang Changsheng awake in an instant.

Had it entered from outside, he might have understood, but what sort of aura could arise from within his own mind? This presence was profoundly mysterious, bearing a resemblance to the enigmatic aura of the void ruptures within the star river.

“What is this?” A chill crept into Wang Changsheng’s heart. Even seasoned cultivators on the Golden Core path dared not act rashly before the star river, and now this grey aura had entangled itself with him. For a moment, he didn’t know what to do.

He circulated his true energy to check his body, but found nothing amiss. The grey aura that had entered him seemed to have vanished without a trace, as if it had never been there at all. If not for the lingering sensation, he would have thought it a mere hallucination.

While he was still lost in doubt, an irresistible force jolted him awake. Wang Changsheng opened his eyes to find his body being forcibly ejected from the area shrouded by the Divine Spell Sanctuary.

He suddenly recalled what the cultivators of Cloud Palace Peak had said: those lacking sufficient comprehension would be rejected by the sanctuary. Clearly, this was now his fate.

Wang Changsheng tried to resist the force. This was a rare opportunity to gain insight into profound arts—how could he give up with nothing to show for it? But just as he prepared to circulate his energy, a sudden sense of mortal danger swept over him.

He could not explain the feeling, but his intuition told him that if he went against this force, there would only be dire consequences.

“Forget it...” In the end, Wang Changsheng could only sigh in resignation. It seemed he lacked the necessary perception; the mysteries of the sanctuary were not fated for him.

Once ejected from the halo’s confines, Wang Changsheng was met by a chorus of frustrated cries.

“If only I’d had just a bit more time—half a stick of incense, at most, and I would have grasped it!”

“I was only a few breaths away! Couldn’t you have made an exception?”

“It seems I am not destined for Cloud Palace Peak. I gained nothing at all. If I’d known, I would have chosen the spirit stones instead...”

A wave of regretful voices filled the air. Inside the halo, nothing could be heard, but now it was clear the barrier also served as a soundproofing field. Otherwise, the noise would have interrupted those still seeking enlightenment.

Looking back into the halo, Wang Changsheng immediately spotted Fang Qing’s figure.

At this moment, Fang Qing’s brow was furrowed tightly, as if he had encountered some difficulty in his comprehension.

“Fang Qing’s talent truly is remarkable,” Wang Changsheng sighed.

He had long known Fang Qing was gifted, but now, with most cultivators already forced out, only about twenty remained in the circle, Fang Qing among them, which spoke volumes of his aptitude.

Before long, Wang Changsheng saw Li Fusheng rise and leave the halo as well.

“What Divine Spell Sanctuary? There’s nothing good in there!” Li Fusheng cursed loudly.

Everyone was taken aback on hearing this, for Li Fusheng’s manner suggested he had gained some insight, though he appeared dissatisfied with it.

“What are you all looking at? Never seen a genius before?” Li Fusheng grumbled. “I, the great benefactor, have already comprehended several arts!”

“Anyone interested?” he continued. “For just ten thousand spirit stones, I’ll teach you a spell I’ve mastered! Fair price, isn’t it?”

Wang Changsheng was also surprised. He hadn’t expected Li Fusheng to seriously offer his insights for sale; he had assumed Li Fusheng was merely boasting, especially with the Cloud Palace Peak cultivators present.

The cultivators of Cloud Palace Peak could only shake their heads. They were certain that with Li Fusheng’s talent, he would have gained something, though what, they could not say. Seeing him peddle his spells, they were helpless—were they supposed to buy them back? It wasn’t a matter of affordability, but if they did so, wouldn’t they look like fools? Besides, even if they bought it, Li Fusheng could just sell it again.

Many cultivators were tempted by Li Fusheng’s offer, but in the current realm, few could produce ten thousand spirit stones.

“Senior, could you… perhaps lower the price a little?” a middle-aged man asked, bowing politely.

“You think that’s expensive?” Li Fusheng retorted. “In the Shentian Realm, a hundred million spirit stones might not be enough. Ten thousand is my final price!”

The man, seeing Li Fusheng unmoved, could only smile awkwardly and withdraw.

Half a day passed, and only four remained inside the halo: Gong Yu, Guan Danian, Fang Qing, and a young, beautiful woman.

“Fang Qing’s talent is this high?”

Seeing Fang Qing still persisting, even Wang Changsheng found it hard to believe, realizing he might have underestimated him.

All eyes on the platform were now fixed on the four within the circle. Even the Cloud Palace Peak cultivators were watching, particularly Fang Qing and the young woman. They already knew the backgrounds of Gong Yu and Guan Danian and would not consider them for outer disciples, but Fang Qing and the woman were another matter.

“Fellow Wang, your junior brother has extraordinary perception,” Li Fusheng remarked, coming over to Wang Changsheng. “After today, the two of you may well belong to different worlds.”

Wang Changsheng replied gravely, “Every person has their own fortune—this is his opportunity.”

He was no fool; he knew exactly what Li Fusheng meant. To persist this long showed remarkable talent, and with no powerful background, Fang Qing stood a strong chance of being selected by Cloud Palace Peak. If that happened, Fang Qing would become a disciple of one of the top sects in Shentian Realm, while Wang Changsheng would remain an obscure struggler in Chengtian Realm.

To say he felt no envy would have been a lie, but he was not jealous. To have entered the cultivation world at all was already the greatest fortune. Were it not for his second uncle exhausting his fortune to bring him here, he would likely have been long buried in an unmarked grave.

Among the four who remained, Gong Yu and Guan Danian were the first to stand, evidently finished with their enlightenment. Spotting Fang Qing and the young woman still immersed, both showed surprise—they had thought themselves the last.

As for Li Fusheng, in their eyes he was hardly worth considering—not for lack of talent, but because he seemed entirely uninterested in the Divine Spell Sanctuary, or at least in its projected form.

“What did you comprehend?” Li Fusheng asked as soon as they emerged.

The two only shook their heads with a wry smile, saying nothing more.

Before long, even the young woman could persist no longer and was expelled from the halo, leaving only Fang Qing immersed in enlightenment.

Fang Qing sat with eyes tightly shut and brow deeply furrowed, clearly at a critical juncture, utterly unaware that the eyes of everyone present were fixed upon him.

Boom!

After a short while, a muffled sound echoed across the gathering. The halo projected by the Divine Spell Sanctuary flickered, then transformed into a compass, which flew back into the Cloud Ark.

With a roar, Fang Qing, who had been seated in meditation, released an imposing aura. Though not overwhelming, it left all present astonished.

“He’s breaking through!” Wang Changsheng exclaimed in shock.

It wasn’t only Wang Changsheng—the entire assembly, including the Cloud Palace Peak cultivators, wore expressions of surprise.

To break through immediately after comprehension—what could he possibly have grasped?

“He’s reached the second layer of the Meridian Opening realm...” Wang Changsheng observed, his voice heavy. “Fang Qing’s talent has reached such a level?”

Li Fusheng cursed, “A single roar and he breaks through? Absurd!”

No matter what anyone believed, the proof was before their eyes: Fang Qing had not only outlasted everyone, but upon the sanctuary’s disappearance, had relied on his own insights to shatter his bottleneck and ascend to the second layer of the Meridian Opening realm.

Compared to the many who had gained nothing, Fang Qing’s brilliance was undeniable.

Even the Cloud Palace Peak cultivators were left looking at Fang Qing in wonder.