Chapter 0: Standing Out from the Crowd
Gu Caihe glanced at Chen Keshua, her brows furrowed with animosity. Usually, she was approachable and dignified, but now she spoke with harshness. “I recall you’re the little menial laborer Qin Yue brought from the Seed Demon Sacred Cult, aren’t you? Do you have any right to speak here? As expected, people are like their masters. Such a mere laborer, utterly lacking in manners.”
Chen Keshua gritted his teeth. “I just don’t want Saintess Xi Hua to keep belittling Brother Qin from behind.”
He was currently only at the Artifact Forging Realm, yet he dared to confront Gu Caihe, one of the Mystic Maiden Raksha Palace’s nine Saintesses, simply because someone was slandering the most important person in his life.
“Ridiculous. As expected of a clueless little laborer, so narrow-minded. Do you even know how difficult the Rebirth Tower trials are? Whether it’s Jiang Qiu or Fu Yan, who is under Chengying, they are all rare geniuses. They only managed to surpass others with their rich experience after failing the tower climb multiple times. And Qin Yue? He naturally possesses only mid-grade four-element aptitude. In the Mystic Maiden Palace, cultivators with his aptitude wouldn’t even qualify for entry.”
Gu Caihe’s gaze was full of disdain. “A person should know their place. Qin Yue, with his meager aptitude, has managed to reach this point. I assume it’s the result of his sleepless nights and relentless hard work; no one can fault him on that. But his cultivation progress is painstakingly slow, falling behind others. How could he have time to comprehend the essence of things and become knowledgeable? Although the Rebirth Tower can fundamentally improve one’s aptitude, it is by no means for cultivators with such inferior talent as Qin Yue.”
“But what if there’s a miracle?” Chen Keshua uttered this seriously, only to be met with a chorus of laughter.
“The Rebirth Tower doesn’t believe in miracles.”
“If you’re looking for miracles, go to the dangerous secret realms and risk your life. Don’t come to the Rebirth Tower.”
“I finally understand why Qin Yue brought you all the way from the Seed Demon Sacred Cult to the Mystic Maiden Palace. You little fatty are truly a great sycophant, only saying what sounds good. Who wouldn’t love such a glib running dog?” Gu Caihe let out a light laugh, then said coldly, “You were disrespectful to me earlier, and you should be punished. However, I’ll be lenient today and let you stay here to witness Qin Yue’s pathetic state as he’s expelled from the Rebirth Tower!”
Just then, a point of light above the Rebirth Tower suddenly, at astonishing speed, broke through the second and third levels, unobstructed, soaring directly to the surface of the fourth level.
“Heavens, how is this possible?”
“How long has it been? Which sister is this powerful?”
Gu Caihe gazed at the point of light with burning eyes, then smiled enchantingly. “It must be Jiang Qiu. This is her seventh attempt at the Rebirth Tower. Last night, that little one promised me she’d give me a surprise today. She isn’t the highest in cultivation among my disciples, but she’s always been exceptionally intelligent.”
“Hmph, Sister Caihe, don’t get too smug. Perhaps the one making such rapid progress is Fu Yan from my sect. You know, Fu Yan is someone even the Palace Lord has praised for her deep fortune and great destiny!” Yi Chengying said, unwilling to be outdone.
Within the pure white space of the fourth level of the Rebirth Tower.
Qin Gou muttered inwardly, “System, what is my aptitude now?”
“Mid-grade four-element.”
“Why is it still mid-grade four-element? I’ve reached the fourth level of the Rebirth Tower. Has my aptitude not improved even a little?” Qin Gou asked, his brow furrowed in worry.
“Your aptitude is indeed improving, albeit extremely slowly. Furthermore, the degree of improvement doubles with each level you pass in the Rebirth Tower, but it hasn’t broken through the limit of mid-grade four-element aptitude yet.”
“I see.”
Qin Gou confidently looked at the trial on the fourth level.
Besides the two common methods in the Cultivation World, was there any other way to advance one’s Natal Spirit Tool?
Qin Gou’s eyes flashed. This trial was too unexpected. The previous level was asking him to list eight types of pills that could cure the Heart-Devouring Poison, and now it immediately presented a trial involving a major secret. This was the kind of question that wouldn’t be answered by reading countless books.
Qin Gou quickly wrote: Fusing an Emperor Weapon of similar form with one’s Natal Spirit Tool can not only advance the Natal Spirit Tool but also yield much better results than the other two common methods.
A small door swiftly appeared in the pure white space, signifying Qin Gou’s successful advancement and allowing him to proceed to the next level.
Time flowed by.
That highly conspicuous point of light had long since surpassed other cultivators who had entered the tower, shining on the surface of the seventh level of the Rebirth Tower. Many cultivators had already been ruthlessly expelled by the Rebirth Tower for failing their trials.
“See, Chengying, are you still going to compete with me?” Gu Caihe said, playfully blinking her beautiful eyes. “This point of light has reached the seventh level of the Rebirth Tower, which is precisely Jiang Qiu’s best achievement from her previous attempts. I remember your Fu Yan, she has never even successfully challenged the sixth level, has she?”
Yi Chengying let out a soft snort, unwilling to concede. “It’s too early to say. Perhaps the one who has successfully challenged the seventh level now is my Fu Yan!”
Immediately after, the exit of the Rebirth Tower flashed with light. Fu Yan, disheartened, walked out dejectedly, tears in her eyes. She knelt before Yi Chengying and choked out, “Sister Chengying, Fu Yan has embarrassed you again. This time, I failed the trial on the fifth level of the Rebirth Tower, and my aptitude hasn’t grown at all!”
For a moment, Yi Chengying’s face turned ashen, her embarrassment palpable. She no longer dared to look at Gu Caihe. Gritting her teeth, she shouted, “Kneel properly! Don’t get up without my permission. When we get back to the cave dwelling, I’ll spank your little backside until it’s sore!”
“Yes, Sister Chengying,” Fu Yan’s tears welled up.
Gu Caihe quickly spoke to comfort her, but the smugness in her eyes was undeniable. “Sister Chengying, don’t be angry. Fu Yan has only been cultivating for a short time; she’ll have plenty of opportunities. My Jiang Qiu is different. She has been cultivating for much longer than Fu Yan and has put everything on the line now.”
Hearing this, Yi Chengying was still seething. The other disciples present no longer doubted the identity of the person standing triumphantly on the seventh level of the Rebirth Tower, looking down on all others. It was undoubtedly Sister Jiang Qiu.
Only Chen Keshua stood straight among the crowd, his small eyes fixed on the brilliant point of light on the seventh level. In his heart, the owner of that point of light was named ‘Qin Gou’.
