Yuhua Mavis smiled as she watched the two girls bicker. “Alright, you two, give me some quiet.”
“Right, Sister Yuhua needs to go to the Astral Tower, so she can’t be disturbed. Lulu, you should go,” Grandini said gently as she clutched Yuhua Mavis’s arm.
Lulu showed her teeth. “Why don’t you go? I won’t!”
Yuhua Mavis helplessly said, “You can both stay. Tell me more about what you two experienced outside. The academy? Wasn’t it interesting? Did you meet anyone you like?”
Lulu quickly said, “Sister Yuhua, I captured a giant tortoise during the apocalypse on a planet called Earth. It’s really, really big!”
“Don’t brag. How could it be bigger than our ancestral tortoise?”
“Are you trying to annoy me? It’s an Explorer! It hasn’t matured yet.”
“You’re too noisy.”
***
In the Neoverse’s western region, at Smoke-Eater Peaks, Gu Xiao’er had a stunned expression on his face, and he looked a bit like an idiot.
A ray of sunlight shot through the smoke, and his father, Gu Laogui, appeared with a smile on his face. “Xiao’er, you can come out now. Rest for a bit. Then, we’ll head to the Mountain and Seas Zone.”
Gu Xiao’er looked up, shocked. “I- I can go out now?”
Gu Laogui nodded.
Gu Xiao’er shouted, “You’re lying! I won’t go out! You’re trying to hurt me.”
“Xiao’er, Father has been doing all of this for your own good. Think about it—if you can become one of the Cosmic Five, then won’t all of those ladies from Azure Mansion flock to you? Think about that Flower Queen Ming Yu!”
Gu Xiao’er swallowed his saliva, his eyes showing both expectation, nervousness, as well as a longing and a rather obscene glint. “I- I’ll go out.”
“Come, Xiao’er, come over to Father first and take a puff of smoke.”
“You lied to me again, ***!!!”
…
The competition at the Astral Tower was about to begin, and the Mountain and Seas Zone had already opened up. The powers who knew the location of the Mountain and Seas Zone had made their preparations a long time ago, and they were ready to set out at any moment.
***
At this time, Lu Yin was still putting on a show of learning the first layer of the Cosmic Art. He felt that ten days should be about right, and the group of disciples who had queued up outside the valley should be almost done by now. If not, then he would just cut the line, as a true disciple should have some special privileges.
Ten days later, outside of the Skystar Jade Wall’s great valley, five disciples were still queued up and waiting for their turn.
Mu Ziying was waiting to one side, bored. He also wanted to cultivate, but cultivating at this time would have absolutely no bearing on the contest at the Astral Tower. In truth, he just wanted to try his luck.
Yao Ji also arrived at this time. He was still recovering from his battle with Lu Yin, and his face was a bit pale.
After being promoted to a true disciple, he had gone to the Cosmo Hall and had carved his name there before moving onto the Starsky Jade Wall. He still had more than a month left before the contest at the Astral Tower began, and the Cosmic Sect was only half a month away from the Mountain and Seas Zone, which meant that he had about a month left to prepare, which should be enough. In reality, ten days were generally enough to learn the Cosmic Art from the Skystar Jade Wall.
Yao Ji did not plan to wait in line at all, and he simply nodded towards Mu Ziying before moving to the front of the line. The disciples already in line were not surprised by this treatment, as the true disciples would soon leave for the Astral Tower while they would not. Thus, they could continue to wait.
Yao Ji did not even say anything to the other disciples.
Mu Ziying did not mind either.
Some distance away, Lu Yin stepped out of the cave.
Mu Ziying looked over, and his expression instantly changed. Lu Yin had only been in there for a bit over ten days; had he finished already? That was impossible!
“Brother Lu, you-?” Mu Ziying hesitated, but Lu Yin simply smiled and revolved the Cosmic Art, causing eight stars to appear around him.
Mu Ziying was surprised. “You’ve already succeeded?”
Lu Yin nodded. “Of course. I wouldn’t have come out otherwise. Brother Mu, is it my turn?”
Mu Ziying was overwhelmed. This was the level of Lu Yin’s talent. When Mu Ziying had first heard how long Lu Yin had been cultivating for, it was already abundantly clear just how talented Lu Yin was. However, Mu Ziying had not been overly concerned at that time. But now, he was witnessing it for himself as he had watched Lu Yin casually shattered the Cosmic Sect’s records one after another. First, he had gone through the third promotion method to become a true disciple, and then, just ten short days later, Lu Yin had broken a second record. Mu Ziying was left completely speechless.
Mu Ziying was not the only one. When Lu Yin emerged from the cave and revealed his comprehension of the Cosmic Art, quite a few of the Cosmic Sect’s older powerhouses were also stunned.
Sect Leader Yuan Qiong’s eyes burned with a fervent light; if this child truly belonged to his Cosmic Sect, then it would be so much better.
Hold on. The sect leader suddenly thought of something, and he immediately called Highsage Shenwei.
Outside of the Skystar Jade Wall’s valley, both Lu Yin and Mu Ziying suddenly appeared. “There are still six people? Eh, isn’t that the fourth true disciple? When did he get in line?” Lu Yin was puzzled.
Yao Ji similarly noticed Lu Yin, and although he stayed quiet, he inwardly felt disgusted. He could do nothing but quietly wait.
Before Mu Ziying could say anything, Lu Yin walked over next to Yao Ji, looked at the disciples lined up behind the true disciple, and then smiled at Yao Ji.
Yao Ji was stunned. “What are you doing?”
Lu Yin smiled. “I’m a guest from far away. Bro, please let me cut in line.”
After Lu Yin spoke, Yao Ji did not even have a chance to respond when a disciple flew out of the valley and Lu Yin shot in. Before Yao Ji had even spoken, Lu Yin had already disappeared underground, which was where the Skystar Jade Wall was hidden.
Yao Ji was infuriated. “Lu Yin, you’re cutting in line! Get back here!”
However, Lu Yin was already gone.
The five disciples in line behind Yao Ji stared in stunned silence.
Yao Ji looked at Mu Ziying in indignation. “Brother Mu, this Lu Yin is too shameless!”
Mu Ziying was completely speechless. “Just wait a bit. It’ll only be about ten days.”
Yao Ji was furious. No one had ever cut in front of him in his entire life. This was too infuriating, and it was completely illogical! He wanted to curse.