Heaven Dou City, the top floor of a quietly elegant pavilion set amid the bustle.
Outside the window the clamor of the streets drifted faintly in; inside only the quiet fragrance of burning incense and the soft bubbling of tea remained.
Yang Yuan and Qian Renxue sat opposite each other.
She lifted the translucent white porcelain cup, took a light sip of the clear tea, raised her eyes to the relaxed-looking Yang Yuan, and a flicker of curious inquiry crossed them.
"Xiao Yuan," she set the cup down, her voice warm and casual, "what Rank are you now?"
Qian Renxue remembered clearly: when Yang Yuan returned to the academy last time his spirit power had already reached an astonishing sixty-fourth Rank.
With a talent that defied common sense and another year and a half of concentrated Cultivation, even the most conservative estimate should add three or four Ranks, right?
For a Spirit Emperor, one Rank a year already counted as Genius.
Even with her own gifts, normal Cultivation would only raise her two or three Ranks annually.
Thinking to here, she sighed inwardly.
Back when she first met Yang Yuan he had been twentieth Rank while she was already sixtieth.
Years had flown past; Yang Yuan was now past sixtieth Rank, yet delayed by government affairs she had barely reached seventy-second.
Yang Yuan did not answer directly; the corners of his mouth curved in teasing amusement, his eyes held an easy smile, and he deliberately drew his tone out: "Guess?"
Qian Renxue blinked, then shook her head with a doting chuckle. "You..."
"Fine, then let this elder brother take a guess."
Her slender fingertips unconsciously tapped the polished table while she pondered.
A moment later she offered a number. "Sixty-eighth Rank?"
Yang Yuan grinned and shook his head.
"Could it be sixty-ninth?" Qian Renxue's heart jumped; a leap from sixty-fourth to sixty-ninth in eighteen months was huge—even undistracted she could never manage it.
Still he shook his head.
"Then..." Her pupils contracted; disbelief flashed across her face and her voice turned husky. "Don't tell me... you've reached seventieth Rank!"
Yang Yuan's grin widened and he finally nodded.
"When?" Qian Renxue felt as though she were dreaming. "Did you take some Heaven And Earth Treasure, or find another Spirit Bone?"
Again he shook his head.
She could not help drawing a sharp breath; had she not heard it herself she would never believe someone could rise from sixty-fourth to seventieth Rank in mere months through Cultivation alone.
Every Spirit Master faces three great Bottlenecks: twenty-ninth to thirtieth, sixty-ninth to seventieth, and eighty-ninth to ninetieth.
Many are stuck for Life; even she had lingered a full year at sixty-ninth before breaking through.
Yet Yang Yuan, after racing to sixty-ninth, had smashed the Bottleneck to seventieth so quickly—it defied reason.
Yang Yuan chuckled. "Crown Prince, don't be so shocked; I actually broke through to seventieth two months ago."
Qian Renxue frowned. "Then why haven't you absorbed a spirit ring? You don't believe that nonsense about storing spirit power, do you?
A Spirit Saint meditates and absorbs spirit power far faster than a Spirit Emperor; by delaying you're wasting time!"
Seeing her rare scolding look he only smiled wider.
He knew she was right, but... "Of course I know skipping my seventh ring slows training, but...
I promised you and the Three Committee Members I'd turn this Soul Master Tournament into an internal war at Heaven Dou Academy, so I have to focus on the two teams."
He shrugged, utterly nonchalant.
Qian Renxue, exasperated, pointed at him. "Fool! A mere tournament is nothing beside you!"
Seeing her genuine worry Yang Yuan waved a hand. "Relax, would I really let my progress stall?"
"Truly?" She remained skeptical, but he answered with absolute certainty. "Absolutely."
She stared a moment longer, then rolled her eyes. "It had better be."
Yang Yuan gave a cheeky laugh; Cultivating spirit power ranked was no concern—
even if he never trained, letting his body absorb worldly energy he would still breeze past Titled Douluo into godhood, with God Positions begging for him.
But his ambition lay far beyond a seat in the God Realm; he sought to become the Dominator of Heaven and Earth.
Thus spirit power was secondary; what mattered was comprehending the Laws of the world and rising above the myriad Daos.
Delaying a ring hampered spirit power, yet let him focus on Law comprehension;
already he had made deep gains in Life, Destruction, Time and Space.
With the Law of Space he could open a dozen-kilometer pocket realm in a thought, stride across the Void Realm, or form invisible spatial blades to kill.
Even with the Law of Time he could reverse years within a region.
Were these abilities known they would shake even the gods—yet a mere seventieth-Rank Spirit Master wielded them.
The day of the Heaven Dou Division qualifier drew ever nearer; academy teams arrived in droves, bringing Heaven Dou City to fever pitch.
Equally lively was Heaven Dou Academy itself.
Among the Five Elements Academy, all but Elephant Armored Academy headed first to Heaven Dou Academy after reaching the city;
they had all trained under Yang Yuan and now wished to pay their respects.
At the foot of Heaven Dou Academy's mountain, Heaven Water Academy and Blazing Academy met.
Shui Binger stepped forward, her delicate face warm with a smile. "Fancy meeting you here."
Huo Wushuang laughed heartily. "Let's go up together and give Chief Yang a surprise."
Shui Binger nodded with a smile. "Alright!
(End of Chapter)
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