Miracle

“Sister Jiang Qiu is incredible! She’s already reached the seventh level. I remember the last time she got to the seventh level, it took her much longer than this.”

“Do you think she’ll break her personal record and reach the eighth level this time?”

“Wait… look! Sister Jiang Qiu’s light has already reached the eighth level!”

The crowd erupted in amazement. Gu Caihe stood with her hands behind her back, her face glowing with pride, her eyes burning with excitement. “Excellent. All my efforts in nurturing her have not been in vain.”

Yi Chengying, though feeling embarrassed after her earlier claims, couldn’t help but voice her doubts. Leaning toward Gu Caihe, she whispered, “Sister Caihe, Qin Yue hasn’t been ejected from the tower yet. What level do you think he’s reached?”

“Qin Yue?” Gu Caihe sneered, pointing at a light on the second level of the tower. “He’s probably still struggling here. Honestly, that’s not bad for his first attempt. Reaching the second level is an achievement for someone like him. But he doesn’t realize that staying stuck on one level is pointless and just wastes the time he worked so hard to earn.”

—

An hour later.

The light representing “Jiang Qiu” slowed down, but it had already reached the sixteenth level of the Rebirth Tower.

The news spread like wildfire throughout the Mystic Maiden Palace. The best record in the tower’s history was the eighteenth level, achieved after countless attempts by past disciples. Now, Jiang Qiu had reached the sixteenth level in just over an hour, with a real chance to break that long-standing record.

Gu Caihe’s eyes sparkled with disbelief and joy. Turning to Yi Chengying, she asked, “Chengying, what’s the best level you reached in the Rebirth Tower?”

“The thirteenth level,” Yi Chengying admitted reluctantly.

“I reached the fifteenth level,” Gu Caihe said, her eyes glued to the glowing light on the tower. Her face flushed with excitement as she clenched her fists. “I can’t believe it. Jiang Qiu has already surpassed my record. She promised me a surprise, but this is beyond anything I expected.”

—

The light moved again, reaching the seventeenth level.

“Seventeen! Sister Jiang Qiu has reached the seventeenth level!”

“Just one more level, and she’ll tie the record! Go, Sister Jiang Qiu! We’re all cheering for you!”

The crowd around the tower grew larger as more people arrived, drawn by the news of Jiang Qiu’s impending record-breaking feat. Rumors spread like wildfire, and by now, no one doubted that the light belonged to Jiang Qiu.

—

A stick of incense later, the light reached the eighteenth level.

The crowd erupted in cheers as the impossible became reality.

Amid the excitement, Ye Qishuang arrived silently, her graceful presence unnoticed until she stood beside Gu Caihe and Yi Chengying.

“Palace Master!” the two exclaimed, bowing.

A gentle wave of spiritual energy lifted them back to their feet. Ye Qishuang shook her head. “No need for formalities or attention. I’m just here to see if this person can truly break the record.”

She glanced at Gu Caihe, her expression soft. “Jiang Qiu is your disciple, isn’t she? You’ve done well to nurture such a talent for the Mystic Maiden Palace.”

Gu Caihe’s face turned bright red with excitement. “Thank you, Palace Master, for your praise.”

Yi Chengying, on the other hand, pouted jealously. She shot a glare at Fu Yan, who was still clinging to her leg and crying. She couldn’t help but think how unlucky she was to have taken Fu Yan as her disciple instead of Jiang Qiu.

—

Inside the tower, Qin Gou faced the next challenge with calm determination.

What is the essence of the Mortal Transformation Stage?

Though Qin Gou had never undergone the Mortal Transformation Stage himself, his research into it was unparalleled. He had studied it extensively, preparing for the day he would break free from Arc Moon Mountain and surpass the limits of the Avatar Realm.

Without hesitation, he wrote: The Mortal Transformation Stage is a mystical state that every Avatar Realm cultivator must experience to break through. It involves losing all cultivation and living among ordinary people. Without external assistance, one must inspire countless mortals through genuine actions and behavior, becoming a figure of legend in their collective memory. When enough faith is gathered, one can break through the final barrier of the Avatar Realm.

With the final stroke of his brush, Qin Gou stepped into the nineteenth level.

—

“Nineteen! Sister Jiang Qiu has broken the record!” someone shouted.

“Well done, Jiang Qiu!” Gu Caihe’s eyes sparkled with pride.

Yi Chengying stared blankly, her voice barely a whisper. “I never thought I’d witness someone breaking the Rebirth Tower’s record.”

The crowd erupted into celebration, their cheers echoing across the square. It felt like a grand festival had begun.

Ye Qishuang smiled gently, her voice calm yet firm. “Jiang Qiu has truly impressed me. If this continues… it seems we’ll have to welcome a new Saintess into the Mystic Maiden Palace.”

“What?!” Gu Caihe and Yi Chengying exclaimed in unison.

Ye Qishuang nodded. “I’ve always believed in rewarding talent. While the Mystic Maiden Palace has traditionally had nine Saintesses, we can make an exception for someone as extraordinary as Jiang Qiu. After all, it seems the nineteenth level isn’t even her limit.”

Gu Caihe was overjoyed. The thought of her disciple becoming a Saintess filled her with pride. As Jiang Qiu’s mentor, her own influence in the palace would grow immensely.

—

Suddenly, the tower’s exit glowed, and Jiang Qiu emerged, her face filled with frustration and disappointment.

Ye Qishuang chuckled softly, covering her mouth. “It seems I spoke too soon.”

But the light on the nineteenth level remained.

—

“What? If Sister Jiang Qiu has been ejected, then who’s still on the nineteenth level?”

The square fell silent. The once-celebratory atmosphere vanished, replaced by stunned disbelief. It was as if an invisible hand had gripped everyone’s throats, leaving them speechless.

—

A roar shattered the silence, like thunder tearing through the sky.

“The one who reached the nineteenth level is my Brother Qin! A top seed with just four-element mid-grade aptitude!”

“You all said the Rebirth Tower doesn’t believe in miracles? Nonsense! If it’s not a miracle, how else could Brother Qin have made it this far?”

“He IS the miracle!”

Chen Keshua’s voice was hoarse from shouting, tears streaming down his face as he vented the humiliation he had endured for the past hour.