Standing Out

Gu Caihe cast a disdainful glance at Chen Keshua, her usual graceful demeanor replaced with sharp contempt. “If I recall correctly, you’re the little servant Qin Yue brought from the Seed Demon Holy Sect, aren’t you? Do you think you have the right to speak here? Truly, like master, like dog. A mere servant, yet so insolent.”

Chen Keshua gritted his teeth. “I just don’t want the Saintess of Cherished Flowers to keep belittling Brother Qin.”

Though he was only at the Artifact Refining Realm, he stood his ground against Gu Caihe, one of the nine Saintesses of the Mystic Maiden Palace, all because someone was insulting the person who had changed his life.

“Ridiculous. You’re nothing but a clueless servant, shallow and naive. Do you even understand how difficult the Rebirth Tower’s trials are? Jiang Qiu and Fu Yan, both rare geniuses, failed multiple times before gaining enough experience to progress. And Qin Yue? With his four-element mid-grade aptitude, he wouldn’t even qualify to enter the Mystic Maiden Palace under normal circumstances,” Gu Caihe sneered.

She continued, her tone dripping with scorn. “Self-awareness is a virtue. Qin Yue has only made it this far through relentless effort, and no one can fault him for that. But with his mediocre aptitude, he struggles just to keep up with others in cultivation. Where would he find the time to master the knowledge and understanding required for the Rebirth Tower? While the tower can improve one’s aptitude, it’s not meant for someone as untalented as him.”

“But what if a miracle happens?” Chen Keshua asked earnestly, only to be met with mocking laughter.

“The Rebirth Tower doesn’t believe in miracles.”

“If you want miracles, go risk your life in some secret realm. Don’t waste time here.”

“I see now why Qin Yue brought you all the way from the Seed Demon Holy Sect. You’re the perfect sycophant, always ready with flattery. Who wouldn’t want a servant like you?” Gu Caihe said with a cold laugh. “Your insolence deserves punishment, but I’ll let it slide today. Stay here and watch as Qin Yue gets thrown out of the tower in disgrace.”

—

At that moment, one of the glowing dots on the Rebirth Tower suddenly shot up, breaking through the second and third levels with astonishing speed, and stopping at the fourth.

“What? How is that possible?”

“That was so fast! Which sister is this amazing?”

Gu Caihe’s eyes lit up as she smiled. “It must be Jiang Qiu. She promised me last night that she’d give me a surprise today. She’s not the strongest under my tutelage, but she’s incredibly clever.”

“Hmph, don’t get too smug, Sister Caihe. That could very well be my disciple, Fu Yan. Even the Palace Master has praised her great fortune and potential,” Yi Chengying retorted, unwilling to back down.

—

Inside the fourth level of the Rebirth Tower, Qin Gou stood in a pure white space. A new question appeared before him: Aside from the two common methods in the cultivation world, what other ways can a life-bound spiritual tool advance?

Qin Gou raised an eyebrow. The previous level had asked him to list eight antidotes for the Heart-Eating Poison. Now, the challenge had shifted to a highly esoteric topic. This wasn’t something that could be learned from books.

Without hesitation, Qin Gou wrote: By merging a life-bound spiritual tool with an imperial weapon of similar form, not only can the tool advance, but the results are far superior to the two common methods.

A small door appeared, signaling his success. Qin Gou smiled confidently and stepped through.

—

Outside the tower, the glowing dot representing Qin Gou continued to ascend, leaving the other challengers far behind. It now rested on the seventh level, while several other challengers had already been ejected for failing their trials.

“See, Chengying? Are you still going to argue with me?” Gu Caihe said smugly, her eyes gleaming with pride. “That glowing dot has reached the seventh level, matching Jiang Qiu’s best performance. Your disciple, Fu Yan, hasn’t even cleared the sixth level, has she?”

Yi Chengying huffed, refusing to concede. “It’s too early to say. That might very well be Fu Yan.”

At that moment, the tower’s exit flashed, and Fu Yan emerged, her face pale and tear-streaked. She knelt before Yi Chengying, sobbing. “Sister Chengying, I’ve failed you again. I couldn’t get past the fifth level, and my aptitude hasn’t improved at all.”

Yi Chengying’s face darkened with embarrassment. She gritted her teeth and snapped, “Stay on your knees. Don’t get up until I say so. When we return to the cave, I’ll make sure you regret this.”

“Yes, Sister Chengying,” Fu Yan replied, tears streaming down her face.

Gu Caihe couldn’t hide her satisfaction, though she tried to sound sympathetic. “Don’t be too harsh, Sister Chengying. Fu Yan is still young and has plenty of opportunities ahead. Jiang Qiu, on the other hand, has been cultivating much longer and is putting everything on the line this time.”

Yi Chengying fumed silently, while the other disciples no longer doubted that the seventh-level dot belonged to Jiang Qiu.

—

Among the crowd, only Chen Keshua stood tall, his small eyes fixed on the glowing dot at the seventh level. In his heart, he knew the truth: the person behind that light was none other than Qin Gou.