Published: February 19, 2025
CHAPTER TEXT:
An Existence Above the Gods
After eleven hours of flight, plus the reverse time difference, it was already morning when they approached Eastern Summer.
Compared to the attack by mutated flying beasts on the way here, the journey back was smooth.
Looking at the sea of clouds rendered golden by the sunlight, Chen Chu felt a sense of emotion, involuntarily reminiscing about everything that had happened during this trial.
To summarize, it was filled with thrills but no real danger. His cultivation had surged to the mid-stage of the three heavens, and his combat power far exceeded his current realm, stronger than those in the mid-stage of the four heavens under normal circumstances.
If he activated the wrath of the elephant rune, he could overpower and slay those in the late stage of the four heavens, and under full explosion, he could last for about twenty minutes, after which he would feel weak for two days.
Moreover, the longer the explosive time, the weaker he would become afterward, as he was burning through his vital energy.
This was also why Chen Chu didn't take on any tasks after slaying that blood envoy; he was too weak.
At that moment, while Chen Chu tilted his head, gazing out at the endless sea of clouds, he didn’t notice that Luo Fei’s face had unknowingly taken on a blush.
There was no helping it; Chen Chu’s gaze had to sweep past the girl’s face, so even though Luo Fei knew Chen Chu wasn’t staring at her, she still felt a bit shy.
Under the sunlight, the girl’s slightly flushed face was white with a hint of red, and her profile was quite beautiful.
Just then, the announcement from the flight attendant broke the silence: “Attention, we are about to enter the airspace of Eastern Summer.”
…? Chen Chu snapped back to reality, a puzzled expression in his eyes, curious as to why entering Eastern Summer's airspace warranted a reminder.
At this moment, the clouds outside thinned, revealing the undulating mountains and rushing rivers below, resembling a magnificent and beautiful painting.
Immediately after, the plane seemed to pass through some barrier, and Chen Chu felt a mighty surge of heavenly energy coming toward him.
Wow! Chen Chu took a deep breath, surprise evident on his face as he turned to look. It wasn’t just him; Liu Feng, Li Meng, and the others reacted similarly.
At this moment, Pang Long appeared at the front cabin door, speaking in a deep voice: “Everyone felt the change, right?”
“Yes, Teacher,” Bai Mu nodded. “That feeling just now was like returning from a barren desert to a fragrant oasis; it’s strange that we never felt this before.”
“Because you all have been living in the energy-rich Eastern Summer for so long, you’ve become accustomed to it. Additionally, your previous strength was too weak to notice,” Pang Long suddenly said. “Do you know why the school divides initial permissions based on the foundation establishment period and allocates more resources to students with better talents?”
Saying this, Pang Long’s gaze landed on Chen Chu.
There was no helping it; Chen Chu was the only one here practicing a low-level skill, so he could only shake his head in cooperation.
Pang Long continued, “Because resources are limited. These resources include the cultivation resources you exchange and the heavenly energy within Eastern Summer.”
“This heavenly energy is not air; it is a finite resource. The more cultivators absorb, the greater the consumption, and the concentration of energy in the heavens will continue to decrease.”
“It’s similar to how living creatures mutate; under rich energy, even unborn fetuses and growing children will be affected.”
“This is also why the number of cultivators in Eastern Summer has been increasing over the years, and it's one of the reasons for controlling the spread of cultivation techniques.”
“Until a solution is found, the authorities won’t completely open up cultivation techniques; otherwise, the reckless consumption of heavenly energy will be counterproductive.”