The Road Ahead Will Be Wonderful

The Aperture was profoundly mysterious. Though it resided within Fang Yuan's body, it did not share the same space as his internal organs. One could call it infinitely vast, or infinitely small.

Some called it the Purple Manor, some called it the Splendid Pool. But more people called it the Primeval Sea Aperture.

The entire Aperture was spherical. White light flowed across its surface, forming a layer of light membrane. It was the light condensed from the Hope Gu's earlier explosion.

It was precisely this membrane of light that supported the Aperture and kept it from collapsing.

Within the Aperture was naturally the primeval sea.

The seawater was smooth as a mirror, a clear jade-green in color, yet incomparably viscous, carrying the sheen of bronze.

This was the Bronze True Essence condensed only by a Rank 1 Gu Master, commonly known as the Bronze Sea.

The sea surface did not even reach half the height of the Aperture, standing at only forty-four percent. This was the limitation of C-grade Aptitude.

Every drop of seawater was true essence, representing the condensation of Fang Yuan's Essence, Qi, and Spirit, symbolizing the life potential he had accumulated over fifteen years.

Gu Masters used this true essence to activate Gu worms. In other words, from this moment onward, Fang Yuan had officially stepped into the ranks of Rank 1 Gu Masters.

The Aperture had opened. No more Hope Gu entered Fang Yuan's body.

Fang Yuan withdrew his focus and felt the pressure ahead, thick and solid as a wall. He could go no farther.

"Just like my previous life." He smiled calmly at this result.

"Can't you go any farther?" The Academy Elder called from across the river, clutching onto a one-in-ten-thousand hope.

Fang Yuan turned around and walked back, answering him through his actions.

Only then did the youths react.

At once, with a buzzing sound, the crowd exploded like a pot boiling over.

"What? Fang Yuan took twenty-seven steps?"

"So he only has C-grade Aptitude?!"

"Unbelievable! He's so talented, yet he's only C-grade?"

A tremendous uproar swept through the crowd.

"Brother..." Amid the crowd, Gu Yue Fang Zheng raised his head and stared in shock at Fang Yuan wading back through the river. He could not believe what he saw before his eyes. His own brother was merely C-grade?

He had always believed that his brother would have A-grade Aptitude.

No, not just him. Uncle, Aunt, and many people in the clan had all thought so too.

But now, the result was actually this!

"Damn it, only C-grade!" The Gu Yue Clan Leader secretly clenched his fists and let out a deep sigh, disappointment written all over his face.

The elders watching in secret—some frowned, some lowered their heads to discuss, while others sighed toward the heavens.

"Could the test have been wrong?"

"How could that be? This method is incomparably accurate, and we were watching the whole time. Even cheating would have been difficult."

"But then, how do we explain his earlier performance and talent?"

"Youths with higher primeval sea aptitude do indeed display traits beyond ordinary people—for instance, intelligence, comprehension, memory, strength, agility, and so on. But the reverse is not true. These traits do not necessarily mean one's aptitude is high. Everything must be judged by the test results."

"Alas, the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment. The Gu Yue Clan is getting worse with each generation."

The icy river water soaked through his socks and shoes, cold enough to pierce the bone.

Fang Yuan continued walking expressionlessly. As the distance closed, he could clearly see the Academy Elder's heavy expression and keenly sense the gazes cast upon him by the hundred-plus youths.

There was astonishment in those gazes, shock, mockery, gloating, realization, and indifference.

The identical scene could not help reminding Fang Yuan of his previous life.

That time, he had felt as though the sky had collapsed. While crossing the river, he had stumbled and fallen, soaking his whole body, utterly dejected. Yet not a single person had offered him a hand.

Those disappointed, indifferent expressions and gazes had been like sharp blades slowly carving up his heart. His thoughts had been in chaos, and an ache had faintly risen in his chest.

It was like falling from the clouds to the ground—the higher one stood, the harder one fell.

But in this life.

Facing such a scene once more, Fang Yuan's heart was tranquil beyond measure.

He thought of that legend: when adversity came, one had to entrust one's heart to hope.

Now, this hope was within his body. Though this hope was not great, it was already better than those who had no cultivation aptitude at all.

If others were disappointed because of it, then let them be disappointed. What could they do?

What did others' disappointment have to do with me? What mattered was that I held hope in my heart!

Five hundred years of life had taught him a principle: the splendor of a person's life lay in the process of pursuing their dreams. There was no need to demand that others never feel disappointed or dislike you.

Walk your own road, and let others be disappointed and dislike you if they wished!

"Alas..." The Academy Elder let out a deep sigh, then called, "Next, Gu Yue Fang Zheng."

No one answered.

"Gu Yue Fang Zheng!" the elder roared, his voice humming and echoing through the limestone cavern.

"Ah? I'm here, I'm here!" Fang Zheng broke free from his shocked state and hurriedly ran out. Unfortunately, his foot slipped, and he immediately took a tumble. With a plop, he happened to roll straight into the river.

At once, the hall erupted with laughter.

"The Fang brothers are nothing special." The Gu Yue Clan Leader snorted coldly, now feeling a measure of disgust toward Gu Yue Fang Zheng as well.

But at that moment, he suddenly felt a powerful force yank him up. His head finally broke free of the water, and his body regained its balance.

He wiped his face in embarrassment, then looked closely. It was his brother Fang Yuan, gripping his collar and lifting him up.

"Brother..." He opened his mouth to speak, only for water to choke him, setting off another bout of violent coughing.

"Haha, the Fang family's pair of unfortunate brothers!" someone on the shore mocked.

The laughter grew louder. The Academy Elder did not step forward to stop it either. His brows were deeply furrowed, his heart filled with disappointment.

Fang Zheng stood at a loss when his brother's voice reached his ear. "Go on. The road ahead will be wonderful."

Fang Zheng could not help opening his mouth in surprise. Fang Yuan had his back to the crowd, so no one on the shore could see clearly. But Fang Zheng could distinctly sense Fang Yuan's calmness. As he spoke, the corners of his mouth even curled up slightly, revealing a hint of a profound, playful smile.

"Brother is clearly only C-grade. Why is he still so calm?" Fang Zheng's heart filled with confusion.

Fang Yuan said no more. He patted Fang Zheng's back, then turned and left.

Fang Zheng stood there blankly before walking toward the sea of flowers.

"I never expected Brother to be so calm. If it were me, I'm afraid..." He lowered his head and walked forward absentmindedly, unaware that he was staging a miraculous performance.

By the time he snapped out of it, he was already standing deep within the sea of flowers, at a distance no one had reached before.

Forty-three steps!

"Heavens, A-grade Aptitude!!!" The Academy Elder cried out wildly, losing all composure.

"A-grade—it's actually A-grade?!"

"After three years, the Gu Yue Clan has finally produced another genius with A-grade Aptitude!"

The elders watching in secret also cried out at once, completely abandoning their dignity.

"Hmph, the Fang branch was originally split off from our Chi lineage. This Gu Yue Fang Zheng shall be adopted by our Chi lineage." Gu Yue Chi Lian immediately declared.

"How could that be? You old ghost Chi Lian, what virtue or ability do you possess? You are rather skilled at leading children astray. This child would be better off being raised by me, Gu Yue Mo Chen." As though struck by lightning, Gu Yue Mo Chen immediately roared.

"No one argue. Whoever raises this child, none can do better than this clan leader personally raising him. Whoever objects is opposing me, Gu Yue Bo!" The Gu Yue Clan Leader's eyes turned crimson. Sweeping away his earlier disappointment and despondency, he had become utterly frenzied.

(P.S.: This new book sincerely needs everyone's full support. Every extra click helps. Although I only started this new book after a two-month gap, causing its popularity to drop off somewhat, it will rise again with time. But... it is currently competing on the new book rankings, so I urgently need everyone's support! Those of you who frequent the forums, come support it on Qidian. Public chapters are free.)