Star Soul Tempering Vine

A series of system alerts left the few people present frozen in place.

"An Ocean of Consciousness score of over 2.7 million? Is that even something a human can achieve?"

Shen Feixue's shock was beyond measure.

Shen Miaowei's expression was even more complex; was the gap between her and a genius Divine Sense Master from the top ten provinces of Blue Star really this vast?

An Ocean of Consciousness score approaching three million—that was a tenfold difference.

Everyone present was stunned, save for Chen Lie, who secretly thought he hadn't controlled his strength well enough.

"You actually possess the strength to rank in the top ten of the Ocean of Consciousness leaderboard."

Wei Changshan looked at Chen Lie, and once his shock subsided, his tone shifted into a reprimand: "You brat, since you possess such formidable strength, why come to a small place like our Chuanzhong to show off?

Look at how you've crushed the confidence of our Cloud River Province's genius!

Is it easy for the Three Provinces of Chuanzhong to produce a single Divine Sense genius?

If our province's genius falls into a slump because of you, can you bear that responsibility?"

Shen Miaowei knew Wei Changshan was speaking on her behalf. She wanted to say that she wouldn't be so easily discouraged, but the words wouldn't come out.

Was a tenfold gap not enough to explain everything?

She could only respond with a bitter smile.

Chen Lie said: "My apologies, but can the reward for breaking the record score be issued to me now?"

"This reward of yours..."

Before Wei Changshan could finish, he was interrupted by Shen Feixue.

"No! The reward cannot be given to him!"

Shen Feixue glared at Chen Lie with her beautiful, wide eyes and continued: "You are an outsider; what right do you have to take the reward set by the Divine Sense Master Association headquarters for the Divine Sense Masters of our Three Provinces of Chuanzhong?"

"Chairman Wei, you have always said that the reward for breaking the Ocean of Consciousness record was specifically set by the Divine Sense Master Association headquarters for our Three Provinces of Chuanzhong. Logically, only people from our Three Rivers are qualified to take it.

But what about him?"

Shen Feixue said indignantly: "He is from another province, and one of the top ten powerful provinces on Blue Star at that. He already possesses rare treasures that we people of Chuanzhong wouldn't even dare to dream of, yet now he wants to compete for our meager resources? What kind of logic is that?

If it weren't for him, Sister Wei would have broken the record in another month. But now that he has pushed the record score so high, who could possibly claim the reward?"

"That makes sense." Upon hearing this, Wei Changshan agreed. Being a man of Cloud River, he naturally wanted to protect his own.

Shen Feixue continued: "In any case, he is not qualified to receive this reward. An outsider coming to our Cloud River to plunder resources!

If the geniuses from those top ten provinces all acted like him, wouldn't all the resources on the planet be concentrated in their hands? In the long run, the entire Blue Star would become their backyard!

If the less developed provinces are constantly being bled dry and drained of nutrients like this, let alone development, even regression is not impossible.

Wouldn't the document issued by the Blue Star Divine Sense Master Association headquarters regarding 'comprehensive support for local and underdeveloped provinces' become nothing more than a scrap of paper?

Even if we took this matter to the headquarters, the logic would be on our side."

Wei Changshan nodded repeatedly and said to Chen Lie: "Young man, as an outsider, it is truly unreasonable for you to come to the Three Provinces of Chuanzhong to claim a record-breaking reward. Therefore, you cannot take this reward for the time being.

Of course, you may file a protest with the Blue Star Divine Sense Master Association headquarters. Given your exceptional aptitude, I believe they will take your appeal seriously.

If the headquarters rules that the reward should be yours, then this old man will have nothing to say and will naturally hand it over with both hands. Conversely, I hope you will accept it calmly and not hold a grudge against anyone."

Because the system assessed Chen Lie as having the potential of a Divine Sense Grandmaster, Wei Changshan naturally spoke politely, not wanting to offend him too deeply.

Not to mention how terrifying the major powers in the top ten provinces were, the potential of this young Divine Sense Grandmaster alone was something he could not afford to offend under any circumstances.

A Divine Sense Grandmaster was not something a Martial Arts Grandmaster could compare to. If Cloud River were to be targeted by a Grandmaster-level Divine Sense Master, it would be suppressed for at least decades; it might even regress to a point where it wasn't as good as Dongchuan or West River.

"We should also apply to the Divine Sense Master Association headquarters to have his record score invalidated. Otherwise, with him pushing the record so high, who could possibly break it?"

Shen Feixue interjected.

Chen Lie scanned the room and found that not only Shen Feixue and Wei Changshan, but even Shen Miaowei was looking at him with a look of shared hatred.

Are the people of Cloud River banding together to exclude outsiders?

Chen Lie couldn't help but think.

"I think you have misunderstood." With things having reached this point, Chen Lie said: "Actually, I am also from the Three Provinces of Chuanzhong. I am not from any of the top ten provinces on Blue Star; I am a native of Dongchuan Province.

This is my Blue Star Citizen ID; you can take a look."

As he spoke, Chen Lie took out his ID and handed it to Wei Changshan.

Wei Changshan was confused by Chen Lie's words. He took the ID and glanced at Chen Lie's information.

"Hmm? He really is from Dongchuan Province."

Wei Changshan looked at Chen Lie, then at the ID in his hand, falling into a daze.

"How is that possible? What is his citizen number? I'll have someone in Dongchuan Province check it."

Shen Feixue walked over to look at the ID, silently noted the citizen number, and went to the side to make a call.

A short while later, she had her result.

"To think he really is from East River Province? But how could such a place, as barren as East River, produce someone like this?"

Chen Lie said to Wei Changshan, "Well? Now that I am also a person of the Three Provinces of Chuanzhong, can I claim the reward for breaking the record?"

"This... naturally, you can. However, I would like to ask, in a place like East River, how did you manage to construct a Stellar Consciousness Sea?"

"Naturally, it was taught by my master."

"That makes sense. Without a teacher's guidance, how could one possibly achieve such accomplishments in the path of Divine Sense all alone in a place as barren as East River? But why have I never heard of such a Divine Sense Master in East River?"

Chen Lie replied, "I am from East River Province, but I never said my teacher was from East River Province."

"Quite right, quite right. May I ask for your esteemed master's name?"

Chen Lie said, "You needn't waste your effort inquiring. My teacher is a Divine Sense Master from beyond the stars; even if I told you, you wouldn't know them."

"So you studied under someone from beyond the stars. No wonder."

After Wei Changshan finished speaking, he looked toward Shen Feixue, "Little girl of the Shen family, you have seen it for yourself. This young friend is also from the Three Provinces of Chuanzhong. Since he has broken the scoring record, it is only right that he receives the reward."

Shen Feixue had nothing left to say and could only turn her face away.

"Young friend Chen Lie, let us go. I will take you to claim the reward for breaking the record in the Consciousness Sea assessment."

As he spoke, Wei Changshan led Chen Lie to a treasure storage room behind the light screen.

He used his own authorization to open an automated treasure chest.

Wei Changshan placed the treasure chest before Chen Lie and said, "The highest reward for breaking a record at the Three Rivers Divine Sense Master Association is this: the Star Soul Tempering Vine.

This is a rare treasure for mental power cultivation, produced beyond the stars. Here on Blue Star, even if you had over a billion Star Dollars, you wouldn't be able to buy it."

"Oh? And what are its effects?" Chen Lie asked.

Wei Changshan said, "It can elevate a person's mental power by an entire level, including both purity and intensity, greatly increasing a Divine Sense Master's potential."

"Oh, I see."

Chen Lie nodded and opened the treasure chest, seeing a vine fragment just a bit longer than a thumb, shimmering with a faint red light.

He calmly closed the treasure chest, pulled it into his arms, and said, "Many thanks. I will take this Star Soul Tempering Vine then."

"I have already had the association staff rush the production of your Apprentice Divine Sense Master credentials. You will have them in half an hour at most."

"Good!" Chen Lie nodded.

"Chen Lie, since you are also a Divine Sense Master of our Three Provinces of Chuanzhong, regardless of where you studied, you are ultimately a person of the Three Rivers.

You likely know that in our Three Provinces of Chuanzhong, the martial path is barren, and the path of Divine Sense is even worse.

Although Cloud River is slightly better than your East River, the difference is limited. After all, the Three Rivers are one family.

Since you have already achieved such high accomplishments in Divine Sense cultivation, even out of consideration for your fellow countrymen, you should—provided it does not affect your own cultivation—guide the Divine Sense geniuses that we have worked so hard to produce in the Three Rivers."

As Wei Changshan spoke, his tone suddenly shifted: "The person beside you, named Shen Miaowei, may not have as much Divine Sense talent as you, but it certainly won't be far behind.

She is the most outstanding Divine Sense genius born in our Three Rivers in over twenty years.

If possible, I would like for you to leave her your contact information. In terms of mental power cultivation, if you two correct and guide each other, it will not only benefit her but should also be of some use to you."

Shen Miaowei's expression faltered slightly, feeling that Wei Changshan was truly exhausting his efforts for the sake of her future path in Divine Sense cultivation.