Star Soul God-Tempering Vine

A string of system alerts left everyone 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 words.

Shen Miaowei's expression was even more complicated. Was the gap between her and a Mind Reader prodigy from one of Blue Star's top ten provinces really this vast?

A score nearing three million meant a tenfold difference.

Everyone present was utterly stunned. Only Chen Lie secretly felt that he had not controlled his strength very well.

"You actually possess strength enough to rank in the top ten of the ocean of consciousness score leaderboard."

After staring at Chen Lie in shock, Wei Changshan abruptly changed his tone and rebuked him, "You brat, since you possess such formidable strength, why did you come to a small place like our Three Rivers to show off?

Look at how badly you've crushed Cloud River's geniuses.

Do you think it's easy for our three central provinces to produce a Mind Reader prodigy?

What if, because of you, the Mind Reader geniuses in our province are unable to recover from this setback? Can you bear that responsibility?"

Shen Miaowei knew that Wei Changshan was saying this on her behalf. She had wanted to say that she would not be so easily crushed, but she could not bring herself to say it.

Wasn't a tenfold gap enough to explain everything?

She could only offer a bitter smile.

Chen Lie said, "Sorry. But can I receive the reward for breaking the record now?"

"This reward of yours..."

Wei Changshan had barely begun before Shen Feixue interrupted him.

"No! He can't have the reward!"

Shen Feixue glared fiercely at Chen Lie with her beautiful large eyes, then continued, "Why should an outsider receive a reward that the Mind Reader Association headquarters established specifically for the Mind Readers of our three central provinces?

President Wei, you always said that the reward for breaking the ocean of consciousness score record was specially established by the Mind Reader Association headquarters for our three central provinces. Logically speaking, only people from the Three Rivers are qualified to receive it.

But what about him?"

With a resentful expression, Shen Feixue said, "He's from another province, and he even comes from one of Blue Star's powerful top ten provinces. He already possesses rare treasures that people from our Three Rivers would not even dare dream of, yet he still wants to compete for the little resources we have. What kind of logic is that?

If not for him, Sister Wei would definitely have broken the record in another month. But now he's raised the record score so high—who can possibly claim the reward?"

"That makes some sense." Wei Changshan felt that she had a point. As a Cloud River native, he naturally had to protect Cloud River.

Shen Feixue continued, "In any case, he isn't qualified to receive this reward. He's an outsider, yet he came to Cloud River to seize our resources.

If all the geniuses from Blue Star's top ten provinces acted like him, wouldn't all the world's resources end up concentrated in their hands? If this continued, all of Blue Star would become their private backyard!

The weaker provinces would keep getting drained by them, having their nourishment siphoned away. Forget development—even regression would be entirely possible.

Wouldn't the Blue Star Mind Reader Association headquarters' policy of fully supporting local and underdeveloped provinces' Mind Readers become nothing more than a piece of waste paper?

Even if this matter were brought before the Mind Reader Association headquarters, justice would be on our side."

Wei Changshan nodded repeatedly and said to Chen Lie, "Young man, it truly is unreasonable for an outsider like you to come to the three central provinces and claim the reward for breaking the ocean of consciousness record. Therefore, you cannot take this reward for now.

Of course, you may file an objection with the Blue Star Mind Reader Association headquarters. Your talent is extraordinary, so the headquarters will surely take your appeal seriously.

If the Mind Reader Association headquarters determines that this reward should belong to you, then I will have nothing to say and will naturally present it to you with both hands. Otherwise, I hope you can accept the decision calmly and not take your anger out on anyone."

The system had assessed Chen Lie as having the potential to become a Mind Reader Grandmaster, so Wei Changshan naturally spoke kindly, unwilling to offend him too deeply.

Not to mention how terrifying the powerful forces in Blue Star's top ten provinces were, the potential of this young man to become a Mind Reader Grandmaster alone was enough to make him someone who absolutely could not be offended.

A Mind Reader Grandmaster was not comparable to a martial arts grandmaster. If Cloud River earned the enmity of a grandmaster-level Mind Reader, it would be suppressed for at least decades. Its martial arts might even regress to the point where it was inferior to both East River Province and West River Province.

"We should also apply to the Mind Reader Association headquarters to void the record score he just set. Otherwise, he's raised it so high—who can break it?" Shen Feixue interjected.

Chen Lie swept his gaze around and discovered that not only Shen Feixue and Wei Changshan, but even Shen Miaowei were looking at him with a shared hostility.

Are all the Cloud River people banding together to exclude outsiders? Chen Lie thought.

"I think you've misunderstood." At this point, Chen Lie said, "I'm actually from the three central provinces too. I'm not from one of Blue Star's top ten provinces. I was born and raised in East River Province.

This is my Blue Star citizen ID. You can take a look."

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

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

"Hm? He really is from East River Province."

Wei Changshan looked at Chen Lie, then at the citizen ID in his hand, falling into confusion for a moment.

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

Shen Feixue walked over, glanced at the citizen ID, silently memorized the number, then went to the side and made a call.

Before long, she had the result.

"He really is from East River Province? But how could someone like him come from a place as impoverished as East River?"

Chen Lie said to Wei Changshan, "So? Now that I'm also from the three central provinces, can I receive the reward for breaking the record?"

"This... naturally, you can. But I'd like to ask, how did you construct a stellar ocean of consciousness in a place like East River?"

"Naturally, my master taught me."

"That's true. Without a teacher's guidance, how could someone achieve such attainments on the path of Mind Reading alone in a place as impoverished as East River? But how did I not know that East River had such a Mind Reader?"

Chen Lie said, "I said I'm from East River Province, but I never said that my teacher is also from East River Province."

"Indeed, indeed. May I ask your esteemed master's name?"

Chen Lie said, "There's no need to waste your effort asking. My teacher is a Mind Reader from beyond the stars. Even if I told you, you wouldn't know him."

"So you inherited your teachings from beyond the stars. No wonder."

After saying this, Wei Changshan looked again at Shen Feixue. "Young lady of the Shen family, you've seen it too. This young friend is also from the three central provinces. Since he broke the scoring record, it is only right that he receives the reward."

Shen Feixue had nothing more to say and could only turn her little face aside.

"Friend Chen Lie, come. I'll take you to claim the reward for breaking the ocean of consciousness score record."

As he spoke, Wei Changshan led Chen Lie into a precious-item storage room behind the light screen.

Using his authority, he opened an automatic treasure box.

Wei Changshan placed the treasure box before Chen Lie and said, "The highest reward for breaking a record at the Three Rivers Mind Reader Association is this: the Star Soul God-Tempering Vine.

It is a rare treasure for spiritual power cultivation, produced beyond the stars. On Blue Star, even if you had over a billion star credits, you wouldn't be able to buy it."

"Oh? What does it do?" Chen Lie asked.

Wei Changshan said, "It can raise a person's spiritual power by an entire level, including its purity and strength, greatly increasing a Mind Reader's potential."

"Oh, I see."

Chen Lie nodded, opened the treasure box, and saw a vine only slightly longer than a thumb, glimmering with a faint red light.

Without changing his expression, he closed the treasure box, tucked it against his chest, and said, "Thank you. Then I'll take the Star Soul God-Tempering Vine."

"I've already had the Association staff rush the production of your apprentice Mind Reader certificate. You'll receive it within half an hour at most."

"Alright." Chen Lie nodded.

"Chen Lie, since you are also a Mind Reader from our three central provinces, regardless of where your lineage comes from, you are ultimately one of the Three Rivers.

I'm sure you know that martial arts in our three central provinces are weak, and the path of Mind Reading is even more lacking than martial arts.

Cloud River may be a little stronger than your East River, but only by a limited amount. After all, the Three Rivers are one family.

Since you have already achieved such a high level in Mind Reader cultivation, you ought to consider the bond between fellow townsmen and, as long as it does not affect your own cultivation, offer some guidance to the Mind Reader prodigies our Three Rivers have produced with such difficulty."

As Wei Changshan spoke, his tone suddenly shifted. "The one beside you is called Shen Miaowei. Her Mind Reader talent may not compare to yours, but it certainly cannot be too far behind.

She is the most outstanding Mind Reader prodigy our Three Rivers have produced in over twenty years.

If possible, I'd like you to exchange contact information with her. In spiritual power cultivation, the two of you can correct and guide each other. It should benefit not only her, but you as well."

Shen Miaowei's expression stiffened slightly. She felt that Wei Changshan had truly exhausted every effort for the sake of her future path in Mind Reader cultivation.