Chapter 13: What Is Going on?

Translator: Asuka

Editor: Dhael Ligerkeys ????????????????????????????xt.????????????

“By the way, how is your talent?” Lu Ye turned his head and asked.

Judging from Yu Xiao Tiea’s expression, he knew that her talent must be good, but he still wanted to make a comparison. He wanted to find out how terrible his talent was that made Third Senior Brother change his attitude in such a drastic way.

Yu Xiao Tiea was already holding her jade tablet, but upon hearing his question, she subconsciously concealed it. It wasn’t that she wanted to hide anything from him, but that she didn’t want to hurt his feelings.

Lu Ye teased her by saying, “Are you looking down on me? Don’t you know that men bounce back stronger after we’re hurt?”

A helpless Yu Xiao Tiea asked, “Brother Lu, do you really want to see it?”

Lu Ye replied with a smile, “Since my result has been revealed, it can’t get any worse.”

After giving it some thought, Yu Xiao Tiea uttered, “You’re right. You’re such a big-hearted person.” Admiration was written all over her face.

Since Lu Ye had said so, there was no reason for her to reject his request. The information on the jade tablet wasn’t confidential anyway. Then, she extended her hand and passed the jade tablet to him.

Lu Ye took it and saw that the side facing him was carved with her name. Then, he turned it around and saw that the word ‘Wood’ was engraved on it. It seemed that her main attribute was Wood. Below her attribute, there was a number.

“Thirty-eight?” Lu Ye was dumbfounded as this was different from what he had imagined. Then, he asked, “Miss Yu, why is it thirty-eight? Isn’t the highest number supposed to be eight?”

He remembered clearly that there were only eight saplings around the disc, so why would there be thirty-eight, which was beyond the reasonable limits?

“The highest number is sixty-four.” Yu Xiao Tiea was puzzled by what he said. Then, she made a calculation with her hand and murmured, “Eight saplings times eight leaves. That’s sixty-four. Theoretically, the most talented person would get sixty-four leaves.”

Lu Ye stared at her as the light in his eyes went out.

A flabbergasted Yu Xiao Tiea called out to him. “Brother Lu, are you alright?”

He had just said that men would bounce back stronger after they were hurt, so why was he hurt so terribly after she showed him her jade tablet? Yu Xiao Tiea blamed herself and thought that she shouldn’t have let him see her tablet. “Be strong, Brother Lu.”

“Just give me some time to calm myself down.” Lu Ye waved his hand and looked up at the sky with a listless gaze.

Finally, he realised that the number one on the back of his jade tablet did not represent a sapling but a leaf. During the talent test, every sapling could grow eight leaves. Since there were eight saplings, the maximum one could get were sixty-four leaves.

The number thirty-eight was engraved on Yu Xiao Tiea’s jade tablet, which meant that during the talent test, she had managed to make the saplings grow thirty-eight leaves. On the other hand, his result was one leaf instead of a sapling.

At that instant, Lu Ye felt terribly hurt. He had tried his best to lower his expectation, but in the end, he realised that his lowest expectation wasn’t even the bottom. One out of eight and one out of sixty-four were completely different stories.

“Brother Lu…” Yu Xiao Tiea looked worriedly at him as she could feel that he was engulfed in a gloomy atmosphere. He no longer looked as energetic as he was earlier. “Although talent is important, it isn’t everything. Brother Lu, I once heard that the Heavenly Way rewards those who are hardworking…”

“I guess you haven’t heard of the saying that the Heavenly Way does not favour anything in the world as it lets nature take its course…”

“What?” Yu Xiao Tiea felt that something was off.

Lu Ye took a deep breath and pulled himself together. He was still frustrated, but just like what he had said, since the result was there, all he could do was face it. Moreover, he still had the Skill Tree. Even if he wasn’t highly talented, the amazing tree might still make up for his deficiency.

“Tell me what the talent test is based on,” Lu Ye asked.

Although he had gone through the test in the tent, he did not know how it was carried out as his eyes remained closed throughout the entire process.

Instead of immediately explaining it to him, Yu Xiao Tiea looked seriously at him.

Noticing the worry behind her gaze, Lu Ye said with a smile, “I’m really fine.”

After a sigh, Yu Xiao Tiea replied, “Since you want to know, I’ll tell you what I understand about the test.”

Then, she went on to tell him the theories and process of the test.

Upon hearing her explanation, Lu Ye asked, “Does that mean that it’s difficult for the Spiritual Qi to be led into my body? Is that why my talent is regarded as low?” He couldn’t help but recall how he felt at that time. The external Spiritual Qi penetrated his body but couldn’t get out, which caused him to be in pain.

Yu Xiao Tiea nodded. “That’s right.”

“I see.” Lu Ye finally understood what had happened, but soon something started bothering him. “But what could it really tell? How can they determine whether a person’s talent is high or low based on this kind of superficial factor? Don’t get me wrong. I’m not doubting that my talent is low. I just want to know the reason behind it.”

Seeing how he attempted to reassure her that he was fine, Yu Xiao Tiea was torn between tears and laughter. Then, she explained patiently, “Brother Lu, do you know how a cultivator can get stronger?”

Lu Ye replied, “Consume Spirit Pills, absorb Spiritual Qi, refine vitality into Qi, and make use of Spirit Stones?”

“That’s right.” Yu Xiao Tiea nodded. “However, the main ways are still absorbing Spiritual Qi and making use of Spirit Stones. The other two methods are just auxiliary. If it’s difficult to lead the external Spiritual Qi into your body, it’ll be less efficient for you to cultivate, and your talent will be deemed low. Given the same time and resources, a highly talented cultivator will unlock more Spiritual Points and achieve greater heights in the future. Since you’ve been enlightened, I’m sure you’re aware of how difficult it is to cultivate.”

Lu Ye recalled his days in the dark mine. He would consume Qi Blood Pills every day and refine vitality into Qi. As he felt himself growing stronger by the day, he didn’t think that it was difficult. Instead, he was joyful.

Yu Xiao Tiea said that a cultivator mainly relied on absorbing Spiritual Qi and making use of Spirit Stones, while consuming pills and refining vitality into Qi were just auxiliary methods. It seemed that he had been doing it in the wrong way.

Feeling that something was amiss, he asked, “Miss Yu, how long did it take you to fill your first Spiritual Point after you unlocked it?”

If there was a direct comparison, he could judge how efficient it was for him to cultivate. He still didn’t believe that his talent was so terrible.

“It took me about twenty days,” Yu Xiao Tiea replied. She didn’t ask how long it took Lu Ye to achieve that because she was worried that this question would hurt his feelings again.

Given his talent, even if he had the help of pills, it would probably take him a few months to fill his first Spiritual Point. Since Lu Ye had saved her before, she was still grateful to him. At that moment, she found him to be pitiful.

As expected, Lu Ye appeared startled upon hearing what she had said, then he muttered, “About twenty days?”

Yu Xiao Tiea quickly said, “Brother Lu, our situations are different. Previously, I was taken away by an Evil Moon Valley’s disciple. I guess she wanted to make use of me to cultivate an evil technique, which was why she helped me enlighten and even gave me some Spirit Restoring Pills. That’s the reason I could fill my Spirit Point in about twenty days.”

[She had actually consumed some pills to shorten the time?] On the other hand, Lu Ye had only consumed some cheap Qi Blood Pills, but it only took him more than ten days to fill his first Spiritual Point, which was faster than what she had achieved. [What is going on?]