The Aperture was profoundly mysterious. Although it resided within Fangyuan’s body, it did not share the same space as his internal organs. One could say it was infinitely large, yet also infinitely small.
Some called it the Purple Mansion, while others called it the Flowery Pool. But most people referred to it simply as the Primeval Sea Aperture.
The entire Aperture was spherical, its surface shimmering with a layer of white light—a membrane of light formed when the Hope Gu had burst earlier.
It was precisely because of this light membrane that the Aperture was supported and prevented from collapsing.
Within the Aperture lay, naturally, the Primeval Sea.
The surface of the sea was as smooth as a mirror, glowing with an azure hue, yet extraordinarily dense, carrying the luster of bronze.
This was the condensed bronze Primeval Essence unique to a Rank One Gu Master, commonly known as the bronze sea.
The sea level reached less than half the height of the Aperture—only forty-four percent. This was the limitation of Grade C talent.
Every single drop of sea water was Primeval Essence, representing the condensation of Fangyuan’s essence, Qi, and spirit, and symbolizing the potential of his life accumulated over the past fifteen years.
A Gu Master used this Primeval Essence to urge Gu Worms. In other words, from this moment on, Fangyuan had officially stepped into the ranks of Rank One Gu Masters.
With the Aperture now open, the Hope Gu no longer poured into Fangyuan’s body.
Fangyuan gathered his focus, only to feel that the pressure ahead was as solid as a wall, preventing him from advancing even an inch.
"Just like in my past life," he gave a calm smile at this outcome.
"Can you really not go any further?" The Academy Elder asked, shouting across the water with a one-in-ten-thousand chance of hope.
Fangyuan simply turned around and walked back, answering him with his actions.
At this, even the youths reacted.
Instantly, with a low hum, the crowd erupted into a clamor.
"What? Fangyuan only walked twenty-seven steps?"
"He only has Grade C talent?!"
"Incredible, such a genius, and yet he's merely Grade C?"
A massive uproar swept through the crowd.
"Brother..." Within the crowd, Gu Yue Fangzheng raised his head, staring in shock at Fangyuan, who was wading back across the river. He could not believe what was happening right before his eyes—his own brother turned out to be nothing more than a Grade C?
He had always believed that his brother would possess Grade A talent.
No, not just him; his uncle, aunt, and many others in the clan had thought the same.
Yet now, the result turned out like this!
"Damn it, to think he's merely a Grade C!" Gu Yue Clan Leader clenched both fists in secret and let out a deep sigh, his disappointment plain for all to see.
The elders watching from the shadows either frowned, murmured among themselves, or sighed at the heavens.
"Could there be an error in the testing?"
"How is that possible? This method is utterly accurate, and furthermore, we've been watching closely the entire time; even cheating would be difficult."
"Then how do we explain his previous performance and talent?"
"Youths with higher Primeval Sea talent do indeed exhibit traits that surpass ordinary people, such as cleverness, comprehension, memory, strength, agility, and so on. But conversely, these traits do not necessarily mean their talent is high; everything must be subject to the test results."
"Sigh, the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment. Each generation of the Gu Yue Clan is worse than the last."
...
The chilly river water soaked his socks, piercingly cold.
Fangyuan walked on with an expressionless face. As the distance closed, he could clearly see the heavy expression on the Academy Elder's face and keenly perceive the gazes cast by over a hundred youths.
In those gazes were astonishment, shock, mockery, schadenfreude, realization, and indifference.
The exact same scenario involuntarily brought his past life to mind.
Back then, he had felt as though the sky were falling. While crossing the river, he had lost his footing and taken a fall, soaking himself from head to toe, utterly dejected. Not a single person had offered to help him up.
Those disappointed, indifferent expressions and glances were like sharp blades carving away at his heart. His thoughts were a chaotic mess, and a dull ache throbbed in his chest.
It felt as though he had been hurled from the clouds down to the earth; the higher one stood, the harder one fell.
However, in this lifetime.
Revisiting this scene, Fangyuan’s heart remained tranquil as still water.
He thought of that legend: when hardship arrives, you must entrust your heart to hope.
Now, that hope resided right within his body. Although this hope was not large, it was already far better than those who had no cultivation talent at all.
If others were disappointed because of it, then let them be disappointed—what could they possibly do?
What did other people's disappointment have to do with him? The important thing was that he still harbored hope within his heart!
Five hundred years of life had taught him a truth: the brilliance of a person's life lies in the process of chasing one's dreams. There is no need to demand that others avoid disappointment or harbor affection.
Walk your own path, and let others be disappointed and displeased!
"Sigh..." The Academy Elder let out a deep sigh and called out, "Next, Gu Yue Fangzheng."
No one answered.
"Gu Yue Fangzheng!" the elder shouted loudly, his voice echoing and rumbling within the cavern.
"Ah? I'm here, I'm here!" Fangzheng snapped out of his shock, hurriedly dashing forward, but unfortunately stumbled over his own feet. With a clumsy trip and a splash, he tumbled right into the river.
Instantly, a roar of laughter erupted.
"The Fang brothers, truly a pair of inept fools." Gu Yue Clan Leader let out a cold snort, a sense of annoyance welling up toward Gu Yue Fangzheng as well.
"How utterly humiliating!" Fangzheng flailed frantically in the river a few times, but the riverbed was terribly slick, making it impossible for him to stand. His struggling only made him look even more clumsy. Hearing the waves of jeering laughter ringing in his ears, he grew even more panicked.
But right at that moment, he suddenly felt a strong force grab him, finally lifting his head above the water and restoring balance to his body.
Wiping his face in a bedraggled state and looking closely, he saw it was his brother Fangyuan, who had grabbed him by the collar and hoisted him up.
"Brother..." He opened his mouth to speak, only to end up choking on water, which subsequently triggered a fit of violent coughing.
"Haha, the pathetic brothers of the Fang family!" Someone on the bank mocked aloud.
The jeering grew even louder, and the Academy Elder did not step in to stop it; his brows were deeply furrowed, and his heart was filled with disappointment.
At a complete loss, Fangzheng heard his brother's voice by his ear: "Go on, the path ahead will be quite magnificent."
Fangzheng involuntarily opened his mouth in surprise. At this moment, Fangyuan had his back to the crowd, so the people on the shore could not see clearly. But Fangzheng could distinctly sense Fangyuan's composure; when he spoke, the corners of his mouth were even slightly upturned, revealing a hint of playful and profound amusement.
"Clearly he only has Grade C talent, so why is my brother still so calm?" Involuntarily, Fangzheng's heart was filled with doubt.
Without another word, Fangyuan patted Fangzheng's back and turned to walk away.
With a dazed expression, Fangzheng walked toward the sea of flowers.
"I never imagined my brother would be so calm. If it were me, I'm afraid..." He walked forward mechanically with his head lowered, entirely unaware that he was about to stage 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, Grade A talent!!!" The Academy Elder shouted out of composure.
"Grade A, it's actually Grade A?!"
"For three years, the Gu Yue Clan has finally produced another genius with Grade A talent!"
The elders watching from the shadows cried out in unison as well, completely losing their dignified bearing.
"Hmph, the Fang lineage originally split from our Red Lineage, so this Gu Yue Fangzheng shall be taken in and raised by my Red Lineage." Gu Yue Chilian immediately declared.
"How is that possible? You old ghost Chilian, what right do you have? Your skill at leading youths astray is top-notch, though. You'd better hand this child over to me, Gu Yue Mochen, to raise." Gu Yue Mochen reacted as if struck by lightning, immediately roaring back.
"Stop bickering, all of you. No matter who grooms this child, none can compare to being personally groomed by the Clan Leader. Whoever has objections is opposing me, Gu Yue Bo!" Gu Yue Clan Leader's eyes were bloodshot; sweeping away his previous disappointment and decadence, he looked utterly deranged.