My Arts Evolve When Perfected

Her voice was hoarse, as if she hadn’t spoken in many years and had forgotten how. All traces of her former youthful energy were gone. She was like a candle about to be extinguished, only to suddenly flicker back to life with a tiny flame.

’Instructor Shangguan. What a distant, distant title.’ She hadn’t heard that name in over a decade. She had almost forgotten that she was once an instructor—the most brilliant Refining System genius to come from Jiangnan Martial University, who had gone to the Northwest to teach.

If things had gone differently, she might have already become a Grandmaster, maybe even a renowned one, making a name for herself and succeeding her own master.

Her talent in the Refining System was immense, but due to a small mishap, her development was stunted, leaving her as naive as a high schooler. Later, after arriving on the Eight-direction Reversing Ship, she starved for over a decade. The resulting thinness actually made her look more mature, her face having lost its baby fat.

Hearing the title "Instructor Shangguan" again, she froze. Her mind went blank. She tried to recall her past, only to find it was a complete wreck. She had no idea where to even begin, or who could possibly still remember her name.

She really couldn’t remember anything... This Great Realm was too, too far from Blue Star—so far it drove her to despair. ’Perhaps even that powerful figure’s voice was just a hallucination before my mind collapses. I must have imagined it.’

"It’s me, Jiang Qiu. Back when I returned from the college entrance exams, you were in Gao Yuan City. You came to see me personally, hoping I would become your Direct Disciple. I didn’t accept, but you took my friend, Liu Zili, as your fourth Direct Disciple instead."

As he spoke, Jiang Qiu confirmed that she was indeed Shangguan Yue. The look in her eyes couldn’t be faked. As a being at the Peak of the Fusion Realm, his perception of the soul was incredibly sharp; he could sense the slightest fluctuation. When she heard the title "Instructor Shangguan," ripples had stirred within her.

With a casual wave of his hand, an invisible blade of Nether Dark Spirit Charm coalesced and sliced through the shackles binding Shangguan Yue’s wrists and ankles. His brow, however, remained tightly furrowed. "You’ve suffered on the Eight-direction Reversing Ship."

Like Senior Zhu Weiyi, Shangguan Yue had also endured immense hardship—perhaps even more. After all, Jiang Qiu had been able to recognize Zhu Weiyi’s face instantly from a promotional poster on the Desolate Realm’s network, as if the past decade had been but a fleeting moment.

But now, relying on memory alone, he hadn’t been able to recognize her at first glance. He’d had to ask just to be sure.

This just went to show how much Shangguan Yue must have suffered on the Eight-direction Reversing Ship.

"Jiang... Qiu...?" With her shackles released, a tremor ran through Shangguan Yue’s body and soul. Thunder seemed to boom in her mind as her eyes widened. "You..."

Staring at the person before her, she was in a complete daze. She never imagined it would be someone from Blue Star, let alone from Xia Country—and that it would be the very same genius she had once met, Jiang Qiu.

She had paid quite a bit of attention to Jiang Qiu. For one, her Direct Disciple, Liu Zili, was always following his news. For another, given all the major things Jiang Qiu had done back then, it was hard not to pay attention!

From the college entrance exams in Kunlun City to the Spirit Charm test at Northwest Martial University; from the disaster and great battle at North Border City to entering the Northern Wilderness Great Secret Realm; and finally, from returning after his Dragon Body Casting to rushing back to Gao Yuan City for another great battle—all sorts of news reports had spread from the Northwest to Jiangnan, making him known throughout the nation.

’It’s incredibly hard to forget a genius like that. Still... I remember him being in the Dao Entry Realm, wasn’t he?’

’How is he here now? And why is a member of the Three-Life Race at the Peak of the Fusion Realm calling him "Your Excellency"?’

Far too many questions bombarded Shangguan Yue’s just-rebooted mind. Her blood began to race, and a warmth spread through her body. She was both overjoyed and dazed, her skin tingling.

"I came all the way from Blue Star. Don’t worry, Instructor Shangguan, I’ll get you back home," Jiang Qiu said, secretly scanning her condition. He breathed a sigh of relief when he found no serious injuries. "Have the others from Blue Star all been sold off? Do you know what happened to Liu Zili?"

"Liu Zili..." At the mention of her name, Shangguan Yue subconsciously clenched her fists. Her gaze was fiery, yet tinged with a suppressed despair. "She was taken away and is being held separately by Venerable Zuo Xuan’s people. I haven’t seen her in a very long time, but I’ve heard she isn’t in mortal danger. Venerable Zuo Xuan personally dealt with some of the curses on her and has given her a massive amount of resources. He must have taken an interest in the power hidden within her..."

With her shackles gone and her Spirit Charm flowing once more, her speech quickly became crisp and clear. Her entire demeanor changed along with it. She was no longer so dejected, like someone who had just spotted a torch in the dead of night.

His eyes lit up at her words. "So, you’re saying Liu Zili is still on the Eight-direction Reversing Ship, and her life isn’t in danger."

"Yes. And I’ve overheard some talk... They say Venerable Zuo Xuan has spent a tremendous amount of resources to support her cultivation. Her Realm has probably transformed to a level I can’t even imagine by now..."

Shangguan Yue answered earnestly, but the image of her innocent and pure Direct Disciple lying in a Nutrition Chamber flashed in her mind, and she couldn’t help but clench her fists, her heart aching for the girl.

She truly didn’t know what Realm Liu Zili was in now. When they were taken from Blue Star and brought onto the Eight-direction Reversing Ship, Liu Zili had only been in the Spirit Body Realm. Now, more than a decade had passed.

She could only glean bits and pieces of information about Liu Zili from the chatter of Emperor Blue Lizard Clan patrols.

It wasn’t surprising. The sheer amount of resources Liu Zili consumed was so immense that it affected all areas of the Eight-direction Reversing Ship. Even the low-ranking Emperor Blue Lizard People on the ship would gossip about it, occasionally making some remarks.

For Shangguan Yue, this was a welcome occurrence. It was her only way of learning about the outside world from others. This news seemed to be the very lifeline she clung to, the reason she kept on living. As long as that line didn’t snap, her spirit wouldn’t completely die.

For some reason, even though she had no other acquaintances on the Eight-direction Reversing Ship, and the other Blue Star People were complete strangers, just knowing that Liu Zili was still alive gave her an immense sense of peace.

’Perhaps it’s because I hope that when Liu Zili finally wakes up someday, she’ll see me and won’t be scared of being all alone.’

’After all, everyone else who came from Xia Country is dead. If I die too, Liu Zili will truly be alone...’

Jiang Qiu spoke with her for a while longer, then asked Yang Lei to look after them. He added that for helping him like this, if Yang Lei ever needed anything, he would spare no effort to assist him.

Yang Lei was naturally pleased. He casually ordered his Peak Fusion Realm subordinate to arrange living quarters for Shangguan Yue and the others, then said, "It was just a small expense. Nothing at all. By the way, Your Excellency Jiang Qiu, what are your plans now?"

The current situation was that there were no other people from Xia Country left on the Eight-direction Reversing Ship—not even anyone from Blue Star. The sole remaining person from Xia Country, Liu Zili, was imprisoned in the ship’s most core area, a place that even low-level members of the Emperor Blue Lizard clan couldn’t access.

In other words, if Jiang Qiu wanted to rescue Liu Zili, the price would be enormous—it would be tantamount to seizing control of the Eight-direction Reversing Ship. The difficulty was so great that even Yang Lei couldn’t help but sigh internally at the challenge. ’Tough.’

"I’m still going to probe the Eight-direction Reversing Ship. Even if it’s for just one person, I have to save them," Jiang Qiu said, his eyes hardening as a fire ignited in his heart. "Besides, that person is my friend."

’Life isn’t born with inherent meaning, but you create meaning through your actions. Zuo Xuan has gone too far. For the sake of my home, Blue Star, I have to make him pay.’

’Besides, didn’t I travel all the way from Blue Star to the Thunder Great Realm just to save people?’

’I have to save Liu Zili. And if possible, I’ll make Zuo Xuan suffer a crushing defeat!’