Session 6:The Way of the future will be wonderful

The empty aperture was exceptionally mysterious. Although it was housed within Fang Yuan's body, it did not share the same space as his internal organs. It could be described as infinitely large or infinitely small.

Some called it the Purple Mansion, others the Huachi (Splendid Pool). However, most referred to it as the Yuan Sea Empty Aperture.

The entire empty aperture was spherical, its surface flowed with white light, forming a membrane. This membrane was the result of the Hope Gu exploding and condensing into a layer of light.

It was this layer of light that supported the empty aperture, preventing it from collapsing.

Within the empty aperture was the Yuan Sea.

The sea's surface was smooth like a mirror, presenting a clear azure color, yet it was extremely dense, with a coppery sheen.

This was the condensed bronze true essence of a Rank One Gu Master, commonly known as the Bronze Sea.

The sea level only reached less than half the height of the empty aperture, about forty-four percent. This was the limitation of a C-grade aptitude.

Every drop of seawater was true essence, representing the condensation of Fang Yuan's energy, spirit, and vitality, symbolizing the life potential he had accumulated over fifteen years.

Gu Masters used this true essence to activate Gu worms. This meant that from this moment on, Fang Yuan had officially stepped into the ranks of a Rank One Gu Master.

With the aperture opened, no more Hope Gu entered Fang Yuan's body.

Fang Yuan withdrew his mind, feeling the pressure ahead as solid as a wall, making it impossible to take another step forward.

"Just like in my previous life," he smiled faintly at the result.

"Can you not go further?" the academy elder called out from the other side of the river, holding onto a sliver of hope.

Fang Yuan turned around and walked back, answering him with his actions.

Immediately, even the young people understood what had happened.

Instantly, there was an uproar among the crowd.

"What? Fang Yuan only walked twenty-seven steps?"

"He's only a C-grade aptitude?!"

"Incredible, such a genius is only a C-grade?"

The crowd was in an uproar.

"Brother..." Among the crowd, Gu Yue Fang Zheng looked up in shock at Fang Yuan walking back across the river. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. His brother was just a C-grade?

He always believed his brother would have an A-grade aptitude.

Not just him, but their uncle and aunt, and many others in the clan thought so too.

But now, the result was this!

"Damn, just a C-grade!" the Gu Yue clan leader clenched his fists, letting out a deep sigh, his disappointment evident.

The elders who had been secretly watching also furrowed their brows, some discussing quietly, others looking up and sighing.

"Could there be a mistake in the test?"

"How could that be? This method is extremely accurate, and we've been watching closely. Cheating would be difficult."

"But then, how do we explain his earlier performance and talent?"

"The higher the Yuan Sea aptitude, the more a child will exhibit extraordinary traits like intelligence, comprehension, memory, strength, and agility. But conversely, these traits don't necessarily mean a high aptitude. The test result is definitive."

"Alas, the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment. The Gu Yue clan is in decline."

...

The cold river water soaked Fang Yuan's socks, chilling him to the bone.

Fang Yuan walked on, expressionless. As the distance shortened, he could clearly see the heavy expressions of the academy elders and sharply sense the gazes from the dozens of young people.

These gazes held astonishment, shock, ridicule, schadenfreude, realization, and indifference.

The identical situation reminded Fang Yuan of his previous life.

Back then, he felt as if the sky had fallen. He stumbled while crossing the river, fell, got soaked, and was disheartened. No one helped him up.

The disappointed and indifferent expressions and gazes felt like sharp knives cutting into his heart. His thoughts were chaotic, and his chest ached.

It was like falling from the clouds to the ground; the higher you stand, the harder you fall.

But in this life...

Returning to this scene, Fang Yuan's heart was exceptionally calm.

He thought of the legend, that when faced with adversity, one must entrust their heart to hope.

Now, this hope was within him. Although small, it was better than having no aptitude for cultivation at all.

If others are disappointed, let them be. What does it matter?

Others' disappointment has nothing to do with me. The important thing is to keep hope alive in one's own heart!

A lifetime of five hundred years had taught him one thing: the brilliance of one's life lies in the process of pursuing dreams. There's no need to seek others' approval or avoid their disappointment.

Walk your own path, and let others be disappointed and disapprove as they will!

"Sigh..." The academy elder sighed deeply and called out, "Next, Gu Yue Fang Zheng."

But no one responded.

"Gu Yue Fang Zheng!" the elder shouted, his voice echoing in the cave.

"Ah? I'm here, I'm here!" Fang Zheng broke free from his shock and ran out, but unfortunately, he stumbled and fell into the river with a splash.

Immediately, there was uproarious laughter.

"The Fang family brothers are really something," the Gu Yue clan leader snorted, feeling a growing dislike for Fang Zheng.

"What a disgrace!" Fang Zheng struggled in the water, but the riverbed was slippery, and he couldn't stand up. His efforts only made him look more clumsy. The laughter from the shore made him even more flustered.

But then, he felt a strong force lifting him. His head finally emerged from the water, and he regained his balance.

Wiping his face, he saw his brother Fang Yuan holding his collar, helping him up.

"Brother..." He wanted to speak but ended up choking on water, causing a bout of coughing.

"Haha, the Fang brothers are a real joke!" someone on the shore jeered.

The laughter grew louder, and the academy elder did not intervene, his disappointment clear.

Fang Zheng was at a loss, but then he heard his brother's voice by his ear: "Go ahead. The future will be exciting."

Fang Zheng was astonished. With Fang Yuan's back to the crowd, the people on the shore couldn't see, but Fang Zheng could clearly feel Fang Yuan's calmness, even a slight playful and profound smile on his lips as he spoke.

"Clearly just a C-grade aptitude, yet why is Brother so calm?" Fang Zheng wondered, filled with doubt.

Fang Yuan said no more, patted Fang Zheng's back, and turned to leave.

Fang Zheng, still dazed, walked towards the sea of flowers.

"I didn't expect Brother to be so calm. If it were me..." He lowered his head, walking unconsciously. Little did he know he was performing a miracle.

When he came to his senses, he was already standing deep within the sea of flowers, a distance no one had reached before.

Forty-three steps!

"My god, an A-grade aptitude!!!" The academy elder shouted in shock.

"A-grade, really A-grade?!"

"After three years, the Gu Yue clan finally has another A-grade talent!"

The secretly observing elders also shouted, losing their composure.

"Indeed, the Fang branch originally came from our Chi branch. I will take Gu Yue Fang Zheng into the Chi branch," Gu Yue Chi Lian immediately declared.

"Impossible! You, Chi Lian, have no virtue or ability. You're good at misleading others. This child should be raised by me, Gu Yue Mo Chen," Gu Yue Mo Chen immediately roared, as if struck by lightning.

"No one should fight over him. This child will be best cultivated by me, the clan leader. Anyone who opposes this opposes Gu Yue Bo!" The clan leader's eyes were red, sweeping away his previous disappointment, his whole being filled with excitement.