C46 Depart

Chu Yi found himself at a loss for words regarding his own situation, knowing full well that even if he tried to explain, it was unlikely anyone would believe him.

Upon hearing Chu Yi's words, Lee Zi turned to him abruptly. "You mean, us?"

Caught off guard, Chu Yi paused, then let out a chuckle. "Yes, I can't explain these things to you, and it's the same with my parents."

"I just don't know how to explain it properly..."

Lee Zi gazed intently at Chu Yi for a long while before she bashfully lowered her head.

"Oh..."

It was a simple utterance, but Chu Yi detected a distinct emotion in Lee Zi's voice—a sense of ease and joy.

Women are truly enigmatic.

Chu Yi decided not to try to decipher her anymore. "However, I can still answer your earlier question."

"That night, what you witnessed was indeed the fullest extent of my power..."

Indeed, Chu Yi had only been back for a day, and at that time, he was incapable of wielding the immortal arts, so that was the greatest extent of his power.

Lee Zi gave a slight nod. "So, how did you explain it to your parents?"

Chu Yi's expression darkened a bit. He realized that women could indeed be incomprehensible. Wasn't Lee Zi's main concern supposed to be how he had acquired such immense power in such a brief span of time?

"Hmm?"

Lee Zi gathered her courage once more and looked up at Chu Yi.

With a sense of resignation, Chu Yi shook his head. "I told them I was an Awakened Geneticist..."

Upon hearing this, Lee Zi's expression normalized.

"Is that what you are?"

Chu Yi shook his head gently. "Actually, I'm not..."

Lee Zi fell silent for a moment before speaking. "Alright, I understand."

"I won't ask about this anymore. If there comes a day when you feel you can share, then let me know..."

With those words, Lee Zi didn't press the issue further, and they continued on their way to the residential area.

Though Lee Zi stopped probing, she also fell silent.

And so, with Lee Zi leading the way and Chu Yi half a step behind, they walked on in silence, enveloped in a subtle atmosphere.

Finally, as they reached the crossroads where they would part ways, Lee Zi suddenly turned to face Chu Yi.

"Chu Yi, I don't want to know anything else, and I won't ask," Lee Zi stated firmly.

"There's just one thing I need you to remember..."

Before Chu Yi could even respond, Lee Zi hurriedly continued, "Remember the words you've spoken and the promises you've made!"

With those words, Lee Zi dashed off before Chu Yi could utter another word.

Left alone, Chu Yi stood there, mulling over Lee Zi's words, but he couldn't grasp their meaning. All he could do was stand amidst the swirling winds, feeling bewildered...

The day flew by swiftly.

That evening, when Chu's father and Chu's mother came home, Chu Yi presented them with the contract. Both parents were already aware of the situation. They hadn't paid much attention before, but once they learned of their son's pursuit of the martial arts, they began to take a keen interest in related matters.

With the college entrance exams approaching, they had thoroughly researched and understood these affairs, even more so than Chu Yi himself. Aware of the inherent risks, the elders nevertheless signed their names, recognizing the necessity of their actions.

Chu Yi spent the night immersed in his training, confident that it wouldn't be long before he could break through and become a Silver Level Great Warrior. His recent clash with Lee Zi had exposed him to the world's elite talents and even those considered prodigies.

Chu Yi pondered the upcoming college entrance exams. If he encountered more prodigies like Lee Zi, he suspected his journey might be cut short. He was convinced that while the exams wouldn't feature an abundance of those with awakened genetic powers, there would certainly be some.

Even the average Genetic Awakened individuals, once they unleashed their genetic power, would likely possess strength not far off from Lee Zi's. Therefore, to ensure a longer journey and to outshine Zhen Ye, Chu Yi knew he had to keep improving.

Becoming a Silver Level Great Warrior would significantly boost his strength. The gap between a Silver Level Great Warrior and a Bronze Level Warrior might seem negligible, just a few kilograms, but in reality, it was substantial. This was a fact well-known to Chu Yi, as it was to everyone else.

Once he achieved the rank of Silver Level Great Warrior, his body underwent a fearsome enhancement.

It might have appeared to be a mere increase of a few kilograms of strength, but in truth, it was a leap between worlds.

Chu Yi devoted the entire night to his cultivation practices.

Yet, the fruits of his labor that night seemed underwhelming. Chu Yi sensed a slight boost in his strength, but the margin was so minute it might not have even reached one kilogram.

Consider that previously, without any cultivation, Chu Yi could effortlessly gain a dozen kilograms of strength overnight!

"These challenges are incredibly tough."

"And this is just the transition from Bronze to Silver. What about later on?"

The journey ahead promised to be even more arduous, and this was merely the start.

Chu Yi was well aware that his innate abilities were not particularly impressive, which meant that overcoming these obstacles would be a struggle, certainly more so than it would be for the most exceptional prodigies.

"However, if I can find enough Origin Substance to further evolve the essence of my life, then perhaps it will become easier..."

With this thought, Chu Yi's resolve to seek out the Exquisite Fruit only grew stronger.

Upon hearing the door close, Chu Yi knew that Chu's father and Chu's mother had departed.

After freshening up, he headed out.

Chu Yi was set to spend the upcoming month in the wilderness.

He didn't have to fret over provisions; the school would supply everything, including replacement clothing.

This outdoor excursion was designed to bolster the students' combat experience, not to subject them to survival training.

Thus, while it couldn't match the comforts of home, it was vastly superior to the conditions faced by wilderness explorers.

Arriving at the school, Chu Yi discovered that all fifty students had gathered, with the exception of himself.

Lee Zi was also there early. Confronted with this, Chu Yi couldn't help but feel a tad embarrassed.

The meeting was scheduled for nine in the morning, so Chu Yi hadn't followed his normal routine. Instead, he had squeezed in a visit to the old black bull Martial Arts Stadium for a quick assessment.

Receiving a look of scorn from the owner, Chu Yi departed contentedly.

993 kg!

That was the measure of Chu Yi's strength now.

He was a mere seven kilograms shy of the one-thousand-kilogram benchmark.

Although it might not look like much, if Chu Yi were to proceed at his usual pace, he might have achieved a breakthrough in less than a night.

But Chu Yi knew that appearances could be deceiving.

The gap of seven kilograms of strength was not something that could be bridged overnight, not in seven days, and perhaps not even in ten!

Of course, if Chu Yi had the funds, he could use some rare potions for an instant breakthrough.

But that was a big if.

Did Chu Yi have the money?

Clearly, he did not...

Therefore, Chu Yi had no choice but to continue relying on himself...

"Chu Yi, this way..."

Lee Zi called out just as Chu Yi stood before the massive flying car.

Chu Yi quickly made his way to Lee Zi after spotting her.

Being the focus of everyone's attention was great, but only after achieving something spectacular, not during moments like these, which were simply awkward.

Once Chu Yi joined her, Lee Zi resumed her typically aloof demeanor, which didn't bother Chu Yi in the slightest.

As Chu Yi boarded the vehicle, Teacher Cang made his entrance.

Well, Chu Yi wasn't the last to arrive after all; Teacher Cang was!

"Let's skip the small talk," Teacher Cang began.

"Our trip to the wilderness isn't about survival training, but rather a straightforward trial."

"The goal is to enhance your practical combat experience."

"So..."

Teacher Cang surveyed the group.

"If you can't win a fight, run. Don't overestimate your abilities, and certainly don't risk your life for the sake of achievements!"

"Of course, unless it's a dire situation, your instructors won't step in."

"Remember, an instructor is responsible for a team of five students. If you take unnecessary risks and put your lives in danger, you have only yourselves to blame."

Many injuries and fatalities in the past have stemmed from such recklessness, which is why Teacher Cang emphasized this point again.

"Alright, for this field training, keep three things in mind."

"First, safety."

"Second, it's still safety."

"Third, safety once more!"

"Safety, safety, safety!"

"Now, students, let's set off!"

With that, the engines of the flying car roared to life...

...

The wilderness was the real deal, utterly unlike the suburbs Chu Yi had previously encountered.

Venturing into the outskirts carries some risk, but it's not substantial, and the likelihood of encountering danger is quite minimal.

The wilderness, on the other hand, is a different story.

It's a place devoid of human presence, save for the occasional adventurer!

In such a place, if you run into trouble, there's nowhere to turn for help.

The only question is which type of Demonic Beast might end up consuming you...

The flying car was incredibly fast, yet it still took a good half day of flight before it finally came to a halt.

Chu Yi calculated that the car's speed must have exceeded a thousand kilometers per hour, and they had covered a distance of at least four to five thousand kilometers.

Four to five thousand kilometers...

Had Chu Yi not been informed about this in advance, he might have truly begun to question his own existence.