C6 A Lively Family
Salin nodded and gave a sweet smile, "Fellow student, I understand."
Turning to Lee Guoqiang, Salin remarked, "Principal Guoqiang, this meeting has allowed us to witness the geniuses of Earth firsthand."
"While there is still room for improvement overall, geniuses akin to the Green Lotus Saint continue to emerge."
"We are confident that Earth will indeed become a Third Level Civilization, just as you've predicted!"
With that, Salin led the students away.
Lee Guoqiang watched Salin's retreating figure, his eyes still reflecting a deep seriousness. He was aware that Salin wouldn't let the matter rest so easily.
"Sigh, looks like I've got my work cut out for me..."
...
Chu Yi found the world had changed in ways he barely recognized, yet he could still discern traces of its past.
Leaving the school and returning home, he gazed at the familiar neighborhood, deeply sighing.
Once in his room, Chu Yi wasted no time in powering up his computer and swiftly connecting to the internet.
The simplest way to grasp an era is to explore the web.
As Chu Yi delved into Earth's developmental history, he was left utterly speechless.
...
"Everything has changed, it truly has!"
After extensive research, Chu Yi had a grasp on the world he found himself in.
In this age, technology was the mainstream, seemingly unchanged from the world he once knew.
But this mainstream was only in terms of civilization's development.
Within the civilization itself, the actual mainstream was the practice of cultivation!
Assessing a civilization's overall strength involves more than just its technological level; paramount is its elite military force.
Technology sets the general standard, but elite military power is crucial for ensuring a civilization's prosperous development!
Take the Earth Civilization, for example; it once produced a Saint-level powerhouse like the Green Lotus Saint. It was the presence of the Green Lotus Saint that allowed human civilization to avoid any existential threats over three hundred years of cosmic engagement.
The deterrence of the Green Lotus Saint was sufficient to prevent ordinary Third or Fourth Level civilizations from overstepping with Earth.
A Saint-level expert, even at the Elementary stage, is not an adversary that any civilization below the Fourth Level can contend with.
Cultivators, within every civilization, enjoy a myriad of privileges. The elite among them need not vie for anything; they are the embodiment of supreme authority!
Previously, Chu Yi had no choice, but now he has made a decisive choice—to become a cultivator!
Aside from the privileges that come with cultivation, there was another crucial reason for Chu Yi's decision: longevity!
The average lifespan of a common person is about a hundred years, while even the most elementary warriors can live to be two hundred years old.
The lifespan of some peak warriors can extend to an astonishing nine hundred and ninety-nine years!
And if one were to break through and become a War God, their lifespan would see a tremendous increase.
As for becoming a Holy Sovereign...
That was beyond imagination.
For most, the idea of becoming a cultivator is nothing short of a pipe dream.
Indeed, even within the fabled Eighth Level civilizations, at least ninety percent of the populace cannot become cultivators.
But Chu Yi is not like the rest.
Over the last five thousand years, Chu Yi has committed to memory every single text from the Immortal Demon Temple, effectively becoming a walking Immortal Demon Treasury!
Despite not having practiced cultivation during those years, and not knowing whether he possesses the innate talent for it, Chu Yi sees no issue.
He is confident that, talent or not, with the secret techniques he possesses, he could still rise to become a preeminent powerhouse!
Moreover, the most critical aspect that Chu Yi is confident about is his primordial spirit...
...
Chu Yi spent the whole afternoon scouring for basic societal knowledge.
Time was short, but he had managed to grasp the essentials.
"Gurgle..."
The sound from his stomach caught Chu Yi off guard.
Right, he used to go five thousand years without food or drink, but that was no longer possible.
He was now, after all, a mortal.
As Chu Yi was about to step out to find some food, the sound of the door opening stopped him in his tracks.
His face brightened, recognizing that his parents must be home.
But his expression quickly turned serious as he realized it wasn't yet time to be dismissed from school.
If his parents caught him skipping class...
Well, there would be no use in trying to explain.
First up was a mixed doubles thrashing!
In that moment, Chu Yi was reminded of the terror he felt under his father's belt.
So...
With a sigh, Chu Yi could only sneak back into hiding.
Ten minutes later, the room was still eerily silent.
Something wasn't right.
Chu Yi vividly remembered how affectionate his parents usually were!
But this time...
He glanced at the clock on the wall.
After such a long time, not a word between them?
Just as Chu Yi began to suspect that it wasn't his parents but thieves outside, he finally heard that familiar voice.
"What do we do now?"
It was his mother's voice!
Yes, it was raspy, but Chu Yi was certain it was the voice of his mother, the one he longed for.
Silence.
Then, after what seemed like an eternity, his mother spoke again, "Aren't you going to say anything?"
Her voice was noticeably louder this time.
Could it be that his father had an affair and his mother had found out?
At last, Chu Yi's father's voice emerged, measured and slow, "No matter what, I won't let this affect you two!"
"If it comes to it, I'll go to jail!"
Chu Yi was startled. Had the laws changed to the extent that infidelity now warranted imprisonment?
"Jail, jail, if you go to jail, what will become of us?"
"And besides, Yi is about to take his college entrance exams!"
A faint sound of weeping followed.
"I'll figure out the money situation!"
"And how exactly will you do that?"
No reply came; Chu Yi only heard the sound of doors opening and closing.
The room then lapsed back into quietude.
But it wasn't long before Chu Yi heard his mother's voice again.
"Hello, is this big brother?"
Big brother?
Chu Yi paused, taken aback in the room.
His mother had a big brother?
Did he, Chu Yi, have an uncle?
Had his family background changed since his return?
Chu Yi squinted slightly and pressed his ear closer to the source of the sound.
After a long while, aside from the clatter of a door shutting, Chu Yi heard nothing more.
Soon after, his wristwatch lit up.
He knew he had received a message.
Upon checking, he saw it was from his mother who had just left.
The gist of the message was that Chu Yi would need to fend for himself for dinner tonight, as she and her dad were working late at the office and likely wouldn't make it back.
Gazing into the dimly lit, cramped living room, Chu Yi lapsed into a moment of silence.
