Chapter 2097: Chu Jia’s Reminder

“Through the cracks that appeared in the seal, the experts of the Illusory Sea of Stars can extend their divine souls here. When a Sage from this Star Region came to patrol, they would simply lie low, then continue channeling origin qi into the seal once the patrol left, until enough energy accumulated to open a spatial gate once.”

After fully probing the seal, Chu Jia explained to Shang Xia how the Illusory Sea of Stars had exploited its flaws. “Now we just don’t know how many times this spatial gate has already been opened, what the upper limit of cultivation it can support is. We also have no idea how many Illusory Sea of Stars experts have infiltrated.”

Shang Xia listened silently, then suddenly suggested, “Why don’t you try opening this spatial gate yourself? I’ll watch. That way, we can at least gauge the limit of the experts coming through.”

Chu Jia stared at him in shock and a raised eyebrow. “Aren’t you afraid of making things worse?”

“Uh...” Shang Xia hesitated. “Then should I call Patriarch Kou here as well?”

“No?!” Chu Jia exclaimed. “Are you serious? If the experts of the Illusory Sea of Stars can probe through the cracks, they may already know we’re here. At this point, every move we make is under their watch, how will they possibly fall into such a trap?”

𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

Shang Xia smiled lightly. “There’s no one here who can monitor us.”

His tone was calm, but to Chu Jia it carried a quiet, unshakable confidence that made her instinctively believe him.

She hesitated. “But what if they only left because you showed up?”

Shang Xia sneered softly, though he knew she was right. The gazes he sensed spying through the cracks had indeed vanished in haste when he appeared.

Back when the Sages of the Heaven Observation Star Region joined forces to suppress the Illusory Sea of Stars’s incursion, the power Shang Xia displayed had been enough to intimidate most of their high-level experts. As long as the seal still stood, who would dare provoke him lightly?

Seeing his expression, Chu Jia knew her worries were groundless. In truth, she had said it partly just so she could have the last word in.

Since the flaw had been uncovered, Chu Jia immediately began preparations to repair and seal it. But first, she needed materials they brought in their Azure Ark.

All of a sudden, Shang Xia asked, “How far has your mastery of the dao of formations come? Do you see yourself becoming a rank seven Formation Grandmaster in the future? If you need anything, I can get them for you.”

His question did not draw an immediate answer. Instead, Chu Jia’s bright expression dimmed with a trace of melancholy.

Shang Xia did not press further. He knew it was something she had to think of properly.

But when Chu Jia finally spoke, it was about something else entirely. “Do you know, ever since I reached the level of Dao Harmony, my progress these past two or three years has been painfully slow. If not for some lingering blessing of the World’s Will, I might not have advanced at all.”

Shang Xia frowned slightly. “That’s normal. The higher your cultivation, the slower your progress. But you’re still young, with centuries ahead of you. Take your time to accumulate stronger foundations. Take your time...”

After a moment of stunned silence, Chu Jia shot him a wry smile. “No, you don’t understand. What I mean is that I may have already reached the limit of my potential in cultivation.”

“Huh?” Shang Xia turned sharply. He stared at her in shock. “How can that be? You’re still young. Your progress these past decades has been rapid, how could you just reach the level of Dao Harmony and claim your potential is exhausted? Compared to your lifespan of over 500 years, you’re still a young lady!”

Chu Jia laughed at his words but still shook her head. “You should know that at our level, we understand ourselves the best. We can even faintly sense destiny. Perhaps I won’t be completely stagnant, but each step will be twice as hard. With centuries left, I may not even reach the grand completion stage in the Martial Void Realm.”

Seeing him about to speak, she cut him off. “As for my rapid progress before, it was mostly because I rode the wave of growth from our world and the Heavenly Field. The World’s Will blessing and the massive amounts of energy we obtained from other places... Everything merely accelerated drawing out my latent potential. That was why I could barely keep up with some peers. But when I became a high-level True Immortal, I likely exhausted that foundation.”

“Ordinarily, it might have taken me 100 years to become a True Immortal. Becoming a high-level True Immortal was actually an impossible task for me.”

Shang Xia’s brow furrowed as if he had fallen into deep thought, but Chu Jia went on. “And it’s not just me. Many in the institution are reaching their limits. Ge Qingzhu hasn’t advanced for years as an Elysium True Immortal. Yuan Qiuyuan failed his breakthrough to a high-level True Immortal, perhaps because his accumulations ran out. Even after earning the blessing of the World’s Will for helping construct the Azure Yue World, he looks disheartened when the topic comes up. True Immortal Xiao of the Spirit Qing World has focused on nurturing his disciples. The Ying Brothers of the Spirit Ruling World now pour their efforts into institutional reform of the Twin Star Pirates, and even started families. Song Zhen, Gao Qin, Yan Ming, Gong Zhuo... They are all the same.”

But Shang Xia shook his head firmly. “No. As long as you don’t give up, there will always be a chance. There’s no such thing as exhausting your potential. And even if there is, then there must also be ways to increase it. With centuries ahead, how could there not be? Besides, the patriarch and I will look for a solution.”

Chu Jia, however, only shook her head in disappointment. “The reason I told you this is so that you will understand. All of us have our own fate. Don’t carry every burden yourself. Don’t waste your own precious cultivation time and miss your opportunities. Right now, you need to press forward with all your strength. Only when you truly cross the threshold of the Eighth Order, when you surpass the Star Origin Lord, will you be able to protect us all.”