The Seventy-Eighth Scene: The Four Realms of Time and Space [Heirloom Jade Bonus Chapter]

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“For the sake of your He Clan Jade, I’ll add another chapter—one is still owed, I’ll deliver it tomorrow.”

“You know I’m looking for a slot? No, for you to have gotten a slot… Who are you?”

“Senna, temporary guardian of Sang Hongye.”

“So it’s you! No wonder… I’ll take the bet.”

“There’s no other way. My young highness has shallow foundations—his wealth can’t be built the traditional way. Do you have any suitable gambling partners to introduce?”

“Are you sure you want gambling partners, not just free suppliers?”

A soft laugh. “Heh.”

“Fine. The human with violet eyes on the left—his family runs a massive inter-civilization film conglomerate. Maybe your little highness will find that useful someday. The beauty ahead is from a top bespoke fashion house—her other identity is a famous advertising genius. That one’s family is an energy giant. And that one holds shares in Starlight; the social network ranked second under Starlight is their family’s too…”

“Thank you. After the starship registers, I’ll treat you to a top-tier temple banquet.”

“We haven’t settled the outcome yet.” The dupe grumbled, watching Senna’s retreating figure, but inwardly he already expected to lose. In fact, he thought, “Exchanging a starship for the future Saintess’s favor isn’t so bad. With luck, I might even gain the favor of Bishop Anthony. Even if not, at least my own little one will have a spot in the Temple’s elite class for clergy.”

Senna was still striving for Sang Sang’s future, as the spiritual arts assessment was about to begin. All candidates were in position.

The spiritual arts test was much like the physical assessment; the room numbers were assigned according to their results in the physical trials. Since spiritual arts required little physical activity, nearly all the young candidates chose elaborate attire. Though Sang Sang’s long, trailing robe had been stunning at first sight, in the midst of hundreds of finely dressed candidates, it no longer dazzled. In fact, her simple former uniform stood out more.

Her outfit now blended with the crowd, but many still doubted her. Especially after her recent viral incident online, competitors eyed her with both jealousy and disdain, and she attracted a swarm of detractors. Yet even so, their attacks never crossed into racial or regional discrimination.

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So shabby, pretending to be wealthy—wearing this, can she even afford candy? Swapping all her compensation for a house in the interstellar city, leaving no way back—does she really think she’s guaranteed the Saintess position…?

Of course, the most common and widely accepted criticism was: spiritual arts depend on mastery of laws, and those from lower civilizations have weak laws. Can she really pass? Did she have some stroke of luck in the God-Tomb?

According to the official betting odds, Sang Hongye’s chance of passing was 1.1 to 1; her chance of not passing, 10 to 1; to win the championship, also 10 to 1; second or third place, 5 to 1; fourth to tenth, 2 to 1. Judging by the wagers, most believed Sang Hongye would pass, some thought she’d place fourth to tenth, and a rare few—likely her devotees—bet on second or third.

“Water Sprite has already condensed her Source. She’s a shoo-in for champion. Next, Baishu has a chance… but who’s the fool betting on Sang Hongye for champion? Even if you can reach the first realm by consuming law energy, it still takes time to digest it. Maybe in a century she’d have a chance, but right now it’s impossible, even with a God-Tomb encounter. She can’t compete with older candidates’ years of accumulation.”

Regardless of civilization, every sentient being harbors certain flaws. Some ignored all evidence and insisted on disparaging Sang Hongye, some giving elaborate reasons, others admitting aversion to her name—whether it was true bias, they knew in their hearts. After all, most detractors were proud members of advanced civilizations.

The test began with a scan by the central brain, with scores announced in real time.

Sang Sang, though at the peak of the celestial rank, only scored six points for soul level—just passing. Immediately, she was mocked. But she then scored full marks for energy reserves, silencing critics—who then insisted that at the celestial peak, full marks in reserves were only half what a stellar-level candidate had. Full marks in purity, they argued, were merely thanks to her purification talent. But when she scored full marks for both the size and strength of her sea of consciousness, they were again left speechless. All they could do was grumble that it was due to the high refinement concentration from 1799. Full marks in willpower were said to be the result of her hard life in a backward society. All that mattered, they insisted, was her mastery of laws.

In laws application, Sang Sang only scored nine—here, not even the experience she’d absorbed could make up for her youth, though she still outperformed most candidates. But this second non-perfect score gave her critics new ammunition: “See? She faltered as soon as it came to laws.”

Sang Sang paid them no heed. As the Heavenly Emperor once said, strength is everything—it’s far better to slap an opponent in the face with power than with words. That was why he never wasted time challenging peers, but instead secluded himself in training. The fact that some peers surpassed him drove him to improve, so Sang Sang acted rather than spoke.

After the central brain scan came the illusion test for willpower. With her time-space abilities, Sang Sang could see through all illusions—the temptations and tribulations within could not sway her; she held fast until the illusion faded.

The test of law application required creating an original skill based on a prompt. Here, Sang Sang suffered from having absorbed too many mixed experiences—her skill was not concise enough to earn full marks. Still, she did not regret it; without those experiences, she might not have been able to create a skill at all.

Her law affinity also scored nine, but by the standards, only those born with a primordial body—a source within—could get a perfect score. Nine was already elite, and Sang Sang had balanced affinity across all laws. Yet outsiders, seeing only the highest single-law score, assumed she had just one at nine, and the rest likely six, seven, or even lower.

For the law realm assessment, Sang Sang did not choose Devouring, which had reached the fifth realm, nor Space, nearly at fifth, but the fourth-realm Time-Space, and again scored full marks. The appearance of Time-Space law caused an uproar, leaving her critics dumbfounded.

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Weak laws in lower civilizations?

The most difficult law—Time-Space, fourth realm.

Too young, too little time, can’t possibly catch up to advanced civilization candidates?

The most difficult law—Time-Space, fourth realm.

Balanced mastery across all laws is hard to advance and a disadvantage?

Still the most difficult law—Time-Space, fourth realm.

Time-Space at the fourth realm eclipsed all else—even the Water Sprite’s innate advantage with the Water Source paled in comparison. After all, the Water Source was her natural birthright, but Time-Space at the fourth realm was a testament to Sang Hongye’s extraordinary comprehension. Even if some sourly claimed that reaching fourth realm in Time-Space didn’t guarantee condensing a Source, with her talent, changing to another law and condensing a Source would be no challenge.

“Father, so what if she’s got great comprehension? In the clergy entrance tests, comprehension isn’t the foundation, just a bonus.”

“You’re too young to understand. The Temple’s Saints and Holy Sons might be the best professions, but they aren’t the top combat force—their requirements are broad but less stringent. When recruiting Judgement Knights above the rank of Star Knight, both comprehension and aptitude are essential.”

“All I know is that fourth-realm Time-Space gets ten points, other laws at third realm also get ten, but Water Source gets a hundred and ten.”

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