Chapter 96: Four-Aperture Prodigy!

If this exchange were to spread to Blue Star, it would likely cause an uproar. According to Cheng Wu, nearly everyone on Tianyuan Star could innately open one aperture and risklessly add another through acquired means. In other words—

Any Martial Artist from Tianyuan Star brought to Blue Star would be overwhelmingly superior!

This was the gap between their Martial Way civilizations. Before this, Blue Star Martial Way had never spoken of simultaneously opening apertures through both innate and acquired means.

On Blue Star, innate aperture opening marked a Genius, yet on Tianyuan Star, everyone could possess two apertures.

After countless years of genetic evolution, innate aperture opening had become entirely normal for them.

No wonder even an ordinary liberal arts student from Tianyuan Star could dominate the top spot in the warzone for half a year.

Martial Skills, Talents, and cultivation methods—all were far ahead!

“According to Cheng Wu, Luo An, as an ordinary liberal arts student back then, opened three apertures. So what about Cheng Wu?”

Jiang Yan wondered and asked Cheng Wu how many apertures he had opened.

Cheng Wu seemed to have been waiting for Jiang Yan to ask, eagerly replying, “Buddy, I automatically opened three apertures before turning eighteen, then opened another through auxiliary means, making me a four-aperture Martial Artist!”

Cheng Wu’s words were firm and forceful, clearly proud of his achievement.

The Mystic Aperture Realm was equivalent to Blue Star’s Fifth Rank Comprehending Mysteries, though the Mystic Aperture Realm focused more on unleashing the power of aperture points, with significant differences in specifics.

But undoubtedly, at the same level, a Mystic Aperture Martial Artist could easily overpower a Comprehending Mysteries Martial Artist.

Jiang Yan had gained one Talent just by opening one aperture. Since everyone on Tianyuan Star could open two apertures, did that mean they all had dual Talents?

Hearing Jiang Yan’s doubt, Cheng Wu burst into laughter.

“Hahaha—who told you that the number of apertures equals the number of Talents? Generally, the more apertures you open, the greater the enhancement to your Talent. It’s not about quantity.”

“I see.”

After that, Jiang Yan closed his eyes to rest, asking no more about Tianyuan Star’s Martial Way.

Cheng Wu, however, felt something was missing since he couldn’t show off in front of Jiang Yan and grew restless in his seat.

Finally, Cheng Wu stood up and proposed to Jiang Yan, “How about we spar? That way, you can clearly understand the gap between our Martial Way civilizations.”

It was evident that Cheng Wu was eager to showcase the superiority of Tianyuan Star’s Martial Way civilization to Jiang Yan.

He was like an experienced gamer guiding a Newbie, always impatient to demonstrate advanced combos and unable to resist a smug grin when praised by the Newbie.

“Alright, but can the spacecraft handle it?”

“Hahaha, we have linked Game Capsules here. There are two on the spacecraft, so we can link up and match.”

“Fine.”

Jiang Yan and Cheng Wu each lay down in a Game Capsule.

Cheng Wu rubbed his hands together, a smirk tugging at his lips.

“Tsk tsk, the feeling of being completely ahead of others is just too satisfying! This trip wasn’t wasted.”

The two soon entered a Dueling Arena.

Cheng Wu stood opposite, his Aura immense and imposing, more extraordinary than any opponent Jiang Yan had faced before.

With a single step forward, faint red light glowed from various parts of Cheng Wu’s body.

His forehead, neck, right wrist, and…

“Huh? Why does he only have three glowing spots? Didn’t he say he opened four apertures? And why don’t my apertures glow?”

But soon, Cheng Wu’s actions provided Jiang Yan with an answer.

He turned around, somewhat sheepishly presenting his backside to Jiang Yan.

“Uh…”

Jiang Yan finally understood why only three Aperture Points appeared to glow from the front.

Cheng Wu turned back to face Jiang Yan, the flush on his face quickly replaced by shameless bravado.

In truth, Aperture Points themselves do not glow. Cheng Wu had specifically learned a special Luminous Secret Technique to show off and let others know he was a Four-Aperture Prodigy.

It had to be said, this guy was a talent in every sense of the word.

The thought of someone fighting him using their buttocks as a power source nearly made Jiang Yan burst out laughing.

“Pfft!”

Jiang Yan quickly covered his mouth.

Cheng Wu, flustered and angry, pointed at Jiang Yan and demanded, “What are you laughing at!”

Jiang Yan composed his expression and said calmly, “I just remembered something funny. Never mind. Let’s begin.”

“Fine. Just so you don’t say I bullied you, I’ll only use thirty percent of my strength for this spar. Pretty generous, right?”

Jiang Yan: “Whatever makes you happy.”

The two finally began their fight.

Cheng Wu stood motionless, exuding an air of lofty superiority.

Jiang Yan knew that if he didn’t put this guy in his place, he’d probably keep showing off from start to finish.

Three seconds later.

Jiang Yan looked at Cheng Wu lying on the ground, feeling somewhat at a loss.

“Seriously, man? You fell over the moment I touched you. Are you trying to fake an injury?”

Due to Cheng Wu’s earlier boasts, Jiang Yan had believed people from Tianyuan Star were exceptionally powerful, so he had attacked with full seriousness.

He had expected a thrilling, intense battle, but the moment his fist made contact with Cheng Wu’s, the latter flew backward like a kite with its string cut.

His right arm suffered a comminuted fracture, and the rest of his body was left sore and trembling, completely immobilized on the ground.

In reality, even with advanced medical technology, Cheng Wu would have needed to stay in bed for at least ten to fifteen days.

Jiang Yan: So much for the Four-Aperture Prodigy.

Exiting the Game Capsule, the ten-square-meter resting room was eerily quiet.

Cheng Wu activated the ship’s observation mode, his gaze fixed on the vibrant Starry Sky outside the window.

Jiang Yan remained silent, quietly meditating.

The atmosphere was unbearably awkward.

After a long while, a muffled voice broke the silence.

“Uh… I wasn’t in top form just now.”

Jiang Yan: “Mm.”

Cheng Wu: …

He scratched his messy, explosive hair and continued staring blankly at the Starry Sky.

A moment later.

“I really didn’t perform well. I didn’t sleep at all last night, plus the Game Capsule’s network was a bit laggy just now…”

Jiang Yan: “Mm, I know.”

Cheng Wu: …

His disheveled hair was now scratched to the point of drawing blood.

Cheng Wu fell silent after that.

Surprisingly, it was Jiang Yan who started talking more.

“Brother Cheng, is it really true that the more Apertures you open, the stronger you become?”

The question felt like a heavy slap across Cheng Wu’s face, stinging with humiliation.

“Uh… well…”

Before, he would have answered without hesitation that more Apertures were indeed better.

But ever since being instantly defeated by Jiang Yan’s single punch, his Dao Heart had begun to waver.

“Is opening more Apertures really better?”

Cheng Wu couldn’t help but ask himself this question, experiencing doubt about the Martial Way for the first time in his life.

“If more Apertures are better, why couldn’t I defeat Jiang Yan?”

“Could it be that I’ve been living in a massive lie all along? That those who open only one Aperture are the true Geniuses, and we on Tianyuan Star have been wrong all this time?”

“Hiss~”

The more he thought about it, the more terrifying it seemed.

Cheng Wu dared not think any further.

He carefully savored the punch he had exchanged with Jiang Yan—there was no technique to speak of, almost purely a display of overwhelming force.

“Could it be… that I am the native?”