Zhou Hong did not mourn for long and soon recovered.
At this stage, the most important thing for him was to quickly improve his strength.
"Zhou Hong, you need to pull yourself together." After coming down from the roof, the Zhou family patriarch said to Zhou Hong with concern.
"Don't worry, Patriarch, I will immediately start cultivating. I've been asleep for nine months. I presume those few geniuses who were inferior to me back then have all surpassed me by now." Zhou Hong smiled slightly. Back then, on the Zi Xiao Continent, there was a youth genius list, and Zhou Hong ranked first. The gap between him and the others was very small.
"Zhou Hong, it's good that you've recovered. Now, on the Zi Xiao Continent, the number one genius is naturally Nalan Yun Zhu, because she has already been admitted to the Taigu Academy."
Zhou Hong nodded and said, "Then I'll try to get in too. Currently, the best place for cultivation is still Taigu Academy."
"But do you have confidence? You've tried before and never passed the assessment. They recruit publicly every year. hundreds of continents and tens of thousands of young cultivators from all directions participate, and in the end, only a few thousand are admitted. Your best ranking back then was only over ten thousand."
"Yes, although I was the number one genius on the Zi Xiao Continent back then, there are over 300 continents like Zi Xiao Continent, excluding the Central Continent. As the top genius of a marginal continent, how can I easily pass the assessment? I just didn't expect Nalan Yun Zhu to get in." Zhou Hong couldn't help but shake his head and smile, finding it hard to believe. Zhou Hong's best ranking back then was 15,000, and to be admitted to Taigu Academy, one needed to be ranked within the top 5,000. Nalan Yun Zhu actually got in. It was no wonder she broke off her engagement with Zhou Hong. Even the worst student at Taigu Academy would be stronger than Zhou Hong, not to mention that Zhou Hong had been unconscious.
Thinking from Nalan Yun Zhu's perspective, it was not wrong. After all, people strive for a better future. Su Dan Novel Network
"Zhou Hong, then you must work hard. There are still half a year until the next Taigu Academy enrollment assessment. In these six months, cultivate diligently. You are currently in the early stage of Fusion. If you can reach the middle stage of Fusion after half a year, then you have a good chance of entering the top 5,000. Nalan Yun Zhu was also in the early stage of Fusion before, but her family spent a lot of money to give her a fifth-grade spiritual medicine, which helped her break through to the middle stage of Fusion. Then, her family upgraded her to a high-grade Profound-tier magical artifact, and with that, she entered Taigu Academy within the top 5,000."
"Okay." Zhou Hong nodded. To cultivate, spiritual medicine is essential. Unfortunately, there is a scarcity of resources. For countless years, many cultivators have already depleted most of the spiritual herbs. Therefore, every year, many people take risks and head to various monster mountain ranges, only to be eaten by beasts.
Besides spiritual medicine, another way to increase strength is through magical artifacts. The grades of magical artifacts are divided into Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow. Each level is further divided into early, middle, and high stages.
Zhou Hong currently only possesses an early-stage Profound-tier magical artifact. Under the same circumstances, if an opponent has a middle-stage Profound-tier magical artifact, it would be very difficult for Zhou Hong to deal with.
"Patriarch, I want to go on an adventure for the next six months," Zhou Hong said.
"Where do you want to go for your adventure?"
"I want to go to the Sunset Mountain Range. My parents went to the Sunset Mountain Range to search for spiritual medicine to help me wake up, and they died there. I want to pay my respects where they died."
"But that's too dangerous. The place where your parents died is the Black Wind Cave in the Sunset Mountain Range. There is a thousand-year-old demonic beast that lives there. That beast's strength has reached the Spirit Seclusion stage. For someone at your early Fusion stage, going to such a perilous place is certain death." The patriarch of the Zhou family quickly stopped Zhou Hong.
"I have to go, even if it's dangerous. What else am I supposed to do at home?"
"Zhou Hong, please don't be foolish. When venturing into these monster mountain ranges, the threat of the beasts is one aspect, but human threats are also a factor. In such places, if you encounter other cultivators, being robbed and killed is quite normal. Even if you insist on going, you should go with companions."
"No need, I'll go alone." Zhou Hong's attitude was firm.
"Nonsense, I absolutely won't allow it. If you really must go, I'll accompany you. We'll return immediately after paying respects. As for the spiritual medicine you need for cultivation, the family will find a way for you. We will definitely ensure you take a fifth-grade spiritual medicine within half a year."
"Thank you, family." Zhou Hong nodded gratefully. Although their Zhou clan had many members, everyone had always treated him very well. This was, of course, because of Zhou Hong's strong talent and his position as the future hope of the family.
"Alright, it's decided. You've just woken up, so go rest. We'll head to the Sunset Mountain Range another day."
"Okay."
Zhou Hong left the family hall. Zhou Hong had no intention of going to the Sunset Mountain Range with the patriarch.
The reason Zhou Hong was so confident that he wouldn't die in the Sunset Mountain Range was naturally related to his sub-world. If he encountered a powerful enemy, Zhou Hong could directly enter his sub-world, where even the most formidable beast would be helpless.
Zhou Hong was now going to the Black Wind Cave in the Sunset Mountain Range to destroy the beast that killed his parents, as a form of revenge for them.
Although that beast's strength had reached the Spirit Seclusion stage, and Zhou Hong was only at the Fusion stage, a vast difference existed. However, Zhou Hong had to challenge it. Even if he couldn't kill it, he had to at least annoy it.
After returning to his room, Zhou Hong immediately wrote a letter with a pen and paper, placed it under his pillow, and then quietly left the family.
Zhou Hong walked on the bustling street. Having been away for nine months and accustomed to megacities with millions of people on Earth, returning to such a classical street gave him an indescribable feeling.
"Hey, isn't this Zhou Hong?" Zhou Hong had not walked far on the street when a voice called out from a restaurant by the roadside.
Zhou Hong immediately looked up and saw a young man sitting by the window on the second floor. He saw Zhou Hong and immediately shouted.
"Huang Chunlai." Zhou Hong looked at the man in the restaurant and couldn't help but recognize him. He was a disciple of a powerful family on the Zi Xiao Continent. In the past, Zhou Hong's relationship with him couldn't be described as enemies, nor could it be considered friends. Of course, it wasn't that Zhou Hong had offended him. It was because Zhou Hong had monopolized all the relatively beautiful women on the entire continent, which displeased many people, and Huang Chunlai was one of them. Huang Chunlai liked a beauty whom he had been pursuing unsuccessfully. However, that beauty was easily won over by Zhou Hong with just a few words. How could he not resent Zhou Hong?
"Zhou Hong, I heard you were unconscious. How have you woken up now?" Huang Chunlai said with an unfriendly expression.