Chapter 2854 - 12: The Role of Relationships

But this kind of cultivation that Jia Yan was doing looked, to other Star River level existences outside, like he’d just been pumped full of chicken blood.

Except for Jia Yan, it seemed that other Star River level beings could also split off extra thoughts and multitask, but they were nowhere near as relaxed at it as Jia Yan.

Jia Yan had considered this too; it felt like a unique Talent of his, and a very concealed kind at that—he just didn’t know where it came from.

Subspace Talent and the like could be called his Racial Talent, but this multitasking Talent was a bit hard to make sense of.

"Could it be because I’m a Reincarnator? Makes sense. Back when I was a weak Mosquito, I already had my own clear mind—that’s something absolutely unimaginable for a mosquito. And this strength of will has followed me all the way, letting me beat pain and misery every single time. Strictly speaking, the reason I can cultivate to this level... it’s like my willpower’s strength and talent are the most bugged existence of all."

With a single thought, Jia Yan stopped there.

Anything to do with the mind, to any Strong Ones, is like some unreal mythical thing. Even Jia Yan knew that at most, this stuff was just a convenient excuse—as long as it could explain his Talent, that was enough; thinking more about it was pointless.

Outside, Red-level Star River existences, along with more Stellar-level Strong Ones, plus a batch of ordinary weaklings they’d just recruited, were all watching from afar at this existence who’d just returned to the faction and already dared confront Black sheep’s second-in-command right at the gate.

But Jia Yan was only cultivating. That did earn some respect from everyone, but beyond that, nothing much.

He didn’t even go greet his neighbors next door, and he didn’t bother tidying up his rather primitive planet. He just kept cultivating on the planet’s surface, whipping up flying sand and rolling stones every day, filthy as hell.

It was like a human home covered in dust—who’d be willing to drop by for a visit? So everyone quietly gave up on the idea of going over to say hi to Jia Yan.

Jia Yan hadn’t had much of a relationship with many of them to begin with, which actually suited him just fine.

Boom boom boom.

On the planet, Jia Yan’s strength was rising bit by bit.

Beyond the Starry Sky, there were still traces of will left here, silently observing Jia Yan’s cultivation.

"This Jia Yan, he just improved his strength, and he’s already in another explosion period..."

"That’s normal—it’s just the post-breakthrough growth phase. Every Middle Level Existence in Star River goes through this process. Or rather, every Strong One, after increasing their strength, will have a brief period of rapid growth."

"I know, but have you all forgotten? This guy just recently dodged pursuit from two Territory Master existences."

"Uh... true. If he keeps improving... heh heh, Black sheep’s probably got a headache right now."

A few Middle Stage Star River powerhouses whose strength shook the heavens were outside this patch of space; their True Bodies weren’t here, yet they could still see Jia Yan’s cultivation as if it were before their eyes, and even communicate with Brainwave Power.

"Gentlemen, I don’t mind you dropping by, but hanging around at my front door watching all the time is pushing it, isn’t it?"

As they were chatting away there, suddenly, without them noticing, a vast voice surged up from below that planet.

"Uh, we were being rude. Mister Jia Yan, we’ll leave right away."

The few immense powerhouses who thought they hadn’t been noticed were caught in an instant of embarrassment and hurriedly took their leave.

On that cultivation planet, Jia Yan snorted coldly, then retracted his Brainwave Power.

But it was precisely the presence of these few powers that made Jia Yan realize: within this Insect Clan Queen’s sphere of influence, besides Black sheep, there were still several fairly strong Middle-Stage Galactic Lifeforms.

The Insect Clan Queen’s faction had always been about gathering powerful beings from around the Insect Clan’s Domain. Aside from Domain Master Creatures who were too proud to join, any Star River level beings—whether River Among the Stars Early Stage or Early stage—who were willing to join were accepted without question. So having a number of solid Middle Level Existence in Star River here wasn’t surprising at all.

Especially these few—though in authority and strength they couldn’t compare to Black sheep, they still dared not give a damn about him. That alone showed their strength wasn’t bad.

Jia Yan mulled it over and didn’t bother with them.

He hadn’t planned on roping these existences in; there was no need.

Those guys probably didn’t think much of his strength anyway. Even if they couldn’t do what he did—escaping from under a Domain Master Creature’s hand, something perhaps even Black sheep couldn’t manage—Jia Yan relied on his Subspace Talent, and even used external help like the Adisa in the process. Forget them looking down on it—even Jia Yan himself felt that didn’t really count as his own Power.

So he was waiting.

He still had a short rapid-growth explosion period left. After this ended, he would enter the explosion period of strength brought on by arriving at the Central Starfield of the Milky Way.

Yes, what was every creature seeking upon coming here?

Naturally, a violent surge in strength.

From the viewpoint of those people in the Central Starfield of the Milky Way, this is a wildly primitive region. Any existence that can Cultivation up to Star River Middle Stage in such a wild land, even if not counted as a top-tier Genius in the Central Starfield of the Milky Way, will definitely have solid accumulation. After arriving, each one will, according to their own Talent, enjoy a short explosion period of strength.

Whether they use external resources or simply rely on the Energy of the Star Space here, all newcomers will go through such a phase.

Once that explosion period passes, then it’s like Immortals crossing the sea, each relying on their own abilities. Of course, for Jia Yan, there was no way he would be the one without Talent.

So with two consecutive jumps of explosive growth, even though Black sheep would also enjoy his own explosion period, Jia Yan was confident that as long as Black sheep didn’t suddenly get a Promotion to Domain Lord Strength, he would rapidly close the gap once more.

Of course, if Black sheep did reach Domain Lord Strength...

Fine—then Jia Yan would just find an excuse, tuck his tail between his legs, and run for a while. He’d only come back once his own strength was enough to contend with an average Domain Master or at least protect himself.

Having arrived in the Central Star Domain of the Milky Way, he’d come to understand that, at least within this Starfield, having a faction was absolutely essential. If you didn’t, and insisted on going it solo, then unless you were at Domain Lord Level, you wouldn’t be able to avoid dangerous situations.

Even Domain Lords weren’t necessarily safe. Otherwise, why would an existence as powerful as the Insect Clan Queen go to the trouble of building a faction? That kind of painstaking effort must have a reason.

Like this time: she was targeting one Territory Master, and immediately another Territory Master appeared, running a relay battle against the Insect Clan Queen. During that time, if other Strong Ones hadn’t held back the other Middle Level Existence in Star River and such, the Insect Clan Queen likely wouldn’t have had just two Domain Masters to deal with—she’d also have had a bunch of Middle-Stage Galactic Lifeform mixed in.

Although a Domain Master doesn’t care much about ordinary Middle-Stage Galactic Lifeform—one slap is enough to squash them.

But when facing someone like Black sheep, a terrifying Middle-Stage Galactic Lifeform almost reaching Domain Lord Level, things are different.

One slap becomes two; and the opponent’s attacks start to have a real impact.

With enough such Middle-Stage Galactic Lifeform, the effect on a Domain Master becomes huge. Add in other Domain Master Creatures in the mix, and it could well become fatal.

The Insect Clan Queen had probably thought through all this long ago, which is why she recruited large numbers of Star River beings in her own Starfield.

"Even the Insect Clan Queen can’t avoid having these worries. For me, relying on a faction is even more important—at least before I reach Domain Lord Level, this faction is a must."

Jia Yan also thought back to the previous great figure of his Evolved Beast Tribe.

The one who’s still protecting the Orion Arm in his own way—the ’Predecessor Tianji’.

That Senior, at the time of his death, was probably weaker than the Insect Clan Queen, but not by much. And he was in the Starry Sky around the Orion Arm, where there basically weren’t many super-Strong Ones. He should have been the undisputed number one Strong One, yet he was hunted by a group of Territory Masters and finally had to die with regret.