Chapter 884: Surpass the Stars?

Zhou Shangqing left.

After accepting the radiance of Salvation, with a fully intact body, he joyfully entered that lowest-grade train locomotive section and became a brand-new Novice Train Conductor.

Of course, the abilities and Module he possessed still remained.

Zhou Shangqing's novice journey should be quite simple.

The steam whistle sound was drowned out in the rain.

Ye Qiyan toyed with a semi-transparent sphere in his hand.

Inside that sphere were stored points of light like a sky full of stars.

Lisette, sitting beside him, still held that umbrella. She softly asked:

"Master, is it really alright to let him go? And... why not take that card back?"

Ye Qiyan raised his hand and flicked Lisette on the forehead.

"There's nothing bad about it. That card, at the end of the day, is a hot potato. That woman Zhu Xingshu knows very well it's in my hands. She won't just leave one of her Fate Cards sitting in my possession forever. Rather than waiting for trouble later, it's better to trade for a talent I want.

Besides, this is a trade.

I don't like trades going wrong.

As for letting him go?

It's no big deal. A guy who craves comfort, even if someday he regrets losing his talent on some night, that's his own choice, if he wants to blame me."

Ye Qiyan smiled mysteriously.

"Then let him try."

"Alright, let's take a look at this talent first. That card wasn't a luck-type talent, so it's really not that easy to use."

Ye Qiyan tossed the sphere in his hand, and the System's appraisal Light Screen appeared at that moment.

【Surpass the Stars?】

【Category: Heaven's Unequal Object】

【After use, Fate Card: Heaven's Unequal Exchange may enter cooldown state】

【It is a small portion of the power of the talent [Surpass the Stars]】

【Ability: Consume Spirit, increase speed】

A simple ability, a useful effect.

Although according to the description, this was only a small portion of the power of the complete Surpass the Stars.

But that didn't matter.

Even if its power was only one-thousandth of the true Surpass the Stars, it didn't matter.

Because.

He possessed 【Sublimation】.

"I don't know how other people's talents advance... but in my hands, this is the only path."

A deep blue stream of light flowed from his fingertip into the sphere.

At that same moment, Ye Qiyan's five fingers grasped empty air and crushed it into fragments.

Those bits of starlight merged into his hand.

But what followed was something unexpected.

【Warning! Warning!】

【Due to the influence of Unknown Power, this talent is dissolving....】

Dissolving?

No!

This was clearly Ye Qiyan's 【Sublimation】 devouring 【Surpass the Stars】!

As for the reason, it wasn't hard to understand.

【Sublimation】, after undergoing multiple self-Sublimations, was too powerful, while this partial talent ability obtained from Zhou Shangqing couldn't even be considered a basic state.

When Sublimation's power faced this kin, upon mutual contact, the other side simply couldn't withstand it and began to break down, let alone enter Ye Qiyan's Spirit and earn a place there.

Of course.

This wasn't a bad thing.

After Sublimation devoured this 【Surpass the Stars】, it could also gain a slight enhancement. Although it wasn't as obvious as during self-Sublimation, it would at least reduce some consumption.

But if that were truly all, it would be far too much of a pity.

Looking at the increasingly scarce starlight, Ye Qiyan raised his eyes and looked at Lisette beside him.

"Lisette, want it?"

The beautiful maid blinked and nodded.

"If it is what Master needs."

"Then it's yours."

The scattered star fragments already wrapped in deep blue fell onto Lisette's chest.

The core of 【Absolute Supreme】 stirred slightly.

On her appraisal information, a brand-new column appeared.

【Talent: [Surpass the Stars]】

【After activation, consume Spirit to accelerate any existence, regardless of intactness, regardless of life or death】

【When accelerating [Ye Qiyan], additionally gain 100% effect】

Sublimation succeeded.

Even if it had not yet reached Zhou Shangqing's peak state, sooner or later this talent would surpass its predecessor.

Just like its True Name.

Surpass the Stars!

Why?

Because.

He was Ye Qiyan, he could sublimate everything.

The rain in the City-State fell without end.

The battle on the battlefield continued.

Ye Qiyan arrived at a high place, watching Armed Fear and the many mech-soldiers slaughtering in all directions.

"Looks like it should be over before long."

————

Wasteland.

Aboard Zhu Xingshu's 【Destiny Star River】 train.

She was wearing a very casual, loose white shirt, with a pair of lenseless glasses on her face. While brushing her teeth, she watched a horror movie filmed by the people in the city on the Light Screen.

She rinsed her mouth and was just about to spit when the whisper of Fate by her ear caught her off guard. With a pfft, the mouthful of rinse water mixed with white foam sprayed onto the glass.

"Cough, cough cough! Huh?!"

Zhu Xingshu thought she had misheard. She rubbed her ears, pulled a Fate Card from her card deck, and waved it.

The whisper of Fate from just now replayed once more.

"It's out, out, out! It appeared! My last Fate Card! In other words, Bro Ye used that card? Great!"

She cheered, jogged a couple of steps, and quickly flew to her Astrological Platform riding a Magic Broomstick.

"Yeah, yeah... Huh? Ah? Zhou Shangqing? That guy isn't dead? I didn't hear wrong, did I?"

Zhu Xingshu once again pulled out that Fate Card and waved it by her ear.

Second replay.

She completely confirmed this fact.

Zhou Shangqing, that guy everyone thought was dead, was still alive.

Moreover, at this moment, he had already boarded a novice's train and entered the Novice Ten Stations that belonged to him.

"Hehe~ How interesting. This guy hasn't shown up for so many years. Could it be~ that the matter of crossing the Wasteland back then had some problem? No, it wasn't a problem, but... he gave up himself?"

Zhu Xingshu's expression was so full of amusement.

She wanted so badly to know what had happened between Zhou Shangqing and Ye Qiyan.

But if her 【Heaven's Unequal Exchange】 was in Zhou Shangqing's hands.

In other words...

"Bro Ye has obtained Surpass the Stars? Mm... but a non-luck-type talent, even if obtained using that card, would only be about one-tenth, right? After all, talents are even harder to understand than Card Sequence.

I thought Bro Ye would end up swindling Little Sister Zhao Lin's Luck away, hehe."

Zhu Xingshu brought up her Friends List, looked at that pinned name, and lightly licked her lips.

"You really are a miraculous person, Ye Qiyan~ Too bad, no matter what, I cannot see your Fate, cannot know your future... But, hehe~ Thank you for using that card, because this way... my Fate Cards can be restored to thirteen."

Today's words have already forged Fate.

That Fate Card existing in Zhou Shangqing's hands will ultimately return to her hands.

"Ah~ Speaking of which, I also secretly kept an item that can cause a little trouble for the Novice Station, hehe~ Can't wait anymore, I'm going to get it right now!"