268: I didn't try hard enough

“You want to enter again?”

Xu Tian murmured.

Chen Du knew Xu Tian's considerations and quickly continued:

“Teacher Xu Tian, the entrance to Qilin Cave is located ten thousand meters after the entrance/exit of the Low-Risk Zone, which is when you make the first choice of a bifurcated passage. It’s very close in terms of distance.”

“The risk of encountering other Alien Civilizations is extremely low, and my Mental Energy is very high, so the weakening I experience is less than 5%. Even if I take on an additional 8.33% weakening, it's only a little over 10% weakening.”

“Even if I'm a bit unlucky and really encounter some Alien Civilization, even a T1 level Great Civilization, I can handle it!”

Chen Du originally wanted to say T0, but he felt that saying so would be too arrogant.

After all, T0 and T1~T5 Great Civilizations are different. They are T0 because their upper limit is only T0; they have a cliff-like lead over the next level, T1!

“Furthermore, whether Teacher Hamon died in battle or led other aliens away, this place is temporarily safe, and besides, we are still staying inside Sifang Cave.”

Xu Tian remained silent, his brows slightly furrowed in indecision. He knew all that Chen Du said, but there was no information about Qilin Cave available now.

Although, according to Chen Du, Shi Dingtian of the Stone Man Civilization and Xing Jina of the Succubus Civilization both indicated that one could gain talent improvements in the special passage.

But was there really no risk?

For example, did this improvement come with any additional cost?

Or the possibility of failure, or something else?

Even if these things were true, they probably wouldn't mention them, right?

After all, only those who go to verify it can know the truth and the specific details.

Lying doesn't necessarily mean telling falsehoods; even if everything said is correct, the content can still be false!

The sequence can be false, the cost can be hidden—these things can lead to two completely different outcomes.

The other party is an alien, and even words spoken under life-threatening circumstances cannot be guaranteed as true.

Xu Tian put himself in their shoes: if he were Shi Dingtian or Xing Jina, his words would definitely be ten parts truth and zero parts falsehood, but this ten parts truth and zero parts falsehood would contain fatal hidden conditions!

But if he didn't go, wouldn't it be a disguised weakening of Chen Du?

If all resources are given up, how can one become stronger?

The reason why Great Civilizations are stronger than Small Civilizations is partly due to individual differences, but more importantly, it's due to resource differences!

Among those who can advance to Domain Warrior under the harsh conditions of Small Civilizations, which one isn't a Genius among Geniuses?

But after so many years since that great war of old and new, no Small Civilization has ever advanced to a Great Civilization. This is because resources have been monopolized!

Those Great Civilizations have completely monopolized resources, and these resources will continue to be controlled by their descendants after their deaths!

Small Civilizations will never have the opportunity to truly grow strong!

At this moment, Xu Tian suddenly thought of something Yan often said.

“At critical moments, only you can save your own life.”

I cannot overprotect Chen Du just because his talent is too high. How can anything be absolutely safe?

Given the current predicament of High Martial Civilization, if there's a 50% chance, we can go all out!

Moreover, strong individuals cannot be cultivated; only elites can be cultivated!

What High Martial Civilization needs now is not elites!

Rather, it needs leaders who can lead them to survive better on this land!

After a long deliberation, Xu Tian finally made up his mind. He placed his right hand on Chen Du's left shoulder and said with an extremely serious expression:

“Safety first. It’s okay to work in vain, but you must come back alive!”

“Yes!”

Chen Du responded with equal seriousness, and his tightly furrowed brows relaxed.

With Hamon missing, Xu Tian's words were equivalent to the highest command. If he didn't agree, Chen Du would have no choice but to leave with him.

Chen Du was not foolish; he also understood that Qilin Cave might have unknown risks, but he had to do it.

Especially with what happened in the Fifth Ecological Circle this time, although Chen Du didn't know exactly what occurred.

But then he thought.

What if this happened in the Seventh Ecological Circle?

What would happen if the war was near the Seventh Ecological Circle? What could he do?

Would he just watch the Seventh Ecological Circle be destroyed?

The events in the Fifth Ecological Circle this time rang a harsh warning bell for Chen Du.

I'm not working hard enough!

This was Chen Du's summary of himself after coming to the First Ecological Zone.

This lack of effort wasn't physical, but mental.

Chen Du initially just wanted to become Skysoaring before his senior year; he hadn't thought about the specific year.

Later, with the Life Goddesss Favor and the Zhan Zhan Fruit, he entered a long period of stable and comfortable development.

But this wasn't enough!

If High Martial Civilization were a Great Civilization, he might not go to Qilin Cave, but now he was in a Small Civilization, and only an Upper Civilization at that, not even a top-tier one.

In such a harsh environment, how could he be picky?

No opportunity to become stronger can be missed; even if there's no opportunity, one must learn to find and create opportunities!

Chen Du's current goal for himself is to be stronger every second than the last!

This strength includes, but is not limited to, actual power; it can be ideological, insightful, spiritual, knowledgeable, and so on.

He used to be physically diligent, but mentally he was slacking!

Once the mind slacks, the rate of progress naturally slows down. Only when the belief in becoming stronger is strong enough can one progress faster.

The common trope in TV shows where characters become twice as strong when they turn dark and three-tenths weaker when they turn good is not without reason.

Afterward, the three re-entered Sifang Cave. Peng Fei and Xu Tian sat down directly after entering and didn't go anywhere else.

As soon as that weakening sensation appeared, it would mean Chen Du had left the Low-Risk Zone, and they would naturally follow him out... of the Low-Risk Zone.

After passing the ten-thousand-meter entrance/exit, Chen Du once again arrived in front of the 99 passage entrances.

He stood before a rock wall, which was the entrance to Qilin Cave.

The familiar throbbing sensation came from his right hand again, and Shi Dingtian's corpse was still beside him, its position and posture unchanged, indicating that no alien had come during this time.

Chen Du didn't hesitate, extending his right hand to touch the rock wall in front of him. Just like before, it was as if he was touching a virtual image, passing through without any tactile sensation.

This time, there was no obstruction like Shi Dingtian jumping out. Chen Du took a step and entered... Big Grey Wolf Book Source kindly reminds: Due to special reasons, the group was forcibly disbanded! New group rebuilt, Group 1 (298732622) Group 2 (1062268835) To prevent loss of contact, Telegram: t.me/dahuilang888. This message will be displayed until tomorrow noon!