Chapter 233. Frogs at the bottom of a well.

"Well, we are just very proud of you. Aiden, you are really mature. Are you really the same age as us?" Desmonda planted a kiss on his lips and caressed his hands.

Aiden chuckled and looked at everyone.

They all nodded at Desmonda’s words.

"Stop that, guys. You all know the kind of past I have. It’s only natural that I have such motivations," Aiden said.

"True."

"You are right."

The group nodded.

"But what you guys want to do when there’s no strength left to pursue and there’s nothing that can threaten your safety is very admirable," Aiden said.

"Thanks, man," Luke said. "In a ruthless world like ours, becoming powerful is not a choice. It’s a must. Only when we are strong enough to be at a place where we have created peace for ourselves, despite whatever is happening in the world, can we pursue these passions of ours comfortably."

"That’s true," Seraphina said. "Wow, Luke... I’m impressed by your wisdom."

Everyone rolled their eyes.

Why did her compliment sound like an insult?

"Are you trying to say I can’t say wise things?"

Luke turned to Seraphina. He almost landed a knock on her head.

"Hehe. But there is something you guys have to know..." Aiden said.

"Before you say anything... what of the people guarding us from the shadows?" Candice said.

"They are patrolling around the house at the moment. They can’t hear us. We need our privacy," Aiden said.

"Back to what I was saying..." Aiden took off his storage bracelet and showed it to them.

"I found this in a pocket world. It’s a high-tech version of a storage bag." Under the shocked gazes of his friends, Aiden continued.

"The figure who had it on her had pointed ears and looked humanoid. She was dead. From the clothes she wore, she most likely is from a very intelligent civilization," Aiden added.

"Civilization... you mean..." Desmonda widened her eyes.

"Holy shit..." Luke stood up.

"What the..." Candice couldn’t wrap her head around it.

"Damn," Seraphina sighed.

"Don’t tell me..." Asmodeus widened his eyes.

"Yes, it’s just as you are all thinking." Aiden nodded. "Endra is not the only world in the universe. I’m hundred percent certain that the woman I found this bracelet on is from some interstellar civilization. The pocket world I entered opened into her world in the past. She was most likely part of the expedition team sent to close the gate. And she died inside the pocket world."

Everyone nodded in understanding. This made perfect sense.

"The only reason why Endra is unable to encounter interstellar life yet is because first of all, our technology is not advanced enough for interstellar travel. And our warriors are not strong enough to withstand the energy of outer space. This is why our legendary Rank 4 warriors turn into ashes when they step into outer space.

As for why Endra thinks legendary Rank 4 is the final level of power, it’s because there’s most likely an interstellar cultivation system that allows one to cross Rank 4 into higher levels. But because Endra has not been incorporated into the interstellar community yet, we don’t have access to this cultivation system."

Everyone silently digested what Aiden was saying.

They could not reject his reasoning because he had proof of it. The bracelet he was wearing. The pointed-eared woman he had discovered in the pocket world.

Everyone let out loud collective sighs.

"So right now, becoming strong is not just a matter of standing at the peak of Endra, huh. Looks like we are frogs at the bottom of a well," Desmonda said.

"Indeed we are..." Asmodeus added.

"If even Endra is this brutal, then the universe out there must be more deadly," Seraphina added.

"No doubt about that," Luke shook his head.

"It seems we have a long way to go before our lofty goals can be fulfilled," Candice said.

"That’s the point I was trying to drive home," Aiden nodded.

"But Endra does not have the technology to travel far enough in space to encounter other life. And we don’t have the cultivation method to advance beyond Rank 4 and travel into the wider universe. So, won’t we be stuck at legendary Rank 4, when we break into that rank forever?" Desmonda’s statement caused the other four to realize something they had overlooked.

Aiden was, however, calm.

"That’s not something we need to worry about now," he said.

Everyone nodded to his words.

As for Aiden, he had already made a decision to never let them know that he cultivated by absorbing the blood essence of the dead and he was not a traditional cultivator. He made this decision because he wanted to protect himself and those he cared about.

He understood that his cultivation method was abnormal. And if anyone who antagonized him wanted to find more about him, and by some unfortunate situation, any of his loved ones who were aware of his secret were captured and probed through mind-reading techniques, he would have too many enemies he could not deal with. This would also compromise the safety of those he cared about.

Because of this, he couldn’t tell them that he was sure that because he didn’t cultivate by absorbing worldly energy, the limitations legendary Rank 4 warriors faced when they traveled into outer space—their bodies turning into ashes because of their inability to handle the energy in space—would not apply to him.

After his power hit the level of a Rank 4 warrior and he deals with the Paranormal Liberation Order in the future, Aiden had plans of covertly traveling out of Endra into outer space to explore the universe and grow stronger. He would also find the cultivation method needed for traditional cultivators to break into higher ranks and return and share it with his loved ones, so that they could break into higher ranks and be able to travel the universe.

"Well, now I don’t feel like watching the anime anymore."

"Yeah, we need to go and train."

"Seriously..."

The group of five stood up. They wanted to head to Aiden’s training hall in the villa.

"Should I join you guys?" Aiden said.

"So that you can beat us up?" They all chorused at the same time.

"Oh come on..." Aiden said. "Well, I’m joining you anyway."

"Shit... this guy is gonna put us in bad shape by morning."

"Well, we have a healer with us so..." Aiden said.

"Seriously, you really plan on beating us up, don’t you?"