At first, when Chen Luo read up to this point, he thought it followed the typical protagonist trope—the world was facing a great calamity that required him, the chosen one, to step forward and save the day.
Cliché as it was, what young man hadn't fantasized about that at least once?
But as he read further, Chen Luo realized he was wrong.
This world had indeed just entered its Spiritual Revival phase in the new millennium, appearing like a tender lamb ripe for slaughter—full of potential yet vulnerable.
However, one crucial detail couldn't be ignored: while the world was only now experiencing revival, countless powerhouses had survived from countless previous millennials.
True elites didn't perish when spiritual energy waned into the Age of Decay. Instead, they retreated into their own pocket dimensions to wait out the drought.
Only those of modest strength or those clinging stubbornly to the past faded with the era.
Now that spiritual energy was returning, these powerhouses were beginning to re-emerge.
By convention, they weren't supposed to fully return until a century later, when the revival stabilized. This was both tradition and a fundamental rule of the world.
"Each era needs its own new blood. You old fossils should hole up for another hundred years instead of causing trouble. Give the youngsters room to grow."
Talents emerged with each generation, each dominating for centuries—this was the philosophy behind the restriction.
Of course, rules alone couldn't enforce this. That's where Heaven's Retribution came in.
Heaven's Retribution will hit you with a single strike that would leave you half-dead. If you don't go home, a second would finish the job.
But then, disaster struck.
The Abyssal Realm had set its sights on this world within the first decade of revival. Two years ago, it launched a full-scale invasion with its elite forces.
The hidden powerhouses watched anxiously—until they discovered something shocking.
Acting at full strength during the invasion didn't trigger Heaven's Retribution. In fact, they even received minor rewards.
Sure, they'd be forced back into seclusion afterward, but who would refuse free benefits?
What followed was a massacre.
The Abyssal elites were crushed into shit.
Only then did the Abyssal Realm realize: Oh shit, we kicked an iron plate—this is a high-tier world of the same level as me.
The two realms eventually established diplomatic relations.
Due to significant planarl overlap, stable passageways formed between them.
But diplomacy didn't mean peace. Both sides schemed constantly.
When they discovered the border zones spawned unique sub-planes with rare resources, all hell broke loose.
The fighting intensified after learning that killing enemies from the opposing realm granted special experience.
It wasn't just inter-realm warfare either. The passageways birthed monstrous beasts that attacked indiscriminately.
Even within the same realm, factions clashed relentlessly. Take Liu Wenxuan encountering a Heart Demon—though both were native forces, they'd fight to the death if no external enemies were present.
In short, the situation was quite complicated.
But…
What did that have to do with me?
Chen luo couldn't imagine ever getting involved with the Abyss in his life.
Since this world wasn't in imminent danger, why bother?
Rather than wasting time there, he'd rather visit other worlds.
Other worlds meant Primogems and experience—why wouldn't he go?
Let's not forget: Chen Luo's talent was Traveler, not a tool.
His priority was journeying, even if commissions offered faster Primogems.
Soon, Chen Luo reached the section on talent introductions.
Perhaps due to the new millennium just beginning, and it encountered a major event such as the invasion of the dimesion at the start. Although there were no problems, exceptionally talented individuals were appearing at unprecedented rates.
In past millennia, S-rank talents and above numbered barely a hundred total.
This time? Nearly a hundred had emerged in just twenty years.
The ranking system from lowest to highest:
E → D → C → B → A → S → SS → SSS
Talent-bearers instinctively knew their rank upon awakening.
Below A-rank wasn't remarkable—rare, but not extraordinarily so.
A-rank talents were already prestigious, akin to chancellors standing above ten thousand.
S-rank? Undisputed Emperor. In previous millennia, one might appear every decade. But the number of talented people who appeared in this millennium is unprecedented.
Perhaps this millennium was the true Spiritual Revival.
As for SS-rank? That was "Retired Emperor" status. None existed yet worldwide.
This wasn't because SS-ranks were impossibly rare, but because they typically evolved from S-ranks pushing past their limits.
With only twenty years passed, no one had broken through yet.
As for SSS-rank? A hypothetical tier mentioned by SS-ranks.
Of course, lacking a talent didn't bar one from the Hidden World. Beyond talents, traditional cultivation systems existed.
The lines between systems weren't rigid. Talent-bearers could cultivate, and cultivators might awaken talents.
But each system had its golden age.
Typically, the first century of a new millennium belonged to talents, as the old guard remained sequestered. After five centuries, most cultivation methods faded into obscurity.
A mere century could erase countless legacies—let alone five.
Especially when science emerged during the last centuries of the previous Age of Decay, dealing the final blow to already-declining cultivation systems.
Once the powerhouses returned after the century mark, cultivation would resurge—but talent systems wouldn't decline. Instead, they'd integrate.
No rule forbade talent-bearers from cultivating. Some talents even enhanced cultivation, for example [Sword Immortal] and the like.
This time, due to the Abyssal invasion, some elites emerged early to defend their world. Afterward, they discreetly reintroduced long-lost knowledge.
Hence the recent resurgence of:
Dragon-Tiger Mountain
Wudang Sect
Western churches and dark covens
Izumo Taisha and Onmyōji in the East
"Which brings me to my question—what about my talent? Do EX-ranks have no human rights?" Chen Luo grumbled.
This only reinforced his decision to keep his talent hidden.
After all, exceptions always died first.