Qin Cheng drove over, picking up Wang Xuan as they exited the campus. His family was in business, so he was well-off and had owned a car for several years.

On this autumn afternoon, the sky was clear and vast, a refreshing shade of blue that seemed to spill down and cleanse the entire city.

"Isn't it too early for us to go over now?" Qin Cheng asked.

"It's not too early; we'll arrive just in time," Wang Xuan replied, gazing out the car window.

The city was a blend of ancient relics from bygone eras, with stone towers that had stood for centuries, and clusters of skyscrapers standing tall and bustling with modern life.

As they approached the commercial district, the streets were busy with pedestrians and traffic, making it a bit congested.

"I'm about to leave, and I didn't think much of living here before, but now I feel a bit reluctant," Qin Cheng sighed, a sense of emptiness in his heart.

"Once you rise up, you can freely travel between the new and old places; then, everything will be fine," Wang Xuan reassured him.

The roads were lined with ancient ginkgo trees, their yellow leaves fluttering down, forming a thick carpet that glimmered golden under the sunlight.

Interspersed among the ginkgo trees were fiery red maple trees, their leaves cascading like a vibrant sunset.

In this season, the grass and trees began to yellow, and most beautiful flowers had withered, showcasing autumn's melancholy.

Yet the city's golden ginkgoes and crimson maples were stunningly bright and lively, creating a stark contrast of feelings.

In this season, warmth and chill coexisted in the same city.

The gathering wasn't in the city center; Qin Cheng smoothly drove to a hillside villa area outside of town, where the scenery was beautiful and offered a panoramic view of the city.

Though most of the students going to New Star were low-key, some had impressive backgrounds, making this location unsurprising.

The rented villa was on the highest of the hills, covering several acres with a large lawn and a swimming pool.

Moreover, there were even two helipads atop the hill.

Qin Cheng spotted two silver UFO-like helicopters parked nearby, their sleek designs quite striking, leaving him momentarily speechless.

"Don't compare yourself to aliens at this stage," Wang Xuan joked.

Upon hearing this, Qin Cheng realized and chuckled; he hadn't considered it before, but now he thought many of his classmates were like aliens.

Su Chan walked over, catching their conversation.

"Wang Xuan, you seem to be quite the handsome one with clear eyes, but your words are rather unkind, making it sound like we're some kind of extraterrestrial beings."

She was lively and graceful, her short skirt revealing long, slender legs, exuding youthfulness and energy.

"Every time we meet, you praise me. First, you said I radiated brilliance, and today you directly called me handsome. It makes me feel flattered; you don't have any ulterior motives, do you?"

Though Su Chan was young and pretty, she wasn't shy like a teenage girl and was quite composed. "Don't change the topic."

Li Qingzhu, who exuded a scholarly aura and was usually quiet, also chimed in with a smile. "I heard you call us aliens, but we all hail from Old Earth; this is our homeland, so how can we be considered aliens?"

Wang Xuan clasped his hands in apology and laughed as he walked with them onto the expansive lawn.

"Wang Xuan, over here!"

"Dare you call me an alien? Come on, let me see if you've gained any strength and made breakthroughs in your physical skills. Otherwise, prepare to be ganged up on by us!"

Along the way, more people called out to him, and Wang Xuan, familiar with them, joined in on the laughter, quickly integrating into the group.

On the lawn, barbecue grills were set up, and long tables of self-serve food were beginning to be arranged.

Among those selected to go to New Star, there were about twenty students, while around ten remained in the city, preparing to return home.

With so many gathered together, the atmosphere was lively, free from any barriers or awkwardness.

However, many students who stayed behind felt a sense of loss; they had heard rumors and understood that missing out on New Star was akin to missing a stroke of fate, where something significant seemed to be unfolding.

Some had already heard that extraordinary abilities were about to emerge!

In such a great era, if any of their classmates were to stay at the forefront and touch supernatural powers, it was hard to imagine what the future would hold.

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"Wang Xuan!"

Those left behind felt complex emotions and greeted Wang Xuan, who understood their feelings and engaged in conversations with them about the future, genuinely feeling regret for this group.

They chose to stay in this city, waiting to see if the final list would add any new names, indicating their hopes.

At the same time, this indirectly demonstrated their confidence in themselves, as these students had indeed achieved notable results in their studies.

But unfortunately, the selection criteria this time did not consider such achievements.

"I heard that our blood samples from the physical exams were sent to New Star; they must have done some analysis, which was part of the selection process," a male student who remained in Old Earth said.

Wang Xuan was taken aback; this was the first time he had heard of such details. He had thought it was merely his earlier analysis of Qin Cheng and hadn't anticipated the involvement of such testing.

Qin Cheng tried to lighten the mood, saying, "Forget the past; there's no point in dwelling on it. Even if we can't touch the extraordinary, let's work hard from today onward and aim to become tycoons, commanding and controlling the extraordinary in the future."

The group burst into laughter.

As night fell, they stood on the hilltop, looking down at the city with its dazzling lights, the night scenery quite beautiful.

As time passed, many became tipsy, their spirits rising.

Those who lived on the mainland but were selected to go to New Star were the most excited, envisioning a future where they would become extraordinary beings.

Thus, most of them drank heavily and let loose.

Nevertheless, the overall atmosphere remained pleasant; whether they were from New Star or were born in Old Earth, the students heading to New Star assured those who were staying behind that they would help them out in the future whenever possible.

In the distance, the city glimmered with bright lights, like silver chains interwoven, merging into a sea of brilliance.

At this moment, countless stars shone in the sky, their light pouring down in a dazzling display.

Some, slightly tipsy, lost track of the distinction between the stars above and the lights below, feeling as if the heavens and earth were connected.

Eventually, someone lost control and began to cry; they hadn't been selected, and after drinking, their inner disappointment spilled over, leading to tears.

Wang Xuan and a few classmates immediately sobered up, quickly helping him to a room to rest, ensuring nothing problematic occurred.

At that moment, someone approached Wang Xuan, holding a glistening wine glass, gently swirling it to release the fragrance of fine wine.

Qin Cheng noticed and quickly joined Wang Xuan, standing together to face the newcomer.

The newcomer had shoulder-length hair, wasn't particularly handsome, but his striking eyes were quite memorable, giving off a strong presence.

"Kong Yi, don't start any trouble," Qin Cheng warned.

If there was anyone in the group with a bad relationship with Wang Xuan, it was this person.

Wang Xuan usually remained calm and composed, maintaining good relationships with all his classmates.

Kong Yi was from New Star, and his animosity toward Wang Xuan stemmed from the fact that he had pursued Ling Wei when they first enrolled, only to have Wang Xuan become her boyfriend.

"Where are you going with this? Am I supposed to start trouble here?" Kong Yi was a strong-willed person, slightly provoking Qin Cheng, clearly annoyed by his previous attitude.

Wang Xuan stepped in front of Qin Cheng and raised his glass to Kong Yi. "Let's drink; we're all classmates, soon to part ways. What's there to hold onto? Besides, there's nothing really between us."

Kong Yi shot a sideways glance at Qin Cheng before clinking glasses with Wang Xuan and downing his drink. "Come this way; I have a rare batch of delicacies sent from New Star, a special treat before we part!"

Wang Xuan walked alongside him, while Qin Cheng followed, uneasy about the situation.

"Here, you've definitely never tried this deep-sea lobster; it's considered a rare delicacy from New Star."

"And this is the snow cow from the grasslands at the foot of the snowy mountains in New Star. The meat is exquisite; the selected parts can be made into top-tier sashimi there, let alone here. You've definitely never had this; it's specially reserved for some old-timers. Give it a try; it's especially fresh."

Kong Yi led Wang Xuan into a room, showcasing the ingredients laid out on the table, the scent of alcohol wafting from him.

Qin Cheng found him rather off-putting, feeling he was too overbearing and flaunting his connections to New Star too openly.

Thus, he replied bluntly, "What's so special about it? You want to know how I eat top-grade snow cow sashimi? At sunrise, when the first rays of dawn bloom, I chase after the cattle on the HLBE grasslands, because that's when the meat is at its most tender!"

Kong Yi was momentarily stunned, and Wang Xuan was left speechless.

"Haha…"

Just then, the door swung open, and a group of people walked in, all laughing.

"Fresh—absolutely a new way to eat it! I'll try it when I get back to New Star!" even the usually aloof Xu Wenbo chuckled.

Kong Yi quickly realized what was happening; everyone was keeping an eye on him, wary of potential trouble.

Feeling quite displeased, he said, "Am I really that terrible? How could I possibly cause trouble for Wang Xuan? Besides, if I provoke him now, he'd just beat me up; I wouldn't stand a chance. I brought rare ingredients to show goodwill. I know he's obsessed with practicing his old techniques; these things would be beneficial for him."

"I can attest to that; Kong Yi genuinely put in some effort to reconcile with Wang Xuan before parting," Su Chan spoke up.

Wang Xuan nodded. "I understand; the past is behind us. I wish you a brilliant future and success in becoming extraordinary!"

He clinked glasses with Kong Yi, and Qin Cheng walked over, stuffing some slices of beef into his mouth before joining in. "This is indeed tastier than the beef from the HLBE grasslands."

The three clinked glasses and drank it all down.

"Wang Xuan, you're a good guy. Honestly, if it weren't for my earlier pursuit of Ling Wei, your character really suits me; we could have become good friends," Kong Yi said, slurring his words slightly.

"It's not too late; we're classmates and friends now," Wang Xuan replied.

"Ling Wei hasn't arrived yet; I suspect she'll be late," Zhou Kun whispered to Wang Xuan.

Soon after, Wang Xuan and Kong Yi, arms slung over each other's shoulders and slightly tipsy, stepped out onto the lawn, drawing the attention of the crowd. They were actually… getting along?

With these two having resolved their past grievances, the atmosphere grew much warmer, and everyone began to raise their glasses, some already a bit drunk.

Several students from Old Earth, soon heading to New Star, shared their aspirations for life there.

"What are your dreams?" someone asked, revealing their wishes.

"When I settle there, I definitely want to buy a villa in a beautiful mountain area like this, preferably in a more remote location with great appreciation potential; the population in New Star will surely grow."

Wang Xuan chuckled, saying, "If you can think of it, others have probably already acted on it. Wherever you desire…"

Just as he was speaking, Qin Cheng jumped in, "What I desire is to be alone with Zhao Qinghan…"

His eagerness changed the tone of Wang Xuan's words: "Wherever you like and aspire to be is bound to be bustling with activity."

The surrounding crowd exchanged odd glances at Wang Xuan.

He clapped Qin Cheng on the shoulder. "Why are you butting in?"

However, the atmosphere grew quiet as everyone turned to look behind Wang Xuan. He quickly realized what was happening, spinning around to see the stunning Zhao Qinghan standing there.