Ron gave a sensible suggestion:
"Moreover, Curse Reversal itself is an extremely complex skill; mastering basic theory is already quite remarkable."
"Yes indeed..." Chloe echoed softly, but her tone carried a subtle sense of superiority:
"Everyone’s development path is different; the important thing is finding a direction that suits oneself."
The girl’s seemingly kind comfort actually contained a veiled boast.
Although she was outwardly humble, deep down she felt quite satisfied with her rapid progress.
Especially in comparison to Uphemia, Chloe experienced for the first time that confidence stemming from her strength.
Uphemia, of course, understood the underlying message, and her sense of frustration grew stronger.
She clearly realized that the strength gap between herself and Chloe was quickly narrowing, and in some aspects, she had even been surpassed.
"Speaking of which, I have some good news to share with you all."
Ron sensed the subtle change in atmosphere and timely shifted the topic:
"According to reliable information, Cassandra Tower Master may be returning to the Main World soon. Although the exact time is uncertain, it should be within the next one or two months."
This news made both women look up.
Cassandra’s return undoubtedly signifies some changes in the wind in the Central Lands and represents more opportunities.
Chloe activated her prophecy talent, trying to capture relevant clues, but the results made her frown.
The lines of fate were deliberately blurred by some force, making accurate predictions impossible.
"Why is she coming back?" Chloe cautiously asked, "Isn’t the Otherworld Grand Expedition still ongoing?"
"The specific reasons involve some private matters, which I’m unable to disclose."
Ron shook his head and said:
"But what can be confirmed is that her return is temporary; she will return to the front lines after handling the matters."
He certainly couldn’t tell them that Cassandra was returning to oversee Eve’s treatment plan.
Such information involving the Crown Clan’s core secrets must be kept confidential, even from allies.
"Additionally, the quarterly settlement for the New Star Plan is coming soon."
Ron continued, "According to the timeline, a new ranking update will be conducted in about two weeks."
Mentioning this topic immediately made the atmosphere in the room tense.
The New Star Plan’s ranking system is extremely ruthless.
Every quarterly settlement involves a comprehensive score based on academic achievements, combat performance, and influence growth across multiple dimensions.
A decline in ranking means fewer resources, while an increase brings more privileges and support.
"Regarding this settlement..." Chloe’s voice carried undisguised anticipation:
"I have considerable confidence in achieving a significant increase."
She explained:
"The prophetic accomplishments from the past few months have attracted attention from multiple academic institutions, especially the detailed reports of several successful prophecies. I am compiling these achievements into papers, preparing to submit them to the ’Divination Journal’."
The ’Divination Journal,’ though classified only as a secondary journal as it’s not published by one of the seven major Schools of the Crystal Tower, possesses a high level of credibility that can approach many primary journals.
"If the paper can be published successfully, coupled with my verified accurate prophecy records..."
Chloe’s voice grew even more confident: "Entering the top ten of the New Star Plan shouldn’t be a problem."
This confidence made Uphemia’s mood heavier.
Although her Spiritual Power cultivation progress was stronger, she lacked achievements that could be publicly showcased.
The learning progress of Curse Reversal couldn’t serve as a basis for scoring, and her performance in other areas was relatively average.
"My situation may not be optimistic."
Uphemia admitted with a bitter smile: "I’ve spent most of my recent time on theoretical learning, lacking quantifiable achievements."
She paused, her tone turning somewhat self-deprecating:
"It’s possible that after this settlement, I might drop from third to the lower end of the top ten."
"Ranking changes are secondary." Ron saw through her frustration:
"The important thing is actual capability improvement. Rankings are merely external recognition; genuine strength is the true foundation."
Although he said this, every person present understood that in the hierarchically rigid Wizard Society, ranking holds symbolic significance far more important than imagined.
It not only represents the priority in resource allocation but is also an important standard for others to assess one’s value.
"Speaking of strength improvement..."
Uphemia suddenly spoke, her tone containing some probing:
"Ron, your harvest in the Abyss this time seems substantial? I can sense the Energy Fluctuation around you has increased more than by just one level."
This question also drew Chloe’s attention.
As an Astrologer, her perception of Energy Fluctuation was equally sharp, and she had already sensed the changes in Ron.
"There have indeed been some breakthroughs." Ron didn’t conceal this obvious fact:
"The special environment in the Abyss is quite helpful for certain Skills enhancement. However, the specific details involve sensitive information, so I won’t elaborate."
His answer was as watertight as always.
The room fell into a brief silence.
Chloe, despite feeling proud of her progress, still found herself lagging noticeably behind Ron.
And Uphemia felt a deep sense of helplessness.
"By the way, what plans does everyone have next?" Ron first broke the silence.
"I need to go back to the Astrology Association headquarters in the west."