Chapter 721

The Vanguard Rat-Extermination Project, which had lasted nearly a year.

Their starships had also evolved to the Destroyer level.

As early as last month, once their starships evolved into Destroyers, they automatically withdrew from this project.

Because the Vanguard Rat-Extermination Project only allowed up to Assault Ship captains, they had no choice but to withdraw.

Now that it was over, they naturally returned with Liu Yuyu.

Furthermore, after spending this year together.

Their admiration for Xu Zi'an had reached their very bones.

Even though they were older than Xu Zi'an, they called him "Brother Xu" with complete willingness.

Additionally, throughout this year, their starship evolutions were all assisted by Xu Zi'an.

This even included their last evolution into Destroyers; Xu Zi'an had been the one to do it.

During these days, Xu Zi'an's success rate for evolving Destroyers had naturally reached one hundred percent.

And the quality had also reached Purple Zhan Wushuang-grade!

In other words...

As long as Xu Zi'an was willing.

He could take the Rank 3 Refiner examination at any time now!

He only needed to evolve one starship of Purple Zhan Wushuang-grade quality.

Then Xu Zi'an would be a Rank 3 Refiner!

However, there was no rush for this.

Originally, Xu Zi'an had planned to pass the examination while returning to Shenzhou Academy.

Now, he would do it after going to the Taigu Training Camp.

Or simply wait until the girls' starships were ready to evolve into Destroyers before taking the exam.

It would be a convenient task.

Destroyer level.

The girls' starships needed to reach an overall Purple Zhan Wushuang-grade quality.

Xu Zi'an's *Cuican* was already one hundred percent overall Purple Zhan Wushuang-grade!

It was just that when a Refiner evolves a ship, their own starship does not count toward the examination.

Because a Refiner knows their own starship like the back of their hand, and the difficulty is not on the same level as evolving someone else's starship.

Only evolving someone else's starship counts as an examination.

Moreover, Xu Zi'an was in no rush to unlock Rank 4...

If nothing went wrong, a Rank 4 evolution simulation would cost 100,000 wealth points.

It was truly a bit terrifying.

Of course, it might not need that much; regardless, there was no rush now.

He was currently tackling the evolution of Cruisers.

By the time he could evolve Cruisers...

It would be about time to unlock the Rank 4 evolution simulation.

As for Gu Lang and the others, their starships were only one hundred percent overall Red Excellent-grade quality.

But even at this quality, they were extremely satisfied.

For this, they paid Xu Zi'an a large sum of academy points as remuneration.

It could be said that hiring Xu Zi'an to evolve their starships...

Had completely emptied out all the evolution points they had accumulated over these years in one go.

It was frighteningly expensive.

But... the results were also frighteningly good.

Liu Yuyu left with the people from the Gu Lang fleet.

They were returning to the Earth Federation.

Not long after.

Lu Tianming and his fleet members also came to bid farewell to Xu Zi'an.

Lu Tianming had now recovered his original talkative nature and had no intention of competing with Xu Zi'an at all.

He draped his arm over Xu Zi'an's shoulder with immense enthusiasm and said in a hearty voice: "Xu Zi'an."

"Next time you come to our Qiongyue Star Domain, remember to tell me!"

"Let me play the host and take you to properly appreciate the starscape of our Qiongyue Star Domain."

"But I won't keep you this time; you should be heading back to the Yaohua Star Domain, right?"

"Also, I don't have time to accompany you, because..."

At this point, Lu Tianming said mysteriously: "Because, buddy, I'm going to a place recently."

"Once I come back from there... hehe... by then, I might even be stronger than you!"

Seeing Lu Tianming acting so mysterious, Xu Zi'an became curious: "What kind of place is so magical?"

Lu Tianming smiled triumphantly: "Taigu Star River Training Camp!"

"Ever heard of it?"

"The Taigu Star River Training Camp is the most badass genius training camp in our Jiuxiao Star Sea."

"It's also one of the top-ranked genius training camps in the entire human federation of the universe."

"Geniuses who come out of there... tsk tsk, they will have a huge leap forward!"

"But the spots are extremely precious, precious to the extreme!"

"Our family spent a massive amount of effort just to get me a spot in the Second Academy."

"But let me tell you, even the Second Academy is definitely badass, alright!"

"Anyway, you wait, don't let me catch up to you when we meet next time, hahaha!"

As Lu Tianming spoke, he became even more triumphant.

Yet he completely failed to notice the hint of a smile that flashed in Xu Zi'an's eyes, or the strange look that appeared on the faces of Qin Fuyue and the other girls.

Xu Zi'an didn't say anything, just nodded meaningfully: "That's good."

"Then I wish you... a bright future."

"I hope that when we meet next time, you can be stronger than me."

Lu Tianming patted Xu Zi'an's shoulder with great gusto and said loudly: "We're buddies!"

"Your talent is the strongest I've ever seen."

"You won't be bad either!"

"Let's encourage each other!"

Xu Zi'an nodded with a very serious expression: "Good! Let's encourage each other!"

After Lu Tianming said his goodbyes.

The girls couldn't hold back and burst into laughter.

Qin Fuyue even wrapped her arms around Xu Zi'an's neck, pouted her little lips, and planted a heavy seal on Xu Zi'an's cheek, smiling charmingly: "You are really too bad!"

"But I'm quite looking forward to seeing what kind of expression he'll have when he sees us at the Taigu Star River Training Camp in three months!"

Xu Zi'an smiled, rubbed Qin Fuyue's little head dotingly, and said with a smile: "I don't know what expression he'll have."

"But I do know that the Taigu Star River Training Camp is definitely not simple."

"Once we go this time, we all have to work hard together."

"Don't waste this spot."

The girls nodded busily.

Afterward, after greeting a few other familiar geniuses.

The *Cuican* fleet's various supplies and resources were also replenished.

Only then did they once again embark on the journey to the Taigu Star River.

The Taigu Star River was one of the nine hundred-plus star rivers in the Jiuxiao Star Sea.

The Jiuxiao Star Sea was a medium-to-large star sea among the one hundred and eight star seas of the human federation in the universe; nine hundred-plus star rivers was not a small number.

And the Taigu Star River was separated from the Chiyan Star River, where Xu Zi'an and the others were, by several star rivers.

So to arrive at the Taigu Star River...