Improving the star level and upgrading the rank seem similar at first glance. Although the Blade Beast upgrades its star level while its rank remains unchanged, with one aspect increasing and the other remaining the same, its strength should be about the same as that of other familiars in theory. However, those who hold this idea obviously overlook the abilities brought by the star level.

  What truly makes apostles powerful are their abilities. The frozen rabbit is only a two-star first-level in terms of strength, yet its freezing breath ability can't be resisted even by fifth-level magical beasts. The Blade Beast is only a three-star second-level, but it could kill the four-star second-level Vajra Skeleton in an instant, relying on its three powerful abilities.

  The star level of ordinary familiars is fixed, and they have as many abilities as they are born with and can't develop new ones. However, the Blade Beast can do exactly that, which shows just how abnormal it is.

  "Of course, the Blade Beast can't upgrade its star level without limits either," Vinia said as she gently patted the table. Immediately, the seemingly lifeless Blade Beast was lifted up by a force and suspended in the air. Vinia pointed at the halos on the hilt of the Blade Beast and said, "Its limit is here. Well, nine halos. It seems its limit is nine stars."

  "However, this is only theoretical," Vinia smiled and said with a tinge of regret. "Upgrading the star level is extremely difficult, even more bewildering than upgrading the rank of ordinary familiars. It gets even more so as it progresses. After all, there hasn't been an eight-star familiar on the continent yet, and it can't break the rules too much."

  "It's already quite good," Chen Yue agreed. No wonder the Blade Beast wasn't afraid of the eight-star familiar in the Spirit Realm. It turned out that its potential was even higher than that of an eight-star one.

  "Yes, how many apostles have tried in vain to summon a familiar of the same level as themselves," Vinia said leisurely. Then she changed the topic. "Of course, such a special familiar also has its drawbacks. There's no such thing as perfection in this world..."

  "I've already felt it," Chen Yue said with a wry smile, and the scene of the Blade Beast breaking free from his control and launching a long-range surprise attack on Carlo flashed through his mind. "After it broke through to three stars, I couldn't control it anymore."

  "If I'm not mistaken, the star level of the Blade Beast can't exceed the rank of the apostle, or else it will break free from the apostle's control?" Looking at Vinia, Chen Yue said in a hoarse voice.

  His gaze lingered on the Blade Beast for a moment. Chen Yue understood that it would be useless to release the Blade Beast at this time. With its greatly increased strength, it was already beyond his control, unless he immediately advanced to the third level.

  No one would be interested in a familiar that couldn't be controlled by themselves, no matter how powerful it was.

  To regain the right to use it, he would have to suppress it back to two stars again. Thinking of this, Chen Yue finally understood why Vinia didn't show the slightest sign of being forced or depressed. Logically speaking, even if others didn't dare to use force, but in the end, having to let the severing ability of the Blade Beast be sealed should still be a blow to Vinia's reputation. However, the reality was clearly not the case...

  "Hmm." Chen Yue gently rubbed his chin with his right hand, and his expression at this moment was indescribably strange. "I've figured it out. As a member of the Apostle Association, I'm obliged to cooperate with the work of the deacons. Well, that is to say..."

  "I'd be very glad if the two deacons could come and seal the Blade Beast."

  ...

  Hearing Chen Yue's serious words, the corners of Vinia's mouth couldn't help twitching.

  After a long while, she finally suppressed her laughter, with a glint in her eyes, and said, "They don't know the details of the Blade Beast, so they will definitely come to negotiate 主动. Well, I'm also a deacon after all. How can I just stand by and watch them oppress my disciple? Unless, they're willing to pay a small price..."

  Vinia narrowed her eyes slightly, revealing a strange light. "They have to provide the raw materials needed for the sealing. I remember that Kles Nor has a meta-crystal in his hands. Well, Piaro, that miser, I don't know how many points he has saved up. Carlo has a little prop that's actually quite nice..."

  Is this also called a small price? Chen Yue was completely speechless.

  ...

  On the nineteenth floor of the Emerald Tower.

  In a room that was about the same size as Vinia's but had a completely different decoration style.

  Kles Nor was instructing something, and West was listening attentively. Suddenly, the door was pushed open rudely.

  Kles Nor was startled, but then he became furious. However, when he saw clearly who the visitor was, he suppressed his anger.

  The visitor was a third-level disciple who was on his side.

  If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

  His brows furrowed slightly. Seeing the somewhat panicked look on the face of this capable subordinate, Kles Nor had a bad feeling.

  "What happened?"

  "Lord Kles Nor, take a look at this first," instead of answering his question immediately, the third-level disciple took out a crystal ball the size of a human head and placed it on the table.

  Kles Nor knew that this was a memory crystal that could record real events and play them back as images.

  "West, you come and take a look too," seeing that West was about to leave, the third-level disciple immediately spoke up to stop him.

  Looking deeply at him, Kles Nor tapped on the memory crystal and started the playback.

  After a while.

  "Hmm? It's that little guy Chen Yue. He's back?" Kles Nor's expression changed. He glanced at the third-level disciple, feeling a bit dissatisfied in his heart. Was it just for him to see this?

  Although it was a bit unexpected, wasn't Chen Yue's return exactly what they had hoped for? There was nothing to make a fuss about. Such a low-level apostle wouldn't have been in his sight if it weren't for the bet and Vinia's sake.

  The reprimand was brewing in his chest, but before Kles Nor could say it, he saw the next scene.

  "Instant kill." It was West who blurted out these words.

  His face was a bit pale, and his eyes were filled with disbelief as he looked at the young man in the crystal ball.

  "How is this possible? He wasn't my match half a year ago," West muttered in a low voice, his face full of loss and bitterness.

  Among the people whose familiars were killed by Chen Yue in an instant, there was one whose strength was no less than his own. If it were him, would he have the confidence to block it?

  Suddenly, he didn't have that confidence anymore.

  Kles Nor's expression also changed a bit. He admitted that this Chen Yue had given him quite a few surprises and seemed to have increased his strength a lot. However, this level of strength was still far from being taken seriously by him.

  "West, don't lose confidence..." Just as he was about to comfort West, he saw the scene where Chen Yue killed the green-spotted spider and sent it back to the Spirit Realm with one sword. His pupils suddenly widened to the maximum, and he couldn't say the words of comfort anymore.

  Since the memory crystal started playing, this was the first time he had shown such a strong reaction.

  He tightly pursed his lips and didn't say anything, but his expression became extremely serious. This expression lasted until the moment when Vinia restrained the Blade Beast at the end.

  Only when Chen Yue killed the Vajra Skeleton did he raise his eyebrows in surprise.

  "Teacher Kles Nor, I..." Later, West had completely lost his confidence.

  Kles Nor raised his hand to stop West's words and said in a deep voice, "Chen Yue has become a second-level apostle. But West, you don't have to worry. The reason why he performed so powerfully was because of the familiar in his hand."

  "If I'm not mistaken, it should be the Blade Beast that has only appeared once," a strong look of envy flashed in Kles Nor's eyes. "It's relying on this weapon-type familiar that he can display a level of strength far beyond his own and has such powerful melee abilities. Without this, his strength should be about the same as yours."

  These words finally restored a little of West's badly hit confidence.

  Seeing West recover, Kles Nor showed a satisfied look. If West really lost all his confidence, then there would be no need to proceed with the bet. They might as well just admit defeat directly.

  Of course, Kles Nor also firmly believed that his judgment wouldn't be wrong.

  "Judging from Vinia's final attitude and her consistent support for this Chen Yue, she probably won't stay out of it. It's obviously impossible to take the Blade Beast away from Chen Yue. However, the most terrifying thing about the Blade Beast should be its severing ability. Sealing it should be able to bring Chen Yue back to his original state," Kles Nor pondered. "Now I'm just afraid that Vinia won't even agree to the sealing..."

  "It seems that we have to pay a price."

  ...

  The same scene was also playing out in two other places.

  The tall and thin Piaro stood by the window, looking at the people coming and going in the distance, his eyes flickering.

  "Whether it's West or Chen Yue, it's most advantageous when their strengths are about the same, so that there's a possibility of a tie," quickly weighing the situation in his mind, Piaro soon made a decision.

  He pulled the corner of his mouth with a bit of pain.

  "It's time to bleed a little."

  ...

  The four disciples of the neutral faction were having an emergency discussion.

  "That's it. Anyway, we must try our best to narrow the strength gap between them," finally, the strongest fourth-level disciple said firmly. "It wasn't easy to get the support of Piaro, that miser. We can't let this opportunity slip away."

  "Why can't we join forces with the other two deacons to put pressure on Vinia and force her to agree? We still have to pay a price. Haven't we already been bitten by Piaro enough?" Hearing everyone's decision, the weakest third-level disciple said indignantly.

  However, what he didn't expect was that as soon as he said this, he was met with disdainful looks from the other three.

  "What an idiot." Carlo and the other two couldn't help but curse secretly in their hearts. As expected of a third-level disciple with little experience, he was so ignorant as to think of forcing Vinia. They vaguely knew how powerful Vinia's background was...

  Within just a few minutes of each other, all three parties made the decision to sacrifice something. Interestingly, due to their lack of sufficient understanding of the Blade Beast, their attention was all focused on the dazzling severing ability, while ignoring the equally powerful "soul attack" and "heavy pressure" abilities.

  On the ninth floor of the Emerald Tower.

  Vinia suddenly showed a smug smile.

  After instructing Chen Yue to wait patiently in the room, Vinia immediately went out to negotiate with the other three forces.

  Only Chen Yue was left in the room.

  Suddenly, a small head popped out from Chen Yue's chest.

  Meeting Chen Yue's somewhat surprised eyes, Meteorite Crystal showed a sly smile.

  "Chen Yue, do you want me to tamper with that seal?"