[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-ascending-to-divinity":3,"chapter-ascending-to-divinity-ascending-to-divinity-chapter-111":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Ascending to Divinity",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2280661,4461,"Chapter 111: Zhao Jian","ascending-to-divinity-chapter-111",111,"\u003Cp>“Bring me the communications.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian glanced at the remaining time and sat down again on the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was already 5 a.m.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Breaking through the barrier felt fast but was in fact slow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, an entire night had already passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji Xue finally snapped back to awareness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fear still lingered in its eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its spirit monster power was not weak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that tiny sword qi was terrifyingly powerful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji Xue’s spirit monster protective barrier crumbled like paper before the tiny sword qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Unread communications have increased to over four hundred.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji Xue scrambled forward on all four limbs to stand before Jiang Jian. “Many of them are urgent.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian, still cultivating, said: “Read them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Time in the cultivation chamber is precious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even after breaking through the barrier, Jiang Jian had not paused his cultivation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji Xue asked: “Shall I start with your sister’s messages?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian frowned slightly: “No matter whose message, just speak. Don’t waste time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Understood.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji Xue shrank its neck. “Your sister asked if you’ve been taking your medicine on time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian took his bag, pulled out a Solid-Soul capsule, and swallowed it. “Reply to her now: I’ve taken it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji Xue blinked, then continued: “Your sister asked whether you’ll join the Two Prefectures Forum, and if so, whether you’ll enter the team competition or the individual one.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Team competition.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Two Prefectures Forum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was an academic exchange between Shaoshuizhou and Hanjiang Prefectures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Divided into “Literary Debate” and “Martial Debate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Literary Debate was open only to third-year students.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Martial Debate was open to every grade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Within it, there were two categories: “Team Competition” and “Individual Competition.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over the past week,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the Divine Gift University Joint Forum had been flooded with news about the Two Prefectures Forum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hanjiang Prefecture had twenty Divine Gift Universities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their combined strength clearly surpassed that of Shaoshuizhou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even so,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shaoshuizhou’s seventeen Divine Gift Universities\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>still saw overwhelming student participation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the ranking rewards for the Two Prefectures Forum were simply too generous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Across both prefectures, one hundred thousand freshmen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regardless of final ranking,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>just participating granted a basic participation reward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>every rank tier reached brought significantly greater rewards!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even more coveted were\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the rewards within them,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>which included rare resources impossible to obtain under normal circumstances!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Your sister says she joined a competition team—all girls—and they’re one member short. She asked if you want to join.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji Xue continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Competition teams could form freely across different Divine Gift Universities, as long as they were within the same prefecture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian frowned slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He opened his identity device and directly called Jiang Zhao’s real-time communication.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having Ji Xue sort unread messages was meant to save time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji Xue’s slow, word-by-word delivery was too tedious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Jiang Jian.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The call connected; Jiang Zhao’s voice came through. “I got Shu Xue Sword.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian asked: “Is it usable?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Usable? It’s incredible,” the girl exclaimed. “I’m almost the top student in the academy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the way, I sent you dozens of messages. You didn’t read any of them, did you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Zhao’s tone shifted. “I saw on the forum you don’t have a competition team.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Want to join mine?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the Divine Gift University Joint Forum,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>many powerful competition teams had even posted publicly, inviting Jiang Jian to join.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian shook his head. “Come join me. Just you and me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Zhao raised an eyebrow. “Just the two of us?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian nodded. “Yes. That way we get five-person rewards.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But I already promised my friends.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Zhao hesitated. “And they’ve helped me a lot. If I leave now, it’d be awkward.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next second, she added, “If you insist, I’ll follow you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silence for several seconds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian asked: “Have you tested your cultivation essence? What’s the percentage?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His sister replied: “Tested two days ago. Thirteen percent in Divine Gift Realm. Already considered top-tier in my school.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not bad.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian said, “Here’s what I suggest: stick with your friends for now. Don’t worry about ranking—just treat it as experience.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Zhao chuckled. “Don’t underestimate our team. One of my friends is a Level 4 talent from another school. We’re not weak.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright,” Jiang Jian replied. “I’m hanging up.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The girl asked: “Did you take your medicine on time?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian said: “I took it. Didn’t Ji Xue tell you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as the words left his mouth,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>silence fell on the other end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few seconds later,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Zhao spoke again: “Jiang Jian… so all my messages to you are being replied to by your pet?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was clever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From just a few fragments, she immediately deduced much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Jiang Zhao, I’ll reply to you myself next time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian glanced at Ji Xue and ended the call.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I told you to reply to my sister that I took my medicine. Why didn’t you send it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian said softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji Xue whispered: “You told me to keep reading the messages.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silence for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian opened his identity device and checked the message list himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A flood of messages popped up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Tiezhu: “Jiang Jian, you said on the message you’re leaving the team—is that true?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll find new teammates then.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lu Tingting from Wangchuan University joined our team.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Plus a Level 3 talent from another school.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Too bad you’re not here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shan Ye: “I saw your message about leaving the study group.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Jiang Jian, don't let Shi Xuan affect you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We're here with you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The new squad is set up.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But if you want to come back, the three of us can leave the squad and join you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Whenever you're ready, you can.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yin Yin: \"Classmate Jiang Jian, did you also receive the black box?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don't overthink it—leaving the squad is fine.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If you want to come back, you can return anytime.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The message about leaving the study squad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was sent by Ji Xue a few days ago, at Jiang Jian’s request.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at these messages.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian swiped the screen, replying to each one in turn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More messages came in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian’s fingers slid downward, continuing to read.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Jian: \"Classmate Jiang Jian, the supplemental resources have been delivered to your dormitory building—remember to collect them.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I hope you achieve a high ranking.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Registration is about to close—don’t forget to sign up.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three consecutive messages, spaced a week apart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The most recent message was sent an hour ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Registration for the Two-Fu Discourse ends at 6 a.m.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian opened the academy platform.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the center of the platform appeared a brand-new interface, exquisitely ornate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It depicted a vast river.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the middle, there was a clear break.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the two halves remained faintly connected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Symbolizing that Linjiang and Hanjiang were once the same source centuries ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He tapped into the Two-Fu Discourse interface.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A prompt sounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Please select your registration category.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Special note: In the Two-Fu Discourse, each student may claim only one ranking reward, based on their highest category ranking.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Below were four options.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two \"Literary Discourse\" options.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Were grayed out, indicating they were unselectable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Martial Discourse\" was divided into Squad Martial Discourse and Solo Martial Discourse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both buttons glowed brightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian reread the rules and tapped the Squad Martial Discourse registration button.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Martial Discourse rules clearly stated:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A combat squad may have at most five members.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the squad has four members,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>then the five rewards are divided equally among the four.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This rule had existed for a long time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To accommodate squads that, due to sudden circumstances, lacked members and could not be replenished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>over the centuries,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>during so many Two-Fu Discourses,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>very few had formed four-member squads.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>over a month into the term, everyone was a freshman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under such circumstances,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>each additional member greatly increased the squad’s overall combat power!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Assuming similar Shen Que spiritual reserves,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>a four-member squad and a five-member squad had a massive combat gap!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet in the history of the Two-Fu Discourse,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>there had indeed been a few instances of four-member combat squads.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each of the four members was a prodigy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their coordination was flawless, their combat power formidable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beyond those, all other combat squads were fully staffed with five members.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You are not in a squad—unable to register for Squad Martial Discourse!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A prompt sounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian raised an eyebrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did he realize he had not yet formed a squad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the upper-right corner were three buttons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Form Squad,\" \"Join Squad,\" and \"Search Squad.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian swiped and tapped \"Form Squad.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Please name your combat squad!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian selected the default name and confirmed immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Formation successful!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Combat Squad: Jiang Jian’s Combat Squad.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Squad Size: 1 member.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1458,"2026-06-20T01:21:34.271Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","f1d5bed590eec9b143f964ea169fe039206f55ae2e0a7ac2d50db5ebc76c987c","ascending-to-divinity-chapter-112","ascending-to-divinity-chapter-110",306,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fascending-to-divinity-cover.jpg"]