Chapter 113

On the dock.

Seventeen whale-ray boats moved in sequence.

They dispersed according to their academic divisions.

“First Division students, follow me aboard!”

At the bottom of the gangway, Zhang Jian stood with his hands behind his back, his voice echoing across half the dock.

Countless eyes turned toward him.

Many other divisions’ lead instructors frowned.

“Our teacher Zhang really loves to show off.”

Liu Tiezhu muttered bitterly and walked toward the whale-ray boat.

Miaomiao walked up to Jiang Jian and said seriously: “Jiang Jian, if our Shan Gui team meets yours, I hope you give it your all.”

She wore the academy’s standard skirt, with a white butterfly knot tied in her hair, “We will too.”

Her words faded.

The girl turned and walked toward the whale-ray boat.

Shan Ye stopped and said: “By the way, Jiang Jian, haven’t you checked the Hanjiang Fu forum?”

Jiang Jian shook his head: “No.”

“Better not,” Shan Ye hinted, “or it might affect your mindset.”

Jiang Jian watched her back.

Only then did he remember.

Someone in his communications had mentioned the Hanjiang Fu forum.

To log into the Hanjiang Fu forum for the first time, you need an identity device.

“How few fourth-rank talents are there among Linjiang Fu’s new students this year? Hahaha!”

“It’s just feeding them to us!”

“Not a single fourth-rank team!”

“In Hanjiang Fu alone, we have nearly ten fourth-rank teams!”

“Every member of our teams is fourth-rank!”

“Some are even led by fifth-rank talents!”

On the Hanjiang Fu forum, posts scrolled rapidly—almost all the same nonsense.

The next moment, Jiang Jian’s gaze paused slightly.

“Linjiang Fu is getting worse and worse—some third-rank talent is ranked above fourth-rank talents!”

A post, its title bolded and enlarged, was pinned to the Hanjiang Fu forum.

Below it, comments exceeded several thousand.

“Isn’t this just a student-made unofficial ranking?”

“But the likes on this power ranking have surpassed thirty thousand!”

“Wait, so third-rank talents really are this weak in Linjiang Fu?”

“Hahaha!”

In the screenshot, the unofficial power ranking of Linjiang Fu students was clearly displayed.

Among them,

Jiang Jian, with a third-rank talent, ranked second—drawing endless mockery and laughter.

After all, by common logic,

A fourth-rank talent utterly overwhelms a third-rank talent in every aspect.

Whether it’s cultivation speed, the upper limit of spiritual essence, control over qi, the power of spellcasting, the potency of divine weapons, or the lethality of talent techniques,

Fourth-rank talents far surpass third-rank ones.

Yet in Linjiang Fu’s new student ranking, Jiang Jian was placed above several fourth-rank talents.

Hanjiang Fu students naturally took it as a joke.

Among them,

A few rational comments pointed out that Jiang Jian’s spiritual essence cultivation was far higher than any other Linjiang Fu new student.

But these comments were quickly drowned out.

Because in Hanjiang Fu, there were twenty divine-bestowal universities.

More than ten new students had spiritual essence cultivation exceeding 30% of the Divine Bestowal realm.

Jiang Jian’s previously tested spiritual essence cultivation was 37% of the Divine Bestowal realm—already a decisive first in Linjiang Fu.

But in Hanjiang Fu,

He could only rank within the top five.

Seeing this,

Jiang Jian swiped his finger and closed the forum, his expression calm.

These comments meant nothing to him.

They couldn’t affect him at all.

Beneath his black-gold-threaded robe sleeve, the black cloth-wrapped Hanguang trembled slightly.

Jiang Jian gently caressed the long sword and walked toward the whale-ray boat.

“Jiang Jian.”

At the bottom of the gangway, Zhang Jian blocked him.

Jiang Jian replied: “Teacher Zhang.”

Zhang Jian sighed and said: “You still didn’t sign up for the solo combat.”

“In team combat, we’re no match.”

“Hanjiang Fu has many fourth-rank combat teams.”

“In contrast, Linjiang Fu has not a single fourth-rank combat team—everyone is just randomly paired.”

“Only solo combat gives you a chance to climb the rankings through personal strength.”

As he spoke,

His expression grew somewhat desolate.

“It seems this forum gathering,”

“The convergence of the two rivers’ spiritual currents,”

“Will be ceded again.”

With that, he said no more and climbed the gangway.

Watching his back,

Jiang Jian was momentarily speechless.

“In the overall evaluation,”

“Team combat carries greater weight,”

“Than solo combat.”

Recalling the rules of the two-fu forum,

Jiang Jian set aside his thoughts and boarded the whale-ray boat.

First Division: fifty students.

Only forty-nine showed up.

Shi Xuan was not in the cabin.

“Jiang Jian.”

“Jiang Jian, sit here.”

“Quick, sit down—we’re leaving.”

Many familiar classmates greeted him.

Jiang Jian smiled in response and found a window seat, sitting down.

Most were excited, chatting animatedly.

Noise buzzed around him.

Jiang Jian remained unaffected.

Leaning back comfortably, he closed his eyes and meditated quietly.

“Zhang Jian didn’t seem to notice my true spiritual essence cultivation.”

As he meditated, Jiang Jian recalled the earlier scene.

“Liu Tiezhu excels at sensing.”

“Yet he noticed nothing either.”

“But Zhang Jian is a Spring Flow realm…”

Deep in the Shenque, the frost-white karmic flame burned silently.

Jiang Jian’s heart stirred slightly.

“Could it be…”

"Could it be."

"Can the nature of Karmic Fire conceal spiritual essence?"

A talent separated from an innate gift.

Karmic Fire has many traits.

But its cultivation method is not recorded.

"Karmic Fire is at least a Level 5 talent."

"Perhaps even."

"It might reach Level 6."

Jiang Jian sensed the blazing white flame.

He clearly perceived it.

His comprehension of spiritual essence had improved terrifyingly in many aspects.

This comprehensive enhancement.

Had not yet manifested.

As his cultivation advanced.

The all-around boost from Karmic Fire would only grow stronger!

The Whale-Ray vessel rose into the sky.

Just a few minutes later.

It pierced through the Celestial Pillar Range.

Racing toward the Linshui Cliff at the broken water vein.

The azure sky churned with cloud seas.

Whale-Ray vessels from the second-year and third-year zones also converged.

Dozens of massive Whale-Ray vessels blotted out the sky as they surged forward in grand procession.

Meanwhile,

Across both prefectures, nearly all video platforms, video channels, news networks, and live streams.

Their screens shifted instantly.

Switched to the live broadcast of the Two Prefectures’ Dao Debate!

The Two Prefectures’ Dao Debate was not merely an academic exchange.

It concerned another matter.

A wager made centuries ago.

Linjiang and Hanjiang.

Once a single vast river.

Later, the water vein fractured, splitting into two.

At the break, torrents of spiritual energy flowed forth.

And around the cliff, countless spiritual resources emerged.

To compete for the water vein’s spiritual energy and its endless precious resources,

The two prefectures agreed:

To hold the Two Prefectures’ Dao Debate at regular intervals.

As a means to determine resource allocation.

"In the past century, over a dozen Dao Debates have been held—Linjiang Prefecture won only once."

By the window, Jiang Jian reviewed the debate materials.

They clearly showed:

Linjiang Prefecture’s last victory had been twenty years ago.

Because the Divine Gift Universities in each prefecture admit students annually,

Each inevitably enrolls some students with Level 4 talents.

But Level 5 talents are exceedingly rare!

Under comparable cultivation time,

A Level 5 talent is immensely powerful.

So powerful, it can even tip the balance!

This Dao Debate,

Linjiang Prefecture has no Level 5 talent freshmen.

Yet Hanjiang Prefecture has two at once!

"Vessel about to land. Prepare for arrival."

A cold mechanical voice echoed in the cabin.

First Academy students on their seats whispered among themselves, faces alight with excitement.

(End of Chapter)