[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-ascending-to-divinity":3,"chapter-ascending-to-divinity-ascending-to-divinity-chapter-121":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},2280671,4461,"Chapter 121: Divine Covenant","ascending-to-divinity-chapter-121",121,"\u003Cp>“Deputy Prefect!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The government official gasped for breath, leaping from the cabin door and sprinting straight to the Deputy Prefect’s side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We found Jiang Jian’s records!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He held a screen in his hand, his expression uneasy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the formation terrace, the Deputy Prefect sat in his chair, lifting his gaze with a frown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As a high-ranking official of the prefecture, how dare you shout like this? What decorum!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The official caught his breath and respectfully handed over the screen: “No, it’s Jiang Jian—he…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Deputy Prefect took the screen and interrupted: “Such a prodigy must have at least a Level 5 talent—no matter their origin, it’s irrelevant!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His fingers slid across the screen, carefully examining the data.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Earth Citizen: Jiang Jian.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Date of Birth: March 15, 3209.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Citizen ID: Hidden.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Residence: Guangling City, Shadow District, Public Care Zone Seven.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Registered Household: Guangling City, Shadow District, Public Care Center.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Original Guardian: None.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Deputy Prefect flipped through the records, staring at the blank guardian field, his expression darkening: “What is this?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is his origin?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who was his guardian? Who delivered him to the Public Care Center?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Public Care Law mandates that anyone sent to a Public Care Center for foster care must have complete guardian documentation!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why is there no guardian record for Jiang Jian?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice was low, yet carried a chilling frost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The official’s face paled slightly, stammering: “This…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This what! What’s going on?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Deputy Prefect’s face darkened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The official sighed and said: “Your Excellency, Guangling City is a poor city. Its Shadow District lies in the farthest corner, and its Public Care Center is chaotic—even…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Deputy Prefect asked coldly: “Even what?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even the Public Care Center has been outsourced by the Shadow District to non-citizens.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The official spoke timidly: “They have no idea how to manage—they turned the center into a mess. As a result, many children from the Public Care Centers have lost their original household records.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bam!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Unthinkable!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Deputy Prefect slammed his fist on the table, laughing bitterly with rage: “Do these Shadow District officials even recognize the Alliance’s laws?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How has corruption spread so far in the counties and cities below?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As these words fell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many officials around them turned pale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They sensed dimly that across Linjiang Prefecture’s seventeen prefectures and countless counties,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the filth hidden in the shadows was about to face a terrible reckoning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Investigate!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Deputy Prefect’s voice was icy: “No matter what, find the guardian—and more importantly, the original household records!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The relevant officials trembled and replied: “Yes!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Deputy Prefect raised his head, gazing at Jiang Jian on the holographic screen, his expression complex, letting out a deep sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew perfectly well how corrupt the prefectures and counties below had become.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He simply hadn’t cared to act before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Level 5 talent was far too important.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For officials of the prefecture, Level 5 talent was the ladder to promotion and wealth!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Earth Alliance had clear regulations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whenever a Level 5 talent emerged in any prefecture, after reaching the Spring Source realm, they must be sent to Chang’an Prefecture for training.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chang’an Prefecture governed seventy surface prefectures and was the central core of the surface world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Linjiang Prefecture and Hanjiang Prefecture lay at Earth’s remote corners.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their combined area didn’t even reach one-tenth of Chang’an Prefecture’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every Level 5 talent sent out brought massive rewards to their home prefecture!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The top officials of the prefecture could receive extraordinary promotions!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But all of this had one prerequisite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Level 5 talent had to be a human of Earth, with a clean background and clear origins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because Level 5 talent attracted massive resource allocation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some of those resources even included core assets of the Earth Alliance!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once, a Jupiter spirit had disguised itself as an Earth human and infiltrated the seventy surface prefectures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It displayed a Level 6 talent, astonishing everyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Later, to help it break through the Spirit Platform realm, Chang’an Prefecture allocated vast spiritual materials—including many core resources.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Jupiter spirit quietly took those core resources, fled the surface, passed through the Moon, and vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though that incident had occurred centuries ago,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>it still inflicted deep wounds on the seventy surface prefectures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And brought decades of devastating consequences.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that time,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Earth’s ring had just undergone shattering and reconstruction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The seventy surface prefectures were desperate for Spirit Platform cultivators.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So they had recklessly pursued prodigies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet in the end, they had merely served someone else’s interests.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ever since then,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>whenever a Level 5 talent appeared among the seventy surface prefectures, they underwent brutal, exhaustive vetting!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Investigating household records was merely the first step!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No guardian. No original household record. How am I supposed to submit an application?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Deputy Prefect frowned in worry: “I only hope his Earth bloodline verification passes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If the bloodline verification clears the Divine Prayer Temple’s review,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the missing household records become irrelevant.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rubbing his throbbing temples, the Deputy Prefect halted his thoughts and turned back to the holographic screen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian’s terrifying spiritual energy was fully revealed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the force of thunder and the sweep of autumn wind, he crushed opponents, eliminating several Hanjiang Prefecture squads in succession.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He also wiped the smiles clean off the faces of Hanjiang Prefecture officials!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Excellent!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Deputy Prefect involuntarily clenched his fists.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Back when I attended the Divine Gift University, I was just as dominant, invincible!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Recalling his youthful vigor from long ago,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the Deputy Prefect’s face lit up with a smile again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then he thought of himself now—struggling to extend his life, to enjoy a few more years,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>scheming and neglecting cultivation,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>his smile faded unconsciously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>an official rushed over, face beaming: “We found it!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Speak!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Deputy Prefect’s eyes brightened, yet he scolded sternly: “Maintain your dignity! This is unbecoming of an official!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The official stopped, handing over a screen: “Guangling City, Zhao family!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“At the Zhao family’s branch temple of the Divine Prayer Temple in Guangling City, I found the covenant document!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Zhao family’s patriarch once signed a Divine Covenant with Jiang Jian’s guardian, arranging a bond between Jiang Jian and his granddaughter!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Meaning he not only met Jiang Jian’s guardian—he had direct contact with them!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The official had run too hard, gasping for breath, finally finishing his report.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Deputy Prefect sat upright: “Immediately connect to the Zhao patriarch’s communication. I will question him myself!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The official’s face twisted with embarrassment: “This…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This what?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Deputy Prefect’s gaze darkened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The official said: “The patriarch of the Zhao family has long since passed away!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Deputy Prefect stared coldly at him: “And?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sweat beaded on the official’s forehead as he whispered, “So the trail has gone cold again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Enough nonsense!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Deputy Prefect said coldly, “Someone!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Immediately, warriors stepped forward: “We are at your command!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Deputy Prefect waved his hand: “Strip off his official robes and drag him away!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The warriors replied: “Yes!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1151,"2026-06-20T01:21:34.271Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","3efd61bc0acd02d052929c2e69927f9eb59fec7a006c1e176746ae39a03655e3","ascending-to-divinity-chapter-122","ascending-to-divinity-chapter-120",306,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fascending-to-divinity-cover.jpg"]