Chapter 263: Autumn Water

Seeing his sister’s message.

Jiang Jian’s expression softened, a little reassured.

Since she could send a message, it meant Jiang Zhao’s current situation was temporarily safe, not caught in the void chaos.

Open the message.

His sister’s voice came through clearly.

“Linjiang Academy is suspended. I’m training with Yingying at the prefectural shrine emissary’s place.”

Seeing this.

Jiang Jian swiped his finger to scroll through the rest of the messages.

His sister sent two or three messages almost every day.

Telling him every detail of what she saw and heard.

When the lunar barrier shattered.

Linjiang Prefecture, especially Guangling City, saw numerous void chaos outbreaks.

Over a thousand people died on the spot.

Nearly ten thousand were crushed by spatial forces, losing limbs or suffering severe permanent injuries.

Now,

Linjiang Prefecture’s government acted swiftly, evacuating most of the local populace.

The treatment of the injured and disabled was personally handled by the Prefecture’s Prayer Temple.

All seventeen states of Linjiang Prefecture had become deserted lands.

Although Earth’s orbital node was gradually stabilizing and spatial chaos had greatly diminished,

the capital’s central authority in Tianjing still issued an order.

Linjiang Prefecture was temporarily sealed off, no one allowed in or out.

Suddenly,

one message in his sister’s communication caught Jiang Jian’s attention.

“The Zhao family.”

Jiang Jian’s gaze halted on the message details, his expression darkening sharply.

Not long ago,

after evacuating from Guangling City,

someone from the Zhao family reported to the Tianjing Patrol Unit.

Claiming that a strange flying device had appeared in Guangling City, suspected to be linked to extraterrestrial forces!

He further claimed,

that evidence existed at the Zhao ancestral grounds!

In this sensitive period, the Zhao family’s report inevitably caused a major stir.

But most people still believed,

that as a minor clan, the Zhao family’s entire relocation had already crippled them.

Now, suddenly making moves to report extraterrestrial forces to the Tianjing Patrol Unit was merely to gain rewards and secure better resettlement.

“Besides the old patriarch and his mistress,”

“there was a third person who knew about the flying device.”

Jiang Jian stared at the message, his gaze dim.

The Tianjing patrol unit had recently dispatched specialists into Linjiang Prefecture.

Following the Zhao family member’s claim, they went to Guangling City to gather evidence.

If true, the Zhao family would rise instantly!

But if no evidence was found, and it was proven fabricated,

and merely invented by the Zhao family to secure resettlement,

then,

the person who reported it—and their entire family—would face severe punishment!

“I burned the flying device with karmic fire. It had long since melted.”

“There should be no trace left.”

As he pondered,

Jiang Jian tapped his identity device and called his sister for a real-time connection.

Dum.

Dum.

The prompt tone sounded.

The call connected.

Jiang Zhao’s voice came through, clearly filled with delight: “Jiang Jian!”

Her voice, though cool and clear,

could not hide her excitement and joy.

“I heard the Earth-Moon Academy’s gates are sealed. Can you even get out?”

Before Jiang Jian could answer,

his sister continued, “How’s your training going at the academy?”

“By the way, have you seen Nie Zheng’s sister? She also went to the Earth-Moon Academy.”

“She told me she went there specifically to find you.”

…

Jiang Jian listened as his sister spoke, occasionally replying.

A few minutes later,

Jiang Zhao calmed down, regained her composure, rubbed her forehead, and said, “I’m now staying with Yingying at her father’s home—inside the projection of the Shrine Palace.”

“It’s quiet and very safe.”

“Jiang Jian, when will you graduate?”

Jiang Jian murmured, “Soon.”

He paused, then asked, “Jiang Zhao, how’s your cultivation going?”

Jiang Zhao wasn’t surprised at all, saying, “I knew your first question would be about my cultivation.”

“I’m inside the Shrine Palace projection now—I can’t show you.”

His sister smiled softly, lowering her voice, “Jiang Jian, I can only tell you this:”

“In cultivation, I’ve never slackened, always followed your advice.”

“I’ve trained harder than anyone around me.”

Hearing this,

Jiang Jian nodded slightly and asked, “How far are you from the Divine Palace?”

His sister replied, “My spring-source spiritual essence has just passed the halfway point.”

“To fully fill the acupoints and trigger the Divine Illumination barrier, it should take another two years.”

For her cultivation progress to be this fast,

Jiang Jian was clearly surprised.

After all,

Jiang Zhao’s outward talent was insufficient, so she didn’t go to the Earth-Moon Academy.

To cultivate quickly, she relied entirely on cultivation halls.

Her available resources were extremely limited.

Unlike himself, who had endless spiritual items and never worried about external factors.

Under these circumstances,

reaching halfway through spring-source essence in two and a half years,

her cultivation speed was already very impressive.

“Before you fully fill your spiritual essence, I’ll compile a set of notes for you—they’ll greatly help your spring-source cultivation.”

Jiang Jian said, “And remember, stay away from danger.”

“No matter where you are, ensure your own safety.”

His sister replied, “Okay.”

Jiang Jian said, “I have another spiritual essence treasure here, called Qiushui Sword.”

“I’ll have someone deliver it to you in a while.”

Hearing this,

his sister’s eyes lit up instantly.

Spiritual essence treasures were rare and unattainable.

Even across the seventy prefectures of the surface, they were among the most precious core resources.

But the next second,

his sister refused without hesitation: “Since it’s a spiritual essence treasure, keep it for yourself—I don’t need external objects for my cultivation.”

Even so.

But no one would not want a Spirit Essence relic.

However.

Jiang Zhao knew very well.

From every possible angle,

Jiang Jian needed the Spirit Essence relic more than she did.

“I already have one.”

Jiang Jian said softly, “This Autumn Water blade, I cannot use.”

This time,

Jiang Zhao hesitated a moment, then did not refuse, and replied obediently, “Alright.”

She did not press further, but chose to trust Jiang Jian unconditionally.

“Train hard.”

Jiang Jian gave this warning, said no more, and ended the communication.

(End of Chapter)