Chapter 29: Chasing the Moon

Twenty minutes passed quickly.

Most students had completed their team formation.

Does Linjiang Prefecture housing so many non-citizens count as illegal?

Du Fang gazed across the first-tier Jiangcheng and suddenly asked.

According to the Non-Citizen Protection Act.

Every non-citizen.

In terms of personal safety.

Possesses the same rights as Earth citizens.

Shi Xuan sneered and said, “The non-citizens of first-tier Jiangcheng are all criminals.”

“Normal non-citizens wouldn’t be captured and brought here.”

“Jiangjiang Prefecture, seventeen states.”

“All non-citizen criminals who committed serious offenses have one choice.”

“First, under Alliance law, they are tried by the local state’s Inspectorate and executed immediately.”

“Second, they are exiled to Jiangjiang State and assigned to live in first-tier Jiangcheng.”

“If they behave well within first-tier Jiangcheng.”

“They may even reduce their sentence or regain freedom.”

“In short.”

“First-tier Jiangcheng is a vast, extraordinarily unique prison.”

“It collects non-citizen criminals from all seventeen states of Jiangjiang.”

“The overwhelming majority who should have been executed.”

“The Earth Alliance has laws—and mercy.”

“This is forgiveness beyond the law.”

As he spoke,

Shi Xuan reached behind his back, drew his long blade, “Five minutes left. Let’s prepare.”

Du Fang sighed, “I never thought first-tier Jiangcheng was the only lifeline for non-citizen criminals.”

Song Ling, however, frowned and asked, “Shi Xuan, is that blade a divine gift weapon?”

Shi Xuan raised an eyebrow: “Yeah. What about your weapons?”

At these words,

Jiang Jian and Song Ling exchanged glances, both startled.

Du Fang asked outright: “Your talent is Level 3 ‘Martial,’ Guiyuan Gangqi—how can you use a divine gift weapon?”

Shi Xuan countered: “Why not?”

“Because our textbooks say divine gift weapons can only be used by the chosen!”

Du Fang’s tone was absolute: “Once the chosen dies, the weapon turns to worthless scrap!”

“That’s such narrow-minded nonsense.”

Shi Xuan pulled out a cloth and wiped his blade, smirking.

“Tell me—where do the talent orbs sold on the trading platform come from?”

Du Fang hesitated, then said: “The chosen go to the Prayer Hall and undergo a severance ritual to remove them.”

“Good. Now I ask you this.”

Shi Xuan held the blade, fixing Du Fang with his gaze.

“What happens if someone with the ‘Weapon’ talent, who already possesses a divine gift weapon, undergoes a severance ritual while still alive?”

Du Fang fell silent, unsure.

Jiang Jian’s eyes flickered: “No talent orb appears. Instead, the weapon becomes ownerless.”

“Exactly.”

Shi Xuan nodded. “Most importantly, divine gift weapons don’t need to be placed in acupoints.”

“Similarly,”

“They don’t occupy the Shenque acupoint of your second talent.”

“You only need to perform a simple connection ritual at the Prayer Hall.”

“Anyone can use a divine gift weapon they’ve purchased—once it’s ownerless!”

“So that’s how it is,” Song Ling realized, asking, “How much did your long blade cost in Alliance coins?”

Shi Xuan gazed at the blade’s icy gleam and said: “This is a Level 3 divine gift weapon, Zhe Yue Dao. Price: 3,600,000 Alliance coins.”

At the price,

Song Ling’s eyes trembled, pupils contracting sharply.

Du Fang’s lips twitched, face awkward: “Didn’t realize you were from a wealthy family!”

Even Jiang Jian studied the blade carefully, saying nothing.

Three point six million was indeed shocking.

But Jiang Jian’s mind was focused on something else.

“So if this is true,”

“Anyone with money can use a divine gift weapon.”

“Because it’s purely external—it doesn’t occupy the Shenque acupoint.”

“It doesn’t conflict with the second talent orb.”

“Then my wooden sword has none of the advantage I thought it did.”

Thoughts churned inside him, but he showed nothing.

He realized his hometown, Guangling City, was far too remote.

Much information and knowledge there was narrow and closed-off.

In Jiangjiang State, there was still so much to learn.

The basics of divine gift weapons were just one of them.

As they spoke,

The shy boy Xu Yu also drew his divine gift weapon.

An oil-paper umbrella.

“The exam is about to begin, Xu Yu. Introduce your weapon to your three teammates.”

Shi Xuan said from beside him.

“Level 2 divine gift weapon, oil-paper umbrella. Can temporarily expand, offering strong defense.”

Xu Yu held his umbrella and spoke.

He spoke haltingly.

Clearly unaccustomed to social interaction.

Song Ling and Du Fang exchanged glances, more embarrassed: “We don’t have divine gift weapons…”

Shi Xuan waved a hand, smiling warmly: “No problem. Just tell us your talent.”

Du Fang said: “My Ten Thousand Forms Sword Art can condense sword qi to strangle—extremely offensive.”

“My talent is Xinlingzhiyu .”

Song Ling said, “When activated, it gathers Qi to accelerate wound healing and restore spiritual energy faster.”

Jiang Jian drew his wooden sword: “I have a family heirloom divine gift weapon—Level 2. It strongly suppresses ghosts and spirits.”

“Jiang Jian, I know your talent.”

Shi Xuan’s smile didn’t fade: “Level 3 ‘Art,’ Jingling Zhenhuo.”

“With the two of us, this exam’s score won’t be low!”

The only reason he came to form this team

Was

Because he knew Jiang Jian’s talent was Level 3 ‘Art.’

In Cabin 1, only three people had the ‘Art’ talent.

Jiang Jian was one of them.

“The exam is about to begin!”

Thirty minutes had passed; the identity devices glowed faintly.

Teacher Zhang looked at the 300 students and shouted into his device: “Sixty exam shuttles, proceed to the fleet yard immediately!”

A few seconds later,

Along the edge of the massive city, sixty beams of light roared into the sky.

The shuttles shot forward, streaking across the heavens toward the fleet yard.

Less than a minute later,

Sixty exam shuttles landed in perfect formation.

“Board your shuttles!”

The shuttle doors opened; the pilot turned his head toward Jiang Jian and Shi Xuan.

Shi Xuan gripped the doorframe: “Jiang Jian, let’s go.”

Jiang Jian nodded and climbed aboard the flying shuttle with Shi Xuan.

Du Fang, Song Ling, and Xu Yu followed closely behind, boarding the vehicle.

Sit down in your seats and fasten your seatbelts.

Clang!

A dull thud echoed as the door sealed shut.

This flying shuttle was enormous—larger than any Jiang Jian had ever seen.

Its size could rival three flying shuttles from Guangling City Hall combined.

Beep!

A series of alerts sounded on the identity device.

“Exam content: Randomly assigning…”

“Assignment successful!”

“Exam scenario: Xinghua Shopping Mall.”

“Objective: Locate and kill as many non-citizens as possible within the mall.”

“Scoring criteria: Fully unleash your divine gift to achieve a higher exam score.”

“Special note: All non-citizens in this scenario are criminals who should have been executed; killing them does not violate the Non-Citizen Protection Act.”

“Remaining exam time: 120 minutes (timing will begin shortly).”

“Additional note: According to the Earth Life Act, if a non-citizen in this scenario inflicts serious injury upon a candidate, all prior crimes will be pardoned upon exam completion—they may leave First Jiangcheng, receive a new identity device, and regain freedom.”

After reading the exam details,

Shi Xuan glanced around, saw no one speak, and spoke first: “Jiang Jian, let me lay out my plan.”

Jiang Jian nodded. “Go ahead.”

Shi Xuan said: “Xu Yu has the oil-paper umbrella, which can protect teammates; Song Ling can heal wounds and restore our spiritual energy.”

“Song Ling and Xu Yu stay in the center.”

“You have Pure Spirit True Flame—strong in both offense and defense. You and Du Fang take the rear.”

“Du Fang will lead the assault with his Ten Thousand Forms Sword Art; your Pure Spirit True Flame will serve as defense for now.”

Here, he raised his Moon-Chasing Blade. “I have a Level 3 divine-gifted weapon. I’ll take the front line.”

Jiang Jian paused briefly, then said: “I have no objections.”

Du Fang and Song Ling both nodded.

Xu Yu said nothing, silently pulling out his oil-paper umbrella and gripping it in hand.

(End of Chapter)