[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-ascending-to-divinity":3,"chapter-ascending-to-divinity-ascending-to-divinity-chapter-29":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},2280579,4461,"Chapter 29: Chasing the Moon","ascending-to-divinity-chapter-29",29,"\u003Cp>Twenty minutes passed quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most students had completed their team formation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Does Linjiang Prefecture housing so many non-citizens count as illegal?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Du Fang gazed across the first-tier Jiangcheng and suddenly asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to the Non-Citizen Protection Act.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every non-citizen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In terms of personal safety.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Possesses the same rights as Earth citizens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shi Xuan sneered and said, “The non-citizens of first-tier Jiangcheng are all criminals.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Normal non-citizens wouldn’t be captured and brought here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Jiangjiang Prefecture, seventeen states.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“All non-citizen criminals who committed serious offenses have one choice.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“First, under Alliance law, they are tried by the local state’s Inspectorate and executed immediately.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Second, they are exiled to Jiangjiang State and assigned to live in first-tier Jiangcheng.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If they behave well within first-tier Jiangcheng.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They may even reduce their sentence or regain freedom.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In short.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“First-tier Jiangcheng is a vast, extraordinarily unique prison.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It collects non-citizen criminals from all seventeen states of Jiangjiang.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The overwhelming majority who should have been executed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Earth Alliance has laws—and mercy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is forgiveness beyond the law.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shi Xuan reached behind his back, drew his long blade, “Five minutes left. Let’s prepare.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Du Fang sighed, “I never thought first-tier Jiangcheng was the only lifeline for non-citizen criminals.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Song Ling, however, frowned and asked, “Shi Xuan, is that blade a divine gift weapon?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shi Xuan raised an eyebrow: “Yeah. What about your weapons?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At these words,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian and Song Ling exchanged glances, both startled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Du Fang asked outright: “Your talent is Level 3 ‘Martial,’ Guiyuan Gangqi—how can you use a divine gift weapon?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shi Xuan countered: “Why not?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Because our textbooks say divine gift weapons can only be used by the chosen!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Du Fang’s tone was absolute: “Once the chosen dies, the weapon turns to worthless scrap!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s such narrow-minded nonsense.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shi Xuan pulled out a cloth and wiped his blade, smirking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tell me—where do the talent orbs sold on the trading platform come from?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Du Fang hesitated, then said: “The chosen go to the Prayer Hall and undergo a severance ritual to remove them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good. Now I ask you this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shi Xuan held the blade, fixing Du Fang with his gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What happens if someone with the ‘Weapon’ talent, who already possesses a divine gift weapon, undergoes a severance ritual while still alive?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Du Fang fell silent, unsure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian’s eyes flickered: “No talent orb appears. Instead, the weapon becomes ownerless.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shi Xuan nodded. “Most importantly, divine gift weapons don’t need to be placed in acupoints.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Similarly,”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They don’t occupy the Shenque acupoint of your second talent.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You only need to perform a simple connection ritual at the Prayer Hall.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Anyone can use a divine gift weapon they’ve purchased—once it’s ownerless!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So that’s how it is,” Song Ling realized, asking, “How much did your long blade cost in Alliance coins?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the price,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Song Ling’s eyes trembled, pupils contracting sharply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Du Fang’s lips twitched, face awkward: “Didn’t realize you were from a wealthy family!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Jiang Jian studied the blade carefully, saying nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three point six million was indeed shocking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Jiang Jian’s mind was focused on something else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So if this is true,”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Anyone with money can use a divine gift weapon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Because it’s purely external—it doesn’t occupy the Shenque acupoint.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It doesn’t conflict with the second talent orb.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then my wooden sword has none of the advantage I thought it did.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thoughts churned inside him, but he showed nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He realized his hometown, Guangling City, was far too remote.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Much information and knowledge there was narrow and closed-off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Jiangjiang State, there was still so much to learn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The basics of divine gift weapons were just one of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they spoke,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shy boy Xu Yu also drew his divine gift weapon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An oil-paper umbrella.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The exam is about to begin, Xu Yu. Introduce your weapon to your three teammates.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shi Xuan said from beside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Level 2 divine gift weapon, oil-paper umbrella. Can temporarily expand, offering strong defense.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yu held his umbrella and spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He spoke haltingly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly unaccustomed to social interaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Song Ling and Du Fang exchanged glances, more embarrassed: “We don’t have divine gift weapons…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shi Xuan waved a hand, smiling warmly: “No problem. Just tell us your talent.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Du Fang said: “My Ten Thousand Forms Sword Art can condense sword qi to strangle—extremely offensive.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My talent is Xinlingzhiyu .”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Song Ling said, “When activated, it gathers Qi to accelerate wound healing and restore spiritual energy faster.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian drew his wooden sword: “I have a family heirloom divine gift weapon—Level 2. It strongly suppresses ghosts and spirits.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Jiang Jian, I know your talent.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shi Xuan’s smile didn’t fade: “Level 3 ‘Art,’ Jingling Zhenhuo.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“With the two of us, this exam’s score won’t be low!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only reason he came to form this team\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because he knew Jiang Jian’s talent was Level 3 ‘Art.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Cabin 1, only three people had the ‘Art’ talent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian was one of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The exam is about to begin!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thirty minutes had passed; the identity devices glowed faintly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teacher Zhang looked at the 300 students and shouted into his device: “Sixty exam shuttles, proceed to the fleet yard immediately!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few seconds later,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Along the edge of the massive city, sixty beams of light roared into the sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shuttles shot forward, streaking across the heavens toward the fleet yard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Less than a minute later,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sixty exam shuttles landed in perfect formation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Board your shuttles!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shuttle doors opened; the pilot turned his head toward Jiang Jian and Shi Xuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shi Xuan gripped the doorframe: “Jiang Jian, let’s go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian nodded and climbed aboard the flying shuttle with Shi Xuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Du Fang, Song Ling, and Xu Yu followed closely behind, boarding the vehicle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sit down in your seats and fasten your seatbelts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A dull thud echoed as the door sealed shut.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This flying shuttle was enormous—larger than any Jiang Jian had ever seen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its size could rival three flying shuttles from Guangling City Hall combined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beep!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A series of alerts sounded on the identity device.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exam content: Randomly assigning…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Assignment successful!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exam scenario: Xinghua Shopping Mall.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Objective: Locate and kill as many non-citizens as possible within the mall.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Scoring criteria: Fully unleash your divine gift to achieve a higher exam score.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“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.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Remaining exam time: 120 minutes (timing will begin shortly).”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“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.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After reading the exam details,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shi Xuan glanced around, saw no one speak, and spoke first: “Jiang Jian, let me lay out my plan.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian nodded. “Go ahead.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shi Xuan said: “Xu Yu has the oil-paper umbrella, which can protect teammates; Song Ling can heal wounds and restore our spiritual energy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Song Ling and Xu Yu stay in the center.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You have Pure Spirit True Flame—strong in both offense and defense. You and Du Fang take the rear.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Du Fang will lead the assault with his Ten Thousand Forms Sword Art; your Pure Spirit True Flame will serve as defense for now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Here, he raised his Moon-Chasing Blade. “I have a Level 3 divine-gifted weapon. I’ll take the front line.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian paused briefly, then said: “I have no objections.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Du Fang and Song Ling both nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yu said nothing, silently pulling out his oil-paper umbrella and gripping it in hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1301,"2026-06-20T01:21:34.271Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","879d97becb01f0c8b9ef63917240e8362c06c0418350a0adfa39dc0b4fe76e45","ascending-to-divinity-chapter-30","ascending-to-divinity-chapter-28",306,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fascending-to-divinity-cover.jpg"]