Chapter 30: Feiqiong

At some point, it began.

Outside the window, darkness fell.

The shuttle had already entered the lower levels of the Fifth Jiangcheng.

Around the shuttle, faint blue lines flickered past.

Those were the array patterns of the “Celestial Pillar Mountain Array.”

Below, the vast steel city sank into suffocating darkness.

Silence as death.

Crash!

After several minutes, a thunderous impact suddenly echoed outside!

Light surged across the window; the shuttle halted at the edge of the array patterns.

At the same moment.

Information appeared on each of their identity devices.

“First Jiangcheng, East District, Market Zone, Block 32, Xinghua Shopping Mall.”

“The examination is about to begin.”

“Remaining preparation time: one minute.”

The cabin door slowly opened.

Shi Xuan stepped forward, long knife in hand.

Jiang Jian followed closely behind.

This was a vast urban square.

Around them, utter darkness.

Countless towering buildings stood silent in the dark.

Occasionally, faint blue currents flickered into view.

“Examination begins!”

“Remaining time: 120 minutes!”

As the voice echoed from their identity devices.

The towering shopping building ahead instantly lit up!

Jiang Jian looked up.

On the massive signboard, six characters read: “Xinghua Shopping Mall.”

Hum!

Blinding streetlights flared one after another.

In mere seconds.

The entire mall blazed with light, as bright as daylight!

At some point, the examination shuttle had departed.

Shi Xuan, holding the Moon-Seeking Blade, walked ahead: “Let’s go in.”

Xu Yu held an oil-paper umbrella, walking beside Song Ling, a few steps behind.

Jiang Jian glanced at Du Fang and said: “You walk ahead.”

Du Fang hesitated slightly, then said: “Then be careful.”

Jiang Jian nodded.

With a thought, he activated the Pure Spirit True Flame.

Thin strands of blood-red flame curled around his pale, slender fingers.

Sizzle.

The flame scorched the air with a hissing sound.

He looked up.

Du Fang and the others had already entered the mall’s entrance.

Jiang Jian stood at the threshold, turned back.

He glanced at the dense cluster of buildings hidden in the darkness behind him.

Then he turned and stepped into the Xinghua Shopping Mall.

Blinding light flooded his pupils.

Before him, gold and jade shimmered in splendor.

Jiang Jian squinted.

After a moment, he slowly adjusted.

“This mall looks small, yet it has six floors.”

Shi Xuan stood before the service counter, gazing upward at the spiral light staircase connecting all six levels.

Jiang Jian fell silent briefly, then said: “We only have 120 minutes. If they hide and stall…”

Du Fang flipped his palm; a semi-transparent long sword appeared in his grip. “Why not split up and search?”

“After all, the proctors are watching—we won’t be in mortal danger.”

Upon hearing this.

Jiang Jian shook his head, saying nothing.

Shi Xuan smirked: “That’s true—but if you’re attacked, crippled, how many points will your score earn?”

He turned his head, glancing at Jiang Jian. “Jiang Jian, you just said you feared they’d deliberately hide. That’s not something to worry about.”

“Most unofficial citizens here would rather die than miss a chance to escape.”

“After all, First Jiangcheng has no sunlight, no end to darkness, and food is scarce.”

“As time passes, their cultivation regresses.”

“In the end, they die slowly.”

“Those who hide, hoping to survive one more day, clinging to life, waiting to die—that kind of unofficial citizen is rare.”

As he spoke,

Shi Xuan suddenly spun, slashing the Moon-Seeking Blade with full force!

Boom!

A terrifying invisible blade aura roared out, striking the plush toy beside them!

Crack!

A shrill sound of shattering echoed!

The giant balloon toy swayed unsteadily.

The next instant, it exploded into countless fragments!

“Team Alert: Doll Monster deceased.”

“Number of unofficial citizens slain: 1.”

Shi Xuan sneered: “Still trying to ambush us?”

The moment he spoke,

The surrounding lights suddenly dimmed!

Jiang Jian’s pupils contracted; the Pure Spirit True Flame surged wildly, engulfing his entire body!

The next second,

A venomous, piercing shriek pierced his eardrums!

Sizzle!

The lights blazed back to full brightness!

A ghost clung to Jiang Jian’s back, bound and searing in the Pure Spirit True Flame!

Its face twisted in agony, emitting hideous, guttural cries.

“Die.”

Jiang Jian spoke coldly.

Blood-red flames surged violently, reducing the ghost to smoke.

“Team Alert: Shopkeeper Ghost deceased.”

“Number of unofficial citizens slain: 2.”

“Personal kills: 1.”

The identity device beeped again.

“It’s bad!”

Song Ling’s voice, frantic, came from ahead.

Jiang Jian looked up.

Du Fang was being dragged by a tentacle, foaming at the mouth, drenched in blood.

Shi Xuan stood motionless before a claw machine.

Xu Yu had vanished entirely.

Seeing this,

Jiang Jian frowned slightly.

After a moment’s thought, he activated the Pure Spirit True Flame and sent it roaring toward the tentacles.

Sizzle!

Where the blood-red flame passed, the wooden-frame dolls instantly turned to ash.

The tentacle, touched by a single spark of flame, writhed in pain.

It thrashed wildly.

Flung Du Fang hard onto the floor!

Song Ling rushed forward, gritting his teeth as he activated his talent: “Soul Healing!”

A gentle white light glowed forth.

Du Fang’s wounds immediately stopped bleeding.

A few seconds later.

He awoke from unconsciousness, pale-faced, swaying as he stood up.

Shi Xuan still stood before the coin machine, voice hoarse: “I’m trapped by the Coin Ghost, Jiang Jian—smash this thing!”

Jiang Jian glanced at him, eyes thoughtful.

With the boost of Soul Healing, Du Fang had regained some strength.

Hearing Shi Xuan’s words, he immediately activated Ten Thousand Forms Sword Qi, ready to show off.

“Stop!”

Jiang Jian blocked him. “Come with me right now!”

Du Fang’s sword qi swirled in his hand. “But Shi Xuan is trapped there…”

Jiang Jian’s tone turned cold. “He’s not Shi Xuan at all!”

“Open your eyes and look closely!”

“He doesn’t even hold the Moon-Seeking Blade!”

With that,

Jiang Jian flipped his palm, took the wooden sword in hand, and walked straight toward the second floor.

Du Fang looked over—and saw that the “Shi Xuan” held nothing in his hands.

He was suddenly chilled with fear.

A few seconds later.

Du Fang forced himself back to awareness, face pale with dread, and hurried after him.

Before the claw machine.

The “Shi Xuan” stood with his back to Du Fang; sensing the three growing distant, his expression turned venomous.

Song Ling asked: “If it can’t move, why don’t we kill it?”

Jiang Jian shook his head. “We haven’t formally cultivated—we can’t control Qi precisely.”

“If we accidentally shatter the claw machine, something bad might happen.”

Jiang Jian glanced back. “Like dozens of ghost dolls surging out…”

Hearing this, Song Ling fell silent at once.

Spiral staircase.

Song Ling continuously activated “Soul Healing.”

Du Fang’s wounds slowly healed.

Even Jiang Jian’s depleted Qi had been fully restored.

“Stop!”

Jiang Jian suddenly spoke.

He stood on the second-floor staircase, looking up.

A three-meter-tall pink doll blocked their path, waving countless tentacles, its mouth shrieking incessantly.

“That’s the thing that dragged me away just now!”

Seeing it, Du Fang’s eyes turned bloodshot with rage—he slashed his transparent longsword downward!

Dozens of fine, transparent sword qi streaks lashed toward the pink doll!

Boom!

The sword qi howled, slicing open the doll’s skin, leaving it riddled with wounds!

(End of Chapter)