[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-ascending-to-divinity":3,"chapter-ascending-to-divinity-ascending-to-divinity-chapter-31":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},2280581,4461,"Chapter 31: Ghost Doll","ascending-to-divinity-chapter-31",31,"\u003Cp>Under intense pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pink doll emitted a shrill, grating scream.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It writhed rapidly, its tentacles flailing wildly, surging toward the light staircase!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its strength was immense—every shop display along its path was crushed to splinters!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of its tentacles shot out abruptly, spanning dozens of meters, and lashed hard against Du Fang’s leg!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That damn thing!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Du Fang let out a shriek and was flung several meters away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He slammed violently into a solid cabinet!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Get him down first!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian said coldly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Song Ling’s face was panicked; she released “Mind Healing” while half-dragging Du Fang toward the stairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pink doll drew nearer, its grotesque face seeming right before their eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian stood motionless, expression icy, wooden sword in hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pink doll loomed over Jiang Jian, grinning with a crimson mouth, accelerating its charge!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three tentacles suddenly elongated!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They surged toward Jiang Jian from different directions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If those three tentacles struck him directly, he’d be dead—or crippled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOM!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next second,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three tentacles slammed hard against the light staircase!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The staircase let out a tortured screech and instantly cracked all over!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pink doll’s grin vanished; it turned its gaze toward Jiang Jian nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beside the staircase was a fire escape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just now, Jiang Jian had used the fire escape to evade the tentacles’ grasp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>CRASH!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pink doll was moving too fast to stop—it crashed violently into a steel cabinet!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For an instant, its grotesque face went slack with confusion!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now’s the chance…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the fire escape, Jiang Jian stared at the pink doll just inches away, eyes cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In hand, he held the wooden sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He slashed horizontally across the doll’s eye!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOM!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sound like torn cloth rang out!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sword qi spiraled, slicing open the doll’s eye—and it exploded!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“ROAR!!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The doll thrashed its tentacles wildly, screaming in agony!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steel cabinets bent under the blows, shards flew, metal clashed!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian stepped back two paces and retreated again into the fire escape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He flipped his palm, securing the wooden sword to his waist, pupils glowing with crimson flames!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pure Spirit Flame!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOM!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Intense, ferocious crimson flames surged forward!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, the pink doll became a towering figure of fire!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In just a few seconds,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crimson flames faded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pink doll was charred black, its massive body shriveling violently before crashing heavily to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOM!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The light staircase shuddered violently, kicking up a cloud of dust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Team Alert: Octopus Toy Monster is dead.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Number of non-citizens killed: 12.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Personal kill count: 2.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Special Alert: Killing the Octopus Toy Monster grants bonus evaluation points.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian took a breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sensed his remaining Qi had dropped to seventy percent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Jiang Jian!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Song Ling’s urgent voice came from below.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian turned his head, looking down the staircase.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the first-floor entrance, dozens of ghost dolls hovered in the air!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They cackled eerily, flickering in and out, leaving wounds on Song Ling and Du Fang with each pass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Du Fang limped, face pale, desperately wielding the Ten Thousand Forms Sword Art to hold them off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian fell silent for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He recalled the evaluation rules.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Cooperate with teammates, use your Divine Gift, and locate and kill as many non-citizens as possible.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking of this,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian looked down at the fluttering ghost dolls on the first floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He saw them as moving evaluation points.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Octopus Toy Monster is dealt with. I’ll help you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian offered a mechanical smile. “Song Ling, accelerate my Qi recovery!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Jiang Jian’s words,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Song Ling immediately turned back and activated her talent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>White light surged forth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian’s Qi recovery sped up significantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Du Fang swung his phantom sword with all his strength, slaying another ghost doll!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He paid the price—a chunk of flesh torn from his left arm!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOM!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian stood in the center of the staircase, slashing horizontally with his wooden sword!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Invisible sword qi roared forward, sweeping through the fluttering flies!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fine sword qi fragmented and pierced into the ghost dolls’ bodies, exploding within them!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Piercing screams erupted continuously!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More than a dozen ghost dolls froze midair, faces twisted in agony.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their bodies riddled with holes, steaming white smoke poured out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next second,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These buzzing giant flies dropped like dumplings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Plop. Plop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They landed on the mall’s floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Team Alert: Ghost Dolls are dead.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Number of non-citizens killed: 13.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Personal kill count: 3.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Team Alert: Ghost Dolls are dead.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Number of non-citizens killed: 14.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Personal kill count: 4.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Team Alert: Ghost Dolls are dead.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Number of non-citizens killed: 27.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Personal kill count: 17.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Continuous alerts chimed on his identity device.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this scene.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The remaining ghost dolls froze for a moment, glancing at each other.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fear spread across their faces as they scrambled wildly in all directions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In less than a second.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They vanished into the corners, gone without a trace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Du Fang plopped onto the ground, panting heavily: “Jiang Jian, thank goodness you’re here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Song Ling also exhaled in relief, continuously activating “Soul Healing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Restoring Qi to himself and Jiang Jian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And helping Du Fang stop his wounds from bleeding, accelerating healing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re right—if not for Jiang Jian, we’d have been severely wounded by these ghost dolls.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Song Ling said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Du Fang sat up straight, sighed, and said: “I performed poorly—I’m holding everyone back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Du Fang, don’t undervalue yourself. Your talent is still in its initial stage.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian remained noncommittal: “Once you begin proper cultivation, it won’t be like this anymore.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the brief rest,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian scanned the vast shopping mall, then added: “Shi Xuan and Xu Yu—where did they go?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But judging by the team’s kill count,”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“they’re probably fine for now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Du Fang nodded, voice tinged with bitterness: “That Moon-Seeking Blade—a Level 3 Divine Gift weapon, worth 3.6 million Alliance Coins, utterly dominant—how could he be in trouble?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian shook his head: “I just had a thought.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Song Ling asked: “What thought?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian smiled: “The exam rules clearly state that you must activate your own Divine Gift talent.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Except for those with innate talents or those granted ‘weapons.’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“For everyone else, Divine Gift weapons are external tools.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian tied the wooden sword to his waist: “The ghost dolls I killed with this wooden sword may not count toward the exam score.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Or rather,”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“their impact on the score is minimal.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the same logic,”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“even if Shi Xuan slashes through them like cutting vegetables with the Moon-Seeking Blade,”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“when final scores are tallied,”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“it won’t add many points.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they spoke,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A massive black shadow suddenly dropped from the rotating light staircase!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The heavy object hit the ground, kicking up dust!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first-floor floor cracked with a massive fissure!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Xu Yu!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Song Ling spotted it instantly, staring closely, and cried out in shock!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian’s expression shifted slightly as he turned his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The massive black mass was a huge bear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under the gaze of the group,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bear crouched low and rapidly shrank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Revealing a slender human form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Xu Yu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Continuous public alerts rang out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Team Alert: The Hanged Ghost is dead.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Number of Non-Citizens slain: 30.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Team Alert: The Photo Ghost is dead.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Number of Non-Citizens slain: 35.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Song Ling hurried forward,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Activating Soul Healing to treat Xu Yu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian sat before the light staircase, expressionless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shi Xuan isn’t with Xu Yu.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where did he go…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thoughts churned in his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian glanced at his identity device.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Remaining time: 105 minutes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“At this score, making the top 50 is pure fantasy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking this, Jiang Jian’s gaze grew cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bathed in white light, Xu Yu opened his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He struggled to open them, barely sitting up, face pale: “Thank you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Song Ling shook his head: “No need to thank me. Where did you go just now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yu’s voice was weak: “All the lights went out. In the dark, I was grabbed by the Elevator Ghost and sent straight to the sixth floor.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The sixth floor sells men’s clothing and shoes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I killed over a dozen little ghosts.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Until just now, I encountered a Hanger Ghost.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It was too strong—I couldn’t beat it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“After forcibly crushing a few little ghosts,”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“it slammed into me and sent me crashing down from the sixth floor.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Saying this,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yu looked relieved: “If not for my Divine Gift talent—Strength Like a Bear—I’d have died from the fall!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian stepped forward: “With exam supervisors watching, you wouldn’t have died from the fall.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But a severe injury leading to elimination? Definitely possible.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soul Healing continued to flow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Color slowly returned to Xu Yu’s face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sat up straight and sincerely said: “Thank you all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Song Ling said: “You’re too polite.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Du Fang walked over and asked: “Was Shi Xuan with you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yu looked puzzled and replied: “Isn’t Shi Xuan right here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Du Fang froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian’s heart lurched as he slowly turned his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Toward the spot Xu Yu pointed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>sat a broken claw machine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beside the machine stood a person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Jian stared at the back of the “Shi Xuan,” a sharp warning rising in his mind!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Song Ling cried out: “Jiang Jian, that’s the fake person who just spoke to you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s been here the whole time!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yu looked even more confused: “What’s going on? Isn’t Shi Xuan…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ssssh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blood and flesh sprayed!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yu’s words cut off mid-sentence!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stared dumbly down at a bloody hole in his thigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A torrent of blood gushed out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next second.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yu rolled his eyes back and fainted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Xu Yu severely injured—individual assessment concluded!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A cold voice came through the identity device.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The proctor, wearing a mask, landed and picked up Xu Yu, exiting the shopping mall immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Watch out! It’s still here!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Song Ling screamed in terror.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The “Shi Xuan” who had just struck still stood quietly not far away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In its hand, it clutched a bloody, mangled piece of human flesh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Delicious.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dummy smiled, tossed Xu Yu’s flesh into its mouth, and swallowed it in two or three bites.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1709,"2026-06-20T01:21:34.271Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","46cb2789c6251e6046584168ba6ee2803bd13d92a508c68db0704c2b55833093","ascending-to-divinity-chapter-32","ascending-to-divinity-chapter-30",306,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fascending-to-divinity-cover.jpg"]