Chapter 71: Dawn Breaks

The countdown ended.

The transparent energy barrier on the arena faded away silently.

No words were wasted.

The boy gripped the Thunder Spear and surged forward at an utterly terrifying speed!

The spear’s blade glowed with chilling frost, silver and white lightning converging.

After leaving countless afterimages in the air, it stabbed toward Jiang Jian!

CRASH!

A piercing clang of metal on metal exploded!

Spiritual energy surged around Jiang Jian as he swept his sleeve and slashed out a sword strike!

The frost-white blade, wreathed in radiant flame, slammed hard against the spear’s tip!

Sparks flew everywhere!

The sword’s momentum halted.

Yet the flaming sword aura exploded outward, sweeping downward!

As the sword flame neared his body, the spear-wielding boy’s face changed—he rapidly retreated.

At the same time,

Spiritual energy erupted around him as he wildly spun the spear in his hands.

Spear shadows flashed like lightning, forming an impenetrable wall that shattered the sword aura completely!

But—

Seizing this opening, Jiang Jian had already gained the initiative.

The next instant,

Jiang Jian rushed forward with his sword, spiritual energy raging as he slashed out dozens more strikes!

The spear-wielding boy gritted his teeth, lifting the spear to desperately block the sword blades, thunder cracking all around him!

In the blink of an eye,

The Han Guang blade and the spear’s tip clashed dozens more times!

CRASH!

Deafening roars erupted as semi-transparent shockwaves surged outward in all directions!

Jiang Jian’s expression remained cold as spiritual energy roared from his Shen Que, pouring once more into Han Guang!

Each sword strike carried an immense torrent of blazing white sword light!

The spear-wielding boy struggled to defend, retreating step by step, his face grim with strain.

Facing Jiang Jian, he had almost no chance to counterattack.

Not only was his own spear aura completely swallowed by the sword qi,

He also had to constantly shift his position to evade the crashing torrents of sword light.

In just a few seconds,

He was pushed all the way to the arena’s edge!

One misstep, and every step after was doomed.

Without warning,

Several petals suddenly appeared beside the spear-wielding boy’s head!

The moment they appeared, they collapsed, dissolving into a fine shower of flower petals.

A faint fragrance.

“What kind of technique is this?!”

The spear-wielding boy’s face twisted in shock—he sensed mortal danger and his scalp went numb!

The fine flower rain scattered, falling into his pupils.

“My winning streak is broken!”

The spear-wielding boy froze, a thought flashing through his mind.

The next instant,

His entire body, spear and all, was drenched in the flowing flower rain and reduced to ash.

“You have won this ranking match!”

“Your rank: 9.”

“Special Notice: You have achieved 32 consecutive victories!”

A holographic screen appeared.

In an instant, the floating arena was spotless again.

Jiang Jian landed on the ground, the sword in his hand dissolving, his face pale.

“Shen Que spiritual energy is depleted.”

“This battle drained too much.”

The next instant,

Shen Que spiritual energy had fully restored.

Jiang Jian swiped the holographic screen, viewing the Ladder’s overall ranking.

“Total students in the district: 42,720.”

“Rank 1: Qi Ming.”

“Rank 2: Lu Tingting.”

“Rank 3: Qiu Lu.”

…

“Rank 9: Jiang Jian.”

…

“Rank 17: Liu Tiezhu.”

…

“Rank 33: Shi Xuan.”

…

Glancing at the list, Jiang Jian’s eyes narrowed in thought.

“My spiritual reserve is still insufficient.”

“If I face an opponent with a Level 4 talent or one skilled in recovery combat,

My Shen Que spiritual energy won’t last long.”

“I will inevitably run out of spiritual energy mid-battle.”

Thinking of this,

Jiang Jian shut off the holographic screen and exited the Ladder system.

“You have successfully exited.”

The virtual pod emitted a prompt, its glow flickering as the particle glass dissolved.

Jiang Jian stepped out of the pod and took Han Guang in hand.

A cool sensation radiated from the hilt.

The blade shimmered faintly, filled with swirling air currents.

“I wonder what level my spiritual reserve has reached.”

Jiang Jian stepped out of his room.

He took the elevator and stopped at the fifth floor.

“Testing Hall.”

Jiang Jian extended his finger and swiped the holographic screen.

“Verification successful!”

“Identity device permission: First Academy student.”

A prompt sounded.

The Testing Hall doors slowly opened.

10:00 PM.

Most students of the First Academy, having finished their study tasks, were rushing to climb the Ladder rankings through the night.

The vast Testing Hall was empty.

Jiang Jian walked to the device and raised his identity device.

“Identity verification successful!”

“Test cultivation foundation?”

A mechanical voice sounded.

Jiang Jian confirmed again.

The device’s orb instantly glowed brightly.

Array patterns along the base of the seat lit up one after another.

“Activate your spiritual energy.”

The orb spun rapidly.

Jiang Jian willed his spirit, and a thread of crimson blood surged forth, flowing into the orb.

“Testing…”

The array patterns flashed at high speed.

After several dozen seconds, the test array ceased.

On the holographic screen, lines of small text appeared.

“Test successful!”

“Spiritual energy reserve test: duration 1 minute.”

“Estimated spiritual energy upper limit: approximately 10% of Divine Grant realm.”

Jiang Jian retracted his hand and made a quick internal calculation.

“The academy has been open for only one week.”

“My cultivation speed isn’t slow.”

“But.”

“It’s not enough.”

Jiang Jian walked toward the elevator and repeatedly tapped his identity device.

On the holographic screen, a transparent black card appeared, slowly rotating.

“Faction Cultivation Special Hall, trial card.”

“Remaining time: 20 hours.”

Golden light circled the black card.

Jiang Jian exited the dormitory building, boarded an unmanned aerial pod, inputted a command, and headed deep into the campus.

Within the campus stood many buildings.

Yet all was silent, no students moving about.

“The black card Gu Qi gave me is only a trial version.”

“It has only 20 hours left.”

Jiang Jian gazed out the window at the towering buildings.

But the Cultivation Special Hall was just one.

Extremely precious.

Only those who join the “Top Student” faction are eligible to use it.

This trial card was gifted by Gu Qi and is valid across the campus.

Currently, the “Top Student” position at the academy remains vacant.

Before the “Top Student” is confirmed, only high-year students’ trial cards grant access to the Cultivation Special Hall.

“By normal logic.”

“First-year students cannot yet access academy factions.”

Jiang Jian stepped down from the aerial pod and looked toward the Cultivation Special Hall.

The building was brand-new, its surface densely covered in array patterns.

The stone steps were clean and luminous, spotless, even without the faintest scratch.

Clearly.

None of this year’s freshmen had come here yet.

“Identity verified!”

A mechanical voice sounded.

Jiang Jian ascended the steps and entered the Cultivation Special Hall.

Array patterns lit up in sequence; spiritual energy surged from all directions, thick beyond belief!

Jiang Jian stood in the hall, his gaze sharpening.

Amid the roiling spiritual energy lay a terrifying force!

Jiang Jian opened his identity device and read the Cultivation Special Hall’s description.

“This is…”

“A thread of divine power, personally collected over a long time by the Linjiang Bureau Divine Envoy, from the light of a star!”

The “divine power” here is not true godly power.

The radiance of gods has stained the sun.

Through stellar light, it spills across the solar system.

This thread of “divine power” was gathered by the Linjiang Bureau Divine Envoy using special methods.

From sunlight, he collected a trace of faint, dust-like residue.

Little by little, it accumulated.

Over decades, each thread of this “divine power” became priceless.

Most of it is sold at exorbitant prices to Divine Grant University and wealthy clans.

Used to construct “Cultivation Special Halls” to nurture prodigies.

Time is precious.

Jiang Jian sat cross-legged on the hall’s floor.

The trial card permits cultivation only in the hall; it grants no access to the building’s interior.

Only the owner of the Cultivation Special Hall—the “Top Student”—can unlock internal permissions.

“No wonder the Cultivation Special Hall is so important.”

As soon as Jiang Jian began cultivating, he immediately sensed:

His Divine Palace’s spiritual reserve was increasing—slowly, thread by thread, visibly!

“So fast already!”

Jiang Jian took hold of his Wish Jade, slipped on his Spirit Gathering bracelet, tore open a cultivation herb, and swallowed it.

His cultivation speed surged again!

“This speed is far faster than the campus cultivation rooms!”

“More importantly.”

“Cultivating here increases your Divine Palace’s foundation!”

“These 20 hours are too precious.”

“I cannot waste them.”

Jiang Jian calmed his mind, fully immersing himself in cultivation.

By now, Jiang Jian was certain:

The Cultivation Special Hall was unquestionably one of the rarest, top-tier resources in Divine Grant University!

Because “divine power” is extremely limited!

Such a priceless resource is reserved only for campus prodigies—never open to ordinary students.

Time passed second by second.

Jiang Jian’s Divine Palace spiritual reserve increased steadily, solidly.

These past few days,

Jiang Jian’s mind had gained insight, and he had endured constant battles.

His cultivation now not only deepened his spiritual reserve but also deepened his understanding of his prior battles.

The sun rose, the moon set.

Dawn arrived quickly.

In the cultivation hall, only Jiang Jian’s faint breathing could be heard.

8:30 a.m.

Jiang Jian suddenly opened his eyes.

The spiritual energy around him trembled violently!

(End of Chapter)