Chapter 74: Self-Admiring Reflection

Jiang Jian.

Inside the cabin, Liu Tiezhu sat down.

A particle screen appeared; he glanced at Jiang Jian and lowered his voice, “How did your cultivation essence increase so much?”

Jiang Jian fell silent briefly, then said, “Last night, I went to the Dedicated Cultivation Hall.”

Liu Tiezhu’s pupils contracted: “The Dedicated Cultivation Hall? That’s a prime place.”

Jiang Jian nodded. “Cultivating inside, your essence cap rises quickly.”

Liu Tiezhu clicked his tongue. “By normal standards, second-year students only get access to the Dedicated Cultivation Hall.”

He looked at Jiang Jian again.

“According to my estimate, if your Shenque essence were tested, it should be around 15%.”

Jiang Jian nodded. “About that.”

Cultivation is becoming harder.

Especially so in the Divine Bestowal Realm.

In the early stages of cultivation,

increasing a single thread of Shenque essence requires little time.

But.

As the Shenque acupoint’s cap increases,

to raise the same single thread of Shenque essence,

the time required surges dramatically.

This is why the vast majority are trapped for life in the Divine Bestowal Realm.

“What are you two whispering about?”

Shan Ye stood beside his seat, curious.

The particle screen dissolved.

Liu Tiezhu waved his hand. “Nothing.”

Shan Ye looked unconvinced. “What’s really going on?”

As he spoke,

the cabin door closed.

The sky-skimmer lifted off, heading toward the Tianzhu Mountain Track.

“Have you checked the forum?”

From the seat behind, a girl in a white dress spoke softly.

“Someone from Shaoshuizhou Academy uploaded a video—it’s Jiang Jian.”

She swiped her finger and shared the post in the group chat.

The post’s title was enlarged and bolded.

Below the video, comments had already flooded to thousands.

"Bro, you might have gotten lucky beating me, but you’re no match for Qi Ming!"

The poster’s title brimmed with resentment.

Jiang Jian glanced at it.

He recognized at once—the poster was the boy who wielded the Thunder Spear.

The comments, however, were mostly mocking.

“Poster’s funny—calling that a lucky win? You were dominated the whole time!”

“Wake up! Your spiritual energy reserves aren’t even in the same league as his!”

“Why does the video cut off right when you start retreating? What happened after?”

“Afraid to show how badly you lost?”

“Even just the first half—you still lost!”

…

A few minutes later,

the post vanished.

Shan Ye had been intently reading the comments.

The holographic screen suddenly displayed: “Original video deleted.”

“He can’t take losing.”

Shan Ye shut off his identity device, disgruntled. “He’s afraid you’ll become famous—didn’t even name you, and blocked your face.”

Jiang Jian smiled. “It’s fine.”

Shi Xuan walked over with a tray. “Want a drink?”

“A mocha, thanks.”

Jiang Jian raised his wrist.

The sky-skimmer moved fast, but hadn’t yet left the Tianzhu Mountain Track.

It was still far from Dayan City in Shaoshuizhou.

“Shi Luohua climbed to No. 3 on the Ladder.”

Liu Tiezhu suddenly spoke.

Hearing this,

Shi Xuan immediately set down the tray and opened his identity device.

“It’s true.”

"She’s a Level 4 Talent—she pulled it off."

Shi Xuan stared at the screen, murmuring, his expression complex.

Shan Ye raised an eyebrow, about to say something, but thought better of it and stayed silent.

A few minutes later,

at the back of the cabin, Yin Yin looked up at Shi Xuan. “Shi Xuan, your cousin climbed to No. 2!”

“What?!”

Shi Xuan was stunned.

On the Ladder rankings,

Shi Luohua’s name rose again.

She swept past Qiu Lu and Lu Tingting, reaching No. 2!

Shi Xuan clenched his teeth and pumped his fist in excitement. "Our Linjiang Academy is still the top Divine Bestowal university! Level 4 Talent? Still crushed by her!"

Shan Ye doused his enthusiasm. “Qi Ming from Wangchuan Academy holds No. 1—and has never lost.”

Shi Xuan waved it off. "My cousin’s a Level 4 Talent—she’s just as good! With enough Shi family resources, she’ll take No. 1!"

“I don’t want to say this,”

Shan Ye clicked his tongue, “but you look just like her fanboy.”

Shi Xuan retorted: “My cousin’s just shy and doesn’t fit in—but she’s gorgeous, no less than any star. So what if I’m her fan?”

Shan Ye sighed helplessly and walked away.

Jiang Jian sat in his seat, eyes thoughtful.

Shi Luohua was, after all, a Level 4 Talent.

Her loss to me back then had something to do with her starting cultivation late.

The Shi Luohua now is not the Shi Luohua before.

“Everyone is improving.”

Jiang Jian’s mind churned.

“Cultivation is like rowing upstream.”

“A moment’s slack, and you’re swiftly overtaken.”

“In an instant, you’re left far behind.”

“Until you can’t even see their silhouette.”

Thinking of this,

Jiang Jian’s gaze grew steady.

Shenque qi surged.

Never once did he pause cultivation.

Dū!

A communication alert sounded.

Jiang Jian opened his identity device, checked his latest message.

It was a video message from his sister, Jiang Zhao.

“Jiang Jian, I haven’t been feeling well lately.”

In the video, the girl lowered her eyelids, her face pale, her long black hair cascading like a waterfall.

“Every time I cultivate, it suddenly stops.”

“As long as I don’t cultivate, I’m fine.”

"Jiang Jian, do you think I won't get sick, right?"

Watching the video message.

Jiang Jian’s heart sank, his brow furrowing.

He remembered something of utmost importance.

"In a while, it will be Jiang Zhao’s eighteenth birthday."

"We need to return to Guangling City."

"That is the final step in treating Soul-Drift Syndrome."

Thinking of this,

Jiang Jian replied to the communication: "Stop cultivating for now."

A few seconds later,

his sister sent a message.

"Jiang Jian, does that mean I won’t cultivate anymore?"

Jiang Jian replied: "Cultivate, but wait for a while."

He did not tell his sister the specifics.

A patient with Soul-Drift Syndrome must never know their condition.

Otherwise,

the soul and the body could separate outright.

In severe cases, the soul might dissipate, causing immediate death.

(End of Chapter)