Chapter 82: By the Abyss

Beep.

Beep.

A series of communications came through on the identity device.

Ji Xue waved its claw, checking the messages.

A few seconds later, it looked up at Jiang Jian: “Shan Ye sent a learning task.”

Jiang Jian frowned, glanced at the holographic screen, and said, "Tell her I might leave Linjiang Province for the next few days and won't be back for at least ten days."

Ji Xue responded and helped Jiang Jian reply to the communication.

Jiang Jian closed the Ladder Ranking system and stared at the date in the lower-right corner, lost in thought.

Shi Luohua has reached the number two spot.

Liu Tiezhu, Shi Xuan, Yin Yin, Mu Ying, Shan Ye, and other classmates have gradually entered the top 20.

At this moment, in the Ladder rankings’ top 20:

Linjiang Academy holds 13 positions.

Videos of freshmen defeating their opponents have been uploaded one after another.

On the academy forum, criticism against Linjiang Academy has vanished completely.

“My rank is number nine.”

Jiang Jian paused for a moment, then walked toward the virtual pod.

According to the rules, the top 100 must compete in daily ranking matches.

Otherwise, they’ll be kicked out of the rankings and have to restart from the bottom.

“Participate in the Ladder every day to maintain my rank.”

“Once I return from Anhe Prefecture, I’ll fight my way back up.”

As thoughts churned, the glass pod lid sealed shut.

Light and shadow flickered; his consciousness plunged deep.

When he opened his eyes again:

Jiang Jian stood on the Floating Rock Arena.

“Matchmaking starting.”

Without hesitation, Jiang Jian tapped the holographic screen.

At rank nine, movement is extremely difficult.

Over several days, Jiang Jian’s rank remained unchanged.

This means those ahead of him haven’t been replaced.

“Jiang Jian!”

A shocked voice came from across the arena: “How is it you?!”

A transparent light barrier divided the center of the arena.

A 60-second countdown had already begun.

Jiang Jian flipped his palm lightly; delicate light coalesced into the Han Guang longsword.

The opponent sighed bitterly: “What kind of matchmaking system is this?! I’m rank 67—how did I get matched against rank nine?!”

Last time Jiang Jian competed in the Ladder, he won every match consecutively.

Parts of those battle videos had already been posted online.

His weapons and techniques were now widely known among new students.

The countdown ended.

Jiang Jian remained silent; spiritual energy surged from his Shenque, and he slashed forward with one sword!

The blade’s radiance blazed like a rainbow of fire!

The opponent’s pupils shrank—he had no time to dodge, his face twisted in horror: “This sword aura is ten times more terrifying than in the videos!”

CRACK!

His virtual armor shattered instantly!

The sword aura surged violently, shredding him into a bloody mess, exposing gleaming white bones on his chest!

BOOM!

The flames followed, swallowing everything, reducing him to ash in an instant.

“You have won this ranking match!”

“Your rank: 9.”

“Special Notice: You have achieved 33 consecutive victories!”

Jiang Jian’s expression remained calm; he exited the Ladder rankings immediately.

At his current rank, the matchmaking system mostly pairs him with lower-ranked opponents.

Even if he wins, his rank won’t rise.

He can only avoid falling by logging off for a day.

Only during specific times will the system match him with higher-ranked opponents.

Only then can he face those above him.

Meanwhile:

On the seventeen Divine Gift Universities’ joint forum, a new post appeared.

“Jiang Jian of Linjiang Academy May Match the Top Three!”

The title was bolded and enlarged, accompanied by uploaded battle footage.

Within minutes, it attracted tens of thousands of views!

“This Jiang Jian has few Ladder matches, yet his rank is so high!”

“His win rate is still 100%!”

“On the current win rate leaderboard, apart from Qi Ming, Jiang Jian is the only one left with a 100% win rate!”

“His sword aura is ruthless and terrifying!”

“From my observations, the most terrifying thing is his Shenque spiritual energy!”

……

Soon, under the forum’s data aggregation:

Jiang Jian’s Ladder profile, like those of other top 100 students, was updated again.

It spread across many students’ identity devices.

“Linjiang Academy, Jiang Jian, Level 3 Talent, Technique.”

“Techniques: Suspected Level 3 Divine Gift Weapon; excels in sword aura sweeps and true fire techniques; unknown auxiliary talent; extremely strong defense, profound spiritual reserves.”

“Weakness: None detected.”

This profile was posted on the joint forum.

Every technique Jiang Jian had ever used was exposed.

Other top-ranked students who had participated in the Ladder were no exception.

Because every battle could be fully recorded.

With video footage, analysts could deduce common techniques and obvious weaknesses.

The most shocking thing:

With Jiang Jian,

Not a single weakness had ever been revealed—from start to finish!

Even the number two, Shi Luohua, had videos circulating, marked with “slightly weaker in prolonged battles.”

Among the top 100:

Only the number one, Qi Ming, and number nine, Jiang Jian,

Still maintained a 100% win rate without exposing any vulnerabilities.

The demonic energy water clusters left by the river demon are excellent spiritual substances.

The glass pod lid opened; Jiang Jian picked up Han Guang from the virtual pod.

Deep within the Shenque, demonic energy water clusters still abound with spiritual energy.

“Thanks to the spiritual energy it releases:”

“My cultivation speed is nearly equivalent to spending 24 hours a day in a dedicated cultivation chamber!”

Jiang Jian sat back on the sofa, eating while estimating his cultivation progress.

Dedicated cultivation chambers were extremely rare.

They were among the most elite cultivation resources at Linjiang Academy.

Even third-year student Gu Qi:

Before securing the title of “Linjiang Top Student,”

Could only spend two hours per day in a dedicated chamber.

“The Qi Gathering Bracelet no longer helps me much.”

Jiang Jian removed the Qi Gathering Bracelet and opened his identity device to browse other tech equipment.

The Wish Jade was the only bonded Divine Gift Weapon, enhancing divine affinity—it was still sufficient for now.

The Qi Gathering Bracelet, though a technological device, had become useless.

"Union currency: 780,000."

"Purchasing quota: 600,000."

"Academic credits: 2,450."

Jiang Jian glanced at his balance and logged directly onto the academy platform.

Items on the academy platform were more valuable and of higher quality.

Previously, due to insufficient academic credits, he could only use his purchasing quota to buy the Qi-accumulating bracelet.

Now that his academic credits were sufficient,

the academy platform’s goods were always superior to those on the Linjiang network.

The technology equipment interface offered a wide variety of items.

Bamboo Node Necklace, contains a tech core, price: 300 academic credits.

"Effect: Enhances Qi circulation, improves Qi affinity."

"Jade Bracelet, contains a tech core, price: 500 academic credits."

"Effect: Increases Qi circulation speed, improves Qi affinity."

"Jade Pendant, contains a tech core, price: 700 academic credits."

"Effect: Comprehensively enhances Qi cultivation and comprehension, gathers Qi, improves Qi affinity."

"Feishuang Bracelet, contains a tech core and an independent forbidden array, price: 1,200 academic credits."

"Effect: Greatly increases Qi circulation speed, improves Qi affinity, nurtures the meridians."

Jiang Jian paused briefly, then selected the Feishuang Bracelet.

With sufficient academic credits, such advanced tech equipment could only be acquired so easily on the academy platform.

Although similar items existed on the Linjiang network,

they required over a million Union currency, plus long wait times for restocking—no shipment would arrive for months.

"You are about to purchase the Feishuang Bracelet, consuming 1,200 academic credits. Confirm?"

"You are about to purchase the Feishuang Bracelet, consuming 1,200 academic credits. Confirm?"

Academic credits were too precious—the confirmation box popped up again.

Jiang Jian clicked repeatedly.

"Confirm purchase!"

"Confirm purchase!"

"You have consumed: 2,400 academic credits."

"Your remaining academic credits: 50."

"Your item will be delivered by the academy’s academic affairs office within one hour."

Prompt messages continued to appear.

Jiang Jian dismissed the communication and tossed the Qi-accumulating bracelet to Jixue: "It’s yours."

Jixue took the bracelet, slipped it onto its gray-furred paw, and blinked.

Compared to the Qi-accumulating bracelet, it longed far more for the priceless Feishuang Bracelet.

Good items drew envy from everyone.

But such thoughts passed through its mind and vanished.

Jixue would never voice them.

As a pet, it had clear self-awareness—it knew it had no right to demand cultivation resources.

Moreover, as a variant of the spirit fox,

its greatest advantage was that it required no resource investment from its master.

It could sustain itself solely on stellar light.

"Do you want the Feishuang Bracelet?"

Jiang Jian suddenly asked.

Jixue blinked, then shook its head: "I don’t want it."

Jiang Jian said softly: "One of these is for me. The other is for my sister—her condition is extremely dangerous."

He fastened the Hanguang Sword to the side of his backpack: "If you want it—"

"Prove your worth to me."

"Prove you deserve the resources I’d have to sacrifice to cultivate you."

Jiang Jian adjusted his backpack, lowered his gaze, and spoke calmly: "Take the cultivation herbs and come with me to train."

(End of chapter)