Chapter 84: Black Dress Sword Dance, Beauty as Wine
Crack.
Before Jiang Jian, a thin, translucent layer of spiritual energy crystallized.
Hundreds of cracks spread across its surface.
Crack!
As Jiang Jian opened his eyes.
The thin, cicada-wing-like spiritual crystal shattered instantly!
Countless grains of spiritual energy scattered in all directions, dissolving into fine glimmers, gone forever.
The demonic power water mass has consumed nearly half.
Jiang Jian lightly sensed his shenque, stood up, and the air around him trembled.
“Ten hours of full-power cultivation.”
“My shenque’s spiritual essence has grown to this extent.”
Jiang Jian stepped out of the cultivation hall and gazed up at the bright, blinding star.
Deep within his pupils, gorgeous dark red light flowed in cycles, appearing and vanishing.
The surrounding plants and trees thrived, exuding a fresh, dew-kissed fragrance.
Even hundreds of meters away, they felt as close as if within arm’s reach.
Behind him.
Ji Xue descended the stone steps, carrying a pile of items.
Jiang Jian lowered his head, tore his gaze from the sun, and said: “Return to the dormitory building, then head to Anhezhou.”
A few minutes later.
Dormitory Building, 5th floor.
“Where is this?”
Ji Xue walked into the hall on all fours, scanning the surrounding instruments.
“Testing hall.”
Jiang Jian murmured, walked up to an instrument, and swiped his identity device.
“Identity verified successfully!”
“Linjiang Academy, first-year zone, spiritual essence test rankings now open!”
“Your last test rank: 17th!”
Jiang Jian glanced at it and opened the detailed ranking.
This was a compilation of all test data from students who had taken the test within the Linjiang Academy campus.
“Rank 1, Divine Bestowal 16%, anonymous.”
“Rank 2, Divine Bestowal 16%, anonymous.”
“Rank 3, Divine Bestowal 15%, anonymous.”
“Rank 4, Divine Bestowal 14%, anonymous.”
……
“Rank 17, Divine Bestowal 10%, Jiang Jian (already anonymous).”
……
“These are the leftover data from my last test.”
Jiang Jian’s expression remained calm; his shenque’s spiritual energy trembled as his finger touched the light sphere.
The next second.
The light sphere spun rapidly.
A strand of blood-red spiritual light emerged from nothingness and flowed into it.
“Testing…”
Runes flashed.
After several dozen seconds, the testing array ceased.
Lines of small text appeared on the holographic screen.
“Test successful!”
“Spiritual essence baseline test duration: 1 minute.”
“Estimated spiritual energy upper limit: approximately Divine Bestowal 37%.”
“Your test ranking position has been refreshed. Continue to remain anonymous?”
Jiang Jian swiped his finger and selected to remain anonymous.
Meanwhile.
Linjiang Academy’s internal test rankings had been completely renewed.
“Rank 1, Divine Bestowal 37%, anonymous.”
“Rank 2, Divine Bestowal 16%, anonymous.”
“Rank 3, Divine Bestowal 16%, anonymous.”
……
A few minutes later.
Messages flooded into the study team chat group.
Shan Ye: “Our school’s test rankings must be glitched! Divine Bestowal 37%!”
Shi Xuan: “Divine Bestowal 37%? This data is definitely wrong! Did a second-year student accidentally use the wrong interface?”
Shan Ye: “I tested yesterday and only got Divine Bestowal 14%. Now suddenly a Divine Bestowal 37% appears? This is insane.”
……
Jiang Jian turned off his identity device and returned to his apartment.
He did not waste time deliberately erasing the test record.
The campus test rankings were not fully accurate and had long delays—only for reference.
Many students never tested at all.
Although the rankings could be anonymous,
the instrument’s detection logs remained visible to anyone unless specifically erased.
Students from the First Academy would eventually discover that the Divine Bestowal 37% data originated from Jiang Jian.
“Claim my luxury aerial shuttle.”
“Buy twenty large crates of cultivation herbs and store them in the cabin.”
Jiang Jian took Han Guang and placed it into the virtual cabin’s scanning unit.
“Once I finish the Ladder Ranking Match, I’ll depart immediately.”
The glass cabin lid sealed shut.
Ji Xue activated his identity device, tapped rapidly with his claws, and replied: “Understood.”
Prompt tones sounded one after another.
“You have consumed 200,000 in shopping credits.”
“Your remaining shopping credit: 400,000.”
“Luxury aerial shuttle claim voucher: consumed.”
“You have received: 1 Interdimensional Shuttle.”
Listening to the mechanical voice from the identity device,
Jiang Jian’s vision warped with light and shadow.
The next second.
He stood on the Floating Rock Arena.
“Begin matching.”
Jiang Jian flipped his palm; Han Guang coalesced in his hand.
Moments later.
“Match successful!”
A figure appeared across the arena.
A 60-second preparation timer began counting down.
“I’ve long heard of your name.”
The girl reached out, drawing a long sword, smiling: “Student Jiang Jian.”
She wore no uniform—only a black dress.
The long sword in her hand shimmered with blood-red light, clearly revealing her name.
Wangchuan University, Lu Tingting, Ladder Rank 3.
Level 4 talent: Martial.
Jiang Jian watched Lu Tingting silently, recalling the data he had read.
On the forums, the techniques of the top ten Ladder students had been thoroughly exposed.
Lu Tingting’s talent was “Phantom Shift,” with extreme speed.
Her second talent was the rare “Weapon.”
That is to say.
The blood sword in her hand is her second talent.
Beyond that, her Qi is pure and untainted, unbound to any divine weapon.
The advantage is that she can summon or dismiss the divine weapon at will.
She can even shrink it and store it deep within her divine qu, nurturing it day and night.
Very few people waste the position of the divine qu to treat a divine weapon as a second talent.
Because as long as one goes to the Prayer Hall and undergoes the binding ritual,
everyone can use a divine weapon.
Shi Xuan’s Moon-Chasing Knife was bound through the Prayer Hall ritual.
Though usable, it cannot be shrunk at will, let alone stored within the divine qu.
Countdown: only 30 seconds left.
“Jiang Jian.”
Lu Tingting held the blood sword, its blade flickering with flowing light. “I’ve watched your battle recordings. Your strength is impressive.”
Jiang Jian said: “Thank you.”
“But,” Lu Tingting smiled, her gaze turning cold, “Shi Luohua barely bested me by a single move—that’s enough.”
“You? Level-three talent.”
“Not enough.”
As she spoke, Lu Tingting shifted slightly, holding the sword in one hand, subtly assuming a stance.
Her black skirt stirred, moving without wind.
Brilliant spiritual light blazed forth from the blood sword’s blade.
Countdown: only 20 seconds left.
Behind the separating light barrier.
Jiang Jian’s eyes held a faint sneer; he said nothing.
With a thought, his divine qu surged with qi.
Faint streams of crimson light curled around his sleeves and hair.
Lu Tingting abandoned her talent orb and chose “Weapon” as her second talent.
She nurtured the blood sword within her divine qu.
Her divine weapon is terrifyingly powerful—do not underestimate it.
Countdown: 10 seconds.
“I heard.”
Suddenly, Jiang Jian spoke softly.
“On the Ladder Arena, Shi Luohua cut your hair short.”
Upon hearing this,
Lu Tingting froze, her pupils instantly flooded with crimson.
The air around them fell utterly silent.
Countdown ended.
The transparent separating light barrier shattered with a roar!
(End of Chapter)
End of Chapter
