Chapter 85: Quexu Tower, Petal Rain Like a Storm

In an instant, the stone platform fell silent as death.

The black-dressed girl’s expression turned cold; her form dissolved into light and crumbled away.

Level 4 talent: Shift and Swap!

The next second.

Lu Tingting appeared beside Jiang Jian, blood sword in hand, the blade streaking like a rainbow in a horizontal slash!

Her speed was terrifyingly extreme!

The blood sword tore through the air, slicing soundlessly, leaving behind dazzling arcs of radiant light.

Brilliant, yet deadly.

Clang!

A deafening explosion echoed across the floating stone arena!

Jiang Jian raised Han Guang, blocking it in that instant.

Brilliant sparks flew everywhere.

Jiang Jian was slammed backward by the immense force, staggering several steps!

“Not bad.”

The black-dressed girl’s voice was icy as her robes flared, charging toward Jiang Jian.

Her blood sword trailed streaks of crimson light.

In an instant, she unleashed dozens of slashes!

Her speed was too fast.

Even her movement left fleeting afterimages that vanished in an instant.

No one could tell where her true position lay.

Boom!

The sound of tearing parchment rang out across the stone platform!

Amidst the torrent of crimson light, a frost-white sword beam roared upward!

The sword qi blazed white, sweeping violently.

All dozens of blood sword beams were swallowed and erased!

The residual force of Han Guang’s qi tore through the blood curtain, engulfing the black-dressed girl!

“Is this your trump card?”

The black-dressed girl’s voice came and went, distant and near.

Her form twisted and vanished again!

Boom!

The frost-white sword qi struck empty air, cleaving into the heavy clouds surrounding the arena, sending ripples cascading outward.

“Strong attack.”

The next second, Lu Tingting appeared across the arena and spoke again.

“But how many times can you use this sword technique?”

Hearing her words,

Jiang Jian sensed slightly and realized his Shen Que spiritual energy was still nearly full—he frowned in confusion.

He had merely swung his sword casually.

Yet to Lu Tingting, it had become a massive, exhausting trump technique.

At this moment,

The black-dressed girl raised her chin, blood sword in hand.

“My Shen Que spiritual energy is still abundant—I can simply drain you dry.”

At the arena’s edge,

Jiang Jian was speechless.

At 37% of Divine Grant realm, this terrifying Shen Que spiritual reserve was nearly crushing against peers.

Lu Tingting was strong.

Far stronger than Yin Yin, despite similar talents.

Against ordinary students, she could instantly obliterate them.

But through their exchange, Jiang Jian had already estimated roughly:

Lu Tingting’s Shen Que spiritual reserve could not exceed 30% of Divine Grant realm—even with her Level 4 talent.

After all, not everyone possesses a great demon’s demonic essence as cultivation material.

Even if they did, they’d need the right “technique” to refine and transform it into spiritual energy.

Otherwise, even if they obtained the demonic energy orb, they couldn’t use it at all—only stare helplessly.

As he pondered this,

On the opposite platform, Lu Tingting sneered and vanished again!

“Jiang Jian, your sword technique is strong.”

Her voice was clear, as if whispering right beside his ear.

“But mine isn’t weak either.”

The moment her words ended,

The black-dressed girl flashed through afterimages, appearing at Jiang Jian’s side.

Blood sword slashed horizontally!

Intense crimson light roared as it surged toward him!

This technique was her second talent: Weapon!

Jiang Jian’s gaze grew serious.

With a thought, a crimson light barrier appeared before him; he stepped half a pace back.

Boom!

The blood sword tore through the air and struck the crimson barrier directly!

Rainbow currents surged, light rained in all directions!

At the point of impact, countless invisible ripples erupted wildly.

The entire floating stone arena trembled slightly.

“Your technique barrier.”

The black-dressed girl stood still, her expression stunned for the first time—“How strong is your defense!”

Her eyes were filled with shock—“This sword technique has immense power!”

“Among peers, even Level 4 technique barriers shatter under my strike!”

“Yet you—!”

As shock surged through her, her blood sword blade became stuck in the crimson barrier, motionless.

Jiang Jian remained silent, drew his sword, and swung Han Guang again, unleashing another blade of light!

Simultaneously, the technique barrier shattered abruptly!

It dissolved into countless scattered beams of light, which, at Jiang Jian’s will, surged like a storm, trapping the black-dressed girl in place!

Han Guang’s sword qi was frost-white, icy, and ferocious, roaring violently.

It struck without mercy, tearing toward the black-dressed girl!

The blade’s brilliance blazed like daylight, reflecting deep in her pupils.

Lu Tingting’s pupils shrank sharply; her face turned as pale as paper.

She knew clearly—this strike would end her defeat.

Grinding her teeth, she shut her eyes; her black skirt fluttered like a butterfly.

Her form twisted violently, dissolving into scattered black light!

“I won’t lose!”

“Quexu Tower!”

In an instant,

She tore free from the light streams.

Even in the narrowest margin, she evaded Jiang Jian’s blazing sword light!

At the same moment,

Behind Jiang Jian, fine black light coalesced.

Lu Tingting’s black skirt flared as she landed, blood light gathering at her fingertips, slashing downward!

Dozens of light blades appeared.

With terrifying speed, they tore toward Jiang Jian’s head!

Jiang Jian stood firm, sword in hand, not turning around.

Soundlessly,

On the vast stone platform, petals appeared.

Fine, shimmering light rained down like a shower.

The platform fell silent once more.

Whether those light blades.

Or the girl in the black dress.

Both had been reduced to dust, scattered like petal rain.

“This technique.”

“Petal Flight.”

Jiang Jian lowered his gaze, staring at his pale palm.

Petal Flight was a killing move within his talent cluster, “Faint Scent.”

Its cost was only one-tenth of his Shenque spiritual energy.

Yet its power ranked among the top three of all his current techniques!

As his Shenque spiritual essence increased,

his second talent, “Faint Scent,” gradually revealed another function.

It enhanced the speed of spiritual energy flow, improved spiritual affinity, and accelerated spiritual circulation.

Jiang Jian clearly sensed it.

After training for ten hours in the Special Hall,

his understanding of “Faint Scent” had improved again!

Even his ordinary training now received a boost from “Faint Scent.”

“You have won this ranking match!”

“Your ranking: 3.”

“Special Notice: You have achieved 34 consecutive victories!”

After defeating Lu Tingting,

on the Ladder Rankings,

Jiang Jian’s position had risen to No. 3!

On the United Forum, countless eyes constantly monitored every shift in the Ladder Rankings.

Jiang Jian climbed to No. 3; Lu Tingting dropped to No. 4.

This ranking change had just occurred,

yet it sparked a massive uproar on the university forum!

Countless students from Divine Gift University were frantically posting, begging for the battle recording!

“Jiang Jian from Linjiang Academy defeated Lu Tingting from Wangwangchuan University!”

“Why hasn’t the battle recording been released yet?!”

“I’m desperate! I want to see the recording!”

“Why is there still no recording?!”

“Please, upload the recording!”

“Both geniuses specialize in sword techniques—I really want to watch this battle!”

“Me too! If I could get the recording, I’d analyze it frame by frame!”

“Watching these geniuses fight truly teaches you a lot!”

“I hope when I wake up, the forum will have Jiang Jian and Lu Tingting’s recording!”

……

A few minutes later,

a detailed analysis post was pinned to the top of the forum, accumulating countless likes.

“Although there’s no battle recording, I can roughly reconstruct how the fight unfolded!”

“I’ve carefully studied the previous recordings of both geniuses.”

“Lu Tingting’s Blood Rainbow Sword danced like butterflies—eerie and terrifying. Few among her year’s freshmen could survive a single strike from her.”

“Jiang Jian’s Hanlight Sword, though less agile than Lu Tingting’s, excelled in its piercing momentum, sweeping dominance, and devastating offensive power.”

“Therefore, I deduce that the key to this battle lay in the comparison of Shenque spiritual essence and talent killing moves.”

“Whichever side possessed deeper spiritual essence and a stronger talent move would win.”

“Clearly, the Linjiang Academy genius, student Jiang Jian, emerged victorious.”

The post was long, packed entirely with analytical content.

The replies beneath it grew increasingly numerous.

Anhe Academy, female dormitory.

“Finally finished.”

Zhong Ling exhaled, rubbing her aching fingers.

She turned her gaze from the holographic screen to her side.

“Zhaozhao, how’s my analysis?”

Nearby,

the girl’s face was pale, seated on a chair, a soft smile on her lips.

“It’s well written.”

Hearing the praise,

Zhong Ling felt a touch of pride: “Of course—it’s neutral and objective, with no bias toward your brother.”

Jiang Zhao said: “You’re remarkably impartial.”

Zhong Ling stared at her, blinking: “No wonder your brother looks just as beautiful as you.”

Jiang Zhao fell silent, lifting her slender, ivory fingers to brush a strand of hair behind her ear: “Jiang Jian sent a message—he should arrive in Anhezhou in the next couple of days.”

“Really?!”

Zhong Ling asked in surprise, her expression bright with delight. “You know I’m a supporter of Jiang Jian!”

Within Linjiang Prefecture, seventeen Divine Gift Universities.

First-year freshmen totaled tens of thousands.

Jiang Jian’s 34 consecutive victories on the Ladder Rankings, with a 100% win rate, had long drawn attention from many freshmen.

Even his battle recordings had been dug up by fans and watched repeatedly for analysis.

“Zhaozhao, what’s wrong?!”

Suddenly, Zhong Ling’s expression changed; she rushed forward to support Jiang Zhao.

Jiang Zhao sat on the chair, hand pressed to her forehead, unable to speak.

Zhong Ling bit her lip: “Headache again? I’ll go buy medicine for you.”

“No need.”

Jiang Zhao lowered her eyelids, leaning on Zhong Ling’s arm as she struggled back to bed.

She activated her identity device, opening Jiang Jian’s communication interface.

The holographic screen reflected the girl’s pale, exquisite face.

(End of Chapter)