Chapter 90: Planets

Jiang Jian moved his fingers, glancing downward.

On the holographic screen, a detailed mission description appeared.

“Tianzhu Mountain is the foundation of Linjiang Prefecture’s Wuchong Jiangcheng.”

“Its earth veins harbor spiritual energy, branching out and extending for ten thousand li.”

“Select one earth vein branch, clear it thoroughly, and assist the Linjiang Prefectural Office in extracting earth vein resources.”

The options in the corner of the screen were grayed out and fixed.

Obviously.

Liu Tiezhu had already chosen his earth vein branch upon accepting the mission.

“Current mission objective: Earth Vein No. 1103.”

“Special Notice: All life forms along the earth vein obstructing the Prefectural Office’s resource extraction are not issued identity devices and are deemed unauthorized; they may be executed directly.”

“Special Notice: Prefectural Office personnel will accompany you during the mission; progress will be recorded by them upon completion of clearing.”

“Bonus reward: 1,000 academic credits for every kilometer advanced.”

Jiang Jian swiped away the information.

The next second.

Liu Tiezhu’s real-time communication had already been dialed in.

Jiang Jian tapped to accept.

“Jiang Jian, have you returned yet?”

Liu Tiezhu’s tone carried a hint of teasing, “I just browsed the Union Forum and saw your interzone flyer.”

Anhe Academy is also one of the seventeen Divine-Gifted Universities.

Jiang Jian’s interzone flyer had been clearly photographed and posted on the forum, drawing many replies of envy and awe.

“I should be back on the Tianzhu Mountain orbit in about two hours.”

Jiang Jian said, “You all leave early, meet me outside Jiangcheng, and head straight to Earth Vein No. 1103.”

Liu Tiezhu asked, “You came from Anhezhou—don’t you plan to return to campus?”

Jiang Jian replied, “Not for now.”

“Alright,” Liu Tiezhu’s expression brightened, “Jiang Jian, this learning mission—I pulled strings to secure it.”

“The earth vein resources of Tianzhu Mountain have been mined for centuries.”

“Thousands of earth vein branches.”

“Most branches are entrusted by the Prefectural Office to internal clearing teams for hefty payments.”

“Very few are allocated to Divine-Gifted Universities.”

Here, Liu Tiezhu sent over a file.

“During the recent excavation of Tianzhu Mountain’s foothills, a new earth vein branch was discovered.”

“Earth Vein No. 1103 is one of them.”

“Our Linjiang Academy secured this vein and turned it into a shared learning mission for two grade levels.”

“If I hadn’t pulled strings, the second-year students would’ve taken it.”

Liu Tiezhu’s tone carried a hint of pride.

Jiang Jian paused, then said, “Fine. You take more credits; the rest we four split evenly.”

Such a lucrative learning mission was impossible for an ordinary student to obtain.

Liu Tiezhu chuckled, “Jiang Jian, by private convention, I should take more.”

Here, his tone shifted.

“But last time, during the building repair mission—”

“You let each of us walk away with extra ingots of refined iron.”

“Hundreds of millions of Alliance Credits isn’t a small amount.”

Liu Tiezhu clicked his tongue, “Yet you still gave them up.”

“So I won’t be stingy.”

“This learning mission is my gesture to our study squad.”

“All academic credits and item rewards will be split equally.”

Liu Tiezhu spoke with finality.

Jiang Jian fell silent for a moment, then replied, “Alright.”

The communication ended.

Ji Xue lay curled beside him, watching Jiang Jian.

Sensing its gaze.

Jiang Jian turned his head and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Ji Xue stared at the sword in his hand, its fur rippling as it said, “Your strength has advanced too quickly—this sword’s aura fills me with primal fear.”

Jiang Jian froze.

He lowered his gaze to the sword in his hand.

Unintentionally, spiritual energy flowed into it.

The blade of Han Guang shimmered with a sharp, biting edge.

He had already absorbed most of the river demon’s primal essence.

This enhancement to his cultivation foundation was solid and extraordinarily rapid.

“With my current Shenque spiritual reservoir—”

“Among the ten thousand new students in the Two Prefectures’ Martial Contest—”

“I should secure a strong ranking.”

Jiang Jian’s thoughts churned; he set aside Han Guang, letting the gray fox carry it off.

The learning mission to clear Tianzhu Mountain would take twenty days.

His strength would continue to rise.

“The remaining demon power orbs should be fully consumed during this time.”

Jiang Jian gently sensed inward.

Deep within his Shenque, the orb floated—now reduced to less than half.

Enveloped in true fire.

Still continuously releasing pure, high-quality spiritual energy.

“Such things are expensive and rare.”

Jiang Jian opened the Linjiang network platform and searched for similar demon essences.

“Divine-Gifted Realm 30%, Plant Demon Essence, price: 2.6 million Alliance Credits.”

“Divine-Gifted Realm 60%, Malevolent Ghost Essence, price: 5.7 million Alliance Credits.”

“Divine-Gifted Realm 70%, Spirit Demon Essence, price: 8.9 million Alliance Credits.”

Seeing this,

Jiang Jian shook his head lightly.

Each of these precious cultivation materials carried a sky-high price.

His current Alliance Credits couldn’t support such extravagant cultivation.

“Spirit Demon Essence…”

Suddenly, Jiang Jian’s gaze turned peculiar as he looked at Ji Xue.

The gray fox, bound to an auxiliary identity device, could view Jiang Jian’s browsing history.

Sensing Jiang Jian’s stare,

it immediately tucked its tail, eyes wary: “I’m a rare pet—my practical value far exceeds extracting Spirit Demon Essence from me!”

“Don’t worry.”

Jiang Jian was speechless. “No one would do something so wasteful.”

“I focus on cultivation; I still need you to handle the trivial matters.”

Here, Jiang Jian’s tone softened.

A gray fox from the Academy’s Academic Affairs Office was priceless on the open market.

Its greatest function was binding household registration and using the master’s identity device to manage daily affairs.

For someone devoted to cultivation, it was invaluable.

Ji Xue exhaled in relief: “I have a cousin—its master, when short on funds, slaughtered it and sold its Spirit Demon Essence for Alliance Credits.”

Jiang Jian smiled faintly. “Don’t worry—even if I’m broke, I won’t kill you.”

Ji Xue asked, “Then what will you do?”

Jiang Jian’s expression was calm: “I’ll go to the Prefectural Office and apply for your identity device—grant you freedom.”

Ji Xue froze.

After several seconds, it ventured cautiously, “Is that even possible?”

“Why not?” Jiang Jian countered.

Ji Xue shook its head. “I think you value cultivation resources too much.”

Snow piled up and shook its head: “I think you place great importance on cultivation resources.”

He fell silent for a moment.

Jiang Jian said, “That’s true—I always prepare my cultivation resources in advance, planning ahead.”

“Like the refined iron, like the weekly credit settlements from the Sky Ladder rankings.”

“And the abundant rewards from the upcoming Two Prefectures Martial Contest.”

“If one day.”

“I truly reached a point of utter despair.”

Jiang Jian patted its head, “That would only mean one thing.”

“That I’ve already stopped cultivating.”

“By then.”

“What’s impossible about letting you go free?”

As he spoke,

Jiang Jian turned his head and gazed out the cabin window.

The endless clouds were split open by the flying vessel, surging like a tidal wave.

“But unfortunately,”

“I will never stop cultivating.”

“Others may cultivate, using prefectural resources and invoking grand righteousness.”

“Claiming it’s for the Four Realms of Earth and Moon, for upholding the fairness of the Planetary Accord.”

“But I cultivate only to survive.”

“At least, that’s true for now.”

“So,”

Jiang Jian repeated.

“I will never stop cultivating.”

“Never.”

The inter-realm shuttle pierced through clouds and mist.

With blazing speed, it sliced across the heavens and vanished into the Celestial Pillar’s trajectory.

Outside the Five-River Jiangcheng, countless shuttles converged, their streams of light swirling like stars, brighter than daylight.

(End of Chapter)