Chapter 96: Divine Envoy

Inside the cabin.

Miao Miao lay on the virtual control rod, turning her head with full curiosity: “Why is one person missing?”

Liu Tiezhu shrugged: “Dunno.”

“When we arrived, I felt that person was weighed down by thoughts.”

Miao Miao waved her paw, sneering: “Turns out my intuition was right!”

Jiang Jian picked up his backpack, secured Han Guang, and sat back down.

“Yin crystals are extremely rare.”

Shan Ye opened her identity device and browsed the academy platform: “There’s nothing like this for sale online.”

“There is.”

Liu Tiezhu sneered: “Aren’t the yin energy clusters sold on the platform exactly this? Same essence.”

He pulled out a yin crystal; black mist instantly swirled before him.

“But the yin crystals from mountain ghosts have much higher purity.”

“Each yin energy cluster sells for 20,000 Alliance Credits.”

“Our yin crystals? Each is worth at least 100,000 Alliance Credits.”

Liu Tiezhu spoke with certainty: “Maybe even more.”

Shan Ye blurted: “Just give it to Shi Xuan—he can sell it.”

The words fell.

Only then did she realize her mistake, her expression awkward.

Yin Yin patted her arm and whispered: “Shi Xuan probably feels he’s not contributing enough to the team, so he temporarily left.”

While clearing a tributary of the earth vein, they encountered a mountain ghost and nearly died.

During the confrontation with the mountain ghost, Shi Xuan showed no real initiative and contributed nothing substantial.

“It’s not really his fault.”

Liu Tiezhu cleared his throat: “This thing is indeed powerful.”

“If Jiang Jian hadn’t possessed such profound Divine Palace spiritual essence, and if we hadn’t coordinated so well...”

“We might have suffered casualties today.”

As he spoke,

all eyes turned toward Jiang Jian.

The study squad was originally formed by Jiang Jian, Shi Xuan, and Liu Tiezhu.

In this mountain ghost extermination, Jiang Jian’s offensive techniques inflicted the most damage.

The others lacked sufficient Divine Palace spiritual essence.

They could only restrain the mountain ghost from the sidelines, unable to land fatal blows.

“I’ll find a time to ask about his situation.”

Jiang Jian said, “If he doesn’t come back, there’s nothing I can do.”

Yin Yin carried a tray and handed Jiang Jian a cup of coffee.

“Jiang Jian, thank you.”

“Thanks,” Jiang Jian took the cup, puzzled: “Why are you thanking me?”

Yin Yin said seriously: “You knew I’m not human, yet you never looked at me strangely—so thank you.”

Jiang Jian’s expression turned odd; he sipped his coffee without explanation.

To him, human, demon, ghost, monster—all were indistinct.

His goal was to reach the Spirit Platform realm.

He had no interest in such trivial matters.

But Yin Yin, as a child, had been feared and isolated by others because of her race.

She couldn’t even make a single close friend.

So when she grew up, she learned to hide herself.

Shan Ye raised an eyebrow: “Jiang Jian, aren’t you curious what Yin Yin is?”

“What? Spirit monster? Demon?”

Jiang Jian set down his cup, his face perfectly blank with confusion.

Shan Ye sighed: “Impossible!”

“On Earth, spirit monsters and ghosts are forever non-citizens.”

“How could they even step into Divine Grant University?”

Suddenly,

Liu Tiezhu spoke: “Not human, yet possessing Earth citizen rights.”

“I can think of only two possibilities.”

Shan Ye looked at him: “Go on.”

“First possibility: beings from the other three realms of the Earth-Moon Four Realms.”

Liu Tiezhu glanced at Yin Yin: “According to the Earth Alliance Law, the primary lifeforms of the Earth-Moon Four Realms are treated equally and all enjoy Earth citizen rights.”

“Reasonable,” Shan Ye nodded slightly. “Second possibility?”

“Second possibility?”

Liu Tiezhu smiled: “I’d rather not say.”

Shan Ye gritted her teeth: “Say it.”

Liu Tiezhu drank some water: “Then she’s an alien spirit, demon, or ghost.”

“The Earth Alliance Law states:”

“Earth-native spirit monsters and ghosts are considered unauthorized persons before obtaining an identity device and may be disposed of freely.”

“After obtaining an identity device, they’re considered non-citizens.”

“But the Planetary Accord stipulates: lifeforms migrating from one planet to another, upon approval, gain the same rights as native lifeforms.”

“So if Yin Yin is from the Saturn ring...”

“Or a ghost from Jupiter...”

“Under the Planetary Accord, once she arrives on Earth, she’s recognized as an Earth citizen.”

Liu Tiezhu’s analysis was flawless.

In the cabin, everyone stared at him.

Even Miao Miao, who had been lying on the virtual control rod,

now turned her head, eyes wide, fixed on Liu Tiezhu: “You know a lot!”

Shan Ye spread her hands, speechless.

Yin Yin smiled faintly and shook her head.

Liu Tiezhu raised an eyebrow: “Did I guess wrong?”

Shan Ye looked at Yin Yin: “Yin Yin, you tell them.”

Yin Yin walked to the front of the cabin, lightly smoothing her skirt, her voice clear and ethereal: “Let me reintroduce myself.”

“My name is Yin Yin.”

She lowered her gaze; deep within her pupils, crimson light surged.

“Daughter of the Shrine Envoy of Linjiang Prefecture.”

The inter-realm shuttle sped through space.

Inside the cabin, an eerie silence fell.

Liu Tiezhu stared at Yin Yin, pupils shrinking.

A few seconds passed.

Miao Miao’s crisp voice broke the quiet: “The Shrine Envoy—that’s the official who oversees the Prefecture’s Prayer Hall?”

Yin Yin whispered: “You could say that.”

Miao Miao asked: “Isn’t the Shrine Envoy human?”

Yin Yin said: “Humans find it extremely difficult to gather divine power.”

“Even a trace of aura from starlight is nearly impossible to absorb.”

Liu Tiezhu’s gaze trembled: “No wonder Li Lu of the Li family was so afraid of you.”

The Li family had stood firm in Linjiang Prefecture for centuries.

Stronger than Shan Ye’s and Shi Xuan’s families.

Yet upon sensing Yin Yin’s identity, Li Lu dared not utter a single word.

Shan Ye turned to Jiang Jian: “Jiang Jian, aren’t you surprised?”

“She’s the daughter of a Prefecture Shrine Envoy!”

Jiang Jian showed shock; spiritual energy surged around him, yet he continued meditating: “Yin Yin, you’re truly hidden.”

Shan Ye stared at Jiang Jian, her gaze strange.

She even suspected his shock was entirely feigned.

Because his eyes had remained calm as still water from start to finish.

Jiang Jian spoke.

Yet he calculated the remaining cultivation resources he had left.

“Union coins: 2.98 million.”

“Credit points: 6,450.”

“Shopping quota: 400,000.”

“Iron ingots: 10 pieces.”

“Yin crystals: 29 pieces.”

“A highly intact ghost force origin, nearly at the Surge Spring realm.”

Thinking of this,

Jiang Jian’s emotions surged uncontrollably.

Within his Shen Que, dark light streams wove into a cluster, silently hovering.

It was the ghost force origin of the Mountain Ghost.

“This thing, even in the Divine Bestowal realm, could be called a rare treasure.”

True flame transformed into blood-red light streams, circling the dark orb, gently cradling it.

(End of Chapter)