Chapter 23: Spirit Power Pearl

This world is indeed dangerous and cruel.

Even if you only wish to be an ordinary person and live a simple life, you must give it your all.

Every full moon night, demons of any rank may descend and bring chaos to the mortal realm.

After every fifteenth, the casualty reports from around the world are bloody facts.

“After this month’s fifteenth, I hope to still see you all,” Li Yan said in a low voice.

The cheerful atmosphere in the classroom vanished, leaving only silence.

Li Yan gave the students ample time to reflect before speaking: “Team 98.”

Jiang Ruyi and Deng Yutang immediately stood up.

As for why Lu Ran didn’t stand—he had never sat down in the first place.

Li Yan placed three small red boxes on the podium: “For this assessment, your team ranked first in the entire school.

These are your rewards. Come and collect them.”

The trio immediately stepped forward and walked toward the podium.

The school’s rewards are distributed according to team rankings.

Individual rankings only grant believer points; for everything else, students must report to their deities at home.

For a believer, divine recognition is undoubtedly the greatest honor!

Whether the deity bestows blessings or takes the time to offer advice is entirely between you and them.

“Check them,” Li Yan said, her tone softening as she looked at Jiang Ruyi, who had reached the podium.

Jiang Ruyi picked up one small box and opened it gently, revealing a pearl inside.

The pearl was no larger than a fingertip, resembling crystal but not particularly transparent.

Clearly visible within it was a faint wisp of mist drifting slowly.

Spirit Power Pearl!

Judging by its size, it was a Creek-grade Spirit Power Pearl.

In this world, whether evaluating a believer’s rank, the grade of divine arts, or the quality of treasures, all use the same system:

Mist, Creek, River, River, Sea.

For a high school in a small county town, Yuxiang No. 1 High could offer a Creek-grade Spirit Power Pearl as a reward during a student’s first assessment—this was already quite impressive.

Notably, the quality of this treasure can be upgraded.

It’s not that the Spirit Power Pearl itself grows stronger.

Rather, the Great Xia has a special welfare policy for new believers.

During the summer break, if Lu Ran completes the assigned tasks, he can exchange this one for a higher-grade Spirit Power Pearl.

Li Yan warned: “When using this artifact in battle, never drain all the spirit power within the pearl.

Now, sense the total spirit power inside—it’s the baseline required for the pearl to function properly.

Unless in mortal danger, never kill the goose that lays the golden egg!”

“Yes, Teacher,” Jiang Ruyi said, her slender, fair fingers pinching the translucent pearl as she examined it closely.

For a moment, Lu Ran couldn’t tell whether the pearl was more beautiful or her hand was more exquisite.

Hmm… both are good, both are good~

“You two, remember that?” Li Yan turned to Lu Ran and Deng.

Lu Ran nodded immediately—he knew the Spirit Power Pearl’s properties better than anyone.

His father had owned Spirit Power Pearls, and not just one.

But on that full moon night, the only thing left of his father was a bloodstained Radiant Blade.

It was said that all the Spirit Power Pearls he wore around his neck had shattered.

It was hard to imagine how brutal that battle must have been.

Of course, it’s also possible that after his father’s sacrifice, the demon clan drained all the energy from the pearls and shattered them completely.

But Lu Ran preferred to believe the former.

His father, fierce and unyielding, must have fought until his strength was spent, until every last resource was gone.

“Go back,” Li Yan encouraged. “Stay humble, keep pushing forward.”

“Yes,” Lu Ran closed the small box and walked quickly back to his seat.

Classmates cast envious glances his way.

Only the top ten teams received Spirit Power Pearls as rewards!

All other teams could only buy Spirit Power Pearls privately.

The Spirit Power Pearls on the market were mostly the lowest grade—Mist-grade.

One Mist-grade Spirit Power Pearl could store only the energy of eight to ten Mist-rank demons—very limited capacity.

One Creek-grade Spirit Power Pearl could store the energy of eight to ten Creek-rank demons—equivalent to eighty to one hundred Mist-rank demons!

What a difference that was!

And even more terrifying:

A Creek-grade Spirit Power Pearl was already excellent, and as a top-ten team member, Lu Ran could upgrade this very pearl through summer tasks!

What’s called “first step ahead, always ahead”?

Just be comfortable!

Here’s the question:

Demon clans drop demonic crystals with similar energy storage—why do people insist on owning Spirit Power Pearls?

First, Spirit Power Pearls can extract the last drop of energy from a demon.

Take the corpse of a demon hound: only a Spirit Power Pearl can fully drain its energy; otherwise, it’s just a skeleton.

Second, many demons have no physical form!

For example, the demon Crimson Paper Person.

She appears to be flesh and blood, but her body is composed entirely of pure energy; killing her leaves no demonic crystal.

You can think of her body itself as a “demonic crystal.”

But you can’t drain her energy while she’s alive—you must shatter her first, then collect the energy into the pearl.

“Now I’ve got a busy summer ahead.”

Lu Ran suppressed his joy, fiddling with the small box as he sat down heavily.

He planned to find a jewelry shop after school to have it mounted, so he could wear the Spirit Power Pearl around his neck.

Before Lu Ran had even settled into his seat, Li Yan announced everyone to gather at the training ground.

Her exact words: “Your squad leaders from the Hound Village assessment have been invited to school—they’re waiting for you at the training ground.

You may ask them any questions you encountered during the practical experience.

Hearing this, Lu Ran raised an eyebrow.

Instructor Dou Zhiqiang was here?

So, when we go to the training ground, I’ll see Wu Shanshan?

“Don’t act impulsively when you meet your former teammate,” Jiang Ruyi said, gently nudging Lu Ran’s elbow.

Lu Ran: “.”

I’m not an impulsive or hot-tempered person.

I only fought Kou Yingquan because I’d had enough.

“Did you hear that?” the girl looked at Lu Ran, earnestly urging him.

Lu Ran pointed to the middle of the desk: “Your hand crossed the line.”

Jiang Ruyi was speechless.

Are you in elementary school?

Seeing she didn’t move, Lu Ran reached out immediately: “If it’s on my side of the desk, it’s mine!”

Jiang Ruyi quickly pulled back her soft, fair hand.

Annoyed, she shot Lu Ran another glare—just as she noticed his elbow had crossed the line. “You crossed it too.”

“Yeah, yeah, here you go,” Lu Ran willingly extended his arm. “If you like it, take it all.”

“Who likes it?” Jiang Ruyi blushed, flustered and irritated, slapping his arm.

“Slap~”

“Everyone, to the training ground now,” Li Yan’s voice rang out again. “Team 98, stay behind!”

Jiang Ruyi immediately lowered her head, thinking her small gesture had been noticed and that’s why the team was kept back.

A wave of anger surged through her—she was furious with Lu Ran.

The other students rose quickly and left.

Only when the classroom was empty did Deng, Jiang, and Lu gather again before the podium, as signaled by their teacher.

“The school has notified us of some adjustments to your team,” Li Yan said, looking at the three. “The school has taken your wishes into account—you three will remain unchanged for now.”

Hearing this, Jiang Ruyi relaxed, and Lu and Deng felt even more at ease.

Li Yan advised: “Team changes are normal. Don’t overthink it.

Before senior year begins, this is precisely the time to form and bond your team—no squad is fixed.”

“We know,” Jiang Ruyi whispered. “Wu Shanshan called me last night and explained.”

“Huh?”

Deng Yu and Lu Ran both turned to look at Team Leader Jiang.

Li Yanzhu nodded and said, “Your scores are excellent; the school has designated you as a key training cohort. Many students want to join your team.”

After careful consideration, the school has selected four candidate trainees for you. They belong to different divine patrons, each with unique strengths, all highly suitable for your team.”

Over the next two days, these four students will come one by one at staggered times to report to you and undergo trial training.”

“Hah! Perfect!” Deng Yu tang laughed heartily.

Lu Ran also became interested: “Am I a judge now?”

Feels a bit like The Voice of Great Xia?

Want me to turn around? Then you’d better offer something up~

Li Yanzhu looked at Jiang Ruyi: “By eight o’clock tomorrow night, consolidate your team’s opinion and select one new teammate from the four candidates. Report it to me.”

“Understood, Teacher Li.”

“Go,” Li Yanzhu waved her hand. “Training Ground 13.”

“Yes!”

“Thank you, Teacher Li.”

The trio bid farewell to their homeroom teacher and quickly departed, heading for the training ground on the school’s northern side, nestled among the hills and woods.

Called a training ground, it was in fact just patches of cement ground enclosed by wire fencing, like basketball courts.

The difference was, there were no basketball hoops—only weapon racks, filled with various wooden weapons.

On the way, Deng Yu tang curiously asked, “Team Leader, what did Wu Shanshan tell you?”

“She said that after consulting with teachers and family, she felt she wasn’t suited for this team.”

Jiang Ruyi spoke softly, then added, “She also wished us continued strength and consistent success.”

“Hmph.” Deng Yu tang snorted. “What’s not suited about it?”

“There was one thing that rang true,” Jiang Ruyi thought for a moment. “Wu Shanshan said, ‘This isn’t my team.’”

“She wanted to be captain?” Deng Yu tang’s expression turned strange.

If Wu Shanshan wanted leadership—not because she distrusted teammates or held bias against Lu Ran—

Deng Yu tang might have actually respected her a little.

“I see the instructor,” Lu Ran interrupted, pointing toward the distance.

Through the wire fencing, the three spotted a familiar figure.

Wu Shanshan was nowhere to be seen; probably already formed her own team.

“Instructor Dou!”

“Instructor!” The three quickened their pace and jogged into the grounds.

Dou Zhiqiang spoke: “Time is tight. I’ll first outline the issues that arose during your mission.”

This soldier was truly decisive.

Lu Ran raised his hand: “Instructor, I have a question—could you answer it first?”

“Speak.”

Lu Ran: “I’ve always wondered—how did I get 98 points?”

The scores for this evaluation were determined by the military after being submitted by the proctors.

On the official individual score ranking, second place was 87—Lu Ran was leagues ahead!

Dou Zhiqiang explained: “Your understanding and application of Xiang Xianyang’s divine arts far surpasses others.”

Lu Ran: “I see.”

Dou Zhiqiang continued: “Due to your outstanding performance, your team has been transformed, achieving overwhelming dominance over the Evil Dog Clan.

Your success rate reached 100%, your kill efficiency improved, and your own safety increased.”

“Heh heh~” Lu Ran grinned. “What a mess this turned out to be.”

Dou Zhiqiang kept a cold face: “Any other questions?”

Lu Ran: “.”

Why so harsh?

Dou Zhiqiang said coldly: “If not, I’ll begin.”

Lu Ran raised his hand again.

Dou Zhiqiang frowned slightly: “Ask.”

Lu Ran was indeed bold: “If I’m this good, where did my two points go?”

Dou Zhiqiang: ???

Deng Yu tang was also stunned: “Damn.”

Jiang Ruyi moved swiftly, grabbing Lu Ran’s wrist and forcing his raised hand down:

“Instructor, please proceed with our issues—Lu Ran has no further questions.”

Lu Ran felt miserable.

Where did I say I had no questions?

According to the instructor’s logic, even a perfect score can’t contain me—I should’ve gotten 120!

Thank you to the patron “Xiaodao Fengli” for the 100,000 reward. Thank you, Elder Brother, for your support and care—I wish you smooth writing, ever-improving work, and unbroken success.

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(End of Chapter)