Chapter 89: Lightning Release: Rasengan

(These three pages were rushed; the plot isn’t well-written and will be revised later.)

Jiang Xia nodded, his gaze sweeping over the Dragon Vein Pool; the dragon vein energy within had thinned by more than half, and Akatsuki Jin, Cui Jue, and others had all risen to their feet.

Akatsuki Jin’s aura had grown even stronger; though he had not broken through to the Wanghou Realm, he had reached the absolute peak of the Wu Zong Realm, while Cui Jue and the others exuded a faint aura of Wanghou pressure.

“Jiang Xia,” Akatsuki Jin walked up to him, his tone calm, “next time we spar, I’ll make Itachi understand that even below the Wanghou Realm, I remain the strongest.”

Jiang Xia smiled faintly: “I’ll be watching.”

As they left the valley, just as they reached the entrance, a group of cultivators clad in black martial attire blocked their path.

At their head was a grim-faced young man, a pendant of the Underworld hanging at his waist—it was Cui Jue’s junior brother, Qin Wushang.

“Senior Brother Cui, this guy hoarded too much dragon vein energy in the pool. Why not team up and teach him a lesson?”

Qin Wushang leaned close to Cui Jue and whispered.

Cui Jue glanced at Jiang Xia, then shook his head: “No need. There’ll be plenty of chances in the training camp—why waste energy here?” With that, he led his subordinates away.

Qin Wushang glared at Jiang Xia in frustration, then reluctantly left.

Akatsuki Jin watched this scene, a cold smirk curling his lips: “Looks like quite a few people are unhappy with Itachi.”

Jiang Xia ignored him, turning to walk toward the training camp with Ye Lingxi.

As the others gradually exited the valley, Jiang Xia spotted Zhao Tianji and Qingyun standing not far off.

Qingyun looked at Jiang Xia, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes: “Brother Jiang, your talent is truly extraordinary. In just three days, Itachi advanced from the peak of Wu Zong Late Stage to the peak of Wu Zong Realm—this pace places Itachi among the top three among the new generation of Shanhai Pass.”

Jiang Xia bowed slightly: “Thank Itachi, Sect Master, for this opportunity.”

“Don’t thank me—it’s what Itachi earned.” Qingyun smiled and handed him a jade tablet.

“This jade contains fortune energy that will help Itachi fully refine the dragon vein energy within Itachi. Return and consolidate your gains—it will greatly aid your breakthrough to the Wanghou Realm.”

Back at the training camp, Jiang Xia had barely stepped into the A-Class training zone when Lei Zhan called him to his office.

“Itachi little brat, Itachi’ve given me a real surprise,” Lei Zhan said, eyes filled with admiration as he looked at Jiang Xia.

“From Wu Zong Early Stage to Wu Zong Peak in three months, and Itachi even suppressed Akatsuki Jin and the others in the Dragon Vein Pool—your strength deserves the title ‘prodigy.’”

Jiang Xia scratched his head, slightly embarrassed: “Just lucky.”

“Luck is part of strength,” Lei Zhan waved a hand, pulling a file from his drawer and handing it over.

“This is your training plan for the next month—specialized training for Wu Zong Peak cultivators, the final preparation before breaking into the Wanghou Realm.”

Jiang Xia took the file and skimmed it quickly. The plan had three parts: basic physical enhancement, ability fusion training, and combat simulation duels.

“These drills will help Itachi acclimate to the energy fluctuations of the Wanghou Realm, preparing Itachi for your breakthrough.”

Lei Zhan added, “Also, the weekly class rankings have been changed to inter-class challenges—A-Class students may challenge any student from B-Class or C-Class. Victory grants not only points but also a portion of the opponent’s cultivation resources.”

“Understood.” Jiang Xia nodded, already formulating a plan.

In the days that followed, Jiang Xia threw himself fully into insane training.

At six a.m., while other students still luxuriated in the spirit liquid pools, Jiang Xia and the top ten had already begun training in the specially assigned independent gravity chamber.

The chamber’s gravity was set to tenfold; each punch he threw with the Eight Gates released the force of a thousand jin, tearing the air and leaving craters of varying depth on the ground.

The Sharingan continuously adjusted the flow of spiritual energy within him, precisely channeling every ounce of power into his fists.

When it came to ability fusion training—the most painful phase—he attempted to combine Raikiri with the Rasengan.

The violent nature of lightning clashed with the sharpness of wind; each attempt triggered violent energy explosions.

Several times he was backlashed by the energy, his body covered in wounds.

“Your Lightning and Wind natures oppose each other. Forcing fusion will only backfire,” the master overseeing ability fusion remarked, seeing Jiang Xia’s injuries.

“Try controlling the energy’s trajectory with your ability—first achieve balance between the two natures outside your body, then gradually integrate them inward.”

Jiang Xia’s eyes lit up, and he immediately adjusted according to the master’s advice.

The Sharingan precisely captured the energies of Raikiri and Rasengan, forcibly pulling them together into a spinning lightning shuriken.

At first, the energy sphere was unstable, ready to explode at any moment—but with repeated attempts, it grew denser and denser, until finally forming a spiraling lightning shuriken wreathed in lightning: Lightning Release: Rasengan!

In combat simulation duels, Jiang Xia kept challenging across classes until his final trial faced a Wanghou Peak One-Horned Rhinoceros.

The rhino’s hide was as hard as steel, its horn releasing devastating lightning, each charge crackling with powerful electricity.

The rhinoceros beast’s skin was as hard as steel, its horn releasing devastating lightning, each charge accompanied by powerful electrical flashes.

Jiang Xia muttered, blue spiritual energy erupting from his body; a black-flame-covered Susano’o instantly formed.

He gripped the black-flame longsword, initially relying only on the Hachishaku Mirror to dodge the rhino’s attacks, waiting for an opening.

But as the battle continued, his understanding of Wanghou Realm power sharpened, and the Susano’o’s movements grew increasingly agile.

“Kagutsuchi!” Black flames spread along the blade; Jiang Xia stepped forward sharply and slashed the rhino’s horn.

“Kagutsuchi!” Black flames spread along the long blade; Jiang Xia stepped forward sharply and slashed the rhinoceros beast’s horn.

Lightning and black flame collided with a thunderous roar; the rhino let out a pained bellow, a crack appearing on its horn.

Jiang Xia seized the moment, hurling the Rasengan infused with Kamui at the rhino, forcibly twisting its body, while the Susano’o swung its blade downward, severing the horn completely.

“Combat ended! Score: S+! Overall performance: Successful cross-rank victory!”

When Jiang Xia stepped out of the dueling pod, his entire body was soaked in sweat, but he could clearly feel—he was closer than ever to the Wanghou Realm, only needing a single opportunity.

Meanwhile, the other A-Class students were also advancing rapidly.

Wang Teng had fully fused the Soul-Eating Scythe with the Fengdu Secret Incantation, summoning a ghostly army of a hundred spirits—no Wu Zong Late Stage cultivator could claim victory over him with certainty.

In one inter-class challenge, he used his ghostly army’s overwhelming numbers to exhaust and kill a Wu Zong Late Stage B-Class student, seizing all of the opponent’s cultivation resources.

Ye Lingxi had refined most of the power of the Ice Phoenix Feather; her ice ability reached a new height.

In combat simulations, she could instantly summon a vast ice plain, trapping opponents within—even fire-natured cultivators of her own rank could not melt the ice.

Ling Zhantian’s God of War ability broke through to a new realm; his God of War manifestation surged from dozens of zhang to a hundred zhang tall, each punch radiating destruction.

He remained undefeated in inter-class challenges, becoming the most feared presence in A-Class outside the Top Ten Prodigies.

Wang Shichen’s space ability grew increasingly refined; he could instantly open dozens of spatial rifts, redirecting opponents’ attacks and even trapping them before they could react.

As time passed, the inter-class challenges grew fiercer.

A-Class students, leveraging their superior strength, continuously seized resources from other classes, and Jiang Xia became the greatest beneficiary.

He challenged several Wu Zong Late Stage and Peak students nearly every week, acquiring vast amounts of points and cultivation resources, while fully integrating the dragon vein energy through battle.

He challenged several late-stage and peak Wu Zong students nearly every week, seizing vast amounts of cultivation points and resources, and fully comprehending the Dragon Vein Qi through battle.