Chapter 209: Don

In the Dungeon Hall, the bell rang again.

The trainees were already accustomed to it.

"No need to say, it's Jiang Chen again."

"The Fire God Palace Instance must have a New Record again; which classmate will go take a look?"

"Seeing him Speed Run so many times, he's getting more skilled and surely faster. Maybe he can finish in under an hour."

When the bell rang, someone stood up and decided to go in and see.

However, after he entered, he did not emerge for a long time. People began to find it odd.

"What happened to him? Why hasn't he come out?"

"I don't know; isn't it Jiang Dalao?"

"I'll go check."

Then another person entered the Dungeon Hall, but likewise did not come out.

This caused even greater confusion among the trainees outside, who didn't know what was happening inside the Instance.

A group later also decided to go in and see.

At the entrance of the Fire God Palace Instance, a row of wooden stakes suddenly appeared, astonishing the crowd.

Time: 38 minutes 38 seconds.

Some were dumb as wooden chickens, others stared wide‑eyed, each one in disbelief.

"They must have deliberately lagged the time."

"This time… is this really a Hell Difficulty Instance?"

"Even Normal Difficulty ones aren't this fast, right?"

"'Fire God Palace' I've been there; the Instance isn't large, but even just touring from start to finish takes about half an hour."

"Could it be that Jiang Dalao ran through it from start to finish?"

Everyone couldn't believe how Jiang Chen completed the Instance.

Suddenly, a faint spatial ripple appeared outside the Instance, and Jiang Chen materialized outside.

He ignored the crowd's reaction and swiftly re‑entered the Instance.

He discovered that this Speed Run

method was more efficient; although the experience was a bit less than a full clear, the main experience gain remained, at least about 80% of a full clear.

The speed, however, increased by nearly double.

Half the time, 80% of the experience.

Anyone can calculate that.

The only problem is fatigue, because one has to keep running.

Jiang Chen decided to keep using the Speed Run method to level up; this way the efficiency is clearly much higher.

The Dungeon Hall was left with a group of trainees whose jaws nearly hit the floor.

In the Hong Shen Courtyard.

Lin Zhenzi and Hong Jishi also had unnatural twitches at the corners of their mouths.

Li Xueru said nothing, but his constantly twitching eyebrows showed his mind was not calm.

In two scenes, the Creation Academy and Flame Emperor Academy were battling a Lava Giant.

It seemed this fight wouldn't end quickly.

Meanwhile, Jiang Chen had already started a new round of Speed Run.

Hong Jishi muttered, "That kid isn't flashy enough outside; he still wants to show off back at the university—can't he be low‑key?"

Lin Zhenzi, without looking angry, glanced at him: "You were far more high‑profile when you were young; you wanted the whole world to know any deed you did."

Li Xueru said, "That record… nobody can break it."

Hong Jishi slapped his thigh, looking gleeful: "That's natural; once we see whose student it is, those little kids from the two academies will probably cry!"

"But a little setback is fine; it'll make them more restrained in the future."

Lin Zhenzi squinted: "Looking at his skill damage, the attack power seems to be based on the corpse."

The Divine-level Strongman's eyes were sharp, quickly discerning the source of Jiang Chen's skill.

Hong Jishi hummed.

He made a sound, "Indeed, and fresh corpses—if a corpse stays dead too long, its life force wanes and it becomes useless."

"Also, monsters like Elemental Sprites that have no corpse are useless."

Lin Zhenzi said gravely, "When he reaches Level 30, he can go to the th Level Goblin Army Dungeon; there the monsters are numerous and dense, all have corpses, and the experience is good."

Lin Zhenzi knew every Instance situation in the Dungeon Hall like the back of his hand.

Nothing could be clearer.

Li Xueru laughed, "Lao Hong already has a plan."

Lin Zhenzi looked at Hong Jishi: "Aren't you planning to let him grind levels at the university?"

Hong Jishi smiled, "The university is a greenhouse; the flowers it raises are too fragile."

"Then what are you planning..." Lin Zhenzi suddenly thought of something, "Are you planning to go to that place?"

Hong Jishi nodded.

Lin Zhenzi's face changed dramatically: "You're crazy; you only went after Second Transcendence, and the brat is only Level 30, and you want to toss him there."

Hong Jishi replied bluntly, "He's already stronger than most Level 40 high‑tier professionals; what's stopping him?"

"Besides, he's my student; I can teach him however I want, Lin Laotou, you can't interfere."

Lin Zhenzi, fuming, blew his beard: "Fine, I can't control him, I'm too lazy to try; besides, the brat won't actually die. Even if he dies once to face reality, it's not a bad thing."

Hong Jishi hummed, "Rest assured, my student, you won't die!"

Jiang Chen continued his speed‑run enterprise.

With the experience from last time, this time the speed was even faster.

All monsters were hauled in a single rush to the palace gardener and were randomly blasted.

Then they dragged the corpses and ran toward the Lava Giant.

Again.

It was a chaotic blast.

It looked like a completely unskilled operation, yet the effect was surprisingly good.

The bell of the Dungeon Hall still rang.

The people who were startled earlier have now recovered.

Their nerves, after repeated stimulation, have become very strong.

They are now immune to the bell.

Even if they see something astonishing again, they won't find it particularly strange.

A new record for the "Fire God Palace" instance was set again.

36 minutes 58 seconds.

Over a minute faster than before.

Jiang Chen, after emerging, didn't waste a second and entered the instance again.

He flashed briefly inside the Dungeon Hall; without looking closely one might think it was a hallucination.

Speed‑run must look like a speed‑run; don't waste time.

Finally, a large force emerged from the instance.

Creation Academy and Flame Emperor Academy, these rival schools, the two team leaders stared at each other.

The Knight leading Flame Emperor Academy is named Zhang Chen.

He is dressed in Top-tier Gold Equipment; his necklace, earrings, and ring are all BOSS Jewelry.

Among them, the Goblin King's ring shines on his finger.

He is in a good mood, staring at the Creation Academy members, he says with a smile, "We entered two minutes later than you, yet we came out together; we won this round."

The people from Creation Academy showed no expression upon hearing this.

This made Zhang Chen feel strange.

Zhang Chen continued, "He Zhengyi, don't you want to admit it?"

He Zhengyi, as the team leader of Creation Academy, knows Zhang Chen, and they are also at odds with each other.

They have been rivals for many years.

He Zhengyi gave a faint smile, "I'm not refusing to admit it; it's just that although we entered the instance, we stayed in the safe zone for quite a

... amount of time."

"I know you're coming, I'll give you a little surprise; I wonder if classmate Zhang Chen likes it."

This exchange made Zhang Chen's face change.

He didn't expect He Zhengyi to pull such a move.

The instance only starts timing after leaving the safe zone.

We were schemed.

Zhang Chen snorted coldly, "Then let's look at the records and see who's ahead."

"Of course we have to check the records; once they're out, you can't deny it," He Zhengyi said, brimming with confidence, his face calm and self‑assured.

The two lifted their heads and looked at the Light Screen.

Then both expressions froze simultaneously, as if struck by an Immobilization Spell.

Their teammates, puzzled, also looked upward.

Then they each fell into a stunned state.

"Jiang Chen, level 28, 36 minutes 58 seconds"

Jiang Chen's name glittered.

The score almost blinded their eyes.

They fought tooth and nail, exhausted to death.

In the end, that person finished in 36 minutes 58 seconds, alone, and at level 28.

Meanwhile, their own group was at least level 35.

Their bodies were clad in Top-tier Gold Equipment and BOSS Jewelry, as lavish as possible.

The result, however…

Their scores have already been posted.

Creation Academy: 4 hours 33 minutes 26 seconds.

Flame Emperor Academy: 4 hours 33 minutes 29 seconds.

Only a three‑second difference.

Creation Academy narrowly won.

Originally, Creation Academy should have been happy, and He Zhengyi should have been happy.

But after seeing Jiang Chen's result, he couldn't feel happy at all.

Of course he's heard Jiang Chen's name; in recent days it's spread across the world.

Professional Competition, Level 20 Team Competition, Solo Dual Champion.

In the Challenge Competition, a Direct Challenge of five rounds.

One person was defeated by a team of six Level 10

Level 10 professionals forming a Mage Team.

Such a result is something other professionals wouldn't even dare to imagine.

Even if they are students of the Creation Academy, even if each of them boasts of being top geniuses, before Jiang Chen they all must fade into obscurity.

The gap is truly too large.

This is no longer something that manpower can compensate for; the gap originates fundamentally.

Even if they are dissatisfied, they can only keep it bottled up.

Perhaps in the future there will be a chance to turn the tables.

But not now.

I just didn't expect the gap to be this huge.

Four hours and a few minutes, and 38 minutes.

Twelve people versus one person.

He Zhengyi and Zhang Chen felt a burning pain on their faces.

It's not just the two of them; their teammates, the geniuses of the Creation Academy and Flame Emperor Academy, each one felt embarrassed.

They consider themselves damn geniuses.

A whole team cannot surpass a single person.

And that person is nearly ten levels lower than them.

The joy of victory completely vanished; all that remained was facial pain.

Someone was peeking at them outside the Dungeon Hall, making them feel even more burning.

He Zhengyi gestured, "Let's go!"

Zhang Chen, at this moment, also weakly gestured, "Back to the Academy."

When they arrived they were so full of vigor, now they are so despondent......