The teleportation light faded, depositing the top qualifiers into a sleek, metallic waiting room.
Standing before them was the Chief Examiner, a stern man with the terrifying aura of the Foundation Establishment Realm.
"Congratulations," the Examiner's voice boomed. "You are the future of Skyscar City."
He looked at the five students present: Lin Qingxue, Jiang Chen, Gu Linger (who was happily clutching her poster), a silent boy with a longbow, and a burly student from Iron-Fist High.
"The Spirit Spring Ruins is a Class-B Pocket Dimension," the Examiner explained. "Inside, the spiritual Qi density is ten times that of the outside world. You have 24 hours. How much you absorb depends on your talent."
He handed each of them a jade talisman.
"This is your lifeline. Crush it to teleport out. The central valley is a Safe Zone. Do not—I repeat, do not—wander into the Grey Sector. The beasts there are not simulated."
He waved his hand. A swirling vortex opened behind him.
"Go."
Lin Qingxue nodded respectfully and stepped in first. The others followed. Jiang Chen stepped through last, checking his System map one more time.
[Target Location: 5km North-East. The Grey Sector.]
"Of course it's in the danger zone," Jiang Chen sighed.
Inside the Ruins.
The world shifted. Jiang Chen opened his eyes to a breathtaking sight.
They stood in a lush, vibrant valley. The sky was a perpetual, soft violet twilight. The flora was massive—glowing mushrooms the size of umbrellas and ferns that hummed with visible energy particles.
The air was thick and sweet. Just breathing it in made Jiang Chen's pores open up.
"Ten times density?" The Iron-Fist student gasped, sitting down immediately. "I feel like I'm drowning in Qi! I need to cultivate!"
Lin Qingxue and the Archer boy also sat down in lotus positions, wasting no time. Gu Linger found a comfortable rock, put up a "Do Not Disturb" sign made of ice, and started meditating.
Jiang Chen stretched his neck. He didn't sit. He started walking toward the edge of the clearing.
"Hey."
Lin Qingxue opened one eye. "Where are you going? The Examiner said to stay in the Safe Zone."
"I cultivate better while walking," Jiang Chen lied smoothly. "Sitting makes my legs numb."
"You're walking toward the Grey Sector," Lin Qingxue warned, her voice cool. "There are real beasts out there. No safety protocols. If you die, you waste the ticket."
"I have a heavy sword," Jiang Chen patted the case on his back. "I'll be fine. See you in 24 hours."
He waved and broke into a sprint before she could argue further.
Lin Qingxue watched him disappear into the bioluminescent jungle. She shook her head. "Arrogant. He thinks a heavy sword solves everything."
She closed her eyes, focusing on her breakthrough.
The Grey Sector.
As soon as Jiang Chen crossed the invisible barrier of the Safe Zone, the atmosphere changed.
The lush purple plants turned grey and thorny. The air grew heavy with the scent of rot and rust.
[System Alert: Sword Sovereign's Fragment Detected.]
[Distance: 2000 meters.]
"Let's go."
Jiang Chen moved like a phantom, using the Flowing Wind Sword Steps. He dodged hanging vines that snapped like whips and leaped over pools of bubbling acid.
Hiss.
A Steel-Scale Viper (Level 8) dropped from a tree, aiming for his neck.
Jiang Chen didn't even slow down. He didn't draw his sword. He simply backhanded the snake mid-air with his Golden Marrow reinforced fist.
SPLAT.
The viper exploded.
"Weak," Jiang Chen muttered. "I need more XP."
He continued deeper. The System guided him toward a massive crater in the center of the Grey Sector.
In the middle of the crater stood a ruined temple. It wasn't built of stone, but of metal—thousands of rusted swords melted together to form walls and pillars.
[Destination Reached: The Shrine of the Fallen Blade.]
Jiang Chen stopped. The pressure here was immense. It felt sharp, like the air itself was cutting his skin.
"Sword Intent," Jiang Chen realized. "This whole place is saturated with it."
He walked up the steps. In the center of the shrine was a stone pedestal. Floating above it was a small, white object.
It looked like a piece of bone, radiating a soft, white light.
[Item Identified: Finger Bone of the Sword Sovereign's Avatar.]
[Description: A remnant left behind when the Sovereign's projection fought a great evil here 500 years ago.]
"A finger bone?" Jiang Chen frowned. "Well, loot is loot."
He stepped forward to grab it.
GRRRRR.
A low growl vibrated through the metal floor.
From the shadows behind the pedestal, a beast emerged.
It was a tiger, but it wasn't made of flesh. Its fur was metallic strands of wire, and its teeth were jagged dagger blades.
[Guardian Beast: Blade-Tiger (Mutated)]
[Cultivation: Equivalent to Qi Gathering 1st Stage.]
[Note: Absorbed Sword Intent for 500 years. Extremely dangerous.]
"A Qi Gathering beast," Jiang Chen unlatched his case. "Finally, a real fight."
The Blade-Tiger roared. It didn't pounce; it opened its mouth and fired a blade of wind.
Slash.
The wind blade cut a deep gouge into the metal floor, rushing toward Jiang Chen.
Jiang Chen didn't dodge. He wanted to test his defense.
He drew the Cold-Iron Heavy Sword and held it flat like a shield.
CLANG!
The wind blade hit the heavy sword. Jiang Chen slid back two meters, his boots digging into the ground. His arms went numb.
"Strong," Jiang Chen grinned. "But not strong enough."
The Tiger charged. It moved like a streak of silver light.
"Speed versus Weight again?" Jiang Chen laughed. "I learned this lesson yesterday."
He closed his eyes for a split second, sensing the vibration of the metal floor.
Don't chase the wind. Crush the source.
When the Tiger was mid-air, Jiang Chen slammed his sword into the ground in front of him.
Heavy Sword Art: Earth Splitter.
BOOM.
The metal floor warped. A shockwave of debris and force erupted upward.
The Tiger, caught mid-leap, was blasted by the shockwave. It lost its balance, flipping in the air.
"Home run!"
Jiang Chen spun, using the momentum to swing the sword horizontally.
CRUNCH.
The heavy blade connected with the Tiger's metallic ribs. The sound was sickening—like a car crusher compacting a vehicle.
The Tiger was launched across the shrine, smashing into a wall of melted swords. It twitched once, then dissolved into metallic dust.
[Guardian Defeated.]
[XP Gained.]
Jiang Chen panted, re-sheathing his sword. "Brute force really solves 90% of problems."
He walked to the pedestal and grabbed the floating white bone.
Hum.
The bone didn't shock him. Instead, it melted into his hand, warm and gentle.
[Item Absorbed.]
[Synchronizing with Continent #10,000...]
[Reward: Sword Sovereign's Appreciation.]
[Unlock Progress: 10% -> 15%.]
[Skill Upgrade: 'Flowing Wind Sword Steps' upgraded to 'Phantom Sword Steps' (Black-Tier Low Grade).]
"An upgrade to my movement technique?" Jiang Chen felt a rush of knowledge enter his brain. The steps became lighter, more ghostly.
"Worth it."
He turned to leave, but something caught his eye.
Behind the pedestal, hidden in the shadows of the melted swords, lay a skeleton.
It wasn't ancient. It wore a tattered, modern Federation military uniform.
"A soldier?" Jiang Chen frowned. "In a restricted ancient ruin?"
He walked over and knelt. The skeleton clutched a small, leather-bound waterproof notebook in its bony hand.
Jiang Chen gently pried it loose. He opened it to the last entry. The handwriting was shaky, stained with dried blood.
Date: Year 9980.
Entry: The Expedition failed. The anomalies are not random. Someone is feeding the beasts. Someone in the City Council is trying to open a permanent rift. If anyone finds this... trust no one. Not even the City Lord.
Jiang Chen's blood ran cold.
"Year 9980... that was the year of the failed Recon Mission," Jiang Chen whispered. "The official report said they died to a natural beast tide."
He looked at the warning. Trust no one. Not even the City Lord.
"A conspiracy," Jiang Chen realized. "Someone is a traitor. And they are trying to open a rift to the Demon Realm from the inside."
He remembered his own adoptive parents. They died in a 'Beast Tide' too. Was it connected?
He closed the notebook and shoved it into his deepest pocket. Then, thinking better of it, he stored it in the System Inventory.
[Item Stored: Soldier's Diary.]
"This is dangerous," Jiang Chen muttered. "If I hand this in, I might be silenced."
He stood up, looking at the alien violet sky through the ruined roof.
"I need to get stronger," Jiang Chen gripped his heavy sword. "Strong enough that even the City Lord can't silence me."
He checked the time. 20 hours left.
"Time to go back to the safe zone," Jiang Chen turned around. "But first... let's see if there are any more Level 8 snakes to squish on the way back."