Translator: CinderTL
The corpse of the Shadow Clan Juvenile rapidly dissolved, vanishing without a trace in moments.
Jiang Ye stood his ground, his blood still surging with heat.
"Nine Luminaries Star-Treading is truly formidable," he murmured, gazing at the deep crater in the ground.
A single stomp had created a pit over ten meters in diameter.
This destructive power rivaled that of artillery shells.
This is the true might of stellar energy!
No wonder they say that after the first breakthrough, one gains unimaginable transcendent abilities. Even this raw destructive force alone far surpasses what ordinary martial artists could achieve.
Jiang Ye glanced at his system panel.
[Nine Luminaries Star-Treading: Uninitiated (27%)]
"Even at the Uninitiated stage, it unleashes such power," Jiang Ye mused. "If I truly master it, it'll likely be terrifying beyond measure."
Just then, he noticed a system notification that had flashed by earlier.
[Killed Demonic Path Practitioner +1]
"Demonic Path Practitioner? Did I trigger another system achievement?"
Jiang Ye paused, slightly surprised.
During the Reserve Star Professional Assessment, he had already triggered a similar achievement.
Back then, he had slain over two thousand Shadow Clan members, earning the Level 1 'Flourishing Fortune' achievement, which granted a minor boost to his luck.
"Will this one also enhance my luck?" Jiang Ye wondered inwardly.
Luck is a mysterious thing.
But Jiang Ye felt that his luck had indeed improved since obtaining the achievement.
For example, his College Entrance Examination score was just high enough to meet Penglai University's admission threshold.
Another example was the recent Shadow Calamity; no Cosmic Void Passages appeared near his neighborhood.
The former could be attributed to his own efforts.
But the latter? That was purely luck.
"And then there was my father's crisis. Teacher Zhu from Penglai University happened to contact me and helped resolve it," Jiang Ye thought to himself. "Was that really just a coincidence? I doubt it."
He couldn't be certain, but he was convinced that his improved luck played a role.
"There's one more thing," Jiang Ye mused. "The increase in luck might also increase the trigger rate of achievement effects."
Take "Tilting at Windmills," for example. When facing opponents with higher cultivation realms, it had a chance to double his damage output.
What was that chance? The system didn't specify.
Most likely, it all came down to luck.
"Whether I can further improve my luck depends on this mission," Jiang Ye said, glancing at his wristband.
Beep! A holographic projection appeared.
Name: Jiang Ye
Kills: Juvenile Form (1)
Reward: 7,000 Credits
Mission in Progress
"Seven thousand already?" Jiang Ye's eyes lit up slightly.
Seven thousand yuan wasn't a fortune, but it wasn't a small sum either.
For Jiang Ye now, it might not be much, but for Jiang Dahai, it was nearly a month's wages.
If I get this much for each kill, Jiang Ye thought, what about a hundred? A thousand?
The reward for this mission was truly extravagant.
Especially for Jiang Ye, who needed to seize every opportunity.
"For this mission, I'll kill as many as possible," Jiang Ye vowed, his eyes turning icy.
Cao Feng's sacrifice, the death of that Bronze Medal Shadow Hunter, and the lavish reward had ignited a burning desire for vengeance in his heart.
After marking the corpse's location, Jiang Ye roared, "Kill!"
His figure blurred into an afterimage as he darted deeper into the ruins.
This time, he would unleash a massacre!
Qingyang City Unified Examination Bureau.
Observation Hall.
"He took it down already?"
"His strength far exceeds what's in the files!"
"Jiang Ye's performance is vastly superior to what he showed during the College Entrance Examination," Director Li remarked, a hint of surprise in his eyes. "How could he have improved so much in just two weeks?"
The screen was divided into multiple sections, each displaying the location of a Reserve Star Professional Cadre member participating in the mission.
At Director Li's command, Jiang Ye's feed was enlarged to occupy one-fifth of the screen.
"This is truly remarkable," Director Li murmured.
"A five-meter-tall Shadow Clan Juvenile Form is equivalent to a College Entrance Examination score of over 920," Tang Huochang said, exhaling in relief while simultaneously marveling, "Has Jiang Ye improved this much in just two weeks?"
Jiang Ye's raw score on the College Entrance Examination had been only 895. Could he have gained over twenty points in just two weeks? That was simply astonishing!
"Moreover, he seems completely unaffected by the Shadow Clan's psychic assault," Tang Huochang observed keenly. "This young man's Martial Dao Will is exceptionally strong."
"Xiao Tang," Director Li chuckled, "it seems signing Jiang Ye was an excellent decision after all."
"Director Li has a discerning eye," Tang Huochang replied with a slight smile.
She had been the one to discover Jiang Ye and recommend him to Director Li. His current performance was a great credit to her judgment.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, Tang Huochang's expression shifted as she glanced at the other sections of the screen.
"The geniuses from Yuncheng, the provincial capital, have also arrived in Ancheng," she said, watching the screen. "They're not far from Jiang Ye. They might run into each other."
Director Li glanced at the screen and shook his head. "Those Yuncheng elites are all Third or Fourth-Tier Reserve Star Practitioners. They're unlikely to cross paths with Jiang Ye."
"Still, with them joining the mission, the Shadow Clan in that area will probably be wiped out quickly."
"Jiang Ye needs to level up his kill count fast."
In the ruined Taoyang Community,
Boom!
Boom!
A series of earth-shattering explosions erupted.
"Kill! Kill!" Jiang Ye, his body radiating a faint silver starlight, fought fiercely against several Shadow Clan members.
Not long ago, deep within these ruins, he had encountered seven Shadow Clan creatures.
Fortunately, they were all Juvenile Forms or Infant Forms, none exceeding five meters in height.
Jiang Ye dispatched them with ease.
Splat! Splat!
Amidst a spray of pitch-black blood, Jiang Ye blasted another Shadow Clan Juvenile apart.
[Demonic Path Practitioner Killed +1]
"Roar!"
The remaining Shadow Clan members roared in unison, a flicker of fear appearing in their pitch-black eyes.
In the next instant, they transformed into a shadow and fled backward.
The Shadow Clan, at their core, was a sentient race.
They weren't mindless killers.
Witnessing Jiang Ye's overwhelming combat prowess, they retreated in disarray.
"Hmph."
"Trying to escape?" Jiang Ye's eyes turned icy as his figure blurred into an afterimage, lunging forward.
[Swiftwind Step: Instantly doubles movement speed. Actively triggered, lasts 30 seconds, 3-minute cooldown.]
With the speed buff activated, Jiang Ye closed the distance to the fleeing stragglers in mere seconds.
He moved like a human cannonball, each strike erupting with a thunderous roar.
Boom! A leg whip flashed out, a pale silver starlight slicing through the air, cleaving a nearly four-meter-tall Shadow Clan Juvenile in half.
Slaughter! Relentless slaughter.
Minutes later, Jiang Ye stood on the ground, activating the holographic projection from his wristband.
Beep~ A holographic display materialized.
Name: Jiang Ye
Kills: Juvenile Form (4), Infant Form (8)
Credits: 29,600
Mission in Progress
"Almost thirty thousand," Jiang Ye exhaled.
Life never ends, and the battle never ceases.
This was the true essence of a cosmic martial artist.
At this moment, Jiang Ye seemed to grasp the meaning of those words.
Battle! Exhilarating!
It wasn't just about the rewards. More importantly, through constant combat, he had released the pent-up anger and sorrow within him.
His spirit, energy, and focus had returned to their peak state.
"Let's continue."
Jiang Ye closed the wristband projection and was about to move forward when suddenly...
"Hmm?" He looked up at the sky.
Vroom~ A rumbling sound echoed through the air.
A silver-white small flying craft descended into the area.
Shhh!
White vapor hissed from the craft's tail as the hatch slowly opened.
In the next moment, three young men and women in ornate battle armor emerged from the hatch.
Whoosh!
Whoosh! Whoosh! The trio dove straight down from a hundred meters above.
Jiang Ye was initially startled.
They can fly? Are they masters who have achieved at least the third breakthrough?
No, their qi prowess isn't nearly that strong.
Just as Jiang Ye was thinking this, he saw flames erupt from the trio's battle armor, and they landed smoothly on the ground.
"..."
"Damn rich people," Jiang Ye muttered inwardly.
The trio had clearly noticed him and began walking toward him.
The leader, clad in pale pink battle armor, was covered in a shimmering, flowing light membrane. Upon closer inspection, countless thread-like golden patterns could be seen flowing beneath the pink armor, exuding an extraordinary and majestic aura.
Whirr~ The helmet opened, revealing a strikingly delicate-featured young woman.
Behind her stood two young men, one tall and one short, both radiating exceptional charisma.
"Are you here for the Star Profession Mission too?" the delicate-featured young woman asked Jiang Ye with a smile. "I saw your fight earlier."
Jiang Ye nodded calmly.
"Hello, let's introduce ourselves," the tall young man stepped forward, extending his hand. "I'm Xu Haoran, from Yuncheng."
"Jiang Ye, local to Ancheng," Jiang Ye replied, shaking his hand.
Xu Haoran paused slightly, then smiled and said nothing more.
The shorter young man had also started to approach, intending to introduce himself, but after hearing Jiang Ye's words, he stopped in his tracks.
"So you're from Ancheng," the delicate girl said with a smile. "Good luck with your mission. We're heading out now."
With that, she turned and led the two young men away.
Whoosh! The trio moved with incredible speed, quickly leaving the area.
Once they were a safe distance away, the shorter young man shook his head. "I thought he might be some genius worth befriending, but he's just a local from Ancheng? What a waste of time."
"Don't be so quick to judge," Xu Haoran chuckled. "He might actually be a genius."
"I remember Ancheng making headlines recently, causing quite a stir."
"What do you think, Sister Qingwei?" Xu Haoran asked, glancing at the delicate girl leading the way.
The girl, named Lin Qingwei, was the leader of the group.
She smiled faintly. "Ancheng's highest score this year was 915. The boy's name was Jiang Ye, I think. Barely qualifies as a genius, if you ask me."
915 points?
Xu Haoran and the shorter young man exchanged glances, shaking their heads and chuckling.
In a backward, remote town like Ancheng, that score might indeed be considered genius-level.
But ultimately, he was just a small-town prodigy.
In Yuncheng, talents like him were a dime a dozen.
"Let's go, we need to get to our mission," Lin Qingwei said, leading the other two as they sprinted through the ruins.
Jiang Ye, of course, had no idea what they were planning. He watched them disappear into the distance, unconcerned. He was used to operating alone.
Soon, in another section of the ruins, Jiang Ye encountered Shadow Clan Juveniles again.
"Kill!"
Without hesitation, Jiang Ye moved like lightning, charging toward the Shadow Clan creatures.
These Shadow Clan Juveniles lurked in the corners of Ancheng, posing a threat that only cosmic martial artists could handle. If ordinary people like Li Anping or Jiang Ting ventured into the streets, they would inevitably be torn apart by these creatures.
Therefore, Jiang Ye never hesitated to eliminate any Shadow Clan presence he detected. Letting even one escape would create a massive hidden danger that would resurface once Ancheng was unsealed.
Time passed.
Four hours later, in a ruined area three kilometers from Taoyang Community, a fierce battle raged.
Boom!
Boom! Bang!
Over twenty Shadow Clan Juveniles transformed into shadowy figures, surging toward Jiang Ye like a tidal wave, their roars shaking the heavens.
Even the weakest among them stood two meters tall in their Infant Form.
The strongest among them stood nearly six meters tall—Shadow Clan Juveniles!
And they were currently swarming a lone, slender figure.
His posture was upright, his body radiating a Martial Dao Aura tinged with a hint of bloodlust, imbuing the air with a metallic tang.
Boom!
Jiang Ye moved like lightning, each punch carrying the force of a thunderbolt, capable of crushing a Shadow Clan Infant Form.
Each leg strike fell like a mountain collapsing, leaving massive craters in the ground and walls.
Splat!
Jiang Ye moved like a dragon, a swift chop instantly severing a Shadow Clan Juvenile's body.
[Demonic Path Practitioner slain +1]
[Demonic Path Practitioner slain +1]
System notifications flashed incessantly before his eyes.
Jiang Ye showed no hesitation, his Martial Dao Aura growing increasingly solid with each kill.
Earlier, he had already cleared the previous ruined district, exterminating every Shadow Clan member within.
Now, he had arrived at this new wasteland.
To his surprise, he was immediately ambushed by over twenty Shadow Clan members upon entering the area.
"The Shadow Clan members in other areas were scattered, yet over twenty have gathered here?"
Jiang Ye's expression grew grave. "Have I stumbled upon the Shadow Clan's nest?"
Without a doubt, this was the most intense battle Jiang Ye had ever faced.
Among the twenty-odd Shadow Clan members were several five- to six-meter-tall juveniles, proving particularly troublesome to deal with.
Had Jiang Ye been at the start of his mission, his chances of survival would have been slim.
Fortunately, after hours of relentless slaughter, his mastery of the Nine Luminaries Star-Treading technique had grown significantly.
This earth-rank Cosmic Secret Art had gradually refined itself through constant combat.
Even when surrounded by over twenty Shadow Clan members, Jiang Ye fought with unparalleled ferocity.
Thwack! Thwack!
One by one, the Shadow Clan members fell.
In the blink of an eye, only three six-meter-tall juveniles remained.
Roar~!
The remaining three Shadow Clan members roared, finally feeling fear.
These creatures, who had relied on their superior numbers to relentlessly hunt Jiang Ye, never imagined that this human would not only survive but slaughter them down to their last three.
Roar~ The three Shadow Clan juveniles growled softly, seemingly communicating with each other.
In the next moment, they turned and fled without hesitation.
Whoosh!
The three Shadow Clan Juveniles transformed into streaks of darkness, merging with the ground and darting off in a specific direction.
"Think you can escape?" Jiang Ye scoffed, his body transforming into a bolt of lightning as he gave chase.
The sky gradually darkened, signaling the approach of evening.
Enhanced by the night's shadows, the Shadow Clan Juveniles moved even faster than they had during the day.
Within seconds, they had burrowed deep into the ruins, disappearing into a massive cave leading to the underground ruins.
Whoosh! Jiang Ye followed without hesitation.
Hmm?!
The moment Jiang Ye entered the cave, his expression shifted abruptly.
His ears twitched.
[Cheat Ear: Freely adjustable hearing. Range: 0%-1000%]
Jiang Ye could now comfortably handle a 500% auditory amplification.
Instantly, a cacophony of sounds flooded his ears.
"People underground?" Jiang Ye's brow furrowed. "I can hear at least ten people moving around!"
But this underground ruin shouldn't have so many occupants.
Boom!!
Just as Jiang Ye sensed something was amiss, a massive iron gate slammed down behind him, sealing the cave entrance shut.
(End of the Chapter)
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