Chapter Ten: Target Found

Tianxin Tower.

Jiang Che leisurely sipped his tea when suddenly, a ripple in the array emanated from the southwest. His hand paused mid-lift, switching the cup to his left hand. With his right, he formed seals, sending two subtle arrays into his eyes.

In an instant, everything before him became transparent. It was as though he possessed the vision of a thousand-mile eye, seeing directly the array above the Education District.

“This is—!” He leapt to his feet with such force that the table was knocked over. Precious tea spilled across the floor, his beloved teacup shattered, yet he had no time to notice. His body, standing upright, trembled slightly.

“Isn’t this the remnant array our Jiang family has studied for years?”

“Who? Who leaked the Jiang family’s array?”

He roared, summoning those outside.

“Go investigate immediately! Find out what happened in the Education District today!”

“Who released this array?”

At this moment, Linyang Third High was like a scene from hell. Human limbs and blood mingled with the revolting black slime of the parasite beasts, staining the land.

Countless black holes dotted the school, resembling nests of ants, teeming across the grounds.

Parasite beasts poured endlessly from these pits, their cockroach antennae waving, scythe-like mantis arms slicing the air, screeching as they lunged at the woman before them.

A flash of moonlight swept by, and dozens of parasite beasts fell instantly.

Li Huanyi stood unmoved, reaching out as a crescent blade, fluid as water, returned to her hand.

Before her, the wounded parasite beasts regenerated their limbs within seconds, snarling as they attacked again.

Her gaze remained steady. “Quickly, lock onto the Parasite Beast King.”

The five members of the Tianquan Squad cleared the path, exterminating parasite beasts to shield the other four as they approached a black hole to analyze the energy fluctuations.

Li Huanyi glanced at the methodical Tianquan Squad, then descended among the beasts like a falling moon.

Wherever the moonlight blossomed, parasite beasts shattered.

Her cold eyes swept over the mountain of broken limbs.

These ordinary parasite beasts were so difficult only because an R-class Parasite Beast King lurked behind them.

If the Beast King was eliminated, the lesser beasts would be easy to handle.

Yet, “easy to handle” applied only to her.

Thinking of the one hundred thousand examinees present, her gaze darkened.

She wondered how many families would be torn apart by these parasite beasts.

Suddenly, a brilliant light erupted in the sky, drawing her attention.

“This is…” She stared in shock at the simple yet effective array, her spiritual power moving instinctively to trace its lines.

—

The spiritual power of a Nascent Soul cultivator surged like the sea, and a hundred-meter-wide Big Dipper Star Array formed instantly.

The moment the array took shape, countless starlight streaked across the sky like meteors, dazzling and brilliant.

As the radiance faded, every parasite beast was reduced to dust.

Black ash and slime mingled across the ground, and if not for the distant screeches of more parasite beasts, she would have believed she was dreaming.

“With this array, even someone at the first level of Qi Training could defend themselves from possession.”

Even she, usually indifferent, was moved to excitement.

Parasite beasts were the most common and troublesome of all demons.

Through countless battles, untold soldiers had been lost to their possession.

But this array completely cut off the possibility of possession and prevented resurrection.

If deployed on the battlefield, soldiers’ survival would be greatly improved.

“I wonder which great master created this for the greater good!” Li Huanyi gratefully clasped her hands in salute.

“Chief, we’ve located the target!”

The nine members of the Tianquan Squad gathered at a black hole, their gazes resolute.

Li Huanyi approached swiftly. “Memorize this array. Soon, we’ll test its power below.”

“Yes!” the Tianquan Squad replied in unison.

The ten of them entered the black hole and vanished.

At the library—

Brave examinees used the Big Dipper Star Array to break through the siege and joined Jiang Wangshu and her group.

The leading girl immediately recognized Huo Jinyu’s voice, clasping her hands in gratitude. “Thank you, fellow cultivator. Such kindness will surely be repaid.”

Huo Jinyu hurriedly shook her head, denying, “It wasn’t me, it was—”

Her gaze shifted, searching for Jiang Wangshu.

Jiang Wangshu quickly poked Huo Jinyu’s waist, whispered, “It’s you.” She had no wish to attract attention.

“Alright, alright, it was me!”

The girl looked puzzled but didn’t press further. “I am Wu Roumiao. May I ask your name, fellow cultivator?”

Only then did Huo Jinyu catch on to Wu Roumiao’s form of address, feeling a surge of excitement—“fellow cultivator,” a term usually reserved for elders.

She never imagined she would be addressed this way.

“Ahem, hello, hello!”

Huo Jinyu suppressed her excitement, trying to imitate the demeanor of elders.

But anyone with eyes could see her awkward restraint.

—

Zou Xiuzhen lowered his head, unable to watch.

Jiang Wangshu shook Huo Jinyu’s arm, exasperated. “We’re not out of danger yet! We need to break through quickly. Once our spiritual power runs out, the array will collapse.”

Huo Jinyu snapped to attention. “Quick, quick, let’s form a larger array to get out.”

With Zou Xiuzhen’s help, Huo Jinyu directed everyone into position.

“Everyone ready? Three feet per step, no more, no less! Ensure the array forms properly.”

“We need speed. Everyone’s spiritual power is running low!”

The force of the Big Dipper Array among hundreds drove away all parasite beasts, severing their lifeforce.

Their spiritual power, unlike that of Nascent Soul cultivators, was not overwhelming—they could only kill the parasite beasts.

As they advanced, corpses piled up.

Many students, seeing the dreaded demons spoken of by their elders dispatched so easily, grew smug.

“So these are demons? They’re not that scary!”

“Exactly. The elders go on and on about running away, but these simple demons don’t warrant fleeing!”

“I’ll take a picture and send it to my family, so they can stop saying I’m useless.”

Jiang Wangshu spoke up, advising, “Don’t let your guard down. It’s best to leave quickly.”

But the excited examinees wouldn’t let a stranger question them.

They immediately began to verbally attack Jiang Wangshu.

“I bet you just can’t stand to see us relax. We’re talking among ourselves—why do you need to butt in?”

“If you can’t speak, shut up. No one thinks you’re mute.”

“Measure your strength before you speak.”

Jiang Wangshu rolled her eyes. “If you don’t value your own life, don’t wail and moan later.”

Jiang Wanwan spotted Jiang Wangshu standing in the corner.

She subtly switched places with someone nearby, slowly moving closer.

When she arrived, she overheard Jiang Wangshu arguing with others and immediately flashed a sly smile.

“Brother, you’re all so amazing! If not for you, how could we weak girls have come through unscathed?”

Her voice was soft and boneless, instantly making the arrogant examinees beam with pride.

Jiang Wangshu glanced at Jiang Wanwan from the corner of her eye, half-smiling. “What, didn’t you make a fool of yourself enough today? Here you are again?”