Chapter 5: Basic Enlightenment, Add Points!

Chapter 5: Basic Enlightenment, Add Points! (Seeking Collections, Seeking Recommendation Tickets!!!)

From the information received earlier, Jiang Zhe was certain this Divine Core originated from the Manhuang World—it was a "body component" belonging to a cultivator stronger than World Dao Monarch rank.

The four-hundred-square-meter area had been combed through thoroughly, yet no trace of anything else besides the Divine Core was found.

Jiang Zhe pinched his brow, troubled. "How exactly should I use this Divine Core?"

According to cultivation common sense in the Manhuang World, Divine Cores left behind by experts above Life-Death Dao Monarch rank could create a chaotic world. The beings born within such a world would possess innate talents far surpassing those from ordinary world hearts.

When a whale falls, life blooms—this was no different.

Another use was as a substitute for a world heart, enabling cultivation of the famous Thousand Forms Codex from the Mankind Universe.

Jiang Zhe had immediately considered this option, but alas, it was just a daydream.

"The usage method can be studied later... What matters now is confirming my Internal World can likely shield against the Primordial Universe's detection."

Looking up at the massive tree canopy covering the four-hundred-square-meter area, Jiang Zhe suspected it was the key.

"Fundamentally, the Divine Core should be equivalent to the Primordial Universe itself. If it appeared inside the Primordial Universe, the latter would definitely go berserk."

He shuddered to imagine what the Primordial Universe might do. "I must prepare mentally to hide this Divine Core in my Internal World forever."

Shaking his head, Jiang Zhe felt a headache coming from contemplating the Divine Core's future.

Looking at the "Golden Fragment" and "Crystal Stone" on the stone table, both were hot potatoes. His so-called "golden fingers" were truly "trouble generators."

Cradling the fist-sized Divine Core, he carefully examined it, hoping to discover alternative uses.

...

Unbeknownst to Jiang Zhe, who was engrossed in studying the Divine Core, the world outside had already erupted into chaos because of him.

In the "Rich Ladies Mahjong Group", secrets never stayed hidden for long.

Last night, Jiang Zhe's mother and two aunts-in-law had bragged about their son/nephew in their besties' group chat. By the next morning, the upper echelons of Lanling Base City already knew Jiang Zhe's feat—becoming a Pre-Warrior at sixteen years old, an unprecedented achievement!

The news spread like wildfire. By noon on the 27th, nearly every high-ranking official on Earth knew.

...

Detailed dossiers of the Jiang Clan and Jiang Zhe were placed on the desks of Earth's two strongest men, Hong and Lei Shen. Soon after, two invitation letters were sent to Hanxia Kingdom's Lanling Base City.

Earth's Fourth Councilor and top Mentalist, Ister, stared silently at the documents on his desk.

After a long silence, he murmured, "From Intermediate Student in the morning to Pre-Warrior by night... This familiar growth curve..."

"Mentalist, huh?"

A faint unease stirred within Ister. He felt the arrival of a challenger who might threaten his position—the intuition of a fellow Mentalist.

Unfortunately, this potential rival belonged to the same faction.

"Looking at it differently, maybe I could gain a Councilor-rank apprentice? Hanxia Kingdom always emphasizes respecting teachers..."

In Europa, within the HR Union headquarters' Councilor's Office.

Isadora, a silver-haired white woman in her fifties and a legend within the HR Union, was also reading the reports from Hanxia Kingdom.

Two Stronkaiser-tier bodyguards and a secretary stood respectfully on either side, awaiting orders.

"Jiang Clan? The current head is called... Jiang Lie? His strength is Invincible War God Rank, right? That assessment was made long ago. We haven't heard of him fighting since."

"Councilor has an excellent memory!" The War God Rank officer on the right praised, "Indeed, he hasn't appeared publicly for ages. We suspect he might have already advanced to Councilor Rank but kept it hidden. Hanxia Kingdom people are masters of concealing their strength."

"His three sons are all War God Rank too?"

"Yes, especially the eldest son, Master Jiang. He's practically a young Jiang Lie—wields a Supreme Spear, favors crushing targets' skulls with brutal combat style." The War God Rank officer shuddered slightly, recalling unpleasant memories.

"Sigh, truly a family blessed by God."

Isadora sighed enviously, then turned to her elegant female secretary.

"Una, how are Jiang Clan's commercial operations progressing?"

"Not well. They face constant obstruction from the Wang Clan. Their performance ranks near the bottom among Hanxia Kingdom's Twelve Great Clans."

After a brief silence, Isadora ordered, "Allocate more commercial resources to the Jiang Clan. This era prioritizes martial artists. Failing to satisfy powerful cultivators with resources will cause major unrest."

Una hesitated, "But Councilor, the Wang Clan..."

"Let the Wang Clan take it up with the Jiang Clan. The better our alliance will become when they fight each other."

"Yes, Councilor. I'll arrange it immediately."

"Wait." Isadora added, "Also monitor the situation with Legislator Fal. Don't mess this up."

In Hanxia Kingdom's Kyoto Base City, within an underground building.

Third basement level.

Inside an elegantly decorated office, a thin man in loose martial arts clothing tapped the table with one hand while reading the reports from Lanling Base City with the other.

"Old Jiang Lie wasn't at home, right?"

"Correct. Yesterday morning, he left the base city with his three sons to hunt a Thai River Carp Dragon along the Tahe River."

"That explains his low profile. That old fox understands concealing strength better than anyone."

"I need to talk to him. I want to become his grandson's teacher. We can't let the two major martial arts academies or HR Union snatch up such a promising talent."

The secretary dryly remarked, "Boss, technically speaking, they're already HR Union members."

Waving his hand dismissively, the thin man said, "The Jiang Clan doesn't bully others or engage in malicious competition... What kind of HR Union member are they?"

The secretary remained silent, thinking: You're really talking about your Kyoto neighbor, aren't you?

Along the Tahe River.

Grandmaster Jiang and his three sons emerged from the murky river, preparing to rest before continuing their search for the Thai River Carp Dragon elsewhere.

After activating their communication watches and seeing countless missed calls, they fell into deep thought.

"Did someone rob our house? Why are you all calling so urgently?"

In the virtual world, War God Palace.

Today's logged-in members were all discussing Jiang Clan's lucky fellow. For the first time, Jiang Zhe's name spread globally.

Indeed—"lucky fellow."

That was the general assessment.

According to reports from Lanling Base City, he first became an Intermediate Student, then suddenly crossed into Pre-Warrior rank overnight. No Jiang Clan would allow their direct descendants to make shortsighted decisions. Experienced martial artists could easily guess what this meant.

—Mentalist Awakening!

Some praised, some envied, some grew jealous... A cacophony of reactions.

If Jiang Zhe were ordinary-born, he'd already have lost his freedom—forcibly taken by some faction, subjected to endless training for power.

Luo Feng concealed his Mentalist identity to avoid losing freedom.

But Jiang Zhe was different. With four War God Rank members in the Jiang Clan and their HR Union background, who would dare storm their compound to snatch him?

...

Inside his Internal World.

Jiang Zhe cradled the Divine Core, his face beaming with delight.

He finally understood part of its usage.

In the Manhuang World, Divine Cores from experts above Dao Monarch rank could create chaotic worlds with special beings—higher chances of producing experts.

Especially Supreme Sovereign Divine Cores, whose chaotic worlds birthed every being with a trace of Supreme Sovereign essence—the ultimate cultivation seeds.

Unexpectedly, even undifferentiated Divine Cores had similar effects.

After prolonged contact, Jiang Zhe felt cool energy flowing from his palms into his Cerebral Domain, instantly clearing his mind, sharpening his senses, like a dust-covered mirror suddenly polished clean.

Exhilaration! Comfort! Absolute freedom!

The entire world felt different. When he calmed his mind completely, he faintly sensed an unusual vibration.

It was a fluctuation from the vast Universe's very essence!

However, this strange vibration felt muffled, as if wrapped in layers of thick gauze, making it difficult to perceive clearly.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end