50: Chapter 50 A New Journey (End of Volume 1)

The maglev train sped through the night, so smooth that its movement was almost imperceptible.

Outside the window, the myriad lights of Jiangcheng were stretched into long streaks by the speed, eventually merging into a blurred and warm sea of golden light before gradually being swallowed by the boundless darkness.

Jiang Xun leaned back against the soft seat, withdrawing his gaze from the sea of light outside to focus on his bright reflection in the carriage window.

The young man in the reflection had an upright posture and a calm expression; behind his thin-framed glasses, his eyes were as deep as the starry sky.

He couldn't remember how long it had been since he last had such a quiet moment of solitude.

Since his rebirth, everything had felt like it was on fast-forward.

He still remembered the awakening ceremony, when that cold 'E-rank' evaluation appeared, the resulting laughter and disdainful gazes from the crowd were like invisible blades cutting into the original host's already fragile self-esteem.

He still remembered Li Ang's arrogant face at the assessment grounds and those malicious words: "Crush his God Kingdom, slaughter his believers."

The despair and anger of that moment felt as if they had happened only yesterday.

If his SSS-rank Talent [Civilization Plunder] hadn't awakened at the last moment, he might have already become a speck of ignored debris among the cosmic dust.

From that moment on, to survive and to seek justice for the original host, he stepped onto a path covered in thorns.

Plundering Li Ang's Undead Civilization gave him his first taste of the security that power provides.

Meeting Old Baitou at the library pushed open a long-sealed door leading to the Ancient God Civilization.

Getting to know Lame Zhang at the school gate, he learned what true combat was from that silent, iron-blooded veteran.

He slapped Teacher Wu Jingguo's face, helped Lin Hao, and went from being doubted by Xu Qingran to becoming her ally...

Facing the encirclement of the "Anti-Jiang Xun Alliance," he set a lethal trap at the First Line of Heaven, wiping out all his enemies in one go.

Facing the professional assassins hired by Director Li Jianguo, he turned their own schemes against them in the marsh, transforming a certain-death trap into a perfect collection of evidence.

Finally, on the high platform under the watchful eyes of everyone at the Jiangcheng Deity Center, he personally watched that once-insufferable director drop his arrogant mask under the judgment of justice and be fitted with cold handcuffs.

Under the spotlight, the moment the mayor personally pinned the champion's medal on him, he knew that the story of Jiangcheng had come to an end.

Pulling his thoughts back, Jiang Xun exhaled softly.

He was no longer that transmigrator struggling just to survive.

Old Baitou's expectations, the trust of Lame Zhang and countless veterans, and Xu Qingran's persistence in seeking the truth—all of this made the responsibility on his shoulders feel heavy.

He took an exquisitely crafted electronic manual out of his carry-on bag.

Printed on the cover in gilded letters was: "The 38th Jiangnan Province Prodigy Championship Participant Guide."

This was the provincial tournament, a stage where true geniuses gathered.

Jiang Xun opened the manual and flipped directly to the "Seed Player Introduction" page.

A series of dazzling names, accompanied by their illustrious backgrounds and terrifying battle records; even through a screen, one could feel the overwhelming pressure emanating from them.

[Qin Wushuang], Male, 19 years old.

Background: The eldest grandson of the Qin family of the Jiangnan Province Governor's Mansion; his grandfather is the Commander-in-Chief of the Jiangnan Province Military Command.

Civilization: Shura War Race (Platinum Rank Potential), a civilization born purely for battle, possessing terrifying talents such as Berserk and Blood-Soaked Rebirth.

Current Strength: Gold Rank Peak.

Battle Record: Once single-handedly annihilated a Gold Rank Peak pirate group entrenched in the Extra-Territorial Battlefield, including three experts of the same rank. The manual's evaluation of him was just four words: "Invincible in the same rank."

[Ye Qingcheng], Female, 18 years old.

Background: Young Pavilion Master of the "Wanbao Pavilion" of the Jiangnan Province Business Alliance, wealthy enough to rival a nation.

Civilization: Heavenly Treasure Spirit Race (Platinum Rank Potential), specializing in forging and enchanting, capable of creating powerful artifacts with various bizarre functions.

Current Strength: Gold Rank High-tier.

Battle Record: During an auction, she used three one-time-use Legendary-grade artifacts to exhaust a Gold Rank Peak deity who attempted to steal the auction items to death. Her fighting style is hailed as the "most expensive" art.

[Xiao Tianjue], Male, 19 years old.

Background: Unknown, suspected to be from a hidden assassin organization.

Civilization: Abyss Shadow Demon (Potential Unknown), an extremely rare mutated demon civilization specializing in assassination, curses, and mental erosion.

Current Strength: Gold Rank High-tier.

Battle Record: This person acts ruthlessly and specifically targets tough opponents. The manual records that in the past year, at least five well-known Gold Rank experts died silently within their own God Kingdoms after crossing him; the cause of death remains a mystery.

...

As he continued reading, every person's data was enough to make all the prodigies of Jiangcheng feel despair.

Compared to them, Li Ang was like a child who had just learned to walk.

This was the level of Jiangnan Province.

This was the true dragon's den.

"Looking at these?"

A cool voice sounded beside him.

Jiang Xun turned his head; Xu Qingran had sat down in the empty seat next to him at some point, her gaze also falling on the manual.

"Yeah, getting to know the opponents in advance," Jiang Xun said with a smile.

"You need to be especially careful of Qin Wushuang," Xu Qingran's expression was somewhat grave. "I've heard my father mention him; he is a complete war maniac. His 'Path of Shura' requires endless slaughter to improve. On the battlefield, he never leaves anyone alive."

"What about Ye Qingcheng?" Jiang Xun pointed at the photo of the girl with a sweet and charming smile. "She looks harmless."

"Any problem that can be solved with money isn't a problem for her. And most problems in this world can be solved with money," Xu Qingran said indifferently. "If you become her enemy, you might not be defeated by her skill, but crushed to death by her resources."

Jiang Xun nodded thoughtfully.

One had power, one had wealth, and one had bizarre and unpredictable killing techniques.

The difficulty of the provincial tournament was even greater than he had imagined.

"Scared?" Xu Qingran looked at him, the corners of her mouth curving into a very slight, teasing arc.

"Scared?"

Jiang Xun laughed. He closed the manual, leaned back against the seat, and cast his gaze once more toward the deep starry sky outside the window.

"I was just thinking, if I plunder all their civilizations, to what level of power will my 'Ten Thousand Laws Converge into One' evolve?"

His voice was very soft, yet it carried a natural confidence and a kind of... greed that made even Xu Qingran's heart skip a beat.

It wasn't greed for wealth or power, but the most primitive and pure desire for "civilization" itself.

Xu Qingran looked at him, at his face which seemed a bit blurred in the reflection of the train window but whose eyes shone with startling brightness; for a moment, she actually felt a bit dazed.

That's right, what others saw were powerful opponents.

But in his eyes, these so-called top prodigies were perhaps... just walking treasure vaults.

The train sped along, piercing through the darkness ahead and heading toward the brightly lit distance.

Jiang Xun closed his eyes and said silently in his heart:

Jiangcheng is just my starting point.

Jiangnan Province, Taichu Academy, the civilizations of the myriad worlds...

Here I come.

(Volume 1: Divine Fire Ignited, Civilization Plunder - End)