67: Chapter 67 Breaking the Shield and Plundering, a Shocking Clue

Jiang Xun swiped his room card and opened the door.

Under the hallway lights, Xu Qingran stood there, looking pretty and delicate.

She was wearing a simple white dress, but her usual cold composure had vanished without a trace.

Her face was somewhat pale, her beautiful eyes were bloodshot, and her knuckles were white from gripping her bracelet tightly.

"Come in first, then we'll talk."

Jiang Xun stepped aside to let her in and closed the door.

The room was very quiet, so quiet that they could hear each other's breathing.

Xu Qingran's breathing was a bit hurried. She looked at Jiang Xun, her lips moving as if she had a thousand words to say but didn't know where to start.

"Have some water and take your time."

Jiang Xun poured a glass of warm water and handed it to her, his movements natural and his gaze calm.

This calmness acted like a sedative, slightly settling Xu Qingran's chaotic emotions.

She took the glass but didn't drink. Instead, she looked up and stared at Jiang Xun with burning eyes.

"That map you sent me... and that 'Star Positioning Method,' are they real? Where did you find them?!"

Her voice carried a hint of uncontrollable trembling.

Three years of silence, three years of day-and-night torment had left her almost in despair.

The clue Jiang Xun brought was like a torch lit in an endless night; she was afraid this light was just an illusion.

"They're real."

Jiang Xun didn't beat around the bush and answered directly.

"I found them in a handwritten notebook within the underground archives of the Provincial Library."

He briefly explained how he noticed the snake tattoo on Deputy Director Qian An's wrist, how it made him suspicious, and how he eventually used his Water Element Perception to find that damp notebook in the library.

He didn't hide Deputy Director Qian An's identity, nor did he hide the existence of the eerie organization, the Ouroboros Society.

In matters like this, any concealment could lead to fatal consequences.

Xu Qingran listened quietly, her face growing paler as she heard more.

The Deputy Director of the Jiangnan Province Deity Administration Bureau was actually a member of an ancient sacrificial organization that worshipped an evil god!

If this news got out, it would cause a massive uproar throughout Jiangnan Province!

"So, my father's disappearance likely wasn't a military accident..."

"But was related to this 'Ouroboros Society' organization?"

Xu Qingran's voice was dry.

"Judging by the overlap with the map in the notebook, it's very likely."

Jiang Xun gave a firm answer.

"They seem to be searching for the so-called 'Land of Fallen Gods,' wanting to open the 'Divine Gate' to welcome the return of the ancient god they worship. Your father likely stumbled upon their secret while patrolling the No-Man's Land."

The glass in Xu Qingran's hand shook violently, spilling some water, but she didn't even notice.

So that was it.

The mystery that had plagued her for three years finally had a Breakthrough.

Even if this Breakthrough pointed toward a deeper, darker abyss.

"Jiang Xun, thank you."

She looked up, and her eyes no longer held hesitation or helplessness; instead, they were filled with an incredible determination.

"I will remember this debt of gratitude. From now on, your business is my business."

"I'll investigate this 'Ouroboros Society' with you!"

"Don't be so quick to thank me."

Jiang Xun interrupted her, his gaze becoming solemn.

"I told you these clues so you could be prepared. But right now, we have a more pressing trouble."

He looked at Xu Qingran and said word by word, "It's coming for me."

Xu Qingran was brilliant and reacted immediately.

"The tournament?!"

"Exactly. I suspect Li Ang and the others have already made contact with Deputy Director Qian An."

At that moment.

Far from the tournament grounds, at Taichu Academy, inside a high-tech remote viewing room.

Several middle-aged men with steady auras were repeatedly playing the recording of Jiang Xun breaking the 'Titan Barrier'.

"Water element erosion, Death Qi penetration, and explosive force at the weak points... This kid named Jiang Xun isn't fighting a war; he's performing a precise surgical dismantling!"

A mentor clapped his hands in admiration.

"His thinking has completely jumped out of the rut of God-Kingdom confrontation. He's using a combination of 'traits' from different civilizations to solve problems. This is a classic scholar-type mindset—a true Genius!"

"I've looked at his files. He's just from an ordinary family in Nanjiang City and only awakened an E-Rank Talent. To reach this stage in such a short time, Heart-Nature, wisdom, and means—none can be lacking."

"I suggest we raise his observation Rank to 'Special.' After this tournament ends, we can directly issue a special recruitment letter, bypassing the subsequent evaluations!"

This proposal received unanimous agreement from all the mentors present.

Meanwhile, in a dark private room of a club in Nanjiang City, the atmosphere was the exact opposite.

Jiangnans First Shield sat slumped on the sofa with lifeless eyes, repeatedly muttering, "Impossible, my defense couldn't possibly be broken."

His God-Kingdom core had been severely damaged by Jiang Xun's combined tactics, his Foundation shaken; he was now essentially a crippled man.

Li Ang irritably smashed a wine glass on the floor.

"Useless! You couldn't even delay him for a moment!"

He couldn't understand why Jiang Xun's methods seemed endless, as if they would never run out.

"Brother Ang, what do we do now? That kid plundered the Titan Barrier and reinforced his own defense. He'll be even harder to deal with!"

Lu Tao's face was also full of terror.

"What are you afraid of!"

Li Ang growled with a distorted expression.

"I've already settled everything according to Deputy Director Qian An's arrangements! The semi-finals will be his funeral!"

He looked at a gloomy young man in the corner who had remained silent the whole time.

"The venue for the semi-finals is the 'Vast Illusory Realm.' The terrain is complex and allows multiple people to enter at once. I've already pulled strings with the organizing committee. When the time comes, the four of us will appear in the same arena simultaneously!"

"Four against one! Even if he has heaven-defying abilities, he's dead for sure!"

Li Ang's words made the eyes of everyone present light up with greedy light once more.

Inside the hotel room.

After listening to Jiang Xun's analysis, Xu Qingran's expression became more serious than ever before.

She took out her bracelet and pulled up an encrypted message she had just received.

"Before you came, I received an anonymous message."

She pushed the bracelet in front of Jiang Xun.

"The message says the semi-final venue has been temporarily changed to the 'Vast Illusory Realm.' The terrain is complex and ever-changing, and the rules allow for multiple contestants. The sender warned me to tell you to be careful, as this is a coordinated assassination attempt against you."

This news perfectly corroborated Li Ang and the others' conspiracy!

"It seems they've truly been driven to desperation."

Jiang Xun looked at the message, but his face showed no surprise.

From the moment Deputy Director Qian An came to his door, he knew the other party would never allow an uncontrollable factor like himself to continue shining in the tournament.

"Four against one in an illusion where the environment can change at will... This isn't a match at all; it's murder!"

Xu Qingran's tone was full of worry.

"Jiang Xun, how about... withdrawing? A wise man doesn't stand under a crumbling wall. As long as you're still here, there will be plenty of opportunities in the future!"

"Withdraw?"

Jiang Xun smiled.

He looked up and adjusted his glasses. The gaze behind the lenses was as sharp as a newly unsheathed blade.

"Why would I refuse a delivery brought right to my door?"

He had just plundered the 'Titan Barrier,' and his God-Kingdom's defensive capabilities had received an epic boost.

He was just worrying about where to find a good place to test the strength of his new armor.

"Four deliveries, all packaged and sent to the same place."

Jiang Xun looked at the night sky outside the window, the corner of his mouth curling into a playful arc.

"This service is simply too thoughtful."