The Heavens: Man Covers the Heavens, Refines Treasures to Become an Emperor

"The being capable of designing such spirit runes must be someone of great importance!"

Jiang Xuan took the Flying Star Crossbow, pulled the trigger, and the crossbow immediately emitted a crisp hum, as if responding to his touch.

"Mr. Lu never mentions his past."

Jiang Xuan said softly, his eyes filled with nostalgia.

"He only said that this Flying Star Crossbow, when used with the Star Frost Arrows, can break through spiritual energy."

Old Mo gasped.

"Breaking through the Spirit Barrier? Doesn't that mean..."

"Thank you very much, Elder Mo."

Before Lao Mo could finish speaking, Jiang Xuan had already put the Flying Star Crossbow and arrows into a specially made leather case, and turned to walk out the door.

"I'll visit again after the quarterly review."

"Hey! You're just leaving like that?"

Old Mo shouted from behind.

"At least let me do some more research!"

Jiang Xuan's figure had already disappeared into the night.

Old Mo shook his head and smiled bitterly, then turned to look at Xiao Man beside him.

"That Jiang kid, he's got a straightforward personality."

Xiaoman blinked.

"Elder Mo, can't you really discern the origin of that spirit pattern?"

Old Mo frowned and pondered for a moment, then finally shook his head.

"Completely clueless. I've never seen this kind of spirit rune structure before in all my years. It's neither imperial standard nor like a sect's inheritance, but rather..."

"What does it look like?"

"It looks like something unearthed from an ancient ruin."

Old Mo lowered his voice.

"But don't tell anyone about this."

Xiaoman was somewhat surprised, then smiled.

"Don't worry, I'm very tight-lipped. Oh, right, I just remembered something, I need to go see Director Xu!"

Before Lao Mo could respond, Xiao Man's figure had already rushed out of the warehouse like a gust of wind and disappeared into the night.

The central camp of the Bloodthirsty Camp was brightly lit.

In a spacious conference room, instructors and top fighters from twenty camps gathered together.

Xu Sanqi stood at the head of the group, his face serious as he surveyed the crowd.

"Quarterly performance reviews begin tomorrow; everyone is aware of the rules."

Xu Sanqi's voice was steady and powerful.

"I only want to emphasize one point: The safety of our trainees must be guaranteed. While the barbarians are ferocious, our trainees are far more valuable."

A murmur of discussion arose from below.

A burly instructor stood up.

"Chief Xu, how strong are the barbarians in this assessment? I heard they're comparable to the Spirit Realm?"

"good."

Xu Sanqi nodded.

"That's why I've asked you to keep a close eye on them and to immediately rescue any trainees who are in danger."

"Hmph, the students of Camp 39 don't need this kind of treatment."

A cold female voice rang out. Everyone turned to see Xiao Ke sitting with her arms crossed, her face radiating confidence.

"Instructor Xiao Ke, don't speak too confidently."

An instructor with a goatee across from them sneered.

"My Bai Lingxi from Camp 7 has already touched the threshold of the Spirit Realm. She will undoubtedly be the first to slay a barbarian in this assessment!"

"fart!"

Another bald instructor slammed his fist on the table and stood up.

"Zhao Yin from my Camp 13 killed a wounded barbarian three days ago, in less than ten breaths!"

"Stop arguing."

A stern-faced instructor sneered.

"When it comes to speed, who can compare to Changsun Hen of my Camp 5? His Shadow Strike Technique is so fast that even barbarians can't react!"

The meeting room instantly descended into chaos, with instructors from various camps arguing heatedly for their trainees, some even rolling up their sleeves, seemingly ready to come to blows at the slightest provocation.

"enough!"

Xu Sanqi roared, his spiritual energy surging, making everyone's eardrums ache.

"Stop arguing! Let the trainees prove their skills in the assessment!"

The meeting room then quieted down.

Xu Sanqi rubbed his temples and looked at Xiao Ke.

"Xiao Ke, in your Camp 39, do any trainees have the ability to kill a barbarian in the first instance?"

Xiao Ke remained silent for a moment, then finally shook her head.

"Although there are many top-notch students, killing a barbarian in the shortest amount of time is indeed difficult."

Xu Sanqi nodded.

"That's what I think too. After all, barbarians are incredibly resilient; even with their hearts pierced, they can struggle for a while. Unless..."

"Unless it's a fatal blow!"

"It's like the goatee-bearded instructor said."

"For example, decapitation or destruction of the brain."

"That's exactly right."

Xu Sanqi looked around at everyone.

"That's why I said we can only truly know who has the ability once the assessment begins."

Just then, the conference room door was suddenly pushed open.

"I know who can be the first to kill the barbarian!"

A clear female voice rang out, and everyone turned to look.

Xiaoman stood at the door with a confident smile on her face.

"Grain Buds?"

Xu Sanqi frowned.

"How did you come?"

Xiaoman strode into the conference room, looked around, and said, word by word.

"Camp 39, Jiang Xuan. He'll definitely be the first among all the trainees to kill the barbarian!"

There was an uproar.

"Hahaha!"

The bald instructor was the first to burst out laughing.

"Little girl, you probably have no idea what we're discussing, do you?"

"That's right, Jiang Xuan? Never even heard of him!"

The sinister instructor scoffed at it.

Even Xiao Ke showed displeasure.

"Xiaoman, stop fooling around!"

Xiaoman remained unmoved and stared directly at Xu Sanqi.

"Boss Xu, I bet Jiang Xuan can definitely do it."

"bet?"

Xu Sanqi seemed to be deep in thought.

"How do you want to bet?"

"Bet with points!"

Xiaoman took out a crystal card from her bosom.

"I bet Jiang Xuan can be the first to kill the barbarian. If he loses, I'll give everyone present a thousand points!"

"One thousand points?!"

Everyone exclaimed.

This is equivalent to half a year's income for an average student!

The instructor with the goatee was somewhat agitated.

"Little girl, have you thought this through? There are twenty camps here, each with at least two instructors, that's 40,000 points! Can you afford that?"

Xiaoman slightly raised her chin.

"If you can't produce it, I'll do your hard labor for a year!"

The meeting room erupted in cheers once again.

The stakes were so high that even Xu Sanqi was surprised.

"Grain Buds!"

Xiao Ke suddenly stood up, her face ashen.

"Are you crazy? Come out with me!"

"Sister Xiao Ke, I'm confident."

Xiaoman said in a low voice.

Xu Sanqi suddenly raised his hand, stopping the commotion.

"Interesting. Since Xiaoman is so confident, I'll accept this bet."

"Xu Tou!"

Xiao Ke looked at Xu Sanqi in disbelief.

"but."

Xu Sanqi changed the subject.

"If Jiang Xuan really succeeds, each of you should give Xiaoman one thousand points."

The group exchanged bewildered glances, and finally nodded in agreement. After all, in their view, it was practically impossible.

"Okay, it's settled then." Xu Sanqi made the final decision.

"Quarterly performance reviews begin tomorrow, everyone be prepared."

Xiao Ke glared angrily at Xiao Man, then turned and strode out of the conference room.

After the meeting, only Xu Sanqi and Xiaoman remained in the conference room.

"Why?"

Xu Sanqi leaned back in his chair, his sharp gaze fixed on Xiaoman.

"You know perfectly well how low Jiang Xuan's chances of winning are."

Xiaoman pursed her lips, her slender fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes.

"I believe him."

"believe?"

Xu Sanqi chuckled.

"The Bloodthirsty Camp is not a place for sentimentality. Do you know how many eyes are watching this bet? If you fail, not only will you become a laughingstock, but Jiang Xuan will also face immense pressure."

"He won't let me down."

Xiaoman raised her head.

"Over the past three months, I've personally watched him train until late at night every day, watching him grow from a complete novice who didn't even know basic swordsmanship into a top-twenty student on the leaderboard. His rate of progress is unmatched in the entire Bloodthirsty Camp."

Xu Sanqi remained silent for a moment, then finally sighed.

"I hope you're right. I'm going to talk to Xiao Ke, you two sisters..."

The night was as dark as ink, and Jiang Xuan was practicing extra hard in the training ground. Sweat dripped down his chin, and the long sword in his hand drew silver arcs in the moonlight.

"Jiang Xuan!"

The familiar voice made him sheathe his sword and turn around.

Xiaoman stood at the edge of the training field, the moonlight casting a silvery glow on her face, but it couldn't hide the worry on her face.

"What's wrong?"

Jiang Xuan wiped the sweat from his forehead and walked towards her.

Xiaoman bit her lower lip and told him about the bet they made during the day.

"What?"

Jiang Xuan nearly dropped the knife in his hand.

"You're betting a thousand points that I'll be the first to kill the Fire Barbarian powerhouse?"

"I trust you."

Xiaoman stepped forward and looked at him with a resentful expression.

"Don't you have confidence in yourself?"

Jiang Xuan felt a sense of suffocation.

One thousand points is equivalent to half a year's income for an average student.

What's even more terrifying is that the entire Bloodthirsty Camp is now watching his every move.

"This is not a matter of confidence."

He smiled bitterly.

"The camp has monsters like Bai Lingxi and Zhao Yin, as well as geniuses like Gong Ming and Shi Yu. I..."

"But none of them are you."

Xiaoman suddenly grabbed his wrist with astonishing force.

"I've reviewed your training data. Your reaction time is 0.3 seconds faster than Gong Ming's, and your swordsmanship accuracy is second only to Bai Lingxi. As long as you perform at your normal level, you definitely have a chance!"

Jiang Xuan looked at her reddened eyes, the words of refusal stuck in his throat.

"I will do my best."

Xiaoman burst into laughter through her tears, and her smile under the moonlight made Jiang Xuan feel somewhat dazed.

The next morning, the desert 300 miles away was sweltering with heat.

Trainees from twenty camps stood in formation in front of their respective combat zones.

Each area has thirty towering fighting arenas, and within the chained cages, ferocious figures can be vaguely seen.

"That's a powerful Fire Barbarian?"

Ning Meng stood beside Jiang Xuan, her voice trembling slightly.

"I've heard they can tear tigers and leopards apart alive, and crush refined iron with their bare hands."

Jiang Xuan did not answer.

His gaze was fixed on the nearest arena, where a figure in a cage was at least two meters tall, with dark lines covering his red skin and muscles that bulged like rocks.

Even when bound by specially made chains, its menacing aura still sends chills down one's spine.

"Hey, I heard Instructor Xiaoman placed a big bet on you?"

A sarcastic voice came from behind.

Jiang Xuan turned around and saw Qi Can standing with his arms crossed, a mocking smile on his face.

"A broken sword and a crossbow, and you think you can be the first to kill the Fire Barbarian? What a joke."

"none of your business."

Ning Meng stood in front of Jiang Xuan, glaring fiercely at Qi Can.

Qi Can didn't take it seriously and instead raised his voice.

"Come look, everyone! This is Jiang Xuan, the one Instructor Xiaoman has high hopes for! How many moves do you think he can last?"

A burst of laughter erupted from the crowd.

Jiang Xuan gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, his knuckles turning white, but in the end he simply turned away in silence.

"Ignore them."

Ning Meng lowered his voice.

"But... are you really only bringing this much equipment?"

Jiang Xuan patted the Flying Star Crossbow at his waist.

“That’s enough.”

"Are you crazy?"

Ning Meng's eyes widened.

"The others prepared at least three spiritual artifacts! That guy Shi Yu even managed to get his hands on a black iron shield!"

Jiang Xuan looked towards the distant arena and said softly.

"The more magical artifacts you have, the heavier the burden. You've seen the speed of the Fire Barbarian powerhouses; cumbersome equipment will only become a hindrance."

Meanwhile, in the advanced training area on the east side of the camp, several powerful figures were gathered together.

"Senior Sister Bai, have you heard about that bet?"

A student dressed in blue asked respectfully.

Bai Lingxi, one of the camp's recognized strongest students, merely raised her eyelids upon hearing this, a disdainful smile curving her lips.

"Just a clown, not worth paying attention to."

"What does Senior Brother Zhao think?"

The other person turned to the tall man next to him.

Zhao Yin sneered.

"Only weaklings resort to such attention-grabbing tactics. True strength is determined by might."

Everyone burst into laughter, clearly taking the bet as a joke.

Meanwhile, inside the command tent of the temporary central camp, Xu Sanqi and Xiaoman sat facing each other.

“You’re too impulsive.”

Xu Sanqi said in a deep voice, tapping his fingers on the table.

"That kid's only been here a short time, and you actually made this kind of bet with him."

Xiaoman grinned, revealing two rows of white teeth.

"Old Xu, you're too rigid. I think that kid has a fierce streak; he might actually be able to pull off a miracle."

"Miracle?"

Xu Sanqi shook his head.

"Do you know how many powerful individuals participated in this assessment? Bai Lingxi, Zhao Yin, and others are all seasoned veterans. Not to mention those who were hiding their true strength."

Xiaoman shrugged dismissively.

"Just you wait and see."

Xu Sanqi stopped talking, but gave Xiaoman a deep look, his eyes filled with an unfathomable expression.

"Clang, clang, clang."

With three long chimes, the monthly assessment officially began. The trainees walked to their respective arenas, each shrouded in a transparent light barrier to ensure the battles would not be disturbed by external forces.

Jiang Xuan steadily walked onto the seventh arena, where his opponent had been waiting for a long time.

"Tsk tsk tsk, look who this is?"

A cold, sinister voice rang out.

"Is that the arrogant brat who doesn't know his place?"

Jiang Xuan looked up and saw a burly middle-aged man looking him up and down with a contemptuous gaze.

The man's skin was an unhealthy dark red, and his face was covered with hideous scars. Most striking was the flame-shaped tattoo on his forehead, the symbol of the Fire Barbarians.

"Remember my name, boy. Lord Buff will show you what it means to wish you were dead."

Buff licked his lips, his eyes gleaming with bloodlust.

Jiang Xuan did not respond immediately, but calmly observed the other party.

Under Lao Mo's guidance, he had studied in depth the characteristics of the various Wuman tribes and knew that the Fire Barbarians were known for their cruelty and tyranny, and often took pleasure in torturing their opponents in battle.

"What? Are you scared stiff?"

Seeing that Jiang Xuan remained silent, Buff became even more smug.

"Don't worry, I'll slowly torture you to death, making you regret ever being born!"

Jiang Xuan finally spoke, his voice eerily calm.

"Are all of you fire barbarians this stupid?"

"What?"

Buff was stunned for a moment, then flew into a rage. (End of Chapter)