Chapter 109 (1/3):  Saint Land Assessment, Eden

Su Fu’s guess wasn’t without reason. 

After all, Taigu Zhihen and the Saint Land had long-standing, deep cooperation, so the resources in their hands must be among the very best.

In addition, if these two top academies were willing to hold a joint examination, then this Saint Land was definitely not simple.

Although it might not necessarily be one of those legendary top-tier Saint Lands, like the Norse Yggdrasil, it was at least one of those renowned places.

This meant the resources would be extremely abundant.

Just as she was lost in thought, Shen Yan’s notification suddenly sounded: [“Your delivery has arrived at the Divine Realm.”]

Su Fu was startled for a moment, and murmured, “So it’s almost in Teacher Tang Yu’s hands?”

She was somewhat looking forward to seeing Teacher Tang’s reaction upon receiving the Short Blade.

Although she’s a bit sharp-tongued, she’s truly formidable.

***

Divine Realm, Endless Dark Realm.

Here, there was never sunlight, only endless darkness and twisted laws of reality.

Tang Yu held a Short Blade in her hand. 

Behind her, three teammates in the same Guardian uniforms stood at spread-out positions, watching their surroundings vigilantly.

“Ready, three o’clock direction.”

As soon as she finished speaking, clusters of black mist suddenly erupted and charged toward them. 

Tang Yu flipped her wrist, striking straight into the core of the black mist.

Three consecutive strikes, each one deadly.

The black mist trembled violently as if suffering heavy damage, letting out a sharp screech before completely dissipating.

She repeated the technique, quickly cooperating with her teammates to wipe out all of the attacking black mist.

Yet she frowned slightly, glancing at the Short Blade in her hand.

It didn’t feel right, still didn’t fit her grip.

Tang Yu exhaled lightly, “To train until it fits perfectly in the hand, I’ll still need time.”

The new blade was good, but it still couldn’t compare to the old Short Blade that had accompanied her through life and death.

That blade had already become a part of her body, while this one… was still just an object.

“Why do you seem a few seconds slower than usual?” Teammate Karl asked in a brief pause, traces of blood still on his face.

“New blade.” Tang Yu was concise.

Karl understood immediately and didn’t ask further.

Tang Yu gripped the Short Blade tightly, looking into the distant darkness. 

She could feel something was about to emerge—a big one, likely.

The blade still felt unfamiliar, but did she regret it?

No.

Karl’s tone became more serious, “Something’s off, threat level has risen.”

The surrounding darkness began to squirm, as if countless invisible hands were pushing and tearing at space itself.

“Tang Yu,” another teammate spoke up suddenly, voice anxious, “Why not commission a blade with a spirit? In a place like the Divine Realm, being unfamiliar with your weapon… is fatal.”

This wasn’t an exaggeration; a moment’s hesitation, a centimeter’s misalignment, could mean being shredded by an Anomaly.

Tang Yu paused.

Yes, why not?

Because her life was one of dancing on a blade’s edge.

Once a weapon gained a spirit, feelings inevitably followed.

If a Ling Blade died, it was no different from losing family—just as painful.

And if she died first, how was the weapon supposed to endure the rest of its existence?

Emotion was mutual.

She had seen many artifacts who lost their owners. 

Some went mad, attacking all living beings on the battlefield regardless of friend or foe.

Some frantically searched for new masters, accepting one unfit user after another, until finally worn down and spent.

Some fell silent forever, never communicating again, eventually gathering dust in some forgotten corner.

Some even chose to follow their master, shattering themselves…

How could she bear that?

In reality, as a Guardian like her, aside from her teammates, she had little else in terms of relationships.

Her one wish was to have her name carved on the Obelisk after death, alongside her master.

Nothing else needed to remain.

Living like dust, dying like a faint glow—silently guarding the border of human civilization.

This was the Guardian’s destiny, and hers as well.

At that moment, a golden light suddenly unfolded in the air, and something was delivered.

Shen Yan’s notification rang out clearly: [“Guardian Tang Yu, your delivery has arrived.”]

[“Please sign for it promptly.”]

Tang Yu was momentarily stunned, ‘Delivery?’

Who would send her a package at a time like this?

She hesitated for a moment, and a pitch-black Short Blade slowly floated out from the portal, landing in her hand.

“…?”

Tang Yu realized—it was from Su Fu?

She gently ran her fingers over the blade. 

It was nearly identical to the old one, and her expression suddenly softened, “You really did make it for me…”

Just then, Karl’s voice abruptly rose, “Bad news! This one’s an S-class Anomaly!”

Tang Yu instantly focused, stowing the Short Blade at her waist.

What Su Fu sent her was a gift, a keepsake, not a tool to be expended in combat.

She raised her original blade, ready for battle.

Almost simultaneously, a chilling, frenzied roar sounded, and a huge form appeared in the darkness. 

It had no fixed shape, its edges endlessly twisting and shifting.

Karl’s analysis grew more precise, his voice trembling, “S-class, conceptual Anomaly. It can twist concepts and create chaos.”

“Beware its tentacles—whatever they touch will lose its original conceptual definition!”

Almost before he finished speaking, the Anomaly charged.

Tang Yu swung her blade, slicing through the tentacle trying to entangle her, then struck again and again.

Seeing that most of the tentacles had been chopped off, she was about to pursue when a strange sensation surged in her mind.

Suddenly, she felt she had no feet, only hands—four, six, with more arms sprouting from all over her body.

“What…?” She was dazed for a moment, “No feet—how do I walk?”

The next instant, a sudden pain shot through her waist, and Tang Yu snapped back to awareness.

“No, it’s conceptual chaos!”

She immediately closed her eyes, but her hand kept moving on instinct, slashing over and over, while she silently repeated in her heart: ‘Hands can walk… hands can walk…’

Until she fully convinced herself, Tang Yu’s eyes snapped open and she charged at the Anomaly’s core—

“Slash!”

The Short Blade stabbed straight through, and the Anomaly howled in agony.

“Concept broken.”

She was about to breathe a sigh of relief when she noticed teammate Rogers screaming—his left arm had turned into a twisted, ever-changing lump of flesh. 

There was the last tentacle.

Now, the tentacle was about to strike his head. 

If his head’s concept was twisted, it would be parasitized!

“Rogers!” Tang Yu, without hesitation, flung her blade straight at the tentacle!

A second later, the blade struck the target, but was just slightly off, failing to pin the tentacle.

Tang Yu was horrified, “No—!”

Rogers struggled to crawl away, but how could he compete with the tentacle’s speed?

Seeing the tentacle lunge toward him, in that desperate moment, a flash of black cold light shot past.

“Ah!”

The tentacle was pinned down tightly by that cold light, and let out an even sharper, ear-splitting howl.

So loud? 

The Short Blade stabbed even deeper.

In the end, the tentacle shriveled up like a punctured balloon, then fell limply, turning to ashes.

The whole process lasted only an instant. 

Rogers stared in shock at the spot mere centimeters from his head, where the deadly tentacle had been—now only drifting dust remained.

Scared to death, truly scared to death!

Tang Yu was stunned, staring at that black Short Blade in disbelief.

That was… the Short Blade Su Fu made for her?

After finishing the final blow, the Short Blade flew over, tilting upright before Tang Yu as if waiting for praise.

Tang Yu suddenly felt a bit lost, because she thought she heard a blade speak: “Hey, hello I am Yin Feng.”

***

Three Days Later, Central Plaza of Tianqiong Path Academy.

Su Fu and Theresa arrived early with others, watching the students gathering in one corner.

Theresa yawned, “George, you really shouldn’t have talked so much about Saint Land last night—I couldn’t sleep either.”

George, with two dark circles under his eyes, stared back, “How could I help it? I’ve never been before.”

Too excited, I just couldn’t hold back.

Yi Congling suddenly said, “Look, doesn’t it seem like the teacher dressed especially luxuriously today?”

She tilted her head slightly, gesturing to the other side of the plaza.

There stood their Saint Land practicum teacher, Belina Yvan—a priestess from the Paradise Pantheon, known for being quite…

But today she was even more stunning, wearing a silver-white gown inlaid with sparkling starlight stones, a pale blue ribbon around her waist set with a sapphire.

The key point: the sapphire was large, dazzling, and of extremely high purity—you could feel the abundant divine power from far away. 

This indicated at least S-class.

“She does seem different. Is it because we’re going out today?”

Everyone liked Teacher Belina because she was so gentle and fair to all.

In fact, among the Seven Pantheons, the Paradise Pantheon always had the best reputation.

Su Fu thought this was closely related to their doctrine—after all, the Paradise Pantheon always advocated love, forgiveness, and service. 

Just look at their chief god, Yahweh.

“Eh, who’s that man beside the teacher?”

They looked over. 

That man was tall, with a stern presence, dressed in a crisp black uniform, a gold medal on his chest, and black riding boots.

The medal’s design was a balance scale—signifying the Ministry of Education.

“That’s… the newly assigned Central Inspectorate officer?” Theresa gasped.

He actually came to supervise the exam?

“Inspector Claude Stern, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to oversee this exam,” Belina smiled, “This time, we may trouble you to accompany us.”

Central Inspector Claude Stern replied in a deep voice, bowing slightly, “It is my honor.”

He didn’t say polite words—this Saint Land was of a very high standard; it was indeed a rare opportunity.

Claude stood at attention, his gaze sweeping the plaza, finally settling on Su Fu in the distance.

He thought to himself, ‘So that’s her, the one who got the last Central Inspector killed?’

Though the files said “accidental incident,” everyone knew the truth.

But that wasn’t his main reason for coming.

At that moment, the roar of engines came from the plaza entrance.

Su Fu turned to look, seeing five sleek, heavy motorcycles roar in.

“It’s Thera’s squad.” Theresa’s eyes lit up.

Thera’s chief god was the mighty Titan god Kronos, famed for exceptional combat strength, and her team had a perfect composition.

Defensive tank, long-range firepower, healer, melee DPS core, and all-purpose support.

A golden combination.

Thera’s squad had just gotten off when another wave of shocked gasps spread through the plaza.

Su Fu didn’t even have to look up to know who it was.

Goddess of Love Aphrodite’s follower, Dairi Russell.

Every time she appeared, it caused a stir.

Su Fu looked up to see pink and white petals drifting from the azure sky, like a romantic shower of flowers.

Sure enough, Dairi, in a long gown, descended gracefully with her pure white wings, passing through the rain of petals.

Her skirt billowed in the wind, a gentle halo enveloping her, as if she was on a different layer from everyone else.

Everyone was stunned.