The Sword God of the Universe
Chapter 1002: The 4 Confused People

Chapter 1002: Chapter 1002: The 4 Confused People

Rui An and his three companions were momentarily bewildered, staring wide-eyed at Director Gong Luo and Jing Yan.

This reward was indeed somewhat incomprehensible. Everyone knew that the Qingmu Department was relatively poor, otherwise, it wouldn’t have been unable to recruit talents from the Genius List. The less they recruited martial arts geniuses, the poorer they became. It was a vicious cycle that everyone recognized but couldn’t resolve.

"Director, you must be joking, right?" Xia Yu grinned with a rather awkward smile.

He had no opinions about Jing Yan. It was just that the reward announced by the Director was completely beyond their expectations. If it were merely two hundred thousand Divine Crystals, that could still be reluctantly accepted. The problem was the three months of training at the Divine Spring Hall, which would likely be a strain even for the Water Moon Department.

The Water Moon Department in the First Palace only had three Divine Spring Halls. Moreover, it was the only department in the First Palace’s ninety-nine that possessed three Divine Spring Halls. Constructing a Divine Spring Hall is extremely difficult and requires high-ranking figures from the Jidao Palace to personally take action. Without sufficient achievements, these people from the Jidao Palace would not consider helping Qingmu Department build a Divine Spring Hall.

Stronger departments like the Truth Department, for instance, had only two Divine Spring Halls.

"Do I look like I’m joking?" Gong Luo said, focusing his gaze.

"Director, what is Jing Yan’s ranking on the Genius List?" Rui An inquired.

It wasn’t just Rui An who was curious; the other three also harbored deep doubts. They had no impression of the name Jing Yan. If he were a martial arts genius with a high ranking on the Genius List, it would be impossible for them to have no impression of him. That meant, even if Jing Yan was on the Genius List, his ranking was likely very low.

"Jing Yan hasn’t yet made it onto the Genius List." Gong Luo shook his head.

Upon hearing Gong Luo’s words, the four deacons were genuinely unsettled.

He hadn’t even made it onto the Genius List, so why would the Director grant him such a reward?

Could Jing Yan be the Director’s illegitimate child?

The four deacons exchanged glances.

Jing Yan maintained a smile throughout, not interrupting the conversation between Director Gong Luo and the four deacons. He couldn’t possibly go boasting arrogantly to these deacons about his strength.

"You’re all so tense." Gong Luo glanced at the four, continuing, "Jing Yan isn’t on the Genius List yet, but I believe his name will soon appear on it. Surely, you’ve heard of Kuo Shen?"

"Kuo Shen?"

"That Kuo Shen on the Genius List? Ranked over eight hundred?"

"Director, why suddenly mention Kuo Shen? Don’t tell me you’ve also recruited Kuo Shen into our Qingmu Department?"

At the mention of Kuo Shen’s name, the deacons perked up, their eyes gleaming.

"Naturally, I haven’t." Gong Luo shook his head, saying, "Kuo Shen is strong, but he hasn’t managed to enter the top one hundred in the ranking battles."

"What?"

"How is that possible? Kuo Shen’s strength didn’t get him into the top hundred? I heard his martial arts realm is a Five-star Void God!"

"Did he, by any chance, run into those monstrosities like Jin Guang and the others?"

After their initial shock, the deacons speculated.

"Kuo Shen didn’t encounter Jin Guang and those others, but he did face Jing Yan. In the sixth round of the ranking competition, he battled against Jing Yan, resulting in Jing Yan entering the top one hundred while Kuo Shen didn’t." Gong Luo added.

"Hiss~"

Xia Yu and the others had their expressions change instantly, a buzzing in their brains. The narrative delivered by Director Gong Luo was too astonishing to believe. Had Kuo Shen faced off against extraordinary talents like Jin Guang or Gao Biandong, it would be understandable. But losing outright to Jing Yan?

"Jing Yan, what is your realm?" Xia Yu asked, eyes widened, his breath a bit heavy as he looked at Jing Yan.

"My realm isn’t particularly high, the same as Kuo Shen’s, only a Five-star Void God." Jing Yan replied casually.

"Five-star Void God?"

"Not particularly high, a Five-star Void God?"

"Oh my..."

The four deacons, Xia Yu included, were overwhelmed with racing thoughts, unsure what to say. All four of them were just Four-star Void Gods.

"Though Jing Yan’s martial arts realm is the same as Kuo Shen’s, his combat power is much more formidable. Kuo Shen couldn’t withstand even three strikes from Jing Yan. On Jing Yan’s third strike, Kuo Shen was knocked out of the arena, losing the duel." Gong Luo further explained.

"Jing Yan’s martial arts cultivation can easily place him in the top thousand of the Genius List, no problem at all making it to the top five hundred. The reason he’s not been on the Genius List yet is primarily because he’s only recently ascended from a low-class world." Gong Luo added.

The four deacons were now somewhat dazed, feeling that their brains weren’t functioning properly. They had numerous questions, such as how someone from a recently ascended low-class world could be a Five-star Void God, among other things.

Yet, they didn’t ask further. Jing Yan’s strength was undeniable, and that was sufficient.

Their attitude toward Jing Yan became subtly complex.

Earlier, Xia Yu had even said that if anyone bullied Jing Yan, he should come to him for support. Looking back now, it was indeed a joke.

When Jing Yan could knock out a strong Five-star Void God like Kuo Shen in three blows, why would he need a Four-star Void God’s help?

"Now, does anyone here still have objections to the reward I’ve decided for Jing Yan?" Gong Luo asked the four deacons.

The four of them all shook their heads.

A prodigious talent like Jing Yan deserved high rewards, no matter what. Although the usage of the Divine Spring Hall was always tight, the Qingmu Department had to find a way to accommodate it.

"Since there are no objections, go ahead and make the arrangements. Try to reschedule the martial artists whose usage time for the Divine Spring Hall falls within these three months. If some don’t understand, try to persuade them." Gong Luo instructed.

"Yes!" The four responded in unison and left.

"Jing Yan, here are two hundred thousand Divine Crystals, take them for now." Gong Luo handed a Sumeru Ring to Jing Yan, then added, "I’ll take you to choose a place to live. Heh, I know you won’t stay in the First Palace for long, but you still need a place to reside."

"Thank you, Director." Jing Yan accepted the Divine Crystals with gratitude.

The two exited the Council Hall, heading toward the residential area.

"Director, what’s the process for the Second Palace assessment?" Jing Yan asked while walking.

"Since you’re a member of the Qingmu Department, participating in the Second Palace assessment requires me to report on your behalf to the Assessment Department. However, after reporting, there’s also a wait time. Based on historical procedure, waiting for about three months is typical." Gong Luo explained.

He knew that Jing Yan would definitely want to take the assessment for the Second Palace as soon as possible, which was why he allocated Jing Yan precisely three months to train at the Divine Spring Hall.