An Olive Branch

Jiang Ran froze at her words, not yet able to answer.

Meng Xi's amused voice sounded beside him.

"I think it'd be hard for anyone to turn down an opportunity like that." At some point, Meng Xi had walked to the edge of the training area. She leaned against the doorframe with her arms crossed. "After all, they say there's even a chance to become extraordinary in there."

Jiang Ran and Li Xintong turned to look at her at the same time.

Meng Xi wore an easy smile. Her gaze swept between the two of them before finally settling on Li Xintong.

At that, Li Xintong gave Meng Xi a long look.

Then she dropped the subject and simply nodded to Jiang Ran, her voice returning to its usual calm. "I'm going to take a shower."

She turned to Meng Xi. "Sister Meng, I'll be going now."

Meng Xi smiled and waved. "Go on, go on. Come back tomorrow."

Li Xintong said nothing more. She picked up her bow case and headed toward the changing room.

Only after Li Xintong disappeared around the corridor did Meng Xi turn to Jiang Ran. Her smile grew a little mischievous. "Well, Coach Jiang? Taking any more clients? There are still plenty of rich ladies lined up, waiting for you."

Jiang Ran's mouth twitched as he shook his head. "I've had enough for today. I'm done for now."

Meng Xi didn't press him. She only teased, "All right, get some rest. But I'm warning you, those ladies are generous. You won't get another chance like this once you miss it."

Jiang Ran chuckled and waved her off, then started packing up his gear.

Meng Xi smiled and left. The click of her high heels grew fainter as she walked away.

Jiang Ran watched her disappear at the end of the corridor and sighed inwardly.

Meng Xi's appearance just now had definitely not been a coincidence.

Knowing Li Xintong's personality, Meng Xi wouldn't have cut in at that moment unless she'd done so on purpose.

Jiang Ran also understood what Meng Xi and Old Chen were trying to do.

They were offering him an olive branch.

But for now, Jiang Ran had no intention of getting involved with anyone in the Abyssal Void.

Psychologically speaking, it was simple.

Every relationship in the Abyssal Void began from scratch.

Trust, friendship, and partnerships built in the real world all had to be reassessed once people entered the Abyssal Void.

People changed.

If friends from the real world reconnected in the Abyssal Void, were they still friends?

The answer was... not necessarily.

After all, in the real world, the greatest temptation between people was often just money and other benefits.

But the Abyssal Void offered far more temptations.

Power, all kinds of new resources, extraordinary legacies, even a longer lifespan!?

How much could the human heart withstand when faced with power capable of rewriting one's destiny?

Jiang Ran didn't want to take that gamble.

At least, not now.

He shook his head, put his tangled thoughts aside, changed clothes, and left the club with his bag on his back. Then he headed for the Voyage Training Center next door.

At the training center's front desk, the young woman in business attire stood up respectfully to greet him. "Good evening, Mr. Jiang."

Jiang Ran nodded to her. "Is Mr. Chen here?"

"He's on the third floor. Would you like me to take you up?"

"No, thank you."

Jiang Ran went straight to the elevator and pressed the button for the third floor.

When the doors opened, Old Chen was just coming out of his office with a folder in hand.

Seeing Jiang Ran, he immediately smiled. "You're here, Xiao Jiang. Good timing—I just finished looking over this month's report."

Jiang Ran smiled and nodded. "Is everyone here?"

"Everyone's here." Old Chen closed the folder and led him toward the training room. "But we've got three extra people today."

As he spoke, he pushed open the training room door.

The room was brightly lit.

Besides the five familiar faces from last time, there were two newcomers, both women.

They were around twenty-five or twenty-six.

But after glancing over the seven people, Jiang Ran frowned at Old Chen. "Didn't you say there'd be three?"

Old Chen smiled.

He walked over to stand beside the seven, then turned to Jiang Ran with a grin.

"And me."

Jiang Ran couldn't help staring. "You're sure!?"

Old Chen was in his thirties. He'd taken good care of himself and was still in shape, but he was no longer a twenty-year-old.

This kind of high-intensity combat training put an enormous strain on the body.

Old Chen waved a hand. "I'm sure. Don't worry, go all out. Don't treat me like some middle-aged man."

Jiang Ran didn't ask anything more. He simply nodded.

Fine.

Since Old Chen had volunteered, Jiang Ran had no reason to hold back.

Jiang Ran walked up in front of the seven and calmly looked each of them over.

After their sparring session last night, the five veteran team members no longer showed the slightest hint of defiance. Their eyes were focused and serious.

The two new female team members studied Jiang Ran with curiosity and scrutiny.

"After sparring with you last time, I realized your bodies seriously lack flexibility and control."

Jiang Ran's voice echoed through the spacious training room. "Today, we're going to work on controlling your bodies in actual combat..."

Three hours later.

The training room was a mess.

Jiang Ran was the only one still standing straight. The other seven were sitting or lying down, gasping for breath.

Old Chen sat on the floor with his back against the wall.

Sweat dripped from his forehead down his cheeks.

His training clothes were soaked through, and his chest heaved, but his eyes were brighter than ever.

The other six were in even worse shape. Two were already sprawled on the floor, unable to get up. All of them had at least a few bruises and scrapes.

"That's enough for today." Jiang Ran glanced at the time. "Go rest."

The six helped each other to their feet. After nodding to Jiang Ran and Old Chen, they limped out of the training room.

The door closed softly.

Only Jiang Ran and Old Chen remained.

Jiang Ran walked over and crouched beside him, looking at him with interest. "Old Chen, you're in pretty good shape."

Old Chen waved a hand. After taking a few breaths, he smiled. "I'm tired, but I feel fine."

He braced himself against the wall and stood up, rolling his shoulders. Then he suddenly asked, "Did you go online today?"

Jiang Ran nodded. "I did. Why?"

Old Chen turned around. His smile faded, and his expression grew serious.

"Those reports," he said slowly, "are all true."

Jiang Ran put on an appropriately surprised look. "How do you know?"

Old Chen raised his right hand and spoke quietly. "Because I've been in there."

"And... I obtained a divine ability inheritance."

The next second...

Whoosh!

A faint current of air spread out from his right hand.

Beneath the skin of Old Chen's entire arm, his veins rose and writhed like living things. At the same time, a faint golden sheen appeared.

"Vajra Body."

Old Chen's voice rang out.

"It greatly enhances the body's strength and defenses."

He paused, his gaze falling on his arm, which glowed with golden light.

"If I activate the divine ability, an ordinary person wouldn't stand a chance against one of my punches."

As he spoke, the golden sheen on Old Chen's arm slowly faded, and his veins gradually settled.

The training room fell briefly silent.

Jiang Ran stared at Old Chen, stunned for several seconds.

This really wasn't an act.

He hadn't expected Old Chen to show him his divine ability...

Before Jiang Ran could say anything, Old Chen took a step forward and lowered his voice, speaking earnestly.

"Well?"

"If I could give you a chance to go in, would you be willing?"

Old Chen looked Jiang Ran straight in the eye.

"With your talent, if you gained a divine ability and had my resources backing you, I can't promise anything else, but you'd absolutely be among the few people at the very top of the Abyssal Void."

Jiang Ran heard words much like Li Xintong's.

The same invitation.

A different setting.

A different person.

Jiang Ran was silent for a few seconds, then shook his head with a wry chuckle. He stood up and said softly, "Maybe later."

Without looking at Old Chen's reaction, Jiang Ran turned toward the training room door, opened it, and walked straight out.

A few seconds later.

A small door on the side of the training room opened without a sound.

An old man with white hair came out and walked over to Old Chen.

He looked at the closed door. His brow furrowed, and clear disappointment crossed his face.

"Xiao Jiang turned us down," the old man said quietly. "Should we..."

Before he could finish, Old Chen abruptly raised a hand, cutting him off.

The old man fell silent at once.

Old Chen didn't turn around. He continued staring at the door, an odd expression gradually appearing on his face.

"That brat..."

Old Chen suddenly laughed, his smile now tinged with amusement.

"He's probably been in there for a while already."

He muttered it with certainty.

Then he turned to the old man beside him.

"Everything stays the same," Old Chen said softly. "Send him a small portion of the Spirit Crystal resources we've collected on a regular basis."

The old man couldn't help freezing at those words.

He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something.

But Old Chen had already turned and headed for the training room door.

"Just do it."

Old Chen left those words behind, opened the door, and walked out, leaving the old man with nothing but his back.

A black sedan glided steadily through the night.

Jiang Ran leaned against the back seat and rested with his eyes closed.

His consciousness sank inward.

The Pale Blue Panel appeared in his vision.

[Congratulations, your Profession basic skill Compound Bow Shooting has leveled up from Lv.7 to Lv.8 (0/800)]

[Congratulations, you have gained 2 Profession Points]

[Congratulations, your Profession basic skill Jiu-Jitsu has leveled up from Lv.5 to Lv.6 (0/600)]

[Congratulations, you have gained 2 Profession Points]

That afternoon at the club, his high-intensity sparring session with Li Xintong had successfully raised Compound Bow Shooting by one level.

That evening at Old Chen's place, he'd also finished grinding out the experience for Jiu-Jitsu.

Four Profession Points.

Jiang Ran's gaze settled on the Martial Monk Profession panel, and he quickly settled on a plan for how to spend them.

[Profession: Martial Monk Lv.1 (63/100)]

[Profession basic skill: Dragon-Tiger Fist Lv.1 (78/100)]

[Golden Bell Shield Lv.2 (32/200)]

[Eight-Step Cicada Chase Lv.2 (13/200)]

[Profession core skill: Buddha's Wrathful Vajra Lv.1 (9/100)]

For now, Golden Bell Shield and Eight-Step Cicada Chase were enough.

What he lacked was greater offensive power.

He'd put three points into Dragon-Tiger Fist, raising it to level three.

With the remaining point, he'd improve Buddha's Wrathful Vajra, his trump card.

If he did that, he should be able to try challenging the Exotic Beasts recorded in the Classic of Mountains and Seas.