C9 A Blackened Dog

Cold Jadite City.

Blazing Sun No. 3 Middle School.

Early the next morning, Lin Fann stepped out of his home after having breakfast, which cost him 5 Faith Points, and made his way to school well before the bell.

The campus was sprawling, with an eclectic mix of buildings. There was the high-tech data analysis building, the battle observation hall reminiscent of a gymnasium, and the more austere theory teaching building.

By the time he arrived, numerous students clad in Demigod uniforms were already streaming through the gates in small groups.

"Wow, did you catch the City Alliance Freshmen Competition live stream last night? The belle of Second High is incredibly strong."

"These young folks have no sense of martial ethics. Her first Belief Clan is of half-demon lineage, and she's unlocked basic poison technology, wielding nerve-paralyzing toxins. She absolutely decimated those from the Ape Clan."

"And she's quite the looker too. Those legs..."

"Cut it out, you're dreaming. Shan Ningyu's dad is the defense commander of Cold Jadite City. You don't stand a chance."

Lin Fann overheard these conversations as he passed through the school gates.

The Freshmen Competition of the City Alliance.

"The rewards seem quite substantial. Once Second High wraps up, it'll be our turn at Third High to take on Fourth High."

"I wonder if we could vie for a chance to participate."

Lin Fann made a mental note of this.

In the past, he wouldn't have dared enter such a competition as a follower of the Frog Man Clan. Losing was the least of his worries; the real issue was the embarrassment.

But now, Lin Fann was more than ready to throw his hat in the ring.

However, the Freshmen Competition wasn't the most pressing matter for Lin Fann at the moment.

The monthly exams were today.

After the exams, the God Realm's restrictions on Demigods would be lifted. Having spent a month getting to grips with the Divine Domain, students could then cultivate other Belief Clans.

Lin Fann was eager to discover his next Belief Clan. Ideally, it would be a female clan to address the reproductive challenges of the Big Galen race.

But for now, the priority was the exams.

"Liu Chuan," Lin Fann murmured the name under his breath.

The mastermind who had employed the pirates of the Divine Domain, invaded Lin Fann's own Divine Domain, and obliterated the Divine Domain Origin.

"This is about revenge."

...

Lin Fann entered the classroom to find several classmates already seated early.

"Morning," he greeted them nonchalantly before taking his own seat.

Just then, a plump, clean-cut figure burst into the room, scanned the area, and hurried over to Lin Fann's side with a series of thuds.

This was Lin Fann's desk mate and childhood friend, known as the do-nothing tiger of Cold Jadite City, Cao Dahua.

"Lao Lin, did you catch the live stream last night? That beauty from Second Senior High School, she's just..." Cao Dahua searched for the right words, finally declaring with heartfelt admiration, "A vision of loveliness!"

Lin Fann couldn't help but roll his eyes, having no interest in Cao Dahua's ramblings about the Second Senior High School's belle.

Clearly, it was a hype campaign by the school, because otherwise, a Demigod wouldn't attract such fanfare.

"Yeah, yeah, a vision of loveliness," Lin Fann responded dismissively, then turned to Cao Dahua. "Cut to the chase. Did you bring what I asked for?"

"You questioning my reliability?" Cao Dahua slapped his sturdy chest. "It's just a resource card."

With that, he carefully extracted three white cards from his pocket.

"Low-level resource card, iron ore."

"Low-level resource card, stone."

"Low-level resource card, corn."

"I've managed to get everything you requested a couple of days ago," Cao Dahua said, laying them out for Lin Fann to inspect.

"Not bad, Fatty," Lin Fann said approvingly, picking up the three cards. The white borders shimmered with a trace of Divine Power, and each card was adorned with images of iron ore, stone, and corn, all underscored by intricate runes.

"At the official store, they go for 1000 Faith Points each. I'm giving you a deal at 600 apiece, totaling 1800 Faith Points," Cao Dahua stated, extending his bracelet-adorned right hand.

"Deal," Lin Fann nodded, extending his right hand.

As they shook hands, their bracelets emitted a faint glow, a pale blue sheen transferring from Lin Fann's bracelet to Cao Dahua's. This was the God Realm's unique method of transaction: the exchange of Faith Points.

"You're quite generous, boss," Cao Dahua said with a wide grin.

But then Lin Fann licked his lips and lowered his voice, "Got any other good stuff?"

"Like what?" Cao Dahua blinked in surprise.

"Something like a Rank Two Race Card," Lin Fann murmured.

Cao Dahua's expression tensed immediately. He glanced around to ensure no one was eavesdropping before he whispered, "Damn, selling Race Cards isn't the same as other cards. If you're caught selling resource cards, you'll just lose some Faith Points. But selling Race Cards... that's a minimum of three years in the slammer!"

"Lao Lin, have you lost your mind? I'm a law-abiding citizen. Keeping that kind of thing hidden can get you arrested. There was this idiot at Blazing Sun No.3 Middle School who got caught with a Rank Two Race Card and ended up behind bars for three years. Who else would dare to sell those... You'll have to pay extra!" Cao Dahua said through clenched teeth.

Lin Fann's eyes sparkled. "Let's have a look at it first."

Cautiously, Cao Dahua fished a card from his pants, scanning the area nervously before sliding it across to Lin Fann beneath the table.

The card's edges were blue, and although it was adorned with intricate runes, the emblem featured two stars, signifying the card's ability to create a Rank Two race within the Divine Domain.

Lin Fann inhaled deeply. The card's value was undeniable, capable of birthing a Rank Two race. Yet, the risks were just as significant. If the Divine Domain wasn't robust enough, using it prematurely could lead to catastrophic loss of control. It wasn't as if a Demigod could use a Rank Fifteen Race Card and instantly ascend to a High Level God.

Official regulations prohibited the circulation of such cards among civilians. The public could only purchase Rank One Race Cards, and only those in the military had access to these higher-tier Race Cards.

This particular card was in high demand on the black market, precisely because of its nature.

It's like fried fish – everyone knows it's illegal, yet there are always those willing to take the risk for profit.

"Be careful with that," Cao Dahua warned Lin Fann, his eyes wide with apprehension. "If you end up killing yourself with it, don't come blaming me."

Lin Fann chuckled. "Relax, I've already reached Rank Two in the Divine Domain."

"Rank Two? In just one month, you've achieved Rank Two Divine Domain?" The chubby man was bewildered. "Are members of the Frog Man Clan really that formidable?"

"Forget it, you wouldn't get it even if I explained. How much for the card?" Lin Fann pocketed the card.

The chubby man hesitated, then held up a finger. "Eleven thousand!"

"I'm not going to swindle you. Even though it's just a Rank Two, it could fetch twenty thousand on the black market."

"I'll sell it to you for ten thousand. We're brothers, so charging an extra thousand isn't too much, right?"

Without a moment's hesitation, Lin Fann secured the card and transferred eleven thousand Faith Points to Cao Dahua, leaving himself with only 1035 Faith Points.

A look of pleasant surprise crossed Cao Dahua's plump face. "The boss is generous!"

He had his own ways of acquiring resource cards and special Divine Domain cards at bargain prices.

By flipping them, he could make a tidy sum.

For Cao Dahua, this was a significant income.

He harbored a dream he had chased for many years.

"I have to give that stunningly beautiful girl from Blazing Sun No.3 Middle School a grand gift!"

Every time he thought about his dream, Cao Dahua's fists would tighten.

"I, Cao Dahua, swear it here: I refuse to be rejected a thousand times for nothing!"

A fiery determination blazed in his round eyes.

He was like a dog stubbornly loyal to its cause, even in the face of constant rejection.