Chapter 1088

"Xu Jingming! It's all because of Xu Jingming!"

Li Changfeng quickly figured out the reason.

Without Xu Jingming, his younger brother Li Yang would not have died.

The Li family had long since seized control of Lei Ting Martial Hall.

Su Tianrui could never have returned from the spatial chaos layer.

The Li family's descent to its current state is entirely due to Xu Jingming.

But what good does knowing do?

Xu Jingming is now invincible at the ninth tier—he's utterly unbeatable!

"Changfeng, sitting idle and waiting to die isn't the Li family's style."

"At this point, we must gamble everything!"

Li Chen's mental voice rang out again.

"Gamble everything? How?"

"I've tried my hardest, but still found no path to becoming a Supreme Master..."

A look of despair crossed Li Changfeng's face.

"If we can't do it ourselves, then rely on others—go to Master Wu."

"With the power of the Tianming Sect, we might yet secure a different future."

Li Chen's mental voice carried the weight of a desperate gamble.

"The Tianming Sect?"

Li Changfeng froze for a moment, then his gaze hardened: "Fine, I understand!"

Although the Tianming Sect in Greater Xia is insignificant, the international Tianming Sect is different.

And he knew well—the founder of the Tianming Sect is a Supreme Master!

"Zhou Yuanwu, Xu Jingming, since you won't give the Li family a way to live, don't blame me for being unrighteous!"

Li Changfeng growled like a wounded beast.

Yet he had completely forgotten.

It all began because of the Li family's own greed.

Had it not been for that, Xu Jingming would never have targeted the Li family...

Kermorocco, Buka City.

In a luxurious suite of a high-rise building.

Xu Jingming sat cross-legged on the floor, his eyes faintly tinged purple as he stared at the fragment of the Annihilation Branch in his left hand.

SSS-grade Chaotic Divine Thunder danced across his body, attempting to mimic the aura of destruction within the Annihilation Branch.

"No, still too difficult."

After a moment, Xu Jingming shut off the Ziwei Eye and shook his head slightly.

"This is a fragment of the Destruction Principle—the upper-tier cosmic fundamental law!"

Even celestial prodigies in the starry heavens require centuries to grasp even a hint of its essence.

At S-rank, no matter how talented you are, you couldn't possibly comprehend it in such a short time."

The green-haired, twin-tailed little girl Eva shook her head.

"Space is also an upper-tier principle—so why can Sister Ling master it?" Su Qingli asked curiously.

Ling Shuang and Zhang Hengyang had continued to crack the secret realm's space, leaving only her here.

Through prolonged exposure, she had gained some understanding of the fundamental principles.

"Because everyone's innate talent differs."

Eva explained, "Our abilities are manifestations of innate talent."

Teacher Ling's talent leans toward the Space Principle, so she naturally can comprehend it."

Your S-rank talent leans toward the Thunder Principle—understanding the Destruction Principle will naturally be far harder."

"I see," Su Qingli nodded thoughtfully.

But Xu Jingming paid little attention to this.

All this talk about talents and principles—it's just that his Ability Points are too few.

Otherwise, he would have already comprehended the Destruction Aura.

"The people of Heizhou suffer greatly from beast invasions."

"After this secret realm ends, I can stay in Heizhou for a while to harvest Ability Points."

Xu Jingming thought silently.

At that moment, Eva floating in midair suddenly spoke: "S-rank, there's a call request from Tianhong?"

"Tianhong? Why's he contacting me now?"

Xu Jingming raised his sword-like brows. "Connect it."

Whoosh—

Virtual light converged, forming Tianhong's figure.

"Master."

He bowed respectfully, then hurriedly reported: "Master, the Li family has new developments.

Li Changfeng came to me—he wants to defect to the Tianming Sect and asked me to contact the Tianming Sect's headquarters."

"Oh?" Xu Jingming was slightly surprised.

But he immediately understood—it was because of Su Tianrui.

With me and Su Tianrui here, the Li family has already walked into a dead end and can only stake everything on one roll.

"Since he wants to make contact, help him make it. Once we obtain the key evidence, we'll seize him in an instant."

Xu Jingming's gaze flickered.

Family was his Achilles' heel; the Li family had deliberately left a loophole allowing the Tianming Sect to assassinate Song Qiuyun and the others.

Since then, the Li family had already been placed on his death list.

"Has there been any news from the Tianming Sect's headquarters?" Xu Jingming asked.

"I was just about to report to the master."

Tian Hong immediately bowed respectfully: "The Tianming Sect knows of the existence of the Heizhou Secret Realm and plans to embed Tianyang and Tianci into the team entering the realm."

"Tianyang and Tianci? Who are these two?"

Xu Jingming frowned; he hadn't expected the Tianming Sect to involve itself in this matter as well.

"I don't know their exact identities, but I know they've always been by Tianming's side, and their strength is not to be underestimated," Tian Hong replied.

"I understand."

Xu Jingming nodded slightly, then mused: "You are to act as the link between Li Changfeng and the Tianming Sect."

But remember, all information must pass through you; direct communication between them is forbidden."

"Your subordinate understands."

"Good, go. Report any new information immediately."

Tian Hong's holographic projection vanished from the room shortly after.

"Defecting to the Tianming Sect! I never thought the Li family had sunk to such depths!"

Su Qingli's fair, delicate face twisted with revulsion.

Across the entire Blue Star, the Tianming Sect was notoriously infamous.

No normal ninth-rank cultivator would ever consider joining the Tianming Sect.

"The Li family has truly gone mad; they must be eliminated soon," Xu Jingming's gaze grew cold.

"Should we inform the Chairman about this?" Su Qingli asked softly.

"Not yet. Wait until Tian Hong obtains concrete evidence," Xu Jingming said with great patience.

Before long, Tian Hong sent word with the latest update.

The Tianming Sect's headquarters welcomed Li Changfeng's defection with great enthusiasm.

They invited him to enter the secret realm together and coordinate operations.

This was his token of loyalty; only if he cooperated well would the Tianming Sect recognize Li Changfeng.

Li Changfeng clearly understood this point and readily agreed.

The only regret was that the Tianming Sect's headquarters revealed nothing about Tianyang and Tianci's identities.

They merely said someone from the Tianming Sect would contact him after entering the realm.

"Evidence secured. Let's go find Brother Zhou."

Xu Jingming rose from the ground; black lightning flashed, and he immediately took Su Qingli out of the room.

Although his strength was sufficient to eliminate all threats within the realm,

this matter involved the Tianming Sect, so he must first consult Zhou Yuanwu.