Chapter 129: A Month Later! Breakthrough! Third Stage!

"Then I'll go wash up too."

After briefly admiring the beautiful scenery, Xu Jingming gave a light cough, shifted his gaze, and walked toward the edge of the pool.

"Why does it feel like Jingming's gaze just now was a little strange?"

Gazing at Xu Jingming's tall back, a hint of suspicion rose on Song Qiuyun's pretty face.

She instinctively lowered her head, only then realizing something was off, and her pretty face instantly flushed a deep crimson.

Usually in the dorm, she was used to casually wearing something loose after showering and walking straight out of the bathroom.

Just now, she had instinctively done the same.

But she hadn't expected this white T-shirt to become so see-through after getting wet!

By the time Xu Jingming stepped out of the pool feeling refreshed all over, Song Qiuyun had already changed into a silver-white battle suit.

Only on her delicate oval face, there still lingered a faint shy blush.

"Let's go, we'll keep heading out." Xu Jingming glanced at the time on his smart bracelet.

It was one o'clock in the afternoon; another three-plus hours of walking and they could enter the central region of the Demon Cave.

"Mm."

Still a little shy, Song Qiuyun gave a slight nod, obediently followed behind Xu Jingming, and they quickly departed.

As Xu Jingming and Song Qiuyun ventured deeper into the Demon Cave together, the surrounding beasts grew increasingly terrifying in strength.

Xu Jingming didn't feel much, but it had already clearly reached the limits of Song Qiuyun's ability.

So, after rushing along for over an hour, Xu Jingming chose to part ways with Song Qiuyun.

Before parting, Song Qiuyun still wanted to lend him her protective talisman or teleportation talisman stone.

But those were Song Qiuyun's own life-saving items, so Xu Jingming naturally wouldn't accept.

Song Qiuyun held out for a while, but seeing Xu Jingming's resolute attitude, she had no choice but to drop it.

"Jingming, see you in a month."

Beneath a tall tree, the slender Song Qiuyun stood there, waving goodbye with a hint of reluctance.

"See you in a month."

Xu Jingming gave a slight nod, took one last look, then withdrew his gaze and turned to head deeper into the jungle.

After Xu Jingming's agile figure vanished from sight, the reluctance in Song Qiuyun's beautiful eyes transformed into resolve.

"From now on, I have to work hard too. Even if I can't get first or second place, I'll still take third!"

Light bloomed from Song Qiuyun's delicate form; gripping her Fang Tian Halberd, she strode away.

After parting from Song Qiuyun, Xu Jingming's pace of travel quickened considerably.

His figure was agile, weaving through the underbrush like a cheetah.

In just over an hour, he had entered the central region of the Demon Cave.

Compared to the outer region, the central region of the Demon Cave was more primordial.

The trees were tall and dense, and from afar the terrifying roars of high-tier beasts occasionally rang out.

"Screech—"

"Screech—"

「...... 」

At this moment, dense and shrill cries of birds came from the sky.

Over a dozen birds resembling eagles but far more massive swept across the sky.

Their pale cyan eyes swept over the jungle below with cold killing intent.

"Blue-eyed Gray Eagles!"

Walking through the jungle, Xu Jingming's expression shifted slightly, and he quickly ducked under a large tree.

Only after this flock of Blue-eyed Gray Eagles flew off did he step out, still feeling a lingering sense of dread.

Those dozen-plus Blue-eyed Gray Eagles had all reached the fourth tier!

If discovered by this group of beasts, even if he could escape, it would likely cost him a great deal of time.

"Sure enough, worthy of being the central Demon Cave—danger lurks on every side."

Xu Jingming slowed his pace, gripping his spear tightly.

Blue-purple Zixiao Doushen Shenlei flickered faintly across the surface of his body; the moment anything seemed off, it would surge forth in an instant.

Fortunately, he had long been accustomed to this kind of environment in the wilderness.

While staying cautious and careful, he headed toward the area where the surrounding beasts' roars were densest.

The central region of the Demon Cave was home to large numbers of third- and fourth-tier beasts, and quite a few fifth-tier beasts dwelled there as well.

However, when Xu Jingming activated his Lightning Extreme State and unleashed Lightning Flash, he could still escape from fifth-tier beasts.

Therefore, after entering the central region, Xu Jingming, while remaining cautious, kept slaying beasts and harvesting ability points.

In the blink of an eye, a month had passed.

December 8th, 9:00 PM.

Hidden within a cave amid the dense jungle.

On the cave floor, a thick black-cyan spear was planted into the ground.

Beside the spear, a tall young man in black battle suit sat cross-legged on the ground.

The young man's eyes were slightly closed, and faint blue-purple lightning coiled around his body.

As the lightning arcs flickered, the light inside the entire cave pulsed between bright and dim!

Just then, a beast entirely pitch-black, resembling a cheetah in form, stepped into the cave on all fours.

Its paws touched the ground without making the slightest sound; even its breathing was suppressed to the extreme!

A third-rank peak Darknight Leopard!

A natural assassin among ferocious beasts!

Its threat level is average by day, but once night falls, the Darknight Leopard's form blends into the darkness.

Its aura becomes silent, nearly nonexistent!

If unprepared, whether ferocious beast or psychic, one is extremely likely to have one's life taken by its sharp claws!

It silently slithered into the cave, its claws—hard as D-grade alloy—snapping out from its paw pads.

Just as it bared its fangs and lunged at the young man with its claws raised.

Shhh!

A sharp piercing sound rang out.

Then came a wet *puchī*—the sharp spear tip pierced through its heart, emerging from its back with a streak of crimson!

A bone-chilling pain surged through it, and only then did the Darknight Leopard realize.

The human psychic before it had opened his eyes sometime ago, his expression calm and steady.

Crackling—

The next instant,

Blue-purple Lei Ting erupted, completely engulfing the entire Darknight Leopard.

Then the spear whipped sideways, flinging the charred corpse of the Darknight Leopard aside.

'Ding, slain one third-rank peak Darknight Leopard, psychic points +43.'

A pleasant notification chimed in his mind.

In the past month, Xu Jingming had long grown accustomed to the system's announcements, and his emotions remained utterly still.

'The Lei Ting Immortal Body training is complete. Next, it's time for psychic training.'

'I wonder if this time, I can finally break through to third rank...'

A faint hint of anticipation lingered on Xu Jingming's face.

During the past month in the center of the Demon Cave, he spent each day hunting ferocious beasts and harvesting psychic points.

Before sleeping each night, he also practiced the Lei Ting Immortal Body and the Psychic Training Method.

Just a few days ago, he had faintly touched the bottleneck of a third-rank lower psychic!

Unfortunately, each of his previous attempts had ended in failure...

'Since obtaining the Deep Blue System, my levels have always been boosted by points.'

'This time, I want to see if I can break through on my own!'

Xu Jingming's gaze sharpened, then he closed his eyes.

His breathing rhythm and spiritual force began circulating as recorded in the Extreme Psychic Training Method.

Before long, Xu Jingming entered a meditative state, and yuan energy continuously flowed into his body from the air.

Time passed slowly; Xu Jingming's aura gradually strengthened, soon reaching second-rank peak!

But his aura seemed to hit a hard limit, unable to rise any further!

Yet Xu Jingming still frantically circulated the Psychic Training Method, absorbing the floating yuan energy in the air!

The blue-purple Lei Ting swirling around him also surged wildly, flickering violently!

'Break through, damn it!'

Xu Jingming growled through gritted teeth!

Boom!

A muffled thud echoed inside his body.

The color of Zixiao Shenlei darkened abruptly; the lightning arcs exploded outward, swallowing the entire cave!

At the heart of the raging thunder, Xu Jingming stood like a master of lightning.

His second-rank peak aura surged into an entirely new level!

Third rank! He broke through!