Chapter 148: Ability Detection! Is It an SS-Level Ability?

"Once this is over, back at the supply base, I'll test your ability again."

Ling Shuang let out a long breath and spoke slowly.

"Alright."

Xu Jingming gave a slight nod, his golden thunder retreating into his body.

He just didn't know if the ability detection device could detect his SS-level ability.

"Jingming!"

At that moment, a wave of fragrant wind swept over.

Song Qiuyun ran over from afar, ignoring Vice Principal Ling Shuang's presence, and threw herself into Xu Jingming's arms.

Her soft, delicate body pressed against Xu Jingming, instantly filling him with astonishing fullness and elasticity.

"Wait here for a moment—we'll deal with the Tianming Sect members, then return to the supply base."

Ling Shuang cleared her throat softly, silently marveling at the beauty of youth.

Then, her beautiful face darkened with killing intent; she summoned a phantom hand, grasping the sealed Grand Archbishop, and stepped into the Void Gate.

The next instant,

her figure appeared in the battlefields of the other two vice principals.

"It's fine. It's all over."

Looking at the tear-streaked, pale oval face in his arms.

Xu Jingming felt a faint stirring, extended his right hand, and gently wiped away her tears...

Inside the plantation, the number of Tianming Sect disciples was indeed vast.

Yet the strongest among them were merely the seventh-rank mid-tier Grand Archbishop and another dozen or so sixth-rank ability users.

The rest of the disciples were mostly low-rank ability users—second or third rank.

With the arrival of Ling Shuang, Xu Ping, and Jiang Mo—the three eighth-rank Grand Masters—

the disturbance instigated by the Tianming Sect was swiftly quelled.

Aside from the Tianming Sect's Grand Archbishop and the other dozen or so sixth-rank ability users,

all other Tianming Sect disciples were slain on the spot...

Boom—boom—boom~~~~

The hovering plantation descended to the ground, and all three schools' new students regathered at the plantation's entrance.

Compared to when they first entered the plantation, many new students looked disheveled; some bore faint traces of sorrow on their faces.

Although the three vice principals arrived in time, nearly three hundred and forty new students still perished in the disturbance caused by the Tianming Sect.

"A total of 342 new students from the three schools perished at the hands of Tianming Sect members."

"The deaths of these 342 students are primarily the responsibility of our three top universities—we will provide compensation as per battlefield sacrifice protocols."

Before the three schools' new student formation,

Vice Principal Ling Shuang of the Magic University wore a grave expression; on either side, Xu Ping and Jiang Mo also wore solemn faces.

These 342 individuals were all exceptionally talented students—some might have become Grand Masters or even Grand Masters of the Highest Rank in the future.

Yet these outstanding students,

did not die on the monster battlefields, but were killed by human cultists—something they could not tolerate!

"The Tianming Sect is humanity's enemy—and moreover, the enemy of our three top universities!"

"Starting today, our three top universities will issue a death warrant against the Tianming Sect!"

"Issue related student and instructor missions! We vow to eradicate them entirely from Great Xia's territory!"

Ling Shuang's beautiful face was cold with murderous intent.

Today's attack on the three-school coalition was merely a small squad led by a single Tianming Sect Grand Archbishop.

What they must do is uproot the entire Tianming Sect!

Just as sixty years ago, utterly annihilate them!

Of course, it's not just our three top universities.

She has already reported this matter to the national high command; she believes the state level will respond soon.

"Tianming Sect... Divine Blood Emissaries..."

At the very front of the formation, the tall and upright Xu Jingming's gaze flickered slightly.

He hadn't expected that after slaying the Tianming Sect's so-called "Divine Blood Emissary," he could still gain Ability Points.

And the Ability Points he gained were substantial—far more than killing a same-rank monster!

"Once we return to school, I can look for traces of the Tianming Sect and try hunting Divine Blood Emissaries for Ability Points."

Judging by today's situation, the number of Divine Blood Emissaries within the Tianming Sect must be considerable..."

Xu Jingming thought silently.

Of course, if hunting Divine Blood Emissaries for Ability Points proved less efficient than hunting monsters,

he would naturally still prefer to hunt monsters in the wilderness zones.

"Due to the sudden Tianming Sect incident, this study trip is terminated early.

All school new students will assemble at the main plaza of the supply base tomorrow at 9 a. m. to return to campus.

Now, follow your instructors back to the supply base for rest and recovery!"

Vice Principals Ling Shuang, Xu Ping, and Jiang Mo led the way.

The other dozen or so instructors stationed themselves at the formation's center and rear to prevent any remaining Tianming Sect disciples from launching another surprise attack.

Thus, the group hurried swiftly toward the supply base.

"We're back!"

"Phew, that wasn't easy!"

"That was really dangerous this time. Just a little bit more, and I would've been killed by that second-tier cultist."

"......"

When the grand high-rise of the Shun'an Supply Base came into view.

Many of the new students exhaled as if they'd narrowly escaped death, and some even collapsed to the ground in exhaustion.

This research-study trip had truly been far too thrilling and dangerous.

In front of the supply base's main building, Zhou Ying, who had been waiting there, spotted Song Qiuyun in the group from afar and couldn't help but secretly breathe a sigh of relief.

"New students, dismissed on the spot! Xu Jingming, come with me for a moment."

Once they reached the supply base where human ability-users were active, there was no need to worry too much about threats from the Tianming Sect.

So, Hearing Ling Shuang directly announced the team's dismissal, and Xu Jingming followed Hearing Ling Shuang into the supply base's main building.

"Sit."

Temporary office,

Xu Jingming sat down on the sofa, and Hearing Ling Shuang took a seat in the chair behind the desk.

Beneath her black ancient-style garment, two slender, fair, long legs were lightly crossed and stacked together.

As for the Archbishop she had personally sealed with her space-type ability, along with more than ten other sixth-tier cultists, they were being watched over by two other vice-principals personally.

Next, on Hearing Ling Shuang's slender, tender, scallion-like white fingers.

A spatial ring flickered faintly, and a black, technology-laden black instrument materialized on the desk out of thin air.

It was exactly the small ability-detection instrument Xu Jingming had seen once during the three-school special recruitment.

"Activate your ability. The detector will analyze the results."

Hearing Ling Shuang's beautiful eyes looked at Xu Jingming as she reached out and lightly tapped the instrument.

Hum—

The black instrument began to operate, and a pale-blue light projected out from within.

Xu Jingming didn't hesitate either, directly activating his ability!

Crackle-crackle—

Accompanied by violent energy fluctuations, wild yet resplendent golden Lei Ting swirled around him.

As if cloaking Xu Jingming in a layer of lightning special effects—sacred and overwhelmingly powerful.

Although Hearing Ling Shuang had already seen it once, seeing it a second time still made her heart involuntarily skip a beat.

She possessed the special space-type S-rank ability "Spatial Interference," giving her extremely strong control over space.

Precisely because of this, she, merely an eighth-tier lower Weida Master Zongshi.

Had been able to seize the Archbishop's mistake and forcibly break through the spatial seal derived from the Beast Emperor's bone.

And as a possessor of an S-rank ability.

Before this, she could feel that Xu Jingming's Doushen Shenlei ability was of the same tier as her own ability.

But now, from this golden Lei Ting, she sensed an even higher-tier aura!

"Could Xu Jingming's S-rank ability have mutated into an SS-rank ability?"

Hearing Ling Shuang instinctively thought so, but then shook her head.

She had reviewed Xu Jingming's file and knew he had originally only possessed an E-rank ability.

Being able to mutate into an S-rank ability was already an extremely rare case.

How could it possibly evolve again?

"Ability fluctuation detected, beginning analysis......"

Just as Hearing Ling Shuang was silently speculating.

The pale-blue light projected from the black instrument scanned Xu Jingming and the golden Lei Ting completely.

Immediately, the sound of the machine operating grew considerably louder, as if undergoing extremely complex calculations.

Just like that, a full three or four minutes passed before the mechanical electronic prompt sounded within the office:

"Ability detection complete. This ability is Doushen Shenlei under the natural lightning-type category, rated SS-rank!"

"Doushen Shenlei! An SS-rank ability!"

Vice-Principal Hearing Ling Shuang's pupils contracted sharply.

Her delicate oval face, marked by a beauty mole, was filled with shock.

Xu Jingming's ability had actually truly mutated into SS-rank?!