Chapter 149: Ling Shuang

SS-class ability, though only one level above S-class, the gap between them is enormous!

An SS-class ability awakener, if given proper cultivation, can play a decisive role on the monstrous beast battlefield!

The last time the Great Xia Nation saw an SS-class ability awakener was over a decade ago!

Yet now, another SS-class ability awakener has appeared!

And he's from the Magic City Ability University!

Thinking of this, Vice Principal Ling Shuang of Magic City University couldn't help but breathe rapidly, her chest rising and falling violently.

"Good, good, good! SS-class ability! Xu Jingming, you're excellent!"

Three "good"s in a row revealed Ling Shuang's inner excitement, her delicate face faintly flushed.

As for why Xu Jingming's ability had mutated again, she didn't delve too deeply.

After all,

Human ability users still haven't fully understood the nature of abilities.

She didn't understand the principle behind Xu Jingming's second transformation.

The idea of dissecting and studying Xu Jingming as a special case was pure nonsense.

How precious is an SS-class ability awakener?

If any research institution dared to take him for study,

They wouldn't have to wait long—

The next second, Great Xia's ninth-rank Martial Saint could burst straight through your front door!

"Dou Tian Shenlei? SS-class ability? So my ability has mutated again..."

Xu Jingming feigned a look of sudden realization and delight, then asked with some confusion:

"But how did the instrument determine my ability? Has an ability user with this same ability ever appeared on Blue Star before?"

The first question—surprise at the ability's mutation—was fake; the second, Xu Jingming genuinely couldn't understand.

Such a tiny instrument—

Could detect not only S-class Zi Xiao Shenlei, but even SS-class Dou Tian Shenlei!

It was simply unscientific! Could this instrument just invent ability names out of thin air? And they matched the system's naming exactly.

If it wasn't invented, then if a previous awakener had awakened the same ability, it should've been recorded in textbooks long ago.

"Abilities detectable by this instrument have naturally appeared before."

After her excitement slightly calmed, Ling Shuang smiled and explained:

"But not in our current civilization era—rather, in the ancient civilization era.

At its peak, the ancient civilization saw numerous S-class ability awakener emerge each year.

SS-class and even SSS-class ability awakener appeared once every few years.

Our ability detection device evolved from inspection instruments unearthed from ancient civilization ruins.

Its database still uses the ancient civilization's system, so recognizing your ability is perfectly normal."

"I see."

Xu Jingming suddenly understood, then felt a pang of emotion.

From the information he'd gathered, both abilities and technology in the ancient civilization utterly dwarfed today's.

Yet it suddenly severed its lineage at its peak—no one knew why.

"By the way, Jingming, although you don't need to hide your ability's evolution, don't flaunt it excessively."

After a moment's thought, Ling Shuang warned.

Brilliant youths exist in every nation.

But someone like Xu Jingming, jumping straight from E-class to SS-class ability, is unprecedented.

Great Xia naturally welcomes the rise of such a prodigy.

But other nations may not think the same.

For safety's sake, Xu Jingming's SS-class ability should not be overly publicized.

"Understood."

Xu Jingming nodded slightly.

Ability evolution is inherently rare—he wouldn't be foolish enough to boast about it to others.

"Also, here is a space talisman I crafted.

If you crush it within two hundred kilometers of me, I'll sense it and cross space to come to you."

Ling Shuang handed him a black wooden talisman emitting faint spatial fluctuations.

A space talisman that can summon Principal Ling Shuang!

Xu Jingming's eyes instantly lit up.

Damn, this is a lifesaving artifact!

"Thank you, Principal."

Xu Jingming bowed respectfully in thanks, then stored the talisman in his space ring.

"Hmm."

Ling Shuang nodded slightly and warned:

"But remember, only use it if your life is in danger—don't use it lightly."

The birth of a strong one must be forged through blood and fire, through sufficient life-or-death crises!

Otherwise, according to the nation's vast collection of SSS-class heavenly treasures and cultivation resources,

It wouldn't be difficult to push Xu Jingming's rank to eighth-rank Master Zongshi within four or five years.

But having a rank alone, without the corresponding combat experience and skill in using combat techniques—

—is like a child holding a sharp blade; he simply cannot bring his full strength to bear.

He might even be crushed and toyed with by a seventh-rank Grandmaster a tier below him.

Therefore, the very strongest experts—

—all came out of the cruel wilderness zones, their actual combat power terrifyingly extreme!

Such people are exactly what the Great Xia Nation needs most right now.

So Hearing Ling Shuang also did not want Xu Jingming to rely overmuch on her protection.

Otherwise, if an SSS-rank ability awakener were spoiled into uselessness, she wouldn't even find a place to cry!

"Understood, ma'am." Xu Jingming nodded seriously.

Kidding—Vice-Principal Hearing Ling Shuang isn't his mother, available at every beck and call.

Being given a life-preserving talisman is already quite decent.

Naturally, he wouldn't summon her out for no reason to do work for him.

"By the way, the S-rank resources Capital University promised you have already been handed to me; I'll pass them on to you now."

Hearing Ling Shuang took out another small porcelain vial from her spatial ring and handed it over:

"Inside is one seventh-grade Realm-Breaking Pill. You can take it when breaking through a major realm—below Grandmaster, it can raise the breakthrough probability.

I suggest you take it when attempting to break through from fifth-rank peak to sixth rank; otherwise, it would waste the medicinal efficacy."

"A seventh-grade Realm-Breaking Pill?"

Xu Jingming hesitated a moment, then asked:

"Principal, may I exchange it for a different S-rank cultivation resource?"

With the Deep Blue system around, the advancement bottleneck that plagues other ability users—

—was simply no problem for him, and he had no need for a Realm-Breaking Pill.

Besides, breaking through from fifth rank to sixth rank—

—would be at least half a year or more away; this seventh-grade Realm-Breaking Pill was of no use to him right now.

"Capital University definitely won't exchange it, but I specially authorize you, after returning to school, to go to the Demon Capital University's Resources Department and exchange it for another S-rank resource."

Normally—

—when a Demon Capital University student exchanges an S-rank resource for another S-rank resource, they need to pay a sum of credits.

But Xu Jingming, as an S-rank student, now had his ability evolved to SSS-rank.

Hearing Ling Shuang naturally wouldn't quibble over such a small matter.

"Also, you took first place in this research-study trip.

You qualify to browse the combat-technique archives of the three top universities and learn one combat technique from them.

This morning, Capital University and Jin University's combat-technique library browsing permissions were already opened to me.

Take a look—which combat technique do you want to learn......"

Hearing Ling Shuang waved her jade-like hand.

A small metal sphere on the desk immediately opened, projecting a cute, pale-blue holographic image.

"Eva, Eva~~~~"

It was none other than the Demon Capital University's top-tier artificial intelligence—Eva.

"Huh? Eva can appear independently?" Xu Jingming was somewhat surprised.

"Of course! Eva is a top-tier artificial intelligence; her sub-body can attach itself to all sorts of smart devices."

Eva proudly puffed out her round holographic body and asked, bouncing:

"Capital University and Jin University's combat-technique library browsing permissions are open. Which combat techniques does the S-rank student wish to browse?"

Xu Jingming had long been prepared for this, without the slightest hesitation:

"All A-rank and above combat techniques for the natural lightning-type ability!"

"Received!"

Countless pale-blue streams of data flowed through Eva's eyes.

Then, a densely packed list recording all manner of lightning-type combat techniques was projected before Xu Jingming's eyes.