Chapter 152

At 7 p. .,

Xu Jingming stood up and left the training room, planning to grab a meal before returning to train again.

Unexpectedly, as soon as he stepped out of the training hall, he received a call from Vice Principal Ling Shuang, asking him to go to the temporary office.

"Didn't the S-rank combat technique scripture from Jingda just arrive? It shouldn't have gotten here this fast."

Xu Jingming hung up, puzzled, then immediately headed to the temporary office at the supply base.

"Principal, I'm here."

The door to the temporary office was wide open; Xu Jingming walked straight in.

Inside the office, Ling Shuang was unusually not seated behind her desk, but on the sofa.

Seeing Xu Jingming arrive, Ling Shuang nodded slightly and said softly, "Sit down."

Xu Jingming had been to this temporary office more than once; it contained only one sofa.

Hearing this, Xu Jingming had no choice but to sit beside Vice Principal Ling Shuang on the sofa.

"Let me introduce you—this is Liu Yushan, a member of our Great Xia National Council."

Ling Shuang said to Xu Jingming.

"Student Xu Jingming, hello."

Only when that deep voice spoke did Xu Jingming suddenly realize someone was sitting behind the desk!

He was a middle-aged man in his forties, dressed in a black fitted suit, his expression calm and steady.

When those eyes—vast and profound as the stars—turned toward him,

Xu Jingming felt as if everything around him had ceased to exist.

And this black-clad man was the divine sovereign ruling all, causing Xu Jingming's consciousness to sink into hazy oblivion.

"Something's wrong!" Xu Jingming's face changed instantly.

Crackling—

Violent golden lightning surged out in all directions, swirling around him.

His fading consciousness instantly cleared.

"Huff… huff…"

Xu Jingming gasped for breath, secretly astonished.

Only a ninth-rank Martial Saint could serve as a member of Great Xia's National Council.

Until now, he had only seen Martial Saints online.

He never expected his first real encounter would leave him barely able to withstand a single glance.

"Good. Very few third-rank psychics can resist my gaze."

Xu Jingming, your will is strong."

Liu Yushan nodded slightly, then spoke thoughtfully:

"Vice Principal Ling Shuang has already told me about you."

S-rank psychic abilities are rare, but each year, the human faction on Blue Planet still produces three or four new awakenings."

But SS-rank is different."

Since the Resurgence of Primordial Energy two hundred years ago, fewer than fifty SS-rank psychic awakenings have ever been recorded in human history."

Most never reached their peak before dying young; those who survived became the pinnacle of our human faction's combat strength."

Liu Yushan looked at Xu Jingming and said slowly:

"I hope you will one day join their ranks—and we will provide you with sufficient support."

But flowers grown in a greenhouse, no matter how beautifully cultivated, cannot withstand the storms of the outside world."

For prodigies like you, Great Xia does not assign bodyguards to shield you at every step."

We provide necessary resources, but we do not coddle you."

However,

As an SS-rank psychic awakener, we will not leave you entirely unprotected."

Vice Principal Ling Shuang gave you a survival-space talisman; I will add a layer of mental protection."

Liu Yushan's eyes blazed with brilliant light as his ninth-rank psychic power erupted fully:

"Soul-Seed Seal!"

In mere moments,

a pale green seal, shaped like a honeycomb and no larger than a ping-pong ball, coalesced on Liu Yushan's outstretched right palm.

"Xu Jingming, come here."

Clearly, after forming the seal, Liu Yushan was far more exhausted; his voice had grown hoarse.

Seeing that Vice Principal Ling Shuang made no move to stop him, Xu Jingming stepped forward.

Hum—

The pale green seal flew from Liu Yushan's hand and vanished into Xu Jingming's forehead.

Xu Jingming felt only a slight sharpening of his thoughts,

yet he could now sense his core consciousness sea encased in an unbreakable, thick layer of protection!

"The Soul-Seed Seal is an SS-rank mental combat technique I developed myself, and I've applied it to you personally."

From now on, no psychic, regardless of rank, can forcibly read your thoughts or memories."

Even a ninth-rank like me would need tremendous effort to break through it."

Liu Yushan exhaled a long, heavy breath.

Psychic abilities vary: some are strong early but weaken later;

others are weak early but grow powerful over time.

Mental abilities belong to the latter."

A high-rank psychic can kill you with just a glance."

They can silently read your thoughts, alter your memories, or even possess your body!"

In the past, the four or five S-rank psychics born each year on Blue Planet weren't particularly noteworthy."

But your ability evolving from S-rank to SS-rank is different."

Though few know this news now, as your power grows and your reputation spreads, it will inevitably cause a massive uproar."

At that time, countless demons and monsters will come crawling out of the shadows."

There's no telling whether some psychic will try to steal your memories!"

With this Soul-Seed Seal, you no longer need to worry."

"Thank you, Councilor."

Xu Jingming knew he had received an enormous favor and bowed deeply in gratitude.

"Don't thank me—it was a collective decision by the National Council. When you grow stronger, just help Great Xia eliminate more enemies."

Liu Yushan waved his hand, then turned to Ling Shuang:

"Ling Principal, the matter with the Heavenly Fate Cult and Xu Jingming is settled."

I must return to Qingjing to report. If your three academies uncover any missing intelligence, call me."

"Understood. Goodbye, Councilor Liu."

Ling Shuang rose respectfully and watched Liu Yushan depart.

Only when Liu Yushan vanished from sight did Xu Jingming finally exhale, his body relaxing completely.

He considered himself strong-willed; few high-rank psychics' auras could affect him.

But facing this ninth-rank Martial Saint was entirely different—his gaze alone felt capable of erasing him effortlessly.

"Councilor Liu's Soul-Seed Seal is something even many eighth-rank Grand Masters would kill to obtain—and yet you, a third-rank psychic, got it first."

A faint smile appeared on Ling Shuang's delicate, pale oval face as she leaned back casually against the sofa.

Below the Martial Saint, all are ants.

Not only Xu Jingming, but even Ling Shuang herself, an eighth-rank lower Grand Master,

had felt immense pressure facing Liu Yushan.

"But your reaction was surprisingly calm—weren't you afraid this seal might have other hidden uses?"

Ling Shuang asked curiously.

Low-rank psychics are manageable, but high-rank psychics' terrifying abilities make many other psychics deeply wary.

"Not afraid."

"I'm not part of the Heavenly Fate Cult. Councilor Liu, a ninth-rank Martial Saint of Great Xia, wouldn't betray me like that."

Xu Jingming shook his head, then smiled:

"Besides, aren't you here? You wouldn't just watch our Mo University's top student walk into a firepit, would you?"

Of course, most importantly,

after breaking through Councilor Liu's first gaze,

he had a vague sense that the Deep Blue System's presence remained undetectable by anyone else…