Chapter 198: A Drop of Grace! A Fountain of Repayment!

"Jingming, Mom and Dad should be fine, right...?"

At the entrance of the Lijiang residential compound, Lin Qingyuan stood there.

Although she knew Xu Jingming was extremely powerful, her pure little face still carried worry.

She had already called the Public Security Bureau, but it would still take at least ten-plus minutes for them to arrive on scene.

During that time, everything could only be handled by Xu Jingming alone.

"What a pity, I'm too weak. If I rushed up rashly, not only would I be unable to help, I'd very likely become a burden."

Lin Qingyuan let out a long sigh.

"Ring ring ring~~~"

At that moment, a phone ringtone suddenly sounded.

"It's Jingming calling!"

Looking at the caller ID, Lin Qingyuan's beautiful eyes lit up, half of her suspended heart settled, and she hurriedly answered.

"Class monitor, this side's handled. Come on up."

A reassuring, steady voice sounded.

"Uncle and Auntie are still in a state of unconsciousness right now. Most likely they were affected by Leng Chang's psychic-type ability.

I don't dare wake them rashly. I can only wait until the Public Security Bureau's psychic-type ability user arrives and see how things stand."

Inside the room, Xu Jingming said softly to Lin Qingyuan.

Psychic power involves the most critical organ—the brain. Xu Jingming wasn't a professional psychic-type ability user, so naturally he didn't dare act rashly.

He only gently laid Lin Qingyuan's parents down on the bed in the bedroom.

"It's fine, there shouldn't be any big problem."

Seeing that Xu Jingming and her parents were all fine, Lin Qingyuan finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Oh right, where are the people from Tianming Sect? Why don't I see them?"

Lin Qingyuan glanced around the living room, somewhat puzzled.

She had originally expected the battle to be fierce, and had even prepared herself for her house being destroyed.

But in reality, apart from the front door being torn off, the entire room actually hadn't suffered much damage.

'Could it be that the people from Tianming Sect ran away?'

Just as she was puzzling over it, she saw Xu Jingming point at the doorway and the floor beside the sofa:

"There you go, these two piles are them."

Only then did Lin Qingyuan notice that on the floor at both spots, there was a thick layer of ash.

"This..." Lin Qingyuan's eyes went wide as saucers.

Is this what they mean by "grinding the bones and scattering the ash" in the literal sense?

"Oh right, class monitor, there's something I need to tell you."

Next, Xu Jingming told Lin Qingyuan about the plan to move.

To this, Lin Qingyuan naturally had no hesitation at all and agreed very readily.

Immediately after, the two waited in the room for another ten-plus minutes before the Public Security Bureau people finally arrived.

After examination by their psychic-type ability user, it was confirmed that Lin Qingyuan's parents had indeed been affected by a psychic-type ability.

But there was no problem—they had now entered a deep sleep state and just needed to wait until tomorrow to wake up.

At this point, Lin Qingyuan finally relaxed completely.

Since the Tianming Sect people had all been killed off by Xu Jingming, the Public Security Bureau people merely recorded the case details.

Upon learning that this Tier-3 mid-rank ability user, Xu Jingming, was actually last year's provincial top scorer—

beyond their shock, they didn't even entertain the thought of bringing him back to the bureau for a detailed investigation.

They only took a simple statement on the spot, then enthusiastically asked Xu Jingming for an autograph, saying it was to bring home for their high-school-aged son.

Before leaving, they even considerately repaired the room's front door.

"Oh right, class monitor, this is for you."

After the Public Security Bureau people left, Xu Jingming's spatial ring flickered slightly, and a small white porcelain bottle appeared in his right hand:

"This is a Grade-D cultivation resource, first-grade Return-to-Origin Pills. There are 20 in total here.

Take one every other day—it should greatly boost your cultivation speed."

Unlike the Grade-S cultivation resource, the sixth-grade Return-to-Origin Pill, the first-grade Return-to-Origin Pill has far too many impurities.

Taking one every other day won't produce any negative effects on the body.

"Grade-D cultivation resource?" Lin Qingyuan was slightly taken aback.

Although her family wasn't exactly wealthy, she still had a fairly good understanding of cultivation resources.

Grade-F cultivation resources sell for around 100,000 to 200,000.

Grade-E cultivation resources are quite expensive, selling for at least over 1,000,000!

Grade-D cultivation resources are even more expensive—the cheapest is 2,000,000!

And before this, she had only ever used Grade-F cultivation resources herself.

"Jingming, the Tianming Sect attack can't be blamed on you. You don't need to feel guilty about anything."

Lin Qingyuan looked at Xu Jingming with a pair of clear, big eyes and said earnestly.

"Class monitor, this isn't some kind of apology gift—it's gratitude."

Seeing that Lin Qingyuan had misunderstood, a smile appeared on Xu Jingming's resolute face:

"In the first semester of our senior year, a Tier-1 ability user came to our class to give guidance.

You specifically applied to Old Chen to have him pick me as the demonstration subject, right?

Also, the time with Spear Master Liu during the second semester of Gao San, and the time with Body Technique Master Zhang during the first semester of Gao San—

you were secretly helping out then too, weren't you?"

Being an orphan, Xu Jingming didn't have much money, and he didn't want to keep troubling his little aunt.

Therefore, during his three years of high school, apart from the first year—when his little aunt forcibly arranged for ability-users to come guide him a few times—

over the following two years, he hadn't invited a single ability-user to come coach him.

Precisely because of this, the guidance opportunities Lin Qingyuan had fought to secure for him were extremely precious, keeping him from going astray in his various trainings.

"You actually knew all of that? I thought I was being really discreet..."

Lin Qingyuan's little face flushed red in an instant. Lowering her head, she said softly.

She had assumed only her best friend knew about these things, but she hadn't expected even the person involved had known all along.

Xu Jingming couldn't help but show a faint smile at the sight.

In a world where the strong were revered, someone kind like Lin Qingyuan was indeed rare.

Of course,

he didn't mind, within the limits of his ability, protecting that kindness.

"So, you've helped me so many times—how could I not repay you somehow?"

Xu Jingming smiled as he tucked the small porcelain bottle into Lin Qingyuan's hand.

This time, she didn't refuse.

In truth, Xu Jingming had wanted to gift her even rarer cultivation resources.

But an ordinary man possessing a treasure invites disaster.

Rarer cultivation resources would not only bring Lin Qingyuan no benefit, but might even bring danger.

So, in the end, he chose this Grade-D cultivation resource.

"Ring ring~~~"

At that moment, Xu Jingming's phone suddenly rang—it was a call from Zhang Hao.

The moment he picked up, he heard Zhang Hao's loud voice shout:

"A-Ming, are you with the class president?"

"She's here with me." Xu Jingming nodded slightly.

"Then hurry up, we're waiting for you two to come back and eat!"

Zhang Hao said with a grin.

At the same time, Liu Jie's strange yell came from beside the phone:

"No way, you two aren't secretly on a date, are you?"

Although Xu Jingming wasn't on the scene, through the phone he could hear all the heckling and laughter over there.

"Heh, just you wait, I'll be back to deal with you."

Xu Jingming's sword-shaped brows lifted slightly, then he hung up the phone, turned to Lin Qingyuan and said: "Class president, want to head back with me?"

Lin Qingyuan's little face had already been a bit flushed, and hearing the heckling from the other end of the phone—

on her pure, melon-seed-shaped face, an even deeper pink blush rose.

She glanced back at the bedroom to check on her two parents sleeping on the bed, then nodded and left together with him.

By the time Xu Jingming and Lin Qingyuan returned to Fuding Restaurant, the class reunion officially began.

Nearly everyone toasted Xu Jingming.

As a third-tier mid-level ability-user, Xu Jingming naturally wasn't afraid.

From six in the afternoon until nine at night, his complexion didn't change one bit.

It was the others instead, all with tipsy looks on their faces.

Fortunately, Lin Qingyuan, Zhang Hao, and Liu Jie all knew about Xu Jingming's formidable constitution.

Though they were also drinking, they were only slightly tipsy at most.

During the meal, Zhang Hao and Liu Jie both talked a lot.

Zhang Hao said the courses at the Culture University were fine, but he'd just gotten a new girlfriend and felt like he never had enough money, so he had no choice but to take on part-time jobs.

Liu Jie, meanwhile, was troubled by how slow his cultivation progress was; he had no idea when he'd finally become an ability-user.

In short, each had his own worries, and under the influence of alcohol they poured them out, leaving both feeling considerably lighter at heart.

"Class president, Xu Jingming, see you next time!"

"Bye-bye, have a safe trip."

"See you next time."

"......"

The class reunion lasted until half past nine at night before ending.

Outside Fuding Restaurant, the classmates said their goodbyes and left one after another. Lin Qingyuan, tall and slender, also waited for her taxi to arrive.

"Jingming, I'll head back first then."

Lin Qingyuan said, a faint pink tipsy flush on her little face, gently tucking her hair behind her ear.

The streetlamp overhead cast its light down, stretching a graceful, willowy shadow behind her.

"Sure, if anything comes up just give me a call." Xu Jingming said with a smile.

"Okay, see you next time."

Lin Qingyuan gave a slight smile, then with her long slender legs stepped into the taxi and left.

"Fess up—before six o'clock, what were you and the class president up to, A-Ming?"

The moment Lin Qingyuan left, Zhang Hao sidled up with a grin.

"Can't tell at all, just over ten minutes, and Ah Ming, you're actually a quick-draw artist!"

Liu Jie, following behind, let out a lewd cackle.

"Don't overthink it."

Xu Jingming glared.

He then briefly told Liu Jie and Zhang Hao what had just happened, along with the relocation plan.

"Tianming Sect attacked? Lin Qingyuan's whole family almost died?"

Zhang Hao and Liu Jie both sobered up after hearing it and couldn't help but speak:

"Tianming Sect is actually this brazen?"

"A last-ditch counterattack before death. That's why I need you two to move as well."

Xu Jingming said thoughtfully.

"No problem, Ah Ming—just say when to move and where, we'll follow your lead."

With their own lives and their families' safety at stake, Zhang Hao and Liu Jie didn't hesitate in the slightest.

"Should be in the next few days. Just wait for my word."

Xu Jingming nodded, then took out a small porcelain vial and a bank card from his spatial ring:

"Right, this card has two million cash in it, password six sixes.

This one is a Grade-D cultivation resource that can boost cultivation speed—take them both."

Xu Jingming handed the bank card and the small porcelain vial to Zhang Hao and Liu Jie respectively.

"T-two million? That much?!" Zhang Hao's eyes went wide.

To him, this was an astronomical sum.

"Grade-D cultivation resource?" Liu Jie also sucked in a sharp breath.

Xu Jingming looked at each of them in turn and said with a smile:

"Ah Hao, this two million is my congratulatory gift to you—congrats on finding a girlfriend.

Don't skip class to take odd jobs for pocket money anymore.

As for Ah Jie, I'm looking forward to the day you officially become an Esper—consider this my investment in you."

Zhang Hao and Liu Jie both felt their eyes redden slightly at his words.

"No way? You two are really going to cry in front of me?" This time it was Xu Jingming's turn to yelp.

"You idiot, it's just sand blown into my eyes."

Zhang Hao and Liu Jie caught themselves and hurriedly rubbed their eyes.

"Alright, my ride's here. I'm heading back—see you next time."

Xu Jingming waved and hopped into a taxi back to the complex.

Zhang Hao and Liu Jie, still standing there, stared at the bank card and the pill in their hands, feeling as if they were dreaming.

Who could have imagined that their biggest problem at the moment would be perfectly solved in the blink of an eye...