Chapter 217: New Year

"Luo Ge, let me introduce you—these are all my friends from Magic University: Song Qiuyun, a freshman, and Jiang Chuxuan, a sophomore."

Xu Jingming stood up to introduce them.

"Senior Jiang, hello."

Song Qiuyun and Jiang Chuxuan chimed in together.

Jiang Luo graduated from Magic City University of Esoteric Abilities; calling him "senior" is perfectly appropriate.

"So you're both Magic University juniors," Senior Jiang Luo realized.

He had long heard from Liu Ming that his junior had two goddess-level beauties in his circle.

Now that he saw them, it was indeed true.

"That's right—we've been waiting just for you, Luo Ge. Come, let's eat." Xu Jingming smiled.

The dining table in the living room was already piled high with dishes.

"Alright, then I'll have to savor your cooking, little brother."

"It's all thanks to the two chefs—I just helped out a bit."

"Really? Then your two junior sisters must be even better cooks."

"..."

Xu Jingming had originally thought his first New Year's Eve after crossing over to Blue Star would be spent alone in the Thunderstorm Zone.

But he never expected that not only would his senior come, but Song Qiuyun and Jiang Chuxuan would come too, to keep him company.

Thus, the entire dinner passed in an utterly pleasant atmosphere.

Jiang Luo wasn't low in emotional intelligence; after dinner, not wanting to be a third wheel, he didn't stay long.

Before leaving, he specifically mentioned he had reserved two extra seats for Xu Jingming at tomorrow's auction.

"It's a rare New Year's Eve—how about we take a group photo as a keepsake?"

After clearing the table, Song Qiuyun suddenly brightened her eyes and suggested.

"Sure, where should we take it?" Xu Jingming smiled.

"Let's go to the rooftop—we can capture the thunderstorm in the background."

The white-haired girl Jiang Chuxuan grinned mischievously.

"Three... two... one... say cheese."

On the rooftop of the second floor of the villa,

Song Qiuyun held her phone, Xu Jingming stood in the center, and the white-haired girl Jiang Chuxuan stood beside him.

The two girls stood close together; Xu Jingming's arms brushed against the astonishingly firm, plump curves on either side.

When they shouted "cheese," the two girls directly wrapped his arms around their chests.

The further softness made even the usually composed Xu Jingming feel a surge of blood and heat.

"Let's make a small group—I'll send all the photos there."

Song Qiuyun took over a dozen photos and sent them all to the group.

In the photos, Xu Jingming and the two girls leaned against the railing, with dense lightning crashing down behind them in the sky.

All three were already stunningly attractive; combined with the lightning, the entire image carried a wild, majestic beauty.

"Not bad."

Xu Jingming nodded with a smile, then added: "By the way, there's an auction here tomorrow—do you want to come with me?"

"Sure, we've got nothing else to do here anyway."

"Good—our senior just told me he already reserved seats for you."

"Alright, but the auction's tomorrow. It's only eight now—where to next?"

Song Qiuyun blinked her clear, large eyes and asked.

One must admit, women have a peculiar obsession with shopping.

After dinner, the two girls immediately wanted to stroll down the commercial street.

They had traveled all the way from Sichuan and Magic City, and even spent 600 credits on a realm access pass they had no real use for.

Xu Jingming naturally accompanied them the whole time and declared he would pay for everything today.

Delighted, the two girls immediately entered full shopping mode.

They each bought a cute F-class snowman suit.

They bought plenty of crisp, delicious exotic fruits, novel pills, and even rare flowers and herbs that only grew in the Thunderstorm Realm.

Of course,

both girls were very measured—their purchases were novel but not expensive.

In the end, after a full night of shopping, they spent less than twenty million Great Xia coins on Xu Jingming.

"Spring Festival countdown begins! 10... 9... 8... 7... 6..."

"5!"

"4!"

"3!"

"2!"

"1!"

"Happy New Year!"

On the largest square of the commercial street, as the crowd counted down and cheered, the clock tower's hands precisely struck midnight.

At the same time, fireworks and firecrackers erupted across the Thunderstorm Realm.

The fireworks were specially made—they were dazzling even under the daylight-bright conditions of the Thunderstorm Realm.

"Happy Spring Festival!"

Song Qiuyun and Jiang Chuxuan's faces glowed with bright smiles.

"Happy Spring Festival," Xu Jingming smiled.

Immediately, his phone began vibrating wildly with New Year greetings.

Besides relatives like his aunt and cousin, messages poured in from high school friends, university classmates, and some senior students.

Xu Jingming replied to each one, and sent blessings to Professor Yang Zhentian; after a moment's thought, he also sent a message to Vice Principal Ling Shuang:

"Vice Principal Ling, Happy New Year."

"Happy New Year."

To Xu Jingming's surprise, Vice Principal Ling Shuang replied quickly.

Almost within three or four seconds after he sent the message, she responded.

"Could the principal be constantly checking her phone? That doesn't seem like something an eighth-rank Grand Master would do..."

Shaking his head, Xu Jingming let it go. After admiring the fireworks on the commercial street,

he led the two girls away from the street and returned to the villa to sleep.

The next day, at nine a. .

Xu Jingming and the two girls arrived at the auction venue as agreed.

The auction was held in an auction hall inside Building No. 3 of the Thunder Temple.

Xu Jingming and the two girls met Senior Jiang Luo at the temple gate, then walked inside.

"Our temple holds an auction every three months.

This one during the Spring Festival is especially important—we've invited nearly eight hundred people."

Senior Jiang Luo smiled and explained.

"That's all?"

Xu Jingming was surprised; for an auction of this scale, there should be at least a thousand attendees.

"The Thunderstorm Realm has few people to begin with, and the temple conducts eligibility checks.

Anyone with liquid assets below ten million isn't invited—this is already the maximum capacity."

Jiang Luo shook his head and explained.

"I see," Xu Jingming realized.

Still, for a single Thunderstorm Realm to have over eight hundred millionaires was proof enough of the residents' immense wealth.

At that moment,

a group of young people walked up from behind, laughing loudly with no regard for others.

"Wan Ying is amazing—she not only got us into the Thunderstorm Realm, but also to the auction!"

"Yeah, I heard even top universities have to spend millions to buy access passes!"

"Haha, so those people are total suckers, right?"

"..."

Their laughter was loud enough for nearly everyone in the hallway to hear.

Xu Jingming frowned slightly, turning his gaze toward the laughing youths.

Among a group of young men and women stood a young woman with a sultry face and a curvaceous figure.

But her sultry expression carried a hint of arrogance—clearly enjoying the flattery around her.

Hearing their words, not only Xu Jingming, but Song Qiuyun and Jiang Chuxuan also furrowed their brows.

Spending millions on an access pass and calling others suckers?

No one would find that pleasant.

"These guys."

Watching the group walk by, Jiang Luo's expression darkened slightly as he explained to Xu Jingming:

"Besides granting our own internal personnel special slots that don't require qualification checks,

we've also allocated slots to several psychic clans within the Forbidden Realm.

With these slots, they're allowed to invite outsiders to attend the auction.

Of course,

those invited can only participate in this auction and must leave once it ends.

Unlike your unrestricted access passes."

"Oh? Then which family does this person belong to? So brazen?"

Xu Jingming raised an eyebrow.

Most clans with such slots keep quiet and profit quietly—but this one?

Not only does he allow others to flaunt it, he even belittles those who bought their passes legitimately.

"She's Li Wanying, daughter of the Li family patriarch."

Jiang Luo sighed, "There are six psychic clans in the Thunder Forbidden Realm, and the Li family is the most powerful.

Their current patriarch, Li Canghai, is at the peak of sixth-rank.

He's about to break through to seventh-rank Master and serves as our Thunder Martial Hall's honorary vice-director.

Li Wanying's older brother, Li Shanglin, is twenty-seven and already at the peak of fourth-rank—his future is limitless."

Decades ago, after the Thunder Martial Hall took over this thunderstorm zone, many local clans chose not to leave.

Over the decades, they grew into what they are today.

"Both the elder and younger generations have capable people—no wonder Li Wanying is so arrogant."

Xu Jingming shook his head.

A peak sixth-rank is, of course, an absolute powerhouse anywhere.

A twenty-seven-year-old peak fourth-rank might mean little at Devil University,

but out here, he's a true prodigy.

In a thriving family like this, a spoiled heir like Li Wanying is only natural.

"True. By the way, that peak fourth-rank Li Shanglin uses the same weapon as you—spear.

Only he's an Enhancement-type, while you're Thunder-type."

Jiang Luo smiled, then led the group into the auction hall.