Chapter 247: Do You Think Everyone Is as Deranged as You?

"My student really is a prodigy."

In the faculty villa, Yang Zhentian also received this news.

Others might not understand what a million combat power means, but how could he, as the dean of the Weapons Academy, not know?

This is the highest honor, attainable only by slaying a fifth-rank ferocious beast!

"A third-rank upper-level fighter slaying a fifth-rank lower-level beast—even with an SS-class ability, how many such ability users exist worldwide?"

Amid his admiration, Yang Zhentian felt mostly pride!

As the saying goes, a mother gains status through her child; a similar dynamic exists between teacher and student.

The more outstanding Xu Jingming becomes, the more glory shines on his teacher.

More importantly, Xu Jingming isn't just the most outstanding student—he's also the most low-maintenance.

Yang Zhentian was especially satisfied with this point.

"My other students still require me to personally instruct them in combat techniques and gunplay, but Xu Jingming is different.

Give him a combat technique manual, and he learns it instantly—no special teaching needed."

Yang Zhentian couldn't help recalling his old friend, who had been assigned to teach Xu Jingming the Lei Shen Zhi before winter break.

He had stayed here for less than a week before having to return early, his teaching completed.

"Since Jingming's true combat power reaches fifth-rank, the team competition strategy must be adjusted slightly."

Yang Zhentian thought silently to himself.

The national university league's team competition tests not only each member's strength, but also their coordination!

A good tactical strategy can even enable a team to fight above its rank!

In this regard, the experienced Yang Zhentian was undoubtedly an expert.

Originally, he had planned to build Xu Jingming and Kong Shi as the core of the team.

All tactics would revolve around the two of them.

But now that Xu Jingming's power far surpasses Kong Shi's, there's no need to keep Kong Shi as a core—Xu Jingming alone is more than enough.

"A million combat power, number one on the combat power leaderboard."

"Did Xu Jingming deliberately enter the virtual training arena to showcase his strength? He's got ambition."

In the combat technique library, the vice principal's office.

At Eva's reminder, Ling Shuang also received this news.

A faint smile subtly appeared on her refined, icy face.

Knowing Xu Jingming as she did, he was not a student who liked to show off.

Contrary to the typical blood-boiling energy of a nineteen-year-old, Xu Jingming's personality was terrifyingly calm.

He certainly wouldn't climb the leaderboard out of vanity.

Although topping the combat power leaderboard granted nearly two thousand academic credits and resource rewards,

Xu Jingming's account still held fifty to sixty thousand credits unused—he couldn't possibly have climbed the leaderboard just for that small amount of resources.

The only explanation was that he climbed it to prove he was stronger than Kong Shi!

Of course, also to prove that her decision as vice principal was correct.

Although Ling Shuang herself wouldn't react strongly to public opinion,

Xu Jingming's action undeniably filled her with deep satisfaction...

On the other side, after resting three minutes, Xu Jingming began the twenty-eighth level trial.

I have to say, the suppressive power of five lower-tier fifth-rank Great Earth Black Wolves is truly terrifying.

The moment they appeared, they took turns continuously using the innate skill 'Earth Block'.

Irregular chunks of earth came flying in dense clusters, like machine-gun bullets.

If it were just the sheer number, it would still be manageable.

The key issue is that these earth chunks were all calculated at precise angles, leaving Xu Jingming with absolutely no way to dodge!

He could only take them head-on!

As a result, before Xu Jingming could even get close, he had already had a huge chunk of his stamina and psychic energy drained by the endless stream of incoming earth chunks.

In the end, he was torn apart and killed by the five Great Earth Black Wolves that charged in.

"S-rank, you failed to clear the 28th floor." Eva said with a playful giggle.

On the grass, light gathered and reconstituted Xu Jingming's body.

"Failure was expected, but this experience of dying is quite peculiar."

Xu Jingming remarked with a hint of wonder.

At the instant the Great Earth Black Wolf's fangs tore open his throat, he felt all his senses vanish.

"Death in the virtual trial only strips away your sensory experience; your consciousness is actually still there.

Of course, I could also make you experience a true sense of death.

But that would easily cause damage to the brain.

It might also stimulate your real body and produce some unnecessary consequences."

The twin-tailed loli Eva explained with a light laugh.

Given the combat power Xu Jingming has displayed so far, even an instinctive burst of psychic energy would probably be enough to blow the training building to smithereens.

To prevent something like that from happening, the death experience is limited to stripping away the senses.

"I see." Xu Jingming nodded, then asked curiously:

"By the way, what's the trial for the 29th floor after the 28th floor trial?"

"Normally, I'm not supposed to tell you before you clear the 28th floor trial, but who can blame me when you're S-rank."

With a helpless shrug, Eva said directly:

"The 29th trial is one fifth-rank mid-tier Earth Black Wolf; the 30th is five fifth-rank mid-tier ferocious beasts."

"In today's virtual trials, the 30th level is the final stage—there are no higher levels beyond that."

Eva rattled off the remaining stages of the virtual trial in one breath.

"No levels after 30? That's so short?" Xu Jingming was surprised.

"Do you think everyone is as twisted as you, becoming a third-rank upper-tier psychic in freshman year?"

Eva, rarely critical, said slowly:

"The speed of rank advancement depends on your psychic training method and consumption of heavenly treasures and earthly essences."

"Heavenly treasures and earthy essences can accelerate cultivation to some extent, but they also bring hidden dangers to the body."

"These dangers will become bottlenecks when you later attempt to break through to higher ranks."

"We Magic University students have our pride—we won't squander our future potential for temporary gains."

"Therefore, very few people consume large quantities of heavenly treasures and earthy essences that drastically speed up advancement."

"As for psychic training methods, everyone uses top-tier techniques, so there's no real difference in speed."

"Thus, by the time they graduate in their senior year, reaching fourth-rank mid-tier is already the limit."

"They can't even defeat the five fifth-rank mid-tier ferocious beasts in the 30th level—there's no point setting higher levels."

In fact,

even the few SS-rank psychic awakeners in Magic University's history reached only fourth-rank mid-tier upon graduation.

None of them ever broke through the 30th trial.

This is why Eva considered Xu Jingming so monstrous.

His advancement speed was simply too fast...

"Oh?" Xu Jingming raised an eyebrow and smiled:

"You'll need to add more levels to the virtual trial. Otherwise, it won't be enough for me to kill."