Chapter 264: Xu Jingming from Mo Du! You

"Pain! So painful!"

Bai Shan's vice-captain, Ke Liang, fell to the ground, letting out continuous cries of agony.

Logically, as a third-rank peak ability user with a Qianghuaxi B-class ability,

his robust physique shouldn't have been severely injured by just a slap and a knee strike.

Yet he felt as if his face and abdomen had been doused in potent chili oil—searing, burning pain!

In fact, this wasn't his imagination.

When Xu Jingming struck, his SS-class ability, Daitian Divine Thunder, was also unleashed, lingering on Ke Liang even after he withdrew.

It was precisely because Daitian Divine Thunder was continuously devouring Ke Liang's flesh and blood that he felt such agony.

Of course,

this was also the result of Xu Jingming holding back.

Otherwise, that first slap wouldn't have merely swollen his face.

It would have shattered his entire skull.

Although Xu Jingming had immediately knocked Ke Liang down upon appearing,

the remaining members of the Bai Shan Ability University team dared not act.

The reason was simple: Xu Jingming wore the uniform of Mo Du Ability University.

And they recognized him—he was the S-class ability awakener who had enrolled at Mo Du just last year!

Although all competing universities were unsure of this S-class awakener's true strength,

he could easily crush their several third-rank upper and peak users.

Thus, the entire scene fell into an eerie silence.

The situation from earlier seemed to have been replayed.

But this time, it was the Bai Shan Ability University team who had to swallow their anger due to power disparity.

"That's Mo Du's uniform!"

"I know who he is! He's Xu Jingming from Mo Du! The 'Lei Di'!"

"Lei Di? Such a powerful title—it fits perfectly."

"..."

Among the onlookers, some had also recognized Xu Jingming's identity.

For this S-class ability awakener—the first in Daxia in three years, who had risen to third-rank upper within less than a year of enrollment—

many had already paid special attention before the national university tournament even began, and now they were seeing him in person for the first time!

They couldn't help whispering excitedly among themselves.

Some live-streaming internet influencers also sensed the buzz.

They changed their livestream titles to sensational ones like: "Daxia's S-Class, First Direct Encounter!" and "Powerful S-Class, Instantly Beats Bai Shan's Vice-Captain!"

"Xu Jingming from Mo Du! We didn't provoke you—why did you attack our vice-captain?!"

At this moment, the Bai Shan Ability University team seemed to have agreed on a response.

One member pulled Ke Liang up and handed him to a support-class ability user for treatment; another stepped forward to confront him.

"You didn't provoke me—but unfortunately, you provoked my cousin and my friend."

Xu Jingming shook his head.

Cousin?!

The Bai Shan team members froze, instinctively glancing at Tang Qi beside Xu Jingming.

Only then did they notice the tall, leggy beauty bore a slight resemblance to Xu Jingming.

Instantly, they cursed their bad luck inwardly.

Who could've guessed that some random passerby would be connected to Xu Jingming?

Now understanding the cause, the Bai Shan team members realized the situation was extremely awkward.

Legally, they were clearly at fault.

But if they didn't press it, wouldn't their vice-captain have been beaten senselessly for nothing?

"What's going on?"

Just as they were unsure how to proceed, several more people emerged from the tavern behind them.

The tall, slender young man leading them frowned as he asked:

"Captain, you finally came out."

Seeing the tall, slender youth, the others all sighed in relief, as if finding their anchor.

They immediately swarmed around him, recounting the entire sequence of events.

Had this involved ordinary people, they might have embellished the story.

But since it involved Mo Du, they dared not distort facts—only recounted the truth as it happened.

"You caused all this just because you went to pay the bill?"

The tall, slender youth first scolded them, then turned his hawk-like eyes toward Xu Jingming:

"Xu Jingming from Mo Du, I know who you are.

This matter was indeed our fault, but we're all competing teams in the tournament.

Isn't your response a bit too harsh?"

Upon hearing this, the Bai Shan team members no longer looked timid—they all turned to stare at Xu Jingming.

But Xu Jingming, upon hearing this, was slightly surprised.

"You're also a tournament team? Which university?"

He knew that

ability users most feared impaired judgment.

Even when drinking, they were extremely restrained and never got drunk.

This was especially true for university teams preparing for the national tournament.

His teacher, Yang Zhentian, had specifically warned him not to drink before departure.

Most competing teams followed the same rule.

So when Xu Jingming saw them reeking of alcohol at noon,

he assumed they were civilian ability users—never expecting they were also tournament participants.

"You don't know us?"

The tall, slender youth was stunned, a surge of anger rising in his chest.

I recognized you at a glance, yet you don't even know which university we're from?

It made him feel utterly disrespected.

After taking a deep breath, he calmed himself and said coldly:

"We are the Bai Shan Ability University team. I'm our captain, Ji Hui.

According to tournament rules, participating teams are strictly forbidden from private altercations.

Violators, especially serious ones, may have their eligibility revoked.

Xu Jingming, if you don't apologize to my vice-captain, don't blame me for reporting you to the Education Bureau."

Since its founding, the national university tournament had lasted over a hundred years.

In earlier years, to gain higher rankings,

some universities devised ways to temporarily disable opponents' key members so they couldn't compete.

That's how the rule banning private fights among teams came into existence.

Yet facing Ji Hui's threat, Xu Jingming merely shrugged indifferently:

"Go ahead and report. Do it."

"You—!"

Ji Hui's face turned purple with rage. After a long pause, he spat coldly:

"Xu Jingming from Mo Du, you're ruthless! Let's go."

With that, Ji Hui led his team away.

The vice-captain was half-carried, too injured to walk properly, and dared not even raise his head to look at Xu Jingming again.

"Jingming, won't this cause trouble?"

After Ji Hui and the others had left, Tang Qi frowned slightly, concerned:

If she caused her cousin to lose his eligibility, this would be a huge mistake.

"No problem. This started with them—they're at fault. Even if reported, we're in the right.

Besides, the tournament won't strip my eligibility over something this minor."

Xu Jingming shook his head, dismissing Ji Hui's threat entirely.

He'd never even heard of Bai Shan Ability University before.

This proved it wasn't a school regularly ranked in the top ten of the national tournament.

Such a school, facing the behemoth that was Mo Du, had virtually no voice at all.

"Good."

Tang Qi exhaled in relief, then glanced around Xu Jingming—seeing no one else, she frowned in confusion:

"Huh? You didn't bring your girlfriend?"

She had heard about this from Xu Jingming over the phone last time, but had never met him in person.

"Her high-speed train departs a little later than yours; we'll have to wait a bit longer here," Xu Jingming replied with a smile.