Chapter 271: The News Spreads! Igniting the Hotspot!

"SS-class ability? No way?"

"Wasn't Xu Jingming's ability already tested and confirmed? How could there be an error?"

"Could our equipment be malfunctioning?"

"......"

Xu Ping's words instantly sent shockwaves through Wang Qi's teammates.

Even Coach Liu An, a seventh-rank peak expert, and Wang Qi himself were momentarily stunned.

"The equipment is fine. Though we don't know why, Xu Jingming's ability"

"most likely evolved from S-class to SS-class during last year's study trip."

Xu Ping explained slowly.

"The study trip where Tianming Sect attacked?"

"We've heard strength can surge under life-or-death peril, but never that an ability can upgrade?"

"Exactly! And from S-class to SS-class—that's just insane!"

"......"

Members of the Jingda team chattered among themselves, all expressing disbelief.

Yet they knew Jingda's top-tier AI was infallible.

That meant Xu Jingming's ability truly had evolved from S-class to SS-class!

"If that's true, then Xu Jingming's record at Moda must be real."

Liu An said gravely.

As Jingda's team coach, he knew every detail about Moda's members.

Including Xu Jingming's recent rise to the top of Moda's combat power rankings with one million combat points.

At first, he suspected it was a smoke screen planted by Moda.

Now that the ability rank was confirmed, it was undeniably true.

"I've studied Moda's combat power rankings. For Xu Jingming to reach one million combat points, he must have cleared the virtual trial's 27th level."

"Though based on current data, we don't know what the 27th level's trial entails."

"But it likely requires slaying dozens of fourth-rank peak ferocious beasts to pass."

"Yet he's only third-rank upper-tier—and he slew dozens of fourth-rank peak beasts?"

"This Xu Jingming... is truly monstrous..."

No wonder he was Jingda's coach—he deduced Xu Jingming's approximate strength in just a few words.

Yet,

he didn't know that Moda's 27th level trial wasn't dozens of fourth-rank peak ferocious beasts.

It was something far more terrifying: fifth-rank low-tier ferocious beasts!

But that wasn't his fault—before this, few Moda students had ever cleared the 27th level and earned one million combat points.

"Truly monstrous. If he had another year to grow, I couldn't beat him."

"But unfortunately, he's only a freshman this year—I can still suppress him."

Wang Qi mused aloud.

"Yes, thank goodness Jingda still has you this year."

Xu Ping chuckled and patted Wang Qi's shoulder.

Wang Qi, fourth-rank upper-tier with a pseudo-S-class ability, had terrifying combat power.

He had even defeated a fifth-rank low-tier ability user with an A-class ability!

Though Xu Jingming was formidable, compared to Wang Qi, he still fell slightly short.

"But this year, we can only suppress Moda for now. Next year,"

"once Xu Jingming's rank rises, no school will be able to hold him back."

"Still, we'll suppress him for one year at a time—Jingda simply refuses to be second place again."

Shaking his head, Xu Ping instructed Liu An:

"Confirm Xu Jingming as Moda's top figure. Revise your previous tactical plan."

"Understood." Liu An gave a slight nod.

The previous tactics had centered on Kong Shi.

Now that Xu Jingming was the core, the strategy must change...

"What the hell! Xu Jingming's ability isn't S-class—it's SS-class!"

"SS-class ability: Heavenly Thunder! No wonder his ability is so devastating!"

"Quick! Notify headquarters—do we need to adjust our recruitment strategy!"

"......"

As Jingda revised its tactical plan,

Jin University, Lei Ting Martial Arts, Bear Fury Martial Arts, major military units, guilds, and countless other factions all discovered the change in Xu Jingming's ability.

Shocked, they immediately called headquarters, requesting higher resource allocation permissions.

Logically,

Xu Jingming was only a freshman this year, with over three years until graduation—recruitment should wait until after graduation.

But SS-class ability awakeners were exceedingly rare. If they could sign him early and bring him under their banner, the gains would be enormous!

"Shit! Did Greater Xia just produce an SS-class ability awakener this year?"

In the back rows of the gymnasium's spectator seats, several foreign analysts with white-skinned skin and analysis devices gasped.

They immediately dialed an overseas number to report.

After a long pause, a low, foreign voice replied:

"Leak this news to the media. Let them spread it wildly."

"Not only must we know Greater Xia has an SS-class awakener—I want every other nation on Blue Planet to know!"

"Yes, sir!"

The foreigners swiftly contacted major media outlets inside and outside Greater Xia, releasing every piece of information related to Xu Jingming.

As media professionals, they instantly recognized this as an absolute, explosive headline.

News editors immediately transformed into tentacled monsters, churning out article after article and publishing them online.

"Shocking! After 23 Years, Our Nation Has Another SS-Class Ability Awakener!"

"Moda's Xu Jingming! SS-Class Ability: Heavenly Thunder!"

"SS-Class Ability Emerges—Greater Xia Will Surely Prosper!"

"......"

Every single article's headline revolved around the SS-class ability!

Remember,

today's youth in Greater Xia are online 24 hours a day, at high intensity.

As soon as these articles were published, they instantly exploded into trending topics!

"Predicting a viral article? Get in the front row first."

"Holy shit! I was just watching Xu Jingming's match—no wonder he was so brutal! He's SS-class!"

"SS-class ability! Boundless future!"

"......"

Twenty-three years!

Greater Xia had gone twenty-three years without a single SS-class ability awakener.

Thus, as soon as these articles were published, the comment sections surged at an exponential rate!

In fact,

not only within Greater Xia, but overseas networks were also ignited by this news!

"Councilor Wang, news of Xu Jingming's SS-class ability has topped the national hot search list."

"There are faint traces of foreign forces stoking the fire—should we intervene to reduce the heat?"

In a luxurious villa, an elderly man and a middle-aged man were playing chess.

A young woman with black-rimmed glasses and a single ponytail trailing down to her waist entered the villa.

She reported to the elder on the left.

The elder had white hair but sharp eyes, radiating an aura of terrifying power.

Councilor Wang Jun!

Greater Xia's ninth-rank peak martial saint, possessing the enhancement-type beast-class S-class ability: "Azure Celestial Dragon"!

A terrifying existence who had survived since the Reawakening of Yuan Energy two hundred years ago!

One of the very top figures standing atop Blue Planet today!

"Hmph. Those foreign vermin who only scheme in the shadows—ignore them!"

"With Greater Xia's depth, we won't fail to protect an SS-class awakener!"

The elder snorted, turning to the middle-aged man across from him:

"Little Liu, you visited the No. 7 Demon Cave and met Xu Jingming. Who's currently assigned to protect him?"

The middle-aged man across from him was none other than Councilor Liu Yushan.

"Deputy Principal Ling Shuang of Devil University," Liu Yushan replied with a smile.

"Oh? The little girl from Thunder Martial Arts who possesses an S-rank spatial ability? She's still at Devil University?"

The old man was somewhat surprised.

"Yes, she couldn't afford to provoke that Li family member, so she fled to Devil University."

To be honest, she's quite formidable—even without the resources of Thunder Martial Arts.

She still managed to break from Eighth Stage Lower to Eighth Stage Middle in just three years," Liu Yushan said with a smile.

Liu Yushan smiled and said.

This girl's temper is indeed stubborn.

For an ordinary adept, such a marriage would be a dream come true, yet she ran from it as if it were a curse.

She even fled to Devil University outright, to avoid dragging Thunder Martial Arts into trouble.

But if it's her, then I'm at ease."

The old man nodded slightly.

The entire estate soon fell back into quiet peace...