Chapter 284: Xu Jingming! Suffocating Strength! Wang Qi Steps Forward!

The second stage of the National University League competition.

It brings together the top 10 universities selected from thousands of psychic universities across the entire Great Xia Nation.

Those who fight their way into the top eight of the individual competition are rare prodigies among ten thousand.

According to past tournament experience, while there are skill differences among the top eight, they are not substantial.

A match often lasts over ten minutes, even up to half an hour.

Yet, the match had barely begun for a few seconds when Xu Jingming delivered an instant kill.

So fast was his speed that the host, Feng Le, was still stunned.

Only after Sun Jie collapsed completely on the arena did he snap back to reality and promptly announce Xu Jingming's victory.

Meanwhile, the audience seats erupted in stunned exclamations:

"He charged forward, swung his spear—and that's it? He won?"

"Instant kill! Hasn't happened in the top-eight qualifying matches for years?"

"The invincible Lei Di! So overwhelmingly strong!"

"......"

Since the individual competition began, Xu Jingming had crushed every opponent without exception.

But no one expected that even in the top-eight qualifying match, he still crushed his opponent.

It seemed no one could force him into a truly even fight.

"And have you noticed? Sun Jie's battle blade is deformed! How immense must his physical power be?" an audience member exclaimed.

A-grade alloy, incredibly hard—it can withstand missile strikes without damage!

Yet this battle blade forged from A-grade alloy was utterly destroyed by Xu Jingming with just one spear thrust...

"This is a lightning affinity? Even enhancement affinities don't match his strength! He's literally a human monstrous beast!"

Human monstrous beast!

This was not an insult—it was the audience's most fitting praise for Xu Jingming's astonishing strength.

At this moment, those who had previously questioned why Sun Jie had dodged in the team match finally understood.

It wasn't that Sun Jie was cowardly—it was that Xu Jingming's spear could not be blocked head-on!

"We misjudged him. If Sun Jie hadn't tried to block that spear to prove himself—"

"He might have lasted longer in the match."

The fans of Su Da felt regret.

"Naive! Do you really think Lei Di's spear thrust was that easy to dodge?"

At this moment, an audience member at the fourth-rank level couldn't help but retort:

"Lei Di's charge speed is too fast—I'm a mid-fourth-rank psychic and I didn't even see it, let alone Sun Jie!"

By the time Sun Jie saw Lei Di's figure, the spear had already swept toward him—he had no time to dodge!"

"He could only force a block. From the very start, Sun Jie's instant kill was inevitable."

The explanation from this fourth-rank psychic sent shockwaves through the surrounding audience.

"No way! I thought only I missed Lei Di's charge—turns out even fourth-rank psychics didn't see it!"

"Lei Di's speed is truly terrifying. I'll watch the holographic replay in slow motion later—at least then I might catch something."

The audience marveled, and even the team coach from Mo University in the inner seating area couldn't help but smile bitterly.

In past years, Mo University was strong, but in individual matches they could at least fight for several minutes.

This year, it was instant kill—utterly suffocating in its dominance!

"Xu Jingming... so this is your true strength."

In the Jing University audience section, Wang Qi, the team captain, smiled faintly, his eyes flickering with battle intent:

"Finally, in this match, I've found a worthy opponent..."

The second round of the top-eight qualifying match ended; the third round began immediately.

"The third round of the individual competition is about to begin! Please welcome Yao Fang from Mo University and Wang Qi from Jing University!"

The host's loud voice rang out.

"It's my turn."

On the Mo University audience bench, Yao Fang took a deep breath and stood up.

"Go hard—aim for the top four," Xu Jingming encouraged.

"Facing Wang Qi? I don't even hope for the top four."

"But even if I lose, I'll show Mo University's spirit!" Yao Fang shook his head.

Against anyone else, he still had confidence to win.

But facing Wang Qi, a high fourth-rank psychic, he had no strategy at all.

Xu Jingming said nothing more, only nodded: "Go hard."

"Stone Lord!"

"Stone Lord!"

"Ice Mountain!"

"Ice Mountain!"

"......"

Any competitor who reached the top eight had amassed massive popularity.

As soon as Wang Qi and Yao Fang stepped onto the arena, the stadium erupted in wild cheers and shouts.

Because Wang Qi possessed a pseudo-S-grade earth affinity, he was nicknamed Stone Lord.

Yao Fang, meanwhile, was still called Ice Mountain.

"The third round of the top-eight individual competition—begin!"

As the match started, Yao Fang, a ranged-output psychic, unleashed his ice affinity and swiftly retreated backward.

On the other side, Wang Qi was enveloped in thick, yellow-brown earth elements.

After activating his affinity, he did not rush to attack Yao Fang; instead, his gaze shifted.

He looked toward the audience bench at Xu Jingming and spoke in a low voice:

"Xu Jingming! Don't think only you've trained body-strengthening combat arts—I have them too!"

Immediately, his muscles swelled, his stature rising over two meters.

Earth elements coated his body, forming an immensely thick armor!

"Desert Sandstorm!"

Wang Qi swung his right hand—a yellow-brown sandstorm, dozens of meters high, surged violently toward Yao Fang!

"Oh? So you're also on the same path as me..."

On his seat, Xu Jingming raised an eyebrow.

Unlike enhancement-affinity psychics, who must engage in close combat,

element-affinity psychics can choose ranged, close combat, or both.

But mastering both requires immense effort.

One must learn body-strengthening and close-combat arts, as well as ranged spell techniques.

Even among prodigies at Mo University, few dare attempt this.

Only those like Song Qiuyun, backed by an eighth-rank Grandmaster family with unlimited resources, dare try.

Of course, Xu Jingming himself also balanced close and ranged combat.

But he could do so because of his system—he didn't need to spend time or energy learning combat arts.

He hadn't expected that Jing University's captain was the same.

"I planned to reveal this in the finals, but since you pulled off an instant kill, I won't fall behind!"

Amid unrestrained laughter, Wang Qi turned his gaze away from Xu Jingming.

Gripping his battle blade, he charged toward Yao Fang!

"Ice Waterfall and Diamond Rain!"

Yao Fang, whose feet were pinned by the sandstorm's powerful suction, changed expression and immediately unleashed his S-grade combat art!

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!...

Countless ice shards, radiating biting cold, shot toward Wang Qi—but all were blocked by the earth shields swirling around him!

"I'm one rank higher than you, and my affinity is stronger—your attacks are useless!"

In an instant, Wang Qi closed the two-hundred-meter gap, his blade blazing with thick earth energy as he slashed downward:

"Thick Earth Slash!"

"Ice Armor."

Seeing he couldn't dodge, Yao Fang's face paled—he hastily activated his S-grade defensive combat art.

A thick layer of ice armor rapidly spread, engulfing his entire body!

BOOM!!

The blade struck—the ice armor shattered instantly!

Though the blade's edge didn't pierce further, the immense impact force, even after being dampened by his A-grade battle suit,

hit him like a speeding locomotive!

The searing pain caused his frail body to spew blood—he lost consciousness instantly.

His entire body was blasted away like a ruptured sack!

He flew dozens of meters before collapsing helplessly onto the ground.

"Instant kill! Another instant kill! Let's congratulate Wang Qi from Beijing University! Congratulations on advancing to the semifinals!"

Drawing from Xu Jingming's previous match, the host now watched the competition closely.

Upon noticing Yao Fang had lost consciousness, he immediately announced the result!