Chapter 322: Hold On — How Did Your Breath-Concealment Art Suddenly Hit Mastery Level?

April 7th, 7 a. m.

Xu Jingming, who had risen early, had already finished washing up, eaten breakfast, and put on his gear before coming downstairs from the second floor.

"Ming-ge, heading to the Demon Den?"

On the first floor of the villa, Liu Wentao had likewise already gotten up and was washing up.

"Yeah." Xu Jingming replied with a smile.

"Then I wish Ming-ge smooth sailing and plenty of beast kills."

"Thanks for the kind words, I'm off." Xu Jingming gave a wave and walked out the villa's front door.

"That's Ming-ge for you — already off to brave the Demon Den, while I still have to stay at school and keep studying."

Watching Xu Jingming's departing figure, Liu Wentao couldn't help feeling a touch of emotion.

From the moment Xu Jingming represented Demon University in the National Collegiate League,

it was already destined that his path would be entirely different from that of an ordinary new student at Demon University......

Leaving the villa, Xu Jingming had barely stepped out of the residential area when two graceful figures were already waiting by the roadside.

They were none other than Song Qiuyun and Jiang Chuxuan.

Knowing Xu Jingming was about to enter the dangerous wilderness, the two women hadn't stayed overnight either — they had only lingered until just past 11 p. m. before leaving.

"If there's any danger inside the Demon Den, call Principal Ling immediately." Song Qiuyun stepped forward with her long, slender legs and said softly.

"Come back soon."

Beside her, the white-haired girl Jiang Chuxuan's beautiful eyes were also filled with deep reluctance.

"Don't worry, I'll be back on time."

Xu Jingming ruffled the two women's little heads, then gave each of them a kiss on her soft lips before turning to leave.

Though the land of tenderness was sweet, for him whose mind was set firm,

his current situation was still far from one where he could afford to enjoy it.

"Sister Chuxuan, looks like we'll have to keep pushing too."

"Yeah, if this keeps up, Jingming's going to leave us further and further behind......"

Only after Xu Jingming's back disappeared at the edge of their sight did Song Qiuyun and Jiang Chuxuan reluctantly withdraw their gazes.

The longing in their eyes vanished, replaced by utter resolve......

Before leaving Demon University, Xu Jingming stopped by Vice Principal Hearing Ling Shuang's place to undergo the final modification.

"This is Teacher Sun Rui from the Logistics College. She possesses a special Class B appearance-alteration ability.

She will be performing the modification on your appearance shortly."

In the Combat Techniques Library, the Vice Principal's office, Hearing Ling Shuang introduced softly.

Standing beside her was a woman of about fifty-something, her hair slightly streaked with grey.

"There's an ability like that too?" Xu Jingming was taken aback.

"Abilities are as numerous as the stars; most are famous for their combat applications.

Abilities like ours are indeed rare, but they're not unheard of."

Listening to Teacher Sun Rui's explanation, Xu Jingming finally understood.

Fair enough — under the pressure of the fierce beasts, who would bother with an ability that has no combat use at all?

"What kind of appearance would you like, Student Xu? I can modify you into anything."

Sun Rui asked with a smile, her face kindly.

"Since it's about hiding my identity, the more ordinary the better." Xu Jingming murmured thoughtfully.

"Alright, Student Xu, just close your eyes and it'll be done in a moment."

At Teacher Sun Rui's voice, Xu Jingming slowly closed his eyes.

He then felt a cool sensation across his entire face. After a full minute or two, Sun Rui's voice sounded again: "Done."

Opening his eyes, Xu Jingming saw his appearance in a mirror placed in front of him beforehand.

Compared to his previous looks, this face was neither especially handsome nor especially ugly.

Two words could sum it up: 'ordinary.'

The sort you'd lose in a crowd in no time.

"Appearance-alteration abilities are really this miraculous?" Xu Jingming tried out a few expressions.

Frowning, opening his mouth, raising an eyebrow......

Without exception, each was perfectly natural, with not a hint of stiffness.

"The disguise lasts about seventy days or so — enough to see you through your return from the civilization relic.

If it hasn't worn off by the time it expires, I'll ask Teacher Sun to come remove it for you." Hearing Ling Shuang said with a light laugh.

Having grown used to Xu Jingming's original looks, seeing this new face was genuinely a novelty.

After looking for several seconds, she called out: "Eva, prepare the identity documents."

"Eva acknowledged." A mechanical electronic voice sounded from an instrument placed on the desk.

Immediately after, a pale-blue virtual beam projected from the device, scanning Xu Jingming's brand-new appearance in meticulous detail.

"Chirp—"

Just two or three seconds after the scan finished, an identity card was ejected from the device.

"This is your new identity card. From now on, your name is Su Chen, and you possess a lightning-type Class A ability, 'Crimson-Yang True Thunder.'

Also, this is the boarding pass you'll need shortly."

Hearing Ling Shuang handed over the identity card and the boarding pass together.

"Su Chen? Truly a completely unrelated name."

Xu Jingming took the documents from Ling Shuang's hands; they still carried the warmth of having just been made.

He glanced at them, and the portrait on the ID was indeed a brand-new appearance.

"The identity and address information are all real and valid. Even if someone investigates, they won't find anything suspicious.

The ability-user rank also matches yours — Fourth Order, Lower Tier."

The top-tier artificial intelligence Eva connected to the national information management database.

With the backing of the Demon Academy and Vice Principal Ling Shuang, fabricating an identity out of thin air was simply too easy.

"Ability-user rank..."

Xu Jingming hesitated, then said, "Can it be changed? Change it to Fourth Order, Upper Tier?"

"Why change it?"

The moment the words left his mouth, Ling Shuang sensed Xu Jingming's aura suddenly shift — to Fourth Order, Upper Tier!

"Huh?"

Ling Shuang was momentarily stunned, then immediately caught on and whispered in surprise:

"Master-level Breath-Concealment Art?!"

"Principal, you're really sharp — you knew without being told." Xu Jingming gave a sheepish grin.

"It's not that I'm sharp. You only broke through to Fourth Order not long ago. Surely you didn't jump two ranks in just a few days without anyone seeing you?"

She shook her head, and Ling Shuang, having received an affirmative answer, grew rather curious:

"But this time you won't tell me you miscounted again, will you?"

"This time it's not a miscount. My Breath-Concealment Art proficiency just happened to break through recently." Xu Jingming said shamelessly.

"Is that so?" Ling Shuang's expression turned odd.

Combat techniques of different ratings have different learning difficulties.

But even an F-rank combat technique reaching Master-level proficiency isn't that simple.

Let alone the Breath-Concealment Art being a B-rank combat technique — even prodigy ability-users would need five or six years of dedicated study.

Yet Xu Jingming had only been practicing it for how long, and he'd already reached Master-level proficiency...

"Fine, Master-level it is. Eva, change Su Chen's information in the database to Fourth Order, Upper Tier."

With a wave of her hand, Ling Shuang didn't press further.

"Eva received. Data has been updated."

After the mechanical electronic voice sounded, Ling Shuang gave her final reminder:

"Teacher Xiao and the others set out yesterday.

You're the only one besides him who knows you're entering Ruin No. 9.

If anything unexpected happens inside the ruin, just contact him directly."

Xiao Nan, a teacher at the Weaponry Academy, rank Sixth Order, Lower Tier.

A trusted core teacher who knows the full picture — absolutely no issues there.

He is also one of the four Demon Academy mentors leading the team into Ruin No. 9.

"Understood." Xu Jingming nodded.

This time, the Demon Academy is sending a total of four Sixth Order mentors into the ruin — already a considerable force.

At a critical moment, if you can borrow their strength, you naturally should...