Chapter 373: Has Sister Su Given It All to You? Fan Ren

"Come on, join us, and you'll get plenty of resources!"

Inside the private room,

Fan Ren said with great confidence.

He believed that after explaining the key stakes,

his junior brother would change his mind.

Yet, facing Fan Ren's confidence, Xu Jingming shook his head:

I'm sorry to disappoint you, Senior Brother, but I don't want to join you.

"Hm?"

Fan Ren paused, utterly baffled:

"That doesn't make sense—what the Deputy Director can offer you, I can offer too.

You can browse any combat technique in the library, and even receive instruction from an eighth-rank Dianfeng Lightning-elemental Master.

The only thing the Deputy Director can't give you is probably that rare SS-rank..."

Here, Fan Ren's pupils shrank to needle-points, incredulous:

"Has Sister Su already given you that SS-rank Soul-Refining Art?"

"Isn't it normal for me, as her direct disciple, to learn her unique combat technique?" Xu Jingming replied with a faint smile.

"No, no, no—it's not that simple."

Fan Ren quickly shook his head. "The rarity of an SS-rank Soul-Refining Art far exceeds your imagination. If I were Sister Su,

even if you possessed an SS-rank ability, I'd still need to observe your character for one or two years before deciding whether to pass it on."

In truth, Xu Jingming was Sister Su's first student.

Logically, she should have been even more cautious before handing over a combat scripture.

"Observe for one or two years? That's exaggerated!" Xu Jingming exclaimed.

"It's that exaggerated, frankly.

If Sister Su were to share this SS-rank Soul-Refining Art, no one in the martial arts hall could ever challenge her position!"

Fan Ren sighed, finally processing the news, then lifted his wine cup:

"A scholar dies for one who understands him; a woman adorns herself for one who delights her.

Since Sister Su has already given you this gift outright, there's no point in me trying to persuade you further.

You'll go further with her."

He knew Sister Su had personally gone to the league arena to recruit Xu Jingming.

But he never imagined the recruitment offer was to hand over an SS-rank Soul-Refining Art outright.

"I thought if I refused, I wouldn't be allowed to leave this room."

Xu Jingming smiled and raised his cup as well.

The SS-rank Soul-Refining Art wasn't that crucial—after all, an SSS-rank Soul-Refining Art awaited him in Base 3.

He didn't switch sides simply because he didn't want to break his word.

Besides, Ling Shuang had treated him well when they were at Magic University, and Ling Shuang was aligned with Sister Su.

For that reason alone, he could never side with the Deputy Director.

"We're junior and senior brothers—do you think I'd ever attack you?"

Fan Ren laughed heartily as he drained his cup:

"What garbage Deputy Director? All I can do is speak well of him. You think I'd suppress you? Not a chance!

But I'll warn you—Wang Dong is strong. Don't cross paths with him if you can help it.

He's got only one year left anyway. Just endure him for a year.

Once he graduates, who in the training camp can hold you back?"

As he spoke, the talkative senior's expression grew serious.

"Understood." Xu Jingming nodded slightly, offering no rebuttal.

Honestly, he couldn't beat this sixth-rank lower-tier ability user with an S-rank ability.

But he didn't think he'd be unable to surpass him before the man graduated...

Xu Jingming had expected his refusal to make Fan Ren cold or distant.

But to his surprise, during the second half of the banquet, Fan Ren remained just as warm.

Even after dinner, he invited Xu Jingming to continue on, claiming there was a place with better girls.

Xu Jingming, uninterested, naturally declined.

"Since you're not going, I won't go either—I'll just go back and tell them you refused."

Beside Shunxing Garden Restaurant, Fan Ren said casually.

Then his space ring flickered faintly, and a wooden box appeared in his hand, offered to Xu Jingming:

"According to Master's rules, a senior must give a gift to a junior upon first meeting.

My resources aren't abundant—this A+-rank cultivation resource is my gift to you."

Thank you, Senior Brother, Xu Jingming smiled and accepted the wooden box.

"No need to thank me—I've taken plenty from other seniors and juniors myself."

Fan Ren chuckled, then waved his hand. "That's it for today—I'm off.

Just call me anytime if you need anything. Don't pay attention to Wang Dong and his crew.

If they push too hard, I'll just quit them and come help you!"

He had accepted some favors from the Deputy Director, but he wasn't deeply bound to him like Wang Dong and the others.

If things got bad, he'd simply walk away—neither side feared the other.

Thank you, Senior Brother. Goodbye, Senior Brother.

"Goodbye."

Fan Ren turned and left; Xu Jingming lowered his gaze, silently reflecting.

Though this was their first meeting, the senior's personality seemed genuinely decent.

"Senior met, dinner eaten—now it's time to return to the villa and continue studying the Soul-Refining Art."

He stored the wooden box in his space ring and strolled slowly toward the villa.

"I tried—I told him everything. He's unmoved, refuses to join our side."

As Xu Jingming continued studying the Soul-Refining Art, Fan Ren had already arrived at Wang Dong's villa to report.

Inside the villa's training room, only Wang Dong and Chen Hai were present.

Fan Ren wasn't surprised.

Calling Chen Hai a lackey might be harsh, but he was unquestionably Wang Dong's top follower.

Wang Dong entrusted most of his affairs to Chen Hai.

Naturally, Chen Hai had reaped many benefits.

In less than a year in the training camp, he'd advanced from fifth-rank Dianfeng to sixth-rank—his strength was formidable.

"He refused?"

Wang Dong, seated on the training room floor, frowned. "Alright, I understand. You may leave."

"We can offer him far more resources than Sister Su can.

Why did Xu Jingming refuse? Did Fan Ren not speak up for us?"

After Fan Ren left, Chen Hai frowned, unable to hold back his words.

"Given Fan Ren's character, he wouldn't have half-heartedly handled this."

Wang Dong shook his head, a faint glint in his eyes:

"The only possibility is that Sister Su has already offered something better than we can."

"Something better?"

Chen Hai froze, then realized—his voice dropped to a whisper: "SS-rank Soul-Refining Art?!"

"Aside from that, Sister Su has nothing else of value to offer."

Wang Dong took a deep breath.

Had Sister Su offered this SS-rank Soul-Refining Art when recruiting him, he might not have joined the Deputy Director's faction at all.

Yet he hadn't received it—Xu Jingming had.

"Then again, an SS-rank ability user, especially a Lightning-elemental one, does deserve this Soul-Refining Art more than I do."

After a moment of silence, Wang Dong continued:

"I recall your first-year assessment match is in just over a month, right?"

The assessment match was held annually by grade; all members of the prodigy training camp participated.

Xu Jingming had just joined the Thunder Martial Arts Hall training camp, so he was a first-year student and required to take part.

Chen Hai, though 27, had only entered the prodigy training camp last year.

The prodigy training camp didn't rank by strength, but by time of entry.

Thus, Chen Hai was also a first-year student.

"That's right."

Chen Hai nodded, instantly understanding Wang Dong's intent, and smiled:

"Don't worry—I'll handle it. He won't beat me."

As an SS-rank psychic awakened, Chen Hai couldn't do anything to him just because of that identity alone.

But on the arena, a few small tricks would suffice.

Making Xu Jingming lose face and reduce his influence would be easy enough.

"Don't be overconfident," Wang Dong mused. "Qin Laoshi and the others probably didn't lie—this guy's true combat power might reach sixth tier."

"Those sixth-tierers from Tianyu Dojo?"

Chen Hai sneered. "They're all just trash—I could kill such trash with one hand.

Xu Jingming's record means nothing."

He had full confidence in his own strength.

After all, among nearly four hundred trainees in the Talent Training Camp, his power was unquestionably in the top tier.

"Not necessarily. Sixth-tier lower might not even be his limit—pay special attention to this."

Wang Dong added one final warning.

"Fine, I'll have someone test him out later."

Chen Hai shrugged indifferently.

Wang Dong was a fourth-year trainee, about to be promoted to fifth year.

He had no reason to act against Xu Jingming—letting me suppress him during the assessment matches was the most appropriate approach...