Chapter 396

"It's Xu Jingming!"

"He's back!"

Seeing Xu Jingming, everyone's eyes lit up.

He is currently the most sought-after figure in the entire Elite Training Camp.

Without him, this assessment would feel incomplete.

"You think I can't even withstand one of your fingers? Arrogant!"

Chen Hai's face flushed dark red at being publicly rebuked.

"Whether I'm arrogant or not, you'll know when the assessment begins."

"I won't even say I'm bullying you—I'll stand still and let you hit me for a full minute without returning a blow. You think you can't even land one hit? Do you believe it?"

Xu Jingming lifted his eyelids slightly and spoke calmly.

In this assessment, he represented not only himself, but also Chief Guan Su Qingli.

Therefore, he had to win—and win spectacularly!

He had to smash the face of the vice-guan's faction!

He'd been worrying about how to deliver that blow, and now, the moment he arrived, someone walked straight into his trap.

It was as if sleep had come and someone handed him a pillow.

If he didn't properly punish Chen Hai, it would be an insult to himself.

"What the hell? Is Xu Jingming really this arrogant? I never noticed before!"

"Talks like he's asking for a beating—but I like it."

"Openly challenging Chen Hai? This match is going to be worth watching."

"......"

Most people didn't really know Xu Jingming well.

Seeing him act so boldly now, they were all taken aback.

Under Xu Jingming's words, Chen Hai's already flushed face turned liver-colored.

"Fine, fine! Let's see if you'll let me stand and hit you for a full minute!"

With a cold snort, Chen Hai turned and walked away.

But inwardly, he resolved—no matter what the title of SS-rank Awakening Talent meant—he'd go all out in the match.

He had to vent this anger.

"Xu Jingming! Over here!"

After Chen Hai left, Lin Hui waved from the audience seats, signaling an empty seat beside him.

As Xu Jingming sat down, Lin Hui immediately gave him a thumbs-up:

"Impressive! Didn't expect you to stand up to Chen Hai like that!"

Though Lin Hui was a second-year student in the Elite Training Camp, his strength couldn't match Chen Hai's, who had entered the camp by exploiting age loopholes.

"But why are you so late? The assessment is about to start."

"I just got back from the No. 4 Demon Cave two nights ago. I slept all day yesterday and woke up late today.

Didn't expect that the moment I arrived, some fools started jumping around."

Xu Jingming shook his head.

From this alone, it was clear that Teacher Su Qingli's influence within the Thunder Martial Hall was still weak.

Even a single student dared speak to her like that.

"You're awesome, showing up this late," Lin Hui couldn't help but admire.

For an ordinary student, returning from a Demon Cave without injuries was unthinkable.

Yet Xu Jingming returned unharmed—and his aura seemed to have surged significantly. This defied all logic!

"That's Xu Jingming? Truly arrogant!"

"Young people are naturally bold—wasn't that how we were when we were young?"

"True enough. Xu Jingming and Chen Hai are bound to clash."

"It seems Su Qingli has realized her lack of influence in the Elite Training Camp and has pushed Xu Jingming forward."

"Yes. Xu Jingming must be forceful—or else he'll bring shame to his teacher."

"......"

Xu Jingming and Chen Hai hadn't lowered their voices, so the other audience members in the inner seating area began whispering among themselves.

These were high-ranking figures from major military legions and guilds.

They all understood the current state of the Thunder Martial Hall.

Thus, they felt no surprise at the two sides' confrontation.

"Xu Jingming? It's him!"

Meanwhile, in the audience seats,

Wu Shuo, captain of the 12th Squad of the Black Dragon Legion, instantly recognized Xu Jingming.

"No wonder the name sounded familiar—I should've known it was him."

The other members of his squad also realized:

"But look at him—he escaped from that King-rank beast unscathed."

They had left the No. 4 Demon Cave at 2 a. m. yesterday.

Upon returning to the Black Dragon Legion, they immediately reported the appearance of the King-rank beast to their superiors.

Upon hearing the news, the legion's high command immediately dispatched three seventh-rank Master-level Awakeners into the cave to search.

With the formidable spiritual power of seventh-rank Masters, hunting down a sixth-rank beast should've taken no time at all.

Yet strangely, no news had come back yet—no one knew why...

More than ten minutes after Xu Jingming arrived, major figures from the inner audience seating began arriving one after another.

Among them were vice-chairmen of various guilds, the supreme commander of the Black Dragon Legion, and even heirs from Martial Saint families.

As host, Chief Guan Su Qingli

only arrived at the venue five minutes before the assessment was set to begin.

She wore the Thunder Martial Hall's blue-and-white uniform, leading the procession.

Her ethereal aura and noble, sacred beauty instantly drew every spectator's gaze.

Walking beside her were a middle-aged man and an elderly man.

The middle-aged man wore a green robe, his eyes flickering with sharp light.

The elderly man had white hair and a frail, aged appearance.

These two were the vice-guans, Hu Jinyu and Gu Ming.

Like Su Qingli, they too were ninth-rank Awakeners.

A single organization with three ninth-rank Awakeners holding court!

This was why the Thunder Martial Hall had thrived to this day!

Behind these three came Ling Shuang, Liu Wei, and other Grand Masters and Masters of the Thunder Martial Hall.

"Chief Guan Su, greetings!"

"Vice-Guan Hu, greetings!"

"......"

The moment Su Qingli appeared, all the representatives from various factions rose to their feet and bowed respectfully.

Nodding in return, Su Qingli walked with her long legs to the center seat in the inner audience section and sat down.

"Thank you all for waiting. Welcome to the assessment of our Thunder Martial Hall's Elite Training Camp."

"Today is the evaluation for our first-year students. The rules are as follows..."

Soon after Su Qingli sat down, the time reached nine o'clock sharp.

As host, Liu Wei rose from the audience seats and stepped to the front of the arena.

Her clear voice echoed throughout the entire stadium.