Chapter 4: Lei Ting Martial Arts Gym, Cousin Tang Qi

Facing the firefighters who had arrived, Xu Jingming explained that he possessed a lightning ability and had already contained the fire.

This group hurriedly inspected the entire house, confirmed there were no lingering safety hazards, and left without further delay.

Before departing, they not only repaired the front door, but the team leader also slipped Xu Jingming a business card.

It indicated that his lightning ability was highly suitable for controlling fires and explosions in electronic equipment facilities.

After graduating from university, he could directly go to the Jiangcheng Fire Bureau to seek employment arranged by him.

Keep in mind that

The fire bureau is a government institution, and it employs awakened individuals who control water and fire abilities, so there’s no need to worry about life-threatening risks during firefighting.

To ordinary people, it’s considered a very decent job.

Of course,

To Xu Jingming right now, it held not the slightest appeal.

He casually shoved the card into the bedside drawer of his bedroom, picked up the long spear leaning against the wall, and left the room.

“Xiaoming, are you alright after the fire?”

“I’m fine, Uncle Yang, it’s already under control.”

“Good to hear. Judging by your appearance, you’re heading to the martial arts gym?”

“Yeah, going to train a bit.”

“So diligent—even tomorrow’s the college entrance exam and you’re still training. Nothing like my damn son.”

“......”

Mingyue Community was where Xu Jingming had lived for eighteen years, and all the neighbors were familiar faces.

And Xu Jingming’s gentle personality made him a favorite among the aunts and uncles.

Seeing him come down the building, some aunts and uncles walking below with their young grandchildren eagerly asked after him.

Xu Jingming politely responded to each one.

Then, shouldering his long spear, he left the community, took a bus, and transferred once on the subway.

Finally, he arrived before a modern high-rise building.

The building stood over twenty meters tall, its exterior clad in silver-white finishes, looking extremely sleek.

Its footprint was enormous, like a colossal beast crouched there.

On the building’s side, four bold characters were painted in swirling strokes: “Lei Ting Martial Arts Gym.”

Under the sunlight, those four characters shimmered brilliantly.

Awakened individuals seeking to advance to the rank of ability users must train their bodies and spirits to enhance their ability’s power.

Yet not every family can afford a private training room.

Thus, martial arts gyms offering training facilities and instruction emerged.

Across the entire Xia Dynasty, the two most renowned gyms were Lei Ting Martial Arts Gym and Bao Xiong Martial Arts Gym.

Both had branch locations in every city of the Xia Dynasty.

Even Jiangcheng, a relatively remote city in Jiangnan Province, had one.

Of course,

Besides Lei Ting and Bao Xiong, Jiangcheng had over a hundred smaller private martial arts gyms.

But only Lei Ting Martial Arts Gym offered free access to high school students.

Therefore, Xu Jingming had always trained at Lei Ting Martial Arts Gym.

He had come now to test how much his strength had improved after obtaining Purple Thunder Divine Lightning and boosting his base attributes.

At this moment, outside Lei Ting Martial Arts Gym, besides Xu Jingming, there were other awakened individuals—and even ability users—arriving with weapons.

“Luo Heng, the ninth-rank ability user who founded Lei Ting Martial Arts Gym, also possesses an S-class lightning ability.”

“I wonder if one day I’ll be able to establish my own gym...”

With this thought, Xu Jingming entered the gym.

Lei Ting Martial Arts Gym had six floors, each covering tens of thousands of square meters.

The second and third floors were exclusively reserved for free use by high school students.

After entering, Xu Jingming headed straight to the third floor, his usual spot.

Since today was Wednesday, and all senior students had already been dismissed early, the remaining first- and second-year students were still at school.

Most seniors were now at home, making final preparations before the college entrance exam.

Thus, the third floor, usually bustling, now felt unusually quiet.

The main hall held only a dozen or so people.

Yet, upon entering the hall, Xu Jingming spotted a familiar figure among them.

She was a girl about 1.7 meters tall, with refined, coldly beautiful features.

She carried no weapon, wore casual clothes, and her long, straight legs, accentuated by blue denim shorts, gleamed dazzlingly white.

Around her stood several other youths and young women dressed in stylish, elegant attire.

“Qi-jie, you’re here at Lei Ting Martial Arts Gym too?”

Xu Jingming smiled and greeted the tall girl.

Tang Qi, daughter of his aunt, was also a senior, though a few months older than him.

Since Xu Jingming had lost both parents young, his aunt in Jiangcheng occasionally visited during holidays.

This cousin sometimes came along.

But their relationship wasn’t close—just acquaintances.

The reason was simple.

The original host was introverted and quiet, and with their differing family backgrounds, they had little in common.

Two years ago, after Tang Qi awakened a B-class ability while he only awakened an E-class ability, their common ground vanished entirely.

Tang Qi hadn’t expected to meet Xu Jingming here; after a brief pause, she nodded slightly: “Mm, I’m here with friends.”

No wonder...

Xu Jingming immediately understood.

Tang Qi’s family was well-off; she usually went to Bao Xiong Martial Arts Gym, which charged 100,000 yuan annually for membership.

She rarely came to Lei Ting.

“Alright then, Qi-jie, you guys enjoy yourselves—I’m heading to the training room.”

Xu Jingming didn’t linger, exchanged a quick greeting, and walked off.

“QiQi, who’s that? Looks pretty handsome.”

After Xu Jingming left, a cute girl beside Tang Qi, equally tall but wearing a dress, asked.

Her clear eyes held a hint of curiosity.

“Xu Jingming. My cousin.”

“He’s also a senior, taking the Wu Ke exam tomorrow.”

Watching Xu Jingming’s retreating figure, Tang Qi’s delicate brows furrowed slightly.

Her cousin Xu Jingming seemed different somehow...

She couldn’t quite say how.

But before, even if they met by chance, he never initiated conversation.

This time, he’d unusually been the one to greet her first.

“Why so curious? Xiao Ya, are you falling for someone?”

A young man in white casual wear smirked.

But the girl named Xiao Ya didn’t mind the teasing; she openly admitted:

“So what? Isn’t it fine? If his looks are good and his ability isn’t terrible, wouldn’t he make a respectable boyfriend to take out?”

“You’ll be disappointed then—my cousin awakened only an E-class ability.”

Tang Qi shook her head, already anticipating Xiao Ya’s reaction.

Sure enough, upon hearing Xu Jingming was merely an E-class ability user, Xiao Ya’s curiosity instantly faded, and she sighed dismissively:

“Just an E-class ability? What a shame.”

Everyone has their own circle; people within it usually share similar family backgrounds and compatible personalities.

This group had wealthy families and all awakened B-class or C-class abilities.

As for Xu Jingming, his clothing clearly suggested a modest background.

Combined with his E-class ability, even if Xiao Ya was a looker, she had no interest.

“An E-class ability dares to take the Wu Ke exam? At least he’s brave.”

A youth with an earring joked.

“Brave? So what? The risk is too high! I’d rather he didn’t take the Wu Ke exam.” Tang Qi sighed.

In the Wu Ke exam, the most deaths occur among ability users below D-class.

If Xu Jingming had awakened a D-class ability, she wouldn’t have objected.

But an E-class ability is far too weak—entering the Wu Ke exam is practically suicide.

An E-class ability should stick to the liberal arts exam.

After graduation, get a white-collar job at a company, avoid fighting beasts, no life-threatening danger—wouldn’t that be better?

It wouldn’t make her mother worry every day.

"Alright, alright, let's not talk about that anymore. Aren't we here to visit Lei Ting Martial Arts Gym?"

"That's true. I've spent almost all three years of high school at Bao Xiong Martial Arts Gym—this is my first time at Lei Ting Martial Arts Gym."

"Relaxing before the college entrance exam is good for your physical and mental health."

Seeing Tang Qi was in low spirits, the group quickly dropped the topic and began wandering around casually.