Chapter 42: Becoming a Disciple

Under the butler's guidance, Xu Jingming and Tan Mingyang entered the villa's parlor.

As soon as they stepped inside, Xu Jingming saw two people seated on the sofa.

To the right was a young man, seemingly the same age as Tan Mingyang.

His appearance was ordinary—someone you'd miss even if you looked right at him in a crowd.

Yet his aura was sharply piercing; merely sitting there, he radiated an inexplicable pressure.

Beside the young man sat a middle-aged man.

The man wore a gray martial suit, his frame muscular, his eyes flashing lightning-like brilliance!

Meeting his gaze, Xu Jingming felt as if he'd been locked onto by the apex predator of dragon-kind—every hair on his body stood on end!

Compared to this middle-aged man, the young man's aura seemed faint and elusive.

Xu Jingming, who had previously checked his mentor's information via Eva in the villa, naturally knew.

This middle-aged man,

was Dean Yang Zhentian of the Weaponry Academy, the seventh-rank upper-tier adept known as Lei Ting!

"Dean Yang, I've brought them all."

The butler said respectfully.

"Alright, you may leave."

Yang Zhentian dismissed the butler, then turned his gaze directly to Xu Jingming, a smile forming on his face:

"You must be Xu Jingming—Zhang Zhaoyang already told me about you.

Come, let's go to the training room."

Saying this, he rose and headed upstairs; Xu Jingming hurried after him at once.

Tan Mingyang, who had witnessed the entire scene, stood frozen in place, dazed.

Dean Yang Zhentian of the Weaponry Academy was famously strict.

The rules and regulations under his command were the most numerous among the five academies of Metropolis Magical University!

Thus, students privately nicknamed him Yang Yanwang.

His usual stern, expressionless face fit the nickname perfectly.

Yet just now, he had seen Yang Yanwang smile!

And the man had clearly known Xu Jingming—he'd taken him straight to the training room.

Clearly, he intended to evaluate him personally.

'Just what is Xu Jingming's background? Could he be the chancellor's son?'

Tan Mingyang quickly dismissed the thought.

Even the chancellor's own son wouldn't receive such treatment from Yang Yanwang.

Only the chancellor himself might come close...

"Mingyang, same as before?"

The remaining young man on the sofa smiled over.

Tan Mingyang snapped back to himself, his expression brightening; he bowed and said, "Then I'm counting on you, Senior Liu."

With that, the two headed together toward the ground-floor combat room.

Aside from taking disciples,

other students wishing to become Yang Zhentian's disciples must demonstrate corresponding strength.

This Senior Liu was one of Yang Zhentian's many students.

Whoever could defeat Senior Liu, even if he used only one-tenth of his power, would be deemed qualified.

Yet over the past half-year, he had never succeeded once...

On the other side, under Yang Zhentian's guidance, Xu Jingming arrived at the training room.

It was a room roughly a hundred meters long, with weapon racks lining the walls, holding various arms.

Among them was the long spear Xu Jingming recognized.

"I've watched your Wu Ke Gaokao video—your combat ability is indeed strong, and your spear technique has reached advanced level.

But before that, I'd like to see your S-rank ability: Doushen Shenlei."

Yang Zhentian watched Xu Jingming with anticipation.

S-rank lightning ability: Doushen Shenlei!

Ever since he learned from Zhang Zhaoyang a few days ago that a student who had awakened an S-rank lightning ability had chosen Metropolis Magical University, he had been waiting for Xu Jingming's arrival.

Yet he never expected the student to finally show up today.

Facing Yang Zhentian's request, Xu Jingming showed no hesitation—he activated his ability at once.

Crackling~~~

Zzzt~~~

Amidst the muffled thunder and the hiss of crackling arcs, Doushen Shenlei materialized, swirling around Xu Jingming.

The blue-purple lightning carried an ancient, primordial aura—powerful and timeless.

The moment Doushen Shenlei appeared, the entire training room filled with an inexplicable grandeur.

"This is the S-rank ability—Doushen Shenlei!"

Yang Zhentian gazed, entranced, at the blue-purple lightning swirling around Xu Jingming.

Though he himself possessed a lightning ability, and as a seventh-rank upper-tier adept,

even a trace of his own lightning held unimaginable power,

his A-rank ability, Fenghuo Zhenlei, could never possibly possess such an aura!

This is a gap that comes from the origin of the ability itself — it can't be made up for by level alone!

After several deep breaths, Yang Zhentian's agitated state of mind gradually calmed down.

His gaze fell on Xu Jingming, his expression solemn:

"Xu Jingming, I know perfectly well why you've come. With your ability and potential, becoming my disciple is naturally no problem at all.

However, there's one thing I need to make clear in advance — back in the day, when I was out traveling the world,

although I did make quite a few friends, I also made no small number of enemies.

Once you become my disciple and graduate in the future, you'll be affected by this side of things as well.

It's even possible that some of those enemies will make a move against you. Are you still willing?"

"This student is willing."

Xu Jingming didn't hesitate in the slightest, and respectfully performed the formal bow of apprenticeship.

Please.

Which high-level ability user's rise wasn't accompanied by blood and storms?

For someone like Yang Zhentian, an ability user famous for killing, there was no telling how many fierce beasts and enemies he had crushed.

If he couldn't even shoulder this bit of risk,

then within the entire Magic Capital Ability University, he probably wouldn't find a single suitable teacher.

"Good, good, good! From today onward, you are my thirty-second disciple!"

Yang Zhentian uttered three 'good's in a row, his emotions somewhat stirred.

An S-rank ability awakener — the entire Great Xia Nation only sees one every few years.

Moreover, ability types are extremely varied; even when an S-rank ability awakener does appear, they're usually of some other category.

Over these past twenty-plus years, he had taken in more than thirty disciples — some with A-rank lightning-type, some with B-rank lightning-type.

There were even those with C-rank lightning-type abilities.

But an S-rank lightning-type ability — Xu Jingming was still the very first!

"Most of your senior brothers and sisters have already graduated. The ones still in school are only three.

The Liu Ming downstairs just now is one of your senior brothers.

As for the other two senior brothers and sisters, next time I'm free, I'll introduce them to you one by one."

After saying that, a faint light flickered on the ring on Yang Zhentian's right hand.

Two secret manuals immediately appeared in his hand, and he held them out.

"This is a top-tier ability training method, and a body-forging combat technique I created myself."

Xu Jingming took the two secret manuals.

The ability training method was called "Extreme Ability Training Method," and the other combat technique was called "Lei Ting Immortal Body."

Combat techniques are divided into different categories — there are body-method combat techniques, there are saber-technique combat techniques.

For example, Xu Jingming's 'Lightning Swift Wind Break' is a spear-technique combat technique.

And body-forging combat techniques are different from ordinary combat techniques — they're mainly used to strengthen the physique.

Compared to ordinary combat techniques, they're also far rarer...