Chapter 422

"Ye'er sister!"

Upon seeing the woman in red, Song Qiuyun's eyes lit up; she immediately stood and grabbed her hand, affectionately saying:

"When did you get back? You didn't even give us a heads-up."

Song Ye was the eldest among the younger generation of the Song family, and she had a fairly good relationship with Song Qiuyun.

But she usually stayed at the Glory Battle Group, handling its affairs, and rarely came back.

"I just got back yesterday."

Song Ye smiled slightly, her gaze turning to Xu Jingming: "This must be your boyfriend, right?"

"Yeah, his name is Xu Jingming. Jingming, this is my cousin, Song Ye."

Song Qiuyun hugged Xu Jingming's arm and introduced him with great familiarity.

"Actually, you don't need to introduce him—I already know his name."

"After all, your boyfriend's name kept appearing on the front pages of major news websites all through the first half of the year."

Song Ye extended her hand with a smile, "Hello, nice to meet you."

"Cousin, nice to meet you." Xu Jingming reached out and gave her a light handshake.

"By the way, let me introduce you two.

This is Wang Mang, the Young Master of Ji Yi Heavy Industry—my father specifically invited him over from the No. 3 Demon Cave."

Song Ye introduced the young man beside her, emphasizing the words "Ji Yi Heavy Industry."

Although Wang Mang was a spoiled brat, his father was a ninth-rank powerhouse and doted on him terribly.

If they could build a good relationship with him, the entire family might benefit.

That's why her father had gone out of his way to invite him to this birthday banquet.

"Hello, nice to meet..."

With a friendly attitude, Xu Jingming extended his right hand first.

But Wang Mang didn't even glance at him—he turned directly to Song Qiuyun:

"I've heard so much about the Song family's genius beauty; now that I see you, the rumors are true!"

As he spoke, his eyes lazily swept over Song Qiuyun's body.

This made her delicate eyebrows furrow slightly, a faint, bright light beginning to surge from within her.

"Hmm?"

Xu Jingming's eyes narrowed, and he retracted his hand, frozen mid-air.

He stepped in front of Song Qiuyun, blocking Wang Mang's gaze, and said coldly:

"Friend, aren't you being a bit too much?"

"Too much? What's too much?"

Wang Mang finally looked away, shrugging innocently as he turned to Song Ye:

"Song Miss, you tell me—I didn't do anything wrong, did I?"

"This..."

Song Ye hesitated.

Wang Mang's behavior had indeed been impolite, but she knew he was just that kind of spoiled brat.

If she didn't humor him, all the effort her father had put into inviting him would be wasted.

Besides, Song Qiuyun hadn't suffered any real harm—for the family's sake, a little tolerance was nothing.

And while Xu Jingming did have the Thunder Martial Hall behind him, he was still just a trainee, unable to mobilize family resources as easily as Wang Mang could.

Thinking this, Song Ye spoke up: "Xu Jingming, you're being too sensitive. Young Master Wang meant no harm."

"See? I told you—I'm right. Even Song Miss agrees with me."

Wang Mang smirked triumphantly.

He'd seen countless geniuses in the No. 3 Demon Cave, yet very few ever became seventh-rank Masters!

Not to mention eighth-rank Grand Masters—or ninth-rank Martial Saints!

Even if Xu Jingming was an SS-rank psychic awakening, he was still ten thousand miles away from becoming a ninth-rank Martial Saint!

Against the background of my ninth-rank psychic family, he's still got to swallow his pride!

Thinking this, Wang Mang's expression grew even more pleased.

He loved nothing more than seeing young geniuses hate him but be powerless to act.

Yet he completely failed to notice that Xu Jingming's face was slowly darkening—he just kept talking:

"Honestly, people like you are arrogant because you've always been pampered, so you think..."

Before Wang Mang could finish, a sharp *crack* rang out—Xu Jingming's right hand, wreathed in golden lightning, had already slapped across his face!

His once-handsome features twisted instantly; a spray of blood, mixed with several teeth, flew from his mouth.

But it wasn't over.

Before Wang Mang could fall, Xu Jingming grabbed his collar and yanked him forward.

Wang Mang, a sixth-rank psychic.

Held fast by a grip like iron tongs, he had no strength to resist.

Then, Xu Jingming's muscular right leg, wreathed in golden lightning, bent slightly.

His hard knee struck Wang Mang's abdomen like lightning!

*Boom! *

Wang Mang's body curled like a shrimp, vomiting blood on the spot.

By the time those around reacted, Wang Mang's right cheek was swollen like a pig's.

Blood dripped from his lip—he looked utterly broken.

Beside him, Song Ye stood frozen in shock.

She never imagined Xu Jingming would strike Wang Mang over something so trivial!

And she never imagined Wang Mang wouldn't even react—he'd just taken the beating!

"Hmm, that feels better."

As if crushing an annoying mosquito, Xu Jingming looked pleased.

"I didn't want to start a fight at Elder Song's birthday banquet, but then I met a repulsive bastard like you."

Of course, this was still mild—if I'd gone all out, that first slap would've crushed his skull flat!

The commotion also drew the attention of nearby guests.

"That's... Wang Mang?! How did he end up like this?"

"It looks like Xu Jingming beat him!"

"Whoa, how did these two end up clashing?"

"..."

Although Wang Mang acted recklessly and was a spoiled brat,

he had a ninth-rank Martial Saint for a father—no one usually dared touch him.

Yet now, Xu Jingming had beaten him senseless!

And even more shocking: a fifth-rank Xu Jingming had dismantled a sixth-rank Wang Mang

as if it required no effort at all.

"You dared hit me?" Wang Mang finally came to his senses, his face filled with disbelief.

In all these years, no one had ever dared strike him like this!

But the burning pain on his face and the astonished stares around him proved this wasn't a dream.

Realizing it, a surge of rage exploded in his chest:

"Xu Jingming! I'll kill you!"

*Roar—*

His psychic power erupted; his body swelled, his right hand transforming into a tiger's claw.

The sharp talons slashed toward Xu Jingming.

As a sixth-rank psychic, he didn't believe he could lose—he just thought he'd been ambushed.

"Is this all you've got? Coming out to embarrass yourself? I'm beating you precisely because you're so ignorant of your place!"

Xu Jingming sneered mockingly, his expression unchanged.

Brilliant, dangerous Doushen Thunder surged from the air around him, forming a prison that locked Wang Mang in place.

*Boom! *

The tiger claw slammed into the dense lightning net—but failed to pierce it.

Instead, the claw turned black and charred, sending out a cry of agony.

*Crackle-pop—*

Then golden lightning erupted, engulfing him entirely.

In an instant, he was scorched black and collapsed, unconscious.

"Oh my..."

"Did I see that right? That was just basic lightning psychic technique—and it knocked Wang Mang out?"

The guests all stared wide-eyed, stunned by the scene.

Wang Mang might've been a spoiled brat, but he was a genuine sixth-rank psychic with a B-rank enhancement psychic ability!

He was defeated so easily by Xu Jingming?

Clap! Clap! Clap!...

As everyone was stunned, a round of applause suddenly sounded.

A tall, slender young man with long hair walked in from the entrance of the banquet hall.

At the same time, his voice, tinged with amusement, rang out:

"Brother Jingming, I never expected that after you defeated me last time, we'd meet again so soon."

"And when you arrived, you happened to catch such a spectacular scene."