Chapter 422

"Ye-er jie!"

Upon seeing the red-clad woman, Song Qiuyun's eyes lit up; she immediately rose 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 their relationship was fairly close.

But she usually stayed at the Glory Battle Corps, handling affairs for the corps, rarely returning home.

"I just got back yesterday."

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

"Yes, his name is Xu Jingming. Jingming, this is my cousin sister, 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 appeared repeatedly on the front pages of major news websites throughout the first half of the year."

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

"Cousin sister, hello." Xu Jingming also extended his hand and gave a slight shake.

"By the way, let me introduce you two.

This is Wang Mang, the Young Master of Ji Yi Heavy Industry, whom my father specially invited 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 deeply.

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

That's why her father had specifically invited him to attend this birthday banquet.

"Hello, nice to..."

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

But unexpectedly, Wang Mang didn't even glance at him; instead, he directly turned to Song Qiuyun:

"I've long heard the Song family has a genius beauty—now that I see you, the rumors are truly deserved!"

As he spoke, his eyes lazily swept back and forth over Song Qiuyun's figure.

This caused her delicate eyebrows to furrow slightly, a faint, bright glow about to erupt from within her body.

"Hmm?"

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

Stepping in front of Song Qiuyun, blocking Wang Mang's gaze, he said coldly:

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

"Too much? What's too much?"

Wang Mang finally turned his gaze away, spreading his hands innocently and shifting to Song Ye:

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

"This..."

Song Ye hesitated immediately.

Wang Mang's behavior had indeed been impolite, but she knew well that this fellow was simply that kind of spoiled brat.

If she didn't humor him, all the effort her father had expended to bring him here would be wasted.

Besides, Song Qiuyun hadn't suffered any real harm; for the sake of the family, a little concession was nothing.

And although Xu Jingming also had the backing of Lei Ting Martial Hall, he was still merely a trainee, unable to mobilize family resources as easily as Wang Mang could.

Thinking of 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 Young Lady agrees with me."

Wang Mang couldn't help but flash a smug smile.

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

Not to mention eighth-rank Grand Masters, let alone ninth-rank Martial Saints!

Even if Xu Jingming was an SS-rank Awakened, he was still ten thousand miles away from becoming a ninth-rank Wu Sheng!

Against the background of my ninth-rank Awakened family, isn't he still forced to swallow his anger?

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

He especially loved the feeling of watching young geniuses hate him but be powerless to do anything about it.

Yet he completely failed to notice that Xu Jingming's expression was gradually darkening; he merely continued on his own:

"In my opinion, people like you are arrogant because you always think too highly of yourselves—"

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 face instantly twisted out of shape; a spray of blood, mixed with several teeth, flew from his mouth.

But it wasn't over.

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

Wang Mang, this sixth-rank Awakened,

was gripped by a hand like an iron clamp, utterly unable to resist.

Then, his powerful right leg, wreathed in golden lightning, bent slightly.

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

*Boom!! *

Wang Mang's body curled up 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.

The corners of his mouth still carried fresh blood, a thoroughly wretched sight.

And Song Ye beside him had already been completely dumbfounded.

She never could have imagined that Xu Jingming would actually lay hands on Wang Mang over such a trivial matter!

And even more unexpected — Wang Mang hadn't even managed to react before getting beaten up like that!

"Mmh, that feels better."

As casually as swatting an annoying mosquito, Xu Jingming wore a pleased expression.

"I hadn't planned on making a move at Elder Song's birthday banquet, but I didn't expect to run into such a disgusting bastard like you."

Of course, this was already considered a light hand — otherwise, that very first slap would have been enough to flatten Wang Mang's entire head!

And the commotion here likewise drew the attention of the surrounding guests.

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

"Looks like he got beaten by Xu Jingming!"

"Hiss, how did those two end up clashing?"

"......"

Although Wang Mang acted recklessly and without scruple, a true wastrel,

after all he had a father who was a ninth-tier Wu Sheng, so normally no one truly dared to touch him.

But who could have expected that now he'd been taken to task by Xu Jingming!

And what struck them as even more unexpected was that fifth-tier Xu Jingming, dealing with sixth-tier Wang Mang,

seemed to have done it without the slightest effort.

"You actually dare to hit me?" Wang Mang had by now come back to his senses, his face full of disbelief.

All these years, and not a single person had ever dared to hit him like that!

But the searing pain on his face, and the startled gazes cast by those around him, all unmistakably showed this was no dream.

Realizing all this, a surge of fury abruptly flared up in his heart:

"Xu Jingming! I want you dead!"

Roar—

His ability activated, his body suddenly swelling a size larger, his right hand transforming into a tiger's claw.

The sharp claws slashed viciously toward Xu Jingming.

As a sixth-tier ability user, he didn't believe he couldn't beat Xu Jingming — he just felt he'd been caught off guard earlier.

"Coming out to embarrass yourself with this little bit of ability? I'm beating up exactly the sort of ignorant bastard like you!"

Xu Jingming let out a playful, cold laugh, his expression utterly unchanged.

Yet the dazzling and dangerous Doushen Shenlei surged wildly out of the surrounding air, like a prison, firmly pinning Wang Mang in place.

Boom!

The tiger claw slammed into the dense net of lightning — not only did it fail to pierce through,

it instead scorched his tiger claw black, drawing a pained howl from him.

Crackle-crackle—

Immediately after, golden Lei Ting blossomed, swallowing his entire body whole.

In the span of an instant, it scorched him black all over, and he collapsed on the spot, knocked out cold.

"Ah, this......"

"I'm not seeing things, right? That looked like just the basic application of a lightning ability, and it already knocked Wang Mang out?"

The surrounding guests all widened their eyes, staring at the scene in astonishment.

Although Wang Mang was a wastrel, he was still a genuine sixth-tier ability user with a B-rank enhancement-type ability!

And he was defeated by Xu Jingming just like that, so easily?

Clap! Clap! Clap!......

Just as everyone was reeling in shock, a sudden burst of applause rang out.

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

At the same time, his faintly amused voice rang out:

"Brother Jingming, I didn't expect that after you defeated me last time, we'd meet again so soon.

And the moment I arrived, I got to see such a wonderful scene."