Chapter 423: A Puzzled Cao Ren! An Old Bull Eating Tender Grass?

Wang Mang being knocked down was already surprising enough — who would dare clap and cheer?

At once, gaze after gaze in the banquet hall turned toward this tall, slender young man with long hair.

Soon, someone recognized him and said in surprise:

"It's Cao Ren of the Black Dragon Legion! He actually came too?"

Quite a few people present knew this young master of the Black Dragon Legion's commander.

But even though the Song family was an eighth-rank Master Zongshi family, their reach wasn't great enough to warrant his personal attendance.

"Cao Ren's Black Dragon Legion has an official background, so it's perfectly normal for him to come as an official representative to Old Master Song's birthday banquet."

"True — after all, Old Master Song came through that dark, turbulent era of the Great Xia."

"Still, judging by Cao Ren's tone, it sounds like Xu Jingming defeated him not long ago?"

As they caught on, some sharper guests also seized on the key point.

"Heh, your info's outdated, isn't it? At the internal assessment trial of the Prodigy Training Camp at Lei Ting Martial Arts Hall the day before yesterday —

Cao Ren stepped in and fought Xu Jingming, and in the end Xu Jingming won."

"What?! For real?"

After all, the Prodigy Training Camp's matches weren't as grand as the National Collegiate League.

The final results mostly circulated only within Lei Ting Martial Arts Hall.

So plenty of people actually didn't know about this feat of Xu Jingming's.

Hearing someone say this now, they were instantly shocked.

Who would have thought that Xu Jingming, having only just entered Lei Ting Martial Arts Hall recently, was already this strong?

"Is this the teaching ability of a ninth-rank Law Saint? Terrifying!"

A guest marveled, then glanced at Wang Mang sprawled unconscious on the floor and clicked his tongue, shaking his head:

"If this Wang Mang knew about that record, he probably wouldn't have gone looking for trouble with Xu Jingming even if you beat him to death, right?"

Wang Mang's aristocratic background was indeed decent, but compared to a true heaven's favored son like Cao Ren, it fell far short!

The unconscious Wang Mang was quickly taken away for treatment. As the host —

and also the current head of the Song family — Song Feng, after learning the full story,

naturally had no criticism for Xu Jingming, merely saying lightly that he should use a lighter hand next time and leaving it at that.

In fact,

as an eighth-rank Master Zongshi, he had already noticed when Xu Jingming threw the slap, and could have stopped what followed.

But based on his contact with Xu Jingming over the past two days, the other wasn't an impulsive person, so he didn't intervene.

And that was exactly how it turned out — Wang Mang's injuries looked severe,

but as long as a Master Zongshi–level healing-type ability user stepped in, he'd recover quickly.

What surprised him most through the whole affair was Xu Jingming's lightning ability.

At the moment it erupted, even he had sensed a sacred yet violent, high-tier energy aura.

It made him sigh inwardly — truly worthy of an SS-rank ability.

Its might was unfathomably mysterious, nowhere near what an ordinary A-rank ability could match......

"Didn't expect to run into you here."

After the little interlude with Wang Mang, the banquet resumed.

Xu Jingming, Song Qiuyun, and Cao Ren sat down on a sofa in the banquet hall.

"I didn't expect you to have ties with the Song family either," Cao Ren replied with a smile.

But inwardly he was puzzled — wasn't it said that Xu Jingming's parents were both dead and his background was utterly ordinary?

How had he ended up here?

"I came along with her."

Reading the puzzlement, Xu Jingming smiled and pulled Song Qiuyun over: "Let me introduce you — this is my girlfriend, Song Qiuyun."

"Song Qiuyun?"

Earlier, Cao Ren had already spotted this pretty girl in a black evening gown.

He just hadn't expected her to be the Song family's beloved pearl.

"Commander Cao, hello."

Song Qiuyun, who had already learned Cao Ren's identity from the surrounding chatter, gracefully extended her right hand.

"Hello, hello."

Cao Ren reached out and gave her a light handshake, nodding in praise:

"I've long heard the Song family has a genius beauty.

Now that I see her, she's even more beautiful than the rumors — Brother Jingming, you're a lucky man."

It was still praise, but Cao Ren's tone carried none of Wang Mang's frivolity — perfectly proper.

"You're too kind, Commander Cao," Song Qiuyun replied with a faint smile.

"I recall Song Qiuyun only entered university last year, didn't she?

And now she's already with you — Xu Jingming, this is an old bull eating tender grass!"

Cao Ren picked up an apple from the table and teased between bites.

"How is that an old bull eating tender grass? I'm not that old this year either, am I?"

Xu Jingming's sword-shaped brows lifted slightly.

Song Qiuyun's birthday is in November; his is in December.

Come to think of it, Song Qiuyun is almost a month older than him.

With these words, Cao Ren was momentarily stunned, then he slapped his forehead in realization:

"I always assumed you graduated from Devil's College, so you'd only be two or three years younger than me.

I forgot you graduated early—you only stayed at Devil's College for one year."

As he spoke, he couldn't help shaking his head:

"Sometimes I don't even know how you train—your advancement speed is this fast!"

In reality, Song Qiuyun, who was the same age as Xu Jingming, represented the normal pace of prodigies.

"By the way, I've been at Cave #4 lately.

When you're free, let's spar again.

Our Black Dragon Corps' training platform may not match your Lei Ting Martial Arts Gym, but it's good enough for sparring."

Cao Ren said eagerly.

The Global Prodigy Exchange Competition would open in just over three months; during this time, he needed more training.

Fighting beasts wouldn't produce that effect—Xu Jingming was an excellent sparring partner.

"I'm heading to Myanmar on a mission soon—I probably won't have much time recently," Xu Jingming shook his head.

Beside him, Song Qiuyun, upon hearing this, gently squeezed Xu Jingming's large hand with slight concern.

"Going on a mission will waste so much time—the Exchange Competition is almost here, and you're still going?"

Cao Ren immediately frowned, "Did your vice-gymmaster assign it to you?"

He had heard rumors about the power struggles within Lei Ting Martial Arts Gym.

"I volunteered for it."

Xu Jingming shook his head, "The mission is just incidental—my main goal is to train in Myanmar's large wilderness zone."

In truth, he wouldn't spend much time on this mission.

At most, one week.

After a week, if the mission isn't completed, I'll just abandon it and let Lin Hui and the others return first.

After all, the mission reward isn't comparable to Ability Points.

"I've figured it out—you're practically a born beast-slaying demon!"

Cao Ren exclaimed in amazement, "I bet you'd love a frontline battlefield like Sen Bai Gorge."

"Actually, I've been thinking of visiting a frontline battlefield later—maybe I'll need your help then," Xu Jingming smiled.

On frontline battlefields, only seventh-rank Grand Masters have freedom of movement.

But for someone like Cao Ren, this restriction should be easy to bypass.

"Sure, no problem—just contact me when the time comes."

Cao Ren nodded without hesitation.

He wasn't some arrogant fool like Wang Mang.

He knew well that becoming friends with Xu Jingming brought nothing but benefits.

Of course, most importantly, Xu Jingming's personality suited his taste.

Otherwise, no matter how great your background or talent, he wouldn't bother to befriend you.