Chapter 55: Perfect Technique Chain! Defeated!

Originally, everyone thought Lei Zhou was slightly stronger than Xu Jingming.

Even if not much stronger, they should at least have been evenly matched.

But what is this situation now?

The battle had barely begun, only a few seconds in, and Lei Zhou's technique was shattered, then he was directly blasted away.

This can already be called overwhelming!

And it was a one-sided overwhelming! Lei Zhou had almost no chance to counter!

But is Lei Zhou weak?

He is not weak—he possesses an A-grade Senran Yehuo ability, combined with expert technique chaining.

Most of the new students here couldn't handle this combo!

And they were certain Lei Zhou undoubtedly possessed other even stronger techniques.

But was it useful?

It was not useful.

As his opponent, Xu Jingming merely unleashed his lightning ability, then fired two shots and completed an instant kill.

He didn't even use any technique!

In an instant, every new student in the audience simultaneously thought of one word—unfathomable!

In the audience seats, the provincial champions from other provinces stared at the tall figure on the arena.

All of them had expression solemn, their gazes wary.

Because they realized that even if they stepped onto the arena themselves, the outcome would likely be the same as Lei Zhou's.

"This is too boring—he didn't even force my younger brother to use one-tenth of his strength."

Liu Ming, sitting in the back rows of the audience, felt deeply disappointed.

To challenge Xu Jingming with this level of power is simply asking for death.

On the arena, the referee, Teacher Zhou Yun, also looked at this scene with surprise.

She hadn't expected Xu Jingming's strength to be so much greater than Lei Zhou's!

"The winner of this match is..."

Just as she was about to declare Xu Jingming the victor, Lei Zhou, lying at the arena's edge, spoke weakly:

"T... Teacher, I... haven't surrendered, the match isn't over."

Then he pulled out a blood-red pill from his chest.

"Blood-Explosion Pill?! Are you trying to kill yourself?!"

Zhou Yun's face changed, and she immediately shouted: "This is just a match, not a fight to the death!"

In the Wildlands, there are rare flowers and herbs, and from these heavenly treasures, various pills can be refined.

The Blood-Explosion Pill is a pill used by energy users when fighting to the death.

After ingestion, one's power increases several-fold.

Of course, the side effects are severe—afterward, one cannot get out of bed for one or two months.

"It's... it's fine, I'll bear any consequences myself."

The Blood-Explosion Pill was Lei Zhou's secret weapon prepared specifically for Xu Jingming.

He would never use it unless absolutely desperate.

But Xu Jingming's strength far exceeded expectations—he had no choice but to use it.

"I'll risk it! If I lose, I accept it!"

With a low roar, Lei Zhou swallowed the Blood-Explosion Pill whole.

Although winning this way was somewhat unsportsmanlike,

at least it was a win!

Better than losing!

And in the next instant,

under the pill's effect, an immensely powerful aura erupted from him!

The Senran Yehuo blazed forth again, now several times stronger than before.

It engulfed the six-meter radius around him in a sea of pure white flames!

"Hey hey hey, can you use pills during a match? That's clearly cheating?!"

Watching Lei Zhou's resurgence, his roommate Liu Wentao could no longer sit still and immediately stood up to protest.

This drew protests from many new students as well.

"Yeah, aren't pills forbidden during matches?"

"Using external power—is this still a fair match?"

"Lei Zhou cheated—he should be disqualified immediately!"

"......"

Although the new students hoped to see a more exciting battle, they strongly opposed the use of pills.

Of course, those defending Xu Jingming were mostly girls.

Among them was Qi Dongxia, roommate of Song Qiuyun.

"This isn't an official match; since no rules were established before the match began, pill usage is within acceptable limits."

Zhou Yun on the arena shook her head, "If Xu Jingming had a pill, he could use it too."

In real combat, there are simply too few restrictions.

Who could have expected that Lei Zhou had prepared a Blood-Explosion Pill—the kind only used by energy users when fighting to the death?

"Judging by its appearance, it's a high-grade Blood-Boosting Pill—it temporarily boosted Lei Zhou's power to a Second-Rank Lower-Level Adept. Xu Jingming is in trouble now."

After carefully sensing the aura emanating from Lei Zhou, Zhou Yun silently shook her head.

Lei Zhou, as a First-Rank Upper-Level Adept, already possessed combat strength equivalent to a Second-Rank Adept.

Now, with the aid of the Blood-Boosting Pill, he forcibly entered the Second Rank—his overall power likely surged straight to Second-Rank Upper-Level!

With such power, even Xu Jingming, who had just displayed fierce strength, would struggle to withstand him.

Yet, what she didn't expect was—

On the arena, Xu Jingming showed no panic; instead, he gripped his long spear, his battle spirit blazing.

"Hm? His battle spirit has grown even fiercer—this mindset isn't bad at all." Zhou Yun nodded inwardly.

Yet she didn't realize that Xu Jingming's mindset wasn't just good—it was downright joyful.

"Finally, it's no longer an adult beating up a child."

Xu Jingming's lips curled slightly upward.

As if sensing his master's mood, the Purple Thunder Doushen Shenlei swirling around him grew lively.

A series of sizzling crackles of lightning erupted.

Then, in a flash of electric light, his figure vanished from where he stood!

When he reappeared, he was less than a meter in front of Lei Zhou!

Lei Shan!

A Class-A combat technique of movement, capable of dashing a set distance in any direction.

With Xu Jingming's current First-Rank Mid-Level power, his dash distance reaches a staggering twenty meters!

Closing the distance to Lei Zhou, who was over ten meters away, was effortless.

"Incredible speed!"

Lei Zhou's pupils contracted—he instinctively raised his blade to strike, while Xu Jingming swung his spear in counterattack.

This time, Lei Zhou finally saw Xu Jingming's movements clearly!

Yet, merely seeing them wasn't enough—he had no time to change his tactic.

He could only watch helplessly as Xu Jingming's spear slammed into him!

"I refuse to believe my power, boosted by the Blood-Boosting Pill, still can't surpass yours!"

Lei Zhou gritted his teeth and poured even more force into his strike.

Yet he soon regretted it.

As spear met blade, a metallic clash rang out—stronger by several times than before.

A tremendous impact surged through the great blade, shattering his Hukou and sending blood gushing forth!

He himself was blasted backward three or four steps!

"What kind of monster are you?!"

After steadying himself, Lei Zhou stared at Xu Jingming across the arena with terrified eyes.

This was his power, tripled or quadrupled by the Blood-Boosting Pill!

Yet in raw strength, he still couldn't match Xu Jingming!

Even more despairing—he found his enhanced Infernal Flame still couldn't pierce Xu Jingming's Thunder defense.

From this point on, whether in physical strength or Adept ability, Lei Zhou was utterly defeated!

"No—can't fight head-on!"

Lei Zhou's eyes flashed—he decisively retreated, putting himself over ten meters away from Xu Jingming.

Then came his ranged Adept assault:

"Flame Volley!"

The Infernal Flame swirling around Lei Zhou coalesced into basketball-sized fireballs, launching one after another toward Xu Jingming.

As a Class-B offensive fire technique, each fireball from Flame Volley explodes upon impact with the enemy.

At best, it causes severe burns; at worst, it reduces the target to ashes!!

Yet for Xu Jingming, protected by Purple Thunder Doushen Shenlei, the explosions inflicted not a single scratch.

Instead, the shockwaves from the blasts slowed his movement.

"Damn! The shockwaves from Flame Volley are keeping Xu Jingming from closing in on Lei Zhou!"

"No wonder he took the Blood-Boosting Pill—this fire Adept ability is absurdly powerful."

"But it's fine—Xu Jingming just needs to endure this barrage until the pill's effect wears off."

"......"

The freshmen in the stands watched this scene with rapt attention.

Bad news: Xu Jingming, this short-legged warrior, was being kited by the mage.

Good news: the mage deals no damage, and can't sustain this indefinitely.

Once the pill's effect fades, it will be Xu Jingming's turn to counterattack.

On the arena, Lei Zhou clearly knew this—he frantically manipulated his Infernal Flame.

Trying to summon more fireballs to break through Xu Jingming's Thunder defense.

Yet the opponent stood firm like a rock in a raging current.

"Damn it—what rank is Xu Jingming's lightning Adept ability? This is insane!"

Lei Zhou cursed inwardly.

Logically,

Under the Blood-Boosting Pill's effect, his rank had temporarily risen from First-Rank Upper-Level to Second-Rank Lower-Level.

The power of the A-grade Senran Yehuo was greatly enhanced!

It's impossible that you can't even break through the defensive barrier of a Class-One Mid-Rank Ability User!

"But luckily, there's still over ten minutes before the drug's effect wears off—I still have a chance!"

Lei Zhou was not the type to give up easily; he quickly stabilized his mindset and prepared to find another way.

At that very moment, Xu Jingming's deep voice suddenly rang out:

"Lei Mao!"

Just ahead, Xu Jingming, who had been under pressure from the flame barrage, clenched his left hand in midair.

With a deafening crack of thunder, a long spear of blue-purple lightning instantly formed!

Then, he hurled it violently toward them!

The lightning spear moved at incredible speed, closing the distance to within five meters of Lei Zhou in the blink of an eye!

"No good! He has a ranged attack too!"

Lei Zhou quickly dodged to the side.

Pfft~~~

The spear grazed his side abdomen, tearing through his battle suit.

It left a charred, bleeding wound!

The Purple Thunder left behind by the spear spread through the wound.

As an S-rank ability, even a trace of it can inflict massive damage.

The agonizing sensation, like ten thousand ants gnawing at his flesh, nearly caused Lei Zhou to faint!

But it wasn't over yet—the deep voice rang out again:

"Lei Yu!"

Zzzzt!!!

Xu Jingming pointed his spear forward, and with a thunderous roar like a thousand birds shrieking, endless blue-purple lightning cascaded down from above Lei Zhou.

Forming a prison of lightning that enclosed Lei Zhou completely!

"A restraint technique!"

Lei Zhou's face darkened.

Restraint techniques are notoriously hard to break; even if forcibly escaped, the cost is enormous.

Gazing at the terrifying lightning swirling around him, Lei Zhou knew that attempting to break free would only end in disaster for himself!

So, he imitated Xu Jingming and retracted all his Senran Yehuo.

He formed a solid, tangible barrier of white flames around himself!

"Hmph, let's see how long your Lei Yu can last!"

Lei Zhou sneered, certain Xu Jingming couldn't penetrate his flame barrier.

But at that moment, Xu Jingming moved!

With a lightning flash, he crossed over ten meters in an instant, appearing right before Lei Zhou.

"Your flame barrier looks tough, but I wonder if it can withstand my attack."

Xu Jingming narrowed his eyes; his two-meter-one black obsidian spear was now wrapped in crackling blue-purple lightning:

"Chain Lightning Spear!!"

The dark spear became a blur as it thrust repeatedly—lightning flashed with every strike!

And the flame barrier Lei Zhou had placed so much hope in was pierced in an instant!

"How is this possible?!"

As Lei Zhou screamed in terror, the razor-sharp spearhead, wreathed in terrifying lightning, rapidly expanded in his pupils.

He'll die!

If he's hit, he'll definitely die!

In that moment, Lei Zhou's survival instinct reached its peak:

"I yield! I yield!"

Hssss—

The razor-sharp spearhead, glowing red-hot and wrapped in blue-purple lightning,

Stopped just one centimeter from Lei Zhou's forehead.

Just as he thought he'd escaped death, the spear suddenly shifted direction and drove straight into his right shoulder!

Pthoooon!!

A massive hole was torn through his shoulder, shattering his scapula!

The excruciating pain nearly knocked Lei Zhou unconscious.

But Xu Jingming withdrew his spear, his stern, resolute face remaining calm and composed.

The entire battle seemed to last a long time.

But from Xu Jingming's counterattack with the lightning spear to his final domination, it had taken only four or five seconds.

By the time everyone realized what had happened, Lei Zhou had already surrendered.

"The winner of this match is Xu Jingming!"

Zhou Yun noticed Xu Jingming's movements but said nothing further, promptly announcing the victor.

Meanwhile, in the audience seats,

The freshmen, having regained their composure, erupted into excited chatter about Xu Jingming's nearly flawless sequence of combat techniques.