Chapter 599

December 11th, 12:12 PM.

In the basement training room of Xu Jingming's villa, Xia Lan's slender figure flickered repeatedly through the air.

Each time she appeared at a different location, simultaneously wielding her sharp short sword in motion.

Space-type adepts are naturally born masters of assassination.

Combat knives and long swords are difficult to deploy when closing in on an enemy.

Thus, like Ling Shuang, Xia Lan uses short swords no longer than half a meter.

Additionally, she carries an S-class dagger as a secondary weapon.

Swish! Swish! Swish!...

The sword blades flashed with cold light; after a long while, Xia Lan finally halted her training, her flickering form slowly coalescing.

Her crystalline bare feet wore no combat boots and did not touch the floor.

Instead, they hovered slightly, suspended about ten centimeters above the ground.

This was a training method taught to her by Ling Shuang—maintaining constant levitation to refine her control over space-type abilities.

As for why she went barefoot, it was because bare skin sensed spatial fluctuations more easily.

"Phew, I've finally mastered the S-class combat technique 'Void Chaotic Slash' that Ling Shuang taught me."

Drenched in sweat, Xia Lan exhaled deeply.

The 'Void Chaotic Slash' was a technique Ling Shuang had taught her four months ago.

Yet only now had she gained preliminary control over it.

This pace was impressive even among peers of her talent level.

But Xia Lan couldn't help thinking of Xu Jingming.

According to Ling Shuang, that prodigy could learn an S-class technique in less than half a month.

The many hidden cards Xu Jingming revealed during the Global Talent Exchange Competition fully proved this claim had no exaggeration.

"Come to think of it, Jingming has been away from the martial arts hall for ten days already, and still hasn't returned..."

A look of worry crossed Xia Lan's face.

She feared both that Xu Jingming might have encountered danger in the Dayangzhou wilderness, and that he might lose his bet with Wang Chun.

Seemingly certain of victory, Wang Chun had been posting updates on the martial arts hall forum every one or two days, showing his progress in repairing combat technique manuals.

In his last update, the 'Thunder Strike' technique manual had reached an astonishing 95% restoration.

Only 5% remained to complete the repair.

Crack—

As she thought this, a crisp sound of a door opening came from outside.

"The villa's facial recognition only grants access to me, Ling Shuang, and Jingming."

"Ling Shuang should still be working at the main hall—so it must be Xu Jingming returning!"

Xia Lan's face lit up; she instantly teleported to the first-floor living room.

Sure enough, she saw Xu Jingming's familiar figure walking in through the door.

"Huh? Xia Lan, you're still here?" Xu Jingming said, surprised.

Didn't Zhao Song say he'd move Xia Lan to another dormitory the next day?

"Zhao Song kept saying he couldn't find suitable housing, so I'm still staying here for now," Xia Lan explained briefly, then added urgently:

"Jingming, you've been tricked by Wang Chun! 'Lei Huo' can't be repaired at all!"

"Quick! Let's go find Teacher Ling and make her intervene to cancel the bet!"

"Otherwise, you'll never be able to interfere with anything at Lei Ting Martial Arts Hall again."

Saying this, she grabbed Xu Jingming's hand and started pulling him toward the main hall.

But Xu Jingming stood perfectly still, smiling calmly:

"Don't rush—I came back specifically to handle this."

He immediately dialed Wang Chun's number.

Saying so, he dialed Wang Chun's number directly.

After three rings, the call connected; Xu Jingming said directly:

"Teacher Wang, are you free? I'd like to discuss the bet.

If possible, gather the Elite Training Camp students as witnesses.

Let's meet on the second floor of the main hall—I'll be there in about ten minutes."

"Huh? Discuss the bet?"

On the other end, Wang Chun frowned.

Only ten days had passed since the bet began—what was there to discuss now?

But this confusion lasted only two or three seconds before vanishing:

"Fine. I'll notify everyone to assemble on the second floor."

"Alright, I'll notify everyone right away. We gather on the second floor of the martial arts hall."

Xu Jingming nodded, then called Ling Shuang to inform her of the upcoming meeting.

Seeing this, Xia Lan sighed in relief: "With Teacher Ling involved, this matter will be easily resolved.

Let's go—I'll accompany you right now."

"Right now?"

Xu Jingming blinked. "Wouldn't it be better if you changed clothes first?"

Xu Jingming blinked. "How about you change into a different set of clothes before heading over?"

Xia Lan was wearing a dark-colored battle suit, and perhaps because her training had been so grueling, she had worked up quite a bit of sweat.

As a result, the entire battle suit clung perfectly to her skin.

Her alluring figure's curves, and the rounded fullness at her chest, were all perfectly outlined.

Hearing Xu Jingming say this, Xia Lan lowered her head to take a look herself, only then realizing the problem.

She had always lived alone before, and had never paid any attention to this issue.

"Wait! I'll go change first!" Xia Lan's pretty face flushed red, and the whole person vanished from the living room.

"Tsk, normally you couldn't tell, but who would have thought this Xia Lan was hiding her light under a bushel."

Xu Jingming couldn't help but shake his head.

He had originally thought Xia Lan was utterly ordinary, but hadn't expected her to be quite well-endowed after all.

After she had changed her clothes, Xu Jingming took her along toward the main building of the Lei Ting Wu Guan.

Meanwhile,

Wang Chun, who had hung up the phone, was in a very pleasant mood.

A while back, he had heard that the girl who had come over together with Xu Jingming and the others had been posting on the forum non-stop.

Saying that this wager was unfair to Xu Jingming, and wanting to cancel the wager.

So he dared to conclude that Xu Jingming's calling this time to arrange a meeting was also for the sake of this matter.

"Back then you yourself agreed to let me freely pick the combat technique, and now you want to go back on it? Not a chance!

If you aren't kicked out, how am I supposed to ask the hall master for a reward?"

Wang Chun had already made up his mind — no matter what Xu Jingming said later, he would not cancel the wager.

"But he'll most likely ask Hearing Ling Shuang to step in. To be safe, I'll just call Hall Master Liu over as well.

Also, the students of the Elite Training Camp need to be notified too..."

Wang Chun first sent an assembly notice in the student group chat, then made a phone call to Hall Master Liu Shan.

Then, with a confident look on his face, he rose and headed toward the second floor of the martial hall.