Chapter 609

Following the same method, Xu Jingming placed another water element essence above the water element pool.

This time, no one spoke up to stop him, especially since no one had objected on the light element side either.

And these few water-element users themselves had weak combat power.

They didn't even have one contestant among the top 32; altogether, they couldn't match one hand of Xu Jingming.

"Two element essences! Lei Di is incredibly lavish!"

"I'm so envious—if only I could get one myself."

Envious exclamations rose intermittently around him.

Element essences capable of evolving an ability were undoubtedly the most coveted treasures of all ability users.

Even SSS-class resources paled in comparison to them.

A regular ability user would consider themselves extraordinarily lucky to obtain even one—yet Xu Jingming had two.

Xu Jingming paid no heed to the envious murmurs; instead, he spoke silently with Eva in his mind.

"How long will it take to repair this water element essence?"

"The water element essence repairs faster—it will take only about twenty-seven days to restore to perfect 100% condition."

"Oh? Why is that?" Xu Jingming asked, puzzled.

"On the light element side, because of Catherine's presence, even though she does nothing, her body still absorbs light elements."

"It's as if she's competing with the essence for light elements, which is why the repair there is slower."

Eva explained.

As the bearer of the SS-class ability "Sacred Angel," Catherine was naturally attuned to light elements.

Just like Xu Jingming—ordinary lightning had no effect on him and was instead absorbed into his body.

"Catherine? So it's because of her?" Xu Jingming frowned.

After thinking it over, he decided not to interfere.

The light element pool was shared by everyone; placing his essence there to absorb was fine.

But if he drove away other contestants, the nature of the act would change.

Norton was right beside him—he wouldn't allow it.

Big Brother Yu, will you be staying by the elemental pool for a while?

Xu Jingming asked Su Yu on the other side.

At that moment, Su Yu sat cross-legged within the elemental pool, having just finished a session of cultivation.

Hearing Xu Jingming's question, he gathered his aura and turned his gaze toward him:

"What? Something wrong?"

"There's something I need your help with, Big Brother Yu."

Xu Jingming smiled, "I'll be heading to the forest zone for a while—could you keep an eye on these two element essences for me?"

Although with his reputation, no one would dare directly use his essences while he was gone,

better safe than sorry—having someone watch them would be more secure.

"I can do that, but aren't you planning to stay by the elemental pool?"

Su Yu nodded, then asked with some confusion.

The ability cultivation method allowed only four hours of training per day.

But even without training, soaking in the elemental pool still offered great benefits.

He wasn't an element user—the element pools meant nothing to him.

So he intended to stay here for the entire month.

Most others shared the same idea.

The Qingfeng Secret Realm wasn't easy to enter; every chance to improve should be seized.

"The elemental pool isn't suitable for me—I don't like sitting still. I feel I improve more by hunting beasts."

Xu Jingming replied with a smile.

The other prodigies nearby were taken aback.

What's going on?

This was an opportunity equivalent to half a year of hard training—and Xu Jingming was willing to waste it?

Could hunting beasts really be more important than cultivation?

Su Yu was also puzzled, but he knew Xu Jingming wasn't foolish—there must be a reason—so he nodded:

"Alright, go ahead. I'll watch over them. No one will dare touch your element essences."

As an SS-class ability awakener, element essences that could only evolve to S-class held no appeal for him.

Besides, he wasn't an element user—he was a Qianghuaxi.

"Thanks."

With a word of gratitude, Xu Jingming unfurled his Lei Long Wings, ready to take off—when a soft, clear female voice sounded beside him:

"Why didn't you ask me? Do you think I, the second-place finisher, am unreliable?"

He turned to see it was Catherine.

She wore a pale golden battle suit that hugged her curvaceous figure, exuding allure.

Her golden hair cascaded like a waterfall down to her slender waist.

Against the shimmering golden light of the elemental pool, she looked both beautiful and divine.

Unfortunately, a hint of displeasure lingered on her delicate face.

Xu Jingming hadn't expected Catherine to be not only childish and naive, but occasionally competitive.

She even cared about something this minor.

Since she brought it up, he naturally wouldn't refuse:

"No, no—if the Divine Lady is interested, then I entrust this light element essence to you."

He was glad to have another person watching over them.

Double protection meant greater safety.

"That's more like it," Catherine muttered, her displeasure easing slightly.

"Eva, where's the place you said you can find plant life?"

Xu Jingming floated slowly through the sky, away from the elemental pool; his smart bracer on the left wrist had activated.

The projected hologram showed the Qingfeng Secret Realm map distributed to all contestants during the gathering two days ago.

"Right here!"

Eva circled a region in the northeast corner of the map:

"There's a sea of flowers there—all plant life cultivated by the Flower Goddess."

"Alright, I'll head there first."

The Qingfeng Secret Realm had been opened as a prize to the top 100 contestants since the first Genius Competition a century ago.

So much time has passed—if any plant life still existed, it was surely long gone.

But that didn't stop Xu Jingming from trying his luck.

If he could find even one lost plant life, it would be a massive windfall.

Whoosh—

His brilliant Lei Long Wings flared slightly, golden lightning flashing, sending violent air currents rippling outward.

Xu Jingming instantly broke the sound barrier, becoming a golden streak flying toward the northeast.

He had assumed the Qingfeng Secret Realm, besides the contestants, held no other people.

But as Xu Jingming neared the northeast region, he spotted an entire cluster of buildings below.

On the roads, scattered pedestrians moved swiftly—each at least a seventh-rank ability user.

"It seems the Flower Goddess's spatial relic has been transformed into a small city," Eva remarked in wonder.

As an ultimate being, in her era, the entire space belonged solely to the Flower Goddess.

No one else could enter without her invitation.

But in the Third Civilization Era, others had freely studied and exploited it.

"Stop right there!"

As Xu Jingming curiously studied the city ahead, a gust of wind surged toward him.

A middle-aged man, surrounded by sharp, whistling winds and with a stern expression, rose from the city below and shouted in Daxia language:

A middle-aged man, surrounded by sharp gales and with a solemn expression, rose from the city below and shouted loudly in Daxia language.