Chapter 615: The Azure Thunder Overlord Spear! Victory!

Unlike most competitors who speculated whether Xu Jingming had encountered some mishap,

Catherine, Su Yu, and others were completely unfazed, even Ai Lin maintaining a calm expression.

Leaving aside the protective talisman Xu Jingming himself possessed,

the single-use ninth-rank protective talisman awarded as a prize in the Talent Competition alone was sufficient to withstand one fatal strike.

If even that single-use ninth-rank talisman was expended and he still met with misfortune, he'd truly be foolish.

Given their understanding of Xu Jingming, such a scenario was impossible.

"This guy is so secretive and cautious even when tracking others—why would he deliberately provoke an eighth-rank ferocious beast?"

Ai Lin crossed her arms, dismissing the surrounding speculation with disdain.

She had good luck—on the tenth day she met Xu Jingming, she located another plant life using her plant ability.

This one was also a rare plant, though less aggressive than Xu Jingming's Thorn Sword Grass.

But its defensive power was stronger, though its rank was only sixth.

Whoosh—

As everyone discussed, a golden light shot swiftly across the horizon, accompanied by thunderous roars.

"It's Lei Di! He's back!"

Whether in the Thunder Chaos or the solo competition, Xu Jingming's signature golden lightning was always strikingly noticeable.

So when this golden lightning flashed past, one competitor immediately whispered:

No sooner had the words left his mouth than, within just a few breaths, the golden lightning landed on the ground, resolving into Xu Jingming's figure.

"Damn, you haven't returned even once in over a month.

Is hunting ferocious beasts really that interesting, you'd even ignore the Qi Energy Pool?"

Su Yu's face was full of curiosity.

"For me, it truly is." Xu Jingming smiled, offering no further explanation.

He then strode over to the Elemental Pool to check his two Elemental Essences.

Compared to before he left, the Water Elemental Essence was brimming with energy.

It floated midair like a brilliant blue sphere.

The Light Elemental Essence on the other side, though slightly inferior, was still fully saturated.

"Water Elemental Essence: 100% purity. Light Elemental Essence: 89% purity."

Eva's voice echoed in his mind.

"Enough."

Xu Jingming replied, then, amid the envious gazes of the competitors, stored both Elemental Essences in his space ring.

"Once I have time, I'll return to Great Xia and let Qiuyun and Chu Xuan use these two Elemental Essences."

Xu Jingming secretly looked forward to the transformations these two women's abilities would undergo after using the Elemental Essences.

Song Qiuyun, of course, would inevitably evolve into a higher-tier Light Element A-rank ability.

Jiang Chu's case was less certain.

Her Ice ability, though an extension of Water, could still be transformed using a Water Elemental Essence.

But whether the resulting S-rank ability would be Water or Ice remained unpredictable.

Regardless, an S-rank ability was utterly different in strength from an A-rank one.

Once both women's abilities successfully transformed, their future potential would diverge dramatically.

"Thank you both—next time you need my help, just say the word."

Gathering his thoughts, Xu Jingming thanked Catherine and Su Yu.

Catherine, seated in the Light Elemental Pool, had been listless until now.

Hearing this, she immediately perked up and asked: "Can you come with me to the United States?"

She turned her emerald eyes toward him, brimming with anticipation.

Paired with her stunning beauty, an ordinary young boy might lack the courage to refuse.

But Xu Jingming shook his head decisively: "That request is too much. Pick another."

A gentleman avoids standing beneath a crumbling wall—the United States was still far too dangerous for him.

"Alright."

Catherine looked disappointed but replied:

"Then I have no other requests—just treat me to a meal once we return to Oceania."

"No problem. You pick the place." Xu Jingming agreed quickly this time.

"My request is the same as hers—treat me to a meal once I get to Oceania."

Su Yu smiled.

He had known since a month ago that Xu Jingming was heading to Oceania.

"You're also going to Oceania?" Xu Jingming was surprised.

"Domestic demon caves forbid sixth-rank ability users from freely hunting ferocious beasts.

I don't like being constrained on the frontline battlefields, so I have no choice but to go to Oceania."

Su Yu shrugged helplessly. "But I'll arrive in Oceania a bit later—about a month from now."

"Fine. I'll throw you a welcome banquet then." Xu Jingming smiled.

"Only fifteen minutes remain before the Qingfeng Secret Realm closes."

Norton, beside the Elemental Pool, turned his gaze toward them:

"Xu Jingming, you have three challenge attempts. Will you begin now?"

"Of course."

Shhh—

He clenched his hand in midair, and the Melted Abyss Obsidian Spear materialized instantly.

Golden lightning flickered; Xu Jingming's towering figure vanished from his spot and reappeared on Norton's dueling arena hundreds of meters away.

"Catherine held out for over ten minutes but still couldn't defeat Norton. I wonder if Xu Jingming can manage it."

"I doubt it. Catherine spent a full month right here by the Qi Energy Pool.

She trained nonstop—she's practically on the verge of breaking into sixth-rank upper tier.

If even she couldn't beat Lord Norton, how could Xu Jingming, who spent the entire month running around in the forest?"

"That's true. I still can't figure out why Lei Di would abandon these two major opportunities."

"..."

The competitors murmured among themselves, their words brimming with confusion.

The Qi Energy Pool and the Elemental Pool were the two major opportunities of the Qingfeng Secret Realm.

Every competitor had come here primarily for these.

And the enhancements they provided were immense.

Several had advanced directly from sixth-rank lower tier to sixth-rank middle tier, and even some sixth-rank middle-tier competitors had touched the threshold of sixth-rank upper tier!

Xu Jingming, who had not appeared near the Qi Energy Pool all month, was the odd one out.

Not only the competitors were baffled—even Norton, a ninth-rank Martial Saint, was deeply puzzled.

But he said nothing, choosing instead to observe in battle whether Xu Jingming had improved over the past month.

"I'll count down three. When I reach zero, the challenge begins."

Norton shouted to Xu Jingming, a hundred meters away.

His ninth-rank Martial Saint aura erupted violently, then instantly suppressed to match seventh-rank lower tier.

"No problem." Golden lightning flickered as Xu Jingming revealed his own aura!

Boom!

A terrifying gust surged outward—only then did the crowd realize with shock that Xu Jingming had reached sixth-rank middle tier!

"Sixth-rank middle tier? Already?"

Norton was also surprised, but quickly recovered and chuckled:

"So you didn't waste your month in the forest.

Then let's begin—3... 2... 1... 0!"

Boom!

As the final number fell, Xu Jingming instantly entered Thunder Extreme State.

"Thunder Flash!"

His entire body wreathed in golden lightning, Xu Jingming became a golden phantom, hurtling toward Norton!

"Oh? You're launching an offensive right away? So confident?"

Norton was taken aback.

Previous competitors mostly adopted defensive stances, waiting for him to strike first, gauging his strength before counterattacking.

Xu Jingming was the first to charge head-on from the start.

"Confidence is good—but I'm no ordinary seventh-rank lower tier!"

Norton grunted, activating his ability—his muscles swelled, his blood boiled!

At that moment, Xu Jingming had already closed the distance to Norton's front.

The two-meter-two-long Melted Abyss Obsidian Spear in his hand was entwined with golden lightning, unleashing a vast, powerful aura.

Azure Thunder Overlord Spear!!

Unlike ordinary spear techniques, this skill doesn't thrust forward—it swings the spear like a polearm!

It's tyrannical! Unstoppable! That's the essence of this technique!

Whoosh!!

The sharp spearhead sliced through the air in a golden arc, descending upon Norton with terrifying force!

"This aura?!" Norton's face darkened, stunned by the overwhelming aura emanating from the spear.

Could this really be an attack from a mid-tier sixth-rank adept?

Though startled, his movements were swift—he slashed out with his sharp battle blade!

CLANG!!!

With a deafening clash of weapons, his blade forcibly blocked the spear's razor-sharp tip.

The shockwave from the collision visibly rippled through the air!

"Incredible power!"

Norton exhaled deeply, gave Xu Jingming a long, serious look, then slowly retracted his blade:

"I used mid-seventh-rank power—this challenge is yours to win."