Chapter 724

Zhang Heng's plan was sound: whether Ling Shuang acted or not, he would always have an excuse.

But he never expected that Xu Jingming would step forward.

Even more shocking was that Xu Jingming had already broken through to the seventh tier.

"I remember Xu Jingming was barely into the sixth tier before he left for Dayangzhou."

"Yes, it's only been four months!"

"Four months to break from sixth to seventh tier? What speed is this?"

"......"

A wave of murmurs rose; several directors who had believed the rumors of Xu Jingming's decline were stunned.

Is this the "decline" you spoke of?

Breaking a major tier in four months—especially from sixth to seventh!

If this is decline, then I must already be dead.

Hearing the stunned exclamations around him, Zhang Heng now found himself trapped.

He was caught in the very situation he had intended to use against Ling Shuang.

If he fought, he was over twenty years older than Xu Jingming.

Win, and he'd be accused of bullying the young; lose, and he'd lose all face.

More importantly, he had no real confidence he could defeat Xu Jingming.

"You? Forget it. I have no interest in bullying the young."

With a hollow, defiant snort, Zhang Heng summoned swirling winds, lifted the wounded Li Hao, and swiftly ascended into the sky.

Though his tone was harsh, he looked exactly like a man fleeing in disgrace.

"That's it? How boring." Xu Jingming shook his head and retracted his aura.

He'd hoped to find an eighth-tier Grand Master as an opponent, but this one lacked even the courage to fight.

"Teacher Ling, let's go."

Ignoring the stunned glances from those around him, Xu Jingming and Ling Shuang continued toward the conference building.

Only after they left did the director and deputy director dare to speak louder.

"Tsk tsk—broken through to seventh tier, defeated an eighth-tier Grand Master face-to-face. Xu Jingming has returned as a king."

"True. Now that he's reached seventh-tier Grand Master, I suspect Director Su will assign him a position."

Compared to his breakthrough to seventh tier, the news that Xu Jingming and Ling Shuang were partners felt less shocking.

Many directors speculated about where Xu Jingming would end up.

Of course, wherever he went, the perks would be substantial.

"Seventh tier... Jingming is already this strong?" Lin Hui was equally stunned.

Xu Jingming's breakthrough speed far exceeded his expectations.

No wonder Wang Dong immediately applied for graduation and took a post outside after the Talent Competition.

Otherwise, an S-rank sixth-tier lower-grade against an SS-rank seventh-tier? The image was too beautiful to imagine.

"Lin Ge, let's go—we still have volunteer duties."

Mu Bing was remarkably carefree: "Someone like Lei Di is destined to reach the pinnacle of Blue Star. We can't keep up with his steps."

"Just watching him shine from afar is enough."

"True."

Lin Hui snapped back to reality, shook his head, and turned to rejoin Mu Bing at their original seats.

"Jingming, you shouldn't have stepped forward just now. There was no need to provoke the Li family yet."

On the way, Ling Shuang walked close beside Xu Jingming, speaking softly.

"After all, they're just a ninth-tier psychic family—not a supreme force."

"Like I said before, they can't touch me."

"But I'm different. Give me more time, and I'll surpass the Li family entirely."

Xu Jingming mused, "Besides, this solves the problem once and for all."

"Otherwise, that Li Hao would never give up."

"True."

After thinking it over, Ling Shuang agreed with Xu Jingming's reasoning, yet still warned:

"The Li family can't touch you, but you have other relatives."

"They won't kill them, but they'll likely crush their businesses."

She knew Xu Jingming's aunt and the Song family had benefited from his victory in the Talent Competition.

Precisely because of that, they were even more vulnerable to Li family retaliation.

"I nearly forgot that."

Xu Jingming nodded. "Don't worry—I'll handle it."

His strength was still insufficient. If he had reached ninth tier, the Li family would never dare retaliate.

They might even think he hadn't beaten Li Hao hard enough!

As they spoke, Xu Jingming and Ling Shuang entered the first-floor conference hall.

It was a massive hall capable of seating over a thousand.

Above the hall hung an elegant crystal chandelier, radiating bright light.

Each seat had been prepared with tea brewed from B-grade rare herbs.

Handsome men and beautiful women moved among the seats, continuously refilling tea for the directors and deputy directors.

Several directors who had just returned from outside sat among the seats.

Naturally, they told everyone they knew about what had happened outside the conference building—word spread fast.

Most in the hall now knew Xu Jingming had broken through to seventh tier and possessed astonishing combat power.

Thus, as Xu Jingming and Ling Shuang entered, dozens of eyes turned toward them.

Their gazes varied—some shocked, some awed, others thick with envy.

In any case, he was now the center of attention.

"Ling Shuang, Jingming, over here."

Su Qingli's voice came from the front row.

Seeing this, Ling Shuang immediately led Xu Jingming over and sat beside her.

Generally, the front rows in a conference hall were reserved for key seats.

The same applied to the Lei Ting Martial Arts Hall meetings: the first three rows, thirty seats total, each wider than ordinary seats.

The tea served there was brewed from superior A-grade rare herbs.

The second and third rows were for invited guests.

Only the first row held the core members of the Lei Ting Martial Arts Hall.

Su Qingli and Gu Ming were present; the other occupants of the first row were all eighth-tier peak psychics.

Soon after, Deputy Director Hu Jinyu and Liu Shan, director of the Mo Ben branch, arrived and took seats in the front row.

But barely seated, the deputy director received a mental transmission from a director.

The transmission briefly recounted what had happened outside the conference building.

"What a waste! Why pick Xu Jingming to provoke?!"

Hu Jinyu's face darkened.

He never expected Ling Shuang had chosen Xu Jingming as her partner!

Most critically, the Li family would surely come after him over this.

"What a nuisance—I told him not to mess with Ling Shuang, and he still didn't listen."

Thinking of the Li family's inevitable demands, Hu Jinyu grew irritable.

The only thing that comforted him was that this woman's entire focus was now on Xu Jingming.

Liu Shan's matter? Su Qingli had never approached him about it—this issue was safely behind him...

PS: Third chapter done. Still owe four chapters. Kneeling, begging for gifts!