Chapter 736

After a night passed, having finally returned to Great Xia, Xu Jingming prepared to relax a bit.

For the next few days, he took the three women out sightseeing during the day.

In the evenings, after completing basic training, it was time for enjoyable four-player matches.

I have to say, three plump, round pearls lined up together really make for a very tempting sight.

Perhaps because of their first honest encounter, the three women got along much more harmoniously.

Song Qiuyun and Jiang Chuxuan no longer treated Ling Shuang with the caution they once showed toward an eighth-rank Master Zongshi; they became close friends.

Xu Jingming was naturally delighted by this.

As time passed, the news he had instructed Song Feng to spread quickly received a response.

Despite Li family's public declaration to blacklist the Song family, top Great Xia powers—including the Black Dragon Legion and the Dawn Guild—showed no sign of compliance; instead, they increased their cooperation with the Song family.

Thus, although the Song family lost many orders, the newly added orders ensured their profits did not decline.

On the contrary, they more than doubled from their original level!

As for his aunt Xu Qingwan, with the rare flowers and herbs provided by Lei Ting Martial Arts Gym, she successfully fulfilled her orders.

"Director Li, that's the situation—we've done our best to suppress them, but the Song family still has plenty of orders."

In Li Yang's villa, a man in a suit respectfully reported to Li Yang and his wife.

"Suppression isn't working? Then increase the pressure!"

Spread the word: anyone who helps the Song family is an enemy of the Li family!"

"I won't let Hao's beating go unanswered!"

The beautiful woman's eyebrows shot up in fury.

But beside her, Li Yang frowned and waved his hand:

"This matter ends here. No further targeting of the Song family."

"Yes!" The suited man bowed and left respectfully.

"Husband, are you just letting Xu Jingming off the hook? Don't forget how much pain Hao has suffered these past days!"

The beautiful woman immediately looked displeased.

"What else can we do?"

Li Yang frowned and growled:

"We can't touch Xu Jingming himself, and we can't suppress the Song family.

And what you just said is ridiculous—anyone who doesn't help us is an enemy?

Are you trying to make the Li family oppose every major power in Great Xia?"

His wife, though beautiful and an eighth-rank Master Zongshi, lacked common sense.

"This..." The beautiful woman wanted to argue but fell silent, unsure what to say, muttering instead:

"So Hao just gets beaten for nothing?"

"He was too showy—this beating was a lesson he needed."

Li Yang snorted, his eyes flickering slightly:

"Xu Jingming is clever. I originally planned to pressure his aunt and the Song family—but now it seems I have no leverage over him."

Using his own future as leverage—this kind of breakthrough tactic, I've never seen before.

"Hao has been receiving treatment for two days now—how is he doing?"

Li Yang's expression softened slightly as he asked.

"He's improved. Now he follows Master Zhou around, saying he wants to learn some health-cultivation techniques."

The beautiful woman replied.

"Good. I was afraid he'd never let go of Ling Shuang."

Li Yang exhaled slightly.

Though Li Hao was his son, he had to admit:

Compared to Xu Jingming, Li Hao was nowhere near enough—he couldn't win the girl's heart, and that was only natural...

The Li family made a grand entrance, declaring they would crush the Song family—only to retreat in defeat.

Naturally, many families and powers found this amusing.

But the incident remained confined to the realm of psychic clans; ordinary people knew nothing of it.

Then, when Lei Ting Martial Arts Gym's official website announced its latest personnel changes, confusion erupted across the entire internet.

"What the hell? Did I read that right? Lei Di was appointed Deputy Director of the Mo Ben Branch!"

"By strength alone, a sixth-rank Lei Di could qualify as Deputy Director."

"But Mo Ben is a core branch of Lei Ting Martial Arts Gym—Deputy Directors are always eighth-rank Grand Masters. Why appoint Lei Di this time?"

"Lei Di is a genius—bending a few rules won't hurt."

"Haha, Lei Ting Martial Arts Gym is one of Great Xia's top powers—how can they casually change rules?"

"And if Lei Di's strength isn't enough, what happens if something urgent occurs at Mo Ben? Can Xu Jingming handle it?"

"..."

Where there were admirers, there were also haters.

Xu Jingming attracted a wave of fans during the Talent Tournament—and equally, many enemies.

For Xu Jingming's fans, becoming Deputy Director was undoubtedly a great thing.

But for those who disliked him, his insufficient strength became the perfect excuse to question him.

Even his absence from the Peak Rankings' sixth-rank list was brought up again.

Shortly after Lei Ting Martial Arts Gym announced the appointment, Xu Jingming's breakthrough to seventh rank was posted as a banner headline on the official website.

And Xu Jingming's battle video with Feng Kuan in Moben was also uploaded to the internet.

Suddenly, all of Dayangzhou erupted in chaos!

"Seventh Stage! Lei Di has already broken through to the Seventh Stage!"

"What garbage Sixth Stage Peak ranking? I, Lei Di, am already Seventh Stage!"

"He's back! Everyone's back! Lei Di will crush all who defy him!"

"Why can't an Eighth Stage Mid-tier combatant serve as Deputy Director? Speak up, trolls!"

"......"

A Seventh Stage Master at age twenty!

Xu Jingming has undoubtedly shattered the record for the fastest ascent to Seventh Stage Master in over two hundred years!

And if no unforeseen events occur, he will also break the records for Eighth Stage Master Zongshi and Ninth Stage Martial Saint.

Thus, those who saw Xu Jingming as their idol became wildly excited and frantically posted questions.

Meanwhile, the skeptics all feigned silence, daring not to respond directly.

"Xu Jingming... has already broken through to Seventh Stage?"

In Moben, Dayangzhou, within the Holy Church Palace.

When Catherine learned of this news online, she was utterly stunned.

She never expected Xu Jingming would reach Seventh Stage before her!

"And he came back to Dayangzhou without even telling me."

"If I'd known you were going back, I would've repaired the Light Essence overnight."

Catherine was annoyed.

She decided to go find him immediately after he returned from Dayangzhou to Moben and demand an explanation.

"Seventh Stage..."

Su Yu, who had also arrived in Moben, received the news—but he remained utterly calm:

"I knew this guy was even more monstrous than I imagined."

He could never match Xu Jingming's breakthrough speed.

But as a student of the Supreme Strongest, he still had his own confidence.

If he couldn't keep pace, he'd simply follow his own rhythm.

Comparing himself to a monster like Xu Jingming only made one lose confidence...

PS: Actually, there were several hundred more characters after the last chapter's entrance, but they got censored—no choice, had to delete them all.