Chapter 74: Unexpected Joy! S-Class Earth Spirit Spring!

"Ding~, slain one third-rank lower-tier Burrowing Earth Dragon, Ability Points +36."

Hearing the system notification in his mind, Xu Jingming raised an eyebrow.

No wonder it's a beast with the word 'Dragon' in its name—the Ability Points gained from slaying it are higher than those from an ordinary third-rank lower-tier beast.

"Hello, thank you for saving me just now."

At that moment, accompanied by a clear, melodious voice of gratitude, Jiang Chuxuan appeared before Xu Jingming.

I have to say, Jiang Chuxuan truly lives up to being called a goddess.

Her figure was curvaceous and well-proportioned, her chest full enough to outshine most women.

Her round, slender legs, encased in a black fitted battle suit, appeared even more sensuous.

Her delicate oval face bore a faint pallor from barely escaping death, yet it maximally stirred a man's protective instinct.

"It was nothing. Anyone else would have helped you too," Xu Jingming waved his hand.

He had only realized it was Jiang Chuxuan who had sent the distress signal after arriving nearby.

Of course,

if it had been someone else, he would have lent a hand too.

"Not necessarily."

Jiang Chuxuan shook her head, then extended her slender right hand, a pleasant smile appearing on her face:

"I'm Jiang Chuxuan. I can't repay your life-saving deed—just tell me if you ever need anything."

She made no promise of material reward.

Because she knew such a debt could never be repaid by any material thing.

Of course,

if Xu Jingming wanted it, she would sell everything she owned to fulfill it.

"Xu Jingming."

Xu Jingming reached out and lightly shook her hand, then an idea struck him:

"No need for favors—but if you could give me an autographed photo, that'd be perfect."

He might as well take this chance to get the autographed photo Zhang Hao had been begging for, saving him from having to bring it up every time they contacted each other.

"My autographed photo?" Jiang Chuxuan blinked in surprise.

She hadn't expected his request to be so simple—she'd thought he might ask for something more extreme...

Unfortunately, she had no habit of carrying photos of herself.

So she apologized: "I don't have any photos on me—can I give you one when I return to the supply base?"

Jiang Chuxuan felt a pang of regret.

She should've kept a few photos in her space ring as backup—it wouldn't have taken up much room.

"That's fine."

Xu Jingming wasn't in a hurry.

After all, Zhang Hao hadn't been able to reach him lately anyway.

"Oh, you're from Metropolis Ability University too?"

At that moment, Jiang Chuxuan noticed the school badge on Xu Jingming's spear and her eyes lit up.

Xu Jingming nodded in response, offering no denial.

"I knew it! No ordinary second-rank upper-tier ability user could be this strong—you must be my senior from the same school."

"Senior, hello—I'm Jiang Chuxuan, second-year, Class 3, Ice Element Department, Metropolis Ability University."

Jiang Chuxuan had already felt some fondness toward Xu Jingming for saving her.

Now that she learned he was from the same school, her eyes brightened further and her tone grew even warmer.

"Senior?"

Xu Jingming paused, then realized she had mistaken him for a senior due to his power level.

It made sense—

ordinary students at Metropolis Ability University only reached second-rank upper-tier in their second or third year.

Xu Jingming had intended to explain he was a freshman.

But the blazing admiration in Jiang Chuxuan's eyes toward him as her senior was too intense to shatter.

So he couldn't bring himself to correct her and simply nodded: "Hello, junior."

Jiang Chuxuan smiled brightly and praised:

"By the way, Senior, your strength is incredible."

This Burrowing Earth Dragon is only third-rank lower-tier, but its actual combat power rivals a third-rank upper-tier beast."

Yet you still obliterated it in one strike—Senior, you don't even know..."

Every word Jiang Chuxuan spoke dripped with reverence and admiration.

Of course, this was perfectly normal.

Though she was a student at Metropolis Ability University, she was just an ordinary one.

To kill a second-rank upper-tier beast across one minor tier was already nearly her limit.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have brought a bodyguard squad into the wasteland zone.

Thus, she always deeply admired the prodigies at school who could slay beasts across tiers.

Especially this senior—who had saved her life.

On the other side, listening to this uninterrupted stream of words,

Xu Jingming had come to realize Jiang Chuxuan was the type of girl who appeared cold on the outside but warm within.

Though she appeared cold and elegant, she was surprisingly talkative with those she knew well.

In this stream of words, Xu Jingming learned that Jiang Chuxuan had become separated from her bodyguard team, which was why she was being hunted by the Digging Earth Dragon.

"By the way, senior, where are you heading next?"

After speaking for a while, Jiang Chuxuan asked again.

"I'm hunting ferocious beasts here." Xu Jingming replied.

"Then… can I temporarily join you?"

Jiang Chuxuan blinked her clear, large eyes and asked.

"Join me?"

Xu Jingming frowned slightly, paused in thought, then nodded:

"Fine. I'll take you to the city ruins, and then you can return on your own."

With seven or eight days left before school resumed, he planned to stay in this mountain forest area.

He certainly couldn't bring along a burden, but escorting her out of the mountain forest was acceptable.

It would only take one or two hours at most.

We're both from the same school; helping with this much is no trouble.

"Then thank you so much, senior."

Jiang Chuxuan smiled brightly, dazzling as a hundred flowers in full bloom.

"By the way, senior, would you like to check out the Digging Earth Dragon's den?"

"There might be some valuable items inside—otherwise, why would the Digging Earth Dragon have rushed out immediately to hunt me when I passed by?"

Jiang Chuxuan suggested.

For video footage, this wasn't her first time entering the wilderness.

But she'd never encountered this situation before; if the den had no issues at all, she certainly wouldn't believe it.

"Oh?"

Xu Jingming raised his sword-like eyebrows and immediately grew interested. "Alright, let's go take a look."

Indeed, places where powerful ferocious beasts dwelled often harbored rare flowers and herbs.

Since entering the mountain forest, he had already found several rare flowers and herbs in the lairs of powerful ferocious beasts.

The Digging Earth Dragon wasn't an ordinary beast—its den might very well contain something valuable.

So Xu Jingming first used a B-grade alloy dagger to cut off all valuable parts of the Digging Earth Dragon's body.

Then he followed Jiang Chuxuan toward the Digging Earth Dragon's lair.

"By the way, senior, which academy are you from?"

"Weapons Academy."

"I know Weapons Academy—your dean, Yang Zhentian, has the nickname 'Yang the Helllord,' which is to say, he's terrifying."

"That's my teacher."

"Ah? Sorry, sorry, I spoke out of turn…"

"..."

On online videos, Jiang Chuxuan's style focused on swift, one-strike kills.

Paired with her silver-white long hair and ice elemental power, she could truly be called an icy goddess of the elegant older-sister type.

But right now, Jiang Chuxuan acted exactly like an adorable junior, chattering nonstop beside Xu Jingming.

Xu Jingming could tolerate Liu Wentao's loquacious roommate, so he naturally didn't mind Jiang Chuxuan's behavior.

After all, compared to the rough-and-tumble Liu Wentao, this was a stunningly beautiful woman who met nearly every standard of perfection.

The two walked through the forest for four or five minutes.

Soon, a cave about three or four stories tall appeared before their eyes.

The cave was hidden behind thick grass and shrubs; without careful observation, it was truly hard to spot.

"Senior, it's right here."

Jiang Chuxuan's beautiful eyes lit up eagerly.

Too bad the cameraman wasn't here—otherwise, she could switch styles and make an adventure video.

"Alright."

Xu Jingming nodded, gripping his two-meter-plus Dark Cloud Gale Spear in hand.

At the same time, accompanied by a piercing thunderclap, blue-purple Zixiao Shenlei surged forth.

Although the Digging Earth Dragon had been slain, no one knew whether another one might still lurk inside.

Better to be cautious.

So, after forming a thunderproof barrier around them with Purple Cloud Divine Thunder, they stepped into the cave.

'Such formidable thunder!'

Gazing at the lightning so close at hand, radiating terrifying energy, Jiang Chuxuan's delicate face revealed a hint of surprise.

She had already noticed that Xu Jingming's thunder elemental power was unusual.

Now, observing it up close, she realized the energy fluctuations emitted by the thunder were even more terrifying than she'd imagined!

'Just a single stray bolt of this thunder could probably kill me instantly.'

'And yet this senior is so low-key—I've never heard his name at school before.'

Jiang Chuxuan silently marveled, deciding that once back, she would look up Xu Jingming's records to see just who this person really was.

As they went deeper into the cave, the surrounding light grew darker.

Fortunately, Xu Jingming's Purple Cloud Divine Thunder illuminated the area.

"Tap, tap, tap..."

In the quiet cave, apart from the rumble of thunder, only the footsteps of the two rang out.

After passing through a section wreathed in a stench like that of an animal's body odor, a sudden burst of fragrance drifted into their nostrils.

"This is... the scent of rare flowers and strange herbs!"

Xu Jingming's eyes lit up, and he hurriedly quickened his pace.

After walking more than ten meters, the originally narrow passage suddenly opened up wide.

This was a broad underground cavern, with the cleanly gnawed skeletons of fierce beasts scattered around its walls.

At the very back, animal hides had been laid out to form a simple lair, though no fierce beast currently dwelled upon it.

Right at the very center of the cavern, there was a small pool of clear spring water.

Surrounding the spring water, quite a few oddly shaped little grasses and flowers grew.

Some exhaled a chill, while others burned hot as fire.

And the faint, elegant fragrance Xu Jingming had smelled came precisely from here.

"Grade B Clear Spirit Grass, Grade A Blazing Flame Flower, Grade C Hypnotic Grass..."

Before entering the wilderness zone, Xu Jingming had crammed a good deal of knowledge about rare flowers and strange herbs.

Now, illuminated by the radiance of the Doushen Shenlei, he very easily recognized the names of these dozen-plus rare flowers and strange herbs.

At the same time, he discovered that their grades were all above Grade C!

"So many rare flowers and strange herbs—how did they all come to be born here?"

Overjoyed, Xu Jingming naturally noticed the pool of spring water right at the very center:

"Could this spring water have something special about it?"

Just as he was puzzling over it, Jiang Chuxuan beside him let out an exclamation:

"Could this be... a Grade S Earth Spirit Spring?!"