Chapter 760: Self-Created Technique! S-Rank Thunder Sword Array!

An hour and more later, after leaving several mysterious puddles in the office, Xu Jingming decisively relocated back to the villa.

As an eighth-rank mid-level Grand Master with an S-rank spatial ability, Ling Shuang's body was undoubtedly extremely strong.

After one night, Ling Shuang did not grow weak like Song Qiuyun or Jiang Chuxuan.

Instead, she snuggled against Xu Jingming's chest, her delicate face—marked by a tear-shaped mole—flushed with a lingering rosy glow of satisfaction.

Her slender, snow-white fingers happily traced circles on Xu Jingming's chest as she asked softly:

"Jingming, do you want to attend this year's Martial Arts Academy Exchange Tournament?"

"Of course. After all, Senior Cao has already spoken." Xu Jingming nodded.

"Good, I'll reserve a spot for you first."

Ling Shuang said gently, "I'll be attending too—I aim to win the championship for Great Xia."

"Are foreign martial arts academies really that strong? Can't even Great Xia rank higher than third?"

Xu Jingming asked in confusion.

As one of the six global giants of Blue Star, in any competition, Great Xia's only real opponent was America.

The final result was always either first or second place.

A third-place ranking was exceedingly rare.

"Foreign academies are strong, but ours aren't weak either.

We only got third because someone on our team held us back."

Ling Shuang said coldly, "The Academy Exchange Tournament limits participants to a maximum rank of eighth.

Our Thunder Academy has two eighth-rank peak Grand Masters—one of them is Liu Shan.

But in the last tournament, Liu Shan—who should have competed—was reassigned by Hu Jinyu to another mission.

Although our team still had another eighth-rank peak Grand Master and four eighth-rank upper Grand Masters,

the absence of a peak combatant caused us to finish third.

As for the other team, Bear Fury Academy, they only placed sixth, so Great Xia's final ranking was merely third."

The combat power of an eighth-rank peak Grand Master had an enormous impact on the outcome.

"Hu Jinyu is deliberately making things hard for Teacher Su." Xu Jingming immediately understood.

"Yes."

Ling Shuang sighed, "After the tournament, Teacher Su really took a lot of criticism."

Compared to the Global Talent Exchange Competition, the Academy Exchange Tournament was less famous.

But many still paid attention—and they didn't care about your reasons.

Lose, and the academy head, Su Qingli, would inevitably be blamed.

"But this time is different. With us joining, even without Liu Shan, it won't affect us much."

Ling Shuang said confidently.

Her own strength was equivalent to an A-rank eighth-rank peak Grand Master.

Combined with the academy's other eighth-rank peak, the team's lineup had fully returned to its former strength.

As for Xu Jingming, though slightly weaker, he could easily handle ordinary eighth-rank mid-level Grand Masters.

"How many people are on the team for the Academy Exchange Tournament?" Xu Jingming asked curiously.

"Ten. As usual: two eighth-rank peak, four eighth-rank upper, and the rest are eighth-rank mid-level."

Ling Shuang replied.

"Minimum is eighth-rank mid-level? Then I'm fine."

Xu Jingming nodded slightly.

With his current combat power, he could easily crush an A-rank eighth-rank mid-level Grand Master.

Fighting an eighth-rank upper might be difficult, but the Academy Exchange Tournament starts in three months.

With the Deep Blue System, even he didn't know how much his strength would swell by then...

After a little more tenderness, Ling Shuang went to the bathroom to clean herself.

Dressed, she used a space teleport to return to the academy building for work.

Xu Jingming went to the open-air training ground in the villa's backyard.

After completing his daily training, he began studying the newly acquired spiritual technique inheritance.

"The Slave Seal and Soul-Taming Tower each have their uses.

The remaining spiritual techniques seem of little use to me now."

Zachary's spiritual technique inheritance covered everything: offensive, defensive, and hypnotic types.

But for offense and defense, he could already use his SS-rank Doushen Thunder—stronger, even—so there was no need to learn them.

By comparison, he was more interested in the A-rank "Weapon Control Technique."

"Combining Weapon Control Technique with my lightning ability might create a brand-new technique."

Xu Jingming's mind stirred; he pulled out a dagger from his space ring.

His spiritual power surged forth as he fully activated the A-rank Weapon Control Technique.

BOOM!!

A sonic boom rang out as the entire alloy dagger became a blur and shot forward with a crash!

The dagger's speed was fast—estimated at over three times the speed of sound!

To get precise data, Xu Jingming asked quietly:

"Eva, what's the dagger's maximum burst speed?"

"1332. m/s." Eva's crisp voice echoed in his mind.

"Oh? That's nearly four times the speed of sound! No wonder—this is a perfected Weapon Control Technique, truly formidable!"

Xu Jingming's face lit up with delight.

The faster the speed, the greater the destructive power!

This dagger was only A-rank alloy—decent against low-rank beasts.

But against sixth-rank or higher beasts, its damage was extremely limited.

Yet with a burst speed of 1332. m/s, its destructive power would be completely different!

More importantly, he could infuse his SS-rank Doushen Thunder onto the dagger.

With lightning swirling around it, the dagger's damage would multiply!

"And this is just one dagger! With Weapon Control Technique, I can control many more weapons!

No—I need to test this in the virtual world, to perfect it."

Xu Jingming felt a brand-new lightning technique unfolding before him; excited, he grabbed his neural helmet and entered the virtual world.

Three hours later, virtual world, arena.

Xu Jingming hovered thirty meters above ground, his Thunder Dragon Wings fluttering slightly, his body wreathed in lightning.

Around him, eighteen rhombus-shaped blades circled.

Each blade was about twenty centimeters long, five centimeters wide, double-edged, and razor-sharp.

Brilliant golden thunder crackled along their edges, making them both gorgeous and perilous.

"Roar—"

Suddenly, an eighth-rank mid-level Bloodthirsty Berserker Bear appeared below in the city.

"Go!"

Xu Jingming commanded; with piercing sonic booms,

all eighteen blades formed a strange sword array and slammed downward at the bear!

"Roar—"

A deafening roar erupted as the bear's blood aura swirled, forming a blood shield!

Yet this thick blood shield offered no resistance against the blades.

BOOM!!

Golden lightning flashed—the first blade pierced the shield; the rest followed in rapid succession.

BOOM BOOM BOOM!!

In an instant, the powerful eighth-rank mid-level beast

turned black and charred, riddled with holes from the thunder blades.

Swoosh swoosh swoosh—

The blades returned one by one, settling quietly around Xu Jingming.

"A single technique instantly kills an eighth-rank mid-level beast!"

Xu Jingming nodded in satisfaction, then called to the sky: "Eva, how does this power compare to last time?"

"Approximately 3. % stronger. Rated as an S-rank technique."

Eva's voice echoed from above.

"S-rank technique?" Xu Jingming's heart swelled with uncontainable joy.

This time, he relied on no system—he created this technique purely through his own understanding of Weapon Control Technique and his lightning ability!

This was his first true, self-created S-rank technique!

"Though all my techniques were gained by system points, they were essentially learned by me.

With a vast foundation of SSS- and SS-rank lightning techniques, creating an S-rank technique was natural."

Xu Jingming silently thought to himself.

"S-class—this seems to be your first lightning-based offensive technique, right? Why not name it now?"

Eva giggled.

"Naming it? Fine."

Xu Jingming looked at the eighteen blades swirling around him and paused thoughtfully:

"Then let's call it Lei Jian Zhen."

Lei Jian Zhen!

It is an S-class lightning technique combining Weapon Control and the Lightning element!

It requires the use of blade-like projectiles similar to flying daggers.

Eighteen is not the limit—it's merely the maximum number Xu Jingming can currently control while maintaining peak power.

Each blade weighs one thousand kilograms and flies at a terrifying speed approaching four times the speed of sound!

If there are more, the speed drops, weakening their power.

"The power of Lei Jian Zhen also depends on the blade material; in the virtual world, I used S-class material.

Once back in the real world, I can forge eighteen SS-class alloy blades.

That way, Lei Jian Zhen's power will increase further!"

The blade shape, after numerous experiments, is a diamond design that minimizes air resistance to the greatest extent.

Of course,

S-class is only the beginning; as he continues to refine and optimize it,

Lei Jian Zhen will evolve into SS-class, even SSS-class!

He also has a simpler method: using the system to allocate points!

"Compared to my other techniques, Lei Jian Zhen is more flexible. Once I gain more ability points, I'll prioritize upgrading it."

As his strength grew, Xu Jingming found his ability points becoming increasingly insufficient.

Body Strengthening Art, Spirit Refinement Art, Domain, and all his other techniques all require point allocation.

"Once I return to the real world, I'll prepare a bit more, then head into the Wild Zone."

I have to admit that Ling Shuang is indeed enchanting and captivating.

If this were ancient times, just Ling Shuang alone could make a monarch neglect court affairs forever.

But Xu Jingming always felt a deep sense of crisis; without absolute power, he dared not slack off.

Even though to others, he was already a monstrous prodigy.

"Adjust the attack angles further—I should be able to boost its power a bit more."

Shhh—

Eighteen blades circled Xu Jingming's body, golden lightning flickering.

Under Eva's observation, he kept testing...

On Dayangzhou, besides Mocheng, there is another supercity, Nixi.

Like Mocheng, Nixi is divided into five zones: East, West, South, North, and the Central District.

At this moment, in the East District of Nixi, the Linghu Guild.

In the top-floor conference hall, all senior members of the Linghu Guild gathered.

Among them were Leng Yuexi and her sister, along with their 53-year-old elder brother, Leng Shu, a high-ranking eighth-rank Grand Master.

"Sis, why do you think Father called us here now?"

Leng Yuechan sat bored in her seat, sending a mental message to Leng Yuexi.

"I suspect he's going to announce the official heir."

Leng Yuexi's eyes flickered as she replied inwardly.

It had been nearly ten days since they returned from the Wild Zone.

During that time, she had tirelessly contacted the eighth-rank elder masters of the Linghu Guild and even made several trips overseas to its branch offices.

Her efforts paid off—she eventually secured the support of three eighth-rank elders.

Though far fewer than her brother Leng Shu's five eighth-rank supporters, it was enough to grant her some influence.

As for the other siblings, most knew they couldn't compete with the two of them and had already given up.

Even those who still tried to challenge only gathered seventh-rank Masters—completely insignificant.

At that moment, a commotion arose at the front.

A man seated in a wheelchair, his body plugged with countless tubes,

was wheeled to the front of the conference hall.

He was Leng Cang, an eighth-rank peak Grand Master and current chairman of the Linghu Guild.

Once a mighty eighth-rank Grand Master, he now teetered on death, enveloped in a milky-white aura.

The aura came from the man pushing his wheelchair.

He was an eighth-rank healing-type adept, forcibly prolonging Leng Cang's life.

If he turned off his ability, Leng Cang would die within minutes.

Hiring an eighth-rank healing Grand Master cost an exorbitant sum—at least 100 million Blue Star Coins per day.

But for the vast Linghu Guild, this was negligible.

"Chairman!"

"Chairman!"

Seeing Leng Cang arrive, everyone in the hall immediately stood and bowed respectfully.

"Sit down."

A hoarse voice spoke; Leng Cang raised a hand slightly, and all sat.

He continued:

"I've called you all here—you all know why.

That's right: today, I will name the heir to the Linghu Guild—the next chairman."

Upon hearing this, the hundred people in the hall showed no surprise; all instinctively turned to Leng Shu and Leng Yuexi.

They knew the heir would be chosen from only these two.

"I have many descendants—sons, daughters, even grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Over a thousand direct bloodlines.

But among them, only two stand out as the most outstanding.

The first is my eldest son, Leng Shu!"

As Leng Cang's deep voice spoke, all eyes turned to Leng Shu.

Though over fifty, he looked like a man in his thirties.

His face was stern, dressed in a casual suit, exuding competence and strength.

"The second is my daughter, Leng Yuexi.

She possesses astonishing talent—only 32, already at seventh-rank middle level, and has evolved her ability to S-class!"

Compared to Leng Shu, Chairman Leng Cang gave far more detail about Leng Yuexi.

His affection was unmistakable; all eyes turned to Leng Yuexi in her seat.

As a mixed-race woman, Leng Yuexi was tall and strikingly beautiful.

Her S-class fire ability, "Jiuyou Ziyan," gave her a scorching aura.

Yet this aura clashed with her cold, detached expression.

Altogether, she appeared like a thorned rose—cold, alluring, and captivating.