Chapter 831

"What is this?!"

Xu Jingming's eyes widened sharply, his breathing quickened.

A plus sign appearing after the ability level—does that mean the SS-rank Doushen Thunder can now be enhanced?!

The sudden surprise made even the usually composed Xu Jingming's heart race, filled with joy.

Since the last time he couldn't enhance his ability with one million ability points.

He had temporarily abandoned the idea of upgrading his ability, planning to focus first on leveling up and combat techniques.

But he never expected the ability enhancement to come so suddenly.

"Teacher Ling, let's go back."

Xu Jingming grabbed Ling Shuang's small hand and flew toward the cave.

When I upgraded my S-rank Purple Thunder to SS-rank, the disturbance was immense—almost a hundred li around felt it.

This time, upgrading to SSS-rank ability will likely be even more violent!!

Moreover, he had a vague premonition that this ability transformation wouldn't be completed instantly like last time.

Therefore, he needed to find a safe place first.

"Back? Back where?" Ling Shuang asked, puzzled as she was pulled along.

"To the temporary base near the cave."

Hearing Xu Jingming's voice, Ling Shuang's cheeks flushed slightly.

They'd just met—was he really that eager?

But remembering the side effects of his body cultivation technique, she relaxed.

After all, they'd been in the secret realm for so many days; the side effects must have accumulated to a terrifying level.

Thinking this, Ling Shuang fell silent and let Xu Jingming carry her through the air.

But Xu Jingming suddenly halted in midair, stopping his flight.

"Jingming, what's wrong?" Ling Shuang looked at him in confusion.

"Teacher Ling, I want to change locations," Xu Jingming said thoughtfully.

"Change locations? Where to?" Ling Shuang tilted her head, puzzled.

"No. 3 Dead End," Xu Jingming replied after thinking.

In the Ye Er Secret Realm, rare treasures often emerge, accompanied by extraordinary disturbances.

This time, upgrading his ability from SS-rank to SSS-rank won't be subtle.

When the aura spreads, it will surely draw nearby ability users.

If the transformation completed instantly, it'd be fine—but if, like Song Qiuyun or Jiang Chuxuan, it takes time to evolve...

Then both he and Ling Shuang would be in grave danger!

Therefore, he needed an absolutely secure place to enhance his ability.

According to intelligence, No. 3 Dead End is a sea of flame; even the center region is inaccessible to ninth-rank ability users.

That's the ideal place to enhance his ability—and only Ling Shuang's space ability can enter.

"No. 3 Dead End? Why are we going there?"

Only then did Ling Shuang realize she'd misunderstood Xu Jingming's intent, and asked aloud.

"I feel my ability may undergo a transformation—I need a safer place."

Xu Jingming didn't hide it; he spoke plainly.

After all, to others, his ability had already mutated twice; one more time wouldn't matter.

"Ability mutation?"

Ling Shuang froze, then covered her mouth in disbelief: "Are you saying your lightning ability is evolving again?!"

At these words, Eva's eyes widened too.

"I'm not sure,"

Xu Jingming shook his head vaguely,

"I just feel my Doushen Thunder is boiling, as if shifting toward something new."

The system's existence was his deepest secret—even Ling Shuang couldn't know.

It wasn't that he distrusted Teacher Ling, but spirit ability users were terrifyingly dangerous.

If this leaked, he'd be doomed beyond redemption.

"That must be the sign of ability evolution!!"

Ling Shuang's expression thrilled, "Your ability was already SS-rank—this evolution might reach SS+!"

Ability evolution was rare enough; Xu Jingming achieving it three times was unprecedented!

Still, Ling Shuang didn't dwell on it—evolution became harder the further one progressed.

Xu Jingming was already SS-rank; even if he evolved again, the power gain wouldn't be huge.

"According to my database,"

"There are only three known SS+ lightning abilities—I wonder which one your S-rank ability will evolve into."

Eva spoke with equal anticipation.

These three SS+ lightning abilities had appeared only briefly in history.

The highest-ranked user among them had barely reached ninth rank before perishing.

"No. 3 Dead End is less than two hundred kilometers away—I'll teleport you there directly."

Ling Shuang clearly understood the importance of ability evolution; she gripped Xu Jingming's hand and initiated long-range teleportation.

After four teleportations, Xu Jingming and Ling Shuang arrived before No. 3 Dead End.

BOOM~~~~

It was a world of flame—endless fire erupted from the earth, the scorching heat warping even air itself.

Even standing at the outer edge, one could feel temperatures exceeding a thousand degrees!

"This is No. 3 Dead End," Xu Jingming marveled inwardly.

Even the outermost zone was inaccessible to ability users below sixth rank.

"Teacher Ling, let's go."

No. 3 Dead End spanned ten thousand square kilometers.

Human eighth-rank experts had only explored up to the near-core region before being unable to proceed.

Clearly, at the center, the flame's power would be even more terrifying!

Under these conditions, using space ability to teleport would be outright suicide.

So Xu Jingming flew with Ling Shuang into the sea of fire.

The flame's color wasn't constant—it began as orange-red, then gradually shifted to yellow-white, then blue-green.

When they reached sixty-three kilometers into No. 3 Dead End, the horizon was a sea of purple flame.

At this point, Xu Jingming felt his SS-rank Doushen Thunder barrier being steadily consumed by the flames.

It could hold for at most two more minutes before being fully devoured.

"This position is already the limit of eighth rank—if we go deeper, even ninth rank won't survive."

Xu Jingming exhaled slowly and looked at Ling Shuang: "Teacher Ling, how are you holding up?"

In No. 3 Dead End, the critical factor wasn't him—it was Ling Shuang.

"More than enough. The flames can't harm me," Ling Shuang smiled lightly.

That was the advantage of space ability.

No matter how fierce the flames, space force could isolate them.

"Good."

Xu Jingming nodded and asked further:

"If we stay here, how long can you endure?"

"About ten days. If we go deeper, maybe only seven or eight."

Ling Shuang sensed the flame's power ahead and replied.

In truth, her own space ability could only last half a day at most.

But she still had the space-tier artifact Xu Jingming had given her—the Nine Kite Hairpin.

The Nine Kite Hairpin was a top-tier space-element weapon.

Besides amplifying her space ability, it stabilized space—hence her endurance.