Chapter 855: Heaven

"Good, good, good—I'll see how you defeat me in one move!"

Liu Shan, enraged, let out a bitter laugh; the suppressed aura he'd held back since Su Qingli and Hu Jinyu arrived erupted again!!

Boom—

He pushed his Enhancement-Class A-tier ability, "Crimson Gold Demon Ape," to its absolute limit!

His body swelled by a full circle, his skin turning a bizarre crimson-gold!

The sweeping aura caused onlookers with abilities to turn pale and scramble backward.

Even so, some third- and fourth-tier ability users couldn't bear it—their faces twisted in pain!

Fortunately, Ling Shuang's spatial power spread instantly, sealing off that aura.

At that moment, Xu Jingming also unleashed his aura and activated his ability.

His rank remained Seventh Tier Upper, but the instant the pitch-black lightning appeared—

Liu Shan's heart lurched violently, as if a terrifying presence had locked onto him!

"How did his lightning ability change like this?" Liu Shan's mind reeled in horror.

Simultaneously, a terrifying energy fluctuation brewed in the sky above.

"No good—it's a lightning combat technique! Must act now!"

Liu Shan gripped his battle blade tightly; crimson blood qi surged outward, forming a blood qi shield, then he stomped forward with sudden force!

Sssshhh!!

Before he could even complete that step, a deep, pitch-black lightning bolt—radiating shocking energy—crashed down from the sky!!

As an Eighth Tier Peak Grand Master, Liu Shan had vast combat experience and his own methods against elementalists.

The crimson blood qi shield wrapped around his body was the罡气 formed after reaching high levels of his SS-tier Body Strengthening Art.

It offered astonishing defense against elemental strikes—otherwise he wouldn't dare face Xu Jingming.

Yet when the thick black lightning descended—

That crimson blood qi shield offered not the slightest resistance, shattered instantly!!

Crackling—

The black lightning struck Liu Shan directly, engulfing his entire body.

"Aaaah!!"

A piercing scream rang out.

At that moment, Liu Shan's formidable Eighth Tier Peak Enhancement-class physique was utterly useless, crushed mercilessly by the Chaotic Divine Thunder!

Just two or three seconds later, his cries ceased; he collapsed with a thud before the stunned onlookers.

"I said one move—I never break my word."

Xu Jingming slightly raised his hand, retracting the Chaotic Divine Thunder still crackling over Liu Shan.

Simultaneously, the black lightning filling his eyes gradually faded.

After all, he was facing an Eighth Tier Peak—he used Lei Ting Form for safety.

But that was all—barely even needed the Radiant Thunder Ring; a single Heaven's Thunder Art was enough to knock Liu Shan out cold.

"Liu Shan was one-shot?!"

"When did Xu Jingming become this strong?!"

"This power… is the Lei Di really only Seventh Tier Upper?!"

"That terrifying black lightning! Xu Jingming's lightning ability must have changed somehow!"

"......"

One-shotting Liu Shan meant nothing to Xu Jingming, who had already slain a Ninth Tier Saint of the Tianming Sect.

But for these domestic observers, utterly unaware of the Yer Secret Realm events, it was like thunder striking from clear sky—deeply shocking!

Instantly, stunned exclamations erupted across the entire square.

Among the onlookers who were already Xu Jingming's fans, excitement surged.

They immediately uploaded the recorded video to the Martial Arts Gym Forum, with the title—Lei Di One-Shot Liu Shan! Magu City Patrol Commander Deserves It!!

As for such stunned murmurs, Xu Jingming was long accustomed—he walked calmly toward Su Qingli.

"Xu… Xu Jingming, what kind of lightning was that?"

A weak voice sounded.

On the ground, Liu Shan—now charred black, critically wounded, near death—struggled to look at Xu Jingming.

"Want to know?"

Xu Jingming looked at him with a faint, knowing smile. "Sorry. No comment."

Also, don't forget—you said you'd leave the Thunder Martial Arts Gym.

Otherwise, next time it won't be just one Heaven's Thunder Art."

With that, Xu Jingming no longer glanced at Liu Shan; he stepped forward, taking Ling Shuang with him toward Su Qingli.

Damn it!!

Overwhelming humiliation surged through Liu Shan; his body, pushed beyond its limit, collapsed into unconsciousness.

"Vice Director Hu, take care of Liu Shan."

On Su Qingli's fair, radiant face rose a breathtaking smile; she met up with Ling Shuang and Xu Jingming, then teleported away instantly.

"Xu Jingming… really is this strong…"

After Su Qingli's trio departed, Hu Jinyu's face had turned ashen.

In fact, when Liu Shan attacked, he'd harbored a sliver of hope.

He'd hoped Cao Jun's information was wrong—that Xu Jingming wasn't truly this powerful.

But the facts have already proven that Cao Jun was not wrong—Xu Jingming is even stronger!

"Right now, in Lei Ting Martial Arts Hall, apart from me, Su Qingli, and Master Gu Ming, Xu Jingming is the strongest."

"Also, there's Hearing Ling Shuang—she seems to have broken through to Eighth Stage Upper."

When Hearing Ling Shuang activated her spatial ability just now, Hu Jinyu had already sensed the change in her aura.

Thinking of this, his mood grew even heavier.

Xu Jingming and Hearing Ling Shuang, needless to say, are staunch supporters of Su Qingli.

Now Master Gu Ming has also joined Su Qingli's side.

That means all of Lei Ting Martial Arts Hall's top combat power is concentrated on Su Qingli's side!

Originally, I had Liu Shan on my side, but now Liu Shan has been defeated and will soon leave Lei Ting Martial Arts Hall.

That means I'm almost entirely alone, fighting by myself.

"This is troublesome," Hu Jinyu said, his expression solemn.

Although I control half of Lei Ting Martial Arts Hall's branches, those people aren't fools.

Previously, they sided with me because Su Qingli was weak and isolated.

Now the power balance has completely reversed—they will surely defect to Su Qingli's side.

This is merely a matter of time.

I even suspect that after today's events become public, many branch directors will switch allegiance to Su Qingli.

And the root of all this lies in Xu Jingming.

"This guy's power growth is too fast."

"He's been in Lei Ting Martial Arts Hall for less than a year and a half, yet he's already risen to the fourth most powerful figure..."

Hu Jinyu rubbed his temples, feeling a headache.

According to my original estimate, Xu Jingming would need at least six or seven years to reach this level of strength.

"I need to contact the Li family soon—Lei Ting Martial Arts Hall is no longer within my grasp at this point."

Taking a deep breath, Hu Jinyu made his decision and walked toward Liu Shan.

Although Liu Shan will soon leave Lei Ting Martial Arts Hall, he is still an Eighth Stage Peak combatant.

He might still be useful later—when the time comes, I must save him.