Chapter 88: Song Qiuyun

“Master-level spear technique?” Song Qiuyun blinked in surprise.

In the progression from beginner to advanced, weapon skills can be improved through relentless practice.

But to reach master level, one must possess extraordinary talent.

Xu Jingming is only eighteen, yet he already possesses master-level spear technique.

This talent is terrifyingly monstrous.

“S-rank ability, plus insane cultivation talent and comprehension talent—how can anyone surpass this?”

A wry smile appeared on Song Qiuyun’s delicate oval face.

She retracted the halberd in her jade hand back into her space ring and decisively conceded:

“I give up. I can’t beat you.”

Even when Xu Jingming revealed his rank, she knew defeat was inevitable.

Yet this total domination still left her with severe discouragement.

After all, she was the provincial top scorer, having outperformed over four hundred thousand candidates...

“You’re giving up already? Besides halberd techniques, you must have other light-based combat arts, right?”

“Why not try them all out?”

Xu Jingming asked with a smile.

Song Qiuyun’s teacher was the dean of the Element Academy—her offensive methods certainly weren’t limited to close combat.

“Forget it. Even if I used them, it wouldn’t help.”

Song Qiuyun shook her head.

The power of spell-based combat arts depends heavily on spiritual strength and ability rank.

Xu Jingming is second-rank upper tier; his spiritual strength is certainly stronger than mine, and he possesses an S-rank ability.

Even if I unleashed my other spell techniques, they might not even pierce his lightning defense net.

Why suffer needlessly?

After a pause, Song Qiuyun smiled sweetly and said:

“Though we called it a sparring match, really you’ve just been my practice partner.”

“How about I treat you to lunch as compensation? What do you say?”

“Sure.” Xu Jingming naturally didn’t refuse.

“Alright, see you at noon. Xiaxia, let’s go.”

“Pity—it seems Xu classmate is still stronger. See you next time!”

Xia Dongxia giggled and followed Song Qiuyun as they left.

After the two girls departed, Liu Wentao rushed over from the corner, excitedly saying:

“Ming-ge, you’re truly the strongest!”

It wasn’t easy!

As another candidate from Sichuan Province, he understood Song Qiuyun’s terrifying strength all too well.

In fact, many prodigies from Sichuan believed Song Qiuyun was unbeatable by anyone her age!

Yet now, this curse had finally been broken!

“Well, Song Qiuyun’s strength isn’t that impressive.”

Xu Jingming shook his head and returned the Dark Cloud Gale Spear to the weapon rack.

“Song Qiuyun’s strength isn’t impressive? Only you’d think that, Ming-ge.”

Liu Wentao marveled.

As Sichuan’s provincial top scorer, Song Qiuyun’s strength was unquestionably among the top three among new students!

“Still, her rank has risen quickly—she’s already second-rank lower tier,” Xu Jingming mused.

Even the top tier of new students usually didn’t reach second rank until two or three months after enrollment.

Compared to them, Song Qiuyun’s progress was far faster.

“Still, given her background, this pace is normal.”

Liu Wentao chuckled, then whispered mysteriously:

“Ming-ge, you probably don’t know Song Qiuyun’s family background, do you?”

“What? Is her background not ordinary?”

Xu Jingming raised an eyebrow.

“Of course not!”

Liu Wentao nodded firmly, then added:

“You know Song Daoyuan from the high school history textbook? Song Qiuyun is his great-granddaughter!”

“Song Daoyuan? The eighth-rank grand master with an S-rank light ability?”

This grand master was a powerful figure active eighty years ago.

Unfortunately, he suffered severe injuries in a battle with a ferocious beast, exhausting his potential and never advancing to ninth rank.

High school history textbooks had an entire chapter dedicated to Song Daoyuan.

“That’s right—him.”

Liu Wentao smiled, “Though Grand Master Song Daoyuan had many descendants,

his great-granddaughter Song Qiuyun, with her peerless talent, received the most affection.

Since childhood, she’s been nourished with all kinds of side-effect-free pills and rare herbs.

She also cultivates the top-tier ability training method—so it’s natural her progress is faster than others.”

In Sichuan Province, Grand Master Song Daoyuan with his S-rank ability was a household name.

Many knew his great-granddaughter, Song Qiuyun.

“I see.”

Xu Jingming suddenly understood.

No wonder, when he’d visited the center of Metropolis, Song Qiuyun had shopped without restraint.

And no wonder she owned a space ring large enough to hold a two-meter halberd—her background was that deep.

After learning Song Qiuyun’s background, Xu Jingming didn’t linger at the villa—he set off again for the Combat Technique Library.

As expected, it took him only four hours.

Xu Jingming had roughly grasped the cultivation method of the S-rank technique, “Netherworld Thunder Armor.”

Next, he used the Deep Blue System to continue allocating points.

Ability Points -1400 → Netherworld Thunder Armor (Beginner)!

In an instant,

Xu Jingming fully mastered the S-rank technique that ordinary ability users needed half a year to learn.

“Phew. After allocating points to Netherworld Thunder Armor, I’ve barely any ability points left.”

Xu Jingming instinctively opened his system panel:

【Name】: Xu Jingming

【Rank】: Second-rank Upper Tier

【Ability】: Purple Thunder Divine Lightning (S)

【Physique】: 1321 Qi (+)

【Spirit】: 987 He (+)

【Skills】: Spear Technique (Master), Thunder Art (Beginner), Netherworld Thunder Armor (Beginner), Fist Technique (Intermediate+), Thunder Spear (Advanced), Linked Thunder Spears (Intermediate+), Thunder Flash (Advanced), Thunder Prison (Intermediate+), Lightning Gale Break (Advanced)

【Physique Training】: Thunder Unkillable Body (Third Stage)

【Ability Points】: 712

The two S-rank techniques had cost Xu Jingming 3,000 ability points total.

Now, his system panel showed only 712 ability points remaining!

“Not enough ability points left—but the Source Water Wild Zone won’t open for another two or three months.

Where can I go to kill ferocious beasts and harvest ability points now?”

Xu Jingming frowned.

As one of the most prosperous cities in Great Xia, Metropolis had few nearby wild zones.

Source Water Wild Zone was the closest one to Metropolis.

Of course,

Metropolis bordered the sea, and there were plenty of ferocious beasts in the ocean.

But ocean combat imposed too many restrictions—once underwater, his full strength might not even reach one-tenth.

He could probably only use Purple Thunder Divine Lightning to electrocute weak marine beasts.

But currently, Purple Thunder Divine Lightning only extended about fifteen meters—inefficient...

“Eva, open the map and search for wild zones near Metropolis.”

With a hum, a holographic map appeared before Xu Jingming.

The center of the map was Metropolis, with three glowing dots nearby.

Each represented the three closest wild zones to Metropolis.

The first was Source Water Wild Zone.

The two other slightly more distant wilderness zones are Yangcheng Wilderness Zone and Tongxiang Wilderness Zone.

One of these wilderness zones lies north of Metropolis, the other south of Metropolis.

Both are approximately 140 kilometers away.

In Tongxiang Wilderness Zone, the highest-ranked ferocious beast is merely third-tier.

Although the number of ferocious beasts is large, they are extremely dispersed.

Yangcheng Wilderness Zone is similar to Yuan Shui Wilderness Zone, but its highest-ranked ferocious beast reaches sixth-tier—very dangerous...

Xu Jingming pondered for a moment, then quickly made his decision:

“In that case, after the first week of classes starts, I’ll visit both wilderness zones separately.”

After all, it’s a top-tier university—there should be plenty to learn from its curriculum.

Of course, if the courses are terrible,

Xu Jingming wouldn’t mind skipping them outright and using that time to hunt ferocious beasts.

“Ding ding ding~~~”

At that moment, his phone suddenly rang.

He pulled out his phone—the caller ID showed: Aunt Xu Qingwan.

“Aunt?”

Xu Jingming suddenly remembered—he’d forgotten to call her after leaving the wilderness zone yesterday.

He quickly tapped to answer.

“Huh? Connected? Xiao Ming, has your training ended?”

Aunt Xu Qingwan’s delighted voice came from the other end of the line.

“Yeah, it just ended yesterday.”

“Oh oh, how was the training?”

“Very good...”

“...”

Xu Jingming chatted casually with his aunt again, after so long.

He also learned from her that his cousin Tang Qi would arrive in Metropolis tomorrow at 3 p.m.

“Alright, I’ll pick up Cousin Qi at the high-speed rail station.”

A few minutes later, just after hanging up,

Xu Jingming, who had been preparing to test the power of “ Mingyuleikai ,” received another call—from his cousin Tang Qi.

“Definitely mother and daughter—they call one right after the other.”

Shaking his head, Xu Jingming answered the call again.