Chapter 948

The eighth layer of the Breakthrough Tower, a subterranean space over one hundred fifty meters below ground.

Crackling—

Blue lightning flickered as Su Qingli sat cross-legged on the ground.

Her delicate eyebrows slightly furrowed, her fair, refined face tinged with pain.

Yet her aura continued to climb, pushing toward a higher realm.

“No wonder it’s an SSS-grade healing pill—this effect is truly powerful.”

Xu Jingming’s face lit up with delight.

Su Qingli had swallowed the Holy Spring Pill just minutes ago.

Now, her aura, which had plummeted to second rank, was steadily recovering.

It had already returned to the peak of sixth rank—and was still climbing!!

“The Celestial Mandate Sect truly has its unique strengths; though the Blood Healing Holy Pill is classified as SSS-grade,

its effect is far stronger than ordinary SSS-grade healing pills like the Holy Spring Pill.

If its potency were even greater, it would qualify as an SSR-grade pill.”

Eva, the green-haired twin-tailed little girl, murmured in awe.

SSR-grade pills are exceedingly rare.

Currently, only three or four SSR-grade healing pills are known to exist.

The Blood Healing Holy Pill is the most potent healing pill below SSR-grade.

Time passed slowly; Su Qingli’s rising aura finally stabilized at lower eighth rank, unable to ascend further.

“It’s the limit—the Holy Spring Pill’s potency still can’t restore me to ninth rank.”

Su Qingli slowly opened her eyes, revealing a pair of clear, Tan water-like pupils.

Deep within her gaze lingered a faint trace of joy.

Though her strength had not yet returned to its peak, at least she now had some means of self-defense.

“Good enough.”

Xu Jingming smiled. “There are still Celestial Mandate Sect members in this Breakthrough Tower, including their Divine Son.

If we’re lucky, we might find a Blood Healing Holy Pill on him—enough to completely remove the Grudge Blood Thorns from your body.”

“True.”

Su Qingli nodded and asked softly, “What’s our next move?”

She now regarded Xu Jingming as her sole pillar of support.

“First, let’s explore this eighth layer. If there are many beasts, I’d like to stay here longer.”

Xu Jingming mused.

This entry into the Breakthrough Tower was secondary to unknown civilization’s relics—what mattered most was Ability Points.

“Alright.”

Su Qingli nodded, then hesitated slightly:

“My strength has returned to eighth rank, but my flight speed may be a bit slower...”

As the head of Thunder Martial Arts Gym, Su Qingli naturally possessed flight combat techniques.

Even without regaining her peak strength, she could still fly—just not as fast.

With six times Earth’s gravity, she likely couldn’t break the sound barrier.

“If you don’t mind, I can keep carrying you.”

Xu Jingming smiled.

Su Qingli was light—her height of 1.72 meters meant she weighed less than sixty kilograms.

Even with six times gravity, it wouldn’t affect his flight at all.

“That’s the only option—if we don’t, our movement will be too slow.”

A faint, unnatural flush appeared on Su Qingli’s fair face, but vanished quickly; she spoke seriously.

As Xu Jingming had predicted, the eighth layer of the Breakthrough Tower indeed had many beasts.

But their ranks were low—mostly fourth and fifth rank beasts.

With double the Ability Points from monsters, killing them still granted him substantial Ability Points.

After slaying the three Bloodline Envoys, he gained 800,000 Ability Points.

On the first day of reaching the eighth layer of the Breakthrough Tower, Xu Jingming accumulated 1,094,000 Ability Points from hunting beasts.

On the second day: 1,342,000!

On the third day: 1,618,000!

By the fifth day, his system panel showed a terrifying 2,047,000 Ability Points!

At the same time, a plus sign appeared next to “Thunder Domain” on his Deep Blue system panel.

Without hesitation, he immediately chose to allocate points.

Ability Points -2,010,000!

Thunder Domain First Stage → Thunder Domain Second Stage!

Crackling—

In a hundred-square-meter subterranean space,

black chaotic divine thunder raged across the entire area; Xu Jingming’s rank remained eighth rank mid-tier.

But from his body now emanated a peculiar, profound aura.

As if ancient, deep, and mysterious.

“This... is Thunder Domain Second Stage!”

Su Qingli stared, dumbfounded.

Just moments ago, Xu Jingming said he was about to break through—she thought he was joking.

After all, he’d only reached eighth rank mid-tier a few days ago; he couldn’t possibly break through again so soon.

Yet it turned out this wasn’t a rank breakthrough—it was a domain breakthrough!

“Under 21 years old and already at Second Stage Domain! New record! S-Class breaks another record!”

Eva’s eyes sparkled as she recorded the moment.

She felt like a living record-keeper—staying with Xu Jingming always meant witnessing history.

These recordings would be permanently stored in her database.

As long as Xu Jingming wished, she could replay them anytime.

Compared to rank breakthroughs, domain breakthroughs were far faster.

Just over ten seconds later, Xu Jingming ended his breakthrough and slowly opened his eyes.

“This is Thunder Domain Second Stage?”

Xu Jingming carefully observed the raging thunder around him.

A domain is a deep understanding of a certain element.

In Thunder Domain First Stage, he perceived chaotic divine thunder in one way.

Now, in Second Stage, he perceived chaotic divine thunder differently!

As if using a microscope, Xu Jingming saw finer details.

Each particle of chaotic divine thunder resembled a vast, mysterious starry sea.

“SSS-grade chaotic divine thunder... truly extraordinary...”

Su Qingli’s Jade Pure Thunder had not yet been retracted; Xu Jingming instantly saw the difference.

The energy form of chaotic divine thunder was far more advanced; Jade Pure Thunder was vastly inferior.

Using the simplest analogy: one particle of chaotic divine thunder could annihilate ten particles of Jade Pure Thunder.

This was the gap between ability tiers.

Previously, Xu Jingming hadn’t perceived this—now, with his domain at Second Stage, he could see it clearly.

As he sensed this, Su Qingli’s fair face appeared before him.

She looked left, then right, as if examining a rare treasure.

“Teacher, what are you looking at?” Xu Jingming asked instinctively.

“I’m wondering whether you’re even human.”

Su Qingli crossed her arms and whispered in awe: “At eighth rank mid-tier, you’ve already attained Second Stage Thunder Domain—how on earth did you cultivate this?”

“Geniuses can’t be judged by ordinary standards,” Xu Jingming grinned.

“You’re not humble at all.”

Su Qingli sniffed. “With your current strength, you could easily defeat Hu Jinyu.”

“About that.”

Xu Jingming smiled as he sensed his own state.

Thunder Domain greatly amplified his chaotic divine thunder.

With First Stage, his Thunderstorm Form doubled in power when the domain was active.

Now, with Second Stage, his Thunderstorm Form quadruples in power!

Defeating Hu Jinyu, an A-Class ninth rank mid-tier, would be effortless.

“S-Class! I’ve detected the Celestial Mandate Sect Divine Son’s communicator signal!”

Just as Xu Jingming was sensing it, Eva beside him suddenly exclaimed excitedly.