Chapter 957: Can You Even Compete?

"Xu Jingming? That Radiance-level one?"

Qiao Lin blinked, then realized, and hurriedly said:

"Quick! Synchronize your mental perception with us."

"Alright."

The ninth-rank youth nodded, and instantly a scene appeared in the other three's perceptions.

In the scene, a young man and a slender woman were flying rapidly in another direction.

The lead young man was tall and imposing, black lightning swirling around him.

It was unmistakably Xu Jingming—the one who had passed the trial and earned the Radiance-level certification!

"It really is him!" Qiao Lin's eyes lit up.

"Should we strike? There are only two of them over there," said the Law Saint youth, pondering.

"Of course. This guy dared refuse the Divine Sovereign's invitation—he must be taught a lesson."

Qiao Lin sneered, paused, then added:

"But we don't need to kill them—just take their space rings."

As a core member of the Firebrand Divine Temple, she had her own code of conduct.

Unless necessary, she wouldn't easily kill others.

Especially someone like Xu Jingming, a prodigy with limitless potential.

A good beating would suffice.

As for Xu Jingming retaliating after growing stronger, she didn't even consider it.

With Lord Airen here, no matter how talented Xu Jingming became, he could never surpass him.

"Understood."

Both youths nodded, but Xi Na hesitated before speaking:

"Xu Jingming was still eighth-rank lower when he earned his Radiance-level certification."

Now he's advanced to eighth-rank middle—his power must have increased dramatically."

Shouldn't we be more cautious? Let's observe longer before acting."

As an SS-rank psychic awakener,

Xi Na naturally had her own pride and confidence.

But the scene when Xu Jingming achieved Radiance-level certification right before her eyes had been too shocking.

It had left her with psychological shadows whenever she saw him now.

"Xi Na, when did you become so hesitant?"

Qiao Lin frowned; though petite, her temper was fierce:

"This man committed an insult against the Divine Sovereign—he must be punished.

If you're afraid of Xu Jingming and unwilling to act, leave now—we won't blame you."

"Who's afraid?"

As if struck a nerve, Xi Na nearly jumped, her aura flaring faintly:

"Let's go—I must make him pay for the humiliation he inflicted that day."

To be honest, she still worried about Xu Jingming's strength.

But we have two ninth-rank lower,

one eighth-rank peak SS-rank, plus myself—an eighth-rank middle SS-rank.

No matter how talented Xu Jingming is, we'll still take him down!

"Haha, now that's the Xi Na I know—let's go!"

With a tinkling laugh, Qiao Lin levitated into the air, becoming a silver streak that shot skyward, carrying Xi Na and the other two toward Xu Jingming.

"Someone's coming."

Far in the sky, Xu Jingming's rapid flight suddenly halted.

He turned his head to the right—four black dots were swiftly approaching.

"Two ninth-rank lower, one eighth-rank peak, one eighth-rank middle."

"Their ranks aren't high, but their psychic abilities are unusual."

Su Qingli's expression was solemn.

The two ninth-ranks felt ordinary—likely just S-rank psychics.

But the two eighth-ranks were different; under her mental perception, they resembled Xu Jingming's psychic state before his last evolution.

Meaning these two were likely SS-rank psychics.

"Two S-ranks, two SS-ranks—their abilities are truly unusual."

Xu Jingming grinned, lips curling slightly, "The key point is, Qiao Lin is among these four."

"Qiao Lin?"

Su Qingli paused, then realized, astonished: "The one you gathered intel on—possibly holding the Crimson Cloud Fruit?"

"Exactly her," Xu Jingming nodded. "I hadn't even gone looking for her, yet she came to me."

"Su Laoshi, it seems your bottleneck may finally be solvable."

Hearing this, Su Qingli's clear, beautiful eyes instantly filled with unprecedented excitement.

Since childhood, she had always been a child of destiny.

Her greatest dream was to become a ninth-rank peak Law Saint like her father.

Even to go further—to break through to the Supreme Rank!

However, the SSR-grade heavenly treasure had kept her stuck at the ninth-rank lower tier for four years, even making it impossible for her to break through in her lifetime!

On the surface, she seemed to have accepted her fate, but how could that possibly be true?

Any chance to shatter her bottleneck, she would never let slip away.

Swish—

The space ring glowed faintly, and a blood-red pill instantly appeared in her pale palm.

Grade-Nine Blood-Explosion Pill!

Taking it would double her strength!

But correspondingly, after the effect faded, she would suffer a three-month period of extreme weakness.

Yet if she could obtain the Crimson Cloud Fruit, all of this would be worth it.

"Jingming, I'm ready. Let's move." Su Qingli said with a serious expression.

"Grade-Nine Blood-Explosion Pill?"

Xu Jingming's expression turned stunned, then he shook his head with a wry smile:

"Teacher, no need for that. You and the Ironthread Lotus each take one ninth-rank; the two eighth-ranks are mine."

After killing Li Hao, he stayed in the Eighth Layer of the Breakthrough Tower for seven days.

Although the beasts became fewer and fewer afterward, he still gained 1,433,000 energy points.

Added to the 1,580,000 energy points he earned from killing Li Hao and the other two, his system panel now held 3,013,000 energy points!

Unfortunately, his level still couldn't be upgraded, but the Spirit Refinement Art and Body Forging Art could now be enhanced.

Still, he kept the energy points stored, hoping to create a Body Forging Art capable of absorbing the Blood Essence of the Magma Beast, and never used them.

Even so, dealing with Qiao Lin and Lady Xina—both eighth-ranks—was more than enough.

"I got too excited."

Hearing Xu Jingming's arrangement, Su Qingli snapped back to reality and returned the Blood-Explosion Pill to her space ring.

Indeed, Xu Jingming's current combat power was far beyond standard—he didn't need her to risk her life.

"It's fine. Stick to the plan we just made."

Xu Jingming smiled, silently reflecting inwardly.

Clearly, her unbreakable bottleneck had already taken a heavy toll on Su Laoshi.

"Xu Jingming! Hand over your space rings!"

At this moment, Qiao Lin and the others were less than a thousand meters away from Xu Jingming.

Qiao Lin's crisp, high-pitched cry echoed clearly from afar.

"Oh? And just by you?"

Xu Jingming raised his dark, sword-like brows; black thunder encircled his body, his towering frame resembling a demon god as he grinned with a villainous smirk:

"Hand over your space rings, and I'll spare your lives."