Chapter 968: Mutual Cultivation! Spatial Turbulence Layer!

"Correct."

Su Qingli’s expression was excited, “Though brief, there’s no mistake—that was my father’s aura!”

After taking a deep breath, she fixed her gaze and said, “Jingming, I want to go in and take a look.”

Four years!

It's been exactly four years!

She had finally sensed her father’s presence again!

Even if it was the dangerous Spatial Turbulence Layer, she had to go see for herself.

As for Xu Jingming, there was no need for him to risk it with her.

Just as she was about to tell Xu Jingming to go ahead, he spoke up:

“Alright, I’ll go with you, Teacher.”

Su Qingli paused, instinctively wanting to refuse—but met Xu Jingming’s gaze.

His eyes were as clear as deep pools, utterly free of any distraction, as if nothing could shake him.

This warmth stirred in Su Qingli’s heart, and she softly said:

“Jingming, taking you as my student was the best decision I’ve ever made.”

She spoke the truth.

Without Xu Jingming, she could never have broken through her bottleneck, nor found any trace of her father.

“It’s you who has shaped me,” Xu Jingming smiled humbly.

Thanks to the system, his strength had grown rapidly.

But without Su Qingli, simply seeking out high-level Lightning-based combat arts would have cost him immense time.

“Is that so? I feel like it’s more like you’ve shaped me.”

Su Qingli blinked, and for the first time, her usually cold demeanor carried a hint of playfulness.

“Mutual cultivation,” Xu Jingming grinned.

“Ah! What a magnificent teacher-student bond!”

“Don’t worry, I’ve recorded this moment.”

“Also, Teacher Su, you might want to consider my earlier suggestion again.”

The little girl Eva chuckled teasingly, instantly making Su Qingli’s fair cheeks flush slightly.

“What suggestion?”

Xu Jingming raised an eyebrow—he sensed Eva was hiding something.

“Nothing, nothing! I’ll get back to studying the laser gun.”

Eva nervously shook her head and dissolved into a streak of light, flowing into the laser gun.

At that moment, the waiting Xiao Dao Yi respectfully spoke:

“The location has been delivered. Is there anything else, Master?”

“Nothing. You can die now.”

Xu Jingming was never a merciful man; he wouldn’t spare someone just because he’d planted the Slave Heart Seal.

A flash of black lightning obliterated him into dust.

A seventh-rank Master was useless to him.

“He could’ve been useful—let him scout ahead,” Su Qingli said, slightly regretful.

“You actually thought of that?” Xu Jingming was surprised.

He’d assumed Su Qingli, though cold, was fundamentally kind-hearted.

“If they’re enemies, they’re waste to be used,” Su Qingli gently brushed a strand of hair aside.

“I forgot—you’ve always been ruthless toward enemies.”

Xu Jingming smiled. “I thought of that too—but we have better alternatives. We don’t need this Sakura man.”

Shh—

A faint glow from his space ring summoned a Golden Guardian into existence.

“As long as its core isn’t damaged and energy remains, the Golden Guardian is virtually indestructible.”

“And it’s equipped with countless sensors—perfect for scouting.”

Xu Jingming activated the Golden Guardian’s power and ordered, “Eva, send out a sub-entity to control it and scout ahead.”

“Got it!”

A virtual beam shot into the Golden Guardian.

Its dull eyes instantly glowed crimson; under Eva’s control, it became a silver phantom, dashing into the black vortex at the pit’s bottom.

Eva waved her small hand, and a holographic projection appeared before Xu Jingming and Su Qingli.

It was the real-time feed from the Golden Guardian.

Zzzzzz~~~

The image flickered under interference, but the surroundings were still discernible.

It was a vast, dim space—mostly empty, with scattered fragments of machinery visible.

“We’ve entered the Spatial Turbulence Layer!”

“According to the sub-entity’s data, this space has no gravity, no oxygen.”

“But there is Yuan energy and various elemental particles—no other dangers detected yet.”

Eva reported swiftly.

“Looks like this breach leads to a relatively stable part of the Spatial Turbulence Layer—not especially dangerous.”

Xu Jingming and Su Qingli both exhaled in relief.

The greatest danger in the Spatial Turbulence Layer was spatial rifts.

These rifts drifted randomly; minor ones were manageable.

But larger rifts carried the power of a ninth-rank Wind Law Saint’s S-rank technique: “Dimensional Blade!”

If too many rifts were present, entering meant certain death.

Lack of oxygen was a minor issue.

With their physical constitutions, they could survive without it.

“Now we just need to see if we can return safely.”

Xu Jingming stared at the holographic projection.

When the Golden Guardian gathered enough data, it leapt into a nearby black vortex.

Correct—the Spatial Turbulence Layer had its own breach.

But that breach connected to this side of the Void-Piercing Tower.

Shh—

The Golden Guardian returned safely, its body bearing minor scratches but no serious damage.

“Since it returned successfully, we’re ready to go in too.”

“Eva, control four Golden Guardians to guard this breach.”

“Teacher Su, I’m giving you the Iron Vine Lotus.”

With his current physical strength, Xu Jingming no longer needed the Iron Vine Lotus’s protection, so he handed it directly to Su Qingli.

After Eva split off sub-entities to control four Golden Guardians standing guard, Xu Jingming and Su Qingli leapt into the vortex of the spatial breach.

A blur before their eyes.

When they regained clarity, they were inside the Spatial Turbulence Layer.

Crackling—

Black lightning roared, forming a lightning barrier around Xu Jingming; Su Qingli was similarly shielded.

This effectively blocked most damage from spatial rifts.

“My father’s aura—it’s to the right!”

Su Qingli’s eyes brightened, whispering softly.

“Eva, leave four Golden Guardians guarding the breach, and send four more ahead as scouts.”

“Understood!”

Xu Jingming swiftly organized them; the two followed behind the Golden Guardians, flying rightward.

The Golden Guardians flew slowly—less than two hundred meters per second.

But for safety, it was best to let them lead.

After all, this was an unknown Spatial Turbulence Layer—no one knew what lurked within.