Chapter 126: A Strange Opponent

Dong Ningxue continued: "The reason the Dragon Imperial New Star election was moved up is because our Huaguo's few usually inactive SS-level Caves have recently started showing frequent abnormalities; experts analyze that they are very likely to evolve into SSS-level!"

"If it's really as the experts say, then Huaguo's fate will no longer be in our own hands!"

Dong Ningxue's tone grew heavy; if that day ever comes, for Huaguo to exterminate the aberrant beasts, we must ask strongers from other nations for help, so...

This will thoroughly expose the hidden danger of Huaguo's Dragon Imperial having no successors!

When the time comes, internal and external troubles will converge and erupt; it will definitely be no small disaster.

"So the higher-ups panicked, wanting to quickly cultivate a batch of new forces?"

Lu Jing understood in his heart; although the experts' words are often unreliable most of the time, he still couldn't disregard them.

"Right, do you have confidence?"

Dong Ningxue looked at Lu Jing's handsome side profile, full of anticipation, and asked.

Lu Jing turned his head, expression serious: "If you mean becoming Dragon Imperial, I don't have much confidence, but if it's about competing for the title of New Star, I'm still quite sure."

Hearing Lu Jing's ambiguous answer, Dong Ningxue felt a bit disappointed: "Just having confidence? This year is our East River Province's most hopeful year."

Immediately after, Lu Jing laughed and shook his head: "What I meant by having confidence is being absolutely certain! After all, I haven't even seen my opponent yet, so I should give others some respect."

Dong Ningxue blinked, then a smile appeared on her face: "I told you so, someone as arrogant as you, how can you be so humble?"

"I've always been humble, okay? Do you misunderstand me?"

"Alright, next I'll introduce you to your opponents this time," Dong Ningxue pulled out a document from behind her bag, "I have to say, the quality of this Dragon Imperial New Star cohort is truly high!"

"First is Jian Ying, called the 'Shadow King'; his talent is very special, a mutant psychic talent!"

"Mutant psychic? Can talent even mutate?"

Lu Jing was somewhat surprised.

"Ordinary psychic talent users employ a psychic domain to scout opponents' weaknesses while controlling objects to attack, but Jian Ying's psychic power lacks the domain function."

"His psychic power is inherently a thick black shadow; although its purity isn't high, it can perform solid attacks like a shadow clone!"

"Psychic power purity isn't high, but it can be turned into substance......"

Lu Jing rubbed his chin with his right hand: "That's indeed impressive, but this loses the essence of the psychic system."

"Moreover," Dong Ningxue added, "he can also condense his psychic power into shadows and merge them into his own body to enhance his Blood Qi and strength, supposedly doubling it!"

"???"

Lu Jing's face was full of question marks; this method of using psychic power to boost Blood Qi seems similar to the newly synthesized Contemplation Method!

"Could it be that the author of the Eternal Star Chronicle Contemplation Method, the Void Manifest Sect, drew inspiration from this mutant talent?"

Meanwhile.

In the skies over the Capital, a military helicopter took off.

Inside the cabin sat a pallid-faced teenager, idly playing a mobile game.

"What a crappy plane, why is there still no signal!"

The teenager mashed the buttons wildly; his face flushed with anger, and a faint Black Aura appeared.

Beside him sat a white-haired woman, her brow faintly lined, looking about thirty years old.

The white-haired woman said: "Jian Ying, although there currently aren't any noteworthy opponents, don't let your guard down too much; those who can take first place in the provincial rankings are no pushovers."

"Hmm, don't worry, Teacher, I know."

Jian Ying said he understood, but the corner of his mouth curled into an arrogant arc, and a flash of contempt flickered in his eyes.

Along the winding mountain road at the border, a military jeep roared past, kicking up a sky-full of fallen leaves.

Fan Kong, wearing yellow monk's robes, sat cross-legged in the rear seat; no matter how the jeep shook, his figure remained immovable.

What the master said is right; merely abstaining from meat and chanting Buddha can't completely cleanse my sins; rather than withdrawing from the world, it's better to enter it and save people.

Fan Kong murmured to himself, the prayer beads in his hand turning rhythmically.

Just how many people must I save to wash away the bloodstain on my hands......

The next moment, his eyes opened, and a bloodthirsty red gleam flashed in their depths.

Besides Jian Ying, are there any other formidable opponents?

Lu Jing asked curiously.

Jian Ying's ability sparked his interest.

"There are many; I'm just picking the most special ones to introduce to you, for example Fan Kong......"

Upon seeing Fan Kong's file, Dong Ningxue couldn't help but a pained expression appear on her face.

"Fan Kong's strength is not inferior to Jian Ying's; in some respects, perhaps even stronger."

"His talent is a rare beastification atavistic type; after beastification, he gains terrifying bodily enhancement!"

"The data doesn't specify the exact numbers after Fan Kong's beastification, but at the very least it can triple his strength."

"However, this talent has a fatal flaw: after beastification, he loses rationality, friend and foe indistinguishable, becoming addicted to slaughter."

"When Fan Kong was three, still a child, his talent first awakened; that night he slaughtered over two hundred villagers."

"But back then the village had no surveillance; everyone thought he was a survivor of that disaster."

"After that, Fan Kong became an orphan, eventually adopted by an orphanage; one can imagine...... dozens more lives."

"That's just too tragic......"

Lu Jing let out a sigh, having personally killed his dearest kin, and done it twice—'What happened after that?'

"Afterward, the military checked the orphanage's surveillance, the truth came to light; Fan Kong was sent to a special department, imprisoned for several years, then went to a temple to become a monk, eating vegetarian and chanting Buddha daily."

"A bit off-topic, but I heard he can now barely maintain his sanity after beastification, so the military has reactivated him as a backup seed for Dragon Imperial."

Dong Ningxue shook her head, putting the file back into her bag: "I'm telling you this so you know how fierce this competition is; geniuses like Feng Xinglan are just ordinary people before these folks."

"I understand, Instructor Dong; I'll give it my all."

Lu Jing said seriously.

Dong Ningxue finally showed a satisfied expression, "You can rest for a while; at the earliest you'll arrive tomorrow morning."

No one knew how much time had passed.

The soldier in charge of driving up front suddenly said, "We've arrived; prepare to land immediately; please get ready!"

From night to dawn, at the helicopter's full-speed flight, they finally reached the destination at the moment the first rays of dawn fell.