Xu Jingming was completely unaware of the massive commotion unfolding online.
After receiving a series of congratulatory calls from his aunt, the headmaster, and Director Zhang Wenshan, he headed straight to the Lightning Dojo.
Although he now possessed the System, he could not afford to neglect his regular foundational training.
Inside the training hall—
The Black Radiance Spear, already on the verge of falling apart, transformed into a blur of black shadows as he swung it repeatedly.
The air was pierced by sharp whistling sounds caused by the sheer speed of his movements.
Despite weighing 50 kilograms, the spear seemed to impose absolutely no burden on him.
Every motion was precise.
Every strike was controlled.
Every stance was flawless.
Ring—Ring—Ring~~~
The sudden ringing of his phone interrupted Xu Jingming's training.
He frowned slightly, withdrew the spear, and picked up his mobile device.
The caller ID displayed:
Zhao Yao — Headmaster of Jiangcheng No. 2 High School
"Didn't the headmaster just call earlier? Why is he calling again?"
As the Provincial Top Scorer, Xu Jingming was destined to become a widely recognized figure.
However, he personally disliked unnecessary disturbances—especially during training.
He had already enabled a whitelist-only contact setting on his phone.
Yet even so, the headmaster had called multiple times in rapid succession.
Still—
Xu Jingming knew Zhao Yao's personality well.
If it were not something urgent, he would never repeatedly call like this.
Without hesitation, he answered the call.
Sure enough—
The moment the connection was established, Zhao Yao's excited voice rang out:
"Xu Jingming! Come to the school immediately—the admissions officers from the three top universities have arrived!"
"The admissions officers are already here?"
Xu Jingming was slightly surprised.
Among the Three Elite Ability Universities:
Qingjing Ability University was located in the northern region of the Great Xia Nation
Jincheng Ability University was situated in the central region
Magic City Ability University was located in the southern region
All of them were quite far from Jiangnan Province.
According to Xu Jingming's earlier estimates, the earliest arrival should have been tomorrow.
"Don't think too much about it! Where are you right now? I'll arrange a private vehicle to pick you up immediately."
"I'm at Lightning Dojo."
"Alright, wait there—the car will arrive shortly!"
---
At Jiangcheng No. 2 High School
Elsewhere—
Inside Jiangcheng No. 2 High School, Headmaster Zhao Yao had been conducting an interview.
However, the moment he received news that admissions officers from the three elite universities had arrived simultaneously—
He was stunned.
After briefly freezing in shock, he immediately ended the interview and called Xu Jingming without delay.
He personally escorted the three admissions officers into the VIP Reception Room, serving each of them a cup of freshly brewed hot tea.
"Please have a seat for a moment, everyone. Xu Jingming should arrive in about ten minutes."
As a Second-Rank Ability User and headmaster of Jiangcheng No. 2 High School, Zhao Yao was considered a highly respected figure within Jiangcheng.
Yet now—
He behaved with extreme caution.
His posture was humble.
His tone respectful.
Because he knew—
These three individuals before him were figures he absolutely could not afford to offend.
Even the faint aura naturally radiating from them—
Sent chills down his spine.
"It's alright, Headmaster Zhao. You may attend to your duties. We'll simply wait here."
Zhang Chaoyang, Director of Admissions at Magic City Ability University, waved his hand gently with a calm smile.
After Zhao Yao withdrew from the room, Zhang Chaoyang turned toward the other two and spoke with a faint smile:
"It's been quite some time since the three of us gathered together like this, hasn't it?"
Inside the room, aside from him, sat two others:
A man.
And a woman.
The woman—
Su Yun, Director of Admissions from Qingjing Ability University.
She possessed a graceful figure and striking features, exuding both charm and confidence.
The man—
Wu Yuan, Director of Admissions from Jincheng Ability University.
A middle-aged man dressed in a grey robe, with long hair tied behind his back.
Like Zhang Chaoyang, both of them held positions as Directors of Admissions at their respective universities.
Years ago—
Before rising to their current positions—
They had frequently encountered each other during nationwide special recruitment events.
But after becoming directors, such opportunities became rare.
Now—
Because of Xu Jingming—
The three of them had gathered once again.
A rare occurrence indeed.
---
Recruitment Tension Begins
"Professor Zhang, let's skip the pleasantries."
Su Yun spoke first, her tone direct and decisive.
"We all know exactly why we're here."
She leaned slightly forward.
"Let me make this clear from the start—Xu Jingming belongs to Qingjing Ability University."
Her personality was as bold as her appearance.
She had no interest in wasting time.
"Hmph! You think you can claim him that easily?"
Wu Yuan snorted coldly.
"If you're claiming him, then Jincheng Ability University claims him as well!"
Seeing the tension rise so quickly, Zhang Chaoyang rubbed his temples helplessly.
Every year—
During the University League Competitions, the three elite institutions competed fiercely for dominance.
Because of this rivalry, they always sought to recruit the strongest possible students.
Especially when it came to provincial top scorers—
Competition was fierce.
Arguments were common.
Occasionally—
Physical clashes even occurred.
Zhang Chaoyang personally had no issue competing through strength if necessary.
However—
This particular situation was somewhat different.
He cleared his throat before speaking:
"Both of you came here today… not merely because Xu Jingming is the Provincial Top Scorer."
A brief pause.
"But because of his ability."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"A power that is highly likely to be S-Rank, correct?"
"You don't say."
Su Yun rolled her eyes lightly.
The moment she saw Zhang Chaoyang and Wu Yuan present—
She already understood.
They had all come for the same reason.
Xu Jingming's Lightning-type ability.
A power highly suspected to be S-Rank level.
"In that case…"
Zhang Chaoyang continued calmly,
"Once Xu Jingming arrives, let's first determine the exact rank of his ability."
Su Yun and Wu Yuan exchanged brief glances.
Then nodded simultaneously.
"Agreed."
"Let's confirm the ability rank first—then proceed with recruitment discussions."
With that—
The VIP reception room fell silent.
---
Xu Jingming Arrives
Not long afterward—
Swish—
The sliding doors of the reception room opened.
A tall figure stepped inside under the guidance of Headmaster Zhao Yao.
A long spear rested across his back.
This figure—
Was Xu Jingming.
The moment he entered—
Three pairs of eyes locked onto him instantly.
Having come directly from the Lightning Dojo, Xu Jingming still wore loose-fitting training clothes.
On his back rested the battered Black Radiance Spear.
Compared to Zhao Yao, who stood neatly dressed in a formal suit—
Xu Jingming's appearance appeared rather plain.
Yet—
His posture remained upright.
His gaze steady.
His presence calm and composed.
A faint but undeniable aura of confidence radiated from his clear, sharp eyes.
Standing beside him—
Zhao Yao, despite his formal attire, appeared noticeably tense under the pressure of the three elite admissions officers.
In contrast—
Xu Jingming remained completely unaffected.
"Impressive."
Su Yun nodded slightly in approval.
After the Martial Arts College Entrance Exam, most students would relax completely—
Indulging in celebrations and releasing the stress accumulated over three years of study.
Training would be the last thing on their minds.
Yet Xu Jingming—
Had clearly just finished a training session.
That alone set him apart from the vast majority of candidates.
More importantly—
All three admissions officers were Fifth-Rank Spirit-Type Ability Users.
Although they had not deliberately released their aura—
A faint, natural pressure still lingered around them.
Ordinary Ability Users would find it difficult to endure.
This was clearly demonstrated by Zhao Yao's uneasy demeanor.
Yet Xu Jingming—
Showed absolutely no reaction.
No tension.
No hesitation.
Only calm.
Unshakable composure.
As fellow Fifth-Rank Ability Users, if Su Yun could perceive this clearly—
Then naturally, Zhang Chaoyang and Wu Yuan noticed it as well.
Thus—
From the very first meeting—
Xu Jingming had already left an exceptionally favorable impression on all three elite admissions officers.