Chapter 182 – Visible Progress

Within the venue, a palpable tension accompanied by a startling Aura began to sweep through.

Su Ming and Li Jing stood facing each other—one appearing calm and unruffled, the other radiating an overwhelming Aura, intensifying the friction between them.

This scene made Li Mei, Li Su, and other younger generation members of the Li Family, as well as the scions of various Families present, swallow nervously and instinctively retreat in fear.

There was no helping it.

The confrontation between two Upper-Rank Professionals, even before any actual fighting broke out, was something these youngsters simply couldn’t withstand.

In contrast, the Upper-Rank Professionals themselves either watched with keen interest or observed coldly, not retreating a single step.

None of them stepped forward to intervene.

Because they, too, were curious about the strength of that mysterious individual from the Yun Family Estate.

Moreover, as core figures of their respective Family factions, rashly involving themselves in the affairs of the Xu Family and Li Family would likely bring them no benefit.

Since this matter had nothing to do with them, they were content to watch from the sidelines, as long as they protected their own younger generation.

Under these circumstances, the standoff between Su Ming and Li Jing not only went unchecked but grew increasingly intense.

Xu Qianqian, for her part, wanted to intervene.

After all, this was still the Xu Family’s territory, and as the Young Miss of the Xu Family, she was essentially the host of this gathering.

As the host, it was her duty to prevent conflicts among the guests.

But Xu Qianqian also knew that Su Ming was standing up for her.

And so…

“Be careful,” Xu Qianqian said to Su Ming. “He is one of the elders of the Li Family—the younger brother of the previous Family Head and the uncle of the current one. He became a Four-Star Hunter twenty years ago, reaching a superhuman realm. Though he rarely takes action these days, his strength is undoubtedly formidable.”

Xu Qianqian conveyed Li Jing’s information as briefly as possible, ensuring Su Ming was aware.

As for Li Mei and Li Su, Xu Qianqian paid them no mind.

Those two were the biological children of the current Li Family Head, direct descendants of the Li Family, and shared blood ties with Li Jing. However, judging by their unreasonable and arrogant behavior, it was clear they were notorious good-for-nothings in the industry, utterly worthless.

Otherwise, why would the leader of the Li Family’s new generation be Li Wei, who came from a collateral branch?

It was precisely because the direct lineage of this generation was incompetent and lacked promise.

Thus, the Li Family had invested considerable effort in Li Wei, hoping he would become the leading figure of the new generation and prevent a talent gap in the future. Li Wei’s desire to win Xu Qianqian was also to refine the Bloodline of his descendants, elevate his status within the Family despite his collateral origins, surpass the spoiled direct descendants, and even secure the succession rights to the Li Family Head.

Unfortunately, due to the vicious internal strife within the Xu Family, Li Wei met his end before achieving his goals. Enraged by the loss of the family member they had pinned their hopes on, the Li Family had been causing trouble for Xu Qianqian ever since.

Of course, the reason Li Mei and Li Su targeted Xu Qianqian was entirely due to their personal grievances.

While Li Wei was indeed the Li Family’s great hope, for these disappointing scions of the direct line, that was anything but a cause for celebration.In the eyes of Li Mei and Li Su, these two siblings, Li Wei was merely a collateral relative yet dared to act recklessly above his station. It would be strange if they didn’t despise him to the core—how could they possibly seek justice on his behalf?

Their desire to cause trouble for Xu Qianqian stemmed partly from a woman’s jealousy and a man’s lustful intentions, and partly from the Family’s permissiveness.

Otherwise, why would Li Jing, their elder, not step in to stop them but instead stand by watching the drama unfold?

It was a deliberate attempt to bring up old grievances, hoping to force the Xu Family to provide an explanation.

Unfortunately, Li Jing hadn’t anticipated that an external reinforcement sent by the Yun Family Estate would be so protective of Xu Qianqian.

They were unaware of the underlying intricacies, unlike Xu Yongfeng, who might suspect that Su Ming had sought help from Yun Langyue for Xu Qianqian’s sake. They didn’t even know of Su Ming’s existence.

Thus, in the eyes of Li Jing and some observant individuals, this appeared to be clear evidence that Xu Yongfeng and Yun Langyue had already established a cooperative foundation.

Li Jing’s furious intervention was not only driven by a genuine sense of humiliation and a desire to reclaim face but also to further probe the Yun Family’s reaction, testing whether it was worthwhile to continue opposing the Xu Family.

As for whether this would give the impression of bullying the weak… who knew how old this so-called “Ming Wang” actually was?

What if he was a middle-aged or elderly person pretending to be young?

In any case, no one would ever guess that a powerhouse capable of confronting an Upper-Rank Professional could still be a second-year student at the Academy.

Though the story is long, in short, due to these convoluted circumstances, Su Ming and Li Jing found themselves completely at odds.

Moreover, Su Ming rarely had the chance to indulge himself, and having made significant progress recently, he was eager to test his current strength. Thus, while their conflict seemed to stem from mere verbal sparring, their resolve to act was far firmer than others imagined.

And so, under the gaze of everyone present, the clash between two Upper-Rank Professionals erupted.

“Boom—!”

As a thunderous roar echoed through the venue and a shockwave swept out like a typhoon, both Su Ming and Li Jing vanished from their original positions, closing the negligible distance between them in an instant. One swung a fist carrying the force of a thunderbolt, while the other thrust out a claw swift as lightning, colliding with each other.

Long tables, chairs, food, wine, and more within the venue were sent flying by the sudden, astonishing commotion.

The Upper-Rank Professionals, having prepared in advance, swiftly grabbed their juniors and retreated explosively, instantly putting distance between themselves and the epicenter of the impact.

Xu Qianqian, seemingly well-prepared to handle the aftermath of the battle, leaped high into the air the moment the conflict began. Like the surrounding Upper-Rank Professionals, she vaulted out of the venue and onto the surrounding rooftop of the open-air area.

Only the Li Family’s good-for-nothing youths, lacking elder supervision and the foresight to retreat in time, were swept away like trash, their screams fading into the distance as they vanished without a trace.

Su Ming and Li Jing collided with each other, instantly displaying astonishing power.

Especially Su Ming, facing an Upper-Rank Professional and a veteran Four-Star Hunter, he didn’t dare to underestimate his opponent. He immediately unleashed his right hand, which possessed ten times the strength of his left, directing a terrifying force like an erupting mountain torrent straight at Li Jing.”What?”

Li Jing’s expression shifted slightly.

He felt an astonishing force, and the claw strike that had collided with Su Ming’s right hand twisted and deformed under this power, causing his curled fingers to creak and groan as if the bones might fracture at any moment.

This immediately made the cunning old Li Jing understand.

“In terms of pure strength, he surpasses me.”

This was as obvious as it could possibly be.

Su Ming also realized this.

“It seems my strength is greater than his.”

The tenfold power of his right hand was indeed overwhelmingly dominant.

Initially, Su Ming had been somewhat concerned. After all, his Physique was only at the Three-Star level, even if it had nearly reached the peak of Three-Star, it still fell within the realm of a mortal body. Compared to an Upper-Rank Hunter who had already approached a superhuman Realm, the gap might be too significant.

But now, it appeared that the tenfold strength of his right hand had erased what others would consider an insurmountable disparity.

Understanding this, Su Ming immediately pressed his advantage without mercy.

“Boom!”

Suddenly, Li Jing was sent flying as if struck by a truck, blasted away by Su Ming’s punch.

“Bang!” “Bang!” “Bang!” “Bang!” “Bang!”…

The old man’s figure transformed into a cannonball in that instant, hurtling backward with a sonic boom, shattering one pillar after another in the venue and causing the entire hall to tremble.

“Crash!”

Su Ming gave chase, shattering the ground beneath his feet as he shot forward like a bullet, pursuing Li Jing.

However, before Su Ming could cover much distance, a figure abruptly materialized behind him.

“……!?”

Su Ming’s exceptional Spirit Sense, born of his keen spiritual nature, detected it instantly.

But before Su Ming could react, the old man’s cold laugh reached his ears first.

“Your strength is impressive, but your speed is far too slow.”

As the words fell, a tremendous impact erupted against Su Ming’s side.

Li Jing spun and delivered a powerful kick, slamming heavily into Su Ming’s flank and sending him flying.

“Boom!”

Su Ming’s body crashed into the ground, pulverizing the floor.

Dust rose like a mushroom cloud, nearly engulfing the entire venue.

Li Jing descended into the dust in a freefall, vanishing from everyone’s sight.

The next second, another deafening roar erupted, scattering the dust completely.

Shockwaves burst forth one after another like impacts.

The ground shook as if mountains were trembling, growing increasingly violent.

The two figures had somehow clashed once again, locked in fierce combat.

In an instant, endless fist shadows and claw lights resembling storms continuously emerged across the arena, sweeping overwhelmingly toward each other while colliding at an astonishing frequency.

“Boom boom boom boom boom—!”

The intense clashes echoed like firecrackers, unceasing.

Su Ming stood his ground, throwing punches, while Li Jing moved fluidly, slashing with his claws—fist shadows like wind, claw lights like sabers, an unbroken chain of collisions.

It was a dazzling battle.

The Upper-Rank Professionals present watched with rapt attention, shielding the younger generations beside them who had yet to process the scene, their faces still etched with shock, their gazes firmly locked on the two combatants.Especially Gao Xu and Duan Xiaofei, who had been closely watching Su Ming. As they observed Su Ming standing in place, continuously throwing punches that created an unending stream of Qi explosions and sonic booms, with afterimages of fists and gusts of wind swirling around him, a glint of sharp insight flashed in both their eyes.

“Just as Gao Xu said, that kid really does have some issues,” Duan Xiaofei remarked.

With his exceptional eyesight and observational skills, Duan Xiaofei had identified the peculiarities in Su Ming.

“His strength is completely on par with veteran Four-Star Hunters, perhaps even surpassing them, yet in all other aspects, he can’t compare to an Upper-Rank Hunter at all. It’s as if he’s a Three-Star Hunter capable of unleashing power beyond his limits.”

“But he can keep up with the speed of an Upper-Rank Hunter and react accordingly, just as Gao Xu said—possessing some inexplicable, extraordinary perception.”

“What exactly is that? An ability from a mutated trait?”

“However, extraordinary strength and extraordinary perception are already two distinct abilities. Even with mutation, it shouldn’t be possible to develop two such powerful abilities at once, right?”

“Truly strange, and truly fascinating.”

As Duan Xiaofei continued his analysis, the corners of his mouth gradually curled into a smile of interest.

In contrast, Gao Xu, watching Su Ming stand as steady as a mountain, continuously throwing punches to repel the circling Li Jing and preventing him from getting close, furrowed his brows deeply.

“He… seems to have gotten stronger…?”

As someone who had fought Su Ming once before, Gao Xu had keenly noticed this.

Although Su Ming’s Physique remained at the level of a Three-Star Hunter, still within the Mortal range, he had indeed grown stronger since their last encounter—significantly so.

Back then, Su Ming had relied on his extraordinary right arm and perception to hold his own against Gao Xu, but Gao Xu had undoubtedly held the absolute upper hand.

Especially after Demonization, Su Ming had been completely outmatched by Gao Xu, nearly crushed with ease.

While his mutated right arm granted Su Ming the strength to contend with Four-Star Hunters, bridging the physical gap between them, as an Upper-Rank Hunter, once Gao Xu underwent Demonization and his power surged severalfold or even dozens of times, such strength was beyond what a single mutation could counter.

If not for Su Ming’s 【Silver Arm】 ability, which allowed him to unleash a cataclysmic, nuclear-like attack that nearly incapacitated Gao Xu in an instant, Gao Xu would never have been forced back. That incident had forged Su Ming’s reputation, becoming the stepping stone to his fame.

It was the mutated power derived from the Nightmare Species Bloodline, capable of overturning disparities in strength.

The Bloodline of the Nightmare Species was inherently rare and powerful, almost impossible to find in the world. For Su Ming to acquire such a high-level Bloodline and undergo mutation simultaneously—such mutated power was truly earth-shattering.

But now, even without using that cataclysmic attack, Su Ming could already hold his own against Li Jing, who was going all out. Even though Li Jing hadn’t undergone Demonization, Su Ming’s progress was undeniable.

Others might not see it, but Gao Xu could clearly perceive it, understanding it all too well.

Gao Xu even faintly discerned that Su Ming’s body had reached its limits, touching the constraints of human potential.

The next step would be to break through these constraints, achieve a state beyond humanity, and fully enter the Domain of the Upper-Rank Professional.

“This guy…”Gao Xu’s gaze toward Su Ming turned icy and filled with Killing Intent.

He sensed an increasingly grave threat emanating from Su Ming.

Su Ming, however, had no inkling of Gao Xu’s thoughts, nor did he know how much the onlookers had discerned.

All he knew was that he was throwing punches with his entire being, wholeheartedly unleashing his power.

His blood was boiling.

His body was burning hot.

An overwhelming sense of catharsis made Su Ming’s punches faster and faster, his mood exceptionally exhilarated.

So much so that, at this very moment, Su Ming remained completely unaware that he had unknowingly activated his Vision Mark, causing eerie patterns to emerge across his face beneath the mask.

(End of Chapter)