Chapter 365: Xue Jing, Coveted by Major Urban Circles, and an Unexpected Visitor

Chapter 365: Xue Jing, Coveted by Major Urban Circles, and an Unexpected Visitor

After a long absence, Xue Jing stepped out of the Extreme Martial Ascension Palace, and the orange hue of the SC force field no longer dominated his vision. Instead, he was greeted by a vibrant world under the bright sun, leaving him slightly dazed.

Although he had only spent a few days inside, the relentless cycle of battles, rebirth, and growth had created a highly structured and repetitive routine. Now, breaking free from it, he felt as if he had just been released from prison.

This trip to the Extreme Martial Ascension Palace had been immensely rewarding.

Through the power of the "Baptism" and "Rebirth" skills, combined with the Sen Luo Wan Xiang Liu, he had undergone a complete transformation.

His martial prowess had more than doubled.

Since obtaining the skill panel, these were the days he had progressed the fastest.

Already possessing an invincibility cheat, he had now added an acceleration cheat on top of it.

Although he wanted to continue, the first-floor master, Ye Honghui, had set the challenge for three days later, so Xue Jing had no choice but to wait.

He searched through the forty-six thousandth floor and even lower levels, hoping to find someone willing to engage in a friendly match... But his recent overwhelming performance, where he defeated opponents with a single move, had made him too famous. Everyone recognized him, and no one dared to challenge him, fearing humiliation.

Everyone politely declined his invitations with awkward smiles.

Xue Jing couldn't force anyone to spar with him under everyone's watchful eyes, so he left the Extreme Martial Ascension Palace to rest for a few days.

"If I had known, I wouldn't have shown off so much. I should have pretended to be weaker, winning each match by a narrow margin. Then, I wouldn't have struggled to find opponents for friendly matches."

Xue Jing stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"I still lack maturity and composure."

Shaking his head, he reached out and fished his phone from the void in front of him, retrieving it from an invisible gap.

As soon as he took it out, the phone resumed operation from its 'non-existent state,' receiving signals and immediately displaying numerous message notifications.

There were over three hundred missed calls, and when Xue Jing checked his contacts, he found that most were from an unknown number, with only a few from his class teacher, Du Shiwen. There were nearly two hundred calls from Du Shiwen alone, more persistent than debt collectors.

Xue Jing hesitated for a moment before pressing the callback button.

The call connected instantly, without even a single ring, as if the person on the other end had been eagerly waiting with the phone in hand, ready to answer at the first sign of an incoming call.

"Hello! Is this Xiao Jing?" Du Shiwen's anxious voice came through the receiver.

Xue Jing casually replied, "Teacher Du, what's the matter?"

Du Shiwen seemed to relax, saying, "I finally got a hold of you... It's like this..."

Xue Jing listened as Du Shiwen explained the situation.

The specifics were a bit complicated...

In summary, the news of him leading thirty examinees to achieve top-tier results had spread.

The issue stemmed from the fact that, by custom, young geniuses invited to serve as martial arts examiners would first be registered as visiting lecturers at a key university to obtain a teaching position.

However, Xue Jing's situation was unique.

Due to a well-known but unspoken reason, Xue Jing, who was supposed to be an examiner in the Fifth Urban Circle, had been reassigned to the Seventh Urban Circle.

The Fifth Urban Circle's education authorities, unfamiliar with such a situation, were unsure whether to register Xue Jing's visiting lecturer status at a university in the Seventh Urban Circle. Instead of making a decision, they opted to consult with the Seventh Urban Circle's authorities.

Due to the high level of isolation between the urban circles and various other factors, administrative efficiency was extremely low. By the time Xue Jing had finished his duties as an examiner, this issue remained unresolved.

Then, news of the exceptional results of the examinees led by Xue Jing spread.

This was possibly the best-performing class in history, causing many to marvel at Xue Jing's teaching abilities. Combined with online testimonials from some of the students involved, who praised Xue Jing to the skies, his popularity soared. Recently, some had even started using playful titles like 'Saint Teacher' for him.

This popularity caught the attention of the authorities in both the Fifth and Seventh Urban Circles, who recognized Xue Jing as a top-tier talent.

Key inner-circle universities also realized that Xue Jing's reputation could enhance their schools' prestige and appeal.

Initially, the Fifth and Seventh Urban Circles had planned to negotiate where to place Xue Jing's lecturer position. However, their attitudes changed abruptly.

The Fifth Urban Circle argued that Xue Jing, being a local, should have served as an examiner in their circle, leading local students. Lending him to the Seventh Urban Circle was already a significant favor, and his lecturer position should ultimately be at a university in his hometown.

The Seventh Urban Circle had a different perspective. Following tradition, where one teaches is where one should be employed. Regardless of Xue Jing's origins, they questioned where he had accomplished his achievements.

Both sides began searching for reasons to claim Xue Jing's reputation for themselves, leading to escalating tensions.

The Seventh Urban Circle initially held the upper hand, as Xue Jing's achievements were in martial arts, an area where they excelled compared to the Fifth Urban Circle. They implied and outright stated that the Fifth Urban Circle was unworthy of such a genius, subjecting them to regional discrimination and humiliation.

However, the situation took a dramatic turn yesterday.

A formidable figure unexpectedly joined the battlefield.

The First Urban Circle, Jing City University, directly invited Xue Jing openly, hoping he would come to the First Urban Circle and become a special martial arts lecturer at Jing University.

The situation began to get complicated.

"Is that all?"

Xue Jing's tone remained unchanged as he asked Du Shiwei on the other end of the phone.

"..." Xue Jing, you have great abilities, but you're also so carefree. I can't handle it," Du Shiwei sighed, seeing that Xue Jing didn't seem to care at all.

"I'm getting over a hundred calls a day, and any one of these callers could stomp on Qing University. The entire school would tremble at their might..."

"I'm getting old, and my heart can't take this daily anxiety. Please give me a definite answer so I can respond to these powerful people."

Amidst the ongoing debates, Xue Jing's personal wishes became the most crucial factor.

Xue Jing thought for a moment and asked, "Can this lecturer position only be affiliated with one school, or can I hold multiple positions?"

Du Shiwei paused, hesitating, "There's no explicit rule against it, but there hasn't been a precedent in the past."

"Then, what do you think, Du Laoshi? What should I do?" Xue Jing asked casually.

Du Shiwei never expected that he could influence Xue Jing's decision, and suddenly, a terrifying pressure descended upon his shoulders.

Perhaps a single word from him could now determine the outcome of a clash between the three top powers in the Zhuxia education world. It felt like having a nuclear launch button in front of him, where he must press it and choose a target country—both thrilling and terrifying.

Du Shiwei thought with utmost seriousness for a while before his throat went dry, and he spoke, "I believe... the best choice for you, without a doubt, is to accept the offer from Jing City University."

"There's no official ranking among the various urban circles in Zhuxia. The numbering is merely a sequential order... But the First Urban Circle is undoubtedly the best and highest among all the circles. Jing University, being the top-ranked university with a significant gap to the rest, can provide the most support for your future."

"That's the true heavenly palace... Jing University rarely extends olive branches to people from other urban circles. This opportunity is rare."

Xue Jing smiled unexpectedly and said, "Du Laoshi, you're very considerate."

Du Shiwei was faced with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If he could convince Xue Jing to keep the lecturer position in the Fifth Urban Circle, his future would be set for a smooth rise. Breaking through the internal barriers and securing a position in the inner circle, leading to a class elevation, would be within reach.

However, he didn't do that. Instead, he chose to stand in Xue Jing's shoes and help him make the best choice for himself.

This wasn't necessarily because Du Shiwei was overly considerate of Xue Jing, but it showed his sense of responsibility as a teacher. At the very least, he was clear-headed and didn't let the temptation cloud his judgment. He genuinely wanted to persuade Xue Jing to stay in the Fifth Urban Circle for his own career advancement.

"I'll handle this matter. If anyone calls you again, just say that the student has made their decision, and you can't do anything about it."

"Or simply set up a whitelist on your phone for some peace and quiet."

"If you encounter any trouble, feel free to contact me."

Xue Jing gave his instructions and hung up the phone.

He didn't pay much attention to this matter. For others, becoming a lecturer at a prestigious university was a significant achievement, but for him, it hardly even added to his existing success.

Later, he could just ask Yu Qing A Meng to help him resolve the issue.

...

Upon returning to the top-floor room in Jiali Hotel, which had been reserved for him, Xue Jing calmed down and began to reflect on the gains from his recent rapid progress.

His physical and mental attributes had grown rapidly, and his martial arts insights and realm had improved, but he hadn't fully mastered them before rushing to the next arena. As a result, his condition was still fluctuating.

Xue Jing spent a day using the consciousness simulation space to thoroughly understand his current abilities and bring his state to its peak.

After that, he was left with free time and nothing to do. After his regular training, he practiced the 'Thousand Transformations Dragon' and made progress, roughly able to transform an entire palm into a dragon claw. Then, Xue Jing decided to ask Ning Yuan Tai to take him on a tour of Silver City.

Since arriving here, things had been happening one after another, leaving him no time to explore the city.

However, just as he was about to go out, an unexpected visitor arrived, interrupting his plans.

"Little Junior Brother~ It's been a while!"

A petite girl with eyes as lively as a newborn fawn, seemingly ready to shoot out stars, looked at Xue Jing with a bright smile, her joy radiating like a blooming flower.

Xue Jing was slightly taken aback and smiled, "It's been a while, Bamboo Senior Sister."

Bamboo Mountain Ying, the youngest disciple of the Hidden Dragon Style, aside from Xue Jing.

...

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end