Zhang Qing nodded. After all, she had just broken through not long ago and was only a Lv. 5 cosmic lifeform.

“There are so many delicacies in the virtual world.” Tu Ling ate happily and praised, “All kinds of delicacies in the universe—even delicacies that don’t exist in reality—are available, making it the place of dreams for foodies.”

Xu Jingming also ate happily.

“This meal today will cost at least 100,000 cosmic dollars,” Liu Hai said. “I can’t bear spending this much.”

“Master, you’ve also reached first-rate. You can earn at least one million cosmic dollars a month,” Xu Jingming commented with a smile. “It’s fine to be extravagant occasionally.”

“Kid, you’ve reached super level, right?” Liu Hai looked at his disciple. From afar, he could sense that his disciple’s strength far exceeded that of ordinary first-rate experts.

Zhang Qing and Tu Ling also looked at Xu Jingming.

“Just barely,” Xu Jingming said.

“Wow—” Zhang Qing widened her eyes and said, “Be it being a sparring partner in the virtual world or as a hire, a super expert can easily find a job worth at least ten million cosmic dollars a month.”

Yes, the monthly hiring fee for the Lv. 8 experts Xu Jingming had previously hired cost 35 million cosmic dollars. But for Xu Jingming, whose actual combat bonus had reached 20×, the hiring fee only exceeded ten million cosmic dollars.

In terms of actual combat techniques, he wasn’t much worse than a Lv. 8 expert. It was just that his mind was lacking.

In Blood Rain World, an expert like Xu Jingming was stronger than the Lv. 8 experts he hired when the three of them worked together.

“At least ten million cosmic dollars a month easily.” Zhang Qing sighed. “The gap between cosmic citizens is really huge.”

“The gap between different evolutionary levels in the universe is astonishing.” Liu Hai said, “For Jingming to reach super level, even if he’s young and has a weaker mind, he should be close to Lv. 7.”

“Just a little short,” Xu Jingming immediately said.

“Lv. 7 cosmic lifeforms and Lv. 8 cosmic lifeforms,” Liu Hai said with a sigh. “The further one goes, the number of them will decrease rapidly, and their income will naturally increase rapidly! Many basic cosmic civilizations don’t even have a single Lv. 8 cosmic lifeform. If they become Lv. 9 lifeforms… it’s normal to have three to five inhabited planets as their territory.”

Xu Jingming and the others fell silent.

Lv. 9?

Although Xu Jingming was only a step away from Lv. 7, the more he understood the evolutionary path, the more he understood how difficult it was to break through to become a Lv. 9 Origin lifeform.

All of Earth also yearned… to produce a Lv. 9 Origin lifeform! This was also the miracle that countless basic civilizations in the universe yearned for the most!

“We still have to cultivate and evolve step by step. Lv. 9 is still very far from us,” Xu Jingming remarked. “Master, Sister Zhang, Sister Tu Ling, I should have a chance to make all of you become Blood Rain Guards in the capital in a few days.”

Liu Hai and Tu Ling’s eyes lit up.

“The capital is becoming more and more chaotic,” Xu Jingming said. “The Blood Rain Guard has gone mad making side-income. You can enter and take the opportunity to earn more.”

“Are you confident?” Liu Hai asked.

“I’m confident. I’ll tell you when it’s done,” he said.

“Brother Xu, thanks!” Tu Ling immediately raised her glass and said happily, “It feels good to cozy up to someone powerful.”

Zhang Qing also raised her glass. “Thank you, Xu Jingming.”

“China has very few cosmic citizens, so we naturally have to help each other,” Xu Jingming replied with a smile.

…

Next, Xu Jingming focused more on his spearmanship. He cultivated diligently every day, hoping to reach Lv. 7 as soon as possible!

But after Beam Transformation Spear reached Lv. 6 99%, it stopped as though it was stuck.

******

Blood Rain World.

In a restaurant.

“Try it. Their ingredients are really fresh and delicious,” Qiu Tong said.

Xu Jingming also tasted the delicacies and kept piling on his praises. Qiu Tong was really a gourmet in the capital who had unearthed so many delicious places.

“Have you heard?” Xu Jingming said as he ate. “His Majesty eventually sent Lord Wang Jiuyan to lead the expedition.”

“Yeah, the news has long spread in the South Wing HQ,” Qiu Tong replied. “Lord Wang was originally the South Wing’s envoy, but he was sent to fight the western rebels. In fact, it’s most suitable for Lord Fei to lead the troops. After all, Lord Fei is most familiar with the troops dispatched from the empire’s eastern region. He can also take over as quickly as possible and command them as if they were his.”

“Lord Fei is still in the capital and hasn’t returned to the eastern region,” Xu Jingming said in a low voice.

“These power struggles are too messy. Food is still the best; eating good food is the most enjoyable thing,” Qiu Tong commented. She hadn’t been in the capital for long, but she was already tired of the power struggles.

Most of her attention was on the delicacies in the capital.

The delicacies in the capital were over a hundred times more than her hometown, Lanyue City.

“Delicious food is good.” Xu Jingming also enjoyed eating and drinking and didn’t mention Lord Fei again.

After all, they couldn’t help Fei Qing in the power struggle at the empire’s upper echelons.

…

Time passed. In the blink of an eye, more than two months had passed, but Xu Jingming’s spearmanship was still stuck at Lv. 6 99%.

On the streets of the capital.

“We won, we won.”

“General Wang Jiuyan led an army into the empire’s western region and won six battles, defeating the main force of the western rebels.”

“Of the 18 Bandit Chiefs—King Wei, King Su of the Western Regions, and others—General Wang Jiuyan killed six and captured nine. The Western Region’s rebel army isn’t far from obliteration.”

The news reached the palace in the middle of the night, but it spread through the streets of the capital during the day!

The entire city celebrated.

“General Wang Jiuyan is really impressive.”

“After so many expeditions to the western region, the western region has become even more corrupted. However, General Wang Jiuyan won battle after battle the moment he appeared. How impressive.”

“General Wang Jiuyan is simply a military god.”

Countless people in the capital praised him. They admired General Wang Jiuyan from the bottom of their hearts because the rebels in the western region had collapsed… This meant that they couldn’t threaten the capital anymore, and the capital could live a peaceful life again.

What the commoners wished for the most was for life to be peaceful.

A great victory? Xu Jingming carried some packed pastries on the street and was a little surprised when he heard the news. Is Lord Wang Jiuyan that good at leading troops?

Lord Wang Jiuyan has been away from the capital for more than two months, but he has already defeated the main forces of the western rebels. Yet, my spearmanship remains stuck at Lv. 6 99%. Xu Jingming shook his head and walked back to his residence with the pastries. He then picked up a spear and started practicing in the martial arts arena.

Hu! Hu! Hu!

He brandished his spear that tore through the air.

Although Xu Jingming had just learned of Wang Jiuyan’s victory, it didn’t affect him. He was still focused on his spearmanship.

To him, life evolution was most fundamental!

Ever since he ignited his mind’s light, he became more focused on practicing his spear.

He commanded his entire body with his psychic force, completely condensing his mind into one and pouring it into the spear in his hand! Not only did every move and stance condense the entire body’s strength, but it also instilled one’s mind and will!

The condensation of one’s mind and will was one thing, but in fact, ‘condensing’ was a process! It was like forging iron—only after intense tempering could one turn it into steel. Condensing one’s mind and will… also required a process of tempering.

Every battle, every time he practiced his spearmanship, and every time he tempered his mind was a process of ‘condensing’ his mind and will.

It had been nearly three months since he ignited his mind’s light. Xu Jingming could sense his slow improvement.

Finally, when Xu Jingming stabbed out, his mental consolidation broke through a limit.

At this moment, Xu Jingming felt his mind empty. This strike wasn’t just spearmanship—it was also a spear powered by Xu Jingming’s will!

Boom!

When he stabbed out, his eyes burned with joy.

He understood that he had broken through!

Final Chapter of Volume—Cosmic Rookie