"."
Silence began to spread between Su Ming and Xu Qianqian.
The two stared at each other. One had his brows tightly furrowed, while the other wore a grave expression, causing the oppressive atmosphere of silence to grow heavier and heavier.
However, Su Ming soon relaxed his furrowed brows first, and his expression also became more relaxed.
"Well, these are only our own guesses. Whether the truth is actually like this remains to be seen."
With that, Su Ming broke the oppressive silence.
Xu Qianqian was slightly stunned, then relaxed as well.
"Indeed. Without evidence, a guess is nothing more than scaring yourself." Xu Qianqian said, "What are you planning to do?"
"Me?" Su Ming thought for a moment before saying, "I'll continue searching for traces of that suspicious group. If I find them, I'll inform you immediately."
"Good. I'll be waiting for your news." Xu Qianqian naturally had no objections, but after sweeping her gaze around, she said, "I hope that next time you ask me out, you won't make me come to a hotel."
"...I can't guarantee that." The corner of Su Ming's mouth twitched. He rolled his eyes, then took the damaged scale from his backpack. As he handed it to Xu Qianqian, he said, "Take this scale. Use your family's connections and see if you can identify its owner's species, level, and even stage of development."
Su Ming himself could not tell what kind of Phantom Demon the scale's owner was, but that did not mean nobody else could.
There were still many experts in this world who specialized in researching Phantom Demons.
If it were a professional, they might be able to identify the owner's species and level, and perhaps even determine its stage of development.
That way, it would be perfectly clear whether the scale's owner was a Greater Phantasmal Demon's offspring.
"Got it. Leave it to me."
Xu Qianqian accepted the scale.
"Then go back." Su Ming began dismissing her without the slightest courtesy. "Don't forget, someone is watching you from the shadows and preparing to assassinate you. You'd better not come alone to a place like this in the middle of the night."
"So you do remember?" Xu Qianqian narrowed her eyes. "Since you remember, please think more carefully about the time and place of our meetings next time. Every time I see you, I have to make arrangements in advance. It's quite exhausting."
Clearly, Xu Qianqian had not come out without preparation.
To deal with ambushers, the young lady had obviously made some arrangements.
Otherwise, she would not have come here in the middle of the night to meet Su Ming.
"I just didn't want to discuss something this important over the phone."
Su Ming had no intention of reflecting on his actions.
"That's true. Discussing something like this over the phone isn't very safe."
Xu Qianqian agreed with Su Ming and let the matter pass. Then she stood up.
"Then I'll be going." Xu Qianqian looked at Su Ming and said, "Take care of yourself."
Hearing this, Su Ming raised his brows.
"What?" Su Ming smiled. "Are you worried that something might happen to me?"
"Yes." Xu Qianqian, the School Belle, was as direct as ever. "This concerns the bloodline of a Greater Phantasmal Demon. If word of this gets out, even the major families and powerful organizations in Longyao City probably won't be able to sit idly by. Not to mention the Base City higher-ups who sent private soldiers to hunt you down. If they learn that you're secretly investigating this matter, what do you think will happen to you? Do I really need to spell it out?"
"No need. I know perfectly well." Su Ming remained unconcerned. "At most, they'll silence me, right?"
"Then why are you so relaxed?" Xu Qianqian frowned, making her attractive brows crease.
In response, Su Ming only wanted to say one thing.
"Do you think I'd take the initiative to put myself in danger?"
Su Ming's simple and clear words left even Xu Qianqian stunned.
Immediately afterward, Xu Qianqian smiled bitterly.
"I almost forgot. You're the person who hides himself most deeply in the entire Demon Hunter Academy."
What Xu Qianqian meant was simple: since Su Ming could hide himself so deeply, he obviously would not recklessly take the initiative to put himself in danger.
Of course, that depended on one premise.
"Don't you feel tempted?" Xu Qianqian stared straight into Su Ming's eyes. "That could very well be the offspring of a Greater Phantasmal Demon. As for a Greater Phantasmal Demon Bloodline, setting aside its value, just think of the power it could bring you. Wouldn't you be tempted enough to risk yourself for it?"
"Hey, hey, hey, my dear School Belle." Su Ming spoke helplessly. "I'm a Warlock."
What he meant was that, as a Warlock, he had no reason to pursue a Hunter's Phantasmal Demon Bloodline.
Unless he intended to sell it or use it in a trade.
After all, if a Greater Phantasmal Demon Bloodline were put up for sale, it would absolutely fetch an unimaginable astronomical price.
However, Xu Qianqian responded to Su Ming's explanation with this:
"Warlocks can become Hunters too." Xu Qianqian suddenly spoke. "As long as they can consume a Phantasmal Demon Elixir refined from Phantasmal Demon Blood and adapt to the Phantasmal Demon Power within the elixir, anyone can become a Hunter, including Warlocks."
That was right.
As long as one could adapt to Phantasmal Demon Power, even a Warlock could become a Hunter.
To become a Warlock, one had to possess a Spiritual Constitution.
A Spiritual Constitution was innate.
Even if someone awakened a Spiritual Constitution later in life, they had not gained it out of nowhere. They had possessed it all along; it simply had not manifested, and their spirituality had not awakened, making them appear to lack one.
Therefore, anyone without a Spiritual Constitution was absolutely unable to become a Warlock. This was an inescapable fact.
But to become a Hunter, people only needed a Phantasmal Demon Elixir, along with sufficient adaptability and compatibility.
Thus, even Warlocks had the possibility of becoming Hunters.
But—
"Adapting to a Phantasmal Demon's blood isn't easy." Su Ming spread his hands. "Spiritual Art is inherently a force that restrains Phantasmal Demon Power. It can completely nullify a Phantom Demon's formidable vitality and regenerative abilities. A Warlock who possesses this power, because of their Spiritual Constitution and Spiritual Power, has to adapt to Phantasmal Demon Power—a force with the exact opposite nature that also restrains them. That's practically impossible, you know?"
This was also a fact.
Otherwise, many Professional individuals possessing both Hunter and Warlock powers would have appeared in the world long ago.
Because Spiritual Power and Phantasmal Demon Power opposed each other and had a restraining relationship, a Warlock's chances of adapting to a Phantasmal Demon Bloodline and obtaining a Phantom Demon's power were far lower than an ordinary person's.
If an ordinary person had a one-percent chance of adapting to a Phantasmal Demon Elixir, then a Warlock's chance was 0.0001%.
That was right—the success rate was one in a million.
This terrifyingly low success rate was why there were so few Professional individuals in the world who possessed both kinds of power.
How few were they?
Even fewer than the highest-starred Seven-star Professionals!
This restraining relationship could even be passed down to future generations.
In other words, if a Hunter's descendant possessed a Phantasmal Demon Bloodline from birth, they were basically incapable of awakening a Spiritual Constitution.
For this reason, Warlocks generally had no intention of taking Phantasmal Demon Elixirs and becoming Hunters.
That pitifully low success rate made countless Warlocks stop in their tracks.
After all, once they failed to adapt, they might very well explode and die.
Who would be willing to gamble on such a tiny chance when that was the possible outcome?
Xu Qianqian naturally knew all of this very well.
But—
"As far as I know, ever since you enrolled, besides Spiritual Art, you've also studied combat techniques with great diligence and care."
Xu Qianqian suddenly revealed this information.
Su Ming fell silent.
Xu Qianqian continued.
"Students in the Sorcerer Department are basically uninterested in combat technique classes. No matter how they train, they're only learning techniques for strengthening their bodies. They can't unleash combat techniques with the same powerful effects as students in the Hunter Department, who can rely on their extraordinary physiques."
Xu Qianqian spoke as if to herself.
"But you're different. You've always been very serious about it. That inevitably gave me an idea."
What idea was that?
It was simple.
"You're preparing to become a Hunter in the future and obtain Phantasmal Demon Power." Xu Qianqian stared at Su Ming with burning eyes, as if she wanted to see through him. "Considering how deeply you've hidden yourself, and the fact that no one knows how strong you really are even now, I really can't help but think that this might be possible for you too, can I?"
Su Ming fell silent, staring expressionlessly at Xu Qianqian.
Xu Qianqian did not show the slightest fear. Instead, she met Su Ming's gaze and looked straight at him, brave and frank.
Not long afterward, Su Ming sighed.
"Knowing too much won't do you any good, you know? My dear School Belle!"
Su Ming's words fully revealed just how accurate Xu Qianqian's guess had been.
Xu Qianqian's eyes immediately flickered, and her gaze at Su Ming also became strange.
This man really has such great ambition and determination?
He really is...
As countless thoughts flashed through Xu Qianqian's mind, Su Ming suddenly changed his tone.
"You can rest assured. I truly have no interest in this so-called Greater Phantasmal Demon's offspring."
Su Ming actually said this.
"Why?"
Xu Qianqian looked surprised.
Su Ming's next answer surprised her even more.
"It's simple. I already have a goal."
Su Ming smiled.
It was not his usual unserious, perfunctory, and careless smile, but a wild and unrestrained grin.
"I really can't say I'm interested in an ordinary Greater Phantasmal Demon Bloodline."
Su Ming said this.
Xu Qianqian was rendered speechless. She only stared blankly at Su Ming, at this man she thought she had already come to understand somewhat, unable to say anything for a long time.
Some time later, Xu Qianqian left the hotel.
Su Ming watched Xu Qianqian leave. After a long while, he took a small transparent glass bottle from his backpack.
Inside the bottle, a blood-red liquid swayed gently, radiating an alluring color and charm.
Su Ming stared at the blood-red liquid in the glass bottle, an inscrutable light rising in his eyes.
Phantasmal Demon Blood (Greater Phantasmal Demon · Nightmare Breed): The blood of an extraordinarily powerful Greater Phantasmal Demon. It can be used to refine a Phantasmal Demon Elixir.
—"Nightmare Breed."
This was an extraordinarily powerful existence even among Greater Phantasmal Demons.
From lowest to highest, the levels of Greater Phantasmal Demons were Hazard Breed, Nightmare Breed, and Terror Breed.
A level represented one evolution.
After a Lesser Phantasmal Demon evolved, it could become a Greater Phantasmal Demon, but it would only become a Hazard Breed.
Only by evolving further could it become a Nightmare Breed, and eventually a Terror Breed.
The bottle of Phantasmal Demon Blood in Su Ming's hand came from a Nightmare Breed.
"This is my real goal."
Su Ming revealed another unrestrained smile.
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