"Huh?" Childe froze completely. His eyes widened, staring blankly at the spot where his attack missed, and his body halted instantly.
He slowly turned his head, looking utterly bewildered at Lu Jingming, who had already recovered his stance, weapon sheathed, and wore a calm expression. Childe's eyes were filled with confusion and incomprehension.
"What was that?" Hoshimi Miyabi and Durandal turned almost simultaneously, their gazes sweeping toward Istaroth.
Although they, too, had been subjected to the time stop moments ago, as powerful warriors, instinct allowed them to sense the source of this peculiar phenomenon.
At this moment, everyone present felt a strange confusion.
They clearly saw Lu Jingming and Childe about to clash, yet the next second, Childe's attack direction was inexplicably altered, and Lu Jingming quickly withdrew his strike.
This sudden change was simply too bizarre, leaving a deeply unsettling feeling, as if their memories had a momentary gap.
They all vaguely felt that a segment of their memory was missing, though they weren't sure if it was just an illusion.
Gu Yue's expression became highly peculiar.
Among the Nine Great Dragon Kings of the Dragon Clan, there was a Time Dragon King who controlled the power of time.
However, this Time Dragon King was the weakest existence among the nine.
It, along with the Space Dragon King, was manipulated by the universal laws at a critical moment, betraying the Dragon God and leading the Dragon Clan to a tragic end.
In the Douluo God Realm, there was also a mysterious, level-one deity—the God of Time.
Yet, in Gu Yue's understanding, neither the God of Time nor the Time Dragon King could fully control the power of time.
It was as if this power was a forbidden art; anyone attempting to master it found it difficult to reach a higher level using it.
But the Istaroth before them—her ability to manipulate time far surpassed the Time Dragon King in Gu Yue's memory.
At the very least, the Time Dragon King could absolutely not stop time, let alone freeze other God-King-level powerhouses, as Istaroth just did.
Just now, the moment Gu Yue was subjected to the time stop, even the consciousness of her main body completely halted.
The fact that she was stopped in time simultaneously with her main body, despite the vast distance separating them, fully proved that Istaroth's Time Authority was far superior to that of the Time Dragon King.
And Istaroth, who possessed such immense power, was currently only appearing as a Servant, her power incomplete.
Gu Yue had no doubt that a full-power Istaroth could freely traverse space and time, connecting the past and the future, achieving omnipresence.
These were things that the God of Time and the Time Dragon King of this world were utterly incapable of achieving.
If they could reach such a level, they would have long since become Supreme God-Kings, reaching the pinnacle of the universe. Why would one ultimately perish and the other merely be a humble level-one deity?
Gu Yue already knew that the Servant Istaroth she had summoned was no ordinary character—a true "gimmick" with peculiar abilities. However, she was genuinely taken aback by how staggeringly powerful she was.
One must realize that Gu Yue's main body had already recovered most of its power and was not to be underestimated. Yet, even so, when Istaroth used her time-stopping ability, even her main body's consciousness was affected and completely halted.
This gave Gu Yue a new and profound understanding of Istaroth's strength.
"Forget it. Even if I don't know what just happened, I had a blast fighting this round! Brother, let's find a chance to fight again to our hearts' content! You definitely love that feeling of burning passion in combat, just like me; I can feel it."
For Childe, there was no more direct and effective way to quickly understand a person than a hearty, intense battle.
During the fierce fighting just now, he clearly sensed that Lu Jingming also reveled in the passionate atmosphere of combat; otherwise, he wouldn't have used such a death-announcing, powerful move.
Clearly, Lu Jingming was also carried away by the heat of the moment, directly unleashing his ultimate killer move without reservation.
"You should worry about getting past those two ladies first. I won't get involved anymore!"
Lu Jingming shrugged lightly, pointing toward Hoshimi Miyabi and Durandal not far away.
He certainly enjoyed the thrill of combat, but he wasn't a battle maniac like Childe. An occasional fight was fine, but he couldn't handle it every day.
After all, in his opinion, wasn't a leisurely stroll with Castorice, enjoying quiet and beautiful moments, far better?
Or accompanying Firefly shopping, experiencing the liveliness and hustle of the market—wasn't that more enjoyable?
Or perhaps lying comfortably on Robin's lap, quietly listening to her celestial voice—wasn't that more comfortable?
He wasn't foolish; he wouldn't go around looking for fights like Childe.
Of course, if the opponents were strong and attractive maidens like Hoshimi Miyabi and Durandal, an occasional spar wouldn't hurt. But doing it daily? No, thanks.
"Miss Hoshimi, Durandal, are you getting used to things here?"
Lu Jingming ignored Childe and turned his attention to Hoshimi Miyabi and Durandal, who were walking toward him, asking with a gentle smile.
"It is immaterial whether we are accustomed to it or not. As Servants, our mission is to assist our Master in achieving victory in the Holy Grail War."
Durandal's demeanor was serious and earnest. She had always been intensely responsible, and if a task she undertook couldn't be completed perfectly, it would leave her deeply uncomfortable.
"It feels quite novel. This counts as unprecedented training."
Hoshimi Miyabi spoke of training immediately. In her perception, every action in life, including walking, sitting, and resting, could be considered part of cultivation. Participating in the Holy Grail War was naturally no exception, and she didn't resist it.
"That's good!"
Although the Hoshimi Miyabi and Durandal before him were merely memory constructs, due to the positive bias he held for their originals from his previous life, Lu Jingming subconsciously showed them extra care.
Though even he wasn't sure if he would truly summon their originals to his side in the future.
"Let us engage in a full-power training match!" Hoshimi Miyabi, honest by nature, made a direct invitation to battle without preamble.
"If it were you, Miss Hoshimi, I'd actually be quite willing. But you saw I just came out of an extremely intense battle. I'm genuinely a bit exhausted right now. How about next time?"
Lu Jingming spread his hands helplessly. Having just fought Childe, he really didn't want another fight right away.
"Alright, we have a deal then! We must train together next time!"
Upon hearing this, Hoshimi Miyabi's pair of black fox ears instantly drooped softly, her face displaying a look of disappointment.
Watching this scene, Lu Jingming felt an urge to reach out and stroke those adorable fox ears, but he firmly held back.
After all, their favorability hadn't reached that level yet. Doing so would be far too presumptuous.
"As fellow users of the Abyss Flower of the Black Blade, if I can train with you, I believe I can grow even stronger."
Durandal also seized the moment to request training together, and Lu Jingming naturally didn't refuse.
After all, when two such excellent maidens invite you at once, who could possibly refuse?
"I know you can't die, but could you please stop making people worry so much!"
After setting the time with the two beautiful girls, Lu Jingming walked over to Gu Yue.
Istaroth was sitting on the side, idly counting ants on the ground. Gu Yue stared straight at Lu Jingming, her eyes full of reproach.
"That's right, A'Ming, that was so dangerous just now! It's all my brother's fault for egging you on to fight his Servant."
Meng Hongchen also hurried over to Lu Jingming, her face still carrying a look of lingering fear.
After speaking, she glared fiercely at Xiao Hongchen, who was conversing with Childe in the distance.
Xiao Hongchen, while talking to Childe, suddenly felt Meng Hongchen's dagger-like gaze. He turned around, completely bewildered, having no idea how he had offended his sister again.
"Mhm, I know!" Lu Jingming dutifully replied.
He knew that Gu Yue and Meng Hongchen genuinely cared for him, and he naturally wouldn't let down that affection.
Of course, Gu Yue also understood that with the Abyss Flower of the Black Blade, it wouldn't be easy to kill Lu Jingming.
Even if his physical body suffered a devastating blow, as long as his soul remained, true death would be incredibly difficult.
It was like his head being cut off; with his current abilities, he could immediately pick it up and reattach it.
It could be said that his current physical resilience surpassed even the Sovereign-type beings of the Xianzhou, possessing super-repair capabilities at the cellular level. At a physical level, it was already very difficult to kill him completely.
Although not comparable to the nearly immortal nature of the Aeon of Abundance, he was now on par with Blade of the Stellaron Hunters.
After all, Lu Jingming had developed the power of the Black Blade to the extent of bestowing death upon all things, and the corresponding power of the White Flower naturally wouldn't lag far behind.
Even if he didn't frequently use this power in daily life, as a critical life-saving measure, he wouldnaturally not neglect it.
Thus, as long as he didn't court death himself, he would essentially be safe from mortal peril.
The intense battle between Lu Jingming and Childe vividly showcased the prowess of the Academy's Number One Genius, winning the hearts of the many new students who had only heard his name but never witnessed his extraordinary strength firsthand.
Simultaneously, Lu Jingming successfully garnered a large number of fervent admirers—both male and female—with this spectacular battle.
These young students, their eyes full of adoration and respect, were captivated by Lu Jingming's charisma and became his loyal followers.
After lingering at the training grounds for a while, Lu Jingming and Meng Hongchen bid farewell to Gu Yue and the others. Hand in hand, the two slowly walked away from the training area.
Before leaving, Lu Jingming couldn't help but glance once more at Istaroth.
The Regulator of Time... Gu Yue, possessing such a powerful Servant, was indeed extremely lucky.
If this were the Holy Grail War as Lu Jingming had originally planned, Gu Yue would have virtually secured victory from the start, thanks to Istaroth's strength.
However, the current Holy Grail War had become exceedingly complex, with numerous powerful Servants emerging. Though Istaroth was strong, she was no longer the most peak existence among them.
Watching Meng Hongchen intimately walk away with Lu Jingming, Xiao Hongchen's eyelids twitched uncontrollably. A strange sense of unease welled up in his heart, a feeling that something bad was about to happen, and the premonition left him subtly irritable.
"A'Ming, I have to go home in a few months. I really don't want to leave you."
Meng Hongchen buried her head gently in Lu Jingming's warm embrace, her voice filled with deep reluctance.
She looked up slightly, her eyes revealing affection and a hint of worry.
Both she and Xiao Hongchen had come to St. Freya Academy as exchange students, and now the exchange period was nearing its end. It was time for them to return to the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy.
The thought of being separated from Lu Jingming felt like a heavy squeeze on her heart, causing her intense discomfort. Her tone unconsciously carried deep disappointment.
"Then don't go back. I've already prepared the betrothal gifts. I don't think Hall Master Jing would have any objections."
Lu Jingming spoke softly. In his view, this wasn't an unsolvable problem.
Not to mention the widely adopted Soul-Guiding Cell Phones in Haiyuan City now, with his abilities, he could easily extend the information network to cover the entire Douluo Continent if he wished.
If that were the case, even if Meng Hongchen returned to the Sun Moon Empire, they could still maintain daily contact via the network, as if the other person were right beside them.
Apart from that, he thought proposing directly to Jing Hongchen and marrying Meng Hongchen into his family was also a good solution.
After all, he was confident in his own strength and influence and believed that Jing Hongchen would not refuse.
"Let's not do that yet!"
Meng Hongchen felt a surge of sweetness and joy upon hearing Lu Jingming talk about proposing. Her delicate face bloomed with a radiant smile like a flower.
However, after a moment, she gently shook her head, and the light in her eyes gradually dimmed.
She knew very well the relationship between Lu Jingming and the Star Luo Imperial Family. Princess Jiujiu frequently came to see Lu Jingming.
And their Hongchen Clan, as an old aristocratic family in the Sun Moon Empire, was deeply rooted in that land and its fate was tightly bound to the Empire's.
If she were to marry Lu Jingming now, should a war break out between the Sun Moon Empire and the Star Luo Empire, both her grandfather, Jing Hongchen, and Lu Jingming would be placed in a dilemma, facing immense pressure.
"A'Ming, I'm sorry. I don't want to make Grandpa feel conflicted." Meng Hongchen bit her lip slightly, tears glistening in her eyes.
She knew Lu Jingming was immensely powerful, and Haiyuan City was strong, not caring about the conflicts between these powers. The Star Luo Empire and the Sun Moon Empire genuinely couldn't pose a substantial threat to him.
But her grandfather, Jing Hongchen, was different. He had dedicated his life to the Sun Moon Empire, and the family's honor was inextricably linked to the Empire.
"Heh, I think you underestimate your grandfather, but never mind. I'll do as you wish."
Lu Jingming smiled, gently playing with Meng Hongchen's waterfall-like white hair, bringing it to his nose, and lightly inhaling the subtle fragrance emanating from the strands, as if it were the most captivating scent in the world.
In truth, Lu Jingming understood the Hall Master of the Mingde Hall quite well.
Though Jing Hongchen was loyal to the Sun Moon Empire, he wasn't a blindly loyal fool.
If the situation devolved to an irreversible point, with Jing Hongchen's wisdom and decisiveness, the Hongchen Clan would not be unable to reconsider and change their allegiance.
Therefore, in Lu Jingming's view, Meng Hongchen's worries were slightly excessive.
However, Meng Hongchen didn't know this side of her grandfather. In her perception, Jing Hongchen had been utterly devoted to the Sun Moon Empire, exhausting himself completely, and would absolutely never betray the Empire.
"A'Ming, you're so wonderful!"
Meng Hongchen was deeply touched, a warmth flooding her heart.
She gently stood on her tiptoes, naturally wrapping her arms around Lu Jingming's neck, her eyes full of deep affection, and slowly offered her luscious red lips.
Time, at this moment, quietly froze.
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