Otherworldly Affairs Office-Chapter 809: Xia Yu’s 8th Tier Awakening

It was Lin Junzhao, who resided within Pei Yan, who spoke these words. Despite the imminent danger that Xia Yu was in, she did not seem worried and continued to speak on her own behalf: "In such an important competition, besides Pei Yan and Pei Jin, I surely had more choices in your investigation hall, like your boss Gu Shenghui. Yet, I chose you, only at the seventh stage of awakening, rather than the more powerful Gu Shenghui — ignoring Pei Yan's displeasure at my choice — simply because you work well as a team? Even the battle-hardened Gu Shenghui could achieve this after a short period of collaboration!"

"Instructor Lin, could you please reveal the answer quickly? Otherwise, I fear I might not hear you finish before I leave this world." Since training began, Xia Yu uniformly addressed Lin Junzhao as Instructor. While Bedivere began standing before her to offer a final farewell, she engaged in back-and-forth with another person; although this person might save her life, Xia Yu responded with a bittersweet and helpless smile.

"Because aside from those siblings, you three are the ones I consider most potential among the rest, and among you three, you are the one I deem with the highest potential. Your body holds potential far beyond your imagination — when fully developed, it could exceed Pei Yan and Ye Ruozai, those chosen by me as candidates. Yet regrettably, I discovered you too late to intervene early in your development, leaving us to await your next breakthrough. Sigh!"

At this, Lin Junzhao sighed regretfully: "Even more regrettably, time is too tight, and you currently have not reached the eighth stage of awakening. Yet now, I am forced to elevate you to the eighth stage, pushing for a stronger awakening of your powers, though this is a risky process, leaving hidden dangers for you, which will cause unimaginable obstructions and pain when you advance to the ninth stage of awakening in the future."

"Do I have choices now? The difficulty of advancement and survival, this choice doesn't seem so hard!" Watching Bedivere pull the Longsword from the void, Xia Yu answered with a bitter smile.

"Of course, you can choose to quit even if your body cannot move now. With my power, severing your bracelet is no hard task, and this is Pei Yan's suggestion when he asked me here. He doesn't want you to take risks by forcing you to quit at the key moment, yet I think respecting the opinions of those involved is sometimes necessary, don't you agree?" Lin Junzhao's voice was full of allure as she defied Pei Yan's wishes, happily recruiting talent to expand her influence.

"Quit? Shifting this burden entirely onto them? Perhaps Pei Yan feels he could handle it even if this occurs, but I refuse to do so. From the day I knew I was an esper, I stopped being a princess who needs protection. Pei Yan's arrival won't change this fact. Come on! If winning demands any sacrifice, I'll bear it!"

"Wonderful! You know, I love you youngsters with ambition, willing to step forth!" Lin Junzhao said as her voice gradually grew cold: "Divine Artifact, blessings, even corpses buried underground summoned to join the fight — is this truly bullying my people without backing? No problem, Xia Yu, I'll activate your potential right away. Soon! Soon! You'll gain the power to defeat the enemy, enjoy the imminent power you will possess, remember, this is the power Pei Yan always desired but couldn't attain!"

"So now, I ask your last question alive: in this fight, do you have no regrets?" As a surge of heat flowed from Xia Yu's chest throughout her body, she heard Bedivere raise the Longsword and ask her.

"I don't know if I have no regrets; ask me again after I win!" Xia Yu smiled warmly at Bedivere, offering her answer.

Seeing this smile, Bedivere couldn't fathom where this girl found such confidence at this time, perhaps it was her final defiance. With this thought, not rebutting her, he only shook his head with regret, and the Longsword in his hand fiercely thrust downward.

Boom! The Longsword, with the force of shattering rock and splitting mountains, deeply embedded into the ground, yet Bedivere's face showed no victory joy. He looked up at Xia Yu, wrapped in electric light, hovering midair in the distance. Just before his Longsword touched her body, she transformed into lightning and evaded this fatal blow.

"You advanced?" Sensation of energy surging from Xia Yu's body, Bedivere immediately understood what transpired on this girl, his eyes squinted, expression heavy and quite amazed.

Xia Yu did not immediately answer his question. As Lin Junzhao said, she was now indulging in the joy of developing new abilities. Having advanced to the eighth stage, she not only harnessed new power in her own ability but additionally awakened a new ability, though this extra ability was currently beyond her control.

"Eighth stage awakening, unexpectedly, in the investigation hall's younger generation, Xia Yu is the first to reach the eighth stage!" Spectating Gu Shenghui outside the arena breathed a sigh of relief seeing his confidante escape danger during a crisis, finally easing his guilty pain with a long breath afterward.

Also, within the arena, the crowd from the Immortal Palace drawn by Pei Yan and Ye Ruozai's battle turned their gaze here, watching Xia Yu confront Bedivere, realizing an overlooked issue only now. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

"She reached the eighth stage awakening, she only reached the eighth stage awakening now!" Lin Daozi murmured.

"Yes, not just her, the entire investigation hall squad entered the arena with seventh stage awakening strength." Lin Xunrou, understanding her brother's meaning, empathetically replied while glancing at her earnest teammates fighting.

Seventh stage! The competition's tier limit is the eighth stage, to win other realms sent contestants adhering to the highest standard, yet here, a group of seventh-stage espers battled above their level, knocking out five contestants, and combatting the Magic Realm squad implementing various means evenly. After this battle, who dares to say espers lag in late-stage battles, who dares to underestimate the Cornerstone Realm?

With Xia Yu's awakening, the sentiments deeply touched numerous beyond Lin Daozi alone, yet Xia Yu, at the center, had no time to bask in glory. Experiencing her newfound power first, Xia Yu finally opened her eyes, brilliant flashes bursting from them — her mouth slightly open, releasing a burst of turbid breath, thunder resonating in her very respiration.