Chapter 1436: I

However, Luoli will only accompany you for the first three months.

She is, after all, the main force in this Hunt Demon Competition; after three months, she will act on her own.

Yeli added.

The Hunt Demon Competition becomes increasingly fierce as it progresses; the early stage is relatively mild.

Assigning Luoli to guide Xu Jingming in the early stage won't significantly impact the final results.

That's also why she's doing this.

"I see."

Xu Jingming suddenly understood, then shook his head and said: "Thank you, Senior Sister, but no need."

"Oh?"

A clear trace of surprise flickered across Yeli's exquisite face.

Nearby, Luoli also slightly widened her eyes, a hint of confusion flashing in her beautiful gaze.

How many competitors would dream of traveling alongside you?

Not to mention the greatly increased safety.

Merely following you to pick up leftovers would grant far greater experience and gains than any ordinary team.

This is equivalent to lowering the difficulty of the first three months of the Hunt Demon Competition by more than one tier.

The rate of point acquisition would also be guaranteed.

This Xu Jingming actually refused?

"Have you already found another suitable team?"

Yeli couldn't help asking.

"No, I plan to act alone." Xu Jingming shook his head again.

He needed to hunt demonic beasts to obtain Source Points; traveling with others would be nothing but a constraint on himself.

"Act alone?"

Yeli's slender eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly.

She looked at Xu Jingming; his expression was serious, not the slightest hint of polite refusal.

After a moment of thought, Yeli gave a slight nod and said:

"Very well, then act alone."

After all,

Xu Jingming possessed the T0-level Body Strengthening Art and the Source Core Secret Scripture.

He still had combat ability, though not comparable to top-tier warriors like Luoli.

But clearing the first month and securing the base points would be no problem.

It was just a pity that she had come here specifically to speak with Luoli, yet Xu Jingming had refused.

"By convention, as a Star Level Six cultivator, you are required to travel in a team.

But don't worry—I'll handle this for you."

Yeli added.

As the Hunt Demon Competition's team leader, she had this much authority.

"Thank you, Senior Sister!" Xu Jingming's eyes lit up, and he quickly expressed his gratitude.

In past Hunt Demon Competitions, the Eternal Star Alliance's results had mostly been disappointing.

Later, regulations were introduced.

Cultivators from Star Level One to Three are relatively weak and cannot influence the battle outcome; they may act freely.

Star Level Four to Six cultivators form the core force but are prone to overconfidence and losses.

Thus, they must travel in teams during the first three months of the Hunt Demon Competition.

Members of Star Level Seven and above possess sufficient strength and may act freely.

He happened to be precisely at Star Level Six, the level requiring team travel.

He had originally intended to ask Yeli to help resolve this restriction; he hadn't expected her to bring it up herself.

"It's nothing."

"Alright, if there's nothing else, go prepare.

Arrive at Blood Refinement Star in seven days; rest for a few more days, then the Hunt Demon Competition will officially begin.

If anything comes up in these days, come find me."

Yeli waved her hand casually.

This speech left Luoli beside her filled with envy.

How wonderful.

To be able to listen to Yeli my lord's teachings at any time.

If only I were a disciple of the Frost Crown Sovereign...

"Yes, Senior Sister, then I'll take my leave."

"Yeli my lord, I also take my leave."

Xu Jingming departed first, then Luoli spoke immediately after.

The two left the room one after the other.

"Xu junior, if we meet during the Hunt Demon Competition, look out for each other."

Outside the room, Luoli smiled and greeted him, then turned away.

This surprised Xu Jingming somewhat.

Luo Li's personality isn't as cold as her appearance suggests.

She has a warm, big-sisterly care.

"After the Beast Hunt Competition begins, we'll probably meet again."

Xu Jingming turned his gaze away from Luo Li's back and soon left the place.

…

Luo Li returned to her private rest area on the upper levels of the mothership.

Four figures were already gathered there—two men and two women.

Each exuded deep, vast qi, with faint ripples of cosmic laws swirling around them—they were all Star Peak experts!

Although none matched Luo Li's monstrous mastery of two cosmic law origins.

Yet each had at least comprehended one cosmic law origin, and the other law had reached perfection.

This group were the tiny elite at the very peak of the Star Dome Academy's Star Rank.

They were Luo Li's own circle.

Seeing Luo Li return, one of them—a muscular youth with bronze-toned skin—spoke first, his voice booming:

"Sister Luo, what did Lord Yeli want with you? You were gone so long."

He was Brandon, master of the Fire Law Origin, with a straightforward personality.

Luo Li walked over, her ice-blue battle skirt swaying slightly with each step, the hem flowing like water across the polished floor.

She sat down in the vacant spot in the center.

The skirt's fabric instantly clung and subtly tightened, faintly outlining the full, rounded curve of her hips.

Her expression calm, she replied:

"Lord Yeli wants me to guide Xu Jingming during the early phase of the Beast Hunt Competition—for three months."

"Xu Jingming? The top scorer of the Talent Competition? The new provisional disciple of Frost Crown Lord?"

Another short-haired girl frowned, "Have him follow you? Won't that drastically slow your hunting progress?

The early phase is all about racing to build an advantage! How could Lord Yeli make such an arrangement?"

Her tone carried clear disapproval.

For an expert at Luo Li's level, efficiency was everything.

Taking along even one burden, even just temporarily, meant diverting attention to care for them.

In their eyes, this was clearly a waste of core combat power.

"Miya, watch your words.

This is Lord Yeli's order—I will obey it."

Luo Li's slender eyebrows furrowed slightly as her icy gaze swept over Miya.

Her voice remained melodious, yet carried an unmistakable firmness.

She and Lord Yeli came from the same star system.

Since childhood, she had grown up under Lord Yeli's renown.

Even her parents, when naming her, took the character "Li" from Lord Yeli's name.

She too regarded Lord Yeli as her greatest idol.

After entering the Star Dome Academy, because they shared the same star system, Lord Yeli had shown her extra care.

This only deepened her reverence for Lord Yeli.

Even if Lord Yeli ordered her to carry Xu Jingming for the entire competition, she wouldn't hesitate for a moment.

"Yes, yes, I shouldn't have spoken up!"

Miya knew Luo Li was a devoted fan of Lord Yeli; she muttered and fell silent.

"Still, Xu Jingming refused."

Luo Li added.

"Oh? He actually dared to refuse?" Miya exclaimed.

"Looks like he knows his own worth—doesn't want to slow you down, Sister Luo."

"It seems he knows his own limits and won't slow you down, Sister Luo."

Luo Li was the top combatant opposing the God-Slaying Martial Temple and the Cosmic Mercenary Alliance!

If she were truly held back by her own side, the joke would be too big.

Luo Li said nothing more.

She tilted her head slightly, her mind involuntarily recalling the calm, resolute expression Xu Jingming had shown when refusing.

It wasn't the retreat of "self-awareness."

It felt more like an active choice rooted in some kind of confidence.

"He was only Star Rank Two originally.

He broke through to Star Rank Six using heavenly treasures—his law comprehension must be lagging behind.

With such strength, he'd be bottom-tier even among peers—where does his confidence come from?"

Shaking her head, Luo Li dispelled the faint curiosity in her heart.

Shaking her head, Luo Li dispelled the faint curiosity in her heart.