Chapter 1465: Finally Caught You! Encountering the Blood Axe Again!

Initially, the light gently enveloped Yue Ying, as if draping her in a sheer veil.

But soon, the Moonlight Grass was fully activated!

The halos swirling along its leaves flared intensely.

The entire plant began emitting increasingly powerful energy fluctuations.

Hum—

A low hum echoed through the valley.

From Yue Ying as the center, a visible silver-white column of light shot skyward!

The column's diameter was dozens of meters.

Pure and dense, within it countless tiny moonlight crystal dust particles danced and spiraled.

The column pierced through the tree canopy above the valley and pierced straight into the heavens!

More astonishingly, even though it was daytime on Xuelian Star, the sky was bright.

This radiant moonlight column remained crystal clear.

It even bathed the surrounding sky in a faint silver glow.

Against the dark red backdrop of Xuelian Star's sky, this towering silver-white column.

Like a lighthouse in the night, strikingly conspicuous and impossible to ignore!

Almost simultaneously, in different regions hundreds of kilometers from the valley.

Several teams hunting beasts or resting simultaneously sensed that unique energy fluctuation.

"Huh? What's that?"

A Star Rank Eight warrior from the Cosmic Mercenary Alliance snapped his head up, gazing toward the southeast.

At the edge of his vision, a silver-white column pierced through the clouds.

Even from such a distance, he could feel the pure life energy contained within.

"Such a strong energy fluctuation! Is a heavenly treasure emerging?"

"Feels similar—let's go check! If it's a chance, we can't miss it!"

"Such a huge disturbance—it might be S-rank, maybe even SS-rank!"

"......"

Xuelian Star wasn't just home to beasts—it held countless rare flowers, herbs, and heavenly treasures.

Searching for these resources was also a goal for the contestants.

So when they spotted the rising column.

Almost all contestants within a radius of thousands of kilometers sprang into action.

Some in small groups, others alone.

One after another, figures turned without hesitation and raced toward the valley where the column rose.

Among them were students from the Eternal Star Alliance.

Mercenaries from the Cosmic Mercenary Alliance, and warriors from the God-Slaying Martial Temple—famed for their brutal combat prowess.

Some rode flight techniques, others sprinted on pure physical strength, carving streaks of light through forest and mountains.

All their targets pointed to that soaring moonlight column.

In the valley, Xu Jingming looked up at the column piercing heaven and earth, his expression calm.

He had anticipated that Yue Ying's consumption of the Moonlight Grass would cause an anomaly—just not one this massive.

Still, it was within expectation.

An SS9-grade rare herb would be strange if its consumption caused no disturbance.

As for the contestants drawn here because of it.

As he had said, he now feared no one.

"Since you've come, let's deal with you all at once."

Xu Jingming murmured softly, his body slowly rising from the ground.

He did not unfold his signature golden thunder wings—only stood in the empty air before the moonlight column, a hundred meters away.

His black battle suit, under the silver moonlight, appeared even deeper.

His hands hung naturally at his sides, his gaze calm as he stared toward the distant horizon.

The allure of heavenly treasures was immense—less than three minutes had passed.

Already over a dozen people arrived nearly simultaneously nearby.

They eyed each other warily, suppressing their urge to fight for now.

All eyes turned sharply toward the valley's center, toward the slender female figure at the column's source.

And... the towering figure hovering before the column.

"It's you, Xu Jingming!"

Someone soon shouted his name, sparking immediate commotion.

"The Loot King! It's him!"

"That bastard who steals dying beasts!"

"Damn it, my Star Rank Eight 'Iron-Wing Thunder Eagle' was snatched by him at the last second!"

"And my squad's 'Swamp Dragon Turtle'! We were about to claim it—then a flash of Lei Guang, and our points vanished!"

"......"

Many contestants recognized Xu Jingming—several had suffered his "looting" before.

Now, enemies met, eyes burning red.

A dozen furious gazes pierced Xu Jingming like tangible knives.

Yet Xu Jingming spoke calmly:

"The celestial treasures here belong to me. If you leave now, you still have time."

"Arrogant!"

"Just a scavenger who picks up leftovers!"

The dozen or so competitors were instantly enraged by this condescension.

But none dared advance lightly.

Dealing with Xu Jingming was simple—he was merely a Star Level Six.

Among this group, the lowest-ranked were all Star Level Eight.

Moreover, the man was clearly guarding the elf woman absorbing the rare herbs within the beam, and would not leave easily.

That meant his lightning-speed was now useless!

As for why no one moved, it was naturally mutual wariness.

They feared that if they struck, others would seize the chance to snatch the rare herbs from the elf woman's hands.

Just as the crowd grew restless and watched each other warily—

"Hahaha! Xu Jingming! You're here!"

A wild laugh suddenly came from behind.

A blood-red streak shot across the distance, resolving into a towering, mountain-like figure.

He wore dark red battle armor, shouldering a massive blood-colored axe the size of a door.

Qing and black cosmic laws coiled around him, his aura surging like a tidal wave.

The newcomer was Blood Axe Locke!

His eyes burned crimson, fixed on Xu Jingming, his face filled with delight.

These past months, he had been seething with frustration!

First, his elite squad had been shattered by one of Xu Jingming's clones detonating itself.

Then, he'd been blasted by the man's long-range thunder cannon, helplessly watching his men eliminated.

Finally, he couldn't even chase him down, forced to rage uselessly at empty air.

Now, he never expected that chasing after a single celestial treasure would bring him face-to-face with Xu Jingming again.

"This time, it seems you're guarding that elf girl.

Can't use that damned lightning wings to escape anymore, can you?

Hah! Heaven itself aids me!

This is the perfect chance to avenge myself!"

Blood Axe's gaze swept over the solid moonlight beam behind Xu Jingming.

And the slender figure within it—his heart swelled with wild joy.

To be honest, he hadn't been sure he could stop Xu Jingming with his lightning wings.

But now, the man must guard this woman as she absorbed the rare herbs, unable to strike and vanish as before.

That meant he could finally force Xu Jingming into a direct battle!

"Boss Blood Axe!"

"It's Blood Axe of the God-Slaying Martial Temple! Star Level Nine, dual cosmic laws perfected!"

"Now this will be good to watch! Blood Axe hates Xu Jingming with a passion!"

"Too bad he got here first—we won't get to take revenge ourselves."

"Whatever. If Blood Axe knocks him out, it's still satisfying!"

"......"

The Beast Hunt Competition had already lasted nine months.

Most of the powerful competitors had already emerged, earning their reputations.

Blood Axe was one such formidable warrior, infamous for his brutality.

Thus, the moment he arrived, he was immediately recognized.

To these competitors, it was only fitting that Blood Axe deal with Xu Jingming.

They were happy to sit back and watch the tiger fight the leopard, even anticipating Xu Jingming being brutally defeated and eliminated by Blood Axe.