Chapter 1467: Star Peak! Just a Pill-Hoarding Player!

What's going on with them?

Feeling the gaze of the Blood Axe group, Yue Ying instinctively leaned closer to Xu Jingming.

A hint of confusion appeared on her exquisitely beautiful face.

Did something unexpected happen when I absorbed the Moonlight Herb, affecting these people?

But they're standing unharmed inside the shield—doesn't look like they're seriously injured...

Nothing.

Xu Jingming reached out and wrapped his arm around Yue Ying's slender, soft waist.

Pulling her closer to his chest, he said casually:

They're just jealous I have such a beautiful companion.

His voice wasn't loud, yet it clearly echoed throughout the entire valley.

The air seemed to freeze for an instant.

You're fucking kidding!

Is that what we meant?

The crowd roared inwardly.

Yes, your woman is indeed beautiful.

But we're not that jealous!

How do you feel? Is your bloodline enhancement obvious?

Ignoring the frustrated expressions of the Blood Axe group, Xu Jingming looked down at Yue Ying.

At the mention of it, Yue Ying immediately snapped back to attention, a flush of excitement coloring her exquisite face:

Very obvious! I feel my Silver Moon Bloodline has improved by at least ten percent!

Now, even ordinary Star Level Five cultivators won't be my match!

As she spoke, she lightly clenched her fist, and a soft silver radiance shimmered around her.

Though this light wasn't as dazzling as when the Moonlight Herb erupted,

it was denser and more contained, faintly emitting a pure and powerful life fluctuation.

Xu Jingming nodded.

Fighting across three levels with other prodigies.

This talent is indeed top-tier in this Beast Hunting Competition.

Good.

Xu Jingming affectionately ruffled her silver hair, then said:

Next, I'm going to ingest the Yuanwen Flower.

During the absorption, there may be energy fluctuations, but no one else should come to disturb us now.

Earlier, Yue Ying's absorption of the Moonlight Herb attracted competitors from thousands of kilometers around.

I cleared them all out.

In the remaining half-hour since, no new competitors have appeared.

This area is at least safe for now.

He paused, then added:

But just in case someone does show up later,

don't worry about me—just leave immediately. I have my own way to handle it.

Okay, I understand.

Yue Ying wanted to stay and guard Xu Jingming,

but she knew her own strength.

If a strong cultivator came, her presence would only be a burden.

Xu Jingming said no more.

He took out from his space ring the purple-gold Yuanwen Flower, its leaves marked with white veins.

The moment this SS7-grade rare herb appeared, the Yuan energy concentration in the surrounding air instantly surged several-fold.

Even those inside the shield—members of the Blood Axe group—could feel the purest, most intense energy fluctuation.

It's an SS7-grade Yuanwen Flower!

Tsk, what rotten luck this Xu Jingming has—he actually found this?

Huh, judging by this, he's planning to swallow it whole?

Damn, what a waste! This is meant for breaking through to the Cosmic Stage!

The moment Xu Jingming pulled out the Yuanwen Flower, a chorus of gasps erupted.

When they realized he intended to swallow it whole, cries of lamentation followed.

This usage was simply too extravagant.

Under the complex gazes of the crowd, Xu Jingming sat cross-legged.

Unlike Yue Ying, who slowly guided the absorption, he simply opened his mouth and swallowed the entire Yuanwen Flower.

Boom—

The Yuanwen Flower dissolved instantly upon entering his mouth, turning into a warm current surging through his limbs and organs.

Immediately afterward, a torrent of Yuan energy exploded within him like a volcanic eruption!

Visible streams of purple-gold energy spiraled out from his body, forming concentric whirlpools of Yuan energy around him.

Xu Jingming's aura began to surge at a visibly rapid pace!

In just a few breaths.

The fluctuation of primordial energy within him had already reached the absolute limit of Star Level Nine—and continued rising!

In the valley, a furious wind suddenly erupted!

Xu Jingming's black hair whipped wildly.

Golden lightning arcs erupted uncontrollably from his body, scorching blackened marks into the surrounding ground.

He closed his eyes, focused his spirit, and guided the immense primordial energy within him to scour his meridians and refine his flesh.

Far away, within the shield, Xue Fu and the others stared fixedly at Xu Jingming, whispering among themselves.

"This guy..."

Xue Fu, staring through the shield at Xu Jingming's ever-rising aura, his expression shifting constantly:

"I knew it! He climbed so fast—he must've stacked heavenly treasures to get here!"

"Of course! Three years ago, when Xu Jingming entered the Genius Battle, he was barely at Star Radiance Peak."

"Now he's already at Star Level Nine—unless he used heavenly treasures, how else could he have done it?"

A nearby Star Level Peak warrior, also eliminated, sneered:

"But the question is—even if he did boost himself with pills, why could he eliminate all of us with a single strike?"

This question silenced everyone within the shield.

Indeed!

If Xu Jingming's realm was truly built only through resource stacking, his combat power should've been hollow.

But what was the reality?

From Xue Fu—a Star Level Nine with two perfected laws—to the later Star Level Peak warriors.

Not a single one could withstand a single blow from him.

That crushing force, like divine punishment, like thunder.

Could never be the work of a "pill-popping fighter."

"I don't get it anymore."

Xue Fu looked bewildered.

Xu Jingming's existence truly shattered his worldview.

More critically, he felt the other's lightning was absurdly, impossibly strong.

It even gave him the sense that the other had already crossed into the Primordial.

But eight months ago, when he first met Xu Jingming,

the other had been barely at the seventh layer of Lightning Law—he couldn't have advanced this fast.

"Forget it. Why think so much?"

One of the competitors sighed wearily:

"We're already eliminated. No matter how strong he is, it doesn't matter to us."

This reminded everyone.

Yes—they were already eliminated.

From now on, whether Xu Jingming was strong or weak, it had nothing to do with them.

For a moment, the gazes directed at Xu Jingming grew more complex.

There was envy, there was jealousy—but mostly, a deep sense of helplessness.

To be born in the same age as such a monster... what a tragedy!

Amidst the complex stares of the crowd, time passed second by second.

The energy fluctuations around Xu Jingming grew stronger; the purple-gold currents had thickened until they nearly solidified.

His aura continued climbing steadily.

Finally, at a critical threshold—it shattered!

Hum—

A pressure far vaster and more overwhelming than before erupted from Xu Jingming's body!

That pressure surged like a tangible tidal wave, sweeping across the entire valley.

Yue Ying, the closest, was forced to stagger backward, compelled to activate primordial energy to shield himself.

The competitors within the shields, though protected by the emergency barrier from direct pressure,

still felt their hearts pound violently from the sheer visual impact alone.

"Star Level Peak!"

Xue Fu said bitterly, "He's only one step away from the Cosmic Stage!"

"Don't worry—it's all just pills.

For a Star like him, just crossing into the Cosmic Stage alone could trap him for at least ten thousand years!

Don't fear—we'll reach the Cosmic Stage faster than he will."

The other competitors took this in stride.

True, pill-popping was satisfying.

But later, breaking through a major stage's bottleneck would become extraordinarily difficult.

"That's true." Xue Fu nodded, finally feeling a little better.