Chapter 1487: Luo Li

On Bloodrefining Star,

Xu Jingming had already deactivated the Purple Nightmare Demon Body's battle form, returning to his original height and appearance.

Dressed in a black battle suit, his posture stood tall as a pine, his face handsome and coldly stern.

Only in his deep eyes remained a faint trace of undispersed cold purple radiance.

He casually stowed away the Black Gold Thunder Prison Spear, his aura steady.

As if the battle that crushed five top prodigies had been nothing more than brushing dust from his sleeve.

This calmness and composure stood in stark contrast to the terrifying outcome he had wrought.

Not far away, Luo Li, Mia, and two other team members stood on a relatively intact patch of open ground.

They were utterly stunned.

Especially Luo Li, the only one among them who had ever interacted with Xu Jingming.

She could not imagine that just a year ago, Xu Jingming had been no more than a Star Level Six cultivator—and now, in just one year, he possessed such terrifying power!

But Yue Ying, standing beside them, paid no mind to any of this.

Her exquisitely beautiful face bore an unhidden, radiant smile.

Her gray-stone eyes sparkled brightly, brimming with pride and adoration.

She stepped forward with legs sculpted by a tight emerald-green battle suit—round, elongated, and breathtakingly curved.

Her steps were light and buoyant as she hurried toward Xu Jingming.

Her silver hair streamed behind her, shimmering with mesmerizing luster under the blood-red sky.

"Jingming!"

Yue Ying reached Xu Jingming's side and naturally reached out, looping her arm through his.

Tilting her small face up, her gray eyes curved into sweet crescents, her voice sweet and unreservedly reverent:

"So amazing! I knew you could do it!"

"I told you to just cheer me on."

Xu Jingming glanced down at her.

A faint warmth touched his stern face as he reached out and gently ruffled her soft silver hair.

"I did!"

Yue Ying wrinkled her tiny nose, utterly shedding the aloof dignity of an elf princess, her tone sweetly childish: "I cheered for you lots of times in my heart!"

The natural, intimate interaction between the two reached Luo Li's eyes from behind.

It caused her ice-blue eyes to flicker slightly, but she quickly regained her composure.

She took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil within her, and stepped forward.

On her exquisite face, her usual coldness now mingled with an unprecedented complexity of emotion.

Astonishment, awe, defeat...

But mostly, a profound shock—as if witnessing history unfold.

"Xu Jingming, thank you. Without you, we'd have been eliminated just now."

Luo Li spoke, her voice still clear and crisp, yet stripped of its former faint pride.

Indeed.

Before this monster of a prodigy, she had no right to feel proud at all.

"It was nothing. My goal was them to begin with."

"They clustered together—made it easier for me."

Xu Jingming smiled faintly, his right arm wrapped around Yue Ying's slender waist.

"Regardless, thank you."

"Here's my Virtual Universe communication number."

"If you ever need anything, just contact me."

Luo Li voluntarily gave him her contact information.

Not only her—the remaining three team members also respectfully expressed their gratitude and exchanged contact details with Xu Jingming.

Xu Jingming accepted them all without hesitation, saving each one.

These were top prodigies of the Eternal Star Alliance, with limitless potential.

Who knew? They might actually be useful someday.

"Then, Senior Sister Luo Li, we'll be off. See you after the month-long competition ends."

"Alright. See you in a month."

Having secured first place on the score leaderboard, Xu Jingming had completed his mission in this Beast Hunt Competition.

For the remaining month, he only needed to devote himself fully to hunting beasts.

After a brief farewell with Luo Li and the others, Xu Jingming slowly unfurled his dark, thunderous wings behind him.

Just as he prepared to lift off with Yue Ying and leave this ancient forest—

"Boom—!"

From afar, a terrifying roar erupted like thunder rolling across the sky!

It was not lightning—it was the violent sonic boom caused by some colossal creature flying at high speed,

tearing through the air and shaking space itself!

Immediately after, dozens of monstrous silhouettes,

like ancient demonic gods breaking free from hell, appeared at the horizon of the crimson sky, racing toward this region!

Their forms varied—some bore bony spines, resembling giant bears.

Some had wings that blotted out the sky, eyes like blood moons.

Others had bodies winding like mountain ranges, scales gleaming menacingly...

But without exception, every shadow radiated a terrifying aura that made souls tremble!

Some of them even surpassed the Cosmic Stage in aura!

"Hm? That's… a Cosmic Stage beast?"

Xu Jingming's expression froze.

"Cosmic Stage beasts! And not just one!"

"What's going on? Why are all the beasts heading this way?"

Luo Li and her teammates also turned pale.

Cosmic Stage beasts!

For them, as Star Stage prodigies, these were beings they could never hope to oppose!

You should know that the emergency badges distributed for the demon-hunting competition have a defense cap of merely the peak of the Star rank.

Once attacked by a Universe-rank demon beast, the badge's shield would shatter instantly like paper!

"Something's off…"

Xu Jingming's eyes narrowed slightly.

His gaze, sharp as a blade, locked firmly onto the dozens of terrifying figures drawing nearer across the horizon.

According to the strict rules of the Beast Hunt Competition, all Cosmic Stage beasts were confined by special spatial restrictions to designated forbidden zones on Blood Refining Star—impossible to move freely.

Yet now, three Cosmic Stage beasts were mixed among them.

This was absolutely abnormal!

"Ying'er, get ready.

If things turn bad, I'll take you and run immediately."

Xu Jingming whispered.

To be honest, he truly wanted to test the gap between himself and a Cosmic Stage beast.

But now was clearly not the right time.

Still, there was no need to panic.

Such a large-scale beast uprising should trigger a response from the Beast Hunt Competition authorities.

"Emergency! Beast uprising! Repeat, emergency! Beast uprising!"

"Cosmic Stage beasts detected escaping restricted zones, moving toward contestant gathering areas!"

"Threat level: Maximum!"

"All contestants in this zone, evacuate immediately! Evacuate now!!"

Sure enough, the smart bracers on Xu Jingming's wrist—

and those of Luo Li, Mia, and others—began vibrating violently!

Piercing alarm sounds tore through the air; crimson holographic warning boxes forcibly popped up, filling the entire field of vision!

Those blood-red characters, like a death god's proclamation, made every heart constrict abruptly!

"Shoo! Shoo! Shoo! Shoo—!"

From deep within the ancient forest around them, powerful auras erupted like sleeping volcanoes, surging skyward!

They were the Cosmic Stage guards assigned to secure this year's Beast Hunt Competition!

Xu Jingming, Louis, and the others were the strongest prodigies of this year's competition—they could not be allowed to perish.

So long before Xu Jingming acted, they had already arrived nearby.

Now, witnessing such an abnormal beast uprising, they naturally would not stand idly by.

Four figures rose into the air from different parts of the forest, each radiating a heart-stopping Cosmic Stage fluctuation!

Leading them was a middle-aged man clad in silver battle armor, his face cold and stern.

His aura ran deep as an abyss; merely standing there, he caused the surrounding spacetime to subtly warp.

He was a peak Cosmic Stage powerhouse!