Chapter 1498: Xu Jingming

The internal zones of the starship were clearly divided.

The contestants' resting area was located on the mid-deck, with an elegant environment and complete facilities.

Originally, when departing from Star Dome Academy,

Xu Jingming's group had been assigned rooms in the same area, adjacent to one another.

Now, on the return journey, the same arrangement was followed.

After all, since he was traveling with Yan Ji and the others, Xu Jingming had planned to book a room alone.

But Yue Ying demanded to share a room.

Right.

Over the past month, due to the full live broadcast of the competition,

their intimate gestures had been limited to holding hands.

Now that they finally had a chance to be alone, Yue Ying naturally wouldn't let it slip away.

Thus, amid the teasing laughter of Yan Ji and the others, Yue Ying's cheeks flushed slightly as she entered the room with Xu Jingming.

The door closed, cutting off all outside views and jests.

Inside the room, the layout was familiar: a spacious living room.

A comfortable sofa, and beyond the large viewing window, a dazzling starry expanse shimmered.

But now, Yue Ying's thoughts were clearly not on the scenery.

She turned her sultry eyes, full of liquid warmth, toward him: "Jingming..."

Xu Jingming was equally stirred.

But now was not the time for that:

"Not yet. My senior sister called me—I'm going to the virtual universe. You go take a shower first."

"Alright then..."

Yue Ying pursed her red lips, slightly disappointed.

But she could only suppress her inner restlessness and walked obediently toward the bathroom, her long, shapely legs moving gracefully.

Xu Jingming, meanwhile, took out a virtual helmet from his space ring and put it on.

As he donned the helmet, his consciousness connected.

Hum—

After a brief sensation of weightlessness and streaking light,

Xu Jingming appeared in the virtual universe, inside the small house on the Eternal Day Archipelago of Star Dome Academy.

He did not pause; with a thought,

he immediately sent a visit request to Ye Li.

Almost the instant the request was sent, it was approved.

Shh—

Xu Jingming's figure vanished from the house in an instant.

When he came to his senses again, he stood in the living room of a villa steeped in classical elegance.

On the living room sofa, Ye Li sat there.

Unlike her usual black long dress or form-fitting battle suit,

today she wore a simple, ice-silk white robe.

The robe was loose in cut, yet still failed to conceal her breathtakingly alluring figure.

The full curves of her chest lifted the fabric into graceful contours; her waist was slender as a willow.

Beneath the hem, a pair of long, straight, slightly plump legs shimmered faintly.

Her jet-black hair flowed like a waterfall over her shoulders, a few strands gently brushing her Bai Xi face.

Her coldly beautiful face bore a smile reserved especially for her junior brother, softer than her usual sharpness.

Beside Ye Li sat the Frost Crown Sovereign.

She still wore her ice-blue battle suit, her features icy and exquisitely stunning.

In her silver-blue eyes, the supreme laws of cosmic creation and destruction seemed to dwell.

One was the breathtakingly brilliant, battle-supreme Senior Sister Ye Li.

The other was the supreme Frost Crown Sovereign.

Merely sitting there, the two formed a scene of extraordinary splendor.

"Teacher, Senior Sister, I've come."

Xu Jingming steadied his mind and bowed respectfully.

"No need for such formalities."

The Frost Crown Sovereign's cold voice rang out.

Like ice springs dripping onto jade plates, crisp and melodious, yet carrying boundless will.

Her silver-blue eyes settled on Xu Jingming, her tone filled with approval:

"Ye Li has already told me in detail about your performance in the Beast Hunt Competition.

Single-handedly reversing a dire situation, you slew three Cosmic-tier beasts.

In just over three years since entering the Eternal Star Alliance, you've reached this point.

Your talent—even I feel startled."

As a supreme sovereign who had witnessed countless prodigies over endless eons,

the Frost Crown Sovereign had never before seen such astonishing breakthrough speed as Xu Jingming's.

Sitting beside him, Ye Li's cold and elegant face broke into a faint, proud smile.

"Thank you, Teacher," Xu Jingming said with a smile.

"The Beast Hunt Competition is over, and you've returned with great gains.

What are your plans next?"

The Frost Crown Sovereign nodded slightly and asked.

"Respectful Teacher, I plan to return to Star Dome Academy and immediately consume the Star Essence Pill to attempt breaking through to the Cosmic Stage."

Xu Jingming replied.

Originally, he had intended to gather more Source Points to level up further.

But with the Star Essence Pill, there was no need for such trouble.

Yet, the moment he finished speaking, Ye Li gently furrowed her delicate brows.

A clear, cool voice, tinged with concern and warning, sounded:

"Little Brother, although the Star Essence Pill increases your chance of breaking through to the Cosmic Stage, the success rate is only around fifty percent.

If you fail, you'll suffer severe damage to your primordial energy.

You've only just entered Star Peak—why not accumulate more for a while longer?"

Ye Li's warnings were all reasonable, brimming with the genuine care of an elder sister for her junior.

She had seen many prodigies rush their breakthroughs, only to find their foundations unstable.

Eventually, their potential exhausted, they faded into obscurity.

Although, given Xu Jingming's demonstrated talent, such a probability was extremely low.

Still, as his elder sister, Ye Li hoped he would proceed more cautiously.

"Thank you, Sister, but I have confidence."

Xu Jingming's voice carried deep self-assurance.

Accumulate more?

As if!

Except for the stage from Star Nine to Star Peak, where I used heavenly treasures,

every other level was raised solely by the System's point allocation.

My foundation is rock-solid—why would I need further accumulation?

Besides, my System panel still has 630 million Source Points sitting idle.

If the Star Essence Pill's potency isn't enough, I can use the System to continue boosting.

With both methods combined, I can't see any reason for failure.

"Very well. Tell me before you break through—I'll guard you."

Seeing his resolve, Ye Li no longer opposed him; instead, she volunteered to guard him.

That way, she could act immediately if anything unexpected happened.

The Frost Crown Sovereign spoke up:

"Since you've made your decision,

before you break through, I'll explain the Cosmic Stage in greater detail."

"Please, Teacher, enlighten me!"

Xu Jingming's eyes lit up, hastening to say.

Although he had already learned much about the Cosmic Stage through the Virtual Universe,

an explanation from the Frost Crown Sovereign would surely be far more thorough.

"From the Star Stage to the Cosmic Stage, there is a leap in life's hierarchy.

Lifespan increases from one million years to ten million years—no need to elaborate on that.

What I must emphasize is the 'Life Core.'"

The Frost Crown Sovereign softly opened her lips, her melodious voice echoing through the parlor:

"As long as the Life Core remains unbroken, life endures.

Though the Cosmic Stage hasn't reached the Blood-Rebirth level of the Eternal Stage, its survivability is undeniably greatly enhanced.

Thus, the Life Core is the utmost priority of the Cosmic Stage.

There are two ways to condense the Life Core: one is to naturally form it upon breaking through to the Cosmic Stage.

The other is to condense it during the breakthrough by using a 'Life Seed.'"

"What is a Life Seed?" Xu Jingming asked, his face filled with confusion.

He had only vaguely understood the Cosmic Stage and knew of the Life Core's existence.

As for how the Life Core was formed, he had no detailed knowledge—let alone the existence of a Life Seed.