Chapter 1636: Arrival at Barlock Star! Are You Kidding Me?

The SS1-class starship Starscar traced an elegant dark-silver path through the deep void.

Its speed far exceeded the ordinary.

When Xu Jingming first boarded the conscription vessel to reach Fortress Planet 102 from human territory, it took over a month.

This return journey, thanks to the Starscar's extreme performance and the cosmic star-gate,

crossed the endless star-sea and returned to human territory in just fourteen days.

After three more days of travel, the target planet lay before them.

"Barlock Star has arrived."

Xu Jingming stood in the cockpit, gazing at the planet ahead, growing larger by the second.

Lin Qianxue stood gracefully beside him, her black combat suit accentuating her tall, elegant figure.

After breaking through the Immortal Stage, her skin had become even more lustrous as jade.

The Lei Ting mark on her brow flickered faintly, adding a touch of divine majesty.

Her pale golden eyes gazed out the viewport, softly praising:

"This planet is truly beautiful."

Barlock Star was indeed a rare and beautiful world.

From space, the entire planet was covered in interwoven seas and continents of seven colors.

Natural rainbow bands drifted in its atmosphere, slowly rotating like a celestial ring.

Starlight filtered through the atmosphere, refracting into dreamlike halos.

Making the whole planet resemble a meticulously carved work of art.

"It's a tourist planet; many people specifically come here for sightseeing."

Xu Jingming smiled and wrapped his arm around Lin Qianxue's slender waist:

"After we complete the mission,

we can stay a few extra days and explore properly."

But Lin Qianxue shook her head.

A mischievous smile appeared on her exquisite face:

"Business comes first.

I'm still waiting to see Colt's miserable expression."

Hearing this, Xu Jingming couldn't help but laugh.

Whoo—

The Starscar slowly pierced the atmosphere, its hull glowing faintly orange-red from air friction.

But the ship's built-in energy shield instantly smoothed it out, landing with not a single jolt.

After entering the atmosphere, Xu Jingming retracted the Starscar.

Their two figures appeared in the sky several kilometers above ground.

Beneath them lay the edge of an emerald continent; in the distance, the boundary between amber deserts and azure oceans stretched out, magnificent and strange.

A gentle breeze brushed past, carrying a faint floral scent and the fresh tang of the sea.

"The environment is indeed pleasant."

Xu Jingming took a deep breath, but his gaze had already swept the surroundings.

At that moment,

a figure shot toward them from afar, moving at incredible speed.

Leaving a crimson streak in the air.

The newcomer was a man clad in dark red combat armor.

He appeared middle-aged, with a stern face.

On his brow was a flame-shaped emblem, faintly radiating a scorching primal energy.

Clearly, he was a Level One Immortal recognized by the Flame Primordial Source.

This was the person Xu Jingming had contacted in advance.

It was also the Eternal Star Alliance's standard procedure.

For such an extremely dangerous SSS-class mission,

an outer-member of the Eternal Star Alliance would usually be stationed ahead to gather intelligence.

The middle-aged man halted a hundred meters before Xu Jingming and Lin Qianxue.

He bowed respectfully:

"Your Highness, I am Rici, an outer-member of the Eternal Star Alliance.

I will assist you with relevant intelligence for your SSS-class mission."

His gaze rested mostly on Lin Qianxue, his tone extremely humble.

Among Immortal Gods, there was a vast difference in status.

As an outer-member of the Eternal Star Alliance, Rici was already a towering figure in ordinary civilizations.

But facing Lin Qianxue, a core member, he dared not show the slightest slackness.

Moreover, these two had just emerged from an SS1-class starship!

Ships of that class were typically only affordable by high-level Immortal Gods.

Yet this black-haired woman before him radiated only a Level One Immortal aura.

To possess such a vessel, her background and power must be utterly unfathomable.

Yet Lin Qianxue slightly shook her head, her cold voice ringing out:

You are mistaken.

This mission is not to be completed by me, but by my junior brother.

Junior brother?

Richie blinked, then turned his gaze toward Xu Jingming.

Xu Jingming's Hidden Divine Armor can block cosmic-level scans.

But it cannot block the spiritual force of an Immortal deity.

Thus, Richie easily perceived that Xu Jingming was merely at the Cosmic Peak.

He immediately frowned.

A Cosmic Peak cultivator sent to capture an Immortal Stage Three fugitive? Is this a joke?

He couldn't help but glance at Lin Qianxue, then back at Xu Jingming.

He asked tentatively:

"Your Highness, will your senior sister join you in acting later?"

Xu Jingming's expression remained calm; he shook his head.

"No need. This mission will be completed entirely by me alone."

"Alone? This..." Richie fell into silence.

He knew that among the core members of the Eternal Star Alliance, some Cosmic Stage cultivators possessed Immortal Stage combat power.

But the fugitive Ares was an Immortal Stage Three powerhouse!

How many times stronger than an ordinary Immortal Stage One?

No matter how talented a Cosmic Stage cultivator might be, could he possibly bridge such a vast chasm?

Xu Jingming naturally noticed Richie's hesitation, but had no intention of explaining further.

"Then, Your Highness, what would you have me do?

I've already gathered some clues regarding the fugitive Ares's whereabouts."

Though hesitant,

Richie did not slacken—he became even more respectful in his inquiry.

"No need."

Xu Jingming cut him off coolly, then closed his eyes slightly.

Hum—

A vast, boundless spiritual force erupted violently from him!

He had already cultivated the T0-level Spirit Refinement Technique, "Nine Revolutions Refining the Spirit," to the Fourth Layer.

Combined with the SSS1-level spiritual artifact, the Ice Heart Crown,

his spiritual strength now surpassed that of an ordinary Immortal Stage Three deity!

Invisible spiritual waves spilled like liquid mercury, instantly engulfing the entire Barock Star.

Mountains, oceans, cities, deserts...

Every corner, every aura on the planet,

emerged clearly within his spiritual perception.

Countless life forms' auras glittered like stars, and in the northern hemisphere,

atop a towering building in that bustling city,

a hidden yet formidable Immortal-stage aura blazed like a torch in the night.

"Found you."

Xu Jingming's lips curled into a cold smile.

He then ordered:

"Vera, activate the recording device!

I am now beginning the mission!"

"Got it!"

The demon girl Vera's soul form appeared beside him.

With a flick of her small hand, the mission recording system activated.

The next instant—

Zzzt!

From Xu Jingming's back, brilliant Thunder Wings erupted suddenly!

Thunder Wings!

With a single beat of the wings, his body became a streak of black lightning.

He tore through the sky, hurtling toward a location in the northern hemisphere!

So fast it seemed like teleportation!

"This speed?!"

Richie's heart jolted; he immediately spurred his divine power to follow.

Yet even with all his strength unleashed,

he could only watch helplessly as the streak of lightning rapidly pulled ahead, the distance widening constantly!

Lin Qianxue merely smiled faintly.

A faint aura of Lei Guang shimmered around her as she followed behind Xu Jingming.

Freed from the ten-thousandfold gravity suppression of the Starfall Secret Realm.

Xu Jingming's flight speed was fully unleashed.

In his normal state, ten thousand times the speed of sound!

In just three seconds, he crossed tens of thousands of kilometers.

He arrived above the bustling city on the northern hemisphere of Barok Star.

"Ares."

Xu Jingming gazed at one of the skyscrapers, and a voice erupted like thunder:

"Come out!"