I Pick Up Talents on the Interstellar Battlefield - Chapter 507 - 414: Champion Crowned, Setting Out for the Royal Star

Chapter 507: Chapter 414: Champion Crowned, Setting Out for the Royal Star

“Dongfang Xi, 85 points.”

Upon hearing the score, Dongfang Xi’s expression slightly changed.

points was an extremely high score, but her tightly clenched fingers betrayed her inner discontent — her original goal was over 90 points, aiming to prove she’s not inferior to Dongfang Mingyue, but ultimately she couldn’t achieve her expectation.

“Finally, Dongfang Mingyue, 95 points!”

As the words fell, the scene suddenly erupted in thunderous applause and cheers.

Xiao Yu, sitting in the front row of the audience, jumped up suddenly, waving her arms and shouting: “Miss won! Miss is the first!”

The Dongfang Clan bodyguards nearby also showed joyful smiles, their tense expressions finally relaxed.

However, standing on the stage, Dongfang Xi looked at Dongfang Mingyue, who was the center of attention, and her face gradually became ugly — this was already an unknown number of times she had lost to Dongfang Mingyue in important competitions, from family internal assessments to Star Realm contests. No matter how she improved her skills and polished details, she could never cross that seemingly invisible yet truly existent chasm.

She stared fiercely in the direction of Dongfang Mingyue, her nails almost embedding into her palms, with the emotion of unwillingness almost drowning her soul.

When Dongfang Mingyue stepped off the stage, Xiao Yu rushed over immediately, excitedly grabbing her arm, “Miss, you were amazing, champion, we are the champions.”

The bodyguards nearby also congratulated her: “Congratulations Miss Ming Yue.”

“Thank you, everyone.”

A smile bloomed on Dongfang Mingyue’s serene face; winning this alchemy contest not only fulfilled her wish but also rewarded her for the years and nights of hard work and research.

Those late nights in the alchemy room, those fingertips burnt while controlling fire, those hundreds or thousands of failures and resurgence, at this moment turned into the most dazzling medals.

She could finally go to the Royal star to fight alongside her brother, facing that cruel yet filled with one faint chance of survival fate.

In the audience, many familiar alchemist colleagues and unfamiliar supporters nearby stood up to congratulate her.

Dongfang Mingyue responded politely one by one, always maintaining a gentle smile, but in her heart, a trace of hollowness inexplicably arose — like a grand celebration, lively and bustling, yet always feeling like something was missing, making the joy lack a small puzzle piece.

Just then, the noisy cheers, and congratulations were suddenly muted, as a clear and familiar voice, precisely cut through the chaotic environment, reached her ears:

“Mingyue, congratulations.”

That voice was gentle, with a bit of the steadiness she was extremely familiar with, like a spring breeze over the lake, instantly smoothing out the deficiency in her heart.

Dongfang Mingyue’s smile abruptly enlarged, like a moonflower blooming quietly in the cold night, shedding all composure and politeness, leaving only pure joy and tenderness.

…

Three days later, at Shuang Hua star port.

The morning fog had not fully dispersed, and the silver-white starship shimmered with a cold metallic sheen on the tarmac.

Xiao Yu held onto Dongfang Mingyue’s hand tightly, her eyes slightly red, her tone full of reluctance: “Miss, when you reach the Royal star, you must take care of yourself. I’ll come to find you as soon as I’m done here.”

Dongfang Mingyue gently patted the back of her hand, soothing in a warm voice: “Don’t worry, it’s not my first time going out.”

Xiao Yu nodded, her gaze sweeping over the three people beside Dongfang Mingyue: Xiahou Wen, Xiahou Wu, and Qin Tian.

Seeing these three strong companions, her worries about Miss dissipated significantly — with them escorting her, and the Dongfang Clan’s already planned secret route, Miss would definitely reach the Royal star safely.

“Miss Ming Yue, the captain has sent a message, the starship is about to start, we should board,” Xiahou Wen reminded softly after glancing at the communicator.

Dongfang Mingyue responded “Okay,” turning to Xiao Yu, then sweeping over the few bodyguards she had been with for many years.

Besides Xiao Yu, some bodyguards would accompany her to the Royal star, while a few chose to stay in the Azure Wood Star Realm due to family ties.

She waved at everyone: “Everyone, I’ll go ahead, see you next time!”

“Miss Ming Yue, have a smooth journey!” The bodyguards responded in unison, their voices strong and powerful, eyes filled with sincere blessings for the girl they had guarded for years — they had watched her grow from a young girl to a top alchemist, now she was going to pursue a wider world, and they could only wish her well.

Dongfang Mingyue followed Qin Tian and the Xiahou brothers, turning to walk towards the “Star Moon ship,” the silver-white hull like an unsheathed sword, the cabin door slowly opening, revealing the soft light inside.

Stepping onto the bridge, the heavy metal door slowly closed behind her, completely isolating the noise of the star port outside.

“Miss Ming Yue, Mr. Xiahou Wen, Mr. Xiahou Wu, Mr. Qin Tian, welcome aboard the Star Moon ship!” A middle-aged man in a deep blue captain’s uniform approached with several crew members; he was the Star Moon ship’s captain, Jin Zhiyong.

He greeted warmly with a smile on his face, yet his eyes conveyed steadiness — being chosen by the Dongfang Clan to captain this escort demonstrated his abilities and loyalty.

“Captain Jin, you’re too kind.”

Dongfang Mingyue responded with a smile, knowing that every crew member on the Star Moon ship was an elite carefully selected from the family’s core members, not only having gone through life-and-death trials but also being absolutely loyal to the family.

The upcoming voyage would be led by them, navigating the starship through a little-known secret route directly to the Royal star.

As Captain Jin issued an order, the starship slowly started, engines roaring with a low hum, gliding smoothly away from the tarmac, heading towards the vast starry sky.

Outside the portholes, Shuang Hua star’s silhouette gradually shrank, eventually becoming a faint blue dot and disappearing into darkness.

Subsequently, Captain Jin led the four to tour the starship.

The Star Moon ship is a luxury business ship of moderate size but its interior configuration is top-notch — the cockpit’s holographic navigation system can precisely locate interstellar coordinates, the passenger cabin lounge is luxuriously decorated with complete amenities; most impressively, it not only packs the most advanced subspace navigation device but also hides twelve high-energy cannons on the sides, enough to handle medium-scale interstellar conflicts.

“Miss Mingyue, next we will enter subspace navigation, directly heading to Euler star district, passing through Rose star gate into the Central Star Realm, then continuously passing through three star gates, ultimately arriving at the Royal star, the entire journey will take about 75 days.”

Captain Jin projected a holographic star chart, informing Dongfang Mingyue about the journey conditions.

Dongfang Mingyue looked at the meandering fluorescent paths on the star chart, nodding at Captain Jin: “The upcoming journey relies on everyone.”

“Miss Mingyue, you’re welcome, it’s our duty.” Captain Jin respectfully replied, then turned towards the cockpit, saying solemnly into the communicator: “All units, attention, start the subspace navigation in ten minutes, set the energy room to maximum power, defense system into level-1 alert!”

The cockpit instantly echoed with orderly responses, turning the indicator lights across the starship into a rapid red, the engine roar slowly rising from deep vibrations to sharp howls.

Qin Tian and the Xiahou brothers stood by the porthole, eyes fixed on the starry sky outside — the scattered stars seemed pulled by invisible forces, beginning to exhibit slight distortions, the black curtain of cosmic space rippling like water waves.

“Buzz——!!!”

With Captain Jin’s command, the subspace device at the starship’s base suddenly burst into dazzling blue light, a ring-shaped energy ripple spreading from the starship’s center, fiercely hitting the cosmic space barrier.

Only a sound like tearing metal was heard, an irregular crack split open on the black space curtain, within which chaotic colors flowed, like a paint palette spilled yet conveying a haunting void sensation.

“Subspace channel is open, ready to enter!”

The starship, like an arrow off the string, rushed into the crack.

Qin Tian felt a slight dizziness, as if wrapped by an invisible force, the view outside the portholes instantly transformed,.

The original familiar starry sky vanished, replaced by a chaotic disordered domain: the sky was swirling dark purple clouds, within which arcs of dark green lightning occasionally flashed, like the eyes of some giant beast spying secretly.

“Subspace.”

Qin Tian gazed out the window, his eyes deep.