Chapter 515: The Original Plan

After extinguishing the frost and snow, and severing the flame waves, the sword shadow flashed and vanished, disappearing into thin air.

Meanwhile, Cheng Ding himself was gradually changing.

The sunken skull began to heal at a visibly rapid rate, and his clouded eyes regained their clarity.

Hum~!

A peculiar ripple spread outward.

Cheng Ding's previously languid aura began to rise; the sword intent, once dulled by flame scorching and frost erosion, restored its former sharpness.

Under the influence of the sword intent, the flickering flames repeated their trajectories, as if the entire Master Jianzu Hall's training ground had slipped into a strange temporal current.

Fine threads of electric light danced within the flickering flames.

But all of this lasted only a fleeting instant.

The sword intent's radiation, capable of stirring terrifying phenomena in the outside world, could barely affect even a fraction of the flames within the Master Jianzu Hall.

And this was only because Cheng Ding was Xu Xing's disciple.

In just a few seconds, he shed the aura of decay and impending death.

Though his figure remained hunched and his appearance still that of an old man, his overall condition was vastly improved from before.

"The Dao injury has been purged; the remaining minor wounds can heal gradually with rest—it will benefit you, so I won't interfere," Xu Xing said to him.

Cheng Ding's injuries, though severe, posed no threat to his life and were nothing compared to the wound Li Ke had suffered.

One was inflicted by two Cang Ancestral True Realms, the other by Xuan himself.

The two were incomparable.

"Disciple understands. Thank you, Master," Cheng Ding said solemnly.

Xu Xing shook his head slightly: "You've held your post for years; take this opportunity to rest."

Although most Star Domain Guardians rotate upon term expiration, some choose to remain stationed long-term on the frontier of the star battlefield.

For instance, within the Righteous Alliance, certain True Realms and Penetrating Realms who disapprove of their own faction's actions.

Or someone like Ji Yin Xue.

And finally, those like Cheng Ding—few attachments left, most family and friends long dead, only their masters and fellow disciples remaining.

For them, it's better to be on the frontier than to remain in the Central Continent, where every sight stirs sorrowful memories.

"Go. Rest well."

Xu Xing waved his hand, sending him out of the Master Jianzu Hall to a prearranged ward.

Conventional medical methods are ineffective against Dao injuries.

But Xu Xing has already purged it; what remains are trivial wounds, which current medical techniques can now help slightly.

And rather than send him back to his sect dwelling, where he'd be haunted by memories of the past,

it's better to change his environment.

His disciple is a chronic melancholic.

In an instant, only two remained in the Master Jianzu Hall.

Li Ke hesitated briefly, then ventured: "Master, when Brother Cheng recovers, perhaps he could take over my position…"

But before he finished, Xu Xing interrupted him.

"He's unsuitable."

"But I feel I'm unsuitable too."

Managing the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall as acting head these past days had left her with a pounding head.

Had the Sword Sect not been in turmoil and required someone of weight to stabilize the situation, she never would have taken the acting head role.

"I think you've done quite well during this time."

"..." Li Ke blinked, unsure whether to feel pleased, "Actually, I think so too... but I could be far more free in another position!"

She was the Hidden Blade Master!

"Manage it a little longer. After the initial tests of the Tai Xuan Immortal Net, if your Master Yan hasn't emerged from seclusion, we'll discuss appointing a new head with the Sect Master."

"... Alright."

Since the Master said so, she'd have to continue.

Then, as if remembering something,

"Master, the first group of Ascension Envoys should be departing soon, right?"

"Mm, yes, they're nearly ready."

"Then..." Li Ke was about to say more.

Suddenly, her vision blurred—a figure appeared, clad in pale moon-white robes, with delicate features and an aloof, serene air.

"Younger brother."

"Mm, Sister has come too."

"Mm."

Li Ke: "..."

Why is the Senior Sister here again!?

Southern Star Domain, Fu Ling Star System.

The seventh planet of the Gui Ling 37th planetary system.

The palace standing amid snow and wind.

Inside a luxurious bedchamber.

The room's specifications were even higher than those of the alien king of the seventh planet's own bedroom—at least on the surface.

Moreover, all the furniture and ornaments inside the bedroom were sized to fit normal human proportions.

This bedroom had originally been arranged for Chang Yao.

As for why Chang Yao's body size differed from that of normal humans yet was still fitted to this scale…

The current Fu Ling Interstellar Council had some understanding of humans, and thus feverishly pursued and imitated everything human.

Thus, under this series of coincidences, the bedroom ultimately fell to Chi Jiuyu.

After all, Chang Yao did not wish to offend this Immortal Envoy over such a trivial matter.

Although because of what Chi Jiuyu had said during the day, he had already abandoned any thought of cultivating a good relationship with him…

A round table stood on the balcony.

Chi Jiuyu now sat on a chair beside the round table, surrounded by peculiar plants resembling hanging orchids, their leaf tips bearing several pure white flowers.

The petals were thick; upon closer inspection, faint red patterns could be seen, and the stamens resembled jade carvings, emitting a soft glow.

The floral scent was faint, yet pleasant.

"Pretty nice smell," Chi Jiuyu muttered.

One hand played with the flower she had just plucked, the other held a tablet-like screen, scrolling through footage recorded by the micro-energetic satellite today.

Images flashed rapidly across the screen, dizzying to behold.

After a while, she tapped to stop, then looked up at the horizon and exhaled deeply.

"Huu~"

The processor was overloaded; better take a break and rest a bit.

Huuuu!!

A biting wind swept in, carrying frost and snow, yet the extreme cold was blocked outside by the array surrounding the palace.

This was a planetary system untouched by Star Refiner modification; no celestial body existed in the sky capable of drawing lunar essence.

Thus, nights were darker than those on the Central Continent or other planets inhabited by humans.

Perhaps precisely because of this, the stars visible on this planet appeared far brighter than those seen on the Central Continent.

Of course, the prerequisite was that one possessed the divine ability to pierce through snowstorms and dark clouds, like her.

After a long while, the Jin Guang in Chi Jiuyu's eyes dimmed.

She turned back to the screen, tapped it with her finger, and the paused footage resumed its rapid flow.

Night deepened; this went on for over half an hour.

The footage recorded by the micro-energetic satellite finally reached its final frame.

"Could it really just be a stupid, self-destructive farce by this bunch of idiots?"

She murmured to herself.

She had viewed everything, yet neither surface nor subsurface reports revealed any irregularities.

Hmm…

Might as well check again; there's no rush to leave.

She immediately re-entered commands, activating the internal transmission energy circuits within the micro-energetic satellites orbiting beyond the planet.

She ordered them to teleport directly near the sixth planet and begin recording.

Check all three planets.

If there's still no issue…

Then return.

"Done!"

She packed away the device connected to the micro-energetic satellites, rose from the chair, and walked back into the dark bedroom.

As for why she didn't light a lamp…

Because she thought it looked more stylish!

…

…

In a hidden meditation chamber within the palace.

A figure clad in vivid robes, its skin a bluish-black hue, sat silently.

The room was pitch black; only a pair of crimson pupils gazed calmly forward.

It was Wu Qi, the alien king of the fourth planet.

"Humans…"

As the first being from this planetary system to venture beyond it, he had once been so triumphant—yet now…

Recalling his past several centuries ago, when he first stepped beyond the system,

He had not yet had time to fulfill his ambitions before being effortlessly subdued by the human who stepped out of the starship.

He could not comprehend: he had already surpassed tens of millions of his own kind, risen to the pinnacle—why had he fallen so easily?

That single finger had crushed all his pride.

In the five centuries since, he gradually learned through the Fu Ling Interstellar Council of two realms above his own—

Soul Transformation, Return to Void.

The supreme power to pluck stars and seize the moon, to shake the cosmos!

He did not lose heart; he returned himself to humility and trained for five hundred years!

Finally, finally, he had gained the divine ability to pluck stars and seize the moon, now only one step away from the supreme Return to Void realm.

He felt it was time.

It is time to reclaim what rightfully belongs to me, it is time to avenge the humiliation I suffered over five hundred years ago!

Yet out of caution, he still sought out his former defeated rival.

He began to probe, to test the human race he once deemed beyond reach.

The results surprised him.

The first investigator to arrive was a fool among fools; though his power was not weak, he was easily manipulated by himself, Jige, and Jiufu with just a few words.

The second investigator was not foolish, but he was preoccupied with his own affairs and likewise dismissed with just a few words.

He was even inferior to the human star-trading merchants he had previously encountered!

He began to look down on the human race.

Just as he was about to enter seclusion to ascend to the True Void Realm, he unexpectedly learned that Chang Yao Zunzhu and the third investigator were about to arrive.

He began to feel wary.

It was not the third investigator he feared, but Chang Yao Zunzhu.

At this crucial moment of ascending to the True Void Realm, he would not allow anyone to disturb him!

So he devised a plan.

He ignored the third investigator of the human race, yet greeted Chang Yao Zunzhu with an entirely different attitude.

In this way, he intended to incite conflict between the two sides.

After all, given the behavior of the two previous human investigators, this method was entirely feasible!

Yet in the end, nothing unfolded as he had anticipated.

Recalling all he had endured today, Wu Qi's crimson pupils flickered with venomous hatred—a streak of purple light flashed and vanished! (End of Chapter)