Chapter 198: Star Path

"Alright, follow me." The Dragon Nation Guardian nodded, a hint of satisfaction appearing on his aged face. He swept his wide sleeves, a fresh breeze brushed by, carrying Zhang Cheng to an open plain.

On the plain stood an enormous spacecraft. The ship was entirely silver‑white, its streamlined hull emitting a cold metallic sheen, like a sleeping giant beast, quietly coiled on the ground.

"This is a stellar‑class spacecraft Dawnbreak, which will carry you to the Milky Way," the Dragon Nation Guardian introduced, "It possesses the most advanced interstellar navigation technology, capable of crossing tens of thousands of light‑years; I hope it can lend you a hand."

Zhang Cheng stared at the magnificent spacecraft before him, his heart filled with awe and anticipation. He took a deep breath and bowed deeply to the Dragon Nation Guardian, "Thank you, Elder Dragon, I will surely fulfill my mission and return safely!"

"Go then, child, the future of Lan Xing is now in your hands," the Dragon Nation Guardian looked at Zhang Cheng kindly, his eyes full of expectation.

Zhang Cheng turned and strode briskly toward Dawnbreak. Xiao Dian followed closely, looking around excitedly. After boarding the ship, Duo Yun had been waiting for a long time.

"How is the itinerary arranged?" Zhang Cheng asked.

"I've already planned the optimal route," Duo Yun replied, "We will first head to Klein Star, which is a major transport hub of the Milky Way; we can take the interstellar teleportation array straight to the galaxy's core."

"Interstellar teleportation array?" Xiao Dian asked curiously, "What is that? Will we get seasick sitting in it?"

As soon as the words finished, Xiao Dian's complexion changed, and with a "Wow" he vomited.

"Ugh—"

The pale green vomit, precisely, landed on Duo Yun's white trousers.

Duo Yun: "......"

A flash of blue light flickered, Dawnbreak activated the interstellar teleportation gate and vanished into Lan Xing's sky.

"Wow! This is the universe? It's so spectacular!" Zhang Cheng said through the viewport, watching the boundless cosmos outside, his eyes filled with awe and curiosity.

"Yeah, it's gorgeous!" Xiao Dian also leaned on the viewport, shouting excitedly, "Look at those stars, they look like countless sparkling gems!"

Dawnbreak sailed smoothly through space, heading toward Klein Star. Along the way, Zhang Cheng's eyes were constantly dazzled by various strange celestial bodies and cosmic wonders, his mind filled with endless reverie.

"We will soon arrive at Klein Star," Duo Yun's voice rang out, "Prepare to land."

Dawnbreak slowly descended onto Klein Star's spaceport, the hatch opened, and Zhang Cheng and Xiao Dian walked out.

"Wow! This is Klein Star? So cool!" Xiao Dian exclaimed, looking around excitedly, the bustling scene of Klein Star overwhelming him.

Zhang Cheng also curiously surveyed his surroundings, everything here feeling novel to him.

"Let's go, we're heading to the array," Duo Yun said, pulling a delicate glass vial from his pocket, filled with twinkling starlight, "This is the key to activate the array."

The three of them walked toward the array, but before they could get close, a group of bizarre alien beings blocked their path.

"Hahaha, look, these country bumpkins actually think they can activate the array with a broken bottle, it's hilarious!"

Dawnbreak traversed the vast universe, occasionally a few meteors with long tails streaked past the viewport, leaving brilliant trails. Zhang Cheng gazed at the majestic scene, his heart full of reverence and curiosity. To him, the cosmos was full of unknowns and mysteries, and he was about to embark on a journey full of challenges and opportunities.

"Wow! Look, what is that? It looks like a huge cosmic whale!" Xiao Dian shouted excitedly, pointing at the Xingyun outside the viewport.

Zhang Cheng followed Xiao Dian's pointing finger and saw that the Xingyun indeed resembled a massive wandering whale in space, emitting a dreamlike glow.

"That should be a nebula made of stardust and gas; the universe has many strange sights," Zhang Cheng explained, his tone carrying a hint of pride he hadn't even noticed.

"Wow, you know so much! Do you know what those sparkling things are?" Xiao Dian's curiosity clearly remained unsatisfied, pointing at the distant twinkling celestial bodies and asking.

"Those are stars, just like our Sun; they emit light and heat…" Zhang Cheng patiently explained to Xiao Dian.

"We will soon arrive at Klein Star," Duo Yun's voice interrupted their conversation, "Prepare to land."

Dawnbreak slowly descended onto Klein Star's spaceport, the hatch opened, and Zhang Cheng and Xiao Dian rushed out.

"Wow! This is Klein Star? So cool!" Xiao Dian's eyes couldn't take it all in; bizarre alien beings darted around him, and never‑seen aircraft fluttered in the sky, everything was too fresh for him.

Zhang Cheng also examined his surroundings curiously; Klein Star's technological level was clearly far above Lan Xing's, its architecture brimming with futurism, streets bustling with people of various skin tones, alien beings speaking different languages, as if he were in a sci‑fi movie.

The three of them walked toward the array, but before they could get close, a group of bizarre alien beings blocked their way. These aliens had pale green skin, two antennae on their heads, short stature, yet each stood arrogantly.

"Hahaha, look, these country bumpkins actually think they can activate the array with a broken bottle, it's hilarious!" the leading green‑skinned alien shouted, pointing at the glass bottle in Duo Yun's hand.

"Exactly, don't they even consider their own status? Activating the array requires an interstellar key; you can't use just any junk," another green‑skinned alien retorted, his tone full of contempt.

Xiao Dian heard those words and instantly became angry; he hated being looked down upon, especially now in front of Zhang Cheng. He rolled up his sleeve, ready to rush up and argue with the green‑skinned aliens, but Zhang Cheng grabbed him.

"Calm down, Xiao Dian, don't act rashly," Zhang Cheng whispered, "We're unfamiliar with this place; let's not cause trouble."

"But they…" Xiao Dian pointed at the green‑skinned aliens still mocking them, his face flushed with anger.

"We…" Zhang Cheng tried to continue persuading, but Xiao Dian's gaze cut him off.

"We…" Xiao Dian's eyes were filled with determination; he patted Zhang Cheng's shoulder, indicating he need not worry.

Zhang Cheng looked into Xiao Dian's eyes, and a bad premonition suddenly rose in his heart…