Chapter 405: There Are Always Ants Who Cannot See the Gap, Recklessly Attempting to Challenge Those Above

The starry sky is boundless; even with the Xuanbei Fleet running at full power through spatial navigation, a full half-year of time had to pass before they finally returned to the Empire's territory within the Xuanbei Star System.

On this day, accompanied by a crisp, bell-like sound, every single person on the five Xing Zheng Xing of the Daxuan Empire in the Xuanbei Xingxi raised their heads in unison, looking up toward the towering tower structure at the very peak of the planet.

That was Mingzhong Peak, established when the Empire's founding lord first carved out the Empire's territory; each time it rings, it signifies that the Empire's fleet has once again returned victorious.

And now it rang once more.

This signified that the returning Empire fleet was about to pass overhead through the skies of the planet — undoubtedly the most anticipated and unprecedentedly spectacular sight for every citizen of the Empire.

In an instant, countless citizens of the Empire across every planet broke into cheers one after another, sincerely celebrating the Empire's great princess's victory over the insect race and her return.

"Laugh on, you ignorant ants — this is the only moment you'll be able to laugh…"

As everyone cheered aloud, at the highest point of the second administrative planet, within a picturesque, beautifully scenic mansion, a man whose eyes held a faint crimson glint, a cup of vivid, dripping wine in his hand, sprawled grandly across a noble sofa, looked down upon this scene and revealed a cold smile.

"Da Zhong, go notify the other families — together we'll send an invitation to that yellow-haired girl. This Family Head will join with the Four Great Families to host a celebratory feast for the Royal Family — a feast to celebrate their shattered dreams and their journey west!"

Gently swaying the scarlet wine in his hand that exuded a heart-stirring fragrance, the Mo Family Head seemed to see the blood representing transcendence within it; his crimson tongue licked his dry lips as he gave orders to those behind him without turning his head.

"Yes, my lord."

A deep, resonant voice rose from the darkness behind him, and then a man of extremely burly build, with one mechanical arm and an expressionless single eye, slowly stepped out of the shadows to respond — utterly unaware of how utterly treasonous the words from his master's mouth would appear to the outside world.

He was one of the Empire's famously renowned super-powerhouses, ranked twenty-fifth on the Empire's rankings, bearing the title of Violent Bear.

With the burly man's departure, it wasn't long before the Mo Family Head withdrew his lofty gaze from below, carefully tidied his appearance and bearing, confirmed nothing was amiss, and only then walked straight toward the depths of the mansion.

Passing through carved railings and jade-like ornate courtyards, antique-style corridors, tranquil gardens… ignoring the servants coming and going, he finally arrived before the door of a house styled like a grand hall of precious rosewood, crafted by master artisans with exquisite detail — a place of blooming flowers, clusters of blossoms, mountains and waters, an environment of elegant tranquility.

In an instant, the lofty, arrogant, disdainful expression that had been on his face vanished, replaced by a hint of fawning? flattery, and even a barely perceptible trace of fear; even his ramrod-straight back couldn't help but bend slightly before he walked in.

"Great Ancestor… your nine-hundred-seventy-eighth great-grandson's descendant's descendant… Mo Xie requests… uh~~"

"Bam!"

Before the Mo Family Head Mo Xie could finish speaking, having just walked through the great door and knelt to pay his respects, he suddenly froze — staring at a sight he shouldn't have seen inside, those several bodies tangled together. Before he could speak again, he felt a tremendous force wrap around him and send him flying out.

Yet he didn't dare summon even a shred of anger. Under that force, having been sent flying, the moment he landed he cleverly rolled over, ignoring the Blood Qi churning wildly within him and the clotted blood about to surge up his throat, forcibly swallowed it down and immediately knelt on the spot, not daring to raise his head.

There was no other reason — in a moment of excitement and smugness, he had seen something he shouldn't have seen…

Cold sweat quietly slid down. At this moment, he could only hope that the Ancestor he'd invited from the Zidu Divine Sect would spare him, given that he had brought useful news and was still of use.

It wasn't long before a voice, indifferent and carrying a hint of fire, rose from within.

"Come in."

"Yes."

Hearing this, the Mo Family Head steeled himself. Even though still separated by a door, he respectfully performed every courtesy before daring to enter. Ignoring the surrounding female corpses — a scene of utter devastation, already devoid of breath, their eyeballs bulging wide as if about to pop out — he immediately knelt on the spot and poured out a string of words begging forgiveness from his mouth.

The surroundings fell silent; the atmosphere was utterly oppressive.

After a long while, amid the "tap tap~~" of footsteps, a pair of fair, beautiful feet in slender high heels drew near. Then the Mo Family Head felt a delicate palm slowly press down on the top of his head, and at once a terrifying suction force rose — as though it would drain every drop of blood from his body.

"Speak — what do you have to report? If it can't satisfy this seat, you know what happens~~"

"A-Ancestor, your descendant has something to report!" Hearing this, the Mo Family Head's pupils suddenly contracted, his heart turning cold, and he hurriedly spoke, "T-The Royal Family has already returned! I've already sent out the invitations — tomorrow evening I can invite her here!"

As his words fell, that sensation of blood about to leave his body finally vanished, and the Mo Family Head inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Whoosh!"

Yet the next moment, a thin blood spear instantly formed and pierced into his thigh.

"Mm!"

The sudden assault of intense pain caused the Mo Family Head's eyes to bulge and nearly cry out; fortunately he still possessed reason, and forcibly suppressed it into a muffled groan.

"The death penalty may be spared, but the living punishment is hard to escape — a small chastisement to make you remember it in your heart."

At this moment, the indifferent voice finally came from above his head, followed by a faint, barely audible murmur, "Wasting nearly half a year of this seat's Time, and finally this day has arrived!"

"Get lost."

"Yes!"

As his words fell, the Mo Family Head inwardly breathed a sigh of relief, then, as if something were chasing him from behind, limped away in panicked haste.

After an unknown distance, the Mo Family Head finally dared to breathe a proper sigh of relief, a resentful expression appearing on his face — which he then quickly withdrew. Anyone accustomed to being high and mighty would find it unbearable to be treated with such a tremendous gap.

Was it necessary to torment him like this just because he'd "accidentally" seen something?

Just you wait — one day I'll tie that woman up tightly and pay her back in full!

Thinking of his nominal Ancestor of peerless beauty, the lecherous Mo Family Head's heart also grew heated.

One had to say, as expected of an Ancestor bearing the bloodline talent of a succubus — that demonic charm capable of beguiling every living being in the world could hardly be restrained by anyone.

……

On the other side, Baichuan, who had just arrived at the Empire's first administrative planet belonging to the Royal Family with the Royal Family's fleet, soon discovered a pile of exquisitely crafted invitations within his residence.

He casually picked up a few of the most distinctive invitations and swept his eyes over them.

Their opening lines were strikingly from the Four Great Families he had learned about during his half-year of following the Empire's nominal great princess back — Mo, Yun, Jun, Yi.

"The Royal Family of this Empire seems to have been riddled through like a sieve by someone…"

Scanning this pile of invitations, Baichuan shook his dragon head. The residence arranged for him by that Royal Family great princess — he hadn't even truly come to stay there yet, yet already a pile of invitations appeared within. To be able to arrange this so far in advance, perhaps the moment his residence was set up on the network, its layout was leaked and learned by others.

In that case, he should go and see for himself this group of fellows who had tried to take what belonged to him.

That's right — during the half-year return journey, it had already been more than enough Time for Baichuan to take down this Empire.

No — rather, he hadn't even taken the initiative. One day, the fleet's commander-in-chief, the Empire's great princess, had appeared before him, knelt down, and told him everything one by one while making her request.

Willing to pay any price, if only he would help her exterminate those lawless ministers.

Even if it meant handing this country over to a mysterious non-human Banzhu Spirit whose origins were unknown and with whom she had little contact — she still wanted those Star System lords who had sidelined the Royal Family destroyed.

Because, for the sake of power, those few families had, over the years, caused the deaths of who knew how many of her siblings — her gentle elder brother, her young younger brother, her clever and lively cousin… In the vast Royal Family, every male possessing the Empire's right of inheritance had been "accidentally" killed by them.

Only those female members who posed no threat and still held value for marriage alliances were left, along with the Emperor who lay in a coma, clinging to life in bed.

This blood-feud was enough to drive anyone to seize the opportunity and pay any price for revenge.

……

At night, Di Du's dazzling lights dazzled the eye, and the atmosphere of high society made one involuntarily feel a sense of longing.

"So many luxurious carriages…"

The Empire's rare superstar Ning Ya gazed dreamily through the car window at the stream of luxury vehicles coming and going, and finally, along with all the other vehicles, slowly came to a stop before a grand building of unimaginable nobility, radiating brilliant lights.

This was the most extravagant money-burning den in all of Di Du. Only those high officials and nobles who held considerable status throughout the entire Daxuan Empire could enter here. In the past, even a famous superstar like her found it difficult to get anywhere near the place.

No helping it—no matter how famous she might be in the eyes of outsiders, before those truly powerful figures who controlled everything, she was, after all, nothing more than an actress.

She never expected that today she would actually have the chance to step inside and witness that upper-class society.

Thinking about the invitation sent a few days ago by the mysterious Mo Family, Ning Ya couldn't help but feel a bit nervous inside.

Although she didn't know much—her only role was to sing a few songs to liven up the atmosphere—she had vaguely learned one thing: tonight's banquet was said to be hosted by the most mysterious Mo Family on this planet, and there would be guests of unimaginably noble status in attendance.

Reflecting on the information told to her by a friend who had been pursuing her, she nervously tidied her appearance before slowly stepping out from the back of the vehicle.

But just then, a sudden burst of commotion rang out not far away, causing her to turn her head in curiosity.

"This is?"

"An…"

"The Grand Princess?!"

She stared wide-eyed in shock, hurriedly covering her small mouth to suppress the cry about to escape her lips. The source of the commotion was an extremely rare alien race—one that seemed to exist only in legends, a synonym for power!

A body half again as large as even the tallest human, thick feet clad with ferocious claws, knotted and bulging muscles covered in scales, a slender, sharp tail that swayed ceaselessly as it moved—this was an alien race so rare within the Empire it was as if it didn't exist, appearing regularly only at the headquarters of the Star Sea Federation!

And what had appeared now was not only the rarest and most mysterious alien race, but also the Empire's most noble Grand Princess!

Watching the Empire's Grand Princess Rang Na, who followed half a step behind that mysterious alien being, Ning Ya was filled with shock inside. This was the most noble princess in the entire Empire!

For such a person to still subtly trail half a step behind that mysterious alien, just how noble must it be?

She never expected that today's banquet would even draw the legendary alien race and the Empire's Grand Princess. This banquet seemed far more exaggerated and mysterious than she had imagined!

At this moment, gazing at the mysterious alien being that had stepped down from the carriage and caused endless commotion, Ning Ya—long since accustomed to all manner of grand stages—couldn't help but grow so nervous her legs went weak, while at the same time her heart brimmed with anticipation.

Being able to attend such a grand banquet was undoubtedly a tremendous boost for her!

It wasn't just her—many of the invited guests felt the same way, their hearts filled with shock.

Before this, all they had known was that tonight's banquet, hosted by the Four Great Families, would invite the Empire's Grand Princess—they had known nothing about any alien being's arrival.

Now, with the appearance of the alien being and the Grand Princess's subtly trailing position, everyone present—every one of them sharp as a tack—instantly understood who the true target of this banquet was!

"Honored Lord Bai, welcome."

At the entrance, a polite-looking young man bowed slightly and said.

Baichuan ignored the greeting, raised his dragon head, and gazed at the massive building. His powerful and acute perception—capable, within a certain range, of discerning every change—allowed him to see through everything in an instant: the props arranged, the food prepared, the implements carried by the staff, and…

Every single thing, every subtle molecular-level anomaly, was marked out in Baichuan's gaze as clearly as if illuminated by a bright light.

Even, if he wished, the inner thoughts of these beings—countless times weaker than him—would be like someone shouting into a megaphone right beside his ear.

Their fragile spiritual power couldn't even conceal their own thoughts from him.

Baichuan slowly shook his head inside. It seemed there were always those foolish ants who overestimated themselves, blind to the gap between them, recklessly attempting to challenge the starry sky above their heads.

Without much hesitation, Baichuan stepped into this massive building known as a money-burning den.

Let him see just what trick these families that invited him were playing.

……

(End of Chapter)