Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 83

Ling Xiao’s humanoid mech was twice the size of Thunder Wolf’s. Looking at its appearance, he seemed to have all the advantages.

Sitting in the cockpit, he put on the sensing helmet but felt no change, raising doubts in Ling Xiao’s mind.

As the arena master stepped into the wolf mech, its eyes glowed green, and its right paw was slowly scratching the ground, ready to pounce.

An assistant raised his right arm. “Ready—”

“Wait!” Ling Xiao shouted, but no one heard him.

“Begin!”

With that command, the wolf mech lunged forward, fiercely colliding with the humanoid mech Ling Xiao was controlling. The humanoid mech didn’t dodge and was pushed back several steps.

“What’s happening?” People murmured. Even if you can’t dodge, you should at least have the instinct to avoid. Who would just let the opponent charge at them?

With his successful attack, the arena master launched several more attacks. Ling Xiao didn’t even retaliate and just stood there like a stationary target.

The situation was one-sided, disappointing the spectators. Only the arena master was secretly delighted: This 10,000 wolf coins prize was too easy.

In the other cockpit, Ling Xiao was also anxious. Wasn’t it said that brainwave operations could automatically detect consciousness? No matter what he thought, the mech reacted like a piece of junk. Could it be a trick?

The wolf mech’s mechanical mouth opened and closed, surprisingly speaking in a human voice.

“Pretty boy, you’re not that impressive, yet you dare mock others?”

A vein popped on Ling Xiao’s forehead. You’re the one who looks dark, yet you call me a pretty boy*?

*Clarity: He’s calling Ling Xiao little white face (小白脸) which is a colloquialism referring to someone who is young, good-looking, and often effeminate (sometimes this word could refer to someone as a gigolo). Ling Xiao is pointing out the irony since the guy is dark-skinned yet calling him “little white face”.

“Hey! Aren’t you supposed to be an intelligent mech? React!” He yelled.

But the mech remained silent.

“You’re so boring to fight with. Let’s end this battle now.”

The wolf mech launched a fierce attack on Ling Xiao, spewing flames from its mouth. This strike was meant to utterly destroy its opponent. Even the pilot inside was in grave danger. Nobody expected such a ruthless move, and gasps of shock came from the crowd.

However, at the critical moment, the door of the humanoid mech suddenly opened, and a shadow darted out, flying into the air. Along with him was a crystal-like gem that shone brilliantly in the sunlight.

People unanimously looked up. Many were blinded by the light, some shielding their eyes. The shadow caught the crystal midair, and rays of white light emanated from his palm. With this light, he descended from the sky, splitting the wolf’s head in two with his bare hand.

On one side was the solid metal machine, and on the other was an unarmed man. The arena master rolled out of his cockpit, sitting paralyzed on the ground, his face showing utter terror. His expression looked as if he had encountered a monster.

“Monster, monster, monster…”

Meanwhile, Ling Xiao on the ground was examining his hand. Although the soul crystal had activated, it only exerted ninety percent of its energy. It seemed that away from the home planet, even mental power would be diminished. Venturing further away, the power would weaken further until it disappeared entirely.

He returned the mech’s control button to the kind stranger.

“Thank you for the mech, but I seem unable to control it.”

The man looked puzzled. “Our mechs are flawless. Any human, even aliens, can easily activate it. If you can’t control it with your mind… Unless you’re dead.”

With those words, the surrounding area cleared out. Ling Xiao looked around. The crowd that had been gathered around was now ten meters away, cautiously watching him.

Ling Xiao found it amusing. How could he possibly be dead?

Even the arena master and his assistant had retreated far away. Only an elder remained at the scene.

“That’s not necessarily true,” the elder said. The middle-aged man quickly approached, respectfully calling out, “Dad.”

“Those who can’t operate a mech using brainwaves, aside from the dead, are also the Tianxiu people.” The elder’s gaze scrutinized Ling Xiao. “Young man, if I’m not mistaken, you are a Tianxiu person, right?”

Upon his words, every single spectator vanished into thin air. Ling Xiao looked around in astonishment. The once crowded square was now eerily empty.

“Heh, it seems I was right.” The elder stroked his beard. “If that’s the case, calling you a young man was presumptuous. Tianxiu people don’t show age; you might even be older than this old man.”

“Can I know why?” Ling Xiao asked. “Why can’t we operate the mechs?”

“Because intelligent mechs capture the brainwaves of true living beings. Even a bird or a dog emits biological brain waves. But if the object was a stone, even the most intelligent mech wouldn’t know what the stone wanted to do.”

He sighed, looking at the wreckage of the wolf mech. “The mechs our family produces are among the best on this planet. Unfortunately, no matter how hard we try, our mechs are easily defeated in front of you, unless we can give life to the mechs. Otherwise…”

He shook his head, signaling the middle-aged man to collect the mech debris.

“I bid you farewell.”

Watching the two leave, Ling Xiao suddenly remembered that he had left something behind.

The arena master, who had claimed that even the Tianxiu people were no match for him, had hurriedly fled, leaving his so-called spoils of war on the ground. The dagger had fallen out of its box.

Ling Xiao walked over and picked up the dagger along with the box, then let out a puzzled sound. “Huh?”

Before he could say more, he felt something coming from behind him. But as he quickly turned around, the “weapon” that attacked him had already been knocked away by Ying Feng.

Looking down, Ling Xiao saw a half-eaten chicken leg on the ground. Luoluo stood a few meters away, empty-handed. Although he was shaking with fear, he still glared at them with anger.

Even though he had been unwilling to let go of the stolen spoils when he was about to get beaten, now he threw it without a second thought. Ling Xiao was utterly confused by his actions.

“Tianxiu people are devils! They’re bad! They’re murderers!”

The tiny boy, unable to even withstand the cold, shouted at a volume many times louder than an adult’s.

Ling Xiao took a step forward. Immediately, a woman came forward, shielding Luoluo behind her. Although she too was trembling, she stubbornly refused to move aside.

“Please, he’s just a child. He doesn’t understand…”

The woman was on the verge of tears. Her eyes were full of pleading and emotions that those from Tianxiu, who didn’t have mothers or fathers, would understand.

Ling Xiao halted. Luoluo, from behind, pushed his mother, constantly calling out, “Mom, mom…”

Ling Xiao’s emotions were mixed. Ying Feng made a stopping gesture, and the mother’s gaze shifted from Ling Xiao to Ying Feng, her shaking intensifying.

Black-eyed Tianxiu people were perceived as more terrifying than gray-eyed ones. It was common knowledge amongst them.

Seeing that Ling Xiao and Ying Feng weren’t approaching, the mother cautiously retreated. Once she felt safe, she swiftly carried her child and ran away, leaving the two of them behind.

“Mom… mom…?”

Ling Xiao repeated these words, which were foreign to him. He knew the meaning of the term at the base, but it wasn’t until now that he understood its significance.

Monsters, devils, villains, murderers, scarier than the dead… Before leaving Tianxiu, he didn’t know that other races perceived him in such a light.

Ying Feng suddenly walked briskly in a direction, and in no time, he pulled out the arena master, who was hiding and peeking from behind a wall.

Seeing him, Ling Xiao grew angry. “Why did you deceive people with this fake item?”

He threw the dagger in front of him. Even though it was a perfect imitation, its weight was off. As a Tianxiu being, how could he not recognize it?

The arena master stammered. “I’m… I’m sorry. I’ve never met a Tianxiu, let alone defeated one.”

“If you can make a living from this, it means you’re skilled. Why involve the Tianxiu?”

“Because it makes me seem more impressive. Once I show the dagger, everyone gets scared. More people challenge me, and the fees I collect are higher…” The arena master was almost on his knees. “Please, let me go. I won’t do this anymore. My mech is ruined. I will retire and repent.”

Ling Xiao glanced at the split mech on the ground and his anger slightly subsided.

“Return my registration fee.”

“Of… Of course…” The man hastily offered the fee.

From a distance, the howls of a wolf pack echoed. They knew that wolves howled, but it was daytime. Even if they had the language chip of the wolf star, it couldn’t translate the howls of animals. Could it be that the wolf beings were notifying each other that there were Tianxiu people here and planning to attack them?

“Hey, what’s your name?”

“Me?” The arena master was about to run but got halted. “My name is Shachi Bo.”

“Shachi Bo, what does that howling mean?”

Shachi Bo listened closely. “It’s… the Wolf King selection!”

“Wolf King selection?”

“We have two ways to elect a new Wolf King here. One is when the old Wolf King steps down, and elites challenge each other to decide the new King, which is the Wolf King selection. If someone challenges the ruling Wolf King, it’s called the Wolf King challenge. Judging by their howls, the old Wolf King has stepped down, and they are choosing a new one.”

The Wolf King selection was probably the grandest event on Wolf Star. Having a chance to witness it, Ling Xiao wouldn’t miss it.

“Can you take us there?”

“Huh?”

Ling Xiao pulled out some banknotes. “You said you wanted to retire, right? Here’s a new job for you. Be our guide.”

Holding the money, Shachi Bo lamented, “Brother, this is like asking a sheep to guide a wolf. I’m really not that brave.”

Ling Xiao, under the guidance of Shachi Bo, arrived at the arena. Members of their tribe, along with onlookers, had surrounded the place so tightly that no one could get through.

“Are these the two competing for the title of Wolf King?”

He asked, looking at the two men in the field. One had black hair, the other white. Both were tall and muscular. They were shirtless, displaying muscular physiques, and each had tattoos.

“If no third person challenges, then it should just be these two.”

“Why, with your mechs so popular, does everyone not use them for combat?”

“To compete for the Wolf King, one must rely on their own skills without the aid of any tools. It’s a rule passed down from our ancestors.”

In the field, the two competitors were already fighting fiercely. Unlike the Tianxiu people, who emphasized combat techniques, every move they made was filled with raw power and wildness, entirely based on primal force.

They seemed evenly matched, but as time went on, the one with white hair began to show signs of fatigue. Seizing the opportunity, the black-haired man began to attack relentlessly, with the crowd cheering loudly. To them, it didn’t matter who became the Wolf King. As long as he was strong, anyone could take the position. All they wanted was a good match and a strong leader.

Finally, the white-haired man fell. The black-haired man didn’t intend to stop, raising his foot to stomp on him. In desperation, the white-haired man curled up, exposing his belly, which was clearly a vulnerable spot.

“That position means surrender,” Shachi Bo explained.

“Exposing the belly to an enemy means appeasement. The white-haired one has already lost. But I think the winner won’t stop there.”

Sure enough, the black-haired man hesitated for a moment but then prepared to stomp again. The white-haired man, in response, exposed his wolf ears and tail, wagging it as much as he could.

“See, this is the true surrender. By our rules, once an opponent shows their animal ears and tail, they cannot be attacked anymore.”

Seeing the complete surrender, the black-haired man finally ceased his attack, stepping on the fallen one’s stomach and raising his fist to the audience, causing a round of cheers.

The announcer began the countdown. “If no one challenges within one minute, the new Wolf King will be crowned.”

After a minute with no challengers, the black-haired man became the new king of the tribe. He transformed into a large black wolf, leaped to a stone in the center of the arena, and howled three times, symbolizing his ascension.

All the wolves in the audience transformed and howled excitedly. The white-haired one also transformed into a large white wolf, limping towards the new king and licking his paw as a sign of submission.

The new king surveyed his subjects. Among the pack, Ling Xiao and another person stood out. Realizing he had been watched for a while, Ling Xiao wasn’t sure how to react. Shachi Bo, in his wolf form, nudged Ling Xiao’s head down.

“Hey!” Ling Xiao protested. Why should he bow to a Wolf King? He hadn’t even done such a gesture to his own Qizhu.

Several female wolves jumped into the arena, surrounding the Wolf King, vying for his attention.

Shachi Bo turned back into a human. “Now it’s time to choose the Wolf Queen. Confident girls will come forward, hoping to be chosen. Do you see the lamb?”

Ling Xiao had noticed earlier and wondered why there was a lamb suddenly in the arena.

“Whoever the Wolf King gives the lamb to will be the new queen. The choice of queen is final. Our males are very loyal. Ah, all these beautiful girls…” Shachi Bo drooled a little, looking at the female wolves.

“…” Ling Xiao: ‘I really can’t see how these female wolves are so beautiful!’

The black wolf clearly wasn’t focused on the beautiful girls. As soon as the white wolf took a step back, a threatening howl burst from the black wolf’s mouth. Such a howl made the white wolf involuntarily retreat even further. The black wolf immediately leaped from his throne, pouncing on the other, biting onto its ear.

With his ear caught, the white wolf had no choice but to stand still. The black wolf didn’t let go, instead taking this opportunity to climb onto the back of the white wolf and began thrusting that left Ling Xiao staring in astonishment.

“Ah ah ah—!” Ling Xiao exclaimed, pointing to the center of the arena. In broad daylight, in front of so many eyes. Even if they are just two wolves… But everyone here are wolves! Doing such a thing in public, could the customs of this race be too wild?

Shachi Bo explained nonchalantly, “This is to intimidate a potential rival. Even if they lose, they can challenge the king again. Some new kings will humiliate their opponents, so they won’t dare to challenge again. It’s a way of establishing authority.”

“Using this method to establish authority is a bit…” Ling Xiao found it hard to articulate his feelings.

It was indeed difficult for different races to understand each other. After raping the great white wolf, he still wanted to choose a wolf queen? To the Tianxiu people, who valued purity, having sex with more than one person in a lifetime was truly unthinkable. It was no wonder those porn movies he watched were produced on that scale!

Surrounded by thousands of wolves, the poor lamb trembled. The black wolf, after establishing his dominance, easily caught the lamb and killed it.

The single female wolves perked up, trying to show off their best side to the Wolf King.

After surveying the field, the Wolf King ran directly to Ling Xiao and set the lamb down in front of him.

Ling Xiao: =口=

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 82

In view of their merits of saving the fledgling, the thirty hours of compulsory labor imposed on Ling Xiao’s group were waived. Now, he was at the gene center, waiting for the results of the blood test.

The outcome didn’t look very promising. Heng He frowned at the data displayed on the screen.

“There are remnants of Ember II and various drugs in your blood. Even though the concentrations are minimal, they are highly toxic for test subjects, and I’m afraid you can’t be used for experiments for a while.”

“What do you mean…?”

“We have no choice but to postpone our plans for two weeks. After two weeks, we’ll observe the results again. We must wait until all the drugs in your body have metabolized before we can continue with our experiments.”

This was bad news for the military department and Heng He, but for Ling Xiao, not having to give blood was terrific news.

Good news always seemed to come in threes. The freshman’s first off-campus internship at Royal Sky was about to begin.

“Our academy places great emphasis on practical combat. Every semester, we organize at least one off-campus internship, which accounts for no less than 20% of the end-of-term total score. If you fail the assessment, there’s a chance of being held back. Off-campus internships are vital, as they determine how quickly we can adapt to future combat situations. We hope every student takes this seriously.”

“Sir, what is the content of this year’s internship?” Ling Xiao asked, raising his hand.

Just when everyone thought the answer would be something straightforward, like basic combat training in the wilderness, the instructor gave them a huge surprise.

“Because our battlefields have been expanding over the years, starting from the first year, we train to overcome the soul traction. This year, for our internship, we will go to Wolf Star, which is the closest to Tianxiu, to hone our adaptability.”

Everyone was excited at the idea of having an off-campus internship on another planet.

“I hope you all don’t treat this as a vacation. Everyone’s degree of soul pull varies. Some might feel dizzy or nauseous, some might find it hard to move, and others might have minor reactions. Your physical constitution determines whether you’ll join the national defense force or the expeditionary force in the future. If you want more opportunities to fight, prove your abilities during this internship.”

“The extent of soul traction is greatly influenced by one’s developmental state. If underdeveloped, symptoms will intensify. So for those who are developmentally delayed, please prepare well before departure. Medical personnel will monitor each student. If anyone feels unwell, please report immediately.”

Ling Xiao wasn’t worried about this at all, thinking, ‘There’s a big lecher at home. The instructor doesn’t need to worry about my development.’

“Before heading to Wolf Star, we need to understand its social structure. Wolf Star’s society is different from ours. They have a distinct class hierarchy based on tribes. Everyone belongs to a class. The tribal leaders are called Wolf Kings. Any male Wolf Star resident with the strength can compete for the Wolf King’s position. Below the Wolf King are the male elites, followed by females, average males, and lastly the elderly and disabled. All of their social activities revolve around this class system.”

“The average temperature on Wolf Star is about ten degrees lower than ours, with gravity around 0.9 times that of ours. The school will provide each student with Wolf Star currency and a language chip. Once embedded in a device, this chip will allow us to master the Wolf Star language and communicate with them.”

“For more knowledge about Wolf Star, please utilize the library and internet in your spare time. The main aim of this internship is adaptability, so the school won’t arrange much training. Most of the time, you can engage in free activities. When we aim to conquer a planet, understanding it is part of the preparation.”

Everyone received a chip. Everyone inserted their chips into the terminals, and sounds resembling the language of Wolf Star filled the classroom. Those who didn’t know any better might have thought aliens were invading. The language of Wolf Star sounded deep and tough, while in comparison, the language of Tianxiu was more melodious and pleasant.

Watching Ying Feng receive money while he had nothing, Ling Xiao was irritated. “Why doesn’t a Qizi have personal property?” He wished he had his own pocket money too!

Ying Feng pulled up his social profile without a word. Under the sections labeled “Sovereignty” and “Assets” it read:

Qizi: Ling Xiao

Immovable Property: None

Movable Property: Flying Shark

“What does this mean?”

“It means you’re considered personal property.”

Ling Xiao was taken aback. ‘…Damn it!’

This was a clear distinction between different social classes! Compared to this, Wolf Star seemed like a place of high human rights and freedom!

The date for the off-campus internship finally arrived. Even though the instructor emphasized that it wasn’t a vacation, the students were excited as if it were. This excitement persisted until half an hour after the interstellar spaceship left Tianxiu.

The students, who had never left their home planet, began to experience soul traction reactions with varying levels of spiritual languor. Even Ling Xiao, who was well-developed, felt a bit dizzy.

In contrast, Ying Feng showed little to no reaction and behaved as usual. Without the soul traction experience and with such thin human emotions, Ling Xiao began to suspect that Ying Feng was a reincarnated lone star.

An hour later, the spaceship finally arrived at Wolf Star. The average height of the Wolf Star people was much taller, with males over two meters tall being a common sight. They were burly, mostly with dark complexions. However, by appearance, people from Tianxiu looked quite similar to those from Wolf Star and couldn’t be distinguished unless pointed out.

Walking on the streets, Ling Xiao looked like a developing young man from Wolf Star, drawing no particular attention. But in Tianxiu, even among the Qizhu, his height was considerable. Here, he felt like a dwarf, which was disconcerting for him. As they continued walking, there was suddenly a commotion up ahead.

“Stop! Stop him!”

Ling Xiao dodged quickly as a raggedly dressed child ran past him, chased by several adults. It was Ling Xiao’s first time seeing a living child. The child was waist-high to him, with tiny hands and feet, making his head look particularly large and cute.

Sadly, this cuteness wasn’t enough to deter the people chasing him. The gap between them was closing when suddenly the child transformed into a wolf, running on all fours and still holding a chicken leg in his mouth.

Unfortunately, even in this form, he couldn’t outrun the adults. Soon, he was cornered, and the adults, rolling up their sleeves, were about to beat him.

Despite the many bystanders, no one stepped in to help. Such scenes were common. The child’s mother was a widow, and in Wolf Star, widows with children found it hard to remarry. If the child grew up safely, he could rise to elite status based on his abilities, even challenging the Wolf King without questions about his origins. But for now, a single mother and her orphaned child were at the bottom of society, and no one pitied them.

“Hey,” the man leading the group gestured with his hand, only to find his wrist being grabbed. The meddlesome young man had a face unfamiliar to him, clearly someone he hadn’t encountered in this area before.

“Who are you?”

“He’s just a child. Is it necessary to use force?”

“So children can steal?” The man responded defiantly.

Ling Xiao looked at the young wolf cowering in the corner, who was about to be beaten up, still stubbornly holding onto the chicken leg, clearly starving. As a person from Tianxiu, he couldn’t understand this harsh treatment of juveniles. Every fledgling in Tianxiu was a cherished treasure, forgiven even if they made mistakes. This notion of unconditional adult care for the young was deeply ingrained in them.

“It’s just a chicken leg. Look at him. He’s starving.”

“Then will you pay for him?”

Ling Xiao made a helpless face. “I don’t have any money either.”

“Without money, why are you talking so much?” The man who was about to beat the child now directed his anger at Ling Xiao. The people of Wolf Star were known for their brute strength, but to Ling Xiao, their punches seemed slow and weak, not on the same level as his.

With just a few moves, several people were sprawled out haphazardly on the ground. Ling Xiao felt quite ashamed, having only used minimal force, yet they couldn’t handle it.

“What are you doing?” a voice belonging to Ying Feng sounded.

“Ah, why are you only just arriving?” Ling Xiao reached out. “Give me some money.”

Ying Feng had just gone to put away his luggage, not expecting that in such a short time, Ling Xiao would already be causing trouble.

Ling Xiao neatly placed a banknote on the leader of the group. “I’m not sure how much this is, but it should be enough to buy a chicken leg, right?”

On the other side, a skinny little wolf stared intently at him, his eyes filled with admiration.

“Luoluo!” A worried female voice suddenly rang out.

Hearing the call, the little wolf immediately ran towards the source of the sound, transforming into a human as he did.

“Mother.” He excitedly showed her his spoils. “Food!”

His mother anxiously glanced at her son, then at Ling Xiao and the people at his feet, her expression first showing guilt and then gratitude.

Ling Xiao waved with a smile at the mother and son and left with Ying Feng.

After walking about two hundred meters, Ying Feng suddenly spoke.

“He’s still following us.”

Ling Xiao turned his head and indeed saw a small figure hastily hiding. He found it amusing.

“Don’t mind him.”

They hadn’t walked much further when they came upon a noisy place. Squeezing in, they saw a man set up a fighting stage.

“For many years, I’ve traveled north and south with my Thunder Wolf, never meeting an opponent. Not just from Wolf Star, but even those from Tianxiu are no match for me!”

“Pfft.” Ling Xiao couldn’t help but laugh.

Despite the man’s bragging, he had sharp hearing. “The gentleman over there, please stand up.”

He approached Ling Xiao. “Do you have a problem?”

“Um… Who’s Thunder Wolf?”

The man pressed something on his chest and out jumped a three-meter-tall mechanical wolf with a shiny brown shell, looking majestic.

“Do you see? This is Thunder Wolf!”

It did look pretty impressive, but…

“You’re saying it defeated someone from Tianxiu?” Ling Xiao shook his head, looking skeptical.

“You don’t believe it?” The man clapped twice in the air, and an assistant-like figure promptly brought over a long box.

“You better watch closely.”

He opened the box with pride. Ling Xiao’s face changed upon seeing its contents.

There was a stir among the crowd. The daggers used by the people of Tianxiu were distinctive and easily recognizable. Even those from Wolf Star knew that individuals from Tianxiu always carried their daggers. If there was only one dagger, it was very likely that its owner met a grim fate.

“See?” he said smugly. “This is my trophy. That person from Tianxiu challenged me, but sadly…” he feigned pity with a shake of his head, oblivious to Ling Xiao’s darkening expression.

Addressing the crowd, he raised both hands. “Anyone who can defeat my Thunder Wolf will receive a reward of one million. Is there anyone brave enough to challenge?”

The prize was tempting but considering the fate of a certain individual from Tianxiu, no one dared to step forward for a while.

“Are the people in this region all so timid?” he continued provocatively. “No one here dares to fight? In the last city, I fought seven at once, but at least they had seven warriors!”

“I’ll do it.”

The man took a closer look, realizing the volunteer was the same person who had mocked him earlier.

“Oh? Are you sure?”

“But I have a condition. If I win, I don’t want that one million.” Ling Xiao pointed at the box in his hand. “I want that.”

The other party thought for a moment. “Sure, but before that, you have to pay a challenge fee of ten thousand wolf coins.”

It turned out that he was using this as a way to make money. Ten thousand wolf coins was a steep price. Just as Ling Xiao hesitated, someone from behind handed over a stack of banknotes.

“Ah…” Ling Xiao guiltily looked at Ying Feng.

With a deadpan expression, Ying Feng commented, “Win or lose, you’re out of spending money.”

Even so, Ling Xiao remained optimistic. “I’ll definitely win.”

“I like decisive people like you.” The challenge host handed the box back to his assistant. “Alright then, bring out your mech!”

“Ah?” Ling Xiao blinked. “But I don’t have a mech.”

“You’re challenging without a mech? Are you making fun of me?”

Before Ling Xiao could reply, someone interjected. “I can lend you one.”

The speaker was a middle-aged man. “Win or lose, I won’t charge you. I just don’t like this man insulting our entire region.”

“Thank you for the offer, but I don’t know how to operate a mech.”

His experience wasn’t entirely nil, but he recalled how someone once ridiculed his skills.

“My mech is an intelligent one, operated by brainwaves. You don’t need any experience. Whatever you think, it will respond immediately. Even a six-year-old can handle it.”

Some in the crowd recognized the man, and whispers began circulating. “Isn’t he from that famous mech-making family?”

“Yes, that’s him.”

Understanding the situation and seeing the kind offer, Ling Xiao nodded in agreement.

“Thank you very much.”

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 81

“Boo…” The audience jeered below, and everyone started throwing virtual rotten eggs at him. Ling Xiao was laughing so hard that he not only threw his own egg but also grabbed Ying Feng’s and threw it as well.

Despite the onslaught of eggs, Red Head remained undeterred on stage, passionately chanting, “The soul is eternal, and life is fleeting. Love needs to be shown every second! You have only one life and only one soulmate…”

“Are you not going to throw?” Ling Xiao, holding his belly, asked Shang Yang.

“I think what he said was quite good.” Shang Yang hesitated, looking at the items in his hands. “I’m considering whether to throw a flower for him.”

“Wait a moment!” A shout came from the stage, startling both of them. “I see a real flower on stage! A real one!”

Excitedly, Red Head picked it up. “Which little angel threw this? Raise your hand and let me see you, okay?”

From the crowd, Bing Can raised his hand confidently. Red Head, with a look of utter bliss, exclaimed, “I knew it was you, my little angel. Let me thank you in kind.”

He threw the mic to the host and, despite being covered in egg yolk and egg white, gracefully jumped off the stage and passionately kissed his Qizhu in front of everyone. Their stall’s popularity instantly skyrocketed.

The host, who was sweating profusely, took control of the situation. “Clearly, the previous contestant failed to answer his question properly. Who’s the next brave participant?”

“It’s your turn.” Red Head pushed Yu Ji. “We agreed, one turn each.”

Ling Xiao: ???

When did they make such an agreement?

Yu Ji, reluctantly taking the stage under Red Head’s push, drew a question similar to the previous one.

Question for adults: Since forming a pact, what is the one thing you regret the most?

Indeed, the question was apt for Yu Ji, and his answer was pretty much what Ling Xiao had anticipated.

“The thing I regret the most… is probably not being by his side during his tumultuous period. When he needed me the most, I left him alone, which led to him suffering lifelong consequences.” Yu Ji paused. “I’m not a qualified Qizhu.”

The host added, “Imagine leaving your Qizi alone during their tumultuous phase. As fledglings, we don’t have to worry about such issues. We’re free and unrestricted, right?”

“Right!” The fledglings in the audience agreed in unison.

Shuang Feng, with a push, jumped onto the stage. The host, caught off guard, had the mic snatched away by him.

Even Ling Xiao and his group were surprised. This man, whom they often referred to as the “God of Sleep”, seemed unusually proactive today.

“I want to clarify something,” he began without any introduction. “After the coming-of-age ceremony, the one who ran away wasn’t him; it was me. He didn’t abandon me, as he said. I didn’t want to face others’ pity.”

“We all want to escape reality. Essentially, our actions were the same, but the results differed. I seemed more like the victim because I suffered more. But we’re all victims, and we’re also the perpetrators. The one we harm is ourselves.”

“I have suffered permanent mental trauma, and he has been immersed in guilt for a long time. The symptoms of the Qizi’s can be determined by instruments, but only the Qizhu knows the knot in their heart. Because of this visible damage, I gained another person’s guilt, concession, and care. We didn’t originally need to be responsible for each other’s lives. If he was with someone he liked, he wouldn’t need to be so careful and filled with guilt as he is now.”

“So, there’s something I’ve wanted to say for a long time.” He turned to Yu Ji. “It’s not your fault. You have nothing to feel guilty about.”

Yu Ji, holding the mic, couldn’t say anything for a long time. The audience was silent until someone yelled, “They’re just here to show off their love, boo!”

It was as if a floodgate had opened. Numerous eggs were thrown onto the stage, with the fledglings expressing their envy in this way. Shuang Feng shielded Yu Ji behind him, which only incited more people to throw eggs.

Despite the embarrassment, when the two walked off the stage hand in hand, the applause was much louder than the boos.

“Amazing!” Red Head joked, “You two can definitely surpass Ling Xiao’s team by the end of the term.”

“Hey!” Ling Xiao retorted.

Shuang Feng perked up momentarily, then immediately reverted to his usual self. “I’m so sleepy. I want to go to bed.”

“The event isn’t over.”

“We’re not participating anymore.” The two were already several meters away, with Shuang Feng lazily waving his free hand.

After two consecutive challenges, the surrounding crowd raised torches in anger. Seeing the unfavorable situation, Ling Xiao quickly pulled Shang Yang away.

They wandered around, playing and eating, and soon encountered a roaming grand adventure lottery box. Ling Xiao urged Shang Yang to draw a lot.

“Eh, can I?” Shang Yang asked nervously.

“Of course.” This game didn’t require them to go on stage, so they didn’t have to worry about attracting attention.

“Alright then.” Shang Yang carefully drew a lot. Ling Xiao leaned in to see, and the card read: Say the content above aloud three times, and your wish will come true.

“Go ahead,” Ling Xiao encouraged him.

“I… I want to fall in love.”

“Too quiet.” The lottery staff shook his head with a smile.

“I want to fall in love.” He raised his voice a little.

“One last time.”

“I WANT TO FALL IN LOVE!” Shang Yang shouted.

Many people around heard him, and there were cheers and whistles, and some fledglings gave him flirtatious glances. Beneath Shang Yang’s mask, a hint of blushing was visible.

“May your wish come true.” The lottery staff gave him a gift—a small angel halo that floated above his head.

“When you meet someone special, it’ll light up.”

“Thank you.” Shang Yang placed it on his head, instantly transforming into a little angel.

The halo was fascinating. Without any support, it followed its wearer around.

Ling Xiao liked it and wanted one too, so he urged Ying Feng to participate.

“For adults, draw here.”

The lottery staff flipped the multi-faced lottery box with ill intent.

Ying Feng drew a card, and after a while, words appeared on it. He silently pocketed it.

“What did you draw? Let me see.”

Ling Xiao reached for it, but Ying Feng refused. Shang Yang also curiously looked over.

“What if I can’t do it?” Ying Feng asked directly.

“You’ll be penalized.”

“How?”

“For adults, it’s drinking a big cup of wine!”

A staff member immediately brought over the wine, which was indeed a large cup.

“Wow, that’s a lot,” Ling Xiao remarked. “You’re not really going to drink it, are you?”

Ying Feng decisively took the cup.

“Hey.” Ling Xiao hurriedly said, “What did you draw that’s harder than drinking wine?”

Ying Feng acted as if he hadn’t heard and drank the wine in one gulp, attracting many onlookers.

Curiosity nearly killed the monkey, but no matter how Ling Xiao threatened or coaxed, Ying Feng refused to reveal or show the content on the card.

“Ah,” Shang Yang suddenly exclaimed. The halo on his head lit up. Looking to the side, another girl with a halo was looking his way.

The music started at the right moment, and the dance was a traditional event of the Royal Sky Festival, where both fledglings and adults danced hand in hand with their partners.

Bing Can and Red Head had already entered the dance floor. Ling Xiao was urging Shang Yang, “Go, take the initiative.”

“Is it really okay?”

“We’re here with you.”

Shang Yang mustered the courage and approached the girl. Unfortunately, he didn’t understand any social etiquette, but in the end, the girl took the initiative and extended her hand to him.

Ling Xiao and his group followed them from a safe distance that wouldn’t disturb them. Soldiers sent by the Marshal, disguised as a dancing pair, were in another direction, keeping an eye on the scene.

Ling Xiao, draping his arm around Ying Feng’s neck, now with just the two of them, was still tormented by the burning curiosity about the card. “What exactly did your card say?”

If Ying Feng started with “It seems like…” again, Ling Xiao felt he might lose his mind.

Surprisingly, this time Ying Feng straightforwardly showed him the card. Why didn’t he show him earlier? Was it inappropriate for fledglings?

Ling Xiao took a look, and it read: Use release on your Qizi once.

He felt he had seen these words somewhere before. Ling Xiao recalled that in Ying Feng’s notes, among the 99 things couples should do, there seemed to be such an entry.

But he didn’t understand, “What does ‘release’ mean?”

“Do you want to know?”

The two were close, and due to the height difference, Ying Feng’s gaze fell on Ling Xiao’s face. His half-covered eyes conveyed an indescribable feeling. The fluctuating dance lights softened Ying Feng’s sharp features. The usual cold demeanor seemed to melt away. Ling Xiao was entranced and almost unconsciously responded, “I do…”

Ying Feng looked around, ensuring no one’s attention was on them, then slowly leaned in. When they were just a centimeter apart, Ling Xiao caught the faint scent of alcohol from him. Even though Ying Feng was the one who had been drinking, Ling Xiao felt intoxicated.

Ying Feng’s breath whispered into Ling Xiao’s ear, which immediately turned a shade of red, making it look alluring and delicious. As if tasting some kind of delicacy, Ying Feng, following a certain habit of his when he brought Ling Xiao to climax, gently bit his ear, rubbing the tips of his teeth on it.

“Nn…” Ling Xiao nearly let out a moan, but he held back. His vision changed, seeing rapid transitions between day and night, clear skies, and twinkling stars. He closed his eyes, and the visuals accelerated.

He felt a tingling sensation starting from the top of his head, moving through his face, reaching his heart, and spreading through his body. Whenever it touched, it felt like feathers lightly scratching, like ants swarming, until this tremor swept through his entire body, causing waves. His body began to tremble slightly.

All feelings finally condense. The sleeping ones woke, the dormant ones looked up, and without any contact, desire burst out, and his mind went blank for a minute.

He slowly tightened his arm around Ying Feng, and his toes became the only fulcrum. Because of the surge of blood, he had to bury his head into Ying Feng’s shoulder to prevent others from seeing him like this. Ying Feng gently nibbled along his ear from bottom to top, grinding it carefully. Ling Xiao tightly bit his trembling lips. The music drowned out his occasional moans, but he knew this very well and was still ashamed.

The feeling hadn’t stopped as waves after waves kept coming, rolling in layer by layer, like the never-ending tide. Ling Xiao was drowning in it, rising and falling involuntarily. The ripple-like excitement spread somewhere and rebounded after touching the edge, amplifying the pleasure where it overlapped, until every cell in his body joined this fervor.

Ying Feng let go of his ear and whispered, “Breathe.”

The word seemed to jump in his ear. Only then did Ling Xiao realize he had been holding his breath for a long time. He almost passed out from suffocation and would probably be the first person to have suffocated himself to death.

“That’s enough…” Ling Xiao moaned intermittently. Even he wasn’t sure whether such a weak sound could penetrate the dance music and be captured by Ying Feng.

As Ling Xiao wished, Ying Feng withdrew his power. Instantly, Ling Xiao felt drained, his legs too weak to support his body. Ying Feng, with his arm around Ling Xiao’s waist, subtly exerted more strength to support him. Ling Xiao’s entire weight leaned and hung onto Ying Feng, resting his head against Ying Feng’s lower jaw and breathing heavily.

Thankfully, a lyrical song was playing at that moment, so their overly intimate behavior didn’t arouse suspicion from others. Ling Xiao was incredibly grateful that Ying Feng didn’t act on the spot. He wondered who came up with such a ridiculous challenge.

Shang Yang passed by them, fully immersed in the event. Any previous shyness was gone. As he passed, he gave Ling Xiao a cheerful smile. Ling Xiao strained to curve the corner of his mouth as a response; given his current state, it was a feat in itself.

Turning around, Ling Xiao noticed that he had dampened Ying Feng’s shoulder and collar. As for a certain spot on his own body, he didn’t need to look to know the situation.

For the remainder of the dance, Ling Xiao practically hung onto Ying Feng. Shang Yang and his dance partner were having so much fun that Ling Xiao didn’t have the heart to urge him to leave.

The party finally came to an end, and Shang Yang reluctantly bid his partner goodbye.

“Her name is Jue Yin. I want to be friends with her,” Shang Yang said to Ling Xiao, somewhat embarrassed.

“Why not? Of course you can.”

“I don’t have a personal terminal, so I gave her the Bishop’s contact information.”

Ling Xiao: …

I hope the Bishop won’t mind!

“Your face is a bit red. Is it because it’s hot?” Shang Yang asked with concern.

“Uh, yeah, haha, from dancing,” Ling Xiao replied, feeling awkward.

“Thank you for taking me out today. It’s the happiest day since I’ve awakened.”

Ling Xiao felt a mix of emotions. “I’ll take you out again when we get the chance.”

“Thank you,” Shang Yang said, looking at the two of them with envy. “You two are so close. I hope I can have a relationship like yours someday.”

After Shang Yang left, Ling Xiao, feeling drained, leaned onto Ying Feng limply.

“It doesn’t consume mental power.”

Ling Xiao: ??

“What doesn’t?”

“My new ability.”

Ling Xiao: …

It’ll kill people, okay?!

Ying Feng thought Ling Xiao didn’t understand and earnestly explained, “It can last as long as you want.”

“You try lasting three minutes!” You’d probably drop dead in less than a minute!

“There are too many people here.”

“Huh?”

“We can try it when we get home.”

“…You misunderstood! That’s not what I meant!”

Ying Feng dragged him a few steps and eventually just hoisted him onto his shoulder.

All the talk about being close was deceptive; they even had different communication frequencies. How could they be in love? Most importantly…

“I really didn’t mean that! Put me down! Hey!”

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 80

Ling Xiao nervously stood outside the door, unsure of where to place his hands. He kept adjusting his uniform and constantly asked Ying Feng if anything about his appearance was amiss.

Ying Feng found his anxiety a bit exaggerated. “Are you really this nervous?”

Ling Xiao didn’t understand Ying Feng’s calmness. After all, they were about to meet the Marshal, the highest-ranking officer in the military. In the military inclined Tianxiu, the Marshal’s position was akin to a president’s. Wasn’t he, a freshman at the military academy, allowed to be nervous about meeting such an important figure?

Under the guidance of an officer, they finally stood before the Marshal. Though Ling Xiao had only seen him from afar in media broadcasts or during ceremonies, up close, the Marshal was imposing and dignified, demanding respect from all who met him.

“Greetings, Marshal!” Ling Xiao saluted sharply.

Although the Marshal had a stern expression, those familiar with him could tell he was in a good mood.

“You two have performed exceptionally,” he began. “Whether it was your response to emergencies, your bravery in facing greater numbers, or your sense of duty in protecting the fledglings, your actions were commendable. On behalf of the military, I thank you for your outstanding contributions and am proud that the military has talents like you.”

The Marshal took a medal from an aide and solemnly pinned it on Ling Xiao. “It has been many years since this Medal of Outstanding Contribution was awarded to someone outside the active military. Congratulations on this honor.”

There was applause. Ling Xiao saluted again, gratefully saying, “Thank you, Marshal!”

Then, he watched as the Marshal similarly decorated Ying Feng. The pride he felt seeing this was even greater than his own recognition.

Compared to Ling Xiao, Ying Feng was much calmer. He offered a standard salute and then shook hands with the Marshal, displaying both respect and confidence. The Marshal silently approved. Leadership qualities often manifest at a young age, and this young man undoubtedly had that potential.

Many officers were present, some familiar from the media and some whose reputations preceded them. Fu Yao wore his usual enigmatic expression, and Long Yin pretended not to recognize them from the moment they entered.

After the award ceremony, many came to offer their congratulations, soon followed by questions related to the Eagle. The military had been chasing Tai Yin for years, always eluded by their cunningness. Ling Xiao and Ying Feng were the only ones who had infiltrated the enemy, possessing information even the military didn’t have.

Ying Feng shared all the intel he gathered from the Eagle, including the number of enemies, ship configurations, and weaponry. Listening, Ling Xiao realized that while he was distracted by Fei Jing, Ying Feng had been observing and memorizing so much.

The award ceremony turned into a strategy discussion until the Marshal intervened, dismissing those not directly involved and leaving only Ying Feng and Ling Xiao.

“Marshal, do you need anything else from us?” Ling Xiao asked.

“Not from me,” the Marshal replied, “but someone else wants to meet you.” He clapped his hands, signaling someone to enter.

The man looked familiar. Some people had an innate ability to exude warmth. From the moment he entered, Ling Xiao couldn’t take his eyes off him, as if drawn by a magnetic force.

“Hello,” the man greeted with a smile.

“Hello,” Ling Xiao replied, slightly confused. “Have I met you somewhere?”

The man chuckled. “I’m the Marshal’s Qizi. You might be more familiar with my other identity.”

“Another identity?”

“He’s the current head bishop of the church. We saw him in the cathedral’s corridor.”

Ying Feng’s words jogged Ling Xiao’s memory. Even though they didn’t follow the church, the bishop’s image was everywhere.

Wait! The head bishop, the Marshal’s Qizi? Ling Xiao blurted out, “Aren’t the church and the military opposed?”

Ying Feng nudged him with an elbow, realizing his blunder. But the bishop seemed unperturbed and explained with a smile, “Do you have misconceptions about the church? We’re not against the military. They protect us and our nation. How could we oppose them? We just have differing viewpoints on certain issues and are always seeking alignment.”

Ling Xiao stealthily glanced at the Marshal. Was it okay for him to openly express different military positions in front of his Qizhu? Yet, the Marshal seemed to take it in stride, as if it would have been strange if the bishop hadn’t spoken up.

“Your name is Ling Xiao, right?” The bishop gazed at him gently. “I used to know a child with the surname Ling who was as kind-hearted as you.”

“Was it Ling Xing?” Thinking of anyone related to the church with the name Ling, Ling Xiao immediately thought of that name.

The bishop was taken aback. “You know him?”

Ling Xiao hesitated. “We emerged from the same energy pod. I’ve heard of him.”

The bishop gazed at him for a while and sighed. “It’s a pity he left at such a young age. If he were reincarnated, he would have been of age to awaken.”

The Marshal placed a hand on the bishop’s shoulder, signaling him to change the topic, and the bishop adjusted his emotions promptly. “Earlier, the Marshal expressed the military’s gratitude to you both. I’d also like to express the church’s gratitude. Despite the combined efforts of the military and the church over the years, we couldn’t save him. Yet you succeeded.”

“The population of Tianxiu has shrunk by 40% compared to the founding era. Regardless of whether we want to admit it, due to wars and various accidents, our race is continually declining. If there’s no turnaround, we’re doomed to extinction. In this context, every fledgling is precious. So, you didn’t just save a hostage; you saved a soul, which is a massive contribution to the entire nation.”

“It’s our duty,” Ling Xiao said with pride.

“Sorry for the long talk. Actually, someone else wanted to thank you in person.” He stepped aside, revealing a shy-looking fledgling behind him. Even though he looked like a child, Ling Xiao knew he’d awakened much earlier than him, having been a fledgling for over three decades. “Come, Shang Yang, didn’t you have something to say to them? Don’t be shy,” the bishop encouraged.

Shang Yang hesitated several times before speaking, and the bishop explained, “He’s been isolated for so long and isn’t great at communicating. Please be patient.”

“It’s okay. Take your time.”

“Thank you for saving me.” Shang Yang mustered up his courage. “I heard you faced dangers and fought many to save me. You’re really brave.”

“To manage to sneak into a lifeboat and escape in such an environment, I think you’re the truly brave one,” Ling Xiao sincerely praised him. To face the vast expanse of space alone required immense courage. Shang Yang’s eyes sparkled. Not only was Ling Xiao his savior, but he was also the first to say such words to him.

“What’s your real name? Why do they still call you Shang Yang?”

“His real information was erased by Tai Yin. We couldn’t find it in the database,” the bishop interjected.

Ling Xiao was about to speak when the bishop added, “His presence here is still a secret. We don’t want to make it public or let unrelated people know to avoid leaks.”

Ling Xiao understood, feeling sorry for Shang Yang. He had been imprisoned by Tai Yin since his awakening and now just hid in another place.

“So, he can’t go to school or interact with other fledglings?”

“For his safety, I’m afraid that’s the case for now,” the bishop said. “Tai Yin is exceptionally intelligent, and we can’t underestimate him. Sending him to a primary school is too risky.”

“That’s a pity. If he could interact with his peers, find someone he likes, and go through the coming-of-age ceremony, even Tai Yin would be powerless.”

From Shang Yang’s eyes, Ling Xiao saw hope and got an idea. “Today is Fledgling Day, and there are many fledglings outside. If we bring him to a mixer party, no one should recognize him, right?”

With hopeful eyes, Shang Yang looked at the bishop, who turned to the Marshal. Under everyone’s gaze, the Marshal made a decision. “I’ll assign two people to accompany you, just in case.”

Shang Yang’s eyes sparkled with excitement. Ling Xiao, energized, looped his arm around Shang Yang’s neck, “Let’s go have fun!”

As they headed out, the Marshal gave Ying Feng a warning look. Understanding the unspoken message, Ying Feng replied, “Don’t worry. I’ll keep an eye on those two.”

Ling Xiao, along with Shang Yang and two bodyguards, returned to the school. As darkness set in, the party was about to begin. To ensure Shang Yang’s safety, they had prepared a disguise mask for him.

The Royal Sky Military Academy was a prestigious institution on Tianxiu. Naturally, its fledgling students carried the reputation of “golden bachelors”. Every year on this day, many fledglings from other top institutions would travel great distances to join the Royal Sky’s grand party, hoping to meet an exceptional partner. The vast gathering of fledglings created a perfect cover for Shang Yang’s concealed identity.

Upon arriving at the party venue, they discovered two entrance doors: one slightly wider and the other narrower, only permitting a single person’s passage.

Surprisingly, many adults were also participating in the party, implying that Fledgling Day wasn’t exclusively for fledglings. Naturally, where there was a lively scene, Red Head was bound to make an appearance. Spotting Ling Xiao, he excitedly signaled from behind the wider door. “Use this door! This one!”

“What’s the difference?” Ling Xiao asked, standing between the two entrances.

A party attendant explained with a smile, “Today is Fledgling Day, and all attendees are single. The narrow door is sufficient for entry. However, if you wish to enter as a couple, you’ll face a penalty.”

Understanding, Ling Xiao initially headed towards the narrow door but was assertively pulled by Ying Feng towards the wider one.

“Hey, don’t flaunt our relationship in front of the single fledglings,” Ling Xiao whispered.

“Shouldn’t we?” Ying Feng asked seriously.

After pondering for a moment, Ling Xiao conceded. “Yes, you’re right.”

“Shang Yang, you…” He had just turned his head to greet him when he realized that the other had already passed through the narrow door and ran ahead of them, waiting with an expectant look to watch the fun unfold.

“Wonder what the penalty is,” Ling Xiao murmured as they both stepped through the wider entrance.

Suddenly, a bucket of water cascaded from above. Just as they were about to get drenched, a protective barrier surrounded them, keeping them completely dry.

“Ah! Using a soul crystal is so unfair!” The onlookers criticized Ying Feng’s cunningness.

Ling Xiao proudly thought, ‘My Qizhu is so smart!’

“That’s practically cheating!” Red Head and his group approached. “We thought we’d finally see Ying Feng in a humorous plight, but you couldn’t even grant us this small wish on a holiday.”

Ling Xiao noticed their dry attire and asked, “How did you guys get through?”

“We came with Yu Ji and the others. They walked ahead of us. Seeing the imminent drenching, we quickly slipped through the narrow door.”

As they chatted, Ling Xiao spotted Yu Ji and his partner, looking as if they had been caught in a downpour. It was rare to see Shuang Feng not taking a nap during his free time.

“You guys are no better than us, even more cunning,” Ling Xiao jested.

Everyone teased each other for a while, and Ling Xiao took the opportunity to introduce Shang Yang to them.

“This is my friend, Xiao Yang. He came to hang out with us today.”

He didn’t say anything else, and Yu Ji’s group just assumed that Shang Yang was a friend from Ling Xiao’s preliminary school. Red Head and his group, although they had seen Shang Yang before, couldn’t recognize him behind the mask. In front of everyone, Ling Xiao didn’t feel it appropriate to explain.

Nobody asked any questions; they just welcomed Shang Yang’s arrival.

“Are you here to find a partner, kiddo? We have many excellent single fledglings here,” someone teased.

Ling Xiao pushed Red Head playfully. “The ‘kiddo’ you’re talking about has been awake for more years than I have.”

Shang Yang had never interacted with so many people at once. Even on the Eagle, Tai Yin had always locked him up in a small room, and the only person he ever saw was Tai Yin. So, he shyly hid behind Ling Xiao.

“You scared the little one,” Ling Xiao jested.

Red Head quickly tried to redeem himself. “I just saw some graduates from Lion Academy attending the party. Later on, I’ll introduce them to you.”

“We don’t need to know anyone from your school,” Ling Xiao teased, remembering the mishap with Red Head’s chemistry classmate. If it weren’t for that classmate giving the wrong stuff, they wouldn’t have been assigned mandatory labor, which led them to meet the fleeing Shang Yang and ultimately rescue him. On second thought, maybe they should be grateful.

“Huh? Are you saying my Qizhu is unreliable?”

Ling Xiao, pulling Shang Yang with him, moved deeper into the party, ignoring the shouting Red Head behind him.

There were many booths at the party, and many were surrounded by a crowd.

“Come and join our activity.” Someone invited Ling Xiao and his group. “Both fledglings and adults can participate.”

“What’s the activity?”

“We’re from the Older Fledgling Club. We pride ourselves on being single. If you come on stage and draw a question, answer it, and get approval from the audience, you’ll get a small gift.”

“I’m good at answering questions,” Red Head announced as he rushed to the stage, rolling up his sleeves. “I’m here to participate!”

The club members distributed real flowers and virtual rotten eggs to everyone. The rotten eggs, when thrown, would create visual, auditory, and olfactory sensations but would disappear after 30 seconds.

“If you think the person on stage is doing well, throw flowers. If you’re dissatisfied, throw the rotten eggs. We’ll judge the answers based on your votes.”

Red Head quickly made it to the stage, hit the machine, and his question popped up.

Question for adults: Since forming a pact, what is the one thing you regret the most?

Ling Xiao understood the point. This was the Older Fledgling Club, after all. If fledglings came on stage, they would probably be making single declarations. If adults came, they would talk negatively about forming pacts to make the fledglings even prouder of being single.

“The thing I regret the most…” Red Head pondered, gripping the mic tightly, appearing to be struggling with his answer.

Ling Xiao, hardly containing his laughter, was ready for Red Head to give a nonsensical response.

“The thing I regret the most is that when I formed a pact with my Qizhu, I had already been a fledgling for thirteen years. I deeply regret this. Why didn’t I confess my feelings to him earlier? If I had confessed sooner, we could have had more time together. A day sooner is an extra day; a year sooner is an extra year. Confessing after thirteen years as a fledgling wasted so much time!” He passionately pointed to the crowd below. “So all of you older fledglings, quickly shed your single status and find your destined partner. Once you find someone you truly love, you’ll regret wasting these years being single. The longer you remain single now, the less time you’ll have in love in the future. What are you waiting for? Act now!”

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 79

Ying Feng’s voice suddenly ceased. Ling Xiao really wanted to grab his collar and shout loudly:

Who do you think you are?

Finish what you were saying!

Ling Xiao felt so discontented, almost overflowing with it.

Why is it that only the voice of the Qizhu can be heard? Even if it’s just once, I want you to hear my voice too, to understand all my thoughts, words, and hopes… I hope they can reach you through this light.

Before being sucked into the vortex, Ying Feng’s last glimpse was a flash of golden light from a distance. Maybe it was a star shining bright, or perhaps it was just a hallucination before his demise.

Regrettably, the remaining mental strength didn’t let him finish his words.

He felt something unusual in his body, as if mental power was constantly pouring into him. At first, he thought it was an illusion. But when he lifted his hand, the scrapes from the spatial jumps were healing at a visible speed, and a faint golden glow surrounded his skin, ensuring he remained unharmed even at the center of the vortex.

His mental strength continued to rise, reaching unprecedented heights. He could feel energy circulating inside, spreading throughout every part of his body. This strange power grew stronger and eventually formed into a familiar voice, playfully echoing in his ear:

Speak up, speak up, speak up…

Hearing this voice, the corner of Ying Feng’s mouth uncontrollably rose. This annoying, buzzing sound, even if repeated for a hundred years, would never become tiresome. Why stop it now?

Leaving that guy drifting alone in space was always worrisome. If possible, I still want—

—to stay by your side.

The scenery before their eyes changed, and Ying Feng and Ling Xiao found themselves face-to-face in the universe, both frozen in shock.

However, as they reached out to each other, their fingertips barely brushed against one another before they were suddenly pushed apart again. Ling Xiao was extremely frustrated. They had just obviously reunited, so why were they being pushed away again? Why was it so hard to give the other a hug?

Ying Feng reversed the polarity of his body and teleported back once more, and this time, nothing separated them.

Beneath the colorful, mottled nebula, they clung to each other tightly. Comets streaked across the sky, trailing long tails, one, then two, then three…

Ling Xiao blinked.

A meteor shower?

From such a close distance, it was surprising Ying Feng could still understand his gestures.

It’s a comet swarm.

Long ago, they were seen as omens of bad luck, but today, no one was luckier than them.

Several spaceships appeared from the stargates. Consecutive surprises heightened their alertness until they saw the military insignia on the ships and felt at ease. The late military opened their bay doors, and with the help of the tractor beam, the two were safely brought aboard.

Ling Xiao immediately asked upon landing, “What were you saying earlier?”

“Nothing.”

“Come on, finish your sentence. I hate it when you stop halfway.”

Red Head and Bing Can rushed over, interrupting them, “Ling Xiao! Ying Feng! Are you okay?”

“We’re fine,” Ling Xiao began, realizing he was still attached to Ying Feng, maintaining an awkward stance. “What about you?”

“The enemies destroyed the escort ship, but we managed to eject in time. Not long after, the commander and his team came to our aid.”

“The commander? Major General Fu Yao?”

“Yes. The enemies diverted the space station’s forces with a decoy. By the time we located their main body, they had gone too far. We rushed to save you two but encountered a vortex on the way. By the time we arrived, only wreckage remained. We thought…”

Ying Feng vaguely remembered. “They mentioned something about initiating a spatial jump at the end.”

“Spatial jumps are different from stargate transitions; they don’t have a clear destination,” Fu Yao’s voice suddenly interjected. “It artificially creates a twisted space and jumps randomly near a stargate.”

“Commander.”

“Greetings, Commander!” Both greeted him.

Fu Yao nodded. “If it were a stargate transition, we could track your destination. But with random jumping, it would take a long time to check each one.”

Ling Xiao was puzzled. “Then how did you find us?”

“That’s the strangest part,” Red Head interrupted. “The military suddenly received an anonymous message with your coordinates.”

“Anonymous message?”

“Yes. If it’s not the enemy, who else would know your location? And if it is the enemy, why would they risk exposing themselves to notify us? It’s very strange.”

Ling Xiao and Ying Feng exchanged glances, both having a vague suspicion of someone.

Fu Yao, perceptive as ever, noticed. “Do you have any clues?”

“No,” Ling Xiao quickly replied. Ying Feng remained silent upon seeing this.

Fu Yao was clearly skeptical but didn’t press the issue.

“The Eagle is very cunning, engaging in guerrilla warfare with us for years. The military hasn’t captured it. This time, although they escaped again, their hasty jump forced them to sacrifice their main ship. Along the way, we found many wreckages of pirate ships…”

“They’re working together,” Ling Xiao interjected. “The pirates have been supplying them with resources.”

Fu Yao nodded. “The pirates have been wiped out, and the deserters are severely weakened. You both played a significant role. You might even receive commendation.”

“We don’t need commendations.” Red Head shamelessly asked, “Can we get the 30 hours of mandatory labor waived?”

Fu Yao gave him a sharp look, and Red Head sheepishly withdrew.

“By the way.” Ling Xiao finally remembered a crucial issue. “How’s the fledgling doing?”

“He’s in a safe place and will return to the surface with us.”

Relieved to have one of his primary concerns addressed, Ling Xiao felt an overwhelming wave of fatigue.

“Hey,” he said weakly, leaning on Ying Feng and shaking him gently. “What were you saying earlier…”

Once he got an answer to this question, he could rest.

By the time they reached the medical bay while talking, the medical staff, seeing the two joined as if conjoined twins, suppressed their laughter and said, “We know you’re inseparable, but we need to examine you now. Can you cooperate?”

Embarrassed, Ling Xiao buried his head, while Ying Feng remained composed.

“The magnetic soul crystal’s effects on us will automatically dissipate in half an hour.”

“I see. We can treat any external wounds first and then conduct a thorough examination of your bodies.”

“My wounds have already healed,” Ying Feng said, showing his hand as proof. “I don’t know how, but not only did my wounds heal suddenly, but my mental powers were instantly restored.”

“Is there anything else?” Fu Yao asked nonchalantly from the doorway.

After a moment’s thought, Ying Feng replied, “I’m not sure if it was an illusion, but I felt like there was light on the surface of my body…”

A faint golden light enveloped him, shielding him from all harm.

“That wasn’t an illusion,” Fu Yao remarked. “It seems your Qizi inadvertently used devotion even he wasn’t aware of.”

“Devotion?”

“Yes, dedicating all the Qizi’s power to temporarily enhance the Qizhu’s abilities, granting immunity from harm for a short duration.”

Ying Feng frowned. “What’s the effect on the Qizi?”

Fu Yao casually waved it off. “A few days of rest, and they’ll be fine.”

“What if they’ve been subjected to high voltage and injected with Ember II?”

Raising an eyebrow, Fu Yao replied, “Electrocuted, injected with Ember II, then using Devotion and still appearing energetic? Either my understanding is flawed, or you’re dreaming. Do you think your Qizi is superhuman?”

Ying Feng lowered his head, and Ling Xiao, out of embarrassment, continued to bury his face in Ying Feng’s chest—but for quite a long time.

Ying Feng gently held Ling Xiao’s neck, carefully turning him to face him, and indeed saw a face deep in sleep, completely unconscious.

……

Ling Xiao had a long dream in which the annoying Ying Feng kept saying to him, “I think like…” But whenever Ling Xiao pressed for more, Ying Feng refused to continue, making Ling Xiao want to throttle him for the truth.

“What are you trying to say?!” Ling Xiao shouted uncontrollably.

“You’re awake?”

Ling Xiao slowly opened his eyes to see the very person from his dream who had been so evasive.

“Have we reached the surface?” he asked groggily.

“We arrived three days ago,” Ying Feng replied calmly, hiding days of worry. “You’ve been asleep for three full days and nights.”

Ling Xiao was surprised he had slept for so long. When he was a fledgling and had taken Ember and underwent the coming-of-age ceremony, he had only been unconscious for a few hours. Why did it seem like his body was weaker now that he was an adult?

He looked around and realized he wasn’t in his dormitory.

“Where is this?” he asked.

“The medical center. You were brought here after we descended,” Ying Feng explained, ringing a bell to summon a doctor, who conducted a full checkup on Ling Xiao.

“All vital signs have returned to optimal levels. You’ve overexerted yourself this time. Although our bodies have strong regenerative abilities, it doesn’t mean we can’t wear out. You should consider the load on your soul,” the doctor chided.

“Can he be discharged?” Ying Feng inquired.

“He’s healthier than a monkey now. He could even return to the front lines.”

They had only walked a short distance from the medical center when Ling Xiao suddenly exclaimed, “Oh no!”

“What?” Ying Feng, startled by the outburst, thought something serious had occurred.

“I left my dagger on Tai Yin’s ship and never retrieved it.”

Realizing it was just this, Ying Feng relaxed.

“Just get another one. Why are you so stressed?”

“But another one won’t be the same as the original… Can it be made exactly the same?”

“No.”

Ling Xiao, with teary eyes, said, “I want the original one.”

Ying Feng found his expression amusing and couldn’t help but pinch his nose.

“Flaunt your love, die faster!” A few fledglings suddenly shouted near them.

Instinctively, Ling Xiao took a step back, creating some distance between them. The fledglings, having achieved their goal of teasing them, ran off laughing.

“What’s going on?” Ling Xiao asked, noticing the place was busier than usual. “Why are all the fledglings running around outside?”

“Today is the Fledgling Festival.”

Ling Xiao paused, realizing it was that time of year. The Fledgling Festival was always the liveliest day in Bikong, but what was up with that slogan?

But when they returned to Royal Sky, they realized those fledglings were just the tip of the iceberg. Even the usually serious military academy was overrun with a festive atmosphere. Projected slogans were everywhere:

[There are fewer and fewer fledglings around you. Do you want to risk soul dispersion without forming a bond? Royal Sky Fledgling Association welcomes you!]

[Party before you grow up! The final bash for single fledglings tonight!]

[I’m a fledgling, and I’m proud! The Club for Older Fledgling awaits you!]

[Who says adults can’t celebrate the Fledgling Festival? Make your Qizhu say ‘Buy, buy, buy’!]

Red Head immediately rushed over to check on Ling Xiao as they returned to their dormitory amidst the advertising onslaught.

“How are you feeling?”

“Absolutely fine!” Ling Xiao said proudly.

“Oh, by the way, you received an interstellar delivery. Your dorm was empty yesterday, so I took it for you.”

“Interstellar delivery? What is it?” Ling Xiao was curious, as he didn’t have any friends from other planets.

Red Head handed him a box. Ling Xiao shook it and listened. It didn’t seem like anything dangerous.

After Red Head left, Ling Xiao opened the box. Seeing its contents, he was overjoyed.

“Look!” he exclaimed, showing off the dagger to Ying Feng.

Ying Feng was equally surprised. Someone had sent Ling Xiao’s dagger through express delivery, and thinking about who could have done it, only one person came to mind.

“It must be him!” Ling Xiao said excitedly. “Do you remember? There was a fledgling with Tai Yin who looked exactly like you. No, no, he was an undeveloped adult. His name was Fei Jing!”

‘So, the principal’s Qizhu is Fei Jing,’ Ying Feng thought. If he had the thought to send a delivery, then perhaps they weren’t too affected by the disaster.

In just a short time, Ling Xiao had recounted most of Fei Jing’s story. He concluded, “I think Fei Jing’s Qizi might still be alive. I want to post a search notice online to see if anyone knows their name. Maybe there’s a clue to his Qizi.”

Ying Feng stopped him. “That might not be necessary.”

“Why?”

Ying Feng hesitated. If he told Ling Xiao the truth, Ling Xiao would undoubtedly seek out the principal. Rather than letting the principal know that the person he had been waiting for for many years had chosen a completely different path, it might be better to keep him in the dark.

Thinking this, Ying Feng made up a reason on the spot.

“Fei Jing is also a defector, and the military surely has records on him. Posting information about him online will definitely be monitored.”

Ling Xiao deflated instantly, having overlooked this fact.

If Fei Jing didn’t return, then he and his Qizi couldn’t reunite, but if he did return, he would be sentenced for abandoning his Qizi. It seemed like an insolvable problem.

Ying Feng patted his head, trying to comfort him.

“If he could leave, he can come back. If he truly wants to find his Qizi, no one can stop him.”

Fu Yao’s call request came through, startling Ling Xiao. Had even their conversation been monitored?

“Are you two ready?” The lazy, arrogant voice came through, and Ling Xiao felt an instinctive urge to stand at attention.

“Ready? Ready for what?”

“Sorry,” Ying Feng intervened. “He just woke up. I haven’t had the chance to tell him yet.”

“Tell me what?” Ling Xiao was even more confused.

“You’ve been commended.”

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 78

Ling Xiao pressed both hands against the glass with an expression that was a mix of wanting to cry and laugh.

Just moments ago, the very person who moved him deeply, Ying Feng, glanced at him with disdain and said, “What kind of expression is that? You look so stupid.”

Ling Xiao’s face became even more comical. “Who does that? Praise someone and then mock them right after? Don’t you know that’s embarrassing?”

“If you cry here, that would be the real embarrassment for me.”

The two of them chatted as if no one else was around, disregarding matters of life and death and any imminent danger.

The overlooked Tai Yin was annoyed. “Enough with the flirting! This isn’t the place for your public displays of affection.”

“Sorry.” Ling Xiao made an apologetic gesture. “I almost forgot that everyone here is single.”

With that comment, he seemed to have mockingly targeted everyone present. Some were already giving him fiery glances, as if they wanted to incinerate him.

“Since your bond is so strong,” Tai Yin raised his hand again, a soul crystal shimmering in his palm, “I’ll help you seal it.”

“Wait!” Fei Jing interrupted him. “What about Xing… How will he manage?”

“He’s waited this long; he won’t mind waiting a few more decades.” As long as Ling Xiao reincarnated, they could find him amidst the vast sea of people. They could then drain out his blood and awaken the dormant Yue Ying.

Even foreseeing Xing Lou’s impending rage, Tai Yin was resolved to not let those who humiliated him leave alive.

Fei Jing frowned. He didn’t have any particular relationship with Xing Lou; he just didn’t want to see the two die. But considering Tai Yin’s reaction, there seemed no way to save them, even by invoking Xing Lou’s name.

“What should I do?” Ling Xiao smirked. “After hearing my Qizhu’s words, I’m even less inclined to die.”

Seeing him raise his fists, Tai Yin grew alert. “What are you planning?”

“This.”

Ling Xiao’s punch landed on the containment device’s exterior. As Fei Jing had said, anyone attempting to damage it, from inside or out, would be hit with a strong electric shock. Electric currents buzzed around Ling Xiao, and under Ying Feng’s astonished gaze, he raised his other hand and struck again.

“That’s all?” Tai Yin scoffed at his seemingly futile effort. “My creation can withstand a hail of bullets. Trying to break it with your bare hands is a dream.”

Ling Xiao’s hands seemed stuck to the surface, with the electric currents flowing from his fingertips to his head, causing a tingling sensation.

“Who said… I wanted… to destroy it…?”

His voice was interrupted by his clenched teeth, and the electric charge he was absorbing grew beyond his body’s limits.

“Ling Xiao!” Ying Feng cried out softly.

“Ahh—!” Ling Xiao let out a roar. With a surge of effort, his hands broke free from the electromagnetic pull. From his center, electric currents spread in every direction, forming a luminescent blue boundary. With hands hanging low and palms facing each other, a large electric ball began to form between them.

“I’m glad I was trapped inside just now. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have thought of this method.”

Ling Xiao slowly raised his head, his pale gray eyes fearlessly fixed on Tai Yin. “Since I have no weapon, I’ll use yours.”

“How laughable!” Tai Yin scoffed. Could such a trivial amount of electricity, which even a mere Qizi didn’t fear, harm him?

But Ling Xiao seemed not to hear. He raised his hands high, the electric ball in the air growing larger and more formidable.

Tai Yin kept a calm exterior, but inside he was shocked. Where had this boy gotten such immense power to manipulate this astonishing electric force?

“Take this!” With a forceful swing, Ling Xiao hurled the electric ball at Tai Yin at high speed.

Although Tai Yin verbally dismissed the threat, he quickly sidestepped to narrowly avoid the attack. The electric ball hit the ground, transforming into rapidly spreading electric waves, with sparks flying everywhere.

At this moment, in the center of the field, Ling Xiao had already leaped to Tai Yin’s side, using the light ball as a cover. With every punch and kick, currents flowed. Whenever he grabbed Tai Yin, the latter would feel numbness in his wrist.

While the high voltage wasn’t fatal, the pain was real. Tai Yin wondered how Ling Xiao could detach himself from the pain, but he was more eager to end this fight quickly. After all, getting entangled for too long with a newly matured Qizi wasn’t a matter of pride.

Seizing an opportunity, Tai Yin leapt back, activating the soul crystal in his hand. Ling Xiao was suddenly flung away as if he were a kite without its string.

“Goodbye,” Tai Yin said, confidently raising his weapon, ready to deliver the final blow.

“Wait!” Fei Jing suddenly intervened, disrupting Tai Yin’s aim. The missile went off course, hitting an unidentified device nearby.

“What are you doing?” Tai Yin shouted in annoyance.

“I think you should ask him,” Fei Jing said, gripping his launcher.

Taking advantage of their argument, Ling Xiao flipped in mid-air and, with a single touch on the ground, landed next to the experiment table.

Tai Yin had a bad feeling. All the electric shocks and fighting had been a distraction. Ling Xiao’s real target had likely been clear from the start. It was—

“Stop him!” Tai Yin shouted in panic. The onlooking novices instantly reacted; dozens of weapons targeted Ling Xiao and fired, instantly reducing Tai Yin’s equipment to shreds.

“No!” Tai Yin tried to intervene, but it was too late. “Get down!”

The glass containers shattered under the gunfire, and the spilled chemicals merged. Under the effects of light and heat, they reacted violently, causing an explosion.

Tai Yin lay flat on the ground, covering his nose and mouth as debris flew overhead. Fei Jing lay beside him, also looking worse for wear. He had intended to save Ling Xiao, but now not only had he failed to do so, but he had also caused the loss of Tai Yin’s experimental results.

As the smoke cleared, there was no sign of Ling Xiao. Given the intensity of the attacks and explosions, his survival seemed impossible. Perhaps his soul had departed the moment everyone ducked.

Damn it! Tai Yin crawled up, tapping his temple to activate his invisible protective mask. The thought of his years of hard work being destroyed in an instant was unbearable, even if it meant Ling Xiao’s sacrifice.

He glanced at Ying Feng, the only one unharmed in this chaos, protected by the containment device. All of Tai Yin’s extra fury was now directed at him.

Fei Jing also noticed this. The calm expression on his face seemed off.

Have you ever cried for your Qizi?

There’s a soul connection between a master and a contract child. If one departs, the other will definitely feel the grief.

“He’s still alive!” Fei Jing shouted. Just as Tai Yin took a step forward, a gust of wind came head-on. Before he could react, he was sent flying.

A shadow flashed, already waiting at the landing point. Poor Tai Yin hadn’t even touched the ground when he was struck and sent flying in the opposite direction. Fei Jing and the others watched in astonishment as a shadow darted through the air, with Tai Yin’s body uncontrollably being thrown around, utterly defenseless against the blows.

“What’s happening!” Everyone raised their weapons, but they were clueless about where to aim.

Fools! Tai Yin mentally cursed, trying to activate another soul crystal. Unfortunately, before he could, the shadow kicked his elbow, sending several soul crystals flying into the air, shimmering brilliantly.

Ling Xiao waved his arm, and the airborne crystals shot out, embedding themselves in the cabin wall.

Finally, the chaos ceased, and everyone got a clear look at the attacker. Ling Xiao’s face was unchanged, but his expression was devoid of human emotion, filled with a chilling murderous intent.

He walked emotionlessly towards Tai Yin. Fei Jing raised his gun.

“Don’t move!”

When Ling Xiao turned to look at him, Fei Jing broke into a cold sweat. This wasn’t the young man who had teased him earlier. Ember had turned him into a cold-blooded monster, capable of killing without hesitation.

Tai Yin understood the power of Ember better than anyone. If he could just endure this period, Ling Xiao, affected by the drug’s side effects, would become vulnerable. But confronting him head-on during the drug’s active phase was suicidal.

Seeing that Fei Jing had drawn Ling Xiao’s attention, Tai Yin discreetly stepped aside—one step, two steps… Now’s the chance!

He turned to flee, but Ling Xiao’s figure was already in front of him. He hadn’t teleported, yet he moved with a speed akin to it.

Backed into a corner by Ling Xiao, Tai Yin realized with dread that he might meet his end at the hands of this young man he once looked down upon, and more ironically, at the hands of his own scientific achievements.

Ling Xiao’s first punch shattered Tai Yin’s protective mask, causing him to stagger backward. The second punch hit his jaw, and Tai Yin fell limply to the ground. As Ling Xiao’s third punch, aimed at his temple, prepared to descend, it seemed the genius scientist, after 400 years, was about to meet his end.

A gloved hand blocked the punch. Instead of the sound of bones breaking, the sound of metal snapping rang out.

“Enough!” Fei Jing voiced. “You don’t really want to kill him, do you?”

Ling Xiao coldly glanced at the man who dared to obstruct him, making Fei Jing tense. The Ling Xiao now seemed intent on slaughter, and Fei Jing feared even he might not be spared.

“Ling Xiao!” Another voice called from behind. Fei Jing was stunned to see a fleeting emotion pass through the emotionless man’s eyes upon hearing the call.

Following that voice, Ling Xiao lowered his fist and emotionlessly moved towards the one who had summoned him, his Qizhu. He acted as if Fei Jing and Tai Yin ceased to exist.

Relieved by Ling Xiao’s withdrawal, Fei Jing began, “The password is…”

Before he could finish, Ling Xiao, just as before, placed his hands on the seam of the glass doors and pried them apart effortlessly, despite them being designed to withstand missiles and even his previous electric shocks. His brow couldn’t help but furrow.

As Ling Xiao’s face cleared before Ying Feng, emotions gradually returned to his eyes due to the diminishing drug effects.

Regaining his clarity, Ling Xiao flashed a grin. “See, I can protect you too.”

After using all his strength to say this, he could no longer stand. Just as Ying Feng regained his mental powers, he teleported behind Ling Xiao, catching him as he collapsed.

Furious, Tai Yin pointed at the two but couldn’t find words. Fei Jing remained silent, and the others seemed lost.

Suddenly, someone yelled, “There’s a vortex!”

Unprepared, Ying Feng, holding Ling Xiao, almost stumbled as a powerful tremor shook them. When he regained his balance, everyone was rushing to their posts, ignoring their presence.

The ship’s turbulence worsened. They were nearing a vortex unique to the vicinity of the Tianxiu planet. It was like a moving black hole that ruthlessly crushed anything in its path, powerful enough to disintegrate a small asteroid in minutes.

As the vortex approached, the starship was being visibly sucked in. From time to time, people’s shouts were heard in the cabin.

“Prepare for warp!”

“The second warp drive is damaged!”

“The booster is malfunctioning!”

They remembered that just a while ago, a fierce battle had damaged many systems. Repair hadn’t been possible. Now, they were facing this impending doom of a black hole-like vortex.

“Initiate spatial jump!”

In front of the Eagle a massive mirror-like surface appeared. With the combined forces of propulsion and the pull from the vortex, the starship struggled to move forward.

It was as if a part of the universe had been erased, with the starship that entered the mirror-like surface vanishing from sight, leaving behind only parts that continued to resist vehemently. Two-thirds of the starship had disappeared, and the speed of the encroaching black hole was accelerating. Facing the most severe turbulence they’d ever encountered, Ying Feng laid down, cradling Ling Xiao in his arms. As the world seemed to spin around them, Ying Feng’s vision went dark. When he awoke, they found themselves in a shattered cabin.

Although the black hole was out of sight, the rapid movement of the ship’s wreckage alarmed Ying Feng. Clutching Ling Xiao, he escaped through an opening, realizing the force that was propelling them at such a high speed.

Not far away was a stargate, leading to an unknown destination. What could be more despairing than having just escaped one vortex, only to be faced with another?

Ying Feng quickly activated all the power crystals he had on hand. Using their power to counteract the force, they managed to slow down their speed slightly but couldn’t completely escape the gravitational pull of the stargate.

There were three oxygen soul crystals left. Ying Feng activated one of them, lifted Ling Xiao’s chin, and transferred half of its power to him. Under the side effects of Ember, Ling Xiao’s body temperature had risen alarmingly. The saliva from the Qizhu, which had a purification effect, was transferred through the mouth, akin to a dying man in the desert finding a clear spring.

Ling Xiao, having slightly regained consciousness, opened his eyes to see Ying Feng’s face pulling away, feeling somewhat reluctant to let go. However, now was not the time for such sentiments. He struggled to look around, seeing the dazzling star gate nearby and the brilliant star cloud in the distance, both signaling the dire situation they were about to face.

Ying Feng showed him the soul crystal in his hand, and Ling Xiao weakly shook his head. At this point, he couldn’t muster any mental power. Drifting like this, they might be pulled into another time and space. Perhaps this was their ultimate fate. The side effects of Ember consumed Ling Xiao’s blood. Even in death, he didn’t want to die by burning blood. Ling Xiao embraced the person in front of him, initiating a kiss and greedily drawing the last bit of coolness from him.

As they continued to kiss, a stream of oxygen filled Ling Xiao’s lungs. He weakly tried to pull away but couldn’t muster the strength, letting more and more oxygen in without the ability to refuse.

Enough!

He tried to communicate with his eyes, but Ying Feng’s eyes remained closed as if this sweet kiss shouldn’t be interrupted by any gaze. The last soul crystal transferred all its oxygen to Ling Xiao. This was the longest kiss in the universe; no other couple’s kiss in recorded history lasted this long. From this kiss, planets revolved, the sun set and rose, tides ebbed and flowed under the moon’s influence, stars formed a brilliant river, connecting every distant galaxy.

No!

Ling Xiao screamed in his heart, a shout that vibrated every cell, but none reached Ying Feng. He felt so close, yet infinitely far away. Ying Feng’s kiss moved from his lips to his forehead, placing a solemn final kiss there. Tears streamed from Ling Xiao’s eyes, but they had no place to fall.

Ying Feng released Ling Xiao, holding two soul crystals in his hands, the last of his mental powers.

When Ying Feng’s hand rested over their hearts, it would be their last touch.

Ling Xiao tried to raise his hand, but he grasped nothing.

Opposite poles attract while like poles repel. The two, having the same magnetic polarity, flew in opposite directions. Ling Xiao escaped the gravitational pull, while Ying Feng hurtled toward the star gate vortex.

Ying… Feng…

Ling Xiao screamed, but there was no medium in space to carry his voice. He watched as Ying Feng’s figure grew smaller, tears floating in space like an eternal rain that would never fall.

Ying Feng was now enveloped in a blue glow, looking at the distant figure, wondering if his remaining mental powers were enough to say his final words. He sent a thought—a voice that traveled across the universe, spanning galaxies, echoing in Ling Xiao’s mind.

Ling Xiao, I think I…

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 77

With the rude and arrogant greeting from the pirate leader, the Poison Pirates presented their welcome gift—beams of stagnating entanglement combined with warp-jump interference. Their ships were firmly bound in place, completely losing their ability to move.

Pirates didn’t play by the rules; their only goal was money.

Ying Feng turned on the communicator. “We have no money.”

“Oh, oh.” The other party still had that exaggeratedly annoying tone. “My nose already told me that. I just stopped you on behalf of an old friend. As for the money, don’t worry; someone will pay on your behalf.”

The “old friend” he mentioned soon emerged from the stargate vortex, its massive body blocking the distant stars, enveloping them in darkness.

Out of the tiger’s den and into a wolf pack, and what was worse was discovering that the tigers and wolves nested together.

The Eagle opened its orbital cabin door, and under the effect of the tractor beam, the ship was forcibly pulled inside the starship. The pirates followed closely with malicious intent, and even if they wanted to abandon the ship and flee, there was no chance.

“Come on out,” Sheng Xie said with a grin, knocking on their cabin door. This was the first time Ying Feng and the others saw a higher intelligence life form other than the Tianxiu people. His eyes were brown, and one was covered by a black eye patch. His hair, seemingly not combed or cut for a long time, was braided into several plaits that hung over his shoulders, making his head seem larger than average.

Members of the Poison Pirates came from various planets, engaging in deadly dealings. Injuries were common, and many had missing limbs. Ling Xiao was recently shocked by Fei Jing’s mechanical hand, and now he saw a display of cosmic prosthetics, looking at them with a touch of novelty.

In contrast to his reaction, from the moment the two stepped out of the cabin, various weapon muzzles never left their bodies. Every pirate was full of hostility and vigilance, treating them not as captives but as potential invaders.

“Don’t be nervous,” Sheng Xie said insincerely. “Whenever my men encounter Tianxiu people, they tend to be overly cautious. But you can’t blame them. Their current state is largely thanks to your kind, including my eye,” he pointed to his eyepatch, “which was blinded by your people.”

“Had there not been a special reason, I wouldn’t have wanted to step foot in this shithole. The last time I came here, your patrol army took down three of my ships, killing more than a dozen of my men,” he said, stretching out three thick fingers. It was then that Ling Xiao noticed one of his right-hand fingers was missing. “But you’re unlucky today. I happened to be here collecting rent. Even with risks, money must be made, right?”

As Sheng Xie babbled on, directing his men to escort the two upstairs, Tai Yin, seeing Ying Feng, grabbed a syringe from the test bench and stormed towards him.

“Hey, hey, hey,” Fei Jing stopped him. “What are you doing?”

“Don’t stop me!” Tai Yin, the chief researcher and genius scientist, was nowhere near as composed as he should be. His anger towards Ying Feng had consumed his reason. “I’ll make sure he can’t use his right leg for life!”

Having seen Fei Jing’s hand, Ling Xiao knew Tai Yin wasn’t bluffing. Whatever was in that syringe was probably what was injected into Fei Jing earlier. Without hesitation, he stood in front of Ying Feng, who was surprised by Ling Xiao’s protective gesture.

“Calm down!” Fei Jing growled. “Don’t let outsiders mock us.”

His words had the desired effect; Tai Yin cooled down significantly, but his eyes were still fixed intently on Ying Feng.

Sheng Xie had been watching the developments with amusement, and at this point, he feigned heartbreak.

“After all our collaboration, the Tianxiu people still see you as enemies, and now I’m the outsider?”

“I never thought you’d ally with such notorious pirates,” Ying Feng said, directing it at Tai Yin. He had moved slightly forward, subtly standing side by side with Ling Xiao.

“Ah, you’re mistaken,” Sheng Xie said, wagging his finger. “This isn’t collusion, it’s mutual cooperation. Without us, how do you think he replenishes this huge ship? Do you think he goes to your space stations? Hahaha.”

He laughed on his own for a while, and seeing no one joining in, he quirked a corner of his mouth. “Not funny, huh?”

Tai Yin, with a cold expression, replied, “I’ll send your payment in a few days. You can leave now.”

“This time we did you a huge favor. Isn’t it only fair to add a bit more to the payment?”

Tai Yin, finding Sheng Xie’s greed unbearable, retorted impatiently, “Understood! I’ll send it.”

Instead of leaving, Sheng Xie became more demanding. “It’s not that I’m inflexible, but you still owe me from last time. Could you possibly settle that now? From what I know, your financial situation isn’t as good as before. My men risk their lives to transport goods for you, and you keep delaying payments. It’s hard to explain to my crew.”

He shifted his gaze cunningly. “Of course, if you’re genuinely facing financial difficulties, I’m not heartless. There are many ways to make money in this universe; you don’t always have to stick to just one.”

Tai Yin sensed the underlying message. “What exactly do you want?”

“To be frank, in the underground market, a live Tianxiu person fetches a bounty of 20 billion starlink coins. That’s about our group’s income for two years,” he said, casting a meaningful glance upwards. “And you have so many people here…”

“I warn you. Don’t even think about it.” Tai Yin immediately shot down his suggestion.

“Alright.” Sheng Xie backed off a step. “I won’t touch your people. But these two aren’t yours, right? Two people, 40 billion, we split it. Not only does it solve your current financial crisis, but it also clears your previous debt. What do you think?”

He licked his lips greedily. 20 billion was enough to tempt anyone into having bad thoughts. Even if he didn’t act on it, there would naturally be risk-takers who would.

But Sheng Xie wasn’t foolish. Without Tai Yin’s assistance, they couldn’t possibly deliver a Tianxiu person alive to the designated location. For some reason, the Tianxiu people seemed immune to their drugs, anesthesia, hypnotic gasses, and even electric shock guns. If a Tianxiu person were conscious, it’d be even harder. The moment they realized escape was impossible, they’d end their lives without hesitation. Some had tried this before and failed miserably. And the Tianxiu military was ruthless with such perpetrators, which was why he hadn’t acted on his desires until now.

However, Tai Yin’s response was a cold splash of water.

“I advise you to drop this idea.” Tai Yin’s gaze passed over the two. “I have a use for this one. As for the other…” His voice turned threatening. “I want to send you to reincarnation personally.”

Keeping Ying Feng alive was merely due to Ling Xiao’s mild mental trauma. Without his Qizhu, drawing blood wouldn’t be as efficient. But if Ying Feng chose death, then that was his own doing.

“I have a proposal.” Ying Feng, who was being discussed as if he was a war trophy, suddenly spoke up.

Sheng Xie, having been rejected by Tai Yin several times, responded with an edge. “Speak.”

“You can’t capture a Tianxiu person alive merely because you lack the ability. Luckily, this genius scientist in front of you has a great invention that can amplify a person’s combat ability tens of times in an instant. With it, what can’t you achieve?”

“Hey!” Fei Jing stepped forward nervously; even Ling Xiao stared in disbelief, not understanding why he would reveal such critical information.

Sheng Xie’s eyes sparkled after hearing this. “Really?”

Tai Yin scoffed. “You want Ember? Fine, take it.”

He picked up a mini syringe and tossed it over. Such an important item was left out in the open, making it feel suspicious.

Indeed, Sheng Xie eyed the syringe in his hand skeptically. “Is this real?”

“Why don’t you try it and see?” Tai Yin replied sharply.

“You’re really giving them that?” Fei Jing’s words echoed simultaneously, lending some credibility to the claim.

Sheng Xie suddenly grabbed one of his green-skinned subordinates and, without hesitation, injected the transparent orange liquid inside him. The injected henchman roared in rage, his fist smashing the metal ground and creating a deep crater. The pirates who witnessed this were all astonished and exclaimed.

It’s real! Sheng Xie looked at the syringe in his hand with surprise. With this, capturing a Tianxiu would be easy. They wouldn’t even need to fear their military.

“Great! I will…” Before he could finish his sentence, the henchman he had injected began to writhe in pain, uncontrollably rolling on the ground. His body seemed to burn from within, and within seconds, he turned to ash.

The pirates, who were just surprised at the powerful effects, now looked terrified. In anger, Sheng Xie threw the syringe on the ground, drew his weapon, and pointed it at Tai Yin, shouting, “You tricked me?”

All the pirates raised their weapons, and metallic noises echoed from the upper levels. Tensions were high, with both sides aiming at each other, ready to fire.

“Hmph,” Tai Yin sneered coldly. “An inferior race like yours, daring to covet our treasures? You’re overestimating yourselves.”

“Fire!”

The starship echoed with the sound of gunfire, with multicolored laser bullets filling the space. Ying Feng used the soul crystal in his hand to create a mirror shield, grabbed Ling Xiao, and rolled to the side, successfully deflecting all the attacks.

“Go!” Ying Feng signaled Ling Xiao to retreat.

“What about them?”

Ying Feng immediately understood who Ling Xiao was referring to. “The pirates are no match for us. If we don’t leave now, we won’t get another chance.”

Ling Xiao quickly followed. They broke through the surrounding fire, protected by their shield. A large, blue-skinned pirate noticed their escape and roared, charging at them.

Ying Feng released a transparent soul crystal, and Ling Xiao, with a cannon assembled on his right arm, aimed and blasted a hole through the pirate’s chest. Using the force of the blast, Ling Xiao slid back a considerable distance, narrowly avoiding incoming lasers.

Ying Feng waved his hand, causing explosions among the chaotic crowd. Thick smoke obstructed everyone’s vision. He teleported next to Ling Xiao, asking, “Where’s your soul crystal?”

“It was taken!” As the two made their way through the gunfire to the lower level, occasionally causing disturbances to hinder their pursuers, a strange red light illuminated the area. “Look out!”

Ying Feng pushed Ling Xiao aside as eight transparent glass panels descended, trapping Ying Feng inside. Both recognized the device and were surprised by its mobility and tracking capabilities.

“Don’t attack it!” Ling Xiao warned, recalling the terrifying electric shocks associated with the device.

Ying Feng quickly tried to teleport and use the soul crystal but found that neither worked. It seemed that this device was indeed designed specifically for them; once trapped, it was difficult to escape.

“Wait! I know the password!” Ling Xiao tried hard to recall. Fei Jing had clearly mentioned the password before. What was it?

“123456, 888888, none of them are right…” As he continued to input guesses, a voice came from behind him.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

Ling Xiao quickly turned around to see Tai Yin, with a sinister expression, step out from the intertwined laser beams. Despite the intense battle, he only had a few minor scratches.

He opened his right hand to reveal an object with which Ling Xiao was all too familiar.

“I forgot to tell you, I am not only a user of the soul crystal but also its creator. The device behind you is my handiwork.” With a squeeze of his hand, a pirate charging at him from behind was instantly obliterated.

The sounds of combat gradually subsided. The pirates were almost entirely wiped out. Even facing undeveloped Tianxiu adults, they stood no chance.

Ling Xiao tensely stood in front of Ying Feng, clearly understanding Tai Yin’s intentions from his previous actions. He drew his dagger, the only weapon he currently had.

“Kid, the Tianxiu people use daggers for suicide, not for killing. It’s a bit weak for that.”

With a wave of his hand, before Ling Xiao could even see what he did, the dagger was pulled from his grip, flying towards Tai Yin as if drawn by a massive magnet.

Tai Yin seized the dagger, casually discarding it to the side, and continued to approach the pair. Ling Xiao kept retreating, his back now against the glass, but he stubbornly refused to step aside.

“You can go,” Tai Yin said dismissively, ignoring Ling Xiao’s struggles. “I won’t kill you. But he must stay.”

Ling Xiao slightly bent forward, fists clenched, ignoring Tai Yin’s words.

Tai Yin found Ling Xiao’s futile resistance amusing. “Your Qizhu is no match for me, let alone you.”

“Even so,” Ling Xiao said with unwavering determination in his eyes, “he is my Qizhu, and I won’t leave him here alone.”

The sound of applause echoed in the room.

“Congratulations. How does it feel to finally hear those words?”

Tai Yin spoke with arrogance.

“Unfortunately, this will also be the last time you hear them.”

He took another step forward.

“Hiding behind your Qizi and relying on him for protection—a Qizhu like you—is truly disgraceful. If I were you, I’d be mortified by now.”

“When you sent your Qizi here alone, you should’ve been prepared for this. As a Qizhu, you can’t even protect him and expose him to danger. Do you think you deserve the power you gain from him?”

“Before I change my mind, get this nuisance out of here. Unless you want him to die with you.”

“I won’t leave!” Ling Xiao exclaimed. “Not unless you release him!”

“My patience is wearing thin.” Tai Yin began to countdown. “Ten, nine…”

“Just count to one!”

“One!”

With a slight movement of Tai Yin’s hand, Ying Feng’s voice resonated.

“I won’t send him away.”

Ling Xiao turned his head to see Ying Feng standing upright in the center of the octagon. The binds restricted his movements but didn’t suppress his aura.

“We had an agreement that I can’t use my powers to command him. Standing here, I’ve lost that ability.”

“But even if none of that existed, I wouldn’t use the Qizhu’s authority to force him away. If staying is his decision, I respect it.”

“Just like when he willingly chose to enter the escape pod in place of Shang Yang, knowing the risks. I didn’t stop him then. Now, if he wishes, he can stay.”

All eyes were on Ying Feng. In the silence after the battle, only his voice resonated in the vast space.

“Since our binding, countless people have told me to protect your Qizi. You’ve said the same.”

“But the Ling Xiao I know never admits defeat. He doesn’t flee from battle or abandon his comrades. He was like that from the first day I awakened and remains so today.”

“Even as a Qizi, he’s not someone who hides and needs my protection.”

“Even if he’s behind me, he stands tall, letting me trust him with my back.”

“That’s my Qizi.”

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 76

With a muffled bang, Tai Yin’s body jolted backward, and for a brief moment, everything went dark before his eyes.

When he opened his eyes again, Ying Feng had calmly discarded the gun in his hand. The moment the weapon left his grasp, it vanished into thin air.

Tai Yin clutched his chest; he could clearly feel something had penetrated his body. Yet, there was no wound, let alone any bleeding.

“What did you use on me?” Tai Yin asked with suspicion in his eyes.

“My soul shard,” Ying Feng replied with a calm demeanor. “You claim to be a genius scientist. You must understand why a Qizhu can control a Qizi. Since you’re pretending to be my Qizi, please try to be more professional about it.”

Tai Yin, however, lost his composure. “Do you realize what this means for you? A Qizi is meant to die during the coming-of-age ceremony. It’s the Qizhu who transfers their lifespan to allow the other to live. By doing this, you can only control me for a short while, but at the permanent expense of your own lifespan. Hurting your enemy at the expense of yourself, do you think it’s worth it?”

“Injuring you is already rewarding enough,” Ying Feng remarked as he halted the spaceship. Not far away, a stargate, resembling a massive blue whirlpool, spun clockwise. Passing through it would lead to another galaxy. However, if a being rather than a machine traversed it, they would be crushed and torn apart by the compressed space.

“Is this the rendezvous point? When will your contact arrive?”

Tai Yin didn’t answer. Ying Feng shot him a cold glance, causing Tai Yin, usually proud and haughty, to feel an unprecedented pressure bearing down on him. He nearly collapsed but managed to brace himself with a hand on the console. Sweat poured down, dripping audibly onto the metallic surface.

“Your contact method,” Ying Feng pressed again.

“Shield… recharge…” Tai Yin struggled to utter these words through clenched teeth. The overwhelming pressure atop his head vanished as if wings had taken it away. The abrupt change in pressure, like transitioning from the deep sea to the surface, forced him to grasp the edge of the console, gasping for breath. No matter how proud he had been before, in front of this individual who was over four hundred years younger than him, he lost all his dignity.

“You’re so adept at this; you must’ve tried it on your own Qizi,” Tai Yin remarked, attempting to open his sweat-blurred eyes. “Now I know why he doesn’t address you directly.”

Ignoring him, Ying Feng activated the shield modulator, emanating waves of cobalt blue light from the ship’s hull. Operating such high-consumption equipment in a safe zone was certainly conspicuous.

A black spaceship emerged from invisibility; its rear adorned with an emblem of an eagle with dominant eyes—a signature of Star Tower assets—the Eagle. It was their mobile space lab.

The Eagle readily opened its gates, and Ying Feng piloted the half-severed ship into the enemy’s lair.

“How does it feel to embrace death?” Tai Yin watched Ying Feng’s fearless descent, desperate to see some emotion on the young man’s stoic face—defeat, fear, separation from a loved one—just as he had inflicted upon him.

“Now, there’s nothing to support your body,” Ying Feng retorted.

Fei Jing, puzzled, approached. “Why only you? Where’s Shang Yang?”

Tai Yin stepped aside, revealing the person behind him. The two paused momentarily when they saw each other.

Fei Jing looked up at Ying Feng, who was taller than him, while Ying Feng observed Fei Jing. The two circled each other cautiously before stopping.

“Ta Yun.” A name came out from Ying Feng’s mouth.

Fei Jing’s expression shifted. Ying Feng realized the truth in the principal’s words. “You truly are the principal’s Qizhu.”

Fei Jing was surprised. “Principal? What do you mean? He’s still alive and became a principal?”

“Exactly.”

“Which school?”

“Bikong, your alma mater.”

Fei Jing scoffed. “I thought he wouldn’t survive the chaos period. Turns out he’s not only alive but also thriving.”

Ying Feng subtly observed the surroundings. “Seems like he’s doing better than you, hiding here.”

Fei Jing’s gaze darkened. “You’re as unlikeable as your Qizi.”

Ying Feng’s time to control Tai Yin was limited, and he didn’t want to waste words on him. “Where is the other person?”

Fei Jing pointed with his thumb to a glass apparatus behind him. Ying Feng naturally noticed Ling Xiao, who was lying on the ground.

“What did you do to him?” he asked, a hint of interrogation in his voice.

“He talked too much, so I made him take a nap.”

Ying Feng felt relieved. He knew Ling Xiao couldn’t help but talk too much wherever he went. A saying came to his mind: humans die for wealth, birds die for food*, and monkeys perish from talking too much. He could almost foresee Ling Xiao’s fate.

*Idiom referring to how humans would sacrifice even their lives in pursuit of wealth, just like how birds would die in pursuit for food. The last part is made up by him (I think) referring to Ling Xiao (as the monkey).

He turned to Tai Yin. “Release him.”

If you don’t want to relive the experience you just had in front of others.

The unspoken words were evident on Ying Feng’s face, and Tai Yin pretended not to notice.

“What’s going on here?” Fei Jing was filled with confusion as he saw Tai Yin following Ying Feng’s order, entering the passcode.

After entering the last digit, the transparent material imprisoning Ling Xiao vanished. Ying Feng approached and turned Ling Xiao over, revealing the dagger beneath him. Ying Feng glanced at Fei Jing, who simply shrugged.

“He threatened me with suicide. I was trying to save him,” Fei Jing explained.

Without a word, Ying Feng pocketed the dagger, picked up the unconscious Ling Xiao, and turned to leave. As he did, Fei Jing aimed his weapon at Ying Feng’s back.

“Wait.”

Ying Feng stopped.

“Can someone explain what’s happening?” he asked Tai Yin. “You were supposed to rescue someone. Not only did you fail, but you’re also letting the opponent brazenly take the hostage away. Do you think this place is a public area?”

Ying Feng calmly turned to face the gun pointed at him.

“You might have defeated the principal during the coming-of-age ceremony. I recognize your past strength. But you may not be a match for me now, and that weapon in your hand may not hit me.”

“Really?” Fei Jing casually looked around the interior of the spaceship. Following his gaze, Ying Feng noticed heavily armed individuals every few meters on the platforms surrounding them. Though their physiques appeared like fledglings, their eyes betrayed their adult identities.

“Alright,” Ying Feng said, changing his tone. “If you don’t let us go, I’ll kill him.”

“Kill who? Him?” Fei Jing glanced at Tai Yin, then back to the unarmed Ying Feng holding Ling Xiao. “How do you plan to do that?”

With his actions, Ying Feng answered. Tai Yin, seemingly out of control, slowly drew a dagger, aiming it precisely at a lethal spot on his body.

The scene before him surprised Fei Jing, until Tai Yin managed to speak, “Let… them go…”

The weapons held by the people above were simultaneously lowered. Fei Jing hesitated but finally holstered his weapon.

“Alright, you win. Take him and go.”

Though Ying Feng didn’t fully trust him, he said to Tai Yin, “Since you’re the master here, please escort our guest.”

With Tai Yin by their side, no one dared make a move. The two intruders had entered the heart of the enemy’s lair and were now leaving unscathed, to the discontent of the residents.

As they were about to disappear from Fei Jing’s sight, Ying Feng suddenly turned. “I know the incident years ago wasn’t your fault. Abandoning him was understandable. But times have changed, and so have people. He’s still waiting where you two met. Perhaps you should go back and hear what he has to say.”

With that, Ying Feng, followed by Tai Yin, and carrying Ling Xiao, returned to where their spaceship was parked.

“You’ll… regret… this…” As they were about to board, Tai Yin threatened through gritted teeth.

Ying Feng paused, looking at Ling Xiao in his arms, an idea forming in his mind. “Raise both hands.”

Like a puppet, Tai Yin’s arms were uncontrollably raised.

“Lift your right foot.”

Tai Yin was forced into a ridiculous pose, his anger seemingly enough to burn Ying Feng alive. Yet his comical position made him appear even more ridiculous.

Ying Feng’s expression wasn’t as cold as before.

“I’ll give ten years of my life for ten minutes of seeing you like this*.”

*Golden rooster standing on one leg (金鸡独立) It’s a pose made of standing on one leg normally seen in Chinese martial arts (example).

He looked down at Ling Xiao in his arms. “It’s a pity the one who loves a spectacle the most is asleep.”

Tai Yin finally saw a different expression on his face—a hint of gentleness that was hard to detect. This was the kind of revenge Ling Xiao would have chosen, and Ying Feng silently executed it in his dream. Who said the Qizhu couldn’t change? After spending so much time with a naive individual, he even adopted some juvenile traits and took actions his past self would never have imagined.

The spaceship restarted, and the Eagle reluctantly opened its hatch, letting the two intruders out with apparent disdain. Just as they were about to make a jump through the stargate, Ling Xiao groggily woke up.

“Why am I here?” he asked, rubbing his sleepy eyes. “Did you bring me out?”

‘Sure enough, this is the real Ling Xiao,’ Ying Feng thought. He wouldn’t seriously tell him “thank you” or “I’m sorry.” Even if faced with danger, to him, it was just like taking a nap. Such a Ling Xiao couldn’t possibly be imitated by a mere illusion.

Although Ling Xiao wasn’t ecstatically happy about a near-death experience, he was delighted to see Ying Feng again. He excitedly shared, “I just had a weird dream where you taught Tai Yin a lesson.”

“How did I do it?” Ying Feng feigned ignorance.

“Like this.” Ling Xiao made an exaggerated gesture, laughing uncontrollably. “Isn’t it funny?”

After finishing his laughter, he sighed. “Ah, it’s a pity it was just a dream. How could you possibly do such a thing?”

“Yes, you were dreaming,” Ying Feng responded, subtly activating the spaceship’s thruster as they sped straight into the stargate. The pitch-black clouds and distorted light formed an illuminated tunnel that seemed like a bizarre dream even when they were awake.

Unintentionally, Ying Feng’s hand brushed against Ling Xiao’s, eliciting unexpected reactions from both. Maybe it was the mesmerizing scenery around them, but the shifting lights made everything seem simpler and more genuine, making them want to express their innermost feelings.

Having traveled through time and space together, seeds of emotion that had been buried deep within them were now sprouting, ready to bloom in the sunlight.

Ling Xiao nervously swallowed, realizing at some point their hands had intertwined. Neither initiated the gesture; it just happened.

“What… what are you thinking?” he stammered.

Ying Feng remembered the instructor’s words—that touching his hand would accelerate his heartbeat and make him want to express his feelings. And indeed, the sensation was different than before.

“A certain part of my body reacted,” Ying Feng answered truthfully.

Ling Xiao’s face reddened as he understood the implication. “You pervert, thinking about such things at this moment…”

Despite his words, Ling Xiao continued to hold Ying Feng’s hand tightly, not wanting to let go even for a second. Ying Feng’s face grew closer, and as they both shut their eyes, their breaths mingled in the confined space.

The spaceship rushed through the stargate, with blinding white light replacing the darkness for a brief moment. When everything returned to normal, the two individuals maintained their previous postures, their gazes reluctantly moving away from each other’s faces. In front of them was a fleet of sniper ships, neatly arranged in two rows, their guns uniformly aimed at them, ready to fire at any moment.

Their ships had an off-putting black-gold hue, designed to mimic various insects in shape and color. Their structures were as sharp as if carved by a blade, with some of the ships’ front lights designed to resemble compound eyes and others had strange antennae. Every ship bore the emblem of a scorpion.

Anyone with a bit of common sense would recognize this as the notorious pirate insignia of the galaxy— the Poison Pirates.

A communication signal came in, and a coarse voice with a foreign accent, speaking in a clumsy Tianxiu dialect, boisterously complained, “Oh dear, that was close. If you had escaped, that mad scientist would have certainly used it as an excuse not to pay the protection fee. Oh, I almost forgot to introduce myself. I am your beloved pirate captain, Captain Sheng Xie*. If you ever encounter me in the universe.” His voice suddenly took on a sinister yet tempting tone. “Congratulations, you’re in trouble.”

*Clarity: His name means Prosperous Scorpion.

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 75

Ling Xiao was rendered speechless by his words, unable to find a rebuttal for a moment.

“Why didn’t you develop? Where is your Qizi?”

“Who knows,” Fei Jing answered indifferently, as if discussing an unrelated person. “My coming-of-age ceremony wasn’t voluntary. Why would I live with someone I don’t like?”

“My coming-of-age ceremony was also not voluntary, but my Qizhu still stayed.”

“Really, how noble of him,” Fei Jing said dismissively, with no trace of flattery in his tone.

“Although we didn’t get along at first, after the initial adaptation, I am grateful he stayed. After hearing what you said, I feel even luckier that he didn’t leave. If he had, he might be trapped like you, and I might think he’s living well; learning the truth later would be even more upsetting.”

Fei Jing sneered, “You keep talking about adaptation, but it seems to me that you, as a Qizi, lost your personality in repeated conflicts and have been brainwashed to become an attachment to another person. Can you honestly say you are the same as when you were in your fledgling state?”

“Of course not. I was arrogant and unclear about my own feelings in my fledgling state, hurting others unknowingly. As a Qizi, I sacrificed some dignity but also got rid of the bad parts of my personality. Like cutting off a tumor will inevitably bleed, but I don’t regret the change. And do you think this change is only about the Qizi? My Qizhu used to have no friends and had to look up even the meaning of a kiss, but now he is starting to understand others’ feelings. Whenever two people are together, they will change due to each other. It’s not compromise; it’s growth.”

“You probably can’t understand the difficulties of a Qizi living alone. My former principal lived in the disease control center for six years, witnessing the deaths of countless Qizis like him. Such a scene is unforgettable once experienced. He still can’t sleep without medication; even if his Qizhu returns, his severe mental damage prevents him from being apart from him for even a day.”

“I don’t know what deep hatred you have for your Qizi, but I’ve heard that Qizhus also suffer from soul loss when leaving their Qizi, yet you’d rather endure this pain, preferring to stay in this hidden place rather than turn back. You haven’t even tried the first step with him; how do you know it definitely won’t work?”

“What do you know?” Fei Jing said harshly. “You only see the difficulties of a Qizi’s existence. You don’t know what I sacrificed for this relationship.”

“I really don’t understand. I didn’t understand why some people willingly become Qizi for love and why some end their lives after becoming a Qizi. But when I became a Qizi, I didn’t understand how some can still live on… Every time I solve an old problem, a new one arises. I’m always in a state of not understanding, but I’m not muddling through; my questions are being answered with my experiences. Like the first problem I mentioned, I still don’t understand, but I believe that as long as I live, I will find the answer one day.”

“I am in a cage, but the gaps in the cage are always wider than the bars, and when the sun shines in, the area of sunlight is always greater than the shadow. You long for freedom outside the cage but stubbornly stand in the shadow. What right do you have to mock me standing in the sunlight?”

Fei Jing fell silent for a moment. “Do you want to know how irreconcilable our conflict is?”

He approached Ling Xiao. As soon as he embraced the universe, Ling Xiao noticed the conspicuous black glove on his left hand, and now he not only took off the glove but also rolled up his sleeve.

Ling Xiao couldn’t believe what he saw.

“…A prosthetic limb? How… Isn’t it said that even vital organs can regenerate as long as the treatment is timely?”

“Yes, that’s true for normal injuries. When I had nowhere to go, Tai Yin’s companions found me, provided me shelter, and even promised that if the experiment succeeded, I could regain my freedom. The price was to be their guinea pig.”

“I don’t know how many times I have undergone such experiments or how many strange drugs have been injected into my body. Some can make people wish for death due to pain, and some eat away at the body of the test subject like this. In a failed experiment, my left hand began to melt like wax from the fingertips. Although Tai Yin cut off this arm in time, it never regrew.”

Ling Xiao was horrified; if he had accepted Zhen He’s invitation back then, he might have ended up like Fei Jing—a mutilated experimental subject. He had once brazenly said in front of Zhen He that he wouldn’t care even if he lost an arm, but seeing Fei Jing today, he’d rather he had never said such words.

“There used to be many people here, just like me, all wanting to break the Blood Pact, willingly becoming test subjects for Tai Yin. But more and more people die due to failed experiments—some even die in a tragic state. I, standing before you, am the one with the strongest constitution and least damage among them. But when I permanently lost this hand, I knew that the Blood Pact was unchangeable for the Tianxiu people, and this is the price I paid for trying to change it.”

“Now you should understand how much I long to break this relationship. Initially, it was just a wish of mine, but now it has become the whole meaning of my existence. If I don’t do this, I don’t know where else I can go or what else I can do.”

“You can still go back to your Qizi and start over,” Ling Xiao said urgently. His hatred for Tai Yin increased after listening to Fei Jing’s words, as well as disliking Fei Jing’s self-abandonment. If he were free at this moment, he would definitely force Fei Jing to return to the surface to search for his Qizi, whose whereabouts were unknown.

“Do you think I look like a fledgling, so my age must also be very young? Let me tell you, it’s been over a hundred years since my coming-of-age ceremony. Even if that person survived the critical period, they have long since reincarnated.”

“That’s not necessarily true!” Ling Xiao retorted. “Have you cried for your Qizi?”

“Cry? Why should I cry?”

“I’ve seen a Qizi leave; his Qizhu cried heartbreakingly even without knowing. There is a soul connection between a Qizhu and a Qizi. If one leaves, the other will definitely feel sad.”

Fei Jing quietly reflected for a moment. “No, I’m sure I have not shed a tear for him.”

“That means he’s still alive. Our principal said that as long as you are alive, there is a chance to meet again. Maybe he’s also persistently waiting for you to come back. You’re now like a defeated gambler who, having lost too much, is reluctant to leave the casino. But if you continue to stay here, you will lose more and more, perhaps even the remaining hand and your life.”

“Do you think you can persuade me? How old are you? Have you even been an adult for a year?”

“Although my adulthood is short-lived, the time I’ve spent with my Qizhu is definitely longer than the time you’ve spent with your Qizi. In this regard, I have much more experience than you. Think about it, if you’re together, you can realize your dreams again and travel to even farther planets. Although seven is not that many, it’s always better than three, isn’t it? Traveling with someone is always better than being alone, isn’t it?”

Fei Jing silently confronted him for a moment, then turned around and put on his gloves again. “Forget it, discussing this with you is a waste of time.”

“Don’t go.” Ling Xiao forcefully banged on the glass in front of him. “Are you avoiding the topic because you think I make sense? What’s the name of your Qizi? Maybe I’ve seen them.”

“Hey! Don’t touch that!” Fei Jing issued a stern warning but couldn’t stop Ling Xiao’s action in time. A massive electric current struck. Ling Xiao convulsed under its effect; snapping sounds filled the air. Fei Jing rushed to the control panel to enter the password. “123456…no, 888888, also no…”

After trying several times, the electric current finally stopped. Ling Xiao propped himself up against the glass with his head drooping. Occasional blue sparks still circled one arm.

It took a while for him to recover from the pain of the electric shock while gritting his teeth. “How can you forget such an important password?”

Fei Jing boldly replied, “Who told you to hit it so hard? This device is specially used to confine Tianxiu people. Not only does it have a mental barrier, but if someone tries to violently destroy it, it will automatically release a 3600-volt electric shock, which even a fully developed adult cannot withstand.”

“Yes, I felt it.” Ling Xiao, with little strength, raised his right hand, sparking, and gradually formed a high-speed rotating ball of electricity. But when the fist-sized ball of electric light was thrown at the transparent material, it disappeared with a pop, not even leaving a crack.

“Are you willing to behave now?” Fei Jing raised an eyebrow.

Ling Xiao backed a few steps, leaning against the rear wall to support his weary body. “Although you sound fierce, judging by how you hurriedly tried to save me just now, you’re actually a good person, so why become an accomplice to evil?”

Fei Jing scoffed at him. “You’re still trying to persuade me in this state? I advise you not to think too much. I saved you because your life is useful to someone. I am responsible for delivering you safely to the rendezvous point, so you better not cause me trouble.”

“Really?” Ling Xiao flipped over. The soul crystal on his body was indeed gone, but since mental powers were shielded here, even if the soul crystal was still here it wouldn’t be of any use.

His dagger was still there. It seemed they were very confident in their confinement equipment. With a flick of his forearm, the dagger slid into Ling Xiao’s hand.

“What are you doing?” Fei Jing kept a close eye on his every move.

Ling Xiao held the dagger to his heart. “Let me out, or I’ll commit suicide.”

“Huh?”

“Isn’t your mission to protect me? If I die, you’ll have a hard time explaining, won’t you?”

“I was going to let you go, but I want to find a safe place. Do you want me to throw you somewhere random in space?”

“Oh, I see.” Ling Xiao’s eyes shifted. “I changed my mind. I’m not going. If you force me to leave, I’ll die right in front of you.”

“Are you out of your mind?”

“Unless you come with me, I’m going to take you and Shang Yang back to the surface. That’s where you guys belong.”

Fei Jing was infuriated. “Don’t treat me like a fledgling. I don’t want to play such childish games with you.”

“I’m serious. You look a lot like my Qizhu. I feel a kinship when I see you. Thinking of your abandoned Qizi, it feels like another possible version of me. I can’t bear it…”

Fei Jing, unable to tolerate it any longer, pressed a certain operation key. The octagonal space quickly filled with a hypnotic gas that was effective only against the Tianxiu people. Ling Xiao couldn’t finish his sentence and fell to the ground with the dagger.

I shouldn’t have listened to his nonsense. Fei Jing glared at the man on the ground in annoyance. “So talkative.”

The Eagle was gradually approaching the stargate as planned. A small escort ship had been tirelessly harassing them. Fei Jing, feeling annoyed, decloaked and launched a torpedo, splitting it in two.

On another ship heading in the same direction, Tai Yin looked down at the gun pressed against his chest with displeasure. “This is the second time today that someone has pointed a gun at me. You and your Qizi are really impolite.”

“Reveal your true form.” Ying Feng ignored his comment.

Tai Yin gently touched his temple. Ying Feng’s vision warped, and in a matter of seconds, Tai Yin transformed into the tall man Ying Feng had previously seen through mental vision. His narrow eyes exuded an air of authority and disdain.

“Who are you?” Ying Feng asked.

“Tai Yin,” he replied succinctly, without any prefix.

As Ying Feng suspected, the fledgling lying behind them was Shang Yang. It made sense that they were hiding in space; no wonder the military couldn’t find them.

“A question for a question is only fair,” Tai Yin said calmly. “When did you realize I wasn’t your Qizi?”

“At the space station, when you said ‘my Qizhu’.”

Tai Yin recalled. Indeed he had said that, but he hadn’t thought it would give him away.

“What’s wrong with those words?” he asked.

“Ling Xiao never addresses me that way in person.”

Tai Yin feigned realization. “But he does call you that behind your back quite frequently. I must have overestimated your relationship. No wonder you hesitated. You tried to use the Qizhu’s power on me, didn’t you?”

He glanced inside the cabin. “But I don’t understand. If you knew my identity, then why go along with the plan and bring him out? You had the chance to exchange him for a hostage, yet you abandoned your Qizi in such a dangerous place. Having second thoughts now?”

“I never said I’d exchange the fledgling for a hostage. Ling Xiao would never agree to that. I brought him out because it wasn’t safe for him to stay there. And now I have the perfect hostage to exchange.”

“You mean me? Do you think once I’m reunited with my comrades, you’ll still have control?” Tai Yin laughed, as if calling him naïve. “Regardless, thank you for personally delivering Shang Yang.”

“You’re the naive one. Haven’t you noticed this is a dual-engine ship?”

Tai Yin’s eyes widened, but Ying Feng was quicker, pressing the separation button on the control panel. The doors between the cockpit and the cabin quickly closed, and with a jolt, the rear of the ship detached from the main cabin.

Tai Yin’s eyes darted around, trying to come up with a plan as the current situation was unexpected.

“No need to think. They will jump to the next galaxy. While you weren’t paying attention, I contacted the military there. They will escort them randomly to a space station. Even if something happens to me, you won’t find out where they are from me.”

Tai Yin stared at him for a moment, then started to laugh sarcastically. “You’re not even an adult yet, right? I can’t believe I was outwitted by a kid. You and your Qizi are a perfect match, coming one after another to die for a stranger.”

“You’re wrong. I’m not here to die. I want to go back alive with my Qizi. You’ve had a gun pointed at you twice today, but do you know the main difference between him and me?”

Tai Yin scoffed. “What?”

“He talks too much and misses opportunities. When it’s time to shoot, I won’t hesitate.”

With that, he aimed at Tai Yin’s heart and pulled the trigger without hesitation.

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Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 74

The escort ship that Bing Can “borrowed” automatically joined the military communication channel. After listening for a while, Red Head realized something was wrong.

“They are heading in a different direction than us.”

The directions of both parties’ advancements had at least a 30-degree angle difference. The military had radar and anti-stealth technology; there shouldn’t have been such a large error.

However, the only radar on Ying Feng’s garbage truck was broken, but he was moving very determinedly in one direction without any hesitation, at least from what Bing Can could see trailing behind him.

“What should we do?” Red Head asked.

“Follow Ying Feng.” Bing Can made a provisional decision. “Use your terminal to keep in communication with Ying Feng. If the other party is still using magnetic field interference, we should be able to detect it immediately.”

Ying Feng’s terminal was connected.

“How’s it going on your end?”

“I can’t detect with spiritual probing.” No matter how his consciousness spread out, he couldn’t capture any trace of Ling Xiao. It was as if he had disappeared from this universe.

“Is the direction incorrect?”

Bing Can was about to report the military coordinates to him, but heard him say, “No, they should choose this route, and they will arrive soon.”

This was the shortest line from the incident location to the space station; they should be able to guess where the fledgling was sent.

Ying Feng held the Shared Five Senses soul crystal by Fu Yao tightly in his hand. This was his umpteenth attempt today, but no matter how he infused his mental power, he couldn’t activate it.

Despite having trained very hard, Ling Xiao’s trust in him never reached one hundred percent.

The sense of powerless frustration made him furious, and his mental power turned into attack power that transmitted to the palm of his hand, crushing the extremely hard soul crystal into powder, which slowly flowed down between his fingers.

This awakened Ying Feng.

The cabin shells on both sides of the scavenger opened, and the vacuum cleaner used for cleaning small matter extended outside the body. Ying Feng issued the opposite order, and the dust particles mixed with metal fragments absorbed earlier flew out in reverse. In zero gravity, they collided and scattered everywhere. Ying Feng manipulated the scavenger and drew a circle, weaving a dust net in space.

Bing Can and Red Head in the escort ship were dumbfounded. “If there were environmentalists here, he would definitely be fined a huge amount.”

The voice from the terminal suddenly distorted, emitting a harsh metallic sound.

“They’re here!”

It seemed like the celestial net had been torn open. “There!”

Without hesitation, Bing Can manipulated the escort ship to go up and fire in the direction of the loophole.

For a spaceship of that scale, their bullets were like tickles. Bing Can’s goal was just to harass them as much as possible. Once they got annoyed and retaliated, the stealth system would automatically deactivate.

“Still can’t summon Ling Xiao?” They were already so close.

“I guess the place he’s in might have blocked mental power… Wait!”

An escape pod popped out from the enemy spaceship. This escape pod seemed to be controlled by someone who purposefully drove towards the scavenger. Soon, someone jumped out from it.

“Ling Xiao?” Ying Feng quickly opened the cabin door and let Ling Xiao in. “How did you…?”

“I escaped.” Ling Xiao appeared before him, unharmed. “I was hit by a gun. When I woke up, there was no one around. It seems like they didn’t want my life and didn’t care about my whereabouts. They probably found out that even keeping me couldn’t be used for hostage exchange, thinking I have no value.”

Ying Feng stared at him unblinkingly, making Ling Xiao a bit uncomfortable. “What’s wrong?”

“…Nothing.” Ying Feng probably experienced the first urgency since he woke up, but there was no due joy in seeing Ling Xiao return unharmed.

“By the way.” Ling Xiao’s expression was grave. “Did you send that fledgling to the space station? We must get there as soon as possible.”

“Why?”

“Because I heard that’s their destination too; they must want to reclaim the fledgling. If we move fast, we might be able to transfer the fledgling while they’re not paying attention.”

Without waiting for Ying Feng to make a decision, he proficiently chose the space station as the endpoint for the navigator, and the scavenger turned around and drove towards the destination.

“Ling Xiao, are you back? Are you alright?” Bing Can’s voice came from the terminal.

“I’m fine.” Ling Xiao’s gaze was fixed straight ahead at the retreating meteorites and debris. “Can you help us buy some time? We have to transfer the fledgling to a safe place before they do.”

Ling Xiao’s politeness made Bing Can pause, but he quickly responded, “As long as you’re fine, I’ll do my best.”

He pulled the joystick, and the escort ship flew vertically, maneuvering flexibly around the starship, occasionally firing a missile or two, trying to buy time for Ling Xiao and the others.

“What’s the situation inside?” Ying Feng asked during this gap.

“I only saw one person; the one who hit me with the gun must be another person, but I didn’t see his face. Apart from this, I didn’t see any living people. They might all be elsewhere.”

His description matched what Ying Feng saw with his mind vision.

“It’s my poor planning.”

Ling Xiao turned his head slightly. “I’m sorry. I made you worry.”

Ying Feng was stunned. The scavenger had already docked, and Ling Xiao jumped out of the cabin proficiently.

“Where’s the fledgling that was just brought here?” he asked.

“He’s undergoing treatment,” a staff member replied. “The military ordered you to return to the ground immediately.”

“The enemy warship will appear in three minutes, and that’s a naval-grade starship. Do you have enough manpower?”

The staff member was startled. “But we received a message that the enemy had fled towards the stargate.”

“I don’t know about the accuracy of your information, but I just escaped from that starship.” He stepped aside, revealing Ying Feng behind him. “My Qizhu can attest to this.”

Ying Feng remained silent for a moment before saying, “It’s true.”

The staff member was a bit panicked. “We also dispatched many warships and personnel; only a few medical and research staff are left here. It’s already too late to notify them to return.”

“Why not send the fledgling back to the ground?” Ying Feng asked.

“We can’t,” Ling Xiao firmly rebutted him. “The fledgling’s body is fragile. He can’t use the teleportation device.”

After saying this, he turned his head to ask the staff member, “Right?”

The staffer wanted to speak but was preempted by him and now quickly nodded in confirmation. “Yes, he can only be transported back by flight after he recovers.”

“But we can’t wait now,” Ling Xiao said. “Lend us a ship. We’ll take responsibility for delivering him to the nearest space station.”

Seeing their hesitation, his tone was firm. “We are students of Royal Sky, future soldiers of Tianxiu. We swear on our souls to ensure the fledgling’s safety. There will be no mishaps.”

Pressed by time and seeing their young ages not only saving the fledgling safely but also escaping from the enemy, the staff member somewhat trusted them and agreed to his proposal.

The fledgling was transferred to the spaceship. Besides Ying Feng and Ling Xiao, there was also a medical staff member from the space station with them.

The spaceship quickly left the space station, heading to another space station seven jumps away, even crossing a stargate in between.

The light in the universe distorted, and the spaceship entered a warp state. Ling Xiao stood in the cockpit with his hands behind his back, the corner of his mouth subtly curving up.

“Ling Xiao.” Ying Feng called his name.

“Hm?” He turned around with a smile, but the smile froze on his face. In Ying Feng’s hand was a weapon identical to the one used on Ling Xiao, and now the muzzle of the gun was pointed at his chest.

“What are you doing?” Ling Xiao’s gaze moved from the weapon to his face.

Ying Feng was also staring at him with probing eyes. “You are not Ling Xiao. Who are you?”

……

Ling Xiao woke up from a coma and found himself in a strange space, surrounded by a transparent medium forming an octagon, and he was trapped in the middle of this octagon.

He pushed against the glass-like objects. If this was the cage to confine him, this material obviously wouldn’t be as fragile as glass. It could be even more solid than the walls of the training hall.

“You’re awake?”

A voice made Ling Xiao realize that he wasn’t the only one here. When the speaker turned around, Ling Xiao incredulously widened his eyes.

“Ying Feng?”

The one called Ying Feng raised an eyebrow. “Who’s that?”

Ling Xiao, shocked, stared at this “Ying Feng” before him, certain that he wasn’t the person he thought. Standing here was a younger version of Ying Feng, exactly like he was in his fledgling state. More precisely, he looked like Ying Feng just after his coming-of-age ceremony. Even the color of his eyes was pitch-black.

Seeing Ling Xiao unable to speak, “Ying Feng” thought it was due to fear of being captured.

“Don’t worry, we won’t harm you. You’ll be free once we reach our destination, but for now, you must stay here.”

Ling Xiao fixated on his face, feeling a sense of time reversal, ignoring the reason why they kept him here.

“Who are you? Why are you with Tai Yin?”

“It’s rare to see young people who still recognize him. I thought he was only a hero to our generation.” The fake Ying Feng played with a virtual universe sandbox in front of him. “You can call me Fei Jing.”

“Unfortunately, in our eyes, he’s not a hero,” Ling Xiao said earnestly. “He’s a wanted criminal.”

Fei Jing glanced at him disdainfully. “How old are you? Perhaps in your past life, you were his fervent admirer. When he left Tianxiu, you were probably still crying under your blanket.”

“Whatever happened in past lives has nothing to do with me.” Ling Xiao looked around. “Besides, this isn’t really leaving Tianxiu. It’s more like eking out a living on the periphery of this planet.”

A dangerous light flashed in Fei Jing’s eyes. “Has anyone ever told you that you are very good at irritating people?”

“I guess Tai Yin just thought the same thing.”

“You managing to irritate him means you have some skills. Apart from Shang Yang, I have never seen anyone else affect his emotions. A man who has lived for over four hundred years hardly has any nerves left to be touched by people or things.”

Fei Jing flicked his index finger, and a planet in mid-air began to spin rapidly. “35,200 EAU.”

“What?” Ling Xiao didn’t understand.

“Starting from the core of Tianxiu, it’s the furthest distance Tianxiu people can reach. Once we surpass this distance, we will lose all ability to act, like lambs to the slaughter. Even an alien child could easily kill us. This is the so-called soul traction.”

Ling Xiao had heard a bit about what Fei Jing was talking about but chose to listen quietly.

“The last planet conquered by the Tianxiu people is Huangxiu, 32,000 EAU from here. This is already very close to our limit. If it weren’t for the sparse population, the primitive military of that planet, and the service of a Lone Star to the military, it would have been absolutely impossible to succeed.”

“Owning seven conquered planets wasn’t enough for Tianxiu. A hundred years later, which is seven hundred years ago, the military launched an invasion towards the eighth planet, here.” Fei Jing pointed to a beautiful red planet with a halo. “Huoxiu, 36,000 EAU away from us.”

Ling Xiao had crammed some history; naturally, he knew about the Huoxiu Battle seven hundred years ago—a nightmare a thousand times worse than the Ash Event for this planet.

“The accuracy of this critical value was measured by the lives of the soldiers who went on the expedition. On one side, the invaders who couldn’t fight back, and on the other, there were the defenders who were fully prepared. There were no lone stars in that era, so the outcome was predictable.”

“Due to the distant location, the souls of the deceased soldiers couldn’t return and dissipated in the vast universe. Tianxiu lost tens of thousands of its elite soldiers overnight—not just their bodies, but their souls as well.”

“That battle severely weakened Tianxiu. It took nearly a hundred years to recover. Some conquered planets seized this opportunity to gain independence. We dispatched troops to suppress them, going back and forth for several hundred years. Although the situation has stabilized now, no one dares to cross this limit again.”

Ling Xiao waited for a moment. “Why are you telling me this?”

“Do you think 35,200 EAU is a long distance? On this sandbox, it’s not even as long as my arm. I can embrace all the accessible planets with my arms open.”

He did just that, seeming to embrace the entire universe.

“Since my youth, I have longed to visit other planets and experience different landscapes. Sadly, when I left Tianxiu, I discovered that 17,000 is the furthest distance I can reach. Not even half of my arm, here.”

He pointed between the third and fourth planets. “I can only visit the third planet and can’t even go to the fourth one. It’s ridiculous.”

“Why?”

“Probably because I’m not fully developed, my soul traction is much more severe than others’. When I reach the third planet, I am already so weak that I can hardly walk independently.”

Only now did he look at Ling Xiao, responding to the earlier taunt. “Do you think I want to live here in such a miserable way? The space I yearn for is so vast, yet the land under my feet is so limited. I was born imprisoned here. Even if you can go a bit further, you still can’t escape beyond an arm’s length. You, who have a slightly larger cage, what right do you have to mock me who can’t leave here?”

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The author has something to say:

AU is the astronomical unit on the earth, which represents the distance from the earth to the sun. EAU is the derived astronomical unit, but who knows how much this unit of length represents.

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