Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

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

---

Extra

Since hearing about a “secret” reconciliation agreement between Yu Ji and Shuang Feng, Ling Xiao had always been trying to extract information from them. However, one of them always evaded the topic, while the other never deigned to answer. Ying Feng, who seemed to know the truth, refused to give any hints and instead told Ling Xiao not to meddle in others’ affairs, which frustrated the curiosity-driven Ling Xiao immensely.

One day, while Ling Xiao was shopping in the Tianyuan Network Supermarket, he overheard someone on the phone nearby. Rounding a shelf, he saw Yu Ji, also with a shopping cart.

“…I’m just buying some things online… I’ll be back soon… Do you need anything? Coffee maybe? …Sleep? That doesn’t count. Choose something else…” Yu Ji was startled when a hand patted his shoulder as he ended the call.

“Ling Xiao? What a coincidence.”

“Is Shuang Feng urging you to return?”

“I’ve only been out for ten minutes.”

“But this is a virtual network. Aren’t you still in the dorm?”

“Yes, but Shuang Feng says he can’t sleep otherwise.”

“It feels like you’re taking care of a human-shaped accessory.”

“Maybe it would be easier to take care of a monkey?” Yu Ji said, eyeing the large bunch of bananas in Ling Xiao’s cart.

“Right!” Yu Ji reminded Ling Xiao, “I need to get banana milk!”

At the drinks section, Ling Xiao enthusiastically recommended his favorite brand but was politely declined, so he sadly filled his own cart. Looking up, he saw Yu Ji staring absent-mindedly at the alcoholic beverages, and Ling Xiao, whose IQ suddenly rose, guessed something.

“Is this what you drank at your coming-of-age ceremony?”

Ling Xiao accurately identifies Yu Ji’s focal point.

“Uh, yes.”

“How did it taste?”

Yu Ji shook his head with a bitter smile. “I don’t remember.”

“Did you drink this kind of liquor again later?”

“More than that, both of us haven’t touched a drop of alcohol since our coming-of-age ceremony.”

Ling Xiao turned the bottle to read the label: —This product contains hallucinogenic mushroom extract and may cause hallucinations after consumption. Please ensure it is used in moderation and in a safe setting.

Yu Ji’s communicator rang again.

“I’m almost done shopping… I ran into Ling Xiao… Yes, yes, I’ll be right there.”

“I kind of want to try this,” Ling Xiao said after Yu Ji finished the call, holding the bottle eagerly.

“Sure. You don’t have to worry about triggering anything.”

“I’m curious about the hallucinations it might produce. With my imagination, it’s probably about fighting fierce beasts or something.”

“The next morning, you’ll find out you beat up Ying Feng.”

“…Or maybe get beaten up.”

Ling Xiao actually went to check out with the liquor, with Yu Ji ahead of him on the phone.

“I’m checking out now… Yes, I’ll be right back… Remember to check the transporter…”

Yu Ji, with a headache, swiped his card and didn’t wait for Ling Xiao, hastily saying goodbye before logging off.

Ling Xiao stuffed his purchases into the transporter, disconnected from the Tianyuan Network, and after a brief dimensional shift, his mind returned to reality.

The goods were gradually teleported in. Eager, Ling Xiao grabbed the wine bottle, opened it, and took a sniff. The smell was indeed unique, very different from the fruit juice mixed with a small amount of alcohol he drank in his fledgling days.

“Why did you buy liquor?” Ying Feng asked, puzzled.

“Don’t you want to try? It’s the same wine that Zhen He sold to Yu Ji and the others, and he even tripled the price. Truly a profiteer.”

“Selling alcohol secretly in the fledgling area is risky. Who would dare to take the risk without high profits?”

“It’s harmful, but it should be fine to drink now.”

“Aren’t you afraid of strange hallucinations after drinking?”

“What, can it trigger another coming-of-age ceremony? Not scared!” Ling Xiao found glasses and poured a drink for each.

“Cheers!”

They both drank in one gulp. Ling Xiao blinked and smacked his lips.

“It doesn’t seem to have any effect. Maybe not enough?”

Ling Xiao decided to finish the rest of the bottle. He still felt sober, albeit a bit exhilarated. Just when he thought he had been duped, his vision blurred. He shook his head and looked again, only to find the surroundings darkened and confined—a strangely familiar scene.

“Where am I?” Ling Xiao asked.

As soon as the voice fell, a dark shadow pounced over, causing him to tumble several times on the ground, and then attacked him without any courtesy. Ling Xiao reacted instinctively without thinking.

“Ying Feng?”

With a low roar, Ying Feng opened his mouth. The special vision of the Tianxiu people allowed Ling Xiao to see Ying Feng’s sharp teeth clearly in the dark.

“Hey! What are you doing!”

Ying Feng bit towards his chest forcefully, and Ling Xiao felt an overwhelming fear, using all his strength to push him away.

“You couldn’t have awakened, could you?”

Ling Xiao blurted out this sentence without thinking, completely unaware of how wrong it sounded.

Ying Feng responded with another low growl and pounced again, grappling and rolling with Ling Xiao on the rough and uneven ground. Ling Xiao felt that Ying Feng’s strength and speed were higher than usual, driven by the thought that he absolutely couldn’t lose, barely preventing Ying Feng from achieving his goal.

“If you keep this up, I won’t be polite!” Ling Xiao warned him, but Ying Feng, undeterred, continued to attack fiercely. Ling Xiao felt a string in his brain tightening more and more, finally snapping when his back hit the wall hard. He too let out a low roar, showing his snow-white teeth in the pitch-dark cave.

Ling Xiao suddenly became very powerful. Ying Feng, who had seemed capable just a moment ago, was nothing in front of him. He beat Ying Feng back, and the narrow mine shaft shook as if about to collapse under their fierce movements. Fortunately, this situation didn’t last long. Ling Xiao, in his awakened state, forcefully pinned Ying Feng’s hands above his head, biting through the skin on his chest mercilessly as blood and a continuous flow of power entered his mouth.

Ying Feng gradually stopped struggling, and Ling Xiao, lost in his actions, licked the wound he had inflicted, as if addicted to the taste. After a while, he opened his eyes, revealing a pair of black pupils, but he could see clearer than before, and his sensory nerves were sharper. The undeveloped Adam’s apple and slender chin of the fledgling Ying Feng looked so tempting, making one want to bite.

Ling Xiao held Ying Feng’s throat, feeling it move in his mouth. Ying Feng regained consciousness under his harassment, slightly opening his eyes, revealing his pale, glass-like eyes under dense eyelashes.

“What happened to me?” Ying Feng asked blankly.

“We held a coming-of-age ceremony; you are now my Qizi,” Ling Xiao said with unprecedented care and indulgence in his voice.

Ying Feng frowned, seemingly uncomfortable with the rough ground. Ling Xiao thought that forming a bond with Ying Feng was a good thing, but the environment was far from pleasant. If only there were a soft, comfortable big bed.

Just as he finished thinking this, the surroundings suddenly brightened. Opulent decorations and a huge bed big enough for six people appeared. This was their sleeping chamber on Wolf Star, where they would pass down the beautiful wishes of Jing Yu to Ling Xing.

Everything happened so naturally that Ling Xiao didn’t feel anything abrupt; instead, he felt that it should be this way. He happily opened his arms to embrace Ying Feng but was unexpectedly straddled by him.

“What… are you doing?”

“Doing what should be done after the coming-of-age ceremony.” Ying Feng, with light-colored eyes, answered as if it were obvious.

“But I am the Qizhu!” Ling Xiao pointed to his nose and protested.

“Right, you are my Qizhu, and I am your Qizi,” Ying Feng obediently replied.

“Then why are you on top?”

“Nobody said the Qizhu couldn’t be on the bottom, right?”

“Is-Is that so?!” Ling Xiao panickily recalled. Indeed, it seemed no one had made such a rule. “But, but…”

“Just like Yu Ji. Although he is the Qizhu, he’s the bottom.”

Ling Xiao suddenly had an epiphany. “Really? So it’s like that! I can’t believe it!”

Ying Feng had already taken advantage of his distraction to pull down his pants. “Serving the Qizhu is the Qizi’s duty. I will make sure you are comfortable.”

Ling Xiao felt his argument made no sense, then thought it made a lot of sense. While he was conflicted, Ying Feng entered effortlessly.

“Um… ah…”

‘It feels really comfortable,’ Ling Xiao, with his legs wide open, resting on Ying Feng’s shoulders, thought while swaying.

“Do you like it? My Qizhu.”

“Ha… like it…” Ling Xiao replied without thinking clearly.

“I will make you feel even more comfortable. You don’t have to do anything. Just lie down and enjoy it.” Ying Feng moved his waist more vigorously. As waves of pleasure hit, Ling Xiao’s minor conflicts seemed less important.

“Do you want it to be more exciting?” Ying Feng leaned down; their faces close to each other. Though they had just formed a bond, Ying Feng already looked like a fully developed, mature man.

Under Ying Feng’s seductive words, Ling Xiao subconsciously brought his fingers to his mouth. Accompanied by a brief pain, he saw his blood dye Ying Feng’s lips a bright red, a flash of red light briefly visible in the other’s almost transparent eyes.

Ying Feng’s actions suddenly became more aggressive. He lifted Ling Xiao’s legs and launched an onslaught like a storm, scattering Ling Xiao’s consciousness. His body undulated with the rhythm of Ying Feng’s movements, leaving no room to consider whether this was reasonable or not.

The scene around the two continuously changed, from the ancient Tianxiu palace of four thousand years ago to the narrow bunk beds of the church. Ling Xiao felt as if he had experienced all the love from birth to extinction, yet his Qizi was still full of vigor, showing no signs of fatigue.

“Does it feel good? Is being a Qizhu extremely comfortable?” Ying Feng continued to tease him in a tone and manner entirely different from usual.

“Yes… harder…” Ling Xiao moaned with an order.

“As you wish.”

Before the next wave hit, Ling Xiao contentedly closed his eyes, thinking that it wasn’t in vain that he wanted to become a Qizhu in his fledgling state. Indeed, the taste of being a Qizhu was great.

The next morning, Ling Xiao opened his eyes in a daze, grabbed the communicator by the pillow, and saw it was already late morning.

There was also a message, a concerned inquiry from Yu Ji.

“How does it feel to drink?”

Ling Xiao tried hard to remember, desperately recalling, but could only come up with scattered pieces of a puzzle that didn’t form a complete picture. He vaguely remembered becoming Ying Feng’s Qizhu and seeing a rare, obedient Ying Feng.

It seemed like he also learned some incredible secret? What was it? He couldn’t remember at all.

But the alcohol was indeed strong. Enduring the discomfort, Ling Xiao replied, “Not great. I feel a severe ache in my back and waist after drinking. I’d better not drink again in the future.”

---

<<< || Table of Contents ||

Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

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

---

Chapter 137

At the base, a staff member reported a troublesome incident to Yu Quan.

“A soul just returned but refuses to go to the energy chamber we’ve assigned it.”

“I’ll take a look.”

Yu Quan followed the staff member to Area G and as expected, saw a lonely soul stubbornly lingering in front of a specific energy chamber, unresponsive to the researchers’ guidance.

He approached and checked the name on the energy chamber, then looked at the stubborn soul, understanding the situation.

“Is the adjacent energy chamber occupied?” Yu Quan asked.

“It was, but the person awoke an hour ago.”

“Then leave it be.”

He opened the adjacent chamber door, and the disobedient soul finally entered willingly, allowing Yu Quan to close the lid.

Yu Quan removed the nameplate, altering one of the characters.

“But,” the staff member hesitated, “this energy chamber wasn’t scheduled for this name.”

“It’s fine,” Yu Quan reattached the nameplate, “I think he would like this name.”

Twenty-eight years later

“Ming Zun! Ming Zun!”

Annoyed by the relentless pestering, the fledgling had gone to the rooftop for some peace but was still found by this persistent person.

“You’re here!” The oblivious youth excitedly hopped over. “I have great news to tell you!”

Ming Zun held little hope for any ‘good news’ brought by this person. Ever since they woke up in adjacent energy chambers and ended up in the same elementary academy, the other had considered him his most fated friend, even hinting at breaking beyond that boundary.

“What’s the news?” Ming Zun asked indifferently, startled by the face that suddenly leaned in close.

“Why are you so near?” He instinctively leaned back, but the proximity still allowed him to see every detail on Ling Feng’s face, including the sparkling expectation in his eyes.

“Have you awakened?” Ling Feng asked with shining eyes.

Ming Zun had fully awakened only yesterday, and he wondered how Ling Feng knew.

“So what if I have?”

Ling Feng clapped happily. “That’s great! I’ve awakened too. We can form a pact now!”

“What?!” Ming Zun almost doubted his ears.

“I like you. Let’s form a pact!”

Ming Zun was irked by his ease in saying such things. “Forming a pact is a once-in-a-lifetime ceremony. Are you treating it as a joke?”

“No, I’m serious. I’ve liked you for a long time.”

Ming Zun scoffed. “You’ve only been awake for a few years, and you dare say you’ve liked me for a long time?”

“It really has been a long time.” Ling Feng’s voice softened. “As long as lifetimes.”

Ming Zun felt a moment of astonishment, as if something deep within his soul had been struck, evoking many forgotten yet emerging memories.

“Hey? Hey!”

Ling Feng waved his hand in front of him, bringing Ming Zun back to reality.

“What were you daydreaming about?”

Realizing his lapse, Ming Zun faced Ling Feng again, feeling somewhat uneasy.

“Were you moved by what I said?”

“Nonsense.” Ming Zun awkwardly turned his face away.

“I voluntarily offer my heart’s blood, and you still don’t accept it?”

“Don’t be absurd,” Ming Zun couldn’t help but retort. “The health teacher already explained that during the coming-of-age ceremony, everyone instinctively fights. Voluntarily offering your heart’s blood is impossible.”

“What if I can do it? Would you agree then?”

Ming Zun was skeptical. “How can you achieve that?”

“You try to take my heart’s blood. If I resist, I’ll never bother you again.”

Ming Zun was puzzled. They were just awakened fledglings, half-knowledgeable about the coming-of-age ceremony. If he resisted midway, could the ceremony be stopped?

“What do you think? Good proposal, right?”

Ling Feng’s persistence made Ming Zun realize the offer was serious.

Though absurd, the proposition was tempting.

“Really? Just one resistance and you’ll never bother me again?”

Ling Feng pressed his palm to his chest. “I swear on my soul!”

Ming Zun recalled the health class details, certain Ling Feng couldn’t succeed.

“Resistance during heart’s blood extraction is instinctive. I don’t believe you can overcome it. How can anyone defy instinct?”

Ling Feng was confident. “Want to try?”

“This is your own saying.”

“Of course.”

With the idea of scaring him, Ming Zun feigned an approach, but before he could touch him, Ling Feng jumped back.

“Wait!”

Ming Zun retracted faster. “Regretting it now?”

“No,” Ling Feng immediately denied. “Though I trust myself to overcome instinct, just in case…”

Suddenly, Ling Feng grasped his left shoulder with his right hand and, with a snap, dislocated his entire arm.

Ming Zun stared in shock at his pained expression. “Have you gone mad?”

“I just don’t want to leave even the slightest possibility,” Ling Feng said, his arm hanging limply. “The other side is up to you.”

Seeing Ming Zun’s disbelief and inaction, Ling Feng urged again. “Help me out. Otherwise, I’ll have to hit a wall.”

“Do you really need to go this far?” Ming Zun was conflicted.

“Yes.” Ling Feng smiled and lifted his head. “Because I’m destined to be your Qizi.”

Ming Zun frowned, but his hand reached out to Ling Feng’s shoulder, immobilizing both arms with a firm grip.

Ling Feng’s eyes flickered briefly, then steadied. “Now it’s fail-proof. Go ahead.”

Forgetting his initial intention to rid himself of Ling Feng, Ming Zun leaned in, and this time Ling Feng didn’t dodge but rather strained his chest forward, willingly aligning with every move.

When Ming Zun’s teeth finally pierced the skin, he felt the body in his arms shudder, followed by faint trembling. The familiar sweet, metallic taste, the known sensation, along with the unique essence of that person’s soul, flowed ceaselessly. The same ceremony seemed to have been performed not just once or twice but across lifetimes, in different times, spaces, and versions of themselves—the same two souls, persistently seeking each other for this most sincere exchange.

As memories solidified in his eyes, Ming Zun’s teeth withdrew from Ling Feng’s body. The person in his arms was pale, breathing faint, barely discernible as alive.

After a long while, Ling Feng slowly revived, opening his eyes to reveal moist, clear gray irises under Ming Zun’s unwavering gaze.

“Ah, is it over?” The person, barely back from the brink of reincarnation, sounded weak yet feigned strength. “It’s nothing much after all. Had I known it was just this, I wouldn’t have bothered dislocating my arm.”

His gaze refocused, lingering in Ming Zun’s unfathomable eyes. In his memory, this was the first time Ming Zun had paid such prolonged attention to him.

“Did we really succeed in forming the pact?” Ling Feng found it incredible. “It feels like a dream.”

His eyes wandered restlessly, glancing around. “I suddenly have some regrets.”

Ming Zun’s hand on his shoulder tightened abruptly.

“My most important ceremony in life, and it’s done on this shabby rooftop? This bridal chamber is too plain. Do I get a chance to do it again?”

Hearing that his regret wasn’t about forming a pact with him, Ming Zun’s heart, which had been hanging, finally relaxed.

Their eyes locked for a long time, and this time, neither looked away.

“Can you help reattach my arm? I want to hug you.”

Instead of doing as asked, Ming Zun pulled Ling Feng into a tight embrace.

“Ah, my arm! Don’t hug so tightly! My arm hurts!”

Ming Zun’s embrace tightened further, and once again, the rooftop echoed with pained yet sweet cries.

“It hurts! It hurts, hurts, hurts…”

……

At the Tianxiu base, named “Zero”, another group of fledglings about to awaken arrived for their life origin education.

With faces full of curiosity, they attentively listened to the chief researcher’s explanation.

Yu Quan, who greeted them, maintained a monotonous poker face, but his content was surprisingly tender.

“…Tianxiu people have the universe’s most brutal coming-of-age ceremony. Lovers must overcome more difficulties than other races to be together. But once we cross these barriers, we become the most loyal partners in the universe, inseparable until reincarnation.”

“Scientists used to believe that through the purification pool, past memories of the soul would vanish, and the newly born life would be unrelated to the previous one.”

“However, in recent years, we’ve discovered that souls bound by blood pacts are mysteriously drawn to each other. Even if reincarnated as entirely different individuals, they are more likely to develop affection for their past life partners and reunite, accompanying each other through lifetimes, generation after generation…”

[END]

---

The author has something to say:

Thank you to all the friends who have accompanied and supported me along the way.

Thank you to every reader who has collected, commented, subscribed, and supported this work.

---

Kinky Thoughts:

This marks the end of this novel. I hope you enjoyed it. If you did please consider supporting the author by buying the raws. You can use Google Chrome with their auto translate and this guide on how to buy novels on jjwxc. Remember, only with your (financial) support can artists continue to produce more great works.

I also like to thank everyone for your comments, encouragement, help with my translations, and ko-fi donations. It in part fuels my motivation to release frequently and to finish the novel.

With that, there is a extra bonus that’s only available in the official publishing. You can buy it here: Vol 1, Vol 2, Vol 3. They ship internationally. Enjoy.

---

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

Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

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

---

Chapter 136

The spaceship landed on the spacious landing pad. As the cabin door slowly opened, Ling Xiao, holding the bottle, stepped out steadily, with Xiao Hui following closely, two steps behind.

Back on Tianxiu soil, only Xiao Hui heard Ling Xiao whisper to the soul in the bottle:

“Ying Feng, we are home.”

People lined up on both sides, first soldiers, then various civil servants, and finally, the general public. Walking through the corridor formed by the crowd, Ling Xiao carried his hero back to their land.

Fu Yao was waiting at the end of the corridor.

“You completed your mission exceptionally well.”

“Duty fulfilled.”

Ling Xiao opened the bottle lid, and Ying Feng’s soul leaped out but didn’t fly away. It lingered beside Ling Xiao, reluctant to leave.

“Alright, I’ll come find you after handling some things.” Ling Xiao gently touched its head. “Be good.”

Ying Feng’s soul then headed towards the purification pool. At that moment, Huo Luo brought over the people brought back from Huoxiu.

“We were a step too late. Zhu Yue modified Tai Er, but it seems unsuccessful. He’s turned into this,” Huo Luo said.

Tai Er’s red eyes remained, but human emotions had completely vanished from them, making him a different kind of Lone Star.

Tai Ruo clutched his brother’s sleeve tightly. “We’ve destroyed all the codes. No one can create Lone Stars anymore. The people of Huoxiu fear that the history of Tianxiu will repeat in Huoxiu. They don’t allow such ‘monsters’ to stay there, so I had to bring him here.”

He tentatively asked, “May we stay?”

Fu Yao looked at the emotionless brother, then at the anxious brother, and the diverse descendants of ancient Tianxiu and Huoxiu people behind them and nodded in agreement.

“This is your home,” he said. “Welcome back.”

The museum curator also arrived, and Ling Xiao solemnly handed over Bing Can and Red Head’s daggers and the remembrance stone to him.

“I heard mine and Ying Feng’s daggers are also in the museum?”

“Yes.”

“Can you place ours together with them?”

“Of course.”

Ling Xiao, his task completed, sighed in relief. “It’s a pity Yu Ji and Shuang Feng didn’t leave anything behind.”

“We’ve already sculpted their statues. Heroes will always be remembered by people.”

Ling Xiao followed Fu Yao towards the Soul Tree.

“How are the souls retrieved from Huoxiu doing?”

“They’ve been remodeled and are being nurtured. In a decade or so, they will awaken as people like us.”

Ling Xiao remarked, “So many fledglings all at once, Bikong will need to expand its recruitment.”

“Let’s leave that headache to Ta Yun.”

“The principal returned to Bikong?”

“With Fei Jing, but they demanded at least two months of travel leave every year.”

Ling Xiao laughed. “That does sound like Fei Jing.”

They arrived at the tree. The Soul Tree had been replanted. It was unclear if the soil in the churchyard was unsuitable before, but the newly planted sapling had grown quickly, becoming a large tree that required one person to embrace it overnight.

“It’s completely different from when I left,” Ling Xiao said, somewhat doubtful. “Is this really the same tree?”

“It’s the tree that grew from your peach pit.”

Ling Xiao, a bit embarrassed, looked up, making a delightful discovery.

“Look! There!”

Fu Yao also looked in the direction Ling Xiao pointed, and among the dense branches, a small, inconspicuous blue light sparkled in the sunlight.

“Is that a soul?” Ling Xiao asked excitedly, “Is it? Is it?”

“It does look like one.” Fu Yao also couldn’t help but smile.

“New souls are growing. That’s great…”

Everyone looked up at the tree, where hope for the planet was growing. As long as hope continued to grow, their beliefs would be passed down through generations.

“Fu Yao, this person wants to speak with you.”

They turned around to see Nie Yun escorting Zhu Yue, accompanied by the fake Zhen He.

Zhu Yue’s animosity towards Ling Xiao remained, but his eyes held a certain resignation.

“Do you have anything else to say?” Fu Yao asked.

Zhu Yue disdainfully glanced at the glowing bodies in the branches. “I have a request before death.”

“What is it?”

“I no longer wish to be reborn in this land. Grant me permanence.”

“Alright,” Fu Yao promptly agreed. “Go ahead.”

“No need to trouble.” Zhu Yue declined the trip to the Hall of Nightmares. “I want to leave to a place where sunlight can reach.”

Fu Yao agreed and instructed Nie Yun, “Turn off the lights.”

Nie Yun spoke into his terminal, and the distant lighthouse gradually went dark. Someone approached and injected the liquid, symbolizing death, into Zhu Yue’s neck.

Zhu Yue surveyed the land he had lived in, his gaze finally resting on the Zhen He he had created.

The emotionless Zhen He watched indifferently as his former Qizhu faced execution.

Zhu Yue lifted his hand with his last strength, touching that familiar face, but no familiar expression appeared.

“I’m about to dissipate, and you don’t even have a hint of sadness?”

Zhen He remained impassive, not even frowning.

Disappointed, Zhu Yue lowered his hand, his soul disintegrating, leaving this world without any attachment.

The lighthouse lit up again, illuminating the land and guiding its true people on the path to rebirth.

Ling Xiao had two concerns left. “Red Head and Bing Can were sacrificed because of the Peacekeeping Force.”

“Don’t worry,” Fu Yao assured him. “I will seek justice for them.”

He switched languages. “And about Xiao Hui…”

“Leave it to me.” Huo Luo patted his chest. “I guarantee he’ll pass level four in Wolf Star language in a month.”

Xiao Hui looked tearfully at him, wanting to say something but remained silent.

“That’s good.” Ling Xiao had no more unfulfilled wishes and stretched leisurely.

“It’s time for me to go.”

In the Hall of Nightmares, Yu Quan routinely asked him,

“Are you sure you want to do this?”

Ling Xiao sidestepped the question. “I knew I had to take two injections this lifetime.”

He pondered. “I now understand Ling Xing’s feelings when he entrusted his legacy before leaving. Lone Stars fall, three lives cold. This is just the first life; how can I leave Ying Feng unattended in the next ones?”

“Ling Xing said only we could endure him. I think so too. His character is so bad, I feel bad letting him trouble others.”

“I’ll keep this Ying Feng for myself.”

The cold liquid was injected into his body.

“Do you have any regrets in this life?”

A white mist clouded Ling Xiao’s vision, and the voice seemed to come from a distant world.

Regrets…

He closed his eyes, and the events of this lifetime flashed backward before his eyes like a film reel.

The farewell journey in Huoxiu, the time leap of four thousand years, the brief sweetness with Royal Sky, the mutual antagonism in Bikong…

If there was any regret…

The scene shifted to Bikong, on that rooftop, where a fledgling Ling Xiao leapt from the high platform, landing right in front of a similarly fledgling Ying Feng.

“Now someone is willingly offering their heart’s blood, and you still don’t accept. What kind of person are you looking for?”

Ying Feng, who usually ignored Ling Xiao, unusually curled his lips in a slight sneer.

“I don’t know. If you offered your heart’s blood, maybe I’d consider it.”

That person, who awakened his feelings yet remained unaware, had an immature face.

Ling Xiao’s thoughts drifted towards him, gazing deeply for one last time.

I am willing.

Ying Feng was startled. “Why are you crying?”

The fledgling Ling Xiao mechanically touched his face, feeling moisture. He stared blankly at the liquid on his fingertips, tears uncontrollably streaming down.

He ran away in a panic, not noticing Ying Feng’s unconsciously raised hand behind him. Only Ling Xiao’s consciousness captured this moment. If he hadn’t fled in haste, could they have realized their feelings for each other sooner?

He leaned in, lovingly brushing his lips against the other’s fingers.

Ying Feng, stunned, looked at his hand as if feeling the illusion of a kiss.

With no more regrets, Ling Xiao, for the first time, left towards his destined direction without any attachments.

---

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

Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

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

---

Chapter 135

After resolving a major problem, everyone joyfully returned to the spaceship. Huo Luo excitedly sang a tribal song on the public channel, a tune that the Tianxiu people could never appreciate, but Xiao Hui, though not understanding a word, bobbed his head and followed along.

Red Head, having just experienced intense passion in space, was now as red as his hair. He braced himself for Ling Xiao’s mockery but was instead greeted with a powerful embrace.

“Thank goodness you’re okay,” Ling Xiao said, still shaken. “I would have been overwhelmed with guilt if something had happened to you.”

“How could anything happen to me? I have my little angel halo protecting me.”

“Talk less.” Bing Cui pulled Red Head aside for treatment. “The Ember inside you isn’t completely purified yet.”

With the crisis averted, the fatigue in Ling Xiao’s body heavily set in, and he yawned repeatedly.

Yu Ji looked around worriedly. Although the Peacekeeping Force wouldn’t reappear for now, and the severely injured Zhen He had been forcibly taken to Tianxiu, the cost was high—Ying Feng could no longer use his mental power, Ling Xiao was exhausted, Qian Si was suffering from side effects, and Shuang Feng also had significant depletion.

Shuang Feng noticed his concern and reassured, “Once we pass the stargate ahead, we’ll be in Shuixiu’s territory, a high-security area. Shuixiu has tense relations with Huangxiu and has always been protected by Tianxiu. There shouldn’t be any danger.”

“That’s good.” Yu Ji relaxed slightly, glancing at Ling Xiao, who had fallen asleep on Ying Feng’s shoulder, and at Red Head, still flushed. “We can take some time to let them rest.”

Just as Shuang Feng said, the vicinity of Shuixiu was peaceful. After the intense battle, the sudden quietness was almost unsettling.

Ling Xiao had a long dream where Ying Feng and Red Head were both in danger. He was torn, unable to save either, and woke up, realizing it was just a nightmare.

“Did you have a nightmare?” Ying Feng asked, seeing Ling Xiao wake up abruptly.

“Yeah,” Ling Xiao replied sleepily, instinctively touching Ying Feng’s forehead, still warm but much better than during the coma. “I dreamt about that question.”

“What question?”

“The one we answered in the couple’s game, about whom to save first, your best friend or the person you love most.”

“You chose the friend.”

Ling Xiao thought Ying Feng wouldn’t remember and hesitated. “Yes, but when it actually happened, I found I couldn’t choose either.”

Touching his chest, he continued, “I just came back to save you while knowing Red Head was in trouble. Thankfully, he escaped by himself. If something had happened, I would have been so scared just thinking about it.”

Ying Feng patted his head. “It’s alright now, isn’t it?”

“Don’t use your mental power!” Ling Xiao said anxiously.

“This doesn’t consume mental power.”

“Really?” Ling Xiao leaned in. “Then pet me some more.”

Ying Feng, amused and exasperated, smoothed his hair again. Ling Xiao, enjoying the comfort, was about to suggest Red Head try it too, but noticed that Red Head’s blush seemed abnormal.

“It’s been so long, why are you still embarrassed,” Ling Xiao teased. “Don’t worry, I’ve already forgotten about your public kiss in space.”

Red Head barely managed to open his eyes. “I don’t know. I don’t feel well.”

Red Head’s admission of discomfort caught everyone’s attention. “What’s wrong?”

“The spot where I was hit in the back still hurts a bit.”

He downplayed it, but everyone knew that the pain was serious enough for him to bear so long and still speak of it wasn’t minor.

“Let me check.” Bing Can lifted the shirt off Red Head’s back and then froze.

Seeing Bing Can’s expression, which was rare, Ling Xiao hurried over and reacted the same way.

Soon, everyone except Red Head saw the change on his back. From the cervical to the sacral spine, at each vertebra joint, there was a glowing circle. Along the spine, thin lines of light connected these circles, resembling a narrow star chart.

Seeing everyone silent, Red Head became anxious. “What do you see? What’s on my back?”

No one present had seen anything like it before.

“What should we do?” Yu Ji asked.

“Contact the base,” Bing Can said quickly.

The base was connected at high speed, and upon seeing the star chart on Red Hair’s back, Yu Quan’s expression darkened unimaginably.

“Was there a foreign object that entered your spine?”

“Yes,” Red Head said uneasily. “But I can’t feel any wounds.”

“What exactly is this?” Bing Can urgently asked.

“Since the Peacekeeping Force couldn’t capture any of us alive, they developed this device. If it hits the right spot, it can instantly collect and transmit the hostage’s genetic data.”

“So that strange sphere wasn’t to take anyone away, just to trap them to prevent rescue or suicide?” Ling Xiao asked anxiously, “Is there any way to remove it?”

Yu Quan slowly shook his head. “This device has high precision requirements for hitting, but once it does, removing it would be fatal.”

Yu Quan’s words fell like a bucket of dry ice. “The genetic collection has a process. When the two lines completely connect, that process ends, and the Peacekeeping Force will have a complete Tianxiu gene.”

Prompted by his words, everyone noticed that the two thin lines weren’t static; they were slowly spreading towards each other, much closer than before, with less than a finger’s width between them.

“So Red Head is going to…? Is there really no other way?” Ling Xiao was almost in tears.

“I just received this information recently. If I had more time, maybe I could find a solution, but now…” His voice was filled with helplessness, and everyone could hear the apology in his tone.

Fu Yao, who had returned to the base, silently listened to the entire conversation, his joy of regaining what was lost not yet fully fermented before turning into cruel despair.

“I’m sorry! If I had just…”

“It’s not your fault,” Bing Can interrupted Ling Xiao. “Your choice was correct. If it were me, I would have made the same decision.”

Red Head smiled, no trace of complaint on his face. “After all, Ying Feng is our hope.”

“There must be a solution.” Ling Xiao refused to give up. “We’ve overcome such difficult times. How can we stop here?”

Ying Feng’s wrist terminal beeped, and Ling Xiao only had time to see Fu Yao’s name before Ying Feng subtly withdrew his hand.

“There’s no time left,” Ying Feng suddenly said, startling Ling Xiao, who clutched him tightly.

“I know, just give me a few more words.”

Bing Can took Red Head to a corner, their foreheads touching, whispering something, while Ying Feng stepped forward, his arm tightly grasped.

Ying Feng turned around, and almost in that instant, tears burst from Ling Xiao’s eyes.

“What did the Marshal just tell you?” He whispered in a volume only the two of them could hear.

Ying Feng remained silent, struggling to withdraw his hand, finding it difficult.

“Did he ask you to do it yourself?”

Ying Feng’s arm was painfully gripped by Ling Xiao, but it was nothing compared to the sting of the tears.

“He is my friend, my best friend.” Ling Xiao struggled to repeat these words.

“I know,” Ying Feng responded. “Do you remember that game?”

Ling Xiao lowered his head, tears rolling down continuously. “If only this were just a game.”

Ying Feng also wished it were, but time was running out. Just as he was about to use his power as a Qizhu to force Ling Xiao to let go, Ling Xiao voluntarily released his grip.

“I understand.” Ling Xiao wiped his tears and stepped back. “I’ll distract Bing Can.”

But at that moment, Bing Can’s voice was heard.

“Yu Ji, how far are we from our destination?”

Yu Ji, with red-rimmed eyes, replied, “Still 6,000 EAU.”

“Ying Feng, Ling Xiao, sorry, this is as far as we can take you,” he said calmly. “Please take our belongings back.”

“Bing Can!”

“Recognize me in the next life,” Red Head said cheerfully to Ling Xiao. “You, the little monkey with royal genes.”

“Red Head!”

Before Ling Xiao could say anything, Bing Can swiftly pulled out the dagger from Red Head’s waist, clicked it against his own, and in a snap, the two daggers became one. He thrust one end straight into Red Head’s heart and the other end towards himself. Leaning forward, the two became inseparable, their souls entwined, flying out of the cabin into the vast cosmos.

“What happened?” Huo Luo asked anxiously. “I just saw two blue lights fly away. What’s going on?”

His voice echoed alone in the grief-filled space. Ling Xiao walked to where they had left, tears in his eyes, picking up the closely clasped daggers and pulling out the ungiven remembrance stone from his waist.

“I will definitely take your belongings back to Tianxiu,” he promised, hearing Red Head’s cheerful laughter as if coming from the crooked marks. “I promise.”

Huo Luo’s communication continued, but the content changed.

“The scouts report that the acceleration track to Huoxiu is blocked by Huangxiu’s troops. Should we change course?”

“We can’t,” Yu Ji replied, fighting back immense sorrow. “Changing course means detouring, straying too far from Tianxiu. Our soul traction is getting severe; I can feel my strength draining, and Ying Feng doesn’t have much time left.”

“Passing here is the limit our bodies can endure. It’s the territory of Huoxiu,” Shuang Feng added.

“Then let’s fight them while we still can!” Huo Luo, leading Thunder Wolf, charged ahead, and the Wolf Star troops soon engaged fiercely with the independent army of Huangxiu. The blockade remained unbroken despite the intense battle.

As the fight dragged on, with casualties on both sides, the situation became increasingly unfavorable for them.

“They are evenly matched, but we can’t let the Wolf Star forces deplete too much here. Ying Feng needs them for the last stretch,” Yu Ji said, standing up.

Ling Xiao pocketed the belongings of Red Head and Bing Can and pulled out something else. “You’re right. I haven’t used my Ember yet. Let me go.”

He took a step, but suddenly felt a pain in his neck and lost control of his body.

Yu Ji, who easily took the Ember from Ling Xiao’s hand, said, “Let me go instead. Remember, you have a more important task.”

Before Ling Xiao could react, Yu Ji was already at the hatch. Freed but determined to follow, Ling Xiao protested. “You can’t use Ember…”

Before he could finish, the same sensation struck him, and Shuang Feng calmly walked past him, immobilized. “I’ve learned it too.”

Shuang Feng stood beside Yu Ji, an orange syringe appearing in his hand. “You must take Ying Feng back.”

As they rushed out, Ling Xiao lunged to follow but only hit the cold cabin wall.

“There’s a gap in the blockade!” Xiao Hui asked Ying Feng anxiously, “What do we do?”

“Full speed ahead!”

Xiao Hui pushed the control stick, and the spaceship, along with the Wolf Star’s mech troops, broke through the blockade from the gap. Two tiny figures behind them blocked all pursuit, their shadows gradually receding into the vast cosmos, eventually becoming two indistinguishable specks of dust.

“We’re 3 EAU away from the acceleration track, 2, 1… Jump engine activated, beginning acceleration…” Xiao Hui’s voice was methodical as the spaceship, under the track’s influence, sped towards their next destination at light speed.

“We’re reaching the critical point. Are you okay, Ling Xiao?” Xiao Hui turned back to ask, just in time to see Ling Xiao collapse to the floor, as if he had suddenly malfunctioned.

“Slow down!” Ying Feng quickly instructed him, moving forward to pick him up. There was a barely noticeable pause in the air before he placed Ling Xiao back in the chair.

“How are you feeling?” Ying Feng squatted beside him.

“I can’t seem to move much.” Ling Xiao struggled to wiggle his fingers, “but I think I can go a little further.”

“We’ve gone far enough.”

“Have we?” Ling Xiao’s voice was slightly stiff. “Your power is also greatly reduced, right? You almost couldn’t lift me just now.”

Ying Feng couldn’t refute but said, “I will definitely come back.”

“I believe you will come back.” Ling Xiao gazed intently at Ying Feng. “I also believe you will succeed.”

Thunder Wolf approached the spaceship. “There’s not much time left. Hand over Ying Feng to me!”

Ying Feng didn’t get up but instead brushed the hair from Ling Xiao’s face.

“Thank you for accompanying me this far.”

“I’ve always said you are my pride,” Ling Xiao smiled faintly. “And I want to be your pride too.”

Ying Feng leaned down, gently kissing Ling Xiao’s forehead.

“You always have been.”

The shuttle, escorted by the mechs, quickly disappeared, leaving the spaceship carrying Ling Xiao and Xiao Hui floating in place.

“Xiao Hui.”

“What’s up?” Xiao Hui immediately ran over.

“Go a little further forward.”

Xiao Hui hesitated. “But we’ve already reached your limit.”

“I know,” Ling Xiao slowly blinked, “but I feel that if we’re closer to him, there’s a higher chance he’ll come back.”

“But…”

“Don’t worry, I know what my body can handle.”

Reluctantly, Xiao Hui advanced a bit further towards Huoxiu and then refused to move any further.

Ling Xiao lay quietly in the chair, appearing asleep, and only after a long time did he open his eyes.

“How much time has passed?”

Xiao Hui checked the time. “They should have arrived by now.”

Ling Xiao weakly nodded, then started talking about trivial matters.

“Even though I found you, I regret that I didn’t spend much time with you.”

Xiao Hui, recalling the past, lowered his head sadly.

“When we get back, you should go with Luoluo back to Wolf Star and learn your mother tongue. That’s your homeland, where your kind is. Staying in Tianxiu, you’ll always be an outsider.”

Xiao Hui silently nodded.

“Let me pet your fur one more time.”

The tall figure vanished, replaced by a gray wolf, no longer cute but very majestic. Ling Xiao lifted his hand with difficulty and slowly stroked its back.

“It’s not as soft as when you were younger,” he remarked.

“It’s prickly.”

Suddenly, Xiao Hui, now a wolf, excitedly howled towards the window. Ling Xiao turned to see, and blue souls streaked past the window, flying towards the direction of Tianxiu, like a grand meteor shower of the century.

“He succeeded.” Ling Xiao watched this rare spectacle. At that moment, the warning indicator for Ying Feng’s condition lit up red.

“It’s time for him to come back.”

Ling Xiao mustered all his strength, pulling out another transparent syringe from his pocket. “This time, no one will stop me.”

But before he could grip it firmly, the syringe rolled onto the floor.

“It seems I can’t do it,” he called Xiao Hui for help.

Xiao Hui, back in human form, picked up the syringe, hesitating to inject it into Ling Xiao’s arm.

“If Ying Feng doesn’t return, you’ll perish here,” he said worriedly.

Ling Xiao smiled slightly. “After living with him for so long, don’t you trust him?”

Xiao Hui hesitated but proceeded at Ling Xiao’s insistence.

“Hurry, Ying Feng is running out of time.”

Xiao Hui, with a determined bite, injected the needle into Ling Xiao’s skin, slowly pushing the liquid in.

“Do you know?” Ling Xiao murmured, “In my last life, it took two injections to kill me. I always thought I’d need two this life too.”

A blinding white light flashed. Xiao Hui, afraid of the brightness, closed his eyes. When he reopened them, Ying Feng, who should have been miles away, was already standing before them.

Ling Xiao looked up at him with a smile. “You’re back.”

“I am back,” Ying Feng said softly.

“I knew it. You wouldn’t let me down.”

“Being your Qizi in this life, I am very happy.”

“If I can in the next life, I still wish to…”

Ying Feng extended his right fist. Ling Xiao slowly raised his own, and their fists finally collided in the air.

But in that instant, Ling Xiao’s hand passed through Ying Feng’s translucent body, limply falling down.

Bright spots of light surrounded Ling Xiao, dancing around, telling of their love, from their first meeting in the first life, through countless lifetimes, never ceasing.

Tears rolled down Ling Xiao’s cheeks, but the smile never left his lips.

“Don’t worry. I’m not sad,” Ling Xiao explained to Xiao Hui. “This is a natural reaction when one of the pact partners departs. Quick, bring it here.”

Xiao Hui hurriedly opened the bottle he was holding, and the gathered soul fragments tumbled into it. He quickly sealed the bottle and carefully placed it in Ling Xiao’s arms.

Ling Xiao hugged the bottle containing Ying Feng’s soul close, rubbing his cheek against it.

“Let’s go. I’ll take you home.”

---

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

Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

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

---

Chapter 134

“But why does Fei Jing look so much like Ying Feng?” Red Head also raised this question on the spaceship heading to Huoxiu.

“Our appearances are just random collages generated from a database,” Ling Xiao said nonchalantly. “I’ve seen many people with similar faces over the years.”

Red Head covered his face in relief. “Thankfully, I don’t have a common face.”

“That’s because you’re far below average. The system would be embarrassed to lower the average beauty standard that much.”

“How dare you slander someone as handsome as me?”

Red Head was about to grab Ling Xiao by the neck when their quarrel was interrupted by Yu Ji, who was in the pilot’s seat.

“There’s a suspicious signal ahead, likely enemy forces, and quite a few of them.”

Ying Feng also saw the dense cluster of small red dots approaching them on the radar. “Can we avoid them?”

“I’ll try.” As Yu Ji activated the warp engine, he suddenly looked up, and the spaceship, traveling at high speed, braked abruptly. The unprepared passengers nearly fell over.

“What happened?” Bing Can immediately asked after stabilizing himself.

Xiao Hui, in the co-pilot seat, had a clear view. “Someone is completely exposed in space. Is he one of your kind?”

Ling Xiao rushed to the front and took a closer look. “Zhen He?!”

“He’s not Zhen He,” Ying Feng corrected. “He’s just a Lone Star created in the likeness of Zhen He.”

On closer inspection, Ling Xiao saw that the impostor Zhen He’s eyes were identical to those of a Lone Star.

“So, an enemy then?” Red Head, eager for action, rubbed his hands together. “Whoever he is, let me meet him.”

“Don’t be reckless!” Bing Can hadn’t finished warning when Red Head had already disappeared from the cabin. Looking outside, two figures were already locked in combat.

Bing Can shook his head and asked Yu Ji. “What about the enemy?”

“We couldn’t have avoided them anyway.” Delayed by the Zhen He incident, the spaceship would be intercepted before it could accelerate to warp speed.

“Let’s make it a quick battle then.” Bing Can released three soul crystals, activating them one after another. Each activation increased Red Head’s strength and speed by a level. By the time all the soul crystals were effective, Red Head had already improved exponentially from before.

“He’s much stronger than the Lone Stars I’ve encountered before,” Ying Feng observed the battle calmly as he commented on Zhen He.

“But no matter how strong, he can’t compare to a Qizi enhanced by a level ten spiritual soul crystal,” Shuang Feng said admiringly. “A Qizi of that spiritual level is unparalleled in assisting in battle.”

Ling Xiao’s eyes lit up. “If Ying Feng can activate a level ten spiritual soul crystal, then I can do it too.”

“Stay put.” Ying Feng preempted his eagerness.

Yu Ji had already contacted the accompanying Wolf Star allied forces. “Prepare for battle. The enemy is approaching fast.”

“My Thunder Wolf is already ravenous!” Huo Luo’s arrogant voice came through.

“What did he say?” Xiao Hui asked naively.

But no one had time to translate for him. Red Head was beating his opponent back when suddenly, a swarm of black granular substances attacked him, engulfing half of his legs in an instant.

Bing Can quickly recalled Red Head, and the unidentified matter that had just gathered together quickly dispersed again, spreading in the air like a metallic net.

“What is this thing?” Red Head patted his chest, still shaken. “It’s like locusts; scared me to death.”

“It’s Ant Soldiers, a semi-biochemical, semi-mechanical weapon recently developed by the Interstellar Peacekeeping Force.”

The others were surprised by Ying Feng’s comment. “You spend your days holed up in the church tending to flowers, and you know so much?”

Wolf Star’s mechs were already firing fiercely against the Ant Soldiers. A large number of Ant Soldiers were burned to death, but even more swarmed over. Bing Can, who had carried out missions related to this organization, knew more about them.

“The Interstellar Peacekeeping Force, under the guise of galaxy police, has been plundering resources and eliminating dissidents on low-security planets for years. They’ve long coveted our genes, trying every means to capture our kind alive. The hefty bounties from underground trading organizations are their doing.”

In the short time he explained, Ant Soldiers gradually latched onto their spaceship, their view slowly obscured by dense black spots, almost blinding them.

“If this continues, we won’t see anything.” Yu Ji was practically driving blind.

Right after he said this, a burst of dense laser beams swept uniformly from the front, instantly scorching a batch of Ant Soldiers and triggering the ship’s attack alarm.

Yu Ji skillfully rotated twice, shaking off the Ant Soldiers’ corpses, and turned off the alarm while shaking his head. Sure enough, when their view cleared, Huo Luo’s Thunder Wolf’s laser emitter was directly aimed at them, thankfully mitigated by cannon fodder, causing minimal damage to the ship.

“I’m worried about our allies’ overly unrestrained fighting style.” Bing Can sighed.

The spaceship kept accelerating, trying to shake off the pesky trouble, but the sharp-eyed Ling Xiao noticed something.

“Did you notice, their target is only us. They don’t react to anyone else.”

With his reminder, everyone indeed noticed that no matter how the Wolf Star troops attacked them, they couldn’t attract the Ant Soldiers’ hostility. All the Ant Soldiers were tacitly tracking the same target, their spaceship.

“It seems they really are targeting us…” Bing Can’s words were cut off by a violent hit from the left, and Zhen He’s figure flashed into view.

“The small ones are troublesome enough, and now there’s a big one. He’s really fast.”

“This won’t do. I’ll give it a try.” Yu Ji handed over the piloting controls to Shuang Feng and leaped out. The Ant Soldiers, sensing their target, madly rushed towards him. Yu Ji calmly raised his hands and rhythmically tapped a few points in the air, his movements as graceful as if playing some instrument.

“What is he doing?” Ling Xiao was astonished to see the charging Ant Soldiers stop abruptly, the closest one only a centimeter from Yu Ji.

“He’s imitating the language of ants. Since they are biochemical weapons, they must retain some biological instincts,” Shuang Feng explained, piloting the ship not too far away, but circling the opponent.

Yu Ji’s wrist flicked deftly, suddenly pointing aggressively to one side. The bewitched Ant Soldiers immediately changed direction. Zhen He, not far away, was engulfed in an instant, the swarm enveloping him layer by layer, eventually forming a disgusting, spike-covered sphere.

“Well done!” Ling Xiao blurted out.

But Yu Ji returned to Shuang Feng’s side with a troubled face. “I feel like I might have done something wrong.”

“No, look.” Ying Feng interrupted him.

The spike ball, which had seemed so sturdy, exploded apart again. Zhen He, who was engulfed, appeared unharmed, with the Ant Soldiers causing him no damage.

“I guess they didn’t like the taste,” Ling Xiao said.

“Zhen He is one of our kind, and the Peacekeeping Force created this breed to target us, yet they don’t react to Zhen He, who is also one of us.”

“There are two possibilities.” Ying Feng analyzed, “One is that the Peacekeeping Force hasn’t yet had time to include the newly emerged Lone Stars as targets, and the other is that they are only interested in us who possess intelligence.”

“That makes sense.” Xiao Hui naively added, “If there are two communication devices, one an outdated brick phone and the other a new smartphone, I’d also want the new one.”

Ling Xiao earnestly educated him. “How can you look down on brick phones? Brick phones have long battery life, signal everywhere, and most importantly, you can crack walnuts with a brick phone. I used a brick phone in my past life. Have you ever seen me despise it?”

Xiao Hui: “…”

How would I know about your past life!

Yu Ji sighed in relief. “Good thing they didn’t want it. Whether it’s the Lone Star or us, we can’t let more people get a hold of us.”

“We’re approaching the stargate. Crossing it should help us shake them off.” Shuang Feng increased the speed, and the spaceship, with a magnificent tail, sped towards the stargate. The Wolf Star troops followed closely, continuously shooting down the Ant Soldiers tailing them. Only Zhen He, lacking in persistence, gradually fell behind.

“The situation doesn’t look good. Why do I feel like their numbers are increasing?”

Red Head’s concern was proven right. The surviving Ant Soldiers, amidst the Wolf Star’s gunfire, rapidly laid dark insect eggs in space, which quickly hatched and grew, ready for battle in an incredibly short time.

“This is the most disgusting enemy I’ve ever seen. Why doesn’t the Universal Environmental Protection Committee clean them up?” Ling Xiao expressed his disgust.

“They’re reproducing too fast. We’re losing control!” It was rare for Huo Luo to show weakness.

“I’m also helpless against this number,” Yu Ji said helplessly. “I can’t ensure that all the Ant Soldiers see my commands, but if this continues, the ship’s energy won’t be sufficient to maintain.”

“It looks like I have to go out again.”

“I’m going too!” Ling Xiao quickly said.

This time Ying Feng didn’t stop him and handed him a headset. “Wear this, so you can communicate in space.”

Red Head and Ling Xiao exited the cabin one after another, faced with countless black dots swarming towards them.

“Ready?” The two joined hands.

“Of course!”

The perceptive Huo Luo, seeing their action, quickly ordered, “Everyone, clear out!”

All the Wolf Star mechs quickly retreated, and in the space they cleared, a tornado-like phantom appeared in the absolute vacuum, sucking in all the Ant Soldiers that charged into it, disappearing without a trace.

The accompanying Wolf Star people were dumbfounded. “How, how did they do that?”

“Tsk tsk,” Huo Luo, leisurely watching from the side, clicked his tongue. “That’s why I least want to face the Tianxiu people.”

As the vortex grew larger, thousands of Ant Soldiers rushed into it like moths to a flame, gradually forming a rapidly spinning helix. Two figures shot out from the center of the vortex, using a massive circular shield to capture their spoils.

“I need some insecticide!” Ling Xiao yelled.

Shuang Feng appeared from somewhere, pressing his palm against the outside of the shield. Soon, from the point of contact, a large number of transparent crystals rapidly formed. The crystals spread wildly inside, solidifying upon contact with the Ant Soldiers. The two substances mixed and compressed against each other, eventually filling the entire space. The black corpses and transparent particles intertwined, forming a patchy surface that looked like a mini planet from afar.

“It’s easier to clean up such large trash.” Ling Xiao kicked their joint creation, which then drifted away in the opposite direction of the initial force.

“It’s going to become a satellite, huh!” Ling Xiao waved in the direction it drifted away.

Red Head looked at him with disdain. “Have you ever seen such a small satellite? And one made of bugs at that.”

“Don’t relax. We’re not done cleaning up yet.” Shuang Feng prepared for battle against another wave of approaching Ant Soldiers.

“Looks like there’s nothing left for us to do, right?” One of the Wolf Star warriors asked through the communicator.

“Who knows.” Huo Luo scratched his neck, and the Thunder Wolf scratched its ear. “Let’s play cards for now.”

“My soul crystals are almost used up,” Red Head was about to ask Ling Xiao for some when he looked up and saw an unwelcome guest hidden in the swarm of Ant Soldiers behind him. “Watch out!”

A shield appeared behind Ling Xiao, completely blocking an attack from the right rear.

“Wow,” Ling Xiao let out a relieved exclamation, turning to face Zhen He, who had caught up. Ying Feng had just blocked an attack for him.

“Thanks,” he thanked casually through the mic, and then complained about Zhen He. “Why are you so persistent?”

Zhen He, devoid of any human emotion in his eyes, neither heard nor responded but relentlessly attacked Ling Xiao. Just like Ying Feng said, he really wasn’t an ordinary Lone Star. In a one-on-one fight, Ling Xiao might not stand a chance.

But Ling Xiao was full of confidence, as he wasn’t fighting alone. The power surged endlessly from within him, and the energy he received from Ying Feng was fully unleashed on Zhen He.

“You are indeed strong. You must have killed a powerful companion to gain such strength, right?”

Ling Xiao’s punches grew stronger and faster, and Zhen He, who was previously able to parry, gradually became unable to do anything but passively receive hits.

Ling Xiao spoke with each punch and kick. “But, the power obtained in this way, is not at all, something to be, happy about!”

With a flying kick, Zhen He was sent flying far away. “Weapon!” Ling Xiao shouted.

His arm was wrapped in layers of metal pieces, complex and precise parts forming part of a launcher. Ling Xiao clasped his hands together, aimed in the direction Zhen He was kicked, and fired a blue-glowing missile that hit its target squarely.

“Cool!” Even he couldn’t help but praise himself.

“Stop showing off and come help!” Red Head, exhausted by the countless Ant Soldiers and nearly out of soul crystals, called out. Shuang Feng was fighting enemies on another front, and the Wolf Star mech troops had re-engaged in battle.

“Coming!” Just as Ling Xiao was about to head over, he was unexpectedly intercepted again by the badly injured Zhen He.

“You…” Ling Xiao looked at him with a bit of pity. “If you keep fighting, you’ll die!”

“He can’t hear you!” Red Head shouted.

“That’s what Lone Stars are,” Shuang Feng said, taking a breath after wiping out a wave of enemies. “Unaware of pain or fatigue, they fight till the last moment, as long as they’re alive.”

Suddenly, Yu Ji’s anxious voice came through the earpiece. “Ling Xiao, come back quickly! Something’s wrong with Ying Feng!”

“What’s wrong?” Ling Xiao panicked, realizing why he hadn’t felt Ying Feng’s assistance recently.

“I don’t know. Bing Can is giving him emergency treatment. His temperature is dangerously high!”

Ling Xiao, no longer interested in fighting, tried to teleport back but was repeatedly interrupted by Zhen He, who seemed to have entered a berserk state due to his severe injuries, becoming very difficult to handle.

“You go back first. I’ll handle this!” Red Head came to help him intercept Zhen He, with the Ant Soldiers relentlessly pursuing them.

“But…”

“Stop talking, just go!” Red Head pushed him, and with that force, Ling Xiao bounced several meters away, only a step from their spaceship.

“Qian Si!” Shuang Feng’s shout startled Ling Xiao, who turned to see Red Head hit by something unknown in his spine, reeling back in pain, his face twisted in agony. The suppressed groan was still loud enough to startle Ling Xiao.

Ling Xiao’s soul crystal froze in his hand, torn between rushing to Ying Feng and going back to rescue Red Head. Shuang Feng, Huo Luo, and others were rushing towards Red Head. Ling Xiao glanced at the mechs passing by and, with a grit of his teeth, jumped back onto the spaceship.

“Red Head is in danger! How is Ying Feng?” He landed and immediately asked.

Without needing Yu Ji to explain, he saw Ying Feng leaning back in his chair with his eyes closed, his face alarmingly red. Bing Can, with glowing hands, was fully focused on treating Ying Feng, ignoring Ling Xiao’s question.

“Ever since he used the soul crystal on you, he’s been like this. We suspect it’s the virus in his body!” Yu Ji pushed Xiao Hui into the pilot’s seat. “I’m going out to help!”

Xiao Hui, unable to fight outside the ship like the others, piloted the spaceship, closely monitoring every move outside while keeping an eye on Ying Feng’s condition.

Ling Xiao rushed to Ying Feng’s side, interlocking his fingers over Ying Feng’s head. Moments later, a faint golden light appeared around them. Ying Feng’s high temperature alarmed him. Ling Xiao continuously offered his spiritual power until Ying Feng’s eyes slowly opened.

Fu Yao’s projection appeared on the communication device. “We’ve resolved the situation on our end. How about you?”

“Things aren’t great here.” Xiao Hui made room. “Ying Feng passed out. Ling Xiao and Bing Can are treating him… Eh? Where’s Bing Can?”

Bing Can had vanished the moment Ying Feng was out of danger. Ling Xiao was equally anxious but couldn’t leave Ying Feng behind.

A signal from the base was patched through, showing Yu Quan’s worried face.

“I’ve monitored Ying Feng’s condition; it’s extremely unstable. What happened?”

“He just used a soul crystal, but he seems better now.”

“Yes.” Yu Quan closely monitored the data. “His temperature is steadily dropping. I didn’t expect this. The virus seems more severe than we thought. He must not use his mental powers again.”

Ling Xiao, exhausted, slumped to one side. Ying Feng’s complexion gradually returned to normal. Xiao Hui looked back and forth.

“Ying Feng is okay now, but…”

He stared ahead, his mouth agape in shock.

“But what?” Fu Yao pressed.

Ling Xiao, already weakened, struggled to stand upon seeing the same scene, staggering forward.

In the battlefield he had just left, a gigantic, spike-covered sphere floated silently, nearly ten times larger than the one that had trapped Zhen He. All the Ant Soldiers had gathered to form this abhorrent object. The Wolf Star mechs, led by Thunder Wolf, continuously attacked it from a distance, unable to make even the slightest dent. Its constituents seemed lifeless but were indestructible.

“Red Head… Red Head!” Ling Xiao blurted out.

“Red Head is inside!” Xiao Hui also shouted.

Ling Xiao clenched his right hand, but nothing happened. Opening his palm, he saw the intact soul crystal. His mental power had been depleted in his recent efforts.

Just as he was about to leave through the hatch, he was forcefully held back. Turning, he saw Ying Feng, who had been on the brink of death moments ago.

“Red Head is trapped in there!” Ling Xiao, worried about his companion, disregarded his own condition.

“You can’t even activate basic oxygen supply. Going out now is suicide.” Ying Feng pointed out sharply.

Ling Xiao was stunned for a few seconds, then suddenly thought, “Bing Can! Recall Red Head!”

“Can’t do it.” A low voice came through the earpiece. “The sphere is completely isolated inside and out. Yu Ji and I, even together, can’t break it.”

“This thing is specifically designed against you,” Huo Luo said furiously. “Ordinary weapons are useless against it.”

“What do we do!” Ling Xiao said anxiously. “Are we just going to let them take Red Head?”

“Wait a minute! Look!” Xiao Hui pointed ahead, excitedly.

The seemingly indestructible sphere suddenly cracked. The cracks widened and deepened, and the power that had been brewing inside burst forth, shattering the sphere. Red Head, with bloodshot eyes, leaped out.

“Hahaha, it’s Red Head! He used Ember! He came out by himself!”

Ling Xiao didn’t know how to express his joy, gripping Ying Feng’s arm, almost jumping up. He was too excited to notice Ying Feng’s subtle sigh of relief.

“Remember to purify!” he shouted, regardless of whether his reminder was needed or not.

Bing Can grabbed Red Head, who had just escaped, and kissed him fiercely, ignoring the others. Red Head’s eyes gradually cleared, and he responded passionately, showcasing a dramatic reunion after escaping death in space.

“Don’t do this.” Xiao Hui shyly covered his eyes. “I’m still a virgin wolf.”

---

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

Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

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

---

Chapter 133

Hearing his name called by the other, Ling Xiao pointed to himself in surprise. “You know me?”

“Don’t you remember me?” The man approached, laughing and clapping Ling Xiao on the back. “I’m Huo Luo.”

“Huo Luo?” Ling Xiao still felt the name was unfamiliar.

Thankfully, Ying Feng clarified for him, “He’s Luoluo.”

“Luoluo?!” Ling Xiao’s voice rose an octave. “You’re Luoluo?”

He looked Huo Luo up and down in disbelief. “How did you grow so much?”

Huo Luo, already taller than Ling Xiao, crossed his arms. “You think you’ve only been gone a few days? I’ve grown up a long time ago. Now I’m the Wolf King of the entire tribe!”

His eyes sparkled with the distinctive gleam of the people from Wolf Star, and his kingly demeanor confirmed his words. Ling Xiao felt happy for him but also regretted not witnessing everyone’s growth over the years.

“You’re the Wolf King. What about Ying Feng?”

“Ying Feng retired many years ago. His successor stepped down two years later and went traveling with his love. Apparently, it was you who forcefully paired them up. Remember?”

Ling Xiao certainly remembered; he had a deep impression of the black and white wolf pair. “They really got together? And what about Shachi Bo?”

“He’s so old, he’s reverted to his beast form and will return to Mother Earth any day now. I rushed over as soon as I got Ying Feng’s message that you were back. He also asked Thunder Wolf to send his regards.”

“Thunder Wolf?”

Huo Luo stepped aside, and the mech wolf he had been piloting lifted its right rear leg and scratched behind its ear as if to greet them.

“Thunder Wolf now belongs to me. I combined it with my previous main mech. Doesn’t it look more imposing now combined?”

Indeed, Ling Xiao had to admit he wasn’t sure he could take it down with a single strike anymore.

Huo Luo continued proudly, “I’ve heard about the situation in Tianxiu, so I brought my subordinates to see if we can help. Our tribe is no longer the small thousand-person tribe you saw back then. We’re now a powerful nation with millions of members, part of the joint government, and have a say in the affairs of Wolf Star, thanks in no small part to Ying Feng’s efforts.”

Ling Xiao looked back at Ying Feng; pride evident in his eyes.

“We do need your help right now.” Ying Feng briefly recapped the situation.

“No problem.” Huo Luo slapped his chest. “The last 800 EAU distance for Ying Feng, leave it to me.”

“But the relationship between Wolf Star and Tianxiu…” Ling Xiao was a bit confused.

“Tianxiu revoked Wolf Star’s subjugated star status a few years ago. In fact, they’ve been maintaining mutually beneficial cooperation for even longer. Wolf Star is now our ally.”

“That’s right.” Huo Luo confirmed Ying Feng’s words. “If you go to Wolf Star now, no one will throw chicken legs at you anymore.”

“That’s something only you would do.”

Ling Xiao, feeling relieved, suddenly remembered there was a Wolf Star person in his own family. “Right, let me introduce someone to you.”

He gestured to Xiao Hui. “Come here!”

The humanoid Xiaohui ran over, and Ling Xiao proudly gestured. “This is my Xiao Hui.”

“Hey, just call me Huo Luo.” Huo Luo greeted Xiao Hui, ready to perform a Wolf Star greeting ritual, but Xiao Hui just stood there, clueless about his intentions. Ling Xiao, seeing Xiao Hui’s nonresponse, suddenly realized, “Oh no! Can Xiaohui understand the Wolf Star language?”

A cold wind blew, complementing Xiao Hui’s confused expression and making everyone realize Ling Xiao’s concern.

“Quick, give him a chip!” Ling Xiao exclaimed.

“You idiot.” Red Head smacked him on the back of his head. “Can Wolf Star people even implant chips?”

Rubbing his head, Ling Xiao was frustrated. “Then what do we do? Starting from scratch to learn a language is hard.”

Having learned ancient Tianxiu language himself, he could help but complain to Ying Feng. “How could you raise a child without teaching them their mother tongue?”

“I didn’t know he was human even later than you did,” Ying Feng replied coolly, leaving Ling Xiao to laugh awkwardly.

“No problem, we have another innate universal language.” Huo Luo transformed into a majestic male wolf, his brown-black fur gleaming. He howled, and Xiao Hui, understanding, also transformed into a wolf and happily howled back.

“Now that the final escort problem is resolved, shall we start planning?” Yu Quan inquired.

“I’m ready.” Ying Feng nodded.

After a few seconds of thought, Fu Yao agreed. “There’s no time to waste. Since it’s decided, let’s proceed quickly.”

While Ying Feng left with Yu Quan, Red Head pulled Ling Xiao aside.

“What are you dragging me over here for?” Ling Xiao was suspicious of Red Head’s secretive behavior.

“What do you think? You didn’t tell me about the stone earlier,” Red Head complained. “Even if we rush to the museum now, we probably won’t make it.”

Ling Xiao watched him pick and examine each stone on the ground. If dissatisfied, he’d throw it away and continue. This behavior looked very familiar to him.

“Are you carving a remembrance stone?”

“Yeah.” Red Head held one in each hand, asking him, “Which one’s better?”

“The left one.”

“Come here.” Red Head threw the one in his right hand away and sat down with Ling Xiao, pulling out a dagger. “How do you write those few characters?”

Ling Xiao, having carved many times, knew it by heart and wrote it on the ground. Red Head clumsily tried to mimic his strokes on the stone.

“Ah, that’s wrong. That stroke doesn’t bend like that.” Ling Xiao, unable to watch, tried to take over and correct it.

“Go away.” Red Head quickly leaned to protect his work. “I want to carve it for my little angel myself. Don’t mess it up.”

“You’re writing it wrong!”

“That’s my style!” The two bickered until Red Head finished his crooked carving.

“How’s this?” He proudly showed his masterpiece to Ling Xiao.

Ling Xiao smirked. “Probably only Bing Can won’t mind.”

“He’s going to love it.” Red Head looked down, fondly rubbing the stone. “I really hope he gets it.”

Ling Xiao, ready to tease Red Head, suddenly couldn’t utter a word. After a brief emotional moment, Red Head was back to his usual self.

“Here, keep this for me,” he said, handing Ling Xiao the remembrance stone.

“Why give it to me?” Ling Xiao didn’t understand.

“In case I don’t come back, remember to send it out for me.”

Ling Xiao struggled to find words, finally blurting out, “Are you stupid?”

“Heh heh.” Red Head warmly draped his arm around Ling Xiao’s neck. “They must be done by now. Let’s go.”

Ling Xiao, with the heavy memory stone in his waistband, joined Yu Ji and the others to reach the departure point. Ying Feng, Fu Yao, Nie Yun, and everyone from the military department, who showed no visible change, were waiting there. The Wolf Star people returned to their vehicles, circling above the base.

Nie Yun handed three orange syringes to Ling Xiao, Red Head, and Shuang Feng, but not to the others. “This is Ember II. Ling Xiao, you must be familiar with it,” Fu Yao teased.

Ling Xiao, a bit embarrassed to receive it, couldn’t forget it; in some ways, it was also the “culprit” that brought him and Ying Feng together.

Fu Yao continued, “The side effects of Ember II can be 70% neutralized by the saliva of a Qizhu, but it should still be used cautiously. As for the Qizhus, the medical conditions you’ll encounter aren’t sufficient to counteract its effects, so we haven’t prepared it for you.”

The three solemnly pocketed the syringes. Nie Yun added, “We’ve contacted Tai Ruo for support at Huoxiu. Once Ying Feng interfaces with their mainframe, we can briefly control it. We’ve timed it; once this process is completed, Ying Feng will be at his physical limit.”

“Understood,” Ling Xiao said determinedly. “I’ll seize the moment and bring Ying Feng back safely.”

Fu Yao nodded, his gaze sweeping over each of the six faces one last time. “Ying Feng, Ling Xiao…”

“Here!”

“…Bing Can, Qian Si, Yu Ji, Shuang Feng…”

Each name was followed by a strong response.

“Are you ready?”

The six stood in a row, answering in unison, “Ready!”

Fu Yao took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, “I wish you success.”

“With our souls as witness!”

Fu Yao stepped back, standing shoulder to shoulder with Nie Yun.

“Salute!”

Everyone saluted in unison. After returning the salute, Ling Xiao and the others boarded the spacecraft to Huoxiu. As the spacecraft slowly ascended, the soldiers below maintained their salute, watching the heroes depart. As the spacecraft rose higher, the figures on the ground shrank. The Wolf Star troops tactfully followed, surrounding them at a distance.

Ling Xiao and Ying Feng finally had a moment alone.

“What’s it like to be a human bomb?”

Ying Feng answered by holding Ling Xiao’s hand, letting him feel his warmth.

“You’re warmer than before.” Ling Xiao couldn’t help rubbing his hands, showing his true emotions for the first time since departure.

“Other species call this phenomenon a fever, a bodily mechanism to fight viruses,” Ying Feng explained, his scholarly habits intact.

“Thank you for not stopping me.” Ling Xiao didn’t want to dampen Ying Feng’s spirits and quickly gathered his sadness, speaking lightheartedly.

“You didn’t stop me either,” Ying Feng replied.

“Because I’m a Qizi you trust with your back,” Ling Xiao confidently said.

He stopped joking, gazing intently at the person in front of him. “I won’t let you dissipate in the cosmos.”

Ying Feng, seeing his reflection in those light gray yet bright eyes, replied, “I believe you.”

“They’ve already departed,” reported “Zhen He” expressionlessly on another warship to Zhu Yue.

“Who’s following them?”

“Only the people from Wolf Star.”

Zhu Yue sneered. “Have they fallen so low as to seek help from other races?”

“Enough.” He waved dismissively. “Go meet them… No, wait in ambush midway, just in case. But I doubt they’ll make it there.”

“Yes.” “Zhen He” left to carry out the orders, while Ying Feng, as expected, encountered the guests they had been waiting for.

Zhu Yue, leading the remaining forces of Huoxiu, intercepted Ying Feng and his team en route.

“I thought we wouldn’t meet again,” said Zhu Yue, connecting to the video communication of Ying Feng’s ship. After scanning the cabin and not finding the person he was looking for, he asked, “But where did Ling Xiao go?”

“To complete our plan, I alone am enough,” Ying Feng replied casually.

“I didn’t expect you’d actually go to your death willingly. But you probably didn’t expect that not all our people were dispatched,” Zhu Yue gloated. “Sadly for you, your plan has been leaked. You’ll probably never reach Huoxiu, and our plan has already commenced.”

He spread his arms, self-indulgent. “Soon, in this universe, you’ll no longer be alone.”

Ying Feng remained composed. “It’s because I anticipated you might still have some power left that I intentionally leaked our plan. Of course, I won’t reach Huoxiu because my destination is here.”

Zhu Yue, not getting the reaction he expected, found it dull. His smile faded, allowing him to better observe Ying Feng.

“You’re not wearing sunglasses anymore, but gloves? Your taste in clothing sure has changed.”

“Yes.” Ying Feng slowly curled one corner of his mouth. “Who says it hasn’t?”

Zhu Yue’s smile disappeared completely at this unfamiliar expression. “You’re not Ying Feng! Who are you?” He demanded, suddenly tense.

“Someone who’s eager to teach you a lesson with this hand.” Fei Jing casually removed his glove, revealing a sleek black mechanical hand, and clenched it menacingly.

Zhu Yue looked around alertly as warships bearing the Tianxiu military emblem started to decloak, surrounding the Huoxiu forces from all directions, outnumbering them several times over, trapping them like a net. Escape seemed impossible.

On the communication screen, Fei Jing disdainfully shifted aside. “Catching you was a task I could’ve handled alone, but an old friend insisted on seeing you, so I brought him along.”

Zhu Yue’s eyes widened as he saw the person descending the lift, blurting out in disbelief, “Principal?”

Ta Yun joined Fei Jing, his gaze regretfully meeting Zhu Yue’s. “I never expected we’d meet again under these circumstances. Your actions after leaving Bikong have deeply disappointed me. I need to reflect on my failure in education.”

“For a student as unruly as you,” Fei Jing smirked mischievously. “I’ll have to educate you on behalf of your principal.”

Zhu Yue angrily slammed the table. “Where’s the real Ying Feng?”

Fei Jing pointed upward with his metallic finger. “Look up.”

Zhu Yue looked up immediately, seeing dozens of Wolf Star mechs escorting a ship identical to Fei Jing’s speeding overhead towards Huoxiu, quickly becoming distant.

Fei Jing pressed the communication button. “The obstacle here is cleared. The rest is up to you.”

“Much appreciated,” came Ying Feng’s voice.

“Godspeed.”

Zhu Yue, realizing escape was futile, suddenly burst into hysterical laughter, his voice eerily distorted.

“What are you laughing at?” Fei Jing asked displeased.

“Do you think they’ll reach Huoxiu unobstructed after this?” Zhu Yue stopped laughing, grinding his teeth. “You’re naive. Tianxiu has made enemies all over the galaxy. Who knows how many are waiting for them ahead? Thinking you can safely deliver Ying Feng to Huoxiu is a fantasy!”

“Then let’s let you witness our dream coming true.” Fei Jing gazed in the direction Ying Feng had departed. “Looking so much like me, you better not embarrass me.”

---

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

Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

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

---

Chapter 132

Every person witnessed this iconic moment through the screen, and amidst countless blessings, only one person harbored resentment.

Light flickered on Zhu Yue’s face, casting his sullen eyes in an even more sinister light.

“Why is it that those I painstakingly tried to separate end up together, while what I desperately sought to keep leaves me alone?”

In the camera’s view, the two were tightly embracing, their companions joyfully making a fuss around them. This was a stark contrast to the despair and pain Zhu Yue had envisioned for Tianxiu’s doomsday. He had carefully manipulated the descendants of the ancient Tianxiu people, but this wasn’t the outcome he desired.

Amid the cheers and encouragement, Zhu Yue’s hand slowly moved towards a button to establish communication. He hadn’t wanted to make this decision, but now he had changed his mind.

“If that’s the case… it’s time for these usurpers to feel the wrath of the original masters of this land.”

The jubilant post-war interview was interrupted by an urgent encrypted communication request, and Fu Yao and the others returned to the temporary command center set up at the base. They saw an alien with red eyes on the communication screen.

“He claims to be from Huoxiu.” The communicator distributed Huoxiu language chips to everyone present. “And he has urgent matters to discuss with our Marshal.”

Huoxiu? It was Tianxiu’s biggest enemy at the moment. With skepticism, everyone implanted the chips, curious to hear what this likely descendant of the ancient Tianxiu people had to say. “Are you the current highest leader of Tianxiu?” The Huoxiu man looked doubtfully at Fu Yao, who was noticeably shorter than the others.

Fu Yao, unaware of the other party’s origins, replied curtly, “You contacted us. What do you want to say?”

The person on the other end immediately straightened up nervously. “Just now, I overheard my brother communicating with someone. They are planning to develop new higher-intelligence life forms on the existing Lone Stars.”

The people, who had only recently learned about the origins of the Tianxiu people, immediately became alert.

“Your brother?” Fu Yao asked with a frown.

“His name is Tai Er, and I’m Tai Ruo. Our ancestors come from Tianxiu, and the codes for the Lone Star have always been safeguarded by our family.”

Tai Ruo swallowed hard, continuing, “We were ignorant of our family’s history until my brother rescued an ancient Tianxiu person claiming to be our kin from space, who then deceived him into using the codes left by our ancestors.”

“Our ancestors left a mandate: under no circumstances should Lone Stars be created on our own initiative. My brother’s plan faced opposition domestically, but he persisted, and now he wants to escalate his research into intelligent life. This was a lesson our ancestors repeatedly emphasized, which I didn’t understand until I heard from Zhu Yue about the rise and fall of the ancient Tianxiu people. Only then did I realize the significance of our ancestors’ actions.”

“Now that you know the truth, you understand that we were responsible for the demise of the ancient Tianxiu people. Why contact the very people responsible for your species’ extinction?” Fu Yao asked.

“Because that’s all history now! History has happened and can’t be changed.” Tai Ruo leaned anxiously on the console. “But we can’t let the mistakes of history repeat themselves! I heard their conversation. Zhu Yue said our genes have changed significantly and implanting them into the Lone Stars poses even greater risks. He’s now urging my brother to participate in the experiment personally, as his genes are closest to the ancient Tianxiu. But I don’t trust that guy at all. I’m very worried about my brother’s safety! Please, you must stop him. Only you can do it!”

His earnest expression was utterly sincere, showing no sign of deception, and the Tianxiu people, initially half-doubtful, gradually began to believe him.

“We have received your message, and we will discuss how to proceed. That’s all for now.” Fu Yao ended the communication, and the screen went black.

Nie Yun immediately said, “I think he’s telling the truth. That kind of nervousness and concern doesn’t seem feigned.”

“We always thought that by patiently waiting, we could reclaim their souls, but that seems too naive now. The enemy will never give us time to wait; we must take the initiative. But,” Fu Yao pondered, “even if what he says is true, how can we stop it? We can’t even reach the range of Huoxiu…”

“Not everyone is out of reach.” Yu Quan stood up. “Although lacking soul traction is a trait of the Lone Stars, among our remaining people, everyone has a unique constitution. Huoxiu is 800 EAU beyond our set limit, but perhaps this distance can be overcome by someone among us with a special constitution.”

“But what good is it to find such a one-in-a-million person? What can one person do?”

“They can bring our ‘Trojan Horse’ there.”

“Trojan Horse?” No one present had heard of this term.

“I know this term is unfamiliar to everyone. It’s a powerful virus program discovered on another planet, sometimes used to refer to all viruses,” Yu Quan explained, entering several keys on the main console. “Our bodies are immune to biological viruses, but the base’s computer can be invaded by viruses in another sense. To prevent this, the base is constantly protected, and we’ve mastered many Trojan Horse technologies.”

He demonstrated a simulation program on the computer. “This is the most powerful Trojan Horse program we’ve discovered to date. It can give the virus planter control over the entire system of the base. With our capabilities, we can intercept this virus, but Huoxiu, just having acquired the Lone Stars, certainly can’t have such advanced firewall technology.”

“With such a program, we just need to remotely implant it into the enemy’s mainframe,” Nie Yun said excitedly. “What does this have to do with the person you mentioned?”

“The difficulty lies here. Due to its nature, this program can’t be stored in any medium or transmitted over the network.” Yu Quan showed an old news article. “The developer of this virus is Chang Jiang. You might not recognize the name, but as the founder of Tianyuan Network, he is well-known. Chang Jiang once used this virus to paralyze the Genetic Center’s computer system for nearly a day. Unfortunately, he was reborn soon after his arrest, and his motives remain unknown. This remained a highly confidential matter until long after his rebirth.”

“Xing Lou…” Ling Xiao looked at the photo on the screen, and a feeling of déjà vu flashed across his face.

Only Ying Feng, who was closest to him, heard it. “What did you say?”

“He’s Xing Lou,” Ling Xiao confirmed again. “I’m certain it’s him. If he did this, it must be related to Yue Ying.”

“That makes sense,” Heng He interjected. “After I took over the Genetic Center, I also reviewed the records from that period. I found that during that time, Yue Ying’s computer mainframe suffered a severe malfunction and had to enlist the help of a civilian computer expert to resolve it. That expert was Chang Jiang.”

Yu Quan nodded. “That malfunction allowed Chang Jiang frequent access to the Genetic Center. Despite this, the center was very cautious with him, not allowing him to bring anything in or out. No one expected he would use his own body to carry the virus.”

“His body?” Everyone was shocked. “Yes, that’s the uniqueness of this virus; it can only use a human body as a carrier for transfer. Thus, it also gained the nickname ‘Human Bomb’ in the research process. Those implanted with this code don’t live long, which is exactly what led to Chang Jiang’s death. Although it’s been a long time, Chang Jiang’s expertise in computers remains unrivaled, and no other Trojan Horse program has surpassed it to this day.”

After he finished speaking, the scene maintained a silence as deep as a pool until Fu Yao threw a stone into it.

“I think everyone understands now. Whether this plan succeeds or fails, its executor is destined to sacrifice, dying in a place like Huoxiu with no chance for their soul to return,” Yu Quan said with downcast eyes. “That’s why I didn’t mention it earlier. The chance of success is hard to predict, but the probability of death is a hundred percent. Even if we find someone suitable, it’s understandable if they refuse to go.”

The silence continued for a few more seconds, then Fu Yao said, “But let’s try it anyway. Maybe it’s me.” Nie Yun immediately said, “Maybe it’s me.”

“Maybe it’s me too!” Ling Xiao didn’t want to be left behind.

“You just got back. Stay put,” Red Head scolded him, then quickly added, “Maybe it’s me.”

Fu Yao made a stop gesture. “Let’s not fight over this. Start by selecting from the remaining people in the military.”

Yu Quan activated the program, and the profiles of the surviving soldiers were displayed, with hundreds of data points flickering rapidly on the screen, dazzling the onlookers. Everyone held their breath, trying to spot their own names amid the dense data, but no suitable candidate was found by the end of the search.

Fu Yao frowned. “Broaden the criteria. Continue searching in all departments related to the military—logistics, medical, base, genetic center.” Yu Quan did so, but hope was dashed again. Even he sighed. “This was a possibility. After all, people with special physiques are extremely rare, and we just lost a group of elites.” Seeing Fu Yao’s silent, pursed lips, he asked without much hope, “Should we search among the civilians?”

Fu Yao, almost ready to give up, replied, “Let’s try.”

With a much larger civilian population, several computers worked simultaneously, processing high-speed data. As time ticked by, one computer suddenly beeped.

“What does this mean?” Fuyao asked immediately.

Yu Quan, somewhat incredulous, replied, “We have a match.”

He quickly switched to the profile, and everyone, upon seeing the photo, simultaneously turned to look at a particular person in the room, realizing they had overlooked this extraordinary individual among the civilians.

Ling Xiao realized, “The Lone Star has no soul traction. Its reincarnation is less affected by the soul traction than ordinary people. How did I not think of this?”

The chosen Ying Feng calmly said, “I’ll go.”

“Ling Xiao just got back!” Red Head raised his voice.

“Unless you can find someone more suitable than me among the remaining civilians.”

Red Head fell silent.

“I’ll go too!” Ling Xiao’s voice drew everyone’s attention to him.

“What are you going for?” Fu Yao asked.

Ling Xiao confidently declared, “If there’s one person who can bring Ying Feng back, it’s me.”

Fu Yao exchanged a complicated look with Nie Yun, undecided.

“If that’s the case, I’ll go too.”

The third person to volunteer was Bing Can.

“The journey from here to Huoxiu is long. Although I can’t make it that far, I can at least escort them part of the way.”

“How could I not join when my Qizhu is involved,” Red Head said nonchalantly, raising his hand. “Count me in too.”

“I’ve always regretted not having the chance to fight alongside Ling Xiao and Ying Feng,” Yu Ji said with a smile. “So please let me join.”

“It’s ‘us’,” Shuang Feng corrected him.

The former partners from the Joint Operations Department stood together again, volunteering for a common cause. Fu Yao looked over their faces one by one. They were all excellent students he had personally trained, and he knew no one was more suited for this mission than them.

“Even if you can escort Ying Feng to Huangxiu, the critical part is the next 800 EAU. Just because Ying Feng can break through this limit doesn’t mean his abilities won’t be limited. He will weaken as the distance increases. Have you thought about how to solve this?”

Ying Feng, who had been silent since initially speaking up, suddenly said, “Reinforcements are coming.”

Everyone looked and indeed saw several black dots approaching on the surveillance screen. Their speed was so fast, they almost arrived simultaneously as they stepped out of the hall. Leading them was a large and formidable mech wolf, which landed beautifully with a roll from mid-air, then howled skyward.

The chest hatch of the mech wolf opened, and a tall, burly man jumped down, striding towards Ling Xiao and the others with a commanding presence. He wore clothes made of beast fur, completely out of place with the style of the Tianxiu people, and his exposed, muscular body was covered with tattoos. People dressed similarly, apparently his subordinates, followed him, and soon the ground was filled with various mechs and flying vehicles.

Ling Xiao didn’t recognize the newcomer, but the man, upon seeing Ling Xiao, greeted him with an excited lift of his chin.

“Yo! Ling Xiao!”

---

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

Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

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

---

Chapter 131

When Ling Xiao appeared at the base, Red Head’s expression immediately became very strange. He tried hard to hold back, but eventually couldn’t resist turning his face away. Even so, he was still uncomfortable and finally buried his head in Bing Can’s back, so Ling Xiao couldn’t see his face. Bing Can, who was initially fine, was also infected by Red Head’s actions and couldn’t help but smirk.

Ling Xiao finally couldn’t stand it anymore. “If you want to laugh, just laugh! Don’t make yourself sick holding it in!”

“Pfft. Hahahaha—” Red Head burst into a series of hearty laughter almost immediately. Laughing so heartily on the second day of the nation’s crisis seemed quite inappropriate, but he just couldn’t control himself.

His laughter was infectious, and the expressions of others present varied. Nie Yun, being of a milder temperament, was more restrained, while Fu Yao and Fei Jing seemed almost to be reveling in schadenfreude. Ling Xiao knew it would turn out like this and kept telling himself that, as someone who had seen thousands of years, he shouldn’t stoop to their level. But seeing Red Head laugh until tears came out, Ling Xiao still felt the urge to strangle him.

Red Head, unable to contain his laughter, collapsed on Bing Can’s shoulder. A history that was oppressive and heavy, but anything involving Ling Xiao somehow had the effect of turning tragedy into comedy.

“Speaking of which,” Red Head finally stopped laughing, “so the founding Marshal was Ying Feng’s first life. We even went to the museum to admire you during our time in Lion Academy.”

“Don’t just casually use the word ‘admire’, okay?” Ling Xiao scorned him.

“The news has spread faster than I thought. By now, everyone must know about this.” Nie Yun was still worried. “I wonder how the public is reacting.”

Fu Yao’s subordinate quickly brought the first-hand report.

“Report to the Marshal and Deputy; there’s good news and… uh, ordinary news.”

“Start with the important one.”

“Many people have voluntarily signed up to join the military, wanting to serve the country.”

“That’s good news,” Fu Yao agreed. “And the ordinary news?”

“The portion of the populace not signing up for the military is now… rushing to shop.”

“Shopping?” Fuyao was baffled, then realized, “Because of the war, are they stockpiling supplies?”

“No.” The subordinate wiped the sweat from his forehead. “After the news was released, a large number of people flooded into the history museum to buy ‘remembrance stones’, and the number is continuously increasing. The museum entrance is now jam-packed, and the curator… is asking for your advice on whether to dispatch troops to maintain order.”

Everyone: “……”

“We’re busy reconstructing the base. There’s no manpower to spare, so let him deal with it himself.” Fu Yao bluntly refused the request, and the subordinate quickly left to relay his words.

“Yesterday was a day of national crisis; is today Valentine’s Day or something?” Red Head regretted not going earlier to grab a piece himself. “Unknowingly, Ling Xiao, you’ve started an industry.”

Ling Xiao felt wronged. “But I haven’t made a single penny from it.”

“At least you’ve boosted consumer spending,” Fu Yao said, sounding more sarcastic than complimentary.

As the group walked toward the great hall, Red Head asked, “Ling Xiao, now that you’re back, are you going to continue jumping to future time points?”

“I don’t know. At least I don’t feel like disappearing now,” Ling Xiao answered honestly. “But my wish has been fulfilled, and I have no more concerns. It would be nice to see what the future looks like.”

Ying Feng glanced at him but said nothing.

“Hey.” Ling Xiao poked Ying Feng quietly when no one else was paying attention. “What if I time-travel again?”

“Then I’ll carve stones for you,” Ying Feng replied without hesitation. “I’ll carve one every year, and you can dig them out and sell them in every era you visit. Eventually, you’ll also have a lot of money.”

“I like that idea.” Ling Xiao chuckled. “You better not forget.”

Reporters covering the post-war situation immediately approached them for a statement from the newly appointed Marshal. Fu Yao looked directly into the camera with an intense gaze. “The day that just passed was the darkest day in Tianxiu’s history. The audio-visual records distributed to everyone must have overturned everyone’s understanding.”

“But we are the Tianxiu people, the masters of this land for four thousand years. We possess thoughts, wisdom, and emotions no different from ordinary people. Once we have all these, we are no longer machines controlled by others.”

“Loyalty, bravery, fearlessness of sacrifice—these qualities we were endowed with have become an ingrained part of our genes, accompanying our growth for thousands of years, and will never fade.”

Behind him, people were busily repairing the most important building for the Tianxiu people. On their faces, there was no sign of the despair of a destroyed homeland, only a spirited determination for the future.

“I believe our compatriots will not be defeated by any difficulty. As long as our souls are still shining, our spirit will never be extinguished.”

Fu Yao lifted his head. Though his stature was small, his image was towering.

“Regardless of who created us, we will be the masters of our own fate. No matter who wants to destroy us, we have the courage to fight to the end, never retreating.”

The cameramen were so moved they almost wanted to drop their equipment to applaud him. The reporter then asked a few more questions of public interest before turning the microphone to Ling Xiao.

“As the only person who has witnessed four thousand years of Tianxiu’s history, do you have anything to say?”

“Um…” Ling Xiao, usually quick-witted, was at a loss for words in front of the camera. “My true thoughts have already been expressed in the previously uploaded footage. I’m glad that through my experiences, I could restore the truth of history…”

He inadvertently glanced at Ying Feng beside him and suddenly had a thought. “I also hope that in the future, our fledglings can be properly educated about the significance of the coming-of-age ceremony. When we are reborn and become fledglings again, we can live without lies. I look forward to that day.”

“So what about you?” After learning that Ying Feng was the reincarnation of the founding Marshal, the reporter even used a respectful tone. “Do you have anything to say to your Qizi in this life?”

Knowing that Ying Feng wasn’t good with words, Red Head and the others were waiting to see him stumble. Ling Xiao, feeling sympathetic, stepped in for him. “Aren’t you here for post-war coverage? Asking such personal questions isn’t very appropriate.”

“It’s precisely because the atmosphere is so oppressive that we need to find some positive topics to give people confidence,” the reporter replied confidently.

To everyone’s surprise, Ying Feng, described as “not good with words”, silently took out a small box from his left breast pocket. The cameraman, with keen eyes, immediately gave a 360-degree close-up of the object in his hand.

Ling Xiao suddenly felt nervous and whispered to Ying Feng in a voice others couldn’t hear, “Hey, we’re alive.”

Ying Feng casually acknowledged his reminder but still lifted the silver metal box to his eyes and slid his thumb across it, opening the lid.

The people around gasped in surprise, and even the reporter was too excited to know how to continue. The only person who could still speak and burst into laughter was Red Head.

“Ying Feng, the ring you chose is so outdated! That’s a style from decades ago. I can’t believe you still found it!”

“Because I bought it the day before you disappeared.” Ying Feng gently took out the ring, deemed outdated by Red Head. “That day was our first anniversary of forming our bond. I originally planned to rush back to give it to you… I wish I could have returned a bit earlier.”

Ling Xiao was overwhelmed, his vision filled with the small ring. He hadn’t expected Ying Feng to remember the day of their bond, especially since it wasn’t a particularly happy occasion for either of them.

Broadcast via satellite into homes across the planet, under the witness of all its inhabitants, Ying Feng lifted Ling Xiao’s hand and solemnly slid the ring onto his ring finger.

“After so many years, I can finally put this ring on your finger myself.”

Ling Xiao’s eyes wanted to cry, but his mouth wanted to smile. He foolishly gazed at his left hand, feeling unreal as if in a dream.

Even Red Head couldn’t help feeling emotional.

“Forming a bond before dating, consummating the marriage before proposing—truly the most unconventional couple I know,” he said mockingly while wiping his eyes. “I was wrong. I will never again say Ying Feng isn’t good with words. Actions are indeed much more powerful than words.”

Seeing the two standing there foolishly, he led the crowd in chanting. “Kiss!”

Encouraged by the crowd, Ling Xiao took a step forward. They didn’t kiss but hugged each other tightly instead. Their souls that had been exchanged through lifetimes were now inseparable once more.

On a day that should have been for remembrance and sorrow, happiness spread as smiles on everyone’s faces, passing on indefinitely. It brought a ray of hope to this planet that had just suffered a great blow, like the dawn after darkness.

---

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

Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

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

---

Chapter 130

Zhu Yue reluctantly appeared on the screen. Having used the Huoxiu people for his purpose, he no longer wanted any involvement with them.

“Tai Er, didn’t we agree to take what we need? Why are you contacting me again?”

The man called Tai Er said angrily, “You said there was only one Soul Tree in all of Tianxiu, but why did a new one appear after one was destroyed? Their lighthouse is still lit!”

“How is that possible?” Zhu Yue’s face changed. “I have never heard of a second Soul Tree.”

“If you don’t believe it, you can see for yourself,” Tai Er said furiously. “We knew nothing about history and only acted against our ancestors’ teachings to create the Lone Star by believing your words as an ancient Tianxiu person. But if we can’t take back our planet, how am I supposed to explain it to the people? Not to mention the many voices that already oppose us!”

“I see,” Zhu Yue said impatiently. “I’ll take a look and then figure out a solution.”

“No need for your solutions,” Tai Er refused rudely. “No matter who you were, now you are one of the artificial humans. Who knows if you are feigning allegiance, actually here to annihilate us.”

Zhu Yue found it amusing. “If I wanted to annihilate you, would I have helped you create the Lone Star?”

“But the artificial beings you created are far inferior to those of Tianxiu. What can they do except rush to their deaths?”

Zhu Yue caught his insinuation. “What do you really want?”

“Simple.” Tai Er leaned forward, his arms straight on the console. “I want intelligent beings like you. Only then can we contend with the current Tianxiu people.”

Zhu Yue lowered his head and let out a few muffled laughs, annoying Tai Er.

“What are you laughing at?”

“Laughing at how, after such a precedent, you could still have such a ridiculous idea. No wonder history repeats itself with people like you who overestimate themselves continually appearing. Tai Duo, who opposed this plan back then and fled with his family overnight, probably never imagined his descendants would turn out like this.”

“Cut the crap!” Tai Er retorted. “You failed back then because you bet all restraining conditions on the royal bloodline. The dynasty ended, and the artificial beings inevitably rebelled. We will not make the same mistakes.”

“Huh,” Zhu Yue sneered. “Without the royal bloodline, you want to use your mixed blood? Look in the mirror. No true ancient Tianxiu person has red eyes. Your ancestors intermarried with the local Huoxiu people, and after thousands of years, your generation barely retains a surname. The Tianxiu gene is almost gone. The ancient Tianxiu couldn’t do it, and you think with your abilities, you can control the Lone Star with real intelligence?”

“Who are you calling a mongrel!” Tai Er glared. “Even if the ancient Tianxiu people were formidable, they were only at the level of a thousand years ago. So much time has passed since then, and technology has undergone earth-shattering changes. What they couldn’t do, we might be able to.”

Zhu Yue shook his head and sighed with a mocking laugh. “Do you know what the ancient Tianxiu people were like? We couldn’t shoulder burdens or carry things with our hands. Many things you think are easy, we had to rely on machines to accomplish. But it’s also because of this that our wisdom is much stronger than you imagine. The civilization of ancient Tianxiu is no less than that of any nation today. Now, you have a strong physique, but compared to your ancestors, you’re more than just a little stupid. That’s fair. You can’t have everything; you always have to make choices.”

Tai Er, mocked to his face, stood back, his gaze darkening. “I knew it. At the time of your near death, I shouldn’t have saved you but should have directly taken your genes for research. Since you’re completely opposed, then there’s no need for us to cooperate any longer.” He turned to a researcher beside him. “Recall AA-001.”

“Wait a minute!” Hearing Zhu Yue inevitably trying to stop him, Tai Er lowered his head, a sly smile curling at the corner of his mouth. AA-001 stood expressionless beside Zhu Yue. Although he had been following Zhu Yue as Zhen He since he was created, he would still prioritize the commands of his original master.

Zhu Yue was calculating something in his mind, and after a long time, he said, “The earliest Lone Stars evolved from the Tianxiu people, so they could easily accept our genes. But your genes have undergone too many changes; forcibly transplanting them, I don’t know what would happen.”

“Aren’t you the one who claims to be from a high-intelligence race? Can’t you solve even this problem?”

“Fine.” Zhu Yue agreed, perhaps for some purpose, very straightforwardly. “But I need time.”

Only then did Tai Er look satisfied. “I hope you won’t make me wait too long.”

On Tianxiu, 35,000 EAU away, the people intent on rebuilding their homeland were unaware that the enemy’s ambitions had swelled to uncontrollable proportions. The return of Ta Yun and Fei Jing was probably the only good news in a series of bad news for Fu Yao. However, when he found Ta Yun had grown a full head taller than himself, his initial joy turned to disdain, affecting his attitude towards Fei Jing as well.

“What are you doing back here, wanted criminal?”

Ling Xiao, unaware of their familiarity, tried to mediate.

“Fei Jing came back specifically after hearing about the situation here. Give him a chance to redeem himself.”

“He comes back now; where was he before?” He turned to the principal and asked bluntly, “Are you better yet?”

The principal, probably not expecting Fu Yao to care, replied, “No.”

“That’s good.” He signaled to Nie Yun. “Take Fei Jing and detain him for a couple of days.”

Everyone was speechless; only Nie Yun helplessly shook his head. It seemed the relationship between these two would probably never improve.

“Is there some bad news?” Ying Feng, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up, having noticed Fu Yao’s mood had been off since earlier. Fu Yao gave him a knowing look. “The Huangxiu people have declared war on us.”

“What?” Ling Xiao remembered that years ago, because of Ying Feng’s matter, Fu Yao personally led an expedition against Huangxiu and ended it with their surrender.

“They’ve torn up the surrender agreement and have occupied all our mining points near the Huangxiu region. Every time there’s turmoil, Huangxiu is always the most restless. It’s not surprising they’re the first to jump out this time. But what I’m most worried about now is the possibility of other planetary forces joining in. If they unite against us, with our current strength, I must say it would be somewhat difficult to handle.”

Seeing Ling Xiao’s expression grow heavy, unlike his usual self, Ying Feng asked, “What’s wrong?”

Ling Xiao decided to tell everything he knew. “Descendants of the ancient Tianxiu scientists once said that if we stay within our own territory and behave, the Soul Tree will continue to produce souls, increasing our population. But if we repeatedly cross borders and expand aggressively, the birth of new souls will decrease and eventually stop completely.”

“Is that so? No wonder the birth of new souls has been growing so slowly for a thousand years… But why wasn’t such important information passed down by our ancestors?”

“Because time has blurred many truths. Our birth, the man-made species, the origin of the coming-of-age ceremony, and the essence of forming bonds… Our ancestors hoped we would live on as true humans, so over the years, the truth has been concealed through generations of unintentional or deliberate hiding.”

“Yue Ying said something right—the civilization we’ve created now is built on lies. Except for a few, the vast majority are kept in the dark. Now that new Lone Stars have emerged and declared war on us, I think it’s time to let people know the truth. To know who created us, who we are fighting against, why we are fighting, and not to live forever in deception.”

“But the truth is so shocking. Have you considered the public’s psychological capacity to handle it?”

“A race that can endure the universe’s cruelest and most inhumane battle of the coming-of-age ceremony, what pressure can possibly bring us down? What’s most important is, I don’t want the efforts of our ancestors in overcoming their instincts through generations to be wasted. The coming-of-age ceremony is a cruel fate imposed on us, never a survival of the fittest by natural selection. It is the greatest resistance against fate by the past Tianxiu people, who repeatedly killed their loved ones. The formation of bonds is the proof of their deep love.”

“Although everyone here lacks past memories, we are all participants in history,” he said, looking intently at Ying Feng. “Taking sovereignty from the ancient Tianxiu people and overcoming instincts in the coming-of-age ceremony, anyone here could have played a decisive role. Every step taken by each Tianxiu is inseparable from all of us. To deny history is to deny ourselves. We created history for a brighter future, and that’s something to be proud of, with no need for concealment.”

“Whether natural species or man-made creations, after seeing these four thousand years of silhouettes, I genuinely feel proud of my people. I believe our compatriots, after knowing the truth, will share my sentiments.”

“Brilliantly said!” A voice came from behind, and everyone turned around to see two people in different white uniforms walking towards them, the earlier statement having been made by the one in the lead.

Ling Xiao recognized both of them and called out their names. “Dr. Heng He! Assistant Yu Quan!”

“Yu Quan is no longer an assistant researcher,” Nie Yun corrected him. “He is now the chief researcher of the base.”

“Really?” Ling Xiao exclaimed with surprise. “That’s great! Dr. Zhi Shang and Dr. Yao would be very happy to hear this.”

As the two approached, Heng He pushed up his data glasses on the bridge of his nose. “I heard what you just said, and I think it makes a lot of sense. I can capture your experiences in history in the form of images and sound and upload them to the mainframe. This way, every citizen of Tianxiu can know their true origin as if they experienced it firsthand. As for the merits and demerits of the blood pact, it should be up to them to judge. I also hope that after witnessing history, they will, as you said, feel proud of their race.”

Everyone unanimously turned to Fu Yao for his opinion. After a brief hesitation, Fu Yao nodded in agreement, then turned to Yu Quan, who had come with him.

“What are you here for?”

Even after being promoted to chief researcher, Yu Quan’s poker face remained unchanged.

“I also have a very important discovery. Since the enemy is of the same species as us, why, when they die, do their souls forsake the nearby and travel across half the galaxy back to their planet instead of being summoned by our lighthouse?”

No one had thought of this question. “This… isn’t that normal? The species created by the Huoxiu people must be different from us…”

Yu Quan’s usually unflappable eyes seemed slightly smug. “So, based on this phenomenon, I’ve modified the lighthouse’s recognition range. If the enemy invades again, their souls will belong to us after they die, sparing them the trouble of a weary journey.”

This was indeed great news, especially for Tianxiu, which had just permanently lost a large number of souls. Nothing could be more uplifting.

“I’m starting to look forward to the arrival of the Huoxiu people.” Ling Xiao voiced everyone’s thoughts.

Fu Yao’s eyes once again lit up with fighting spirit. “Good, Ling Xiao and Heng He, go back to the Genetics Center; everyone else, follow me to the base to check on the progress.”

Their location was already within the boundaries of the base, and Ling Xiao and Ying Feng quickly followed Heng He underground to the Genetics Center, which remained intact despite the near-catastrophic attack on the surface.

“Are you ready?” Heng He placed a helmet-like device on Ling Xiao’s head.

“Yes!” Ling Xiao nodded firmly.

“Then let’s start.” Heng He activated the device, and the events of the past four thousand years replayed in Ling Xiao’s mind. On the nearby screen, the data upload progress bar appeared.

“It was you.” Ling Xiao, who had been recalling the past with closed eyes, suddenly said with a smile.

“What?” Ying Feng asked.

“It was you.” Ling Xiao opened his eyes slightly. “The person who played a key role in seizing sovereignty from the ancient Tianxiu people, in overcoming instincts at the coming-of-age ceremony, was you.”

He looked at Ying Feng affectionately. “Thank you for everything you’ve done for me—from four thousand years ago to now, you’ve always been my pride.”

Ying Feng looked back at the unusually serious Ling Xiao and suddenly asked, “Don’t you regret it?”

“Regret what?” Ling Xiao was puzzled.

“Accepting the memory upload.”

“What’s there to regret?” Ling Xiao was a bit baffled.

“Because now everyone knows, for these four thousand years, you’ve always lost to me, not winning even once.”

Ling Xiao: “…………”

Ling Xiao: “??”

Ling Xiao: “!!!”

“Ahhhhh!” Realizing what had happened, Ling Xiao cried out and rushed to check the device, seeing the progress bar at 98%, 99%, and finally 100%, indicating the upload was complete.

“Why didn’t you remind me earlier!” Ling Xiao, frustrated, shook Ying Feng by the neck, repeating the question over and over.

In the background, the decision-making “program” was running at high speed: Is it an attack? Or flirting? Should it be stopped or let it happen? Attack? Flirting? Attack? Flirting?

Forget it! Can you just admit you’re human and stop playing with the system!

---

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

Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

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

---

Chapter 129

This was probably the most rudimentary Marshal’s investiture ceremony in the history of Tianxiu. Fu Yao solemnly received the mandate from Dai Xuan, not in the solemn and dignified military hall but amidst the ruins and broken walls.

Following the youngest general, Fu Yao became Tianxiu’s youngest marshal—even he thought the timing was too early. Since the former Marshal followed his Qizi to reincarnate, handing over the Marshal title to Long Yin, only a little over a decade had passed. Long Yin also became the Marshal with the shortest tenure; his duty of transferring military command even had to be completed by his Qizi.

Now officially the highest commander of the Tianxiu military, Fu Yao stepped back. Standing behind him was a neat row of soldiers, his Qizi and current Deputy Marshal, Nie Yun, at the forefront.

Under Fu Yao’s lead, everyone saluted Dai Xuan, watching her head toward a black building nearby. The war had destroyed a corner of its roof, and cracks on the walls added a sense of somberness.

Ling Xiao and Ying Feng, who had just arrived, also watched her last journey. Ling Xiao learned of her identity from Ying Feng. Despite their poor impression of Long Yin—especially Ling Xiao, who had witnessed Ling Xing’s experiences—they couldn’t help but feel poignant about such an ending.

Since the practice of bonding began, she wasn’t the first to follow her other half in death, but others left with the hope of reuniting in the next life. Her next life, however, wouldn’t have traces of that person.

In a field of metal debris, a clear area was made, gathering scattered daggers and even fragments, solemnly lined up. Some were identified by their patterns, others marked with blank nameplates, signifying their owners had once been there.

Mourners offered bouquets for the warriors’ remains. There wasn’t much time for grief; most people joined in rebuilding the base after mourning. This was a resilient nation, not defeated despite such a disaster.

Ling Xiao moved with the crowd to Long Yin’s name. His dagger, being at the explosion’s epicenter, was severely damaged, barely pieced together and still incomplete.

Ling Xiao, who had planned to settle accounts with Long Yin regarding Ling Xing and Jing Yu, could only sigh, placing a white bouquet in front of his dagger.

“I had many complaints against you.” Ling Xiao spoke heavily, while Ying Feng listened quietly. “But your actions this time lived up to a military Marshal’s title. I respect you as a national hero.”

After speaking, he paused. “May your soul rest in peace.”

Ying Feng and he saluted Long Yin’s remains together, then turned to see Red Head and others.

Red Head and his group were actively involved in rebuilding the base. Seeing Ling Xiao, he ran over, surprised to find them there.

“Why are you two here?” he asked incredulously. “Weren’t you doing the coming-of-age ceremony?”

“It’s over,” Ling Xiao replied calmly, his light gray eyes confirming it.

Red Head then turned to Ying Feng. “Why did you let him run around during his chaotic period?”

“He insisted on coming,” Ying Feng explained succinctly.

“Do I look like I’m in a chaotic period?” Ling Xiao added.

Red Head examined him closely. “So, a second bonding doesn’t lead to a chaotic period?”

“If it’s with the same person, I guess not.”

“That’s good news; I was worried for you.” Red Head happily scratched his head. “But why did you come so early?”

“I wanted to see if there’s anywhere I could help.”

“You’re too diligent, but I understand your feelings.” Red Head sighed, glancing at the temporary altar, “Honestly, if it weren’t for the joy of your return to lighten the mood, everyone’s spirits would be really low right now.”

“It’s good that you came back. Thinking about how you were sent back thousands of years ago and still managed to return alive, I feel like there’s nothing in the future that can’t be overcome.”

“You’ve matured a lot.” Ling Xiao looked at him with relief. “I genuinely feel a sense of pride, like my baby gorilla has finally grown up.”

“Fuck off.” Red Head punched him. “If time allowed, I’d really like to hear about your experiences over the past four thousand years, but it’s too busy now.”

“There will be plenty of time in the future. I’ll tell you slowly.” Ling Xiao stepped forward. “I’ll help too.”

Before he could take a step, a hand was placed on his forehead, the icy palm glowing with white light. Ling Xiao was familiar with this action; Bing Can had used this method to check his body when they first met.

“Your mental injury is healed?” Bing Can asked with some surprise.

“It healed when the blood pact was lifted,” Ling Xiao said, glancing back at Ying Feng, realizing he had forgotten to tell him. “I think it’s probably because the soul injected into my body repaired my spirit.”

“No wonder. I’ve been worried for so many years…” Bing Can, not wanting to touch on Ying Feng’s sore spot, stopped mid-sentence.

“Even though it’s now known that the injury is not incurable, the cost of healing is too high. Otherwise, Shuang Feng, the principal…” He inadvertently mentioned the principal and then became melancholic again, “…and others could be freed from this mental illness.”

Seeing the conversation turn solemn, Red Head quickly changed the subject. “Ah, Ling Xiao, guess where Commander Fu Yao, no, the Marshal, planted the Soul Tree?”

“Isn’t that military secret?” Ling Xiao then turned his head towards the lighthouse, where light reached far away, clearly visible even in daylight, as if it had never been extinguished.

Red Head said mysteriously, “I’ll tell you secretly. The Marshal planted the Soul Tree in the sky!”

“In the sky?” Ling Xiao was surprised. A tree could be planted in the sky?

Ying Feng, after some thought, understood. “Indeed, it’s the safest place.”

“You knew?” Ling Xiao was even more surprised. “How did you understand that?”

“Do you remember why the military couldn’t catch Tai Yin for many years?”

“Because he never had a fixed landing point but used the stealth capabilities of warships to hide in space…” Ling Xiao suddenly exclaimed, “Ah, I know now!”

“Smart, right?” Red Head admired Fu Yao’s decision. “The Marshal transplanted the Soul Tree into the most hidden spaceship, orbiting within the range of the lighthouse, so even the smartest enemy wouldn’t think of it.”

“It’s a good method…” As Ling Xiao was speaking, his gaze fell on a person not far away. That person was staring in their direction, and Ling Xiao felt something was off. Before his brain could process it, he had already flown over.

Unexpectedly, the person turned and ran upon seeing him coming, which further confirmed Ling Xiao’s suspicion. He instinctively reached out, only to realize he didn’t have a single soul crystal on him. Seeing that the person was about to escape, Ling Xiao had no choice but to shout in the direction of the escapee, ‘Stop him!'”

A familiar figure appeared in the suspect’s path, and Ling Xiao, recognizing Ying Feng’s face, breathed a sigh of relief. Sure enough, with Ying Feng’s intervention, the person was quickly subdued, and several soldiers came from elsewhere to firmly control him.

Ling Xiao finally caught up, gratefully saying, “It’s good that you’re here, Ying Feng. Otherwise, he would have escaped.”

Unexpectedly, the person raised an eyebrow. “Who are you calling?”

Ling Xiao stared at his face, stunned for a moment. This person, a few centimeters taller than him, had a playful look in his eyes and a slight smirk on one corner of his mouth. The Ying Feng he knew didn’t have such a rich range of facial expressions.

After realizing something, Ling Xiao quickly shifted his gaze from the other person’s face to his left hand and unceremoniously removed the black glove there, revealing a cold mechanical hand.

“Fei Jing?!”

Ling Xiao never thought he would see this person again in his life. At this moment, the real Ying Feng also appeared beside him, having teleported using the Qizhu ability. The two identical people standing side by side made it difficult to distinguish between them.

“Ling Xiao.”

At this time, someone smilingly walked over from behind Fei Jing and gently called his name.

“Principal!” Ling Xiao recognized him at a glance, and just as he rushed over for a long-awaited hug, he stopped, taking a while to realize something was off.

“You’ve grown?!”

The principal looked at Fei Jing somewhat embarrassedly, thinking it was quite obvious. “I thought the first question you would ask would be about me still being alive.”

“You’re still alive?!”

Prompted by the principal, Ling Xiao quickly added the question, then felt it was a silly one.

Indeed, Fei Jing mocked him unkindly. “After so many years, how can you still be so stupid?”

The smile on Ling Xiao’s face from the reunion quickly fell. “You’ve grown, but why hasn’t your hand regrown?”

“You—” Fei Jing extended his mechanical hand, intending to hit Ling Xiao’s head, but was subtly stopped by Ying Feng.

Ling Xiao then turned back to the principal and asked, “But how did you escape? I saw you rush towards Tai Yin when he self-destructed.”

“Hmph,” Fei Jing responded disdainfully. “Such a simple thing, nothing surprising.”

The principal smiled and explained to Ling Xiao, “The spaceship had an emergency ejection system; rushing in without considering that was redundant on my part.”

Fei Jing had an attitude of ‘as long as you know’. “I could have easily escaped by myself. Carrying a half-dead person was just a burden.”

“Hmm, thanks for the trouble,” the principal said smoothly, leaving Fei Jing speechless and unsure of what to say.

Ling Xiao quickly asked, “Since you’re still alive, why didn’t you come back to find us?”

The principal hesitated before responding, “Because Fei Jing is a wanted criminal. If he stayed, he would only end up in prison, so he had to leave.”

“So he abducted you too?”

“He wanted to follow,” Fei Jing interjected.

Ling Xiao was displeased. He knew nothing about their past entanglements. In his view, Fei Jing had always been an irresponsible Qizhu who abandoned his own Qizi, and Ta Yun was the principal at Bikong, so he naturally sided with him.

“You’re just taking advantage of the principal’s severe mental injury, and he can’t leave you, right? Let me tell you, now mental injuries can be healed.”

“Really?” Both asked in unison, but with different tones: one anxious, the other delighted.

Ling Xiao just wanted to tease him. Of course, he wouldn’t reveal the real method. “Of course it’s true. My mental injury has been healed, and now it’s okay even if I leave Ying Feng.”

Ying Feng: “……”

“Is it true?” This time, the principal asked Ying Feng.

Ying Feng thought about it and decided not to expose him, nodding along with his words.

“That’s really great.” The principal seemed genuinely happy for Ling Xiao, also feeling a vague sense of anticipation. Fei Jing, however, looked conflicted, seemingly hoping for the other’s injury to be healed yet not wanting him to be freed from dependence.

The principal glanced back and guessed what he was thinking, holding back a laugh. “But I don’t need it, right?”

“Why not?” Ling Xiao felt the same confusion as Fei Jing upon hearing this.

“Because if there were a way to cure mental injuries, the cost would be extremely high, likely more than we can afford.” He lowered his head, a smile playing at the corners of his eyes. Ling Xiao had seen him smile at Bikong, but those were mostly bitter smiles. He had never seen the principal smile so genuinely. “Moreover, as long as two people don’t separate, the mental injuries are as if non-existent. Over the years, we’ve traveled many places together, and I’ve long forgotten what that feels like.”

After enduring nearly a hundred years of severe mental injury, it was impossible to just forget about it. Ling Xiao knew that the principal’s words were a lie but chose not to expose it.

However, regarding Fei Jing, Ling Xiao remembered his dream was to travel everywhere. It seemed now that his wish had been fulfilled.

“Why did you come back if he is wanted?” Ling Xiao remembered to ask.

The principal then said seriously, “We heard that our home planet was attacked and rushed back as quickly as we could. This news has spread throughout the entire galaxy. Now is the weakest time for Tianxiu, and all the planets that hold grudges against us are restless. I thought the military must be short-handed, so even at the risk of being arrested, we had to come back to help.”

His words reminded Ling Xiao, and the soldiers who had helped catch the suspect finally found the opportunity to speak. “What crime did this person commit?”

Everyone then remembered the suspicious individual who had been left aside for a long time. Ling Xiao walked up to him and examined him closely, finally confirming. “He is not one of us.”

“What?!” Everyone was shocked.

“Although he looks like us, I’ve seen Jing Yu. This person’s eyes are just like Jing Yu’s.”

Only Ying Feng among those present had heard the name Jing Yu. The others were clueless. “Who is Jing Yu?”

“He is Ying Feng’s past life.” Ling Xiao looked at him. “The last generation’s Lone Star.”

“Ying Feng in his past life was a Lone Star?” Red Head immediately exclaimed, “No wonder he’s so cold in this life!”

Ying Feng had already guessed his own identity from Ling Xiao’s hints but hearing him say it out loud made him feel a mix of emotions.

“So, you mean to say,” Bing Can said uncertainly, “this person is also a Lone Star?”

Everyone turned their attention to the Lone Star mentioned by Ling Xiao. Indeed, they found no emotion in his eyes; despite being captured, he stood emotionlessly.

“Mm.” Ling Xiao nodded. “The Lone Star is the original version of us, the Tianxiu people. When the ancient Tianxiu people created us, they named us after the Lone Star. And those who left Tianxiu to settle on Huoxiu hold the code of the original Lone Star.”

“So this person is from Huoxiu, deliberately left behind to infiltrate us as a spy? Who knows how many such people there are.” Red Head was frightened. “The things I just told you, he didn’t hear them, did he?”

“Fortunately, Ling Xiao discovered it early. Even if he heard, he probably didn’t have the time to transmit the information back.”

“What do we do with this person now?”

Bing Can thought for a moment. “Take him to Marshal Fu Yao and see how he decides to deal with him.”

The soldiers left with their orders, but not long after, there was a commotion. By the time people noticed, they could only catch a glimpse of a soul’s fleeing light trail.

The person responsible for escorting him was dumbfounded. “He deliberately tripped, used the momentum to break free from us, and then committed suicide.”

Upon hearing this, Ling Xiao’s eyes dimmed, but he didn’t seem too surprised. “His genes are the same as ours, programmed not to allow themselves to be captured. Once they feel there’s no hope of escape, they won’t hesitate to end their lives.”

Although they came from different camps, probably only artificial beings would feel sorrow for the death of another artificial being. To their creators, they were merely objects. Their life span had come to an end; they might be recycled for reuse or simply discarded. Apart from the economic loss, what difference did it make from other inanimate objects?

On the distant Huoxiu, a person stared at the constantly changing data on the screen. After detecting a certain anomaly, he turned his head, revealing a pair of crimson eyes.

“AF-107 has returned.”

Another person, similar in appearance, asked, “What information did he bring back?”

“They still have a Soul Tree, and the lighthouse has resumed illumination. The Soul Tree must be somewhere near the lighthouse.”

The other person was clearly dissatisfied with the information the Lone Star had brought back with his life. “Wasn’t it said that there was only one Soul Tree, and only one lighthouse? That by destroying the Soul Tree, they would be left with no choice but to await death? What’s this about another Soul Tree?”

He walked down from his seat a bit agitatedly and ordered, “Connect me with Zhu Yue. Four thousand years ago, they destroyed our nation and exterminated our people. Even if it goes against our ancestors’ teachings, we must avenge this grudge.”

---

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