High in the sky, the Fourteenth Tier projection of the Heavenly Silver Ancestor, spanning the heavens and earth, stood quietly, his gaze gentle and his posture open and honest, seemingly treating everyone with complete sincerity and without any ulterior motives.
Chen Du did not immediately respond. He was perfectly clear-headed; things had gone too smoothly, almost eerily so.
A true master who has reached the Fourteenth Tier, belonging to the same Universe Life Lord Realm as himself, holds complete sovereignty over the entire Milky Way Galaxy and the surrounding thirteen subsidiary star systems, possessing billions of stars, endless resources, and the right to rule over a vast race.
Such a vast territory, enough to drive countless interstellar powers to fight and scramble for for millennia, was offered up by the other party without hesitation. They even took the initiative to handle the official registration process of the Universal Human Federation, willingly handing over all legal ownership rights.
Looking across the vast galaxy, from ancient times to the present, there has never been such a stroke of good fortune. The Milky Way Galaxy is truly magnificent.
The vast Milky Way, with a diameter of 100,000 light-years, has countless spiral arms and stars like a sea. Countless star systems are scattered among them, countless civilizations have thrived for generations, and countless secret realms are buried in the sea of stars.
Such a vast territory, comparable to a top-tier realm in the heavens, could be transferred for free, or even surrendered with territories and lives, enough to ignite a massive interstellar war among billions of interstellar forces.
But this Heavenly Silver Ancestor spoke so casually and nonchalantly, as if he were sending away not a vast galaxy, but just an insignificant, ordinary object. Something was definitely amiss.
Chen Du instantly considered two possibilities.
Firstly, this Heavenly Silver Ancestor's vision and perspective have long surpassed the constraints of ordinary star seas, truly possessing the magnanimity and breadth of mind of a Fourteenth Tier ruler.
In his eyes, the resources and territory of a star system were no longer worth mentioning. What he sought was to befriend a newly promoted Fourteenth Tier fellow Daoist and pave the way for the future of the Great Dao of the Heavens.
Secondly, this seemingly incredibly alluring vast galaxy harbors hidden dangers.
The so-called gift, seemingly imbued with supreme wisdom, is in reality a way to shed a burdensome situation, or even a long-term foreshadowing, subtly binding the destiny of a newly ascended powerhouse.
Two possibilities exist, making it difficult to distinguish the true from the false.
But after a moment's thought, Chen Du was already certain that whether the other party was genuinely trying to befriend him or harboring ulterior motives, he was not at a disadvantage at this moment.
By taking over the Milky Way Galaxy and its thirteen subsidiary star systems, Blue Star will completely shed its embarrassing status as an "uncertified, barbaric civilization on the periphery" and gain official status as a legitimate star system within the Universal Human Federation.
From this day forward, Blue Star will no longer be a lawless land, coveted and trampled upon by all, but a legitimate territory with an owner.
Whether it's the Heavenly Silver Empire or any other interstellar power, if they want to get their hands on Blue Star and interfere in the rise and fall of civilizations here, they must first weigh the weight of a Fourteenth Tier star domain lord.
As for the schemes and hidden motives behind Heavenly Silver Ancestor's plot, there is no need to delve into them at this moment.
Since the other party is willing to pay the price, take the initiative to show goodwill, and hand over ownership of the star system, all the secrets and purposes will naturally come to light after the clone arrives at the interstellar spaceship and talks face to face.
Having made up his mind, Chen Du no longer hesitated.
With a slight thought, he casually condensed a Law Avatar in the void.
This clone takes the Fundamental Law of Thunder as its core, stabilizing its foundation; and uses the Ninefold Divine Firmament Thunder Source Law as its external Dao Resonance, flowing throughout its body to the origin of the High Thunder Dao.
The clone's body was enveloped in a faint, dark golden light. The halo was gentle and restrained, without revealing its sharpness, yet it possessed the supreme foundation level of Fourteenth Tier Dao Fruit.
This clone only possesses 30% of the original's combat power, seemingly limited in strength, but within the entire Milky Way Galaxy, it is already the absolute ceiling.
It is more than capable of handling an interstellar voyage and a negotiation for the handover of a star system; Mount Tai.
The Law Avatar took shape, its aura condensed, and it raised its eyes to look at the majestic projection of the Ancestor in the sky, nodding slightly in acknowledgment.
Seeing this, the projection of the Heavenly Silver Ancestor smiled gently, said nothing more, and turned to fly away into the vast sky.
A dark golden avatar of law stepped into the air, following closely behind.
One after the other, they pierced through the thick atmosphere, tore through convective clouds, crossed near-Earth orbit, and broke free from the gravitational pull of Blue Star, heading straight into the boundless, dark depths of space.
The further you are from Blue Star, the more you feel the vastness and loneliness of the universe. Under the pitch-black sky, stars dot the horizon, cold and boundless, with countless enormous stars suspended in the void, serene and grand.
After traversing the void for a short while, an Interstellar Megaship, quietly hidden in the shadows on the far side of the moon, slowly revealed its full form.
This warship of the Heavenly Silver Empire was not as large and menacing as ordinary interstellar main warships, with their cannons everywhere and overwhelming power.
Its shape is sleek and exquisite, and it is forged entirely from top-grade silver-white Starfall Divine Steel. Its surface is smooth and lustrous, and its texture is translucent.
Along the side of the ship, an intricate and three-dimensional Heavenly Silver Empire Emblem is etched, surrounded by stars and set against a backdrop of the Milky Way. Ancient and majestic, it reveals its profound heritage after countless ages of starlight.
The entire warship was perfectly concealed in the darkness and shadows of the far side of the moon, isolated from all star wave detection, Divine Sense scanning, and civilization perception. Silently, it evaded all monitoring systems on Blue Star and quietly Lie Dormant there.
As the two figures approached, the heavy alloy hatch slowly opened and slid open silently.
At the cabin door stood an elderly man dressed in a silver-gray uniform robe.
This person's face and hair were as white as snow, meticulous in every detail, with slightly upturned eyes, exuding a maturity and majesty befitting someone who had long held a high position and ruled over billions of stars.
He concealed his aura completely, appearing to be just an ordinary, refined old man, without any imposing pressure. However, if a top-level expert were here, they would be able to see the terrifying Dao Resonance hidden deep within his body, originating from the Fourteenth Tier projection level.
Unbeknownst to anyone, the seemingly real old man standing before the ship, whose every move was lifelike, was also merely a high-level mental projection projected from a distance.
The true form of the Heavenly Silver Empire's patriarch resides in the core Sacred Domain of the empire, billions of light-years away. Transcending countless star domain barriers and myriad spacetime obstacles, he condenses a dual projection with the supreme power of the Fourteenth Tier Great Dao.
The magnificent projection of the heavens and earth is used to awe the world and show sincerity, while the humanoid projection in front of us, which is close to human form, speaks and acts normally, and has a lifelike expression, is used for close-up negotiations, face-to-face handover, and maneuvering.
The methods of Fourteenth Tier cultivator are far beyond the comprehension of ordinary cultivators.
Its true form never leaves the central hub of the star sea; a projection can traverse billions of light-years, making it difficult to distinguish between truth and falsehood, and unpredictable in its reality and illusion.
The old man's gaze fell upon Chen Du's Thunder Dao Avatar, his eyes filled with appreciation and gentleness, devoid of any contempt, fear, or aloofness. He raised his hand in a gentle cupped-hand salute, his voice steady and mellow, carrying the vicissitudes of countless ages. "I am Tian Yin. This small galaxy of the Milky Way Galaxy has been shackled and complicated for billions of years. From now on, it will be under your command, young friend."
Chen Du's clone nodded slightly, neither humble nor arrogant, and calmly entered the ship.
Stepping inside the warship, one discovers a hidden world within.
The warship has a compact and sleek exterior, but its interior space is expanded dozens of times larger using advanced space-folding technology.
The entire silver-white alloy cabin wall was as smooth as a mirror, and countless holographic screens were embedded in the four walls, with countless interstellar data streams, star field parameters, resource reports, civilization statistics, and flight path trajectories scrolling, refreshing, and changing rapidly.
The light was soft and clear, the temperature and order were constant, without a trace of the cold and deathly emptiness of the universe, and everywhere it exuded the orderliness of a top-level interstellar empire.
The old man strode forward, leading the way.
Passing through multiple isolation doors, the Starwave Control Room, and the Flight Dispatch Room, all the instruments and equipment along the way were automatically started, stopped, opened, closed, and calibrated, with a level of intelligence far exceeding the current scientific and technological understanding of Blue Star.
The entire warship was a self-contained little world, perfectly orderly and incredibly precise.
Finally, the two arrived at the core circular main cabin of the warship.
The entire cabin has a perfectly circular dome structure, with the dome replicating the real universe, where stars move and galaxies rotate, making you feel as if you are in the real deep space universe.
In the very center of the cabin, a three-dimensional holographic star map, several meters in diameter, floats, its light and shadow exquisite and lifelike.
The complete structure of the vast Milky Way Galaxy is perfectly replicated on it, with four main spiral arms stretching out layer by layer, billions of stars shining brightly, and countless planets, satellites, asteroid belts, nebulae, and barren star fields clearly marked.
Each tiny point of light is an independent star; each area of light and shadow is a cosmic territory that can be developed, governed, and cultivated.
The star map slowly rotates, the Milky Way flows, and the vicissitudes of time are all within view.
The projection of the Heavenly Silver Ancestor pointed to the vast star map suspended in the center, speaking calmly and eloquently, "The main body of the Milky Way Galaxy, plus thirteen surrounding subsidiary star systems, contains over seven hundred trillion registered intelligent races, civilizations, and derived life forms. Its territory is vast, its races diverse, its factions numerous, and its star fields scattered and chaotic."
"My Heavenly Silver Empire has ruled this galaxy for hundreds of millions of years, and is already exhausted. The empire's central territory is too vast, spanning countless superclusters, and its administrative system is bloated and corrupt to the extreme."
"A simple transfer order, a resource document, or a personnel approval document, issued from the core of the empire to the border regions of the Milky Way Galaxy, undergoes layers of approval and sequential processing, often taking decades or even centuries to be finalized."
"Over the years, the governors of various star regions in the Milky Way Galaxy have become independent, hoarding resources and controlling their own territories. Although they appear to belong to the Heavenly Silver Empire, they have long been like regional warlords, with the central government existing in name only and having no real power to control the situation."
He smiled frankly, his tone tinged with both openness and helplessness. "Today, I am transferring this entire star field to you. To outsiders, it may seem like I'm handing over endless resources, but for me, it's simply getting rid of a heavy burden that's become too big to handle."
After a slight pause, the old man's gaze turned slightly serious as he looked directly at Chen Du's Law Avatar: "However, I have only one condition, which is also my only basis for answering to the Imperial Central Government and the Federation."
"The entire galactic territory is yours, but I need you to permanently preserve three fixed inter-galactic trade routes for the Heavenly Silver Empire."
"These three trade routes traverse the core mineral belt of the Milky Way Galaxy, the Spirit Gold producing area, and the Star Marrow- rich area, and have been the stable resource lifeline of the Empire for many years."
Every year, an enormous quantity of Starry Sky Spirit Gold, Cosmic Star Marrow, and rare minerals are transported back to the core of the Empire from here.
"As long as the trade routes remain open and the mining rights are retained, I can deliver on my promise smoothly, and no one in the empire will object to this handover. Furthermore, all sovereignty, governance, legal rights, troop deployment rights, resource development rights, and civilizational jurisdiction over the Milky Way Galaxy will belong to you, and will have nothing to do with the Heavenly Silver Empire whatsoever."
Chen Du's clone listened quietly, his eyes remaining calm, but he understood perfectly that this was the other party's true bottom line and calculation.
While seemingly sending out an endless galaxy, it actually relinquished a massive, uncontrollable burden, yet firmly grasped the most core and valuable resource lifeline.
This strategy not only won over the newly promoted Fourteenth Tier powerhouse with immense favor, but also protected the empire's long-term interests, while simultaneously shedding administrative burdens—a triple win, a brilliantly calculated move.
But for him, it's still a sure thing.
Three trade routes are nothing to worry about in the grand scheme of things. Compared to the legitimate sovereignty of the entire Milky Way Galaxy, the stable and orthodox status of Blue Star, and the endless future of billions of star systems, they are simply insignificant.
He nodded slightly and readily agreed.
Seeing how readily and decisively he agreed, the smile on the projection of Heavenly Silver Ancestor became even more genuine, and a hint of sincere appreciation appeared in his eyes.
He raised his hand and waved it, and the holographic star map instantly switched and changed, with a luminous electronic document emerging from the core of the star map and unfolding in mid-air.
The document contains countless detailed articles, neatly arranged, all of which are the star domain ownership laws commonly used by the Universal Human Federation, each article clear and each word in compliance with regulations.
The document clearly states: The Heavenly Silver Empire voluntarily and without compensation transfers all sovereignty over the Milky Way Galaxy and its thirteen surrounding affiliated star systems, and all its territory, civilization, resources, laws, and governance rights are transferred to Chen Du's personal name, effective permanently.
The Heavenly Silver Empire retains only the right to pass through three fixed interstellar trade routes and the right to mine minerals. It is forbidden to interfere in the internal affairs of the star region, to meddle in the development of civilizations, to station troops without authorization, or to start any further disputes.
The responsibilities and powers are clearly defined and the boundaries are clear, with no hidden traps or gimmicks in the wording.
Heavenly Silver Ancestor pointed to the empty space at the end of the document for the True Spirit Imprint and said gently, "You only need to leave a wisp of True Spirit Imprint here, and the document will take effect immediately. I will take the document back to the Federation Central Government and use my connections to expedite the filing and archiving."
Although the procedures at the federal level are complicated, I have been stationed at the highest levels of the federal government for many years and have extensive connections. I can complete the process completely within three months, ensuring full network registration and universal recognition, so that you can rightfully take control of the galaxy.
Chen Du's clone raised his hand, and a wisp of pure and gentle True Spirit power quietly emerged and steadily entered the blank space of the document.
With a flash of golden light, the document was finalized, and the transfer of ownership was officially completed.
Heavenly Silver Ancestor raised his hand to put away the document, looking relieved. He patted Chen Du's clone on the shoulder, his tone sincere and amiable:
"Excellent! I've always enjoyed dealing with straightforward, clear-headed young people like you."
With a calm expression, he made a light promise, "From now on, you will take root in the Milky Way Galaxy and stand firm in the border galaxies. If you encounter any personnel disputes, interstellar conflicts, or factional suppression that you cannot resolve in the Universal Human Federation, you may call upon my name."
"I may not be able to help you achieve anything extraordinary, but for ordinary troubles, bureaucratic obstacles, or factional exclusion, my humble reputation can at least put some balance in the situation."
Throughout the conversation, the old man's words, actions, expressions, and demeanor were all incredibly lifelike and vivid, as if he were truly there in person.
But only Chen Du himself knew the truth.
From beginning to end, everything was a dialogue across billions of light-years.
The awe-inspiring Fourteenth Tier phantom in the sky was fake; the old man in front of them, negotiating closely and chatting gently, was still a high-level spiritual projection that had been refined to the extreme and was enough to fool people.
The Fourteenth Tier represents a level of cultivation that reaches the heavens and is unfathomable.
His true form sat firmly at the core of the Sacred Mountain of the Heavenly Silver Empire, billions of light-years away. Without leaving the star field, he smoothly completed a galaxy-level transfer of ownership with just two projections, selling out favors, protecting interests, shedding burdens, and making friends with powerful figures.
He is meticulous, calculating at every step, and his cunning is unfathomable.
As Chen Du's clone gazed at the gentle, smiling projection of the old man before him, his resolve grew ever stronger.
The Heavenly Silver Empire was far more terrifying than it appeared on the surface.