Living Apart, Yan Realm's Visit (5K)

Blue Star's near-Earth orbit.

The once desolate cosmic backdrop is now adorned with a fleet that is beginning to take shape, and an atmosphere of both grim determination and hope permeates the vacuum.

The five unmanned intelligent transport ships that arrived not long ago have completed their missions. The enormous vessels they carried have been activated, like sleeping beasts awakening, revealing a ferocious and majestic posture.

In the center was the five-kilometer-long, dark gray ship with a bow inlaid with a pulsating deep blue energy crystal— North Wind-class assault ship.

Like the backbone and brain of the fleet, its massive hull gleamed with a cold, hard metallic luster under the starlight, while the intricate energy conduction patterns on its sides subtly glowed, radiating a powerful aura that reassured the soul.

Surrounding it were five sharp-looking, sword-like assault ships of the Sharpness- class, and fifteen Guardian-class escort ships, which were slightly heavier and focused on defense and fire support.

Like loyal guards, they protect the flagship and form the backbone of the fleet's offensive and defensive capabilities.

Behind the fleet are two replenishment ships, two personnel transport ships, and one engineering and repair ship. They are like the lifeblood and logistical support of the fleet, ensuring the sustainability of the expedition.

The sides of all the ships are painted with the emblem of the Blue Star Community — Blue Star surrounded by olive branches and stars, and below it two powerful interstellar characters: "Eastern Edge"!

Below the fleet, the azure blue Blue Star slowly rotated, surrounded by swirling white clouds, and the outline of the continent was clearly visible.

In the synchronous orbit of Blue Star, the six orbital fortresses of the "Guardian-V" planetary defense system float silently like eternal sentinels, with pale golden energy flowing faintly among the petals, protecting the home below.

This spectacular scene is being broadcast live to the world in real time via reconnaissance satellites and media spacecraft in low Earth orbit, in the form of holographic images.

On the surface of Blue Star, in countless city squares, family living rooms, and street corners, people held their breath, gazing up at the fleet in the sky that represented the hope and future of civilization. Excitement, pride, worry, and blessings—a mix of emotions mingled in the hearts of billions.

The atmosphere on the bridge of the flagship North Wind was solemn and dignified.

The first batch of members of the East Peak Mercenary Group have all boarded the ship and are in their positions.

The Star Core level powerhouses wore dark-colored Raging Tide Series combat suits, with subtle energy patterns that made them appear even more heroic.

The Stardust level trainees, dressed in the Gentle Ripple general-purpose spacesuits, had a tense look in their eyes, but even more so, excitement and determination.

Chen Yu stood in the bridge command area, stroking the brand-new control panel, grinning foolishly, and occasionally whispering smugly into the communicator, "Old Zhou, Old Zhou, see that? Isn't our flagship imposing?" Zhou Yuxuan's helpless reminder came through the communicator. "Focus, it's a global live broadcast."

Elizabeth stood quietly by the porthole, her icy blue eyes reflecting the distant planet, her expression serene. Liu Yuan, on the other hand, sat at his tactical post, carefully examining the system data before him, as composed as ever.

Inside the transport ship's cabin where the reserve crew were gathered, Nightingale leaned against the wall, wearing the wristband given to her by Big Bear and the bracelet woven by Skinny Monkey. She gently stroked the shimmering crystal, her cool gaze piercing through the small observation window as she looked out at the vast fleet and her distant homeland.

The vow of "meeting again amidst the stars" from my teammates still seems to echo in my ears.

At the very front of the fleet, a streak of emerald green light floated silently—that was Aurelia's personal vehicle, the Jade Whisper Starship.

At this moment, Lin Yi was standing on the open-air platform on the top floor of the Blue Star Commonwealth Headquarters building.

He was still wearing his simple combat uniform, his posture upright, his gaze piercing through the atmosphere, precisely landing on the direction of the fleet on orbit.

Behind him were Li Zhenguo, Zhou Donglai, and other high-ranking officials from Blue Star.

The cameras of the global live broadcast were also focused on this place.

Lin Yi took a deep breath and connected to the entire fleet through the communication channel.

"To all members of the East Peak Mercenary Group!"

All the crew members, regardless of their positions, unconsciously straightened their backs.

"Today, you will represent the Blue Star Civilization, taking the lead in venturing into the vast sea of stars. You are the eyes of civilization, the pioneers of exploration, and the cornerstone of the future."

"The road ahead will undoubtedly be full of unknowns and challenges. But I believe that having survived the apocalypse, you possess enough courage, wisdom, and resilience to face everything."

"Remember, behind you are the expectations of billions of compatriots. On your shoulders lies the glory of ' Silver Moon Blue '!"

"Today, we part ways here. One day, we shall meet again atop the sea of stars!"

"I, Lin Yi, on behalf of the Blue Star Civilization, hereby bid you all farewell!"

May you all have smooth sailing and great success in your military endeavors.

"Please proceed," Lin Yi's voice boomed like a bell, resonating in everyone's hearts, "We—meet amidst the stars!"

"Meeting amidst the stars!"

In an instant, countless Blue Star people on the fleet's public channel and those who heard the blessing through the live broadcast couldn't help but shout along. Although the sound waves couldn't penetrate the vacuum, they transformed into an invisible force, filling everyone's hearts.

Inside the bridge, Aurelia was no longer wearing her long dress, but instead dressed in the combat uniform of the Source Martial Army, her beautiful hair now tied up.

Her cool, clear voice rang out through the fleet command chain, "All ships, final system self-check! Engine warm-up!"

"North Wind, all systems are functioning normally!"

"All systems from Sharpness 1 to 5 are functioning normally!"

"Guardians 1 through 15, all systems are functioning normally!"

A series of clear reports rang out.

"East Peak Fleet, heed my command!" Aurelia's voice was no longer gentle, but carried the unique majesty of Star Domain level expert.

"Set sail!"

Buzz!!

Led by the [North Wind], all the ships simultaneously emitted dazzling, dark blue contrails from their main engines, instantly illuminating the surrounding airspace. The massive fleet began to move slowly, like a cosmic behemoth awakening, breaking free from the gravitational pull of the planets and heading into the deep reaches of space.

The speed increased, and the fleet gradually transformed into streaks of blue light, streaking across the dark curtain of space, resolutely heading towards the vast ocean of stars, full of infinite possibilities and dangers.

On the Blue Star, countless people looked up at the receding point of light in the sky, waving, shouting, tears and smiles mingling.

This is a farewell to civilization, and the beginning of a new era.

Lin Yi stood on the platform, gazing at the direction where the fleet had disappeared for a long time, until the last glimmer of light also faded into the depths of the starry sky, before he slowly withdrew his gaze.

The decision to split up and act separately was made before the fleet set sail.

As a representative of the Blue Star Civilization and a disciple of the Eternal Divinity Xuchen, Lin Yi, a core figure of a level 5 civilization and a level 7 genius, must remain on Blue Star to await the arrival of the official guidance fleet of the Purple Gold Star Union, as well as the delegations of various forces that have heard the news and are determined to come to recruit or befriend him.

Based on Liyue's assessment, the leaders of these visitors are at least Star Domain level beings.

If Lin Yi himself is not present, it would be tantamount to the Blue Star Civilization offending these local bullies before even officially stepping into the Star Sea, making subsequent development extremely difficult.

Therefore, after discussions at the highest levels, it was decided that Aurelia, the Civilization Guardian the Blue Star civilization, the vice Commander of the East Peak Mercenary Group, and a newly promoted Star Domain level expert, would lead the team to set off first.

She possesses both interstellar knowledge and practical skills sufficient to be competent in the initial leadership role.

After handling the reception matters on Blue Star, Lin Yi will then head to Zi Chen Star to meet up with everyone.

Aurelia also explained in detail the situation of the Mercenary Group in its early days.

When it was first established, the Mercenary Group was only a 1-star level and could only take on simple missions with very low risk and low reward, such as escorting short-distance caravans, patrolling the edge of star systems, and transporting simple supplies.

The main purpose of this stage is to accumulate experience, integrate the team, upgrade the Mercenary Group's level, and expand connections. The process is often tedious and lengthy, taking at least thirty or forty years.

Moreover, Lin Yi can participate in the fleet's training and decision-making meetings at any time through the Pan-Spirit Alliance Virtual Network, so he is not completely disconnected.

Lin Yi strongly agreed with this.

He had spent decades in this stage in his previous life, and he still vividly remembers those incredibly boring tasks.

Originally, I thought I would have to go through this again with my brothers in this lifetime, and I couldn't help but complain a little. But now that I'm suddenly "forced" to skip class and hand over this responsibility to Aurelia, I feel a little guilty.

"It's really a bit of a waste to send a Star Domain level expert like you to be a babysitter for a bunch of greenhorns who've never even seen a star sea, handling those trivial one-star missions," Lin Yi said to Aurelia with a wry smile in private.

Aurelia, however, remained calm, even smiling slightly, "Commander, you're overthinking it. I've been a caretaker for the Blue Star Civilization for thousands of years; I'm used to it. Now it's just a change of scenery, continuing to look after a group of children who need more experience. A few decades is nothing."

Lin Yi felt ashamed.

--

Time flies, and more than half a year has passed since the East Peak Fleet set sail.

Everything on Blue Star seems to be on a new track.

The planetary defense system is operating stably, internal construction is in full swing, and the people are gradually adapting to the new order after the advancement of civilization, with their yearning for the stars growing day by day.

Lin Yi spent most of his time cultivating and handling affairs through the Virtual Network; everything was stable and orderly.

On this day, in the vast interstellar space, several light-years away from the edge of the star system where Blue Star resides, a spaceship was silently traveling under the influence of a curvature bubble.

The spaceship has a streamlined shape, as if it were cast from starlight and some unknown liquid glass metal. The hull is naturally shrouded in ever-changing nine-colored halos. There are no visible engine nozzles or weapon hardpoints. It is quiet and elegant.

Inside the control room, a half-human woman with an ethereal aura and features clearly characteristic of the Spirit Race was languidly leaning back in a chair made of pure energy.

Her name is "Xing Yi," and she is the head of the Purple Gold Star Union branch of the Pan-Spirit Alliance Virtual Network Company, a being of the World Derivation level.

Her slender fingers gently traced the light screen in front of her, which was composed of data streams and displayed a brief report about the Blue Star Civilization and Lin Yi.

"Level 5 civilization assessment for the energy-poor zone, Level 7 personal assessment. Purple access permission," she murmured to herself, a glint of interest flashing in her eyes. "Purple access permission. In the few star systems around here, the only one who has recently been able to open purple access permission is His Xuchen, who is in charge of assessing the civilization of this planet. To actually make a god of His Xuchen's level consider taking him as a disciple."

Just then, the spaceship's AI voice sounded.

"Warning: Approaching the outer edge of the target star system. A standard 'Guardian-V' planetary defense system energy field boundary has been detected ahead. Based on database analysis, this system possesses the capability to detect and warn of early-stage threats at the star Star Domain level. Recommendation: Activate the stealth module to evade detection, or activate the jamming module to block its scan."

Upon hearing this, Xing Yi was slightly taken aback, then suddenly realized what was happening, and a playful smile appeared on her lips.

"Guardian Angel - V-type? Ha. It seems this kid's family background is much more substantial than the report states. Yes, it must be resources provided privately by His Majesty Xuchen. Otherwise, where would a Primary Civilization that just passed the assessment get the financial resources and channels to purchase a defense system of this level?"

She made her judgment almost instantly.

Xing Yi gently shook her head and issued commands to the spaceship's AI: "Cancel warp drive, proceed to the outermost edge of the defense system's detection range, and remain stationary. Deactivate all active scanning and weapon systems, maintaining only the basic protective force field."

"Command confirmed."

The spaceship instantly broke free from its faster-than-light travel, its nine-colored halo slightly receding as it glided precisely to the edge of the invisible defensive boundary at a relatively slow speed, like a polite visitor stopping outside the fence of a host's yard, quietly awaiting notification.

Xing Yi knew very well that with the performance of this spaceship, it would be easy to forcibly break through or block detection.

But doing so would be tantamount to slapping that young genius in the face, and would be an extreme disrespect to his civilization.

Her purpose in coming here was to make friends, not enemies.

Staying outside the defensive perimeter is a common way to show goodwill and respect throughout the universe.

"Alright, now let's see how this little one handles it."

Xing Yi calmly adjusted to a more comfortable sitting position, her gaze seemingly piercing through the invisible cabin walls, as if she could already see that distant blue planet.

Almost the instant the spaceship came to a complete stop.

Blue Star, the Commonwealth Headquarters, the planetary defense control center.

A piercing alarm suddenly went off.

A red glow, representing the highest level of threat, flashed wildly throughout the control room.

"Report! Extremely high-energy reaction detected in the airspace of LB-7392113-D!"

"Target. Target energy level exceeds the system's preset rating limit! Unable to define! Duplicate, unable to define!"

"The enemy stopped at the edge of the defensive perimeter and did not take any further action."

The operator's voice was filled with barely suppressed panic.

The existence that could cause their system, which was capable of triggering early-stage Star Domain level warnings, to "go off the charts" was far more powerful than they had imagined.

Meanwhile, Lin Yi, who was pondering the Life Rule in his cultivation room, also received a synchronized alert from Xuanji.

Lin Yi suddenly opened his eyes, his brows furrowed.

The "Guardian-V" system can detect and issue warnings for early-stage threats at the Star Domain level, but now it's "exceeding the preset rating limit"?

That means the newcomer is at least a mid-level Star Domain level, or even higher.

However, Lin Yi wasn't too panicked, after all, he had some trump cards up his sleeve.

He directly commanded, "Xuanji, mobilize all observation equipment, lock onto the target, and analyze its external features. At the same time, use my Virtual Network access to conduct an emergency comparison and query of the image data in the Pan-Spirit Alliance database."

"Command confirmed."

The next moment, a clear image was projected in front of Lin Yi.

It was a spaceship he had never seen before. It wasn't particularly large, only about one-fifth the size of Northwind-class Warship, but its shape was extremely beautiful and smooth. The whole body seemed to be cast from some kind of glass containing starlight and an unknown silver metal, and the ship's hull naturally flowed with a dreamlike nine-colored halo.

Almost the instant Lin Yi saw the image of the spaceship, Xuanji's query results were returned.

"Principal, database comparison complete. Target spaceship model: ' Phantom Star Lightchaser '. Manufacturer: A spaceship manufacturing company directly under the Pan-Spirit Alliance Virtual Network Company. Level rating: World Derivation level Customized Vehicle. Usually only equipped by high-ranking members of the Pan-Spirit Alliance Virtual Network or World Derivation level beings closely related to them."

World Derivation level.

Lin Yi's heart skipped a beat.

It wasn't some powerful Star Domain level that he had guessed was located not far from Blue Star, but rather World Derivation level entity. No wonder the threat rating of the defense system was off the charts.

However, why would a powerful being at the World Derivation level suddenly visit a remote Blue Star like Earth?

Could they also be here for me? But according to Liyue's predictions, the major powers should have sent Star Domain level forces.

Although Lin Yi had some doubts, he didn't have time to think about it too much.

He noticed that when the "Phantom Star Lightchaser" entered the maximum detection range of the "Guardian-V" defense system, its speed suddenly decreased and then it stopped, hovering quietly at the outermost edge of the defense circle without making any further moves.

"It stopped outside the defense perimeter." Lin Yi's mind raced. "This is a universally accepted signal of respect and goodwill. If the visitor harbored malicious intent, with its World Derivation level capabilities and the ship's performance, it could completely ignore the 'Guardian God-V's' detection and appear directly in Blue Star space, even in geosynchronous orbit."

Although he had figured this out, Lin Yi did not let his guard down.

After all, when facing an unknown powerhouse far beyond one's own level, one can never be too cautious.

He immediately sent a message through the communication system to the Blue Star leadership and the defense Command Center: "Unknown high-ranking visitor detected, initially identified as World Derivation level, currently behaving in good faith. All units maintain the highest alert level, but do not initiate attack procedures for the time being. Leave everything to me."

Just to be on the safe side, Lin Yi took out the talisman given to him by his master Xuchen and placed it close to his body to ensure it was ready to be activated instantly.

Then, with a flicker, he transformed into a dazzling golden streak of light and flew into the "Shanming" spaceship, which was stationed in outer space orbit.

Then, Shanming quickly started up and sped towards the "Phantom Star Lightchaser" spaceship.

Whether it's a blessing or a curse, we have to face it.

There's no escaping this being at the World Derivation level.