The Interstellar Spaceship sailed through the silent, boundless universe for seven whole days and nights.
At first, Lu Yuan would stand by the viewing window, eyes shining as he watched the nebulae, meteor belts, and unknown celestial bodies streak past outside. His fingertips rested lightly against the cold transparent barrier, and his long lashes fluttered now and then, his heart brimming with wonder at everything.
But after three days, nothing changed except the endless darkness and scattered pinpricks of light.
He gradually turned his attention inward and stopped watching the view. Instead, he sat cross-legged in the cabin, quietly meditating with his eyes closed. He consolidated his cultivation and sorted through the power within him, entering a state of calm yet constant vigilance. His presence grew increasingly steady and restrained.
Gu Li, meanwhile, hovered in front of the Control Console the whole time, now adjusting the course, now checking the ship's energy supply. Her little feet swung idly in the air, but she didn't seem bored.
Before they knew it, time had passed, and it was the morning of the eighth day.
"We're almost at Red Lotus Star."
Gu Li's clear voice rang out.
Lu Yuan slowly opened his eyes. A glint flashed in them as he rose and walked back to the viewing window.
In the distance, a massive planet slowly filled his field of vision.
Seen from space, Red Lotus Star was a dull, dark red, like a chunk of iron heated until it glowed faintly.
There were no crystalline oceans on its surface, nor any lush land. Vast stretches of reddish-brown rock were exposed,
and several enormous volcanic craters could just be made out. Thin, yellow clouds hung like a layer of gray gauze, barely shrouding the planet.
Most striking of all were several enormous black fissures