Revisiting Old Haunts, a Transformation of Mind

In the Light Source Star System, ships traveled back and forth between the three planets.

The Light Source Race, having undergone a great leap in technology, had spent the last dozen years developing the two planets beyond their home world, constructing ecological bases.

"Hum!"

Suddenly, the space rippled, and a pale gold, equilateral triangular ship burst forth from the Dark Universe.

Whoosh!

As the cabin door opened, a burly figure with a snake's head and a human body emerged alongside Yu Duan.

"So this is the home planet of the little Highness? Hmm... it's quite pretty."

The burly, snake-headed figure glanced at Light Source Planet; it was so ordinary there was nothing to praise, so he could only remark that it was quite pretty.

Yu Duan bowed to the burly figure beside him: "I have troubled you to escort me back, Qiongtao King, and I will need to trouble you to guard me for a time."

Qiongtao King waved a large hand and laughed: "Following the master's orders to guard the little Highness is my duty."

Clearly, this Qiongtao King was one of Qinghuan King's soul slaves. He was more than ten times stronger than a peak Fenghou Immortal, a powerhouse at the limit of the Fenghou level.

Since Yu Duan was 'returning home to visit relatives,' he naturally required the protection of a powerhouse. Qinghuan King did not feel at ease arranging anyone else, so he had sent this Qiongtao King.

"I haven't been back in nearly twenty years. I wonder what Light Source Planet has become now."

Yu Duan's gaze fell upon the cyan-blue life planet.

Light Source Planet, Civilization Temple.

"Yu Duan, this is the current status of the race's development..."

"Also, this is the company the clansmen established in the universe using the funds you provided back then..."

"Furthermore, this list contains the new Planetary Level experts who have emerged within the race over these years."

Master Zhen Li's aged voice echoed through the great hall as he 'reported' the developments of these years to Yu Duan.

As for Kun Zhu and Shen Jian, they stood behind Master Zhen Li, looking very reserved.

Over these years, the three of them had come into increasing contact with the universe.

Especially in recent years, a great World Master level powerhouse had personally sat guard on Light Source Planet, all for the sake of Yu Duan.

This had given Master Zhen Li and the others a much deeper understanding of Yu Duan's status.

The number one talent at the Star Level in the entire Universe Kingdom, the personal disciple of a super Immortal—his status was so high that even Immortal Gods could only treat him as an equal, or even address him as Highness.

"Master Zhen Li, there is no need to continue. I am very at ease leaving the development of the race in your hands."

Yu Duan waved his hand, interrupting Master Zhen Li's lengthy report, and then took a silver-white briefcase from his World Ring.

This was a gift Yu Duan had prepared for Master Zhen Li and the others.

From the very beginning of his transmigration, Yu Duan had started as an orphan whose parents were both deceased, raised in an orphanage.

After coming into contact with martial arts at the age of eight, he began to reveal his talent. In just two years, he mastered 'perfect' level footwork and was personally taken in by Master Zhen Li, who guided him for six years before he successfully broke through to the Planetary Level.

"Inside are Bloodline Evolution Agents, which can modify the upper limit of your bloodline and greatly increase the probability of breaking through to the Universe Level."

Yu Duan introduced the three vials inside the briefcase.

Even if Yu Duan could afford Domain Lord level agents, it would bankrupt him.

But Universe Level Bloodline Evolution Agents were much cheaper for him; the value of one vial was equivalent to 10 Universe Level ninth-rank slaves, roughly between thirty billion and one hundred billion Universe Coins.

"Universe Level?"

"Bloodlines... can actually be improved?"

Shock appeared on the faces of Kun Zhu and Shen Jian; it was clearly the first time they had heard of Bloodline Evolution Agents.

Master Zhen Li took a deep breath and accepted the briefcase: "Then... I shall accept them."

Kun Zhu, standing to the side, hesitated for a moment before bowing slightly: "Thank you, Highness Yu Duan."

Yu Duan, who had been smiling, froze for a moment, then said softly: "There is no need for that. Master Zhen Li, you all go and attend to your business; I would like to walk around on my own."

"Very well, then we shall take our leave."

After Master Zhen Li finished speaking, he led Kun Zhu and Shen Jian away from the Civilization Temple.

Since Yu Duan's return to Light Source Planet, this Civilization Temple had naturally become Yu Duan's 'royal palace.'

After the three left, Yu Duan sighed, looking at the familiar palace, and suddenly felt a sense of estrangement.

How did that saying go... there was already a thick barrier between us.

"Mr. Ku Mixiu, do you know... I have been by Master Zhen Li's side since I was ten; he is half a teacher to me."

Yu Duan spoke suddenly, his tone filled with regret.

Ku Mixiu's figure emerged from Yu Duan's shadow and chuckled: "Highness, you will experience more of this in the future."

"With your talent, perhaps many years from now, An Yao, Chi Li, and the many other students will also drift further and further away from you."

"Indeed..."

Yu Duan let out a long breath and said with a smile, "I plan to go visit the orphanage from my childhood."

In an ordinary small city on the eastern continent of Light Source Planet.

In a corner of the small city, there stood an inconspicuous building: an orphanage.

Unlike the era when Yu Duan grew up, the orphanage in this era only housed a scattered dozen or so children.

In the courtyard, a young female teacher was leading a group of children, teaching them some basic knowledge.

High in the air, Yu Duan watched this scene. He did not make a sound to disturb them, simply standing there and watching for a while.

In the orphanage, there were no familiar faces left from over twenty years ago; they had all scattered to the corners of the world, each living their own lives.

The old director, the grandfather figure from back then, had passed away from old age before Yu Duan had even reached the Planetary Level.

"Mr. Ku Mixiu, I have no family left," Yu Duan suddenly spoke, looking at Ku Mixiu beside him.

Ku Mixiu remained silent, not knowing how to offer comfort.

He, who had become his master's follower and servant, was arguably the luckiest person in the universe, enjoying endless glory; he could not truly empathize with Yu Duan.

"Let's go, let's go to the restaurant next door and have some hot pot. This is a way of eating I invented back in the day. As I became the number one genius of our civilization, it became quite popular."

Yu Duan suddenly smiled and beckoned to Ku Mixiu. The two landed at the entrance of a restaurant in the small city, pretending to be ordinary passersby, and dined in a corner of the establishment.

There was certainly no mutton hot pot on Light Source Planet, but there was a similar style of "hot pot fish."

Because the Light Source Race had fought a war lasting thousands of years against the Sea Clan creatures before unifying the planet, the people of the Light Source Race were very fond of eating fish.

That night, three moons hung in the sky.

Yu Duan strolled above the clouds, gazing at the three bright moons of varying sizes in the night sky, feeling somewhat out of place.

"Sometimes, I don't even know if this life is just a dream, just like how I turned into a bird in a dream..."

Yu Duan recounted the philosophy of Zhuangzi dreaming of the butterfly to Ku Mixiu.

Whether it was Zhuangzi dreaming he had become a butterfly, or Zhuangzi being a dream of the butterfly—it was a truly wondrous philosophical concept.

Ku Mixiu smiled and said, "Your Highness, people cannot dream of details beyond their own cognition. In your dream, were there the mysteries of the origin laws?"

"No, it was a very ordinary world."

Yu Duan shook his head, leaving one thing unsaid.

That world was not only very ordinary, but it also contained a work called Swallowed Star.

In truth, Yu Duan had been avoiding thinking about a certain question for years.

This world was clearly just a story from a work of fiction; at least in the worldview of his past life, all of this was fabricated.

Yet, he had "transmigrated into the book."

Why did he transmigrate? If the transmigration was related to the Book of Causality, then why did he possess the Book of Causality?

In his past life, he was clearly a very ordinary person—not outstanding, but not at the bottom either, just blending into the crowd.

He hadn't hit the jackpot before transmigrating, nor was he burdened by deep hatred.

He had simply woken up, opened his eyes, and found himself in this world.

The next morning, the dawn broke.

On the highest peak of Light Source Planet, the summit towered above the clouds, reaching a height of over 30,000 meters.

On the open ground at the peak, layers of white snow had accumulated, and the temperature was extremely low; logically, it was a forbidden zone for life.

However, a unique type of vine grew there, dark green in color, poking out from the snow layers and swaying in the cold wind, its dark green leaves facing the light of the sky.

In the center of the snowfield, Yu Duan, dressed in a loose white robe, sat there, watching the dawn light in the east gradually grow intense.

"Is His Highness contemplating something..."

Ku Mixiu was somewhat puzzled, but he did not ask. He simply guarded Yu Duan silently, preventing any accidents from occurring that might disturb him.

Time passed day by day just like that.

Yu Duan did not return to the Civilization Temple, nor did he wish to live in the "palace" that Master Zhen Li and the others had prepared for him.

The sun and moon rotated, and day and night alternated.

In the blink of an eye, nearly half a year had passed.

During these six months, Ku Mixiu had been guarding Yu Duan the entire time.

Ku Mixiu also noticed that Yu Duan seemed to have undergone some kind of change, which had likely started about three months ago.

It wasn't a change in his life aura, nor was it a change in the aura of his laws or domains; it was just... the feeling he gave people was different from before.

The Yu Duan of the past was humble and steady, making one unable to help but feel a sense of goodwill, admiring his willpower and character.

But the current Yu Duan possessed an extra vitality, and he himself seemed more... transparent?

Transparent.

This word was probably the most fitting adjective that Ku Mixiu could come up with.

Although Ku Mixiu did not know what Yu Duan was comprehending, he knew there must have been some improvement, so he tried his best not to disturb him.

Even when someone tried to contact Yu Duan through the Virtual Universe Network, it was Ku Mixiu and Tianran who stepped in to explain, ensuring that Yu Duan could comprehend in peace without being interrupted.

However, today was different.

Registration for Humanity's Peak Genius Tournament had begun.

Within the Virtual Universe, on every continent and island, one could see a black curtain of light descending from the sky.

On that black curtain, enormous Universal Common characters radiating dazzling white light shimmered brilliantly.

"Humanity's Peak Genius Tournament!"

"Coming soon!"

"Held once every ten thousand years by the Virtual Universe Company in conjunction with all universal nations... countless geniuses from the many universal nations across the entire universe will engage in fierce battle!"

"For details, please browse the official website via the Virtual Universe Network through your Virtual Assistant."