Aliens

Seven days later, home.

Tang Ping carried a pitch-black sword box on his back, the straps digging slightly into his shoulders, while his hand gripped his luggage containing his Virtual Helmet.

He had spent one million Silver Blue Coins to have this sword box custom-made; the outer layer was coated in a special alloy capable of shielding against mental probes, while the interior was lined with soft velvet, perfectly cradling the Sky-Splitting Sword. To any observer, it looked like nothing more than an ordinary storage case, revealing not a hint of its true nature.

He raised a hand to press against the box, his fingertips grazing the cold metallic surface, before turning to survey the room.

A faint scratch remained on the armrest of the living room sofa, left by a toy car when he was a child climbing over it; on the balcony clothesline hung an old, washed-out T-shirt he had worn when he first started university.

Even in the kitchen cupboard sat half a jar of unfinished coffee beans, bought with his very first paycheck from a part-time job, now long since clumped and damp.

For eighteen years, he had grown from a naive boy into a cultivator capable of standing on his own in this house. The height markings on the wall, the yellowing books on the shelves, the childhood toys hidden in the drawers... every corner was steeped in the traces of time.

But now, all of this had to be left behind.

"From now on, this place won't be home anymore." Tang Ping reached out to touch the scratch on the sofa, a sense of indescribable bitterness welling up in his heart.

He knew very well that as the footsteps of the ancestor Luo Feng ventured further into the universe, Earth would only become increasingly exposed to danger. The interstellar conflicts and the battles that could easily shatter worlds—even the mere aftershocks—were enough to reduce ordinary people to dust.

If it weren't for the fact that Luo Xiaoyu would need to return to a familiar place to give birth when her time came, he feared he would never step foot on this land again. Every return would have to be a quick in-and-out, not daring to linger for even a moment.

Yesterday, he had signed a contract with an agent; the house would be rented out to others, providing a yearly income that served as a small memento for these eighteen years of memories.

"Being an orphan has its perks; no need to say goodbye to anyone." Tang Ping curled his lips in a self-deprecating smile.

He had seen the tear-reddened eyes of parents when the neighbor's child left home, seen suitcases stuffed with local specialties, and seen them hugging at the station, unable to bear the separation.

Parting was always accompanied by tears and reluctance; he didn't have to face any of that.

Yet, a second thought left him feeling hollow: he had envied those children with families, who could bury their faces in their parents' arms when wronged, who had someone to back them up when facing difficulties, and who would receive caring phone calls or packages filled with snacks and clothes even when away from home.

"At least Mom and Dad left enough money for me to grow up securely." Tang Ping's gaze fell on the coffee table drawer, where his parents' bank cards and will had once been locked away, now safely stored in a bank vault.

He still remembered the confusion he felt when the bank clerk told him that the money was enough for him to live a life free of worry.

Even until their deaths, his parents were still worrying about their child.

As his thoughts drifted, he suddenly recalled the scenes from when he read Swallowed Star in his previous life.

Back then, he was still in front of his computer arguing with fellow readers about why the high-level beings of the human race, with the immense power of the Virtual Universe, didn't strictly regulate the wars and slaughter within their territory, instead allowing "survival of the fittest" to become the norm.

His fellow readers argued that only through blood and fire could true geniuses be forged, allowing the strong to grow ever stronger. Some even felt that Luo Feng's later actions of protecting his family and forbidding wanton slaughter were "too soft-hearted," suggesting that if Luo Feng hadn't been strong enough, it might have hindered the development of the human race.

But standing in this room he was about to leave, Tang Ping finally understood.

Survival of the fittest might be beneficial for those geniuses blessed with great fortune, but what about ordinary people? If not for Luo Feng, Earth would have long ago become a target for Nuo Lanshan to slaughter for the sake of secrecy, or everyone would have been reduced to slaves, living their lives in darkness without even the right to look up at the sky.

In those times, everyone—generation after generation, descendants after descendants—would have known only despair, with no hope at all.

"A speck of dust from the era, when it falls on an individual, is a mountain." Tang Ping sighed softly.

For the masses, they didn't need the "progress of survival of the fittest"; they needed saints and heroes like Luo Feng, who could hold up a stable sky for them.

He suddenly clenched his fist, and the Sky-Splitting Sword in the box seemed to sense his intent, vibrating slightly.

If he ever had the chance, he would follow in Luo Feng's footsteps and do something for the ordinary people. Those villains who slaughtered mortals at will, those bastards who treated life like grass—they had to die!

Perhaps a peaceful environment would produce strong individuals more slowly, but so what?

He, Tang Ping, would be the strong one capable of turning the tide in times of crisis, standing against ten thousand!

"Charge!"

Tang Ping took a deep breath, took one last look at the room, and turned to stride toward the door.

Of course, he would first develop until he reached the level of a Universe Venerable; after that, he would leave the opponents below the King level to himself.

He possessed the heart of a powerhouse, and his greatest specialty was fighting above his rank!

Jiangnan Starport

This spaceport resembled a massive metal island suspended in the clouds, its silver-white dome refracting the morning sun. Countless streamlined spaceships drifted slowly past the landing platforms, their exhaust trails carving colorful arcs across the sky.

As soon as Tang Ping reached the entrance, he saw that familiar white figure. Luo Xiaoyu was carrying a silver spear on her back, the shaft wrapped in a plain cover, though the cold glint of the spearhead was faintly visible through the fabric.

She stood amidst the flow of people, her cold, aloof aura acting like an invisible barrier, making the noisy environment seem a little quieter.

"All prepared?" Tang Ping walked up to her.

Both of them were orphans with few friends, and seeing people around them hugging their families and crying, or friends repeatedly urging each other to take care, they appeared exceptionally "carefree."

Seeming to realize this at the same time, the two exchanged a glance and couldn't help but chuckle, though a hint of understanding that only they could share was hidden in their eyes.

From this point on, they were each other's family.

In the interval while waiting for the space elevator, Tang Ping suddenly tugged on Luo Xiaoyu's sleeve: "Stand still, let's take a photo."

He had Luo Xiaoyu stand sideways, moved in close, and the two lightly interlocked their index fingers, their heads leaning together. In the frame, the corners of Luo Xiaoyu's mouth curved into a rare, shallow arc, her cold, sharp features softening significantly.

With a "click," the moment was frozen in time.

Almost simultaneously, both posted the photo to their social media feeds with the exact same caption: "Our lives are too short to witness those words so distant they make one dizzy—words like 'forever,' 'to the ends of the earth,' 'the underworld,' or 'the changing of the seas into mulberry fields.'

So, we must be happy."

Moments later, their Smart Bracelets began to chime incessantly.

Tang Ping tapped to open it, and Luo Xiaoyu's social media feed was flooded with "Huh?" comments. The count kept jumping past 100, clearly showing that her suitors and friends were stunned by this sudden "official announcement."

As for his own feed, it was filled with "You really deserve to die!"—over 200 comments in total. Even through the screen, he could feel the "grief and indignation" of his friends.

Before he could reply, a video call from Liu Hui came through.

The moment he answered, a chubby virtual image popped up. Liu Hui had messy hair and potato chip crumbs on his face. Upon seeing the two of them holding hands, he immediately wailed, "Ah! Brother, I beg you, break up! If you break up, I'll even eat poop if I have to!"

"Pfft," Luo Xiaoyu couldn't help but cover her mouth and laugh. Her fingertips gently pressed against her lips, and a faint, sparkling light danced in her eyes, making her look uncharacteristically charming.

Tang Ping laughed so hard he couldn't straighten up. "Haha, don't even think about it! I'm about to go enjoy life in the stars. You study hard at university, and when you graduate, come work for me. I'll even pay you a higher salary."

Liu Hui felt even more aggrieved, clutching his chest as he wailed, "Why?! My brother is living the soft life so comfortably; this world is just too unfriendly to 'goblins' like me! It's infuriating!"

After chatting for a few more minutes, Tang Ping told him the address of the star system he would be settling in and promised that if Liu Hui came to visit, he would host him for free and treat him to a grand feast. Only then was the "grief-stricken" Liu Hui pacified and logged off.

After catching up, the space elevator arrived right on time.

As the elevator slowly ascended, the scene outside the window gradually changed. The city's outline slowly shrank until it became mere specks of light beneath their feet, while the Jiangnan Starport ahead became increasingly clear.

Under the massive transparent dome, countless floating walkways crisscrossed, and colorful indicator lights flickered like stars. The incoming and outgoing ships varied in size; some looked like silver water droplets, while others resembled giant birds with wings spread wide.

The entire port looked like a space city from a sci-fi movie, so dreamlike that one couldn't look away.

"Still have some time, want to look around?" Tang Ping suggested.

Luo Xiaoyu nodded, and the two walked slowly along the floating walkway. There were far more aliens here than they had imagined, and their appearances were bizarre and varied, yet they all maintained a humanoid silhouette:

There was a Crystal Armor Race alien standing two and a half meters tall. Its skin was a translucent pale blue, revealing glowing fluids circulating within its body. It had no hair on its head, replaced instead by three slender crystal spikes.

Standing at a nearby stall were several members of the Scale Race. Their skin was covered in fine, silver-gray scales that shimmered with a pearlescent luster under the lights. Their eyes were vertical slits that could contract like a cat's, and they had pointed ears with small fins. When they spoke, their voices carried a "gurgling" sound like flowing water.

There was also a Feather Race child who only reached Tang Ping's waist. Its entire body was covered in soft pink feathers, and it had a pair of palm-sized wings on its back. The feathers on the wings looked like they had been dusted with gold powder, and every time it moved, a few sparkling feather flakes fell off.

The child was tugging at its mother's sleeve, pointing at the candies on the stall, its cowlick swaying gently with every movement.

Finding everything novel, the two walked over to a food court and decided to try some alien delicacies.

The first stall sold Star Ring Fruit Nectar. The vendor was a Plant-Person Race alien covered in dark green vines, with a purple flower blooming on top of its head.

It handed Tang Ping a cup of pale green juice. The cup was made from the fruit of some plant and carried a faint, refreshing fragrance.

Tang Ping took a sip and immediately frowned. The taste was sour and astringent, with a metallic tang, like juice squeezed from a mixture of lemons and rust. He had to force himself not to spit it out.

The stall next door sold Roasted Star Bug Leg. The leg was as thick as a forearm, its skin a deep brown, sizzling with oil and sprinkled with golden powder.

Luo Xiaoyu bought a skewer out of curiosity and took a bite. Her brows furrowed as well; the meat was tough and dry, carrying a strange, fishy odor like uncleaned animal entrails. After chewing twice, she couldn't help but spit it out.

"Looks like not all alien food is delicious." Tang Ping tossed the remaining Star Ring Fruit Nectar into a trash can and shook his head with a wry smile.

Luo Xiaoyu wiped the corner of her mouth, a smile lingering in her eyes. "At least we've seen it for ourselves."