Chapter 367: Big Brother, You Can Really Pretend Well, Master Zi Yue's Questioning

"I am Aiyana, the Fifth Spirit of the Star Cascade Pass in the Great Ye Dynasty, and I welcome all who have ascended."

"The Great Ye is a nation that cherishes peace, tolerance, and hospitality. Aiyana will provide everyone with a comfortable and warm dwelling, free of charge."

Beneath the starry sky, a celestial maiden in a silver-white gown walked gracefully, her steps seemingly on starlight. Her eyes were gentle and lively, and her skin was flawless, radiating a warm glow. A warm smile graced her face, imbued with an almost maternal radiance. She spoke softly, as if soothing the weary souls of travelers.

"Please follow my guidance and pilot your realm-ship to the following location. To avoid unexpected effects from a surge of spiritual energy, please deactivate your realm-ship's defensive and weapon formations."

"I am..."

"Alright, skip ahead," Zhao Xing said indifferently, interrupting Aiyana's second repetition in the language of the Ancient Kingdom of Yuanhai.

Aiyana, the Fifth Spirit, was deliberately designed to appear female. This was to minimize the visitors' wariness. Her appearance and words were part of an advanced screening protocol designed for ascendants from the Barren Domain:

Some cultivators from the Cosmic Territories might venture into the Barren Domain for exploration or even perish there. Certain native ascendants might, by chance, acquire knowledge of the Cosmic Territories or find powerful individuals' vessels within the Barren Domain. This protocol was specifically for identifying ascendants who possessed some, but limited, knowledge of the cosmic situation.

Zhao Xing and Zi Gu were piloting the *Puta*, which clearly utilized cosmic realm-ship technology. Therefore, the spirit Aiyana, as per custom, selected this protocol. The demand to enter a designated area and deactivate weapons and defensive formations was intended to neutralize ascendants without incurring damage, as even a child with a machine gun can kill.

However, this procedure could only deceive the less knowledgeable natives; it wouldn't fool even Zi Gu, let alone Zhao Xing.

When Zhao Xing interrupted Aiyana, the image of Aiyana in the mirror immediately dropped her disguise, reverting to her original appearance. The silver light on her robes retracted, transforming into battle armor. Her expression became cold and detached, and her voice turned mechanical.

"Please state your identity."

"Violet God Manor."

Upon hearing this, ripples spread across the water, and the lines on Aiyana's face softened slightly. "So, it is an esteemed individual from the Violet God Manor. Please present your entry identification code." She then located the *Puta*'s departure record in her database.

Zhao Xing glanced at Zi Gu, who immediately began operations to transmit the identification code. A three-second silence followed, during which even the visual display disappeared. Zi Gu felt a flicker of anxiety, while the others were even more on edge, but they dared not utter a sound, fearing they might spoil things.

"Hurry up! Don't waste my time!" Old Master Zhao urged impatiently.

"Please calm your anger, esteemed one." Aiyana reappeared quickly. "The *Puta*'s identification code is too ancient; it has exceeded one epoch. I require a moment."

The lifespan of a cultivator at the First Stage of Origin is merely one epoch. During this time, the guardians of Star Cascade Pass had changed several times. It genuinely required some time to retrieve the data; Aiyana was not deliberately delaying.

Star Cascade Pass, the Fifth Space Fortress, was situated on a small ring-shaped stellar landmass. This landmass had been assembled by geo-engineers from the Third Stage of the Ancient Kingdom of Yuanhai, commissioned by the Great Ye Dynasty. The star-ring spanning the cosmos was composed of lines of Origin Ley Lines. It served two primary functions: first, acceleration. This acceleration function allowed the defensive forces within Star Cascade Pass to quickly traverse cosmic distances by realm-ship, reaching any point within the Pass in a short time. It could also accelerate magical meteor showers and asteroids, projecting them at terrifying speeds to eliminate enemies outside the Pass.

Second, it could obstruct 'Void Rivers.' Half of the ring-shaped stellar landmass was embedded in the void, acting like a dam or a fence. Slightly larger realm-ships simply could not use the 'Void River' acceleration method to flow into Star Cascade Pass. Individuals could pass, but if cultivators of the Second or Third Stage chose to laboriously travel by physical body to evade the passage fee, the Great Ye Dynasty would concede.

The patrolling Star General on the Fifth Stellar Landmass was named Naland. He was a cultivator at the Mid-Stage of the Second Stage of Origin. Star Cascade Pass had an extensive defense line, and there were many Void Stage cultivators like Naland. However, on the Fifth Stellar Landmass, Naland was the highest-ranking official.

"Hao'er, how long have you been at the border following your uncle?" At that moment, Naland was conversing with a young man dressed in silver armor and wielding a war saber in a cultivation training ground.

"Third Uncle, your nephew has been at the border carrying out family missions for five thousand six hundred and twenty-two years," Naland Hao replied.

"Hmm, show your uncle two saber techniques," Naland said.

"Yes," Naland Hao nodded, then began demonstrating his favored saber technique in the training ground. Saber light crisscrossed the training ground, quickly forming whirlwinds of blade energy in eight different locations.

"Good, that's enough."

"Please, Uncle, offer your guidance." Naland Hao reappeared.

"Excellent," Naland smiled. "You are only fifteen thousand years old, yet you have already reached the Mid-Stage of the Incipient Stage. Your ancestral saber technique has been practiced to the third layer, and your movements are like the morning sun's radiance. You are considered quite outstanding within the family."

"It's all thanks to Uncle's excellent teaching." Naland Hao spoke humbly, but felt a touch of pride in his heart. Reaching the speed of the sun's light in the First Stage of Origin usually occurs in the late stage, but he had mastered it in the mid-stage.

"Achieving such progress while stationed at Star Cascade Pass means you'll have a period of explosive growth once you complete your mission and return to the inner territories," Naland said. "There's hope you'll enter the Second Stage within one hundred thousand years."

The spiritual energy index at Star Cascade Pass was relatively low, and the Great Dao Origin was not as prominent as in the spiritual energy-rich inner territories. Since Naland Hao broke through to the Origin Stage at Star Cascade Pass, his potential would be further unleashed upon returning to the inner star systems. Of course, even with this unleashed potential, there was only hope of entering the Second Stage within one hundred thousand years.

"One hundred thousand years... Uncle truly underestimates me..." Naland Hao was rather unimpressed by this last statement, feeling his uncle had underestimated him, though he dared not refute it.

"If you enter the Second Stage within one hundred thousand years, the family will invest heavily to help you develop a minor divine ability of the physical body. You would then be able to join the great powers of the Ancient Kingdom of Yuanhai, such as the Violet God Manor or the Martial God Temple."

"As long as you can enter a major power, your chances of reaching the Third Stage within two epochs are substantial. If you achieve the Third Stage within one epoch, then you will be the family's sole heir," Naland said expectantly.

"Yes, Uncle, I will certainly strive for it." Naland Hao's eyes were filled with longing. In the Great Ye Dynasty, the Third Stage truly represented a powerful being! Achieving the Third Stage within one epoch would demonstrate immense potential, with the prospect of mastering a great divine ability. At that point, even the Emperor of the Great Ye Dynasty would have to prostrate himself before him, and he would, naturally, be the family's sole heir.

Of course, the difficulty was immense. He was currently only at the First Stage, his Origin just nascent, and he had only just begun to uncover the treasures of his physical body. He was far from even glimpsing the void-traversal of the Second Stage, let alone the physical body manifesting divine abilities of the Third Stage.

Just as the uncle and nephew were envisioning their future, a 'buzz' sounded. Suddenly, a round disk on Naland's person vibrated, and then a projection appeared—it was none other than Aiyana, the Fifth Spirit.

"Aiyana," Naland said, standing up.

"Esteemed Aiyana," Naland Hao respectfully bowed. At Star Cascade Pass, spirits were sentient beings, and their status was higher than Naland Hao's. This was because Aiyana was crafted by a Third-Stage Artificer who guarded the Pass. She could command thousands of Incipient Stage puppets on the Fifth Stellar Landmass to confront enemies, making killing Naland Hao seem like child's play.

"Esteemed Naland," Aiyana said, "a realm-ship from the Violet God Manor has appeared outside the Pass."

"Violet God Manor?" Naland was surprised. He had just mentioned the Violet God Manor to his nephew, and now one had appeared.

Aiyana continued, "The database indicates this realm-ship is called the *Puta*, and its owner is Puta from the Violet God Manor. The accompanying individuals are Qing Yuzi and Fairy Su. Aside from Puta, the other two are cultivators of the Second Stage. However, this realm-ship is somewhat unusual. According to its identification code, it has been outside the Pass for over 1.2 epochs."

"1.2 epochs!" Naland immediately grasped the unusual nature of this. The maximum lifespan of a Second Stage cultivator was only two epochs. Having been outside the Barren Domain for 1.2 epochs, didn't that mean they had spent more than half their lives there? They could be considered missing persons!

"Oh, Aiyana, do you think the people on the *Puta* are natives who merely stumbled upon it?" Naland immediately considered this possibility.

Aiyana replied, "It's currently impossible to determine. Negotiations are still ongoing. This is the record of my interaction with them."

Naland immediately saw Aiyana's complete record, from detecting the *Puta* to the various stages of negotiation. This included Zhao Xing interrupting Aiyana and his subsequent impatient reactions.

"Doesn't seem like a native," Naland thought to himself. Normally, natives would answer cautiously; how could they be so impatient?

"Aiyana, first guide it into the Pass," Naland mused. "Connect me to the conversation; I want to observe his reactions." If any anomalies were detected during the conversation, Naland would immediately stop guiding the realm-ship into the Pass and seize it. If there were no anomalies, it would be entirely reasonable for Naland, as a guardian of the Second Stage of Origin, to make a few routine inquiries as the realm-ship entered the Pass. It wouldn't displease the esteemed individual from the Violet God Manor. After all, he was also of the Second Stage; he certainly had the qualifications to exchange a few greetings. It all depended on whether there were any issues in the upcoming conversation!

"Yes, connection established."

Though it took time to describe, the entire process—from Aiyana's inquiry to Naland's image appearing on the screen—lasted only a minute or two.

"I am Naland, Fifth Star General of Star Cascade Pass, and I welcome the three fellow Daoists from the Violet God Manor back." Naland's smiling face appeared on the screen. "Given that the *Puta* has been outside the Pass for an extended period, Naland wonders if the three fellow Daoists would grant me the honor of sparing a moment during the guidance process for a discussion of the Dao?"

Seeing the change of image in the water mirror, Zi Gu grew nervous again. Hearing Naland's request, everyone's hearts leaped to their throats. During previous communications, they could see Aiyana, but they themselves had remained hidden. Now, suddenly being asked to show themselves and even discuss the Dao—wouldn't that expose them?

Zhao Xing, however, understood this was perfectly normal. Qing Yuzi and the other two had been gone for a long time, essentially making them missing persons. The return of missing persons would naturally attract attention. A discussion of the Dao was the perfect method for verification.

"Heh heh, strictly speaking, a minor Star General like yourself isn't qualified to have me grace you with my presence, let alone discuss the Dao," Zhao Xing's voice suddenly turned hoarse. "However, your Great Ye Dynasty has guarded the borders for the Ancient Kingdom, enduring hardships even without earning great merits... Very well, I shall offer you some guidance."

Hearing Zhao Xing's arrogant tone, Naland was not angered; instead, he found it perfectly normal. Qing Yuzi, the oldest of the three, was very likely already in the Third Stage. After all, he was a genius of the Second Stage back then. It was perfectly normal for him to have broken through after an epoch.

These words, however, startled Zi Gu. "Brother, you're truly skilled at putting on an act! You're merely at the Dao Establishment Stage, yet you're going to advise Naland, who's at the Second Stage of Origin?"

But when Zi Gu looked over, he saw Zhao Xing instantly transform, taking on Qing Yuzi's appearance, and his voice became aged and profound. Zhao Xing gestured for Zi Gu to assume Puta's appearance and to remain silent thereafter. Zi Gu obediently complied, and then the scene cut in.

The figure Zhao Xing had conjured, Qing Yuzi, instantly appeared before Naland. Seeing Qing Yuzi's appearance, Naland was already seventy to eighty percent convinced. After all, someone daring to accept his request was unlikely to be a native, as they would surely be exposed. He immediately clasped his hands and changed his address: "Naland offers his gratitude in advance, Esteemed Qing Yu. The stellar ring is currently pulling us. Please instruct anyone within the cabin below the Origin Stage to enter a safety pod to avoid any mishaps."

"Hmm," Zhao Xing merely hummed faintly, without even raising his hand.

Next, two ley lines within the stellar ring emitted a faint, ethereal glow. The light traversed the void towards the outside of the Pass, reaching Zhao Xing's realm-ship almost instantly. Originally, the realm-ship had been idling before entering the Pass, with an estimated twenty more years of travel. However, the journey was actually not far, and the stellar ring's cosmic formation had opened an exclusive channel in the void. This was akin to artificially creating a 'Void River,' like a surging tide that pulled the realm-ship towards the interior of the Pass. In this way, Zhao Xing and his group would only need three days to reach the interior of the Pass. The surrounding external scenery blurred, but Naland's figure grew increasingly clear.

He began his first question: "Esteemed Qing Yuzi, I follow the path of a 'Void Martial Artist' and was fortunate enough to acquire a fragment of the *Void Ancestor's Chapters*. I wonder if you are familiar with it?"

Zhao Xing replied with interest, "Oh. You are quite fortunate. Which fragment did you acquire? Was it the Reincarnation Chapter, the Primordial Chapter, or perhaps the Lapis Lazuli Chapter, the Moon Sea Chapter? At the very least, it must be the Sovereign Fire Chapter or the Prime Fire Chapter, no? Do you cultivate the Void Ancestor's Pure Yang Golden Body, or the Void Ancestor's Lapis Lazuli Golden Body?"

Naland was momentarily stunned. "Besides the Solar Chapter and Lunar Chapter divisions in the *Void Ancestor's Chapters*, how are there also Prime Fire Chapters and Sovereign Fire Chapters? I know of the Void Ancestor's Pure Yang Golden Body; I myself cultivate this secret art. But where does the Lapis Lazuli Golden Body come into play?"

Zhao Xing let out a soft chuckle. Even Zi Gu understood the meaning behind that smile: 'country bumpkin.' Naland, of course, also understood, and he felt a little put out. "Damn it, I'm being looked down on right from the start!"

However, he was quickly captivated by Zhao Xing's words: "The Void Ancestor was born from the center of the Spirit Void Star Domain, naturally possessing the Divine Ability Stage. He was born on a Solar Star, nurtured and grown by the power of the sun. Later, he entered the Reincarnation Stage and created the Golden Body secret method, known as the *Void Ancestor's Golden Body*. Afterwards, feeling his own methods were incomplete, he voluntarily entered reincarnation for re-cultivation."

"The Void Ancestor underwent nine reincarnations in total. Each time he meditated to death in the starry sky, his body would disintegrate: his left eye transforming into a Solar Star, his right eye into a Lunar Star. His hair became stars, and his breath turned into wind and clouds, thus giving rise to countless boundary stars and innumerable stellar landmasses. The stellar structure map of the Void Ancestor's star systems is itself the cultivation method for the Void Ancestor's Golden Body."

"The nine Void Ancestor star systems are secret treasures of the human race: three are located in the Samsara Divine Palace, three in the Origin Heavenly Palace, and another three in the Hill of Primordial Antiquity. Primordial, Origin, and Samsara are unrevealed secrets. These top three chapters are rarely known even to ordinary people. The middle three chapters are Grand Void, Primal Beginning, and Nirvana, likewise treasures of the Ancient Kingdom."

"Only the bottom three chapters are circulated in the world: Pure Yang, Celestial Yang, and Colossal Yang. These are also known as the Three Yang Golden Body Chapters. Because the Three Yang Chapters were still too difficult to cultivate, they were further broken down into over twenty fragmented chapters, including Primal Yang, Primal Yin, Lapis Lazuli, Colossal Cauldron, Celestial Demon, Gigantic Deer, Celestial Chef, South Pole, Heavenly Gate, and others."

"You claim to cultivate the Pure Yang Golden Body Chapter, yet you are unaware that the Lapis Lazuli Golden Body is inherently a part of the Pure Yang Golden Body Chapter. Your Golden Body will at most not exceed nine thousand *zhang*. At the Second Stage of Origin, you can, at most, undergo three transformations to enter the Lunar aspect, but not six transformations to enter the Solar aspect. It's even more impossible to freely switch between Lunar and Solar aspects, achieving the stage of nine transformations of Yin-Yang to comprehend divine abilities."

"The Pure Yang Chapter circulated in the world that you bought is likely a cheap version. Of the martial artist's treasure trove, you have, at most, only delved into Celestial Chef, South Pole, and Heavenly Hook. At best, you might have also uncovered Celestial Ship and Great Mound. Each time you cultivate, you can spend at most one month on a Solar Star. Any longer, and you'll find your inner world unbearably hot. Am I right?"

Naland was instantly dumbfounded. He had originally not expected Zhao Xing to have any profound insights on this matter, as Qing Yuzi was merely a geomancer. But to his surprise, after he casually mentioned it, the other party seemed to see right through him, as if they knew his deepest secrets. The Void Ancestor's lore flowed effortlessly from his lips, and his explanations of cultivation techniques were perfectly lucid. It was as if he had personally seen those peerless secret scriptures!

"Y-yes, that's exactly right! Senior Qing Yuzi, I... I can actually only stay on a Solar Star for half a month, and it's the same in deep void. Staying longer not only yields no progress but actually causes regression." Naland even changed his address, directly calling him "Senior!"

"This is because you haven't acquired all three of the bottom chapters. If you want to cultivate, why not purchase them all?" Zhao Xing deliberately asked such a question.

Naland was speechless. "Why didn't I buy them all? Because I'm goddamn broke!" However, this indeed sounded like something Qing Yuzi would ask. A direct disciple from the Violet God Manor simply wouldn't understand the hardships of the mundane world!

"Senior, I... even if I were to buy the complete Void Ancestor's Three Yang Chapters, it... it would still be too great a burden..." Naland stuttered as he spoke these words. He felt a long-forgotten sense of inferiority. It was as if others traveled in top-grade boundary star ships, while he could only pilot a basic, low-spec star-ship. Such obvious inferiority was apparent even to Zi Gu and the others. It almost made Zi Gu's jaw drop. "Brother, you're truly a master of disguise!" In just a few words, he managed to make this Second Stage Origin Star General feel inferior?

"It's all about heritage, why didn't Puta teach me these things?" Zi Gu felt an immense envy in his heart, believing that this knowledge came from Qing Yuzi's legacy to Zhao Xing. Yun Tiandao, Liu Tianning, Dong Ze, and the others thought the same. At this moment, the perceived value of Qing Yuzi's legacy continued to rise.

"Naland, how long have you been cultivating at the Second Stage?" Zhao Xing changed the subject. He couldn't let Naland wallow in self-pity; everything in moderation was best.

"To answer, Senior, I have been alive for over nine hundred ninety-eight thousand years, and I entered the Second Stage more than sixty thousand years ago. It was after entering the Second Stage, roughly sixty thousand years ago, that I came here to guard the Pass—it was considered a benefit from my family," Naland replied honestly.

"You're still under one epoch old; there is still hope for you to break through to the Third Stage," Zhao Xing's voice softened slightly. Naland sensed this and couldn't help but feel a little touched. Such is human nature: they scorn the flattery of inferiors, but are overwhelmed with gratitude by a casual word of encouragement from a superior.

"Thank you, Senior. However, I only have thirty-odd boundary stars under my command, and their quality isn't high. To support my cultivation to the Third Stage, I fear it's hopeless in this life," Naland sighed involuntarily. He was about to live past one epoch, having reached the Second Stage only after over nine hundred thousand years. At such an age, half his life was already behind him. Few major powers would value him; even if he managed to enter one, he would likely be a peripheral figure. He also lacked the ambition for adventurous endeavors, so his path essentially had a visible end: the Second Stage was his ultimate destination.

Zi Gu, Yun Tiandao, and the others exchanged strange glances. Was Naland interrogating them, or were they interrogating Naland? Why was Naland divulging his family's financial situation? Speaking of which, Naland, a Second Stage Origin cultivator, actually possessed over thirty boundary stars as personal property. Yet he considered himself poor, which truly opened the eyes of everyone in the cabin.

However, Zhao Xing's reply was even more outlandish: "Thirty-odd stars is indeed a bit few, but you don't necessarily have to rely solely on wealth to cross into the Third Stage. As a Void Martial Artist, you should travel more to various places, perceive the origin of spiritual energy in different regions, and its effects on the void. If you remain in a stable place like the Barren Domain border, it will likely be difficult for you to make significant progress."

"Senior is right," Naland said with a wry smile. "I would very much like to visit a Void Ancestor star system, but the closest one also requires crossing the Ancient Kingdom. Furthermore, my family has entrusted me with duties, so it would be difficult for me to leave. Senior's courage to explore the Barren Domain is something this junior can never hope to match."

After these exchanges, Naland became somewhat melancholic. "I won't disturb Senior's rest any longer. If Senior requires rest or supplies after entering the Pass, Naland is willing to offer his humble services." He no longer wished to ask Zhao Xing any more questions; the more he asked, the more suffocated he felt. While he didn't seek guidance for himself, he could perhaps seek an opportunity for his nephew to receive guidance. However, this inquiry, after all, had a verification purpose. To prevent this 'interrogation' from seeming too prolonged, he voluntarily ended the conversation. It wasn't good to be overly fawning during official business. He guessed Zhao Xing would surely need to rest and resupply after entering the Pass, at which point there would be another chance for contact.

"Hmm, I do have some matters, but let's discuss them after we've entered the Pass," Zhao Xing said indifferently, then cut off the communication.

Inside the Pass, Naland let out a melancholic sigh. "The gap between people is truly vast. I merely asked a casual question, yet only today did I learn that there are so many variations of the Void Ancestor's secret arts. Uncle, this Senior truly knows a lot." Naland Hao, also a Void Martial Artist, naturally cultivated one of the Void Ancestor's Golden Bodies. It was impossible for the Naland family to purchase multiple precious secret arts; if they acquired one, the entire core family would practice it.

"Of course, the Violet God Manor is a major power in the Ancient Kingdom. As long as the Ancient Kingdom has existed, those major powers have also existed, so naturally they possess extensive knowledge," Naland said. "Unlike our Great Ye Dynasty, which only has five epochs of history. Hao'er, your uncle will visit that Senior again later to see if there's an opportunity for him to offer you some guidance. If I can catch that Senior's eye, your uncle wouldn't mind even giving away his boundary stars. Alas, I only fear he won't be impressed by my meager wealth."

Naland had no idea that Zhao Xing and his group were actually poorer than him. If they knew Naland was thinking of offering treasures, they would likely be utterly dumbfounded. Of course, at that moment, they had no other thoughts, only relief. They were fortunate to have Zhao Xing to handle the situation; if it had been someone else, passing through might not have been so easy. There were too many pitfalls. A slight misstep on just one would lead to exposure.

"Qing Yuzi is also at the Second Stage, and this person is also at the Second Stage. Is the difference between an Ancient Kingdom and a Dynasty really so vast?" Yun Tiandao recalled the entire process, noting how self-conscious Naland was, even feeling that thirty-odd boundary stars were utterly insignificant before Qing Yuzi.

Zhao Xing said, "The Ancient Kingdom's *Thirty-Three Divine Crystal Theory* is prevalent."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that a low-level cultivator can earn approximately thirty-three divine crystals per year. The Ancient Kingdom's taxes and the prices of various cultivation necessities are deliberately adjusted to ensure that these dynasty cultivators' annual expenditures amount to thirty-six divine crystals. Thus, they are in debt every year. Low-level cultivators neither die nor live particularly well, accumulating very little wealth. This makes it easier for the Ancient Kingdom to control those dynasties. Of course, Origin Stage cultivators are no longer considered low-level, nor are Ascension Stage cultivators. However, even the powerful individuals within these dynasty families must bear the burden of their clansmen's cultivation resources and aid their development, which in turn affects them. Their rate of wealth accumulation is destined to be very slow. Naland's family should not be considered poor within the Great Ye Dynasty, but for a Second Stage Origin cultivator to only have thirty-three boundary stars is indeed a bit meager. His boundary stars are probably modified stars without any special products."

Zhao Xing pondered, "We are essentially safe now. Once we pass through, we can immediately send a message to the Violet God Manor. Zi Gu, once Zero connects to the Great Ye Dynasty's communication system, it should be able to transmit messages long-distance."

"Yes, Big Brother. Zero said that as long as we pass through, it can send a message to the Violet God Manor." Zi Gu nodded obediently. "Using the Great Ye Dynasty's communication system, the Violet God Manor will definitely receive it."

"As long as they receive it, we'll be ninety-nine percent safe," Zhao Xing smiled. "Once the Violet God Manor knows about this, even if we are exposed, the Great Ye Dynasty people will absolutely not dare to touch us."

From Naland's attitude, it was clear that the Violet God Manor was a colossal entity to the Great Ye Dynasty, one that absolutely could not be offended. Before entering the Pass, if the message couldn't be sent, killing them and taking their treasures would be feasible. But once they entered the Pass and the message was sent, they wouldn't dare, even if they had a hundred times the courage. Otherwise, utter disaster would befall them. Of course, there was an extremely small possibility of encountering an accident, but such extreme cases would not be considered. Overall, using the Violet God Manor's name to pass through carried a relatively low risk.

To take a step back, if they encountered someone who was overly cautious, even if they discovered Zhao Xing's true identity, they would still have to weigh whether killing a native inheritor would be traced back to them by the Violet God Manor through karmic calculations. Without carrying treasures from the Profound Yellow Realm across the border, they would also have to consider whether this risk was worth taking. Of course, the current situation was clearly better; they had not been discovered.

Three days later, the flying ship entered Star Cascade Pass and landed on the Fifth Stellar Landmass. Zhao Xing, at the first opportunity, asked Naland to provide access to the Great Ye Dynasty's communication system. This request was quickly met. Zero connected to the Great Ye's communication system and transmitted a message towards the distant Violet God Star System. As it crossed multiple star systems, even with layers of relay, it would take seven days for the message to reach the Violet God Manor. Zhao Xing and the others remained aboard their ship, waiting for a response. Naland also knew that 'Qing Yuzi' and the others had just returned and would certainly have much to attend to, with contacting the Violet God Manor being paramount. Thus, for these seven days, he wisely refrained from disturbing them.

Fate seemed to favor Great Zhou. Their ten-person team passed through the Pass very smoothly, and contacting the Violet God Manor took only ten days in total.

On the evening of the tenth day, Naland arrived in a small flying ship, carrying a large instrument. "Senior, this is a Light-Matrix Communicator. There are only seven units in all of Star Cascade Pass, and I've brought one for your use. You can converse with the Violet God Manor in real-time, with a delay of only one hundred eighty breaths." A three-minute delay, considering it was information transmission across multiple star systems, was quite impressive. Zhao Xing had one of his clones transform into Qing Yuzi's appearance, who then went out to receive the instrument and brought it onto the ship. Due to his preconceived notions, Naland paid no extra attention to this clone, even though it was only at the Ascension Stage. After delivering the instrument, he racked his brains, wondering if there was any other way to curry favor with the Violet God Manor.

Inside the realm-ship, Zi Gu had already begun using the Light-Matrix Communicator.

Crackling. Hissing.

After a brief period of static and scrambled signals, the large instrument finally began to function.

A 'hum' filled the air.

A holographic projection of an ethereal old man in purple robes, emanating an aura of immortality, appeared inside the realm-ship. "Qing Yuzi, Puta, you've finally returned!" the purple-robed elder exclaimed. "Your master feared you had met with misfortune."

The newcomer was likely the Violet Moon Manor Lord. He was Qing Yuzi's teacher, but not Puta's or Fairy Su's. Seeing this, Zhao Xing immediately reverted to his original appearance, then respectfully bowed and said, "Junior Zhao Xing pays his respects to the Violet Moon Manor Lord."

After the delay, the Violet Moon Manor Lord's expression suddenly changed. "You are not Qing Yuzi, and you are not Puta, yet Zero is in your possession. What exactly is going on? Where are my disciples!"

"This matter is of great importance and cannot be explained in a few words. We dared not reveal our identities, nor can we pilot the flying ship further towards the Violet God Manor. We humbly request that Senior send someone to Star Cascade Pass to receive us," Zhao Xing said.

"Five days! Give me five days!" the Violet Moon Manor Lord said coldly. "In five days, I will personally come to Star Cascade Pass!"