Volume 4: Twilight Galaxy
Two days later, Ye Jian and Shu Xun boarded the spaceship bound for the Celestial Feather Galaxy. The spacious cabin wasn’t crowded, with only a few passengers scattered in small groups.
By the window, at a circular wooden table, sat two particularly striking individuals. Both were tall, exuding a distinct aura. One was a man dressed in white, with an incredibly beautiful appearance and a rare, unique air about him. His long hair was tied high and almost reaching his knees. The man in white was focused on his light brain, intently reading something. Beside him sat a cold and stern man, slightly taller and expressionless, sitting on the outer side of the table. Despite his stillness, the protective vibe he radiated was unmistakable.
The man in white suddenly noticed something on the screen and pointed it out, speaking to his companion. The stern man leaned in closer to look at the screen and the two began murmuring softly to each other. Moments later, the man in white smiled, his eyes curving like black glass. His smile was so contagious that those who saw it couldn’t help but smile as well. Naturally, the cold man was no exception; his sharpness and icy demeanor softened as his eyes were also touched by a smile.
At that moment, everyone around seemed to understand the meaning of quiet, peaceful days.
As the journey progressed, the number of passengers dwindled. By the time they reached the Celestial Feather Galaxy, the spaceship had only a handful of passengers left—those heading there for tourism.
After disembarking, Ye Jian and Shu Xun arrived at the space station. Lie Yang, Meng Muyu, and Gray were already waiting there. The three had obviously greeted each other earlier and seemed to be getting along well.
Lie Yang, Meng Muyu, and Gray hadn’t altered their real-world appearances through their game pods, so they were easily recognizable.
“You two are so slow. We’ve been here for almost two hours,” Lie Yang grumbled as Shu Xun and Ye Jian approached.
Shu Xun smiled apologetically. “Sorry about that. There weren’t any earlier interstellar flights. This place really is quite remote. Have you decided which planet we’re going to?”
Meng Muyu pointed to the holographic projection of the Celestial Feather Galaxy on the table. “We’re heading to this planet, Baiyu. I’ve looked into it—this is the planet where life first emerged in the Celestial Feather Galaxy, and it’s also considered the homeland of the Phantom Clan. Although the Phantom Clan relocated later, it’s been well-protected. Our ship leaves in half an hour.”
No one had any objections to Meng Muyu’s decision. This trip was mostly for relaxation anyway; if they discovered any clues, that would be a bonus. If not, it didn’t really matter.
With half an hour left until departure, the group sat around the table, chatting. Though it was their first time meeting in person, there was no sense of unfamiliarity. From “Winter’s End” to “Deep Blue Sea”, they had been through so much together. The shared experiences and emotions they’d gone through were the best bond, making everything feel familiar and natural.
“By the way, I came across some interesting information,” Shu Xun said as he activated the holographic mode on his light brain and pulled up a piece of news. It was a record about the Celestial Feather Galaxy, but the content was quite unusual, with no specific images or videos, just a text description: A strange white light has appeared in the Celestial Feather Galaxy, suspected to be either a newborn star or a theoretical white hole.
Beneath the headline was a more detailed explanation. After reading it carefully, the group still couldn’t reach any concrete conclusions. A white hole, as the name suggests, is the opposite of a black hole. Due to the nature of black holes, no one knows where the things absorbed by them ultimately go.
According to the law of conservation of energy, energy cannot be created or destroyed. This gave rise to the white hole theory, although it remains unproven and thus unaccepted. The theory suggests that everything absorbed by a black hole is transformed and re-materialized, then expelled through a white hole. As for where white holes are located, some say they exist outside the universe, while others believe they are in a parallel universe. In any case, they are in places that people in this universe cannot reach.
Lie Yang’s antennae tangled into a knot, clearly trying to judge the accuracy of the information Shu Xun had shared. “This information looks like something concocted by attention-seeking groups, like entertainment news. With just one paragraph, it’s hard to determine whether it’s true or false.”
Surprisingly, Meng Muyu didn’t refute Lie Yang but instead nodded in agreement. “Indeed, its credibility is too low. Even if it’s true, it doesn’t seem to have much to do with the truth we’re seeking.”
Ye Jian’s cold voice followed. “What if the person who posted this information was called Nuan Dong?”
The expressions of Lie Yang, Meng Muyu, and Gray immediately turned to shock. Gray scratched his head, lost in deep thought, while Lie Yang twisted his antennae anxiously. Even Meng Muyu’s expression became uncharacteristically serious.
Ye Jian continued, “This information was deeply hidden. Finding it was a stroke of luck and the publisher’s identity was only uncovered with military resources. The Phantom Clan is extremely secretive, making it nearly impossible to find any information about them. Yet, this piece of information feels like Nuan Dong deliberately hid it, as if afraid someone might discover it, but also as if they left it there for us to see.”
“Left it for us to see? The post was made over 800 years ago, way before I was even born. That’s freaky!” Lie Yang exclaimed, struggling to comprehend.
Ye Jian remained expressionless. “You were just incidental. ‘Us’ is just a reference to those who would eventually explore this secret. Nuan Dong may have foreseen more than 800 years ago that someone would eventually trace these clues and seek out the Phantom Clan’s history, leading them to the Celestial Feather Galaxy.”
Lie Yang huffed in dissatisfaction. “That’s still freaky! Who can predict events 800 years in the future? Even if they were part of the Phantom Clan, that’s just terrifying. Did Nuan Dong foresee the invasion?”
“No, not exactly,” Shu Xun answered firmly. “If he knew, then he wouldn’t have reacted the way he did when encountering the invaders in “Deep Blue Sea”. He may have only had suspicions, which is why he participated in “Deep Blue Sea” to confirm them. Remember how Nuan Dong said his intuition was strong? It seems now that his intuition wasn’t just strong, it was incredibly accurate! But what exactly is the connection between white holes and the invaders? And whether the white hole really exists remains a mystery.”
“Sp-sp-spit it out… inv-inv-invaders…” Gray, who had been silently listening, suddenly spoke up.
Lie Yang’s eyes lit up. “Yeah! If white holes spit out everything black holes have absorbed, could the invaders be what was expelled from a white hole? Maybe that’s why the Phantom Clan relocated from the Celestial Feather Galaxy.”
Shu Xun shook his head. “It’s not that simple. If that were the case, do you think the Phantom Clan would have hidden the invaders’ existence? Would they have left without revealing the truth, simply relocating as if nothing happened? Would they allow the presence of powerful invaders, possibly from outside the universe, without warning other races? No, it’s definitely more complex than that.”
Meng Muyu’s expression twisted in contemplation for a while before he sighed and patted Gray’s shoulder. “Either way, we still have to thank Gray. If he hadn’t suggested coming to the Celestial Feather Galaxy, we wouldn’t have uncovered this information. Even if we can’t determine its validity right now, at least we know we’re getting closer to the truth.”
Gray scratched his head sheepishly, awkwardly stammering, “I-I-I just l-l-like… Celestial Feather…”
Before they could continue the conversation, an announcement from the space station informed them that the spacecraft was about to depart. The group exchanged glances, and Lie Yang stood up, stretching his tall frame while grumbling, “Finally! I’ve been sitting so long I feel like I’ve turned to stone.”
Meng Muyu also stood and began walking toward the boarding gate. “Let’s go. Time to experience the legendary Celestial Feather Galaxy. I’m curious to see just how low the gravity on this planet really is.”
After multiple transfers, the group finally boarded the spacecraft heading to Baiyu planet. This time, it was an interstellar flight within the system, so the speed was much faster. In less than an hour, they had already arrived at their destination. Since they opted for a self-guided tour, there was no guide accompanying them. Shu Xun and the others landed on a continent. After descending from midair, they finally experienced the sensation of extremely low gravity.
In this day and age, flying is no challenge for any of the major species. For this reason, despite the unique traits of the Celestial Feather Galaxy, it remained a somewhat under-the-radar destination.
With gravity being so low, there was no worry about getting injured from falls. After floating down for a while, the group quickly learned how to use their abilities and spiritual power to control their speed and direction. The feeling of their bodies becoming as light as a feather was something no spacecraft could replicate. At that moment, they finally understood why this system was called the Celestial Feather Galaxy. Like celestial beings, light and agile as feathers, all life here could freely soar in this world.
Slowly descending from the sky, it felt as though the air itself had turned into soft cotton, gently cradling them so they had no fear of injury. The unique gravitational environment also altered the planet’s landscape. For example, a river cascading from a towering green mountain didn’t fall at a sharp angle; instead, it flowed in a gentle arc. The curve dipped downward and then rose again, draping itself over another nearby peak, resembling a floating veil between two mountains. The river hung midair, clear and sparkling, so beautiful it felt unreal.
On the continent, it seemed as though it had just rained. Tiny droplets of water hung in the air, poised to fall but never quite doing so—like a curtain of beads suspended between heaven and earth, waiting for the warm sunlight to part the veil and reveal this misty, refreshing world.
Looking out across the scene, small floating islands could be seen faintly amidst the misty rain. Strange plants, shaped by the peculiar environment, hovered as they grew. The grass floated just above the ground, with their roots adorned by transparent water droplets. These dew drops were the life source for the plants. The grass swayed loosely in the air, its root-bound droplets sparkling like glass lanterns, while the blades of grass seemed to be the wicks of these emerald lamps, glowing green. These floating grass tufts, with their gleaming water orbs, dotted the landscape, filling the continent with vibrant life.
Birds soared leisurely through the sky, barely flapping their wings yet covering great distances, exuding an air of peaceful relaxation. On the ground, creatures sprinted and leaped effortlessly, as if unbound by gravity, jumping freely between rocks and trees. They could step on a stone or a leaf and immediately spring into the air, moving gracefully like the wind, passing by in a carefree manner.
This was a world of freedom, a place of natural beauty filled with tranquility. The unusual scenery might not be overwhelming, but it carried a distinct sense of novelty. Being here made it feel as though all the burdens and constraints of the world could melt away. All it took was a light leap and one could roam the skies freely, wandering through the heavens with a calm detachment from worldly affairs.
Author’s note:
This morning, I suddenly got a call from a colleague.
“Does Xiao Xuan have a partner yet?”
Recently, for some reason, I’ve been oddly popular with people around me, so I habitually replied, “I’ve been pretty busy lately, not really looking for a relationship.”
However, those who try to play matchmaker always have a habit— even if you reject them, they feel compelled to list all the details of the guy they want to introduce.
So, I calmly listened, but the more I heard, the stranger it sounded. The height, the workplace, the age… everything sounded like it was describing Mr. Perfect. But wasn’t Mr. Perfect supposed to be on a date? Could they have broken up already???
Old Xuan: “Sis, could the guy you’re talking about be named XX?”
The colleague suddenly went quiet. “Oh yeah, I think he’s from the same department as the one you mentioned before, but I didn’t catch the name. Let me check.”
The atmosphere turned awkwardly silent…
Just when Old Xuan had finally managed to get back to some semblance of normalcy… Is the world really this small? Collapsing from shock… This isn’t fair!
Feeling uneasy all day, Old Xuan got another call in the evening, and this time, it wasn’t just one person.
Old Xuan: “…”
After politely declining once more, Old Xuan was treated to another long lecture about marriage. After hanging up, there was a strange, quiet calm in the air.
Maybe Old Xuan really does need a new relationship. Otherwise, staying stagnant and taking meaningless steps in place for so long—like the four years spent silently alone in the past—despite all feelings having faded and the heart now utterly calm, the habit of standing still and not moving forward is too deeply ingrained. But sadly and frustratingly, there won’t be another four years in life where I can afford to stand still.
Maybe the person who wrote that novel was right—love isn’t something that you just wait for. Aren’t you afraid of missing out on Mr. Snail again?
Logic tells Old Xuan that it’s time to stop rejecting, to let go of all greed and desires, and to finally take a step forward. But emotions always seem to run counter to reason… Perhaps this is just a flaw of human nature. Old Xuan still lacks a bit of Buddhist serenity, unable to fully grasp the complexities of human emotions—destined to remain an ordinary mortal…
If I’ve let my emotions bleed into the novel, I apologize. Right now, Old Xuan just wants to stretch out their arms and float in a world without constraints, without thinking about anything, free and at peace with everything.
Ahhh~~ It feels like Mr. Snail tripped over the matchmaking god’s string of fate. Time for little angels to give him some hugs and kisses to help him get back up!
