Volume 4: Twilight Galaxy
A peaceful world makes it easy for people to relax, especially in a place with such low gravity, where even the air seems soft and fluffy. Here, one can easily shed all burdens and defenses. Upon their first landing on Baiyu Planet, the initial feeling of several people was remarkably unanimous: this is an incredibly gentle and free world.
Once they settled, the ground beneath them seemed to lose some of its hardness. Walking on the land, their speed did not increase due to the reduced gravity; in fact, it slowed down significantly. However, it didn’t take long for Shu Xun and the others to master the technique of moving in this world: jumping. Like other beings in this realm, they used external force to leap into the air. The sensation of soaring by merely stepping on a leaf was simply exquisite. Even Lie Yang and Gray, who were born with wings, abandoned flying to jump and hover like everyone else, slowly drifting back down.
“This feeling is simply amazing! It’s different from the sensation of weightlessness, hard to describe. In any case, there’s a sense of liberation as if the spirit can break free from all restraints,” Lie Yang said, descending slowly while marveling at this wondrous sensation.
In the cosmic era, weightlessness is quite common and planets with low gravity are not rare. However, Baiyu Planet felt slightly different. Lie Yang struggled to articulate his feelings for half a day but still couldn’t express them clearly.
Shu Xun reached out to touch a raindrop suspended in midair and the droplet instantly clung affectionately to his fingertip. “It feels so free that even the spirit seems to escape the confines of the body, drifting outside on its own.”
“Yes, yes, yes! That’s exactly the feeling!” Lie Yang nodded vigorously, finally grasping the source of that peculiar sensation. But soon, he realized something, and his expression faltered. “The spirit existing independently of the body—doesn’t that resemble the existence of the Phantom Clan? Could it be that the evolution of the Phantom Clan is related to the environment of the Celestial Feather Galaxy?”
Meng Muyu: “If that’s the case, the Phantom Clan would definitely not easily relinquish ownership of the Celestial Feather Galaxy. Such an environment is not an absolute factor, but it may have some auxiliary effects.”
As they talked, Shu Xun and the others headed towards the location marked on their map. Before descending to Baiyu, they had naturally gathered relevant information about the planet, including a holographic map provided by the Celestial Feather Galaxy, so they didn’t have to worry about getting lost. Their destination was a town not far from their landing spot.
Although it was called a town, it could also be considered a ruin. Only a small portion of the buildings on Baiyu Planet received regular maintenance due to their ancient age, and most towns had slowly weathered away over time. Especially since Shu Xun and the others had landed in a less prosperous area, looking around, one could hardly see traces of modern architecture.
About half an hour later, Shu Xun and the others finally arrived at the edge of the town. The scene before them was surprisingly much better than they had imagined. This small town, nestled within natural scenery, did not appear desolate at all. Instead, it had an ethereal quality, enhanced by the surrounding landscape that seemed untouched by the mundane world.
The structure of the small town is quite simple, featuring a main street lined with buildings that are mostly two to three stories tall, now covered with various plants, giving it a refreshing and serene appearance.
Walking along the cracked street, caused by plant growth, Shu Xun and the others entered the town named Anluo. Due to its remote location, it appeared completely untouched by outsiders, seemingly preserving the most primitive state since the Phantom Clan’s departure.
Lie Yang and the others examined several nearby rooms on the street. They initially planned to search the town before nightfall, but the raindrops suspended in the air grew larger, and the humidity increased, making visibility more and more blurred. Realizing that a heavy rain was imminent, they hurriedly sought shelter in a nearby building.
Not long after they entered, heavy rain poured outside. Due to the low gravity, the falling rain created a slow-motion illusion; it seemed as though the raindrops were descending more slowly. The large drops, resembling grapes, could no longer bear their weight and fell gently to the ground, breaking apart softly and splattering into small, circular puddles. The tiny droplets danced and splashed, like pieces of glass scattered across the town’s surface, each jumping playfully, seemingly unaware that the quiet town’s inhabitants had long departed hundreds of years ago.
Gray stared out the window in a daze. The others shared similar reactions; the sight of raindrops rolling across the ground was indeed a rare spectacle.
After a while, everyone finally got used to the scene outside and shifted their focus to the two-story building they were in. The building had an air of antiquity, looking ancient even for the cosmic era. It seemed that this place had been constructed long before seven hundred years, indicating that the Phantom Clan had likely inhabited it for a very long time.
“It seems the owners left in a hurry. Not just this place, but the other buildings we checked earlier also exhibit the same phenomenon. Most items inside were left behind as if only the people had departed. Did the Phantom Clan not have a habit of taking personal belongings? Weren’t they supposed to value personal privacy highly?” Meng Muyu set down a picture frame he was holding. “And to think such an old picture frame exists here; I assumed the Phantom Clan, with their high spiritual energy, would prefer more advanced technology.”
Shu Xun glanced at the picture frame on the table, which clearly showed a family with radiant smiles, all possessing exceptionally perfect appearances. This was also a characteristic of the Phantom Clan. Their highly evolved spiritual energy enhanced their looks, making them all exceptionally beautiful.
Lie Yang, following Shu Xun’s gaze, caught sight of the photograph and couldn’t help but exclaim, “No wonder they are called the perfect race; even their appearances are so flawless. Not to mention their infinite lifespan and unparalleled spiritual power. Sometimes, I really feel the Phantom Clan should be classified as a higher civilization. Yet the reality is, they are on the same level as us.”
Gray tilted his head, suddenly brightening up. “Leng Bei… completely the opposite…”
The others, not lacking in intelligence, instantly understood what Gray was trying to express. Leng Bei had chosen a name that was entirely contrary to Nuan Dong. Thinking back to the appearance of the invaders they had seen, they weren’t exactly ugly, but they certainly contrasted sharply with the Phantom Clan’s appearance. However, this still didn’t clarify what Leng Bei intended to convey.
In a certain sense, Leng Bei is the embodiment of the world consciousness of “Deep Blue Sea”. His perspective is different from everyone else’s; one could say he sees the world in an entirely different light. Because of this, they found it difficult to grasp what Leng Bei was trying to express.
They instinctively turned their gazes toward Shu Xun, but he too couldn’t provide the answer they sought. He simply shook his head, indicating that he had no conclusions either. What did the invaders, who were the opposite of the Phantom Clan, truly represent? It certainly couldn’t refer solely to their appearance.
The rain outside showed no signs of stopping anytime soon. After using a cleaner to tidy up the dust indoors, the group settled in the house temporarily. Once the two-story building was cleaned, it felt much cozier. With just past noon, they gathered in the living room to discuss their next route.
Lie Yang, uninterested in the planning, went upstairs to continue exploring the residence. The cleaner was still working, occasionally reporting the items it had cleared. Lie Yang made his way to the balcony, where the lighting was obviously much better than on the first floor, thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows on both the north and south sides.
After a quick tour of the second floor, Lie Yang approached the north-facing window, which overlooked the interior yard. Below was a pastoral scene; due to the passage of time, the yard had become overgrown with weeds. The lush grass was pelted by the rain, droplets scattering across the yard. Lie Yang smiled at the vibrant and whimsical sight. Just as he was about to look away, he caught a glimpse of a bluish-gray color amidst the grass, as if a stone slab stood hidden among the greenery. However, the thick grass made it difficult to identify what that bluish-gray object was.
“What are you looking at?” Shu Xun and the others had unknowingly made their way upstairs and saw Lie Yang staring out the window, prompting their inquiry.
Lie Yang pointed down at the yard. “It looks like there’s a stone or something down there. It has a flat surface, not natural stone, but rather shows signs of human craftsmanship. I just can’t see clearly what it is…” His voice suddenly trailed off.
A breeze swept through the yard, bending the lush grass and revealing the hidden bluish-gray stone. It wasn’t just Lie Yang who was taken aback; everyone finally got a good look at the stone’s form. No wonder Lie Yang’s voice had faltered—it was truly shocking.
Despite cultural differences among the various races, the gradual unification of evolutionary directions led to certain common cultural practices, such as commemorating the deceased by erecting tombstones and inscribing epitaphs.
Surprisingly, there were tombstones in the yard of this clearly residential building, and not just one. Though the wind passed quickly, they could still see that there were two additional tombstones beside the bluish-green one.
Shu Xun opened the balcony window and a cool breeze mixed with gentle rain flowed into the room, swaying the hanging curtains. One by one, they jumped down from the second floor. As they landed, countless sparkling droplets flew into the air, scattering like dandelion seeds before being carried away by the wind.
Stepping on the soft soil and pushing through the waist-high grass, they quickly reached the location of the bluish-green tombstones.
Before them lay vibrant green grass, with raindrops fluttering like fireflies, keeping the tombstones spotless. The three tombstones stood quietly in the yard, accompanied by the grass, having perhaps slumbered there for countless years. Despite the age, the tombstones were remarkably well-preserved due to their material, and the photos and epitaphs remained clear. Because of this, they immediately recognized the people in the photos as those from the family portrait they had seen earlier in the living room!
In addition to the photos, the epitaphs included the names, birth dates, and death dates of the deceased. Strikingly, the dates of death were remarkably consistent; due to their high spiritual energy, the Phantom Clan evidently had an exceptionally precise understanding of time, with the recorded death times differing by less than a few seconds.
