Volume 4: Twilight Galaxy
“Besides this, the Phantom Clan’s life force is nearly infinite and their mental strength is extremely high. What kind of situation could cause three of them to die within seconds? This small town doesn’t have much advanced technology from the Cosmic Era, and it’s been so long that we probably won’t find any video recordings. Once the rain stops, perhaps we can search for physical books or similar items. Additionally, when we return, I want to check if any other galaxies are producing Warm Winter Stones in the current Cosmic Era, aside from ‘Winter’s End’.” Shu Xun rubbed the smooth Warm Winter Stone in his hand. This stone was Qu Yan’s probe, but in another sense, it was also an important clue left by Qu Yan.
The StarPlay Family needs to develop games and set up game systems, so they naturally need to have a detailed understanding of various galaxies to determine the game’s background. Among this group, Meng Muyu probably has the most extensive knowledge, but Ye Jian and Lie Yang have access to more in-depth information due to their special positions. Finding clues about the Warm Winter Stone might be difficult, but it’s only a matter of time.
Lie Yang’s eyes lit up upon hearing this. “Right. If the Warm Winter Stone buried in front of the tombstone didn’t come from ‘Winter’s End’, then this Warm Winter Stone is actually a guidepost left for us by Qu Yan.”
Meng Muyu had already opened his light brain and started communicating with the StarPlay Family. Without even looking up, he said, “You finally used your brain correctly for once. I have quite a bit of data on the unique products of various galaxies, but after an initial search, I haven’t found any records of Warm Winter Stones being produced in any galaxy other than ‘Winter’s End’.”
“This isn’t surprising. The fact that a Warm Winter Stone could be kept as a collectible by a child suggests that Warm Winter Stones aren’t particularly valuable in the Phantom Clan’s culture. Moreover, the Warm Winter Stone itself isn’t very useful, so even if it were produced elsewhere, it probably wouldn’t attract much attention. However, the Warm Winter Stone has given me a theory. Could the invasion of ‘Winter’s End’ be related to the Warm Winter Stone? Otherwise, why would Qu Yan use the Warm Winter Stone as a probing point? Perhaps Qu Yan had some suspicions but couldn’t make a judgment on his own, which led to this probe and guidance. How are Qu Yan, Nuan Dong, the Warm Winter Stone, ‘Winter’s End’, and the Phantom Clan all connected? I can’t figure it out… I just can’t figure it out…” Shu Xun tugged at his hair, continuing to let his thoughts wander. Their chain of clues was incomplete, so they could only rely on speculation for now and then verify each point to distinguish the correct direction.
Ye Jian raised his hand and gently placed it on top of Shu Xun’s head, his voice unexpectedly soft. “If you can’t figure it out, I’ll think about it for you.”
Shu Xun, who had been thinking rapidly, suddenly froze. His usually gentle expression now looked a bit dazed, but he quickly snapped back to reality, his dark eyes immediately filled with a smile. “Alright.”
The thoughts of the others also paused, but unlike Shu Xun, they were shocked by Ye Jian’s gentle tone. It took Lie Yang a full ten seconds before he cautiously spoke up. “Ye Jian? Are you sure you’re okay?”
Ye Jian glanced at Lie Yang expressionlessly.
Lie Yang immediately let out a sigh of relief. “That face is normal. I was worried you’d been possessed. It was terrifying!”
Ye Jian’s face remained impassive, not responding. Meanwhile, on the other side, Little Bliss had quietly sidled up next to Lan Yang, who was grooming his antennae, and then suddenly slapped him with a wing, sending Lan Yang flying onto Lie Yang’s face.
Lan Yang: “…” His antennae twitched as he quickly realized why he was the unfortunate recipient of this unwarranted disaster. He immediately began flapping furiously at Lie Yang’s face.
Lie Yang, who had just been smacked in the face by his own blue butterfly: “…”
Meng Muyu silently swallowed the same question that had crossed his mind, then casually redirected his gaze back to his light brain.
Meanwhile, Shu Xun had already entered his perplexing questions into the light brain and posted them in the chat room. In the announcement section of the chat room, a list of questions was laid out. The first one concerned the reason for the Phantom Clan’s appearance change after death. This question was crucial for understanding the relationship between the invaders and the Phantom Clan. Solving it would also reveal why the Phantom Clan had hidden the existence of the invaders. The second question was about the cause of death for the Phantom Clan. Their life force should be the strongest among all the major races, almost nearing immortality—what could have caused their deaths?
The third question was about the relationship between the Warm Winter Stone and the Phantom Clan. This was currently their most promising breakthrough point. It was too difficult to find information about the Phantom Clan, but the Warm Winter Stone might be a guiding thread. Aside from these, there were other smaller questions, which Shu Xun had meticulously listed and clarified. If they could solve these questions one by one, they would be close to uncovering the truth.
Looking at the information on the optical computer, Lie Yang suddenly felt much clearer-headed. Although the answers were still elusive, the direction of their efforts was now visible. Just as he was about to dive into work with renewed vigor, he saw Ye Jian suddenly walk over to Shu Xun and point at the many questions on the screen. Starting with the first one, his cold voice rang out.
“The Phantom Clan’s appearance changes after death, but this phenomenon is absent in the invaded races of ‘Deep Blue Sea’. Moreover, the Phantom Clan’s mental strength is higher than that of all the races in ‘Deep Blue Sea’, so the change in appearance isn’t linked to mental strength. This means that the change in appearance only occurs in the Phantom Clan. The invaders and the Phantom Clan likely share a common ancestry, which would explain the strong genetic fusion and mutation. The histories of the major races can be said to begin after they encounter each other, so what the Phantom Clan is trying to hide is the history before these advanced life forms met. This history likely involves the secrets of the Phantom Clan’s longevity and extremely high mental strength. Therefore, even if many of their people die, they must conceal everything. Based on Nuan Dong’s reaction in ‘Deep Blue Sea’, it’s highly likely that he knows the invaders. So, the invaders and the Phantom Clan probably once belonged to the galaxy and their mental strengths were likely comparable. However, over time, the Phantom Clan successfully evolved, while the invaders underwent some kind of catastrophic event and failed. This is the most reasonable hypothesis I can come up with at the moment.”
Lie Yang was still reeling from shock when Ye Jian’s hand moved down to the second question.
“The Phantom Clan has extremely high mental strength but a weak physical constitution. Instant death can only be caused by an even higher mental strength or an extremely strong physique. This aligns with the characteristics of the invaders in ‘Deep Blue Sea’. Thirdly, the Warm Winter Stone is likely the reason why Qu Yan is different from the other survivors of ‘Winter’s End’ and it may also be the cause of ‘Winter’s End’. The planets that were invaded all had highly evolved mental species, but there must be other reasons. If the Warm Winter Stone is the cause of ‘Winter’s End’. then the Xuanqiu Tribe, who controls the sky in ‘Deep Blue Sea’, would likely be the reason ‘Deep Blue Sea’ was invaded. The invaders are looking for a world with Warm Winter Stones, where they can fly freely and live without constraints, just like the Celestial Feather Galaxy. If the Phantom Clan hadn’t relocated quickly, there might have been one more ‘Celestial Feather Galaxy’ among the worlds we saved. Therefore, the galaxy that produces Warm Winter Stones won’t have strong gravity, so we can filter based on the standards of the Celestial Feather Galaxy. The galaxy that matches this profile is likely where the Phantom Clan and the invaders lived before the Cosmic Era.”
Ye Jian’s voice continued and Lie Yang’s jaw nearly dropped. Although he knew Ye Jian was called a god-level player and was aware of his terrifying popularity, this was the first time Lie Yang so clearly realized the gap between himself and Ye Jian. This person, who normally couldn’t be bothered to say even a single sentence, actually possessed such a powerful logical thinking ability!
Meng Muyu and Gray looked much calmer. Meng Muyu had long known Ye Jian’s true identity. If Ye Jian only had physical strength, he wouldn’t have achieved such a high position at such a young age. Ye Jian’s real strength lay not only in his formidable awakened bloodline but also in his cognitive abilities.
“Why is this small town filled with a retro atmosphere, with the Phantom Clan, who possess extremely high mental strength, not using products from the Cosmic Era? If this isn’t due to a cultural pursuit of the race, then it’s very likely out of necessity. Most high-tech products from the Cosmic Era require mental strength to operate. It seems the Phantom Clan is avoiding the use of their mental strength. My speculations might not be the truth, but they are certainly related to it. Even if there are deviations, they won’t be far off, so these can serve as reference points.” Ye Jian then proceeded to offer his guesses on the questions Shu Xun had listed. As Ye Jian said, these were the most reasonable conjectures based on the current clues.
Meng Muyu nodded, recording each of Ye Jian’s speculations, especially the one about the galaxies that might produce Warm Winter Stones. The criterion of low gravity allowing for free flight would significantly narrow down their search range. By combining this with the necessary environmental conditions for the formation of Warm Winter Stones, they believed they could find the answer before long.
With the abundance of questions and conjectures provided by Shu Xun and Ye Jian, the group became quite busy. Outside, the rain continued to fall, covering the entire world in a layer of shimmering raindrops. The ancient town remained tranquil, hiding countless secrets.
The light rain finally ceased the next morning. Despite the town’s age, its drainage system was exceptionally efficient. Though the streets were soaked, no puddles were left behind. Walking on the damp ground, Shu Xun and his companions finally stepped outside. Taking a deep breath of the fresh air cleansed by the rain, the oppressive feeling that had lingered throughout the night suddenly dissipated, clearing their minds.
By this time, it was almost ten in the morning. The thin layer of clouds finally parted, allowing bright sunlight to pour down. As soon as the sunlight broke through, the overcast sky could no longer hold, and within a few minutes, the clouds dispersed entirely. The warm sunlight illuminated the moist world, causing it to steam slightly.
As the sunlight spread across the landscape, the entire world transformed into a stunning and beautiful rainbow kingdom. Due to the low gravity, the tiny water droplets suspended in the air became the perfect transparent crystals, scattering colorful light. Beneath the blue sky and radiant sunlight, rainbows of various sizes and shapes filled the world. Even within the town, vibrant hues lingered in the air, seemingly close enough to touch, yet just out of reach.
The scene instantly reminded Shu Xun and the others of the rainbow flowers that bloomed after the rain in the giant woodlands of “Deep Blue Sea”. That breathtakingly beautiful sight, once seen, was impossible to forget.
As Shu Xun gazed up at the now rainbow-filled sky, he murmured softly, “It seems we can add another criterion to the search for the galaxy that produces Warm Winter Stones.”
The invaders were searching for their former home, perhaps even for the Phantom Clan! Although the reason the invaders had lost their way in the vast universe remained unknown, everything now pointed to the fact that their invasions were not random. They were selecting worlds based on specific criteria and these combined criteria held the key to unraveling all the mysteries. Given enough time, they were confident they would find the answers.
