Volume 4: Twilight Galaxy
Amidst the worried gazes of the viewers, Shu Xun and the other two cheerfully left the restaurant and, as usual, found a tavern to rent a room. Shu Xun set up the array. Lie Yang immediately took out a table full of delicious food from his storage and laid it in the room. He then happily began to eat, with Shu Xun and Gray quickly joining him at the table, setting out their utensils. Big Bliss and Lan Yang elegantly settled onto their respective small plates.
As they ate, the three of them, along with the two butterflies, discussed their plans for the evening. In the end, they all agreed to attend the baptism ceremony to experience this world’s so-called “holy light” and understand how its energy worked.
“Attending is a must, but I’ll go alone. You and Gray should stay at the tavern. I’ll set up the array before I leave,” Shu Xun said naturally.
Lie Yang, who had been happily waving his antennae, suddenly choked. After swallowing his food, he quickly spoke up. “Why? If you don’t have a reasonable explanation, I’m definitely going!”
Gray curled his antennae and seriously nodded. “We’re going.”
Shu Xun had expected this reaction and calmly explained, “The invaders’ spiritual power is extremely high, nearly on par with the Phantom Clan. That much is already undeniable. If invaders with such high spiritual power can’t hide in the baptism’s white light, then it’s highly likely that we, with lower spiritual power, will also be exposed. We haven’t encountered this issue so far, but based on my theory, many game players have probably been forced to log out of the game after participating in the baptism ceremony and being noticed by the world consciousness. Therefore, only humans and members of the Phantom Clan, whose forms are nearly identical to the Twilight Clan, can remain safe in the holy light.”
Lie Yang thought for a moment but still shook his head. “I don’t think that’s necessarily true. The baptism ceremony might only target the transformed Twilight Clan. Even if it affects game players, since the ceremony is conducted by priests, the holy light must be limited by the priest’s own abilities. In other words, as long as one’s personal power exceeds that of the Twilight Clan priest, it’s possible not to be detected. On the other hand, staying at the tavern poses a similar risk of being discovered by the Twilight Clan. We don’t know how they detect those who avoid the baptism ceremony, but it seems that if you’re found out, the consequences aren’t good. Moreover, Shu Xun, your array is strong, but can you be 100% sure it can hide everything? Even if Gray and I avoid detection, how long can we stay hidden? We haven’t even been to Zhu Si City yet, but even Meng Muyu didn’t dare to act recklessly there, so it’s bound to be more rigorous than Qi Yu City. Why not take this opportunity to figure out the limits and range of the holy light’s effects?”
Lie Yang continued listing his theories passionately, while at the dining table, the two people and two butterflies turned their heads in shock to look at him. The live-stream chat also fell into a brief silence, followed by:
“Has our king suddenly been possessed by something weird?”
“Lie Yang’s brain turned on for a second!”
“After thinking about it, what Lie Yang said actually makes sense! That’s the scariest part!”
“Help! Has our king been transformed by the invaders?”
“I was just feeling relieved that Shu Xun deduced the dangers of the baptism ceremony, but then Lie Da’s brain suddenly turned on!”
Fortunately, Lie Yang, being inside the game, couldn’t see the chat comments; otherwise, he would probably rush out of the game and challenge someone to a duel.
“So, in conclusion, I’m going to the baptism ceremony too!” Lie Yang concluded. Then, he looked at Shu Xun, Gray, and the two blue butterflies, whose wings had stopped flapping, and asked in confusion, “Why do you all look like you’ve seen a ghost?”
Shu Xun finally snapped out of his daze, his expression unusually surprised. “I actually can’t find any flaws in what you said. No way to argue.”
Big Bliss, holding a piece of soft bread, nodded his little head. “It actually makes sense?”
Gray’s eyes shone brightly. “King, king, king… suddenly… grew a brain…”
Lie Yang (╰_╯): “My companion blue butterfly has great logical thinking too! What does that say? What does that say?!”
Lan Yang gracefully smoothed out his antennae, nodded in agreement, and continued Lie Yang’s words. “Generally speaking, this clearly shows that a small portion of my wisdom was inherited by him, which, at times, proves useful.”
Lie Yang: ??? Is the cause and effect reversed here? Just as he was about to correct him, he saw Shu Xun, Gray, and Big Bliss all nodding with expressions of understanding, as if they accepted Lan Yang’s reasoning.
Lie Yang: “…” Why do I have such an unreliable team?
Despite the twists and turns, Lie Yang ultimately got his way. The three of them decided to head together to Qi Yu City’s central square to participate in the baptism ceremony. The ceremony was held after dusk, as the Twilight Clan’s cultural history defined dusk as the period of transition between light and dark. Conducting the baptism at this time, while light still lingered, made it easier for the transformed ones to be exposed.
After lunch, the three of them rested at the tavern for a while before setting off. There was still plenty of time before the baptism ceremony, so during this period, they continued to wander the city, gathering more useful information. Of course, in preparation for the baptism, Shu Xun also made an effort to understand the terrain outside Qi Yu City. He found out that to the west of the city lies a famous mountain range that stretches across much of the continent. The range is dense with vegetation and rich in species, which is one of the reasons why Qi Yu City ranks as the leading subordinate city of Zhu Si City.
Shu Xun tugged at his hair as he mentally mapped out the geography of the mountains and realized that by following the mountain range, they could also reach Zhu Si City. However, the mountain was fraught with dangers, and the Twilight Clan rarely chose that route. Shu Xun greeted Lie Yang and Gray before heading alone toward the city’s western exit, silently acknowledging Lie Yang’s theory but still ensuring they had an escape route.
As dusk approached, Shu Xun finally returned to Qi Yu City, where Gray and Lie Yang were waiting. The three of them followed the crowd to the central square. Shu Xun quietly said, “If anything goes wrong during the baptism, head here immediately.” With that, he sent a set of coordinates to the chat room. “I’ve set up an illusion array outside the city. Hopefully, it will affect the world consciousness.”
Gray and Lie Yang nodded slightly in acknowledgment. Then, they realized that even if something went wrong during the baptism, given how fast the world consciousness could strike with lightning, they wouldn’t be able to reach Shu Xun’s designated location in time, even at full speed. However, by that point, the three of them had already reached the square. The serene and solemn atmosphere of the place made them hesitant to act rashly.
Qi Yu City’s central square was also paved with flawless white stone. The moment Shu Xun stepped onto it, he sensed something was wrong. This unknown white stone was emitting a strange energy. The three of them exchanged glances and immediately understood why even invaders with such high spiritual power couldn’t avoid exposure. The priest’s abilities were significantly enhanced by the white stone, turning the entire central square into a massive enhancement array.
The blood-red sunset on the horizon cast a warm yellow light, but it no longer provided much warmth. The entire square was bathed in the remnants of dusk. Crowds filled the square, keeping a respectful distance from each other—not too close, but not too distant either. Coincidentally, standing next to Shu Xun and his group was the family of three they had encountered during lunch. Like everyone else, they stood a certain distance apart, their eyes focused on the center of the square.
Soon, a person walked into the circular, intricate array at the center of the square. Amid the sea of good-looking people, that person still stood out—not because of his white robes, but due to the innate, pure sense of holiness radiating from him, as if he were surrounded by a soft glow of light mist.
Shu Xun narrowed his eyes. This person was incredibly strong. That aura of holiness wasn’t an illusion but a reflection of the immense power contained within him. It seemed the high status of the priesthood was truly justified.
The Twilight Clan were evidently not a race that enjoyed lengthy speeches before a ceremony. Just as Shu Xun had seen in the video, the white-robed priest appeared sacred and untouchable. Holding a staff, he began to chant in a low voice. His ethereal voice echoed in their ears, yet no one could understand what he was saying. However, each syllable seemed to penetrate the soul, resonating deeply in a way that words could not describe.
After the enchanting chant, a brilliant white light began to gather, shining radiantly before finally hovering overhead. In an instant, it dispelled the fragile remnants of dusk and flooded the entire central square. Against the backdrop of the white stone, everyone standing in the square seemed to be in a pure white space. All secrets had nowhere to hide! All darkness would be exposed!
The livestream was completely silent. Everyone had their eyes tightly locked on Lie Yang and Gray, forgetting to even breathe.
In the bright, pure white world, shadows became the only source of darkness. Almost the moment the light burst forth, before anyone could even take a proper look—
The sky suddenly brightened, lightning flashed, and struck down!
It was here! Everyone’s hearts skipped a beat. At that moment, they couldn’t quite put their feelings into words. Ultimately, it had failed! From the start of the game until now, although the time wasn’t long, they had witnessed far too many players being forced to log out by the world’s lightning. No one had ever escaped its speed and power. They hadn’t expected that even someone as strong as Lie Yang would also fall.
However, to everyone’s shock, the lightning didn’t just strike two places but three! One bolt was aimed at Lie Yang, another at Gray, and the third, shockingly, at the young boy in the family of three not far from them!
The lightning descended rapidly. Even though they were prepared, Lie Yang and Gray still couldn’t react in time—the lightning struck!
However, when the flash faded, all three targets were standing unharmed in the square.
A silent wave of shock spread. The astonishment wasn’t only among the audience watching the live stream, but also among the natives in the square. For the first time, the expressions on the faces and in the eyes of the many Twilight Clan held something other than reverence—deep confusion and disbelief.
Lie Yang and Gray were unharmed thanks to the jade talismans they carried, which had been sent to them by Shu Xun before they entered the game. At that moment, the two of them were enveloped by a spherical white light shield. As for the Twilight Clan boy, he was safe because, above his head, a white figure soared through the air, spinning and swinging a sword. The sword’s energy was like a rainbow, slicing the falling lightning apart with a spiritual blade. The white-clad boy’s long hair still swayed gently from the powerful movements, his robes fluttering without wind, leaving everyone dazzled.
Someone had blocked the heavenly punishment!
The sight that shattered the Twilight Clan’s worldview left even the priests stunned. But as everyone stood in a daze, Lie Yang, Gray, and Shu Xun—who had brought the Twilight Clan boy along—immediately escaped the square and headed for the pre-arranged illusion array outside Qi Yu City.
The boy Shu Xun had taken with him seemed to have finally grasped what was happening. Shu Xun, flying with his sword, had been ready to calm the boy down, telling him not to panic or struggle. But surprisingly, the boy merely turned his head to glance back in the direction they’d come from, then quietly refocused his gaze forward, letting Shu Xun grip his wrist. The late evening wind, whipped into a fierce gust by their speed, messed up the boy’s hair, obscuring his perfect eyes.
Seeing this, Shu Xun didn’t say anything more. He accelerated to his fastest speed, heading for the designated location. Lie Yang and Gray followed closely behind, their figures flashing across the sky above Qi Yu City, leaving behind traces that seemed like illusions.
Behind them, the Twilight Clan finally reacted, chasing relentlessly. Above the four of them, dark clouds suddenly gathered, swirling with red lightning, waiting to break through the clouds.
Shu Xun and the others were flying at an incredibly fast pace, so the Twilight Clan, who had been a bit slow to act, could only trail far behind, unable to intercept them. However, in the blood-red sky, the oppressive lightning continued to surge with terrifying momentum.
As everyone held their breath in tense anticipation, the red lightning shot down at incredible speed, locking onto the trio’s figures and striking straight at them.
But when the light dispersed, the four figures in the sky were still lively, fleeing at high speed, without even slowing down. The dark clouds in the sky seemed to freeze for a few seconds before suddenly spreading across the entire horizon. The blood-red sunset was instantly swallowed by the black clouds, and daylight was completely submerged, leaving the sky in a state of restless turmoil. One bolt of lightning after another fell continuously, no longer concerned with accuracy, aiming instead for a wide-range obliteration.
Yet, amidst the torrential downpour of lightning, Shu Xun and the others deftly weaved through. Any unavoidable strikes were either blocked by the jade talisman’s light shield or sliced apart by Shu Xun’s sword. In no time at all, the three of them had escaped thousands of miles away, carefree.
The Twilight Clan far behind: “…”
In the live stream chat: “…”
