A spaceship emerged from the white light. It looked completely battered.
This was not surprising, because under the terrifying energy tide that swept through earlier, only materials of the Immortal-level or higher could possibly have survived intact. The fact that this spacecraft still retained a relatively intact hull was sufficient proof of its exceptional quality.
What surprised Zi Yanxin, however, was that the design of this spacecraft felt quite familiar to her. If she remembered correctly, the Meteor ship she had previously dispatched from the Star Spirit Flower to transport Lu Sheng and his party was of this exact design.
The Meteor ship had been manufactured by the Star Spirit Flower family's shipbuilding facility; only one had ever been produced, and in theory, it was impossible for anyone outside the family to replicate it.
If that was the case, then why was this "Meteor" here? Shouldn't Lu Sheng and the others be on board? How had it suddenly become the vehicle of the legendary Dilius?
Just as Yanxin's mind was racing with these thoughts, at that very moment, the hatch of the damaged spacecraft slowly opened. A figure stepped out slowly. The moment that figure appeared, everyone watching in the starry sky instinctively held their breath.
It was an exceptionally handsome young man. His skin was as smooth as jade, and his eyes shone like the rarest and most precious gems in the cosmos. A well-fitted black combat suit outlined his nearly perfect, well-proportioned physique.
He simply stood there quietly, giving off no excessive aura, yet he had already become the sole focal point of this starry expanse. Even the Celestial Serpent's heart, which had shone brilliantly for countless light-years, could not overshadow the radiance emanating from him at that moment.
"Dilius! This is the legendary Dilius!" Someone in the crowd shouted with palpable excitement.
The tranquil night sky ignited in an instant, as countless people gazed at the handsome young man before them with near-frenetic intensity.
Zi Yanxin, however, froze in her tracks, as if struck by some paralyzing spell, unable to move.
"Truly worthy of the name Dilius, a Sovereign-class Blood, a figure destined to shine across an entire galaxy!" Elder Shadostar's admiring voice rang in her ears.
A strange, indescribable expression flashed across Yanxin's face. She slowly turned her head to look at Elder Shadostar and asked, "Elder, have you never seen Dilius in person before?"
The Elder glanced at her and sneered, "What? Have you seen him, by any chance?"
"Of course not." Yanxin shook her head.
"Hmph…"
"However…" Yanxin suddenly changed the subject. Pointing at the figure in the distance who was the center of everyone's attention, she spoke in a peculiar tone: "I do know that person. He isn't Dilius. His name is… Lu Sheng!"
"Eh???!?" Elder Shadostar whipped his head around, staring blankly at her.
Seeing the utter seriousness and conviction on her face, an expression of utter disbelief quickly spread across his own, and he couldn't help but blurt out: "What kind of cosmic joke are you playing?!!"
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"Boom!"
Accompanied by a violent tremor that shook the cosmos, a massive, mystical formation composed of countless Star Cores suddenly exploded. The vast cosmic energy filling the starry sky surged toward the very center in a mighty torrent, like a thousand rivers converging. Yet from that very spot erupted countless bolts of lightning and storms, as if a star-level catastrophe had suddenly descended.
A moment later, a figure of such overwhelming might that it seemed to dominate the starry sky slowly emerged from the thunder and storm. He was a young man of striking and majestic appearance; every part of his body seemed to embody the very Laws of the universe.
Beneath his skin, a shimmering celestial map appeared to swirl ceaselessly, and every movement he made exuded a terrifying aura capable of striking fear into all. Moreover, a third eye resided between his brows.
As the three-eyed youth appeared, the cosmic energy swirling around him and behind him, along with the raging thunder and storms, all converged into his body. He was like a human vessel sealing the great terror of the cosmos, walking among mortals to sow calamity.
"Dilius!"
The countless onlookers around him all wore expressions of deep reverence the moment they saw the three-eyed youth appear. Even the most arrogant among them were compelled to bow their heads before this youth.
"Dilius." A figure darted forward, closing in on the three-eyed youth's side. It was a middle-aged man whose appearance and demeanor bore a striking resemblance to the three-eyed youth; a mark of a third eye also graced his brow. Yet it was merely a mark—not even a slit had opened.
Seeing the three-eyed youth appear, the middle-aged man's face lit up with a touch of relief, and he spoke quickly: "You've succeeded in your ascension. Reaching level 13 at the age of twenty—this record in the Celestial Serpent galaxy will never be broken!"
The three-eyed youth, however, remained expressionless, his gaze icy, and his face showed not a trace of joy. He raised his eyes to scan the surroundings. A beam of destructive light—like a laser, though infinitely more powerful—erupted from the third vertical eye between his brows. With a thunderous roar, it swept across the area, obliterating every remnant of the magical array!
"Didn't the people of the Dao Spirit sect claim that this so-called Immortal Dao Spirit Gathering Law Wave could draw in the cosmic energy of the entire Celestial Serpent's heart? Why was it snatched away midway? And who dared to steal the energy that belongs to me?!"
Dilius spoke coldly as the beams of destruction emanating from his eyes swept across the area, causing the onlookers to turn pale with fear and retreat in panic. He now resembled a tyrannical monarch, venting his frustration with unbridled fury.
The middle-aged man at his side also looked grim as he replied quickly in a low voice, "The Immortal Dao universe has long since collapsed; the Immortal Dao is nothing more than an obsolete, outdated practice. It's only natural that unexpected mishaps and oversights occur. I will go to the Dao Spirit Sect to demand an explanation for this. As for the one who disrupted your ascension midway and stole your energy—"
The middle-aged man paused here, then made a virtual gesture in front of him, causing a virtual screen to appear. The screen displayed a handsome young man with black hair and black eyes, his features nearly flawless.
"I've identified him. It's him. His name is Lu Sheng, from an extremely remote Star Region. Based on his physical constitution, he's estimated to be somewhere between the Immortal and Sovereign levels. He was able to seize your ascension energy surge, likely using Immortal Dao techniques."
Dilius narrowed his eyes slightly, staring intently at the young man on the screen for a moment. Suddenly, a brilliant light burst forth from the third eye between his brows. An incredibly intense beam of light shot out violently from his third eye. Toward a certain direction.
"I'll see just who dares to challenge the authority of Dilius! Hmph!"
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Translation notes by dhoo
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Dao Ling sect/clan
In a previous arc, Lu Sheng defeated Qian Yushu and inherited his memories. Yushu was the son of the 9th master of the Dao Ling sect/clan, whose followers cultivate the Immortal Dao. Among their techniques, there is the ability to gather energy from the surrounding starry sky, a bit like Genkidama in Dragon Ball, though the gathered energy is the energy from space itself, not from living beings. People in this sect are reincarnations of people from the now collapsed Immortal Dao universe, they belonged to the so-called Immortal Dao civilization.
Apparently, Dilius and/or his mentor also met people of that sect, who taught him this Immortal Dao technique.
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Zi Yanxin refers to herself as "Zi Yanxin", as a sign of humilty, when she speaks to Elder Shadostar.
Dilius refers to himself as "Dilius", as a sign of... arrogance? He sounds like a child, an angry 20yo child.