Chapter One: The Visitor from Another Realm

By the banks of the Luo River lay a spot revered as sacred ground by anglers. Whenever the empire’s official weekends arrived, the riverbank would be densely populated with people, their fishing rods standing upright like a forest, creating a unique and picturesque scene.

Among them was Bai Yujing.

He wore minimal makeup to conceal his striking features, dressed simply in a black T-shirt and casual pants, seated steadily on a small folding stool. His fishing rod slanted into the river’s surface.

Unlike the others, he never baited his hook.

As a result, his fishing line remained utterly still.

He wasn’t here to fish; rather, he sought tranquility.

Perhaps due to age, he increasingly enjoyed retreating to secluded places to reminisce about the past, especially those tumultuous, grand days when the Great Han Empire was founded.

Side by side with like-minded comrades, they shattered the corrupt and dark old order, establishing with their own hands a new realm filled with light and hope.

Those were the most diligent days of his life.

He traveled the world, addressing endless challenges and state affairs.

One by one, his companions departed over the long years.

Though Blue Star possessed extraordinary powers, these abilities did little to extend lifespan.

Awakened and mastered superhumans had lifespans no different from ordinary people.

Reaching transcendent status extended life by two hundred years.

For legendary warriors, four centuries was the limit.

Bai Yujing had lived over five thousand years, not only because he was the only “Imperial-level” superhuman transcending the legendary, but more importantly, because his power touched the realm of “Eternity,” rendering him immortal and ageless.

Yet Bai Yujing did not find immortality lonely.

The empire he and his comrades built remained a constant companion—this alone was his greatest solace.

The broad surface of the Luo River shimmered with golden ripples. Occasionally, an excited angler would shout triumphantly, flaunting a large catch, drawing envious gazes from those nearby.

Bai Yujing’s gaze drifted distantly over the water, as if merging into the flowing shards of gold.

At that moment, a subtle yet distinct abnormal sound caught his keen ear.

“Crack!”

Without warning, a pitch-black fissure tore open the empty space ahead.

“What is that?!” someone exclaimed in shock nearby.

In the next instant, the crack shattered explosively, forming a deep and shadowy passage.

A tall figure swiftly darted through it and landed firmly.

She stood about one meter seventy-six tall, her beauty unparalleled, her long, jet-black hair cascading over her shoulders.

On her head rested a magnificent and dignified phoenix crown, and she wore a dark dragon robe.

Embroidered on the robe were seven majestic golden dragons, but the two on the chest were stretched by the proudly arched curves, their heads round and plump, somewhat incongruous with the robe’s solemn grandeur.

Her hands were elegantly folded before her waist, exuding a calm composure that suggested unshaken serenity even before a mountain’s collapse—there was no hint of a hurried escape.

Behind her, the black portal sealed shut as quickly as it had appeared, vanishing without a trace.

Nangong Lin’s deep phoenix eyes swept lightly over the anglers, and her right index finger moved imperceptibly.

In an instant, she scanned the memories of everyone present, instantly mastering their language, culture, and common knowledge.

Her gaze finally locked onto Bai Yujing in the crowd.

“I am very curious.”

Nangong Lin’s voice was soft and melodious, her expression indifferent, betraying no sign of the curiosity she spoke of.

As Empress of Great Qian, she had long mastered the art of concealing her emotions.

“The power you wield is only late-stage Transformation of the Divine. According to logic, there’s no way you could resist the divine-seeking technique of a Mahayana cultivator. Is this your superpower?”

Bai Yujing lowered his fishing rod, curiosity evident on his face.

“With your manner of appearance and dress, from what world do you come?”

“I come from the Divine Continent, the Empress of Great Qian myself,” Nangong Lin answered calmly, eyes burning as she stared at Bai Yujing. “I have come to this world to wage war once more against the extramundane demons. If you are willing to follow me and partake in the grand enterprise of overthrowing the Great Han Empire, I will grant you a status second only to me, commanding thousands beneath you!”

“Deluded folly! How could a saint ever be overthrown by a strange woman like you?!” a young, hot-headed angler shouted angrily.

Though none around voiced agreement, their glances revealed clear assent.

The empire’s infrastructure stretched into every corner of Blue Star, bringing light and connectivity even to the remotest mountains and fields.

Its military strength, national power, and economy had all reached unprecedented heights in human history.

In the hearts of billions of citizens, there was no need to worship intangible gods; the saint Bai Yujing himself was a living deity.

To insult the saint on the street?

Those who dared would deserve to be beaten to death.

Nangong Lin ignored the young man’s reprimand.

Mortals were mere ants in her eyes—no matter how many, they could be wiped out with a flick of the hand; utterly insignificant.

She focused solely on Bai Yujing.

“Ha,” Bai Yujing chuckled lightly and slowly rose to his feet, his tone laced with teasing.

“I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed.

Why would I abandon the throne of the Great Han Emperor to become your deputy?

No matter how you think about it, that simply isn’t possible.”

“So you are the Great Han Emperor after all. How rude of me,” Nangong Lin said with no apology, but rather a faint trace of regret.

Her slender, jade-like finger moved once more.

A terrifying wave of energy, capable of obliterating soul and mind, silently radiated from her fingertip, aiming precisely at Bai Yujing.

Yet the force, upon reaching its target, vanished without a trace, like water absorbed into sand.

“You…”

Nangong Lin barely uttered a word before Bai Yujing’s figure disappeared from sight.

Only her mighty divine sense could barely detect a faint afterimage moving at an incomprehensible speed.

Her hands, which had been folded before her waist, suddenly separated and shot forward like lightning.

A shimmering protective barrier, glowing with the brilliance of multicolored glaze, instantly unfolded before her, dazzling and impenetrable.

Boom—a heavy, drum-like explosion resounded.

Nangong Lin felt an overwhelming, unstoppable force crash against the shield.

Her entire body was struck like an invisible hammer, uncontrollably propelled skyward.

Below, the Luo River rapidly shrank from a broad jade belt into a narrow crack, then the riverbank, city, and mountains transformed into exquisite models, finally swallowed completely by the rolling, dense sea of clouds.

She was now standing atop a cloud sea at tens of thousands of meters.

Above her stretched the vast, boundless blue sky, the sun larger and more scorching than it appeared from the ground.

Nangong Lin looked straight ahead at Bai Yujing.

“You truly surprise me.”

Her voice remained curiously calm, as if the previous upheaval had been nothing more than a breeze brushing her robes.

“Given your level of source energy, to unleash such terrifying physical power is astonishing.

It seems the power system here cannot be simply measured by the Divine Continent’s realms.”

“What you see may not be the truth.

I never said I used my full strength.

In fact, I haven’t even used one ten-thousandth of my power.”

“I see,” Nangong Lin nodded slightly, as if acknowledging a simple fact.

“From their memories, I understand you are an almost omnipotent god.”

She slowly raised her right hand, movements graceful as if preparing to play a lute in the palace.

Though hostility hung thick between them, tension mounting as if swords were drawn, her tone remained courteous, as if asking a guest whether they preferred tea or coffee.

“Then allow me to use my full power to strangle this deity of yours.”

In a flash of thought, her life relic suddenly activated.

“Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!”

Flags inscribed with intricate star patterns, shimmering with radiant light, shot forth from her palms as if alive.

In an instant, they occupied 365 profound and mysterious positions around Bai Yujing, resonating with one another, linking their energies, and calling upon the power of the celestial stars.

“Activate the Celestial Star Formation!”