Chapter 300: Earth's Threat

Chapter 300: Earth's Threat

Shen Yucheng flew westward for over two hundred kilometers and, upon entering the starry night, descended to find a cave to rest for the night.

The next morning, his injuries had healed significantly, and he continued his flight.

But he had only flown for a moment when he landed on a mountain peak, standing on the cliff and looking around warily. Finding nothing, he helplessly shouted, "Stop following me and show yourself!"

He shouted several times, but there was no response.

Shen Yucheng did not panic. He sat down and did nothing, slowly recovering from his injuries.

More than twenty kilometers away, Ji Xinghuo hovered in mid-air. Although he couldn't hear Shen Yucheng's shouts, he could guess what he was saying. Seeing Shen Yucheng sitting still and motionless for a few hours, he decided to reveal himself.

Boom...

A sound broke through the sky, and Shen Yucheng saw a figure speeding towards him from the horizon. He quickly stood up.

Ji Xinghuo flew and stopped outside the cliff, staring at him expressionlessly.

"I knew it!" Shen Yucheng snorted, but he dared not be too arrogant in front of Ji Xinghuo. "What do you want before you will let me go?"

"I'm not stopping you from leaving," Ji Xinghuo said calmly.

"Then can you stop following me?" Shen Yucheng spread his hands to indicate that he had no intention of attacking. "I won't go looking for my main body, and I won't return to Earth with you to turn myself in to the Sword Bureau. If you push me too hard, I'll just end my life."

In fact, Ji Xinghuo hadn't decided what to do either.

This encounter with Shen Yucheng was a stroke of luck. If he let him slip away now, it would be almost impossible to find him again.

If the person before him was Shen Yucheng's main body, then it would be easy to deal with him. But this was just a clone, and if he pushed Shen Yucheng too hard, he could simply commit suicide to escape the situation.

So, Ji Xinghuo could only try to follow him for now.

Shen Yucheng had explored the Starry Realm for more than twenty years and was experienced and cautious. He naturally guessed that he was being tailed and would never reveal the location of his main body.

In fact, for many years, this clone would not even be in contact with the main body.

"How about this, then." Shen Yucheng seemed to have guessed Ji Xinghuo's dilemma. "I'll trade a Super-Limit exotic species for my freedom."

Ji Xinghuo's heart stirred. He wasn't interested in most Super-Limit exotic species, but if Shen Yucheng was willing to offer one for trade, it was likely to be valuable.

"What exotic species is it?"

"See for yourself." Shen Yucheng took out a bean-shaped, flesh-colored exotic species from his belt and threw it over.

He reluctantly said, "This is no ordinary Super-Limit exotic species. You can fuse with it yourself, or if you don't like it, you can sell it. It should be worth at least 500 to 600 million Asia Dollars."

Ji Xinghuo caught the exotic species, which felt soft and fleshy, like a piece of living flesh.

Information about the exotic species appeared in his vision.

【Exotic Species: Clone Twin】

【Grade: Super-Limit】

【Fusion Success Rate: 69%, 42%】

【Upgradable: Yes】

"So it's the Clone Twin..."

Ji Xinghuo had guessed that the exotic species Shen Yucheng would offer was the Clone Twin. Although he had already fused with one, the fact that Shen Yucheng could offer another one suggested a stable source of this rare species.

The Clone Twin was one of the rarest Super-Limit exotic species, and there wouldn't be many places or monsters that produced them.

Previously, Ji Xinghuo had also seen the Clone Twin in the City of Eternal Day.

It was highly likely that Shen Yucheng's Clone Twin came from the same source as the one in the City of Eternal Day, which implied that Shen Yucheng had been or would be in the City of Eternal Day.

Even if he didn't live there permanently, it was definitely within his range of activities.

That made things much easier.

Ji Xinghuo smiled inwardly. As the General of Eternal Day, he could easily use the authority of the Crystal English tribe to find someone. As long as Shen Yucheng returned to the City of Eternal Day, he would be able to find him and track down his main body.

"Are you willing to give me the Clone Twin?" Ji Xinghuo's face remained expressionless, and he did not immediately take the exotic species.

"I've already fused with one, so trading this clone's life for it is worth it." Shen Yucheng was obviously reluctant, but he forced a smile. "You're a tough one, but I have no grudge against you, and I can barely trust you."

He dared to offer the Clone Twin because he had seen that Ji Xinghuo had his principles and was not a vicious person.

Otherwise, he would have searched his body and taken everything after knocking him out yesterday.

Or he could have just killed him and taken everything.

Ji Xinghuo examined the exotic species and then looked at Shen Yucheng. Finally, he nodded. "You're free to go."

"Thank you!"

Shen Yucheng was overjoyed and was about to take off immediately.

"Wait." Ji Xinghuo stopped him and reached into his waist pouch, taking out a leather bag and throwing it over. "I won't take your exotic species for free. This is your payment."

Shen Yucheng caught the bag and opened it to find more than twenty ether crystals inside. His expression became complicated.

"That guy has principles," Shen Yucheng sighed, putting away the bag and flying off in another direction.

Ji Xinghuo did not continue to tail him and instead flew towards Peach Blossom Gulch.

The Clone Twin had a starting bid of 30 ether crystals and 60 merits at the Qijin Auction House. By giving away over 20 ether crystals, Ji Xinghuo wasn't trying to get a bargain, but rather, he wanted to create the illusion for Shen Yucheng that he didn't know the true value of the Clone Twin and hadn't been to the City of Eternal Day.

During his flight, Ji Xinghuo took out the exotic species again and re-read the information.

"Why is the fusion success rate only 69%?"

He felt frustrated as he had always wanted to fuse with this exotic species to create a clone and even had plans for its use.

But with such a low success rate, he was hesitant!

If it were above 80%, even if it didn't reach his desired 90%, he might have still taken the risk.

However, at only 69%, it was far below his expectations.

The success rate given by the Myriad Manifestations Star Pupil also represented compatibility, suggesting that the Myriad Manifestations Star Pupil did not recommend this exotic species.

"Could it be that the clone has some defect?" Ji Xinghuo speculated, "Or perhaps the Myriad Manifestations Star Pupil won't follow the clone and won't be able to absorb spiritual source energy?"

Regardless of the situation, he wouldn't attempt the fusion.

With an even lower fusion success rate, Qinghong couldn't use the Clone Twin either.

"I'll hold onto it for now," Ji Xinghuo put away the exotic species, "When I see Ren Jie and Man Ying next, I'll ask if they're interested. If one of them passes the Starry Realm Department's assessment, they might choose the 'commoner' career template."

After flying for a whole day, Ji Xinghuo returned to Peach Blossom Gulch by nightfall.

"You're back."

Ren Mian was in the greenhouse, studying plants. Seeing Ji Xinghuo fly in, she smiled and said, "This trip took longer than usual."

"I ran into some unexpected trouble," Ji Xinghuo replied.

"Can you talk about it?"

"Of course." Ji Xinghuo wanted to discuss the situation he had discovered with Ren Mian. He first let Qinghong down to play with Little Hibiscus before sitting in the rattan chair in front of the fireplace on the first floor of the wooden house, with Ren Mian naturally sitting on his lap.

Ji Xinghuo hugged her waist, inhaling her fragrance, and asked, "Does Ren Jie know about the Qian Yuan Association?"

Prior to this, he hadn't mentioned his mission at the Sword Bureau to Ren Mian due to confidentiality regulations, but the fact that a single letter from her could make Zhou, the deputy director, obedient showed that even if she wasn't part of the Sword Bureau, she was definitely trustworthy.

Given the potential threat the Qian Yuan Association posed to the entire Earth, it was imperative to discuss this matter with Ren Mian.

"Qian Yuan Association?" Ren Mian shook her head, "I've never heard of it."

Ji Xinghuo then proceeded to tell her everything he knew in detail, including his encounter with Shen Yucheng that day.

After listening, Ren Mian's expression turned grave.

"There's actually such a secretive organization lurking on Earth," she said, somewhat incredulous, "If what Shen Yucheng said is true, and the Qian Yuan Association controls a stargate, then their ambitions must encompass the entire Earth."

"Yes," Ji Xinghuo nodded, "I also feel that the Dagun people don't have that kind of ability, and it's more likely that the Winged People are the masterminds behind this."

He thought of the Bloodthorn City in the Tianyu King's Court.

The lord of Bloodthorn City, "Bloodthorn Queen," was one of Queen Ayaki's most trusted vassals. For over a century, they had maintained a neutral stance between the Beilu Shimen Tribe and Earth, but in the past decade or so, they had subtly displayed hostility towards Earth.

Could this be related?

"The Winged People feel that Earth poses a threat to the Tianyu King's Court," Ren Mian speculated, "Could they have finally decided to take action?"

"That's possible," Ji Xinghuo agreed.

There were countless planets in the galaxy that had birthed civilized races, but the exact number remained unknown. The conditions for opening a stargate were also a mystery, at least to Earth and its neighboring civilizations.

Among the galactic civilizations that had already opened stargates and entered the Starry Realm, there were varying degrees of talent and technological advancement.

Typically, galactic civilizations were divided into seven levels.

The lowest was a Level One civilization, which had already created language and writing systems and had a basic grasp of agricultural production technology.

A Level Two civilization was marked by the development of industrial technology, represented by steam engines, and the advancement to internal combustion engines.

Level Three civilizations entered the electrical and information age.

Level Four civilizations had mastered controlled nuclear fusion, fully developed their mother star's resources, and embarked on space travel.

Before the stargate opened, Earth was a Level Three civilization, but within a single century, it rapidly progressed to a Level Four civilization. Now, it was on the path towards becoming a Level Five civilization.

However, this standard system is quite vague and not applicable to all civilizations.

For example, the Crystal English tribe's ether technology meets the standards of a Level Five civilization, but their resource development of their mother star pales in comparison to Earth, a Level Four civilization.

Most galactic civilizations that have opened stargates are below Level Three.

It is extremely rare for a race to already be a Level Three civilization before opening their stargate, and then rapidly advance to Level Four, like Earth has done.

Among the eight extraterrestrial civilizations in the Thousand Peaks Abyssal Forest, the Beilu Shimen Tribe had the most advanced technology before Earth opened its stargate. They were a Level Four civilization, but their technological progress had stagnated for many years without much improvement.

Then, Earth opened its stargate, repulsed the invasion, and reclaimed the stargate. This unleashed Earth's immense potential, and within just a few decades, it advanced to a Level Four civilization.

Whether it be technology, population, talent, culture, economy, or politics, Earth now surpasses the Beilu Shimen Tribe.

The two tribes have been locked in a stalemate for over a hundred years. Initially, Earth was at a disadvantage, always coming out on the losing end of conflicts at the starry realm frontier. However, the situation gradually reversed, and now Earth holds the upper hand, even showing signs of overwhelming the Beilu Shimen Tribe.

Some scholars on Earth proposed the idea of "hiding our capabilities and biding our time."

They pointed out that the greatest threat to Earth is not the Beilu Shimen Tribe, but the Winged People of the Tianyu King's Court.

Many people agreed with this viewpoint, and those who supported it were known as "Concealment Advocates." However, Earth remains divided, with hundreds of countries unable to coordinate their efforts. Despite the "Concealment Advocates" tirelessly campaigning, no related policies have been implemented.

There are also many people who oppose this policy of concealment, arguing that Earth and humanity's potential cannot be hidden.

However, they also acknowledge the necessity of guarding against the Winged People.

In their opinion, the best course of action is to concentrate resources on the most talented few among the Exceptionals and strive to produce a Star Shepherd as soon as possible, thus counterbalancing the Tianyu King's Court.

Those who support this viewpoint are known as "Saint-Makers."

Both perspectives have a large number of supporters, and the debate has raged on for years without resolution, as no country has taken steps to implement either policy.

When Ji Xinghuo was younger, he leaned towards the "Concealment" viewpoint, but as he grew older and realized his potential to become a Divine Wanderer, he began to favor the "Saint-Making" policy.

Of course, he was well aware that his shift in thinking was largely due to self-interest, as he could potentially benefit from the "Saint-Making" approach.

Now, he supports neither side.

At the same time, he doesn't oppose either.

Both the "Concealment" and "Saint-Making" policies require a unified Earth to be implemented. Concealment calls for waiting until Earth's technology breaks through to a Level Five civilization, while Saint-Making aims for the birth of a Star Shepherd, and both of these goals are decades, if not centuries, away.

The war to unify Earth could result in tremendous losses and take even longer.

Before that happens, Ji Xinghuo believes that he might already be on the path to becoming a Star Shepherd, and if he succeeds, the Tianyu King's Court will no longer pose a threat to Earth.

A single Star Shepherd guarding Earth would deter the Winged People from making any aggressive moves.

However, now that he has learned that the Winged People are possibly behind the Qian Yuan Association, Ji Xinghuo realizes that he might be too late.

It is highly likely that the Tianyu King's Court has been plotting for many years, extending their influence to Earth in an attempt to crush this emerging civilization that threatens their rule.

This plan may have been in motion for at least fifteen years, if not earlier!

Ren Mian shares the same assessment.

The two of them discussed the matter at length, and Ren Mian said, "I can't leave right now. I need to prepare for my ascension to Legend, and I also have to replan my evolutionary path around the plant primal body. Going back to Earth won't be of much help, and you're in a similar situation. But you should promptly report the intelligence on the Qian Yuan Association to the Sword Bureau so that the countries can be on their guard."

"Then I'll head back to Earth at daybreak," Ji Xinghuo said without hesitation.

The couple spent the night in each other's arms.

As soon as morning arrived, Ji Xinghuo set off.

Before leaving, Ren Mian gave him a batch of resources she had prepared, asking him to deliver them to Chi Zhonglin and Jiang Nancaiyi.

Ji Xinghuo plucked a thousand Qingkong fruits and stored them in his dimensional stomach pouch. After bidding Ren Mian farewell, he flew out of Peach Blossom Gulch with Qinghong. Instead of returning to Earth immediately, he first went to the City of Eternal Day to shop for some items before flying east.

After flying for an entire day and night, he spotted a massive table-like mountain on the horizon the next morning.

He had reached Tianzhuai Cliff.

Ji Xinghuo landed on the ground, dispelled his High Lander disguise, and resumed his human form before taking off again and slowly flying up Tianzhuai Cliff.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end