"Xiao Yan of the Sky Mansion, answering the summons!"
Within the Star Realm, a world serene and still, an earth-shattering thunderclap suddenly tore through the skies. The booming sound, like a sacred bell tolling through the heavens, echoed across the entire firmament of the realm.
In a tranquil courtyard beneath an ancient tree, a stunning woman had been quietly reading. When the thunderous voice rang out, a flash of delight shimmered in her eyes like autumn waters. In the next instant, her figure vanished without a trace.
"Hm? Xiao Yan… Why does that name sound so familiar?"
"Wait—don't tell me… Is that Senior Sister's fiancé?!"
"No way! Did he actually come to propose?!"
"…"
One by one, the disciples cultivating within the Star Realm soared into the sky. Suspended in midair, wide-eyed and alert, they peered upward, waiting for something—or someone.
Swish, swish, swish…
From atop distant towers, several figures shot out, each exuding a vast, formidable aura. At once, the gathered disciples bowed slightly in respect and retreated a few paces.
"What's going on? Why are the Law Enforcement Hall elders out here?"
"Who knows? But surely they aren't going to make things difficult for that Xiao Yan?"
"Don't be dumb. Senior Sister's already broken through to Nine-Star Dou Saint. Who would dare touch her fiancé? That's basically suicide."
"Eh? Wait, where is Senior Sister?"
"…"
The disciples glanced around the surrounding void, but Senior Sister was nowhere to be seen. Bewilderment settled over the crowd.
"Open the palace gates."
A calm, commanding voice rang out. Instantly, the figures who had flown in earlier all raised their hands. Brilliant beams of seven-colored light shot forth, tearing open a rift in the sky above the Star Realm—a spatial passage shimmering with mystical energy.
Several streams of force flowed into the passage, stabilizing it in mere moments.
Step.
A soft footfall echoed as a lone figure emerged from the portal. It was Xiao Yan, come to answer the invitation. Compared to five years ago, his presence had grown vastly more refined—his black hair fluttered in the breeze, his eyes deep and composed, flickering with the light of dancing flames. He exuded the poise of someone both seasoned and steady.
"So that's Xiao Yan? Doesn't seem that handsome… Why would Senior Sister fall for him?"
"You fool. Who cares about looks? It's all about strength. Xiao Yan's already a Dou Saint."
"Big deal. Some of the senior brothers in the palace have also broken through to Dou Saint."
"…"
As the onlookers whispered among themselves, Xiao Yan hovered calmly above, sweeping his gaze over the Star Realm.
Compared to the Gu Realm, the Star Realm was far smaller in scale—both in territory and in population.
But the moment he attuned his senses, Xiao Yan's expression shifted into solemnity.
Among the six middle-aged men welcoming him, three were Dou Saints, while the remaining three exuded the powerful auras of Half-Saints.
"Please, this way."
The leading middle-aged man took one glance at Xiao Yan and instinctively felt that the younger man's aura surpassed even his own. His tone softened into one of clear respect.
On the Dou Qi Continent, the strong command reverence. Only the powerful are worthy of deference.
Xiao Yan gave a slight nod and stepped forward, falling in line beside the leader, moving deeper into the Star Realm.
The Star Realm wasn't large, and the elder's pace was unhurried—almost as if he wanted Xiao Yan to admire the landscape as they went.
As they passed beneath mountain ridges, Xiao Yan noticed that within the scattered courtyards below, powerful disciples were immersed in cultivation. The weakest among them, shockingly, were already at the Dou Ancestor level. Many even radiated the pressure of Dou Venerates.
"Tch, this place…"
Whoosh!
A burst of wind broke the air. From one of the courtyards below, a young man shot into the sky. The aura surrounding him was intense. One glance, and Xiao Yan saw through him instantly.
Peak Dou Venerate. Just a step away from the final transformation into a Saint.
"Elder."
The youth cast a respectful glance at Xiao Yan, then bowed deeply to the leading elder.
"Not bad," the elder said with an approving nod. "Keep at it. Strive to reach Dou Saint soon."
He didn't linger. Without breaking stride, he continued walking, Xiao Yan at his side.
As they passed each other, Xiao Yan's heart stirred. That youth had addressed the elder as "Elder." Which meant those courtyards filled with peak Dou Venerates might very well house ordinary disciples of the Titled Palace.
Sweeping his gaze further toward the depths of the mountain range, Xiao Yan could feel that the energy within the courtyards only grew denser and more terrifying the deeper they went—virtually all were peak Dou Venerates, and many even radiated Half-Saint-level power.
"This… This many powerhouses in the Titled Palace?!"
Even Xiao Yan, no stranger to divine cheats and miraculous breakthroughs, found himself stunned.
It was one thing for a protagonist to cheat fate and rise swiftly—but an entire group of people doing so? That was just excessive!
Boom!
While Xiao Yan was still in shock, a fearsome aura suddenly surged from below. He turned his eyes toward the source—and instantly, his brows knit tightly, his gaze filled with disbelief.
"Senior Brother Xiao, you're finally here!"
The figure had a roguish Mohawk and a wide grin stretching across his face. Spotting Xiao Yan, he flew over with a familiarity that seemed years in the making.
"Zhang Yang… Your cultivation…"
Xiao Yan recognized him immediately. But feeling the man's Dou Saint—Three-Star aura, the same level as himself, Xiao Yan found it hard to accept.
He had clawed his way up with grit, peril, and countless fortuitous encounters to attain this level in mere years.
This guy? A side character who once relied on medicinal boosts and lacked the main-character plot armor—how did he reach the same realm just as quickly?
"Heh, not bad, right?"
Zhang Yang grinned shamelessly, raising his fist. The air crackled with power as he waved, Dou Saint strength humming in every motion.
"Senior Brother Xiao, it's all thanks to you that I've come this far. Now that you're here, if you need anything in the palace, just say the word!"
With a flicker of movement, he appeared at Xiao Yan's side, thumping his chest with pride.
"Thanks to me?"
Xiao Yan raised a brow. He wasn't even a member of the Titled Palace—how could Zhang Yang's rise have anything to do with him?
"Hehe, well… truth is, after I didn't make a move against you last time, Senior Sister gave me two pills as a reward. Cough, you know the kind."
He leaned close to Xiao Yan's ear, speaking in a low voice, his tone nervous, and even shielded their conversation with Dou Qi.
Hearing this, Xiao Yan finally understood the reason behind Zhang Yang's skyrocketing cultivation.
And with that understanding… his heart felt incredibly heavy.
He was supposed to be the protagonist.
So what were these people he was surrounded by?
He silently lifted his head and gazed at the endless stars in the Star Realm above, quietly licking his wounds.
"I'm the protagonist, I shouldn't cry... (ó﹏ò)..."
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