Lanka Star was a beautiful life-bearing planet.
Over 60% of its surface was covered by deep blue oceans, and the remaining landmasses were home to lush, verdant plants.
The true human settlements only occupied a small part of the planet, but even within the cities, greenery was abundant, blending seamlessly with the urban environment.
Because of this, the air quality on Lanka Star was exceptionally fresh, making it an ideal place for human habitation.
Lanka's largest city, Garon City, was bustling with activity.
Qi Yuan walked along the streets of Garon City with Hu Ge and the others, his eyes curiously scanning his surroundings.
In stark contrast to the desolate, storm-ridden planet of Thunderstorm Star, everything here was magnificently beautiful. Towering, grand buildings rose into the sky, adorned with bizarre, large plants. Numerous shops, entertainment venues, and other facilities filled the streets, and people were everywhere. Even high above, people were flying to their destinations.
It was Qi Yuan's first time on such a lively life-bearing planet, and he couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by all the sights.
"Well? Lanka Star's quite lively, isn't it?"
Beside him, Lao Wu, noticing his curiosity, sent a voice transmission with a smile.
"Indeed, it's bustling! It's my first time seeing such a thriving scene!" Qi Yuan nodded but then sent a curious message back, "By the way, Lao Wu, what are we here for on Lanka Star? Are we just accompanying the Master to visit family?"
"It's not just a family visit," Lao Wu replied mysteriously. "The main reason we're here is to attend the 'Realm Master Feast' hosted by the Ancestor!"
"Huh? What's the Realm Master Feast?" Qi Yuan couldn't help but be puzzled for a moment.
"Ah, I forgot you just came from a primitive planet," Lao Wu explained after a brief pause. "The Ancestor of our family, Lord Galon, the founder of the Ortega family, recently broke through to become a Realm Master-level expert."
"This feast is to celebrate his breakthrough. Many powerful factions from across the Eternal Star Domain will be attending, including representatives from the Eternal Empire's royal family, I hear!"
Qi Yuan was even more confused now.
"Wait... they're throwing such a big event just for breaking through to become a Realm Master? What will they do if someone breaks through to Immortal level, launch them into space?"
Then he realized his mistake.
Having come from a world full of novels, Qi Yuan had initially judged everything here based on fiction. He remembered how in the novels, the protagonist, Luo Feng, experienced rapid ascension once he joined the Virtual Universe Company. Within a few centuries, he was effortlessly slaying regular Realm Masters.
Because of this, Qi Yuan had wrongly assumed that the Realm Master level was nothing special. He even expected the breakthrough to Immortal level to be a much more trivial affair.
But the truth was, it took around 1,000 star systems for a single Realm Master to emerge. Even in a mid-tier civilization like the Black Dragon Mountain Empire, a Realm Master was treated with immense respect. For lower civilizations, a Realm Master was almost a mythical figure, one that could not even be seen in a lifetime.
"I almost forgot," Qi Yuan thought to himself, "this is not a novel, but a real world. If I keep thinking like Luo Feng, I might end up in serious trouble."
He quickly reminded himself, "No swelling of pride. I don't have Luo Feng's luck. I need to be extremely cautious."
The Realm Master Feast was set to occur in a month.
During this time, Hu Ge was busy as well. After greeting the family elders, he had been attending various banquets. As a favored "direct descendant" of the Ortega family, Qi Yuan often accompanied him.
This gave Qi Yuan the opportunity to learn many interesting pieces of information.
One day, Hu Ge received an invitation from a cousin in the collateral branch of the family to attend a Slave Battle Performance at a nearby arena.
The so-called Slave Battle Performance was essentially a form of gambling fight.
Both parties involved would each place a certain amount of "betting money" and send out slaves to fight in a public gladiator-style combat. The winner would not only take the opponent's bet but also receive a prize from the arena itself.
The arena, in turn, earned money by selling tickets for spectators and running betting markets.
Hu Ge's cousin's arena was located above an ocean, just outside Garon City. A floating fortress a kilometer long served as the spectator seats, while the vast ocean below became the "arena" where the battles were held.
At this moment, two figures were locked in a fierce duel on the ocean's surface.
One was a Star Level 5 Fighter, dressed in a dark gray battle robe, wearing battle boots, and wielding a sword and shield. His opponent was a Star Level 4 Psychic Warrior, dressed in gray combat attire and wielding a curved blade. The psychic warrior also rode on a strange, curved flying disc, which allowed him to move through the air at high speeds.
As the fight raged on, the Psychic Warrior deftly controlled his psychic weapons, dodging the sword strikes while launching thin, diamond-shaped blades from his flying disc to attack his opponent.
The Fighter, relying on his shield and sword, kept blocking while searching for an opportunity to close the distance. For a moment, it seemed like they were evenly matched.
In one of the luxurious private boxes with a prime view, Hu Ge and his cousin watched the fight while engaging in casual conversation.
Qi Yuan and Lao Wu stood quietly behind them, as they were accompanying the group as bodyguards.
"Ha, Third Brother, who do you think will win?" Hu Ge's cousin asked with a smile.
Hu Ge glanced down at the battle and casually responded, "I think it'll be the Psychic Warrior. Even though he's one rank lower, Psychic Warriors have a lot of advantages in combat, so beating someone one or two ranks higher shouldn't be an issue."
"Oh? I think the Fighter has a better chance. How about we make a small wager?" Hu Ge's cousin eagerly proposed.
"Forget it, I'm not interested in this," Hu Ge replied, unimpressed.
"Ah, of course, you're a big shot now, so this kind of thing doesn't excite you anymore. Heh, just watch the fight," his cousin chuckled.
As they were chatting, the battle below took a sudden turn.
The Psychic Warrior, who had been dominating the fight, seemed to make a slight mistake. He got too close to his opponent.
In that split second, the Fighter seized the opportunity! He quickly threw his shield to disrupt the Psychic Warrior's retreat and shot forward with a burst of speed, closing the gap in the blink of an eye.
"Whoosh~"
With a swift strike, the Fighter's cold blade pierced the Psychic Warrior's chest. A surge of primal energy pushed into his body, targeting his mind's crystal core.
"I surrender! I surrender!" the Psychic Warrior cried out in panic.
But in the next moment, his face contorted into a savage grimace.
With a deep, muffled sound, his head exploded!
The Fighter, stunned, stood frozen for a moment before murmuring in disbelief, "I didn't kill him... Why?"
"Think you can survive after losing the fight?" the voice of the Fighter's master echoed coldly. "Pathetic, you're of no use now!"
The Fighter, unable to comprehend, stood motionless, his mind reeling.
Meanwhile, in a luxurious box above the arena, a young man in black clothing cursed loudly before walking away in disgust.
The Psychic Warrior hadn't died from the opponent's blade. Instead, his head had exploded due to a biological chip implanted by his master.
A life had been taken, just like that.
In the grand scheme of things, such lives were deemed less important than the "face" of the powerful figures behind them.
Behind Hu Ge, Qi Yuan watched this horrifying scene with narrowed eyes. A cold, unexplainable chill crept up his spine.
The leisurely life he'd enjoyed for the past half-year had almost made him forget his true position as a slave.
If he continued to live this way, there was no guarantee he wouldn't end up like that Psychic Warrior.
Although Hu Ge seemed to treat his subordinates relatively well, Qi Yuan knew better than to trust in the mercy of others completely.
"No, I can't wait any longer. I need to find a chance to escape!"