Chapter 919: Gaia

At the Homo Sapien Alliance Yin Luo Galaxy Office in Yin Luo Galaxy.

This office was originally meant to be dismantled after the legacy of the Astral God Yin Luo came to an end. However, everything changed when Li Pin rose to prominence at an astonishing pace. He later ascended to become a Cosmic Radiance and represented the Human Race in the Ten Thousand Tribes Dominion War. Such extraordinary achievements were rare. Few star regions could ever nurture someone of his caliber.

In light of this, the office was not only preserved, but also significantly expanded.

When news broke that Li Pin had swept through the Ten Thousand Tribes Dominion War, the office's status was elevated again and again, until it came under the direct command of a Supreme of the Homo Sapien Alliance.

Originally, this office had been overseen by Yan Qing. But following the Astral World Disaster, Yan Qing's avatar fell into slumber, and the responsibility of leadership was handed over to a group of Divine Beings.

At this moment, at the location of the Astral Gate, the Divine Beings had gathered near the entrance.

There was neither a grand reception nor any ceremonial display. Each of them had quietly assumed ordinary roles, such as customer service, front desk, or reception duties.

As for the rest... even the janitors and security personnel were once towering figures of fame in the Yin Luo Galaxy. The weakest among them were Tier Four Legends who had already mastered inner spirit power.

This lineup was only possible due to the aftermath of the Astral World Disaster, which severed the connection between many Astral Gods and the universe.

Had that not happened, the task of receiving the guest would never have fallen to mere Legends or Divine Beings. It would have been carried out by avatars of Solar Flare, or even Cosmic Radiance Astral Gods themselves.

And the reason behind such a lineup was the imminent arrival of a guest whose clearance level had reached an astonishing Level 100.

***

One of the Divines couldn't help but wonder aloud. "Is it him?"

That Divine was none other than Yu Jianglong, the patriarch of the Yu Clan.

"It must be. Other than him, I can't think of anyone else with such an exalted status who would come all the way to a remote place like the Yin Luo Galaxy."

The one responding was Si Yun from the Si Clan. He was also a Divine Being and the Patriarch of Si Xing's branch.

Both of them had long set aside their roles as patriarchs, choosing instead to come to the Yin Luo Galaxy and serve in the Homo Sapien Alliance Office, even if only as minor Level-6 officials.

Their purpose was simple: To be just a little closer to that Supreme Being, whose talent defied all comprehension.

They knew full well that such a move was ultimately meaningless. They knew full well that doing this was ultimately meaningless. However, they still chose to test their luck, for the vast gap between them and that individual also meant that even a mere nod of acknowledgment during a passing encounter could bring them unimaginable fortune for the rest of their lives.

Yu Jianglong nodded in agreement. "You're right. Compared to someone with Level 100 Clearance, Yin Luo really is a backwater. To someone on that level, a galaxy-tier territory like Yin Luo is nothing more than a forgotten outpost."

Above galaxies were star clusters, then star regions, and beyond that, the Star Abyss. Most Star Abysses were ruled by Cosmic Radiances or Tyrants, while Sacred Monarchs and Heavenly Emperors only presided over the truly prosperous ones.

And Level 100 Clearance... was a level beyond even Heavenly Emperors.

"So, the rumors are true?" Si Yun struggled to contain his shock. "Li Pin. No, I mean His Majesty Sacred Monarch Origin, he's really being trained as a Supreme Seed?"

"Sacred Monarch?" Yu Jianglong shook his head, reverence gleaming in his eyes. "You're behind the times. From what I've heard, His Majesty Origin has already been granted the title of Divine Emperor..."

He paused briefly, then added, "Only someone with such overwhelming power and the status of a Supreme Seed could be given Level 100 authority."

"Divine Emperor?"

Si Yun's perspective was limited by his status, but he still knew what that title signified in the Astral World.

Even an Astral God capable of establishing a clan legacy that could endure dozens of eras within a galaxy meant nothing in the eyes of a Divine Emperor.

It was akin to how Divines like themselves viewed the lesser beings from primitive planets that hadn't even stepped into the Legendary Realm.

Yu Jianglong said, "Divine Emperor or not, it makes no difference to us. Both are heights we can never hope to reach in our lifetimes. All we can do is give everything we've got. If His Majesty Divine Emperor Origin even spares us a glance for one extra second, the benefits we gain from that alone could last a lifetime."

Si Yun nodded deeply in agreement.

At the same time, he looked off into the distance with envy in his eyes.

Over there, a small welcoming team stood assembled. There weren't many of them, but the fact that they had received personal recognition from His Majesty Divine Emperor Origin and were qualified to stand there spoke volumes. Their future was set to soar.

The Astral World was said to be in a sealed state, with ascension currently forbidden. But it was foreseeable that once the restriction was lifted, those few would, at the very least, attain the level of Astral Gods and become immortal.

They were the true winners who got to ride the coattails of this meteoric rise.

***

The spatial gate shimmered with light as a mid-sized flying vessel emerged, cutting through the void before coming to a steady halt.

At once, over a dozen figures who had been waiting nearby soared into the air and landed on the vessel.

At the same moment, the vessel's owner revealed himself. It was Li Pin.

His gaze immediately fell on those dozen figures.

Among them were Xiang Tianxing, Yuan Zhenchuan, Si Yue, Si Xing, and Fang Lingjue.

Seeing Li Pin, the group bowed in unison. "Greetings, Divine Emperor Origin."

Given the short time frame, it was clear their information channels hadn't yet caught wind of Li Pin's ascension to the Supreme Realm.

But Li Pin didn't bother explaining.

"There's no need for all this. We'll see each other once I arrive on Gaia anyway," he said casually.

"Things are different now," Xiang Tianxing responded solemnly. "We know you do not care for empty ceremony and prefer our bond to remain free of superficialities, but the Gaia Alliance cannot afford to disregard propriety."

Li Pin understood what Xiang Tianxing meant. Just because he valued personal bonds didn't mean they could disregard decorum. Doing so would only make others take him lightly.

He smiled without further explanation and said, "You've become a capable leader."

"We only hope our lack of ability doesn't bring unnecessary trouble to you," Xiang Tianxing replied.

Li Pin nodded. He said to Sasha, "We are passing through the spatial gate to head to Gaia."

Sasha promptly submitted the required protocols.

Moments later, the vessel, which had only paused briefly and never even docked at the spaceport, reignited its engines and resumed its course. It passed through the already-prepared spatial gate and soon disappeared from sight.

That scene left the representatives of the Homo Sapien Alliance Office, who had spent countless hours perfecting every detail, feeling quietly disheartened.

Yu Jianglong sighed with his head lowered. "In the end, we no longer belong to the same world."

No one dared to hope for more, nor did they feel they had the right to complain.

***

As the flying vessel traveled through space, Yuan Zhenchuan intended to report on the Gaia Alliance's development over the past few millennia.

But just as he was about to speak, Xiang Tianxing shot him a glance and signaled him to stop.

Li Pin had already done more than enough for the Gaia Alliance.

Especially now, with his status as a Divine Emperor, his willingness to personally come to such a remote place was, in itself, a powerful signal. It sent a message to the outside world that would greatly benefit the Gaia Alliance.

Their rapid rise within the Frostbound Star Abyss was now inevitable. Stepping out from the Yuan Yang Star Domain and emerging as a new powerhouse in the Abyss was just a matter of time.

Li Pin asked briefly about the cultivation progress of Fang Lingjue, Xiang Tianxing, Si Xing, and the others. Based on their current conditions, he offered a few pointers.

With his current level of cultivation and insight, he could easily see through their talents and potential at a glance. Converting their growth paths into quantifiable laws would have been trivial for him.

But he didn't go that far. He merely helped them sort out their future paths so they could proceed more smoothly. Beyond that... he didn't interfere.

Everyone had their own life. They had to walk their own path.

He could guide, but he would not carry them.

***

As they conversed, the Luminous Ark swiftly arrived at Planet Gaia.

Compared to his last visit, when the planet had a futuristic, sci-fi feel, Gaia now gave off a sense of simplicity and authenticity.

Li Pin took one look and quickly noticed the changes. "They rebuilt everything?"

"Yes," Xiang Tianxing nodded. "The Gaia Alliance no longer depends on Gaia, but the planet is still our home world. We should strive to restore it to its original form, so it remembers the hardships we endured when we first ventured into the universe."

Standing nearby, Si Yue glanced at Li Pin upon hearing Xiang Tianxing's words.

The official reason for restoring Gaia to its early architectural style might have been to remind future generations of those difficult times and to appreciate how far they had come, but that was merely a pretext. It was more about preserving a sense of familiarity and belonging for Li Pin.

Li Pin's gaze swept across the landscape. "Divine Martial Sect, Celestial Martial God Hall, Zanglong City, Jiang Province... they are all still here."

"Yes, they are," Xiang Tianxing said. "Also, your old residence at Riverscape Marvel in Jiang Province City has been preserved for you. It's regularly cleaned and maintained, with every furnishing and decoration kept exactly the way it was when you left."

"Jiang Province..." Li Pin seemed to recall something. "What's become of the Qin family's Starlight Corporation?"

"They've declined a few times over the years, but with our support, they managed to bounce back. However, lately..."

Xiang Tianxing checked the data. "The current patriarch of the Qin Family seems a bit lacking. Ten years ago, they made over three billion in profit from one of the projects we supported. But now, most of that has already been squandered..."

He quickly added, "That said, the Qin Family's current patriarch is applying for another project."

"Sasha, show me," Li Pin said.

"Yes," Sasha responded, quickly pulling up the relevant data.

Li Pin skimmed through it. Before long, he realized the problem.

"The Qin family is clearly just bidding for high-value contracts to subcontract them out. They've done this several times already. You must've noticed too, but because of their connection to me, you chose to turn a blind eye."

Li Pin glanced at Xiang Tianxing and said calmly, "Let it be. Everyone has their own destiny."

"Yes," Xiang Tianxing replied, lowering his head in guilt.

Li Pin went on to say, "I won't be going to Jiang Province. Take me to Zanglong City."

After a moment of thought, he added, "To Hanyang University."