In the central city of Dreamvale Administrative Star, Mira Yu—who appeared a refined middle-aged woman but was actually several centuries old—stood before Andrew Han with utmost respect.
In the vast expanse of the stars, age and seniority rarely matter.
Only strength is eternal—it divides all things and serves as the measure of everything.
"Lord Andrew."
"That is the situation in detail." Mira Yu, at Third‑Order Starlight, explained the events and the current state to Andrew thoroughly.
"Mm."
Andrew understood completely.
The reason Dreamvale Administrative Star sent out a distress call was, in fact, quite simple.
......
Long ages ago, there were two unusual Starlight cultivators near Dreamvale Star—both practitioners of the Life‑Synthesis Path. They regarded slaughter, tempering, and devouring as the meaning of life, making others wary and vigilant.
In the vast starry sky, there are four major cultivation systems; Life‑Synthesis is one of them.
Life‑Synthesis inevitably means devouring all things, fusing myriad beings, and cannot avoid slaughter.
But at the time, the two were merely ordinary Second‑Order Starlight cultivators, lacking the power to cause mass slaughter—especially since the Chenriver Empire was relatively stable, peaceful, and orderly.
Because of this, their obsession with pure slaughter turned into a fixation on butchery and dissection.
After countless days and nights of research, the two created a series of nameless organisms. Later, their cultivation progressed, but their research yielded nothing, so they abandoned their experiments and left the Chenriver Empire to seek new lands for slaughter and devouring.
This is the crucial point!
All their abandoned experiments were piled inside a starship. After several centuries, a brand-new lifeform emerged—fusing chaotic flesh, awakening self-awareness, and silently advancing to the Starlight tier.
It awakened. It began to exist.
It gained life, consciousness, a thirst for slaughter, and Starlight‑tier strength.
And so, the age of darkness and massacre was unleashed.
This mutated lifeform hid inside the starship, piloting it through the cosmos and slaughtering countless planets, its power surging explosively!
By the time Dreamvale Administrative Star realized what was happening, it was already too late.
Through massacre and conquest, it seized control of more than ten massive starships, roaming the dark starry sky and committing terrifying, frenzied slaughter.
"This slaughter has lasted for ten epochs!"
"Although we've cataloged every starship, it's useless. It frequently switches vessels, slaughtering at will—unless it begins a massacre, we can't pinpoint its location!"
Mira's somber voice echoed through the clouds.
At this moment, she stood respectfully beside Andrew, while the four young Starlight cultivators obediently remained nearby, hardly daring to speak.
Whether youth or girl, every face was marked by fear.
It!
Codename: White Nightmare!
No one knows which starship it hides in, or where its next target will be!
The two young, beautiful girls trembled, their eyes full of dread: "A terrifying legend spreads across this starfield... When the White Nightmare ship arrives, planetary apocalypse follows—the end of all life!"
"Oh."
Andrew stood with hands behind his back, nodding serenely.
Based on the information provided by Dreamvale Administrative Star, it is called White Nightmare, currently comparable to peak Fourth‑Order Cosmic Light, possessing intelligence and using starships as its vessels.
Half an epoch ago—
Dreamvale's strongest expert finally located White Nightmare and battled it in the starry sky, suffering grievous wounds and nearly falling; the injuries remain unhealed to this day.
White Nightmare also paid a terrible price.
Its true body appeared, was torn apart, and escaped weakly into deep space.
Everyone rejoiced, believing White Nightmare to be dead.
However—
A chill of dread swept through everyone.
The nameless lifeform known as White Nightmare resurfaced not long ago, annihilating an entire life-bearing planetary system and even sending a death recording full of threats and intimidation to Dreamvale Sub‑Administrative Star—
Not only had it survived, it had become even stronger!
At this moment—
Dreamvale's current strongest expert, Mira Yu at Third‑Order Constant Light, recalled the events, her face pale: "Fortunately, its body is so massive that it's difficult to find a suitable warp engine... Starships are limited in speed, so for now it can only linger within Dreamvale's jurisdiction."
Compared to warp engines, starships are slow—but only relatively speaking.
In fact, starships possess extraordinary maneuverability, which is a major reason all attempts to hunt it down have failed.
Andrew couldn't help but ask, "Is that all?"
A mere Fourth‑Order Cosmic Light target—this Points Task seems far too simple.
Is that all?
Those two words struck like deafening thunder, leaving Mira speechless and the four young Starlight cultivators stunned.
The terror of White Nightmare lies not in its strength.
Its true horror is its uncanny ability to appear and vanish, its inexplicable nature, and its shrouded mystery!
Mira's expression was grave: "Lord Andrew, we must never underestimate White Nightmare. If it obtains a warp engine suitable for its massive body, not only Dreamvale but all surrounding planetary systems will be in grave danger."
If it ever finds a warp engine with enough internal space, all life in Dreamvale's jurisdiction will enter an apocalyptic countdown!
Hearing this, Andrew understood.
The starry sky is vast and boundless, making White Nightmare's location impossible to fix.
It's just like blue Earth—when the authorities hunt for a vicious criminal, they have to search through a sea of people, like sifting gold from sand... but searching the starry sky is even harder.
Andrew nodded: "Is there an image of White Nightmare's true body?"
"There is." Mira stood ten thousand meters above the ground, shrouded in swirling clouds. She pointed to the central city below: "The recording of Dreamvale's strongest expert battling White Nightmare is classified as top secret, so please, Lord Andrew, follow me to the Administrative Hall."
Below—
The central city of Dreamvale Star was protected by a wind-flow system resembling a shield.
Raging, clearly visible winds enveloped every direction, tearing apart anything in their path, powered by endless energy... Even if White Nightmare attacked, Mira could rely on this defense to stall it for a time.
"Mm."
Andrew glanced downward.
The hurricane-shrouded central city resembled Whitebird Star, divided into industrial, residential, and privileged Starlight districts.
The Administrative Hall was located at the junction of the residential and Starlight districts.
It was a semi-circular building, its exterior forged from synthetic crystal-diamond, with countless facets and edges that refracted sunlight into sky-wide projections, broadcasting Dreamvale's official imagery.
Grand, imposing, and breathtakingly beautiful.
The dome of the Administrative Hall rose nearly ten thousand meters high. Atop it stood a brown-haired old man, his aura extremely weak, gazing at the descending Andrew, Mira, and the four young Starlight cultivators.
"A Human?"
"A Chenriver Palace genius, Andrew Han?" In the old man's eyes flashed a trace of brutality—pure slaughter and malice, devoid of any emotion.
Yet—
The brown-haired old man's face betrayed nothing.
Panting, he struggled to his feet and greeted Andrew with an apologetic smile: "Lord, my injuries are too severe to properly welcome you. I beg your forgiveness."
"Lord Andrew, this is Lu Yang." Mira bowed slightly, introducing this respected Starlight-tier expert to Andrew.
Two young girls flew over to the brown-haired elder, Lu Yang, their voices anxious with concern: "Grandpa Lu, your injuries are so serious—why aren't you resting? We can handle the White Nightmare situation ourselves."
To them, the brown-haired elder Lu Yang was a kindly and approachable senior.
Seeing this, Mira turned and said, "I'm sorry... Their concern has made them flustered, but they meant no disrespect."
"Mm."
Andrew narrowed his eyes.
The sun shone high, the sky was cloudless and emerald green.
Below, the dome of the Administrative Hall rose nearly ten thousand meters, where occasional breezes carried a faint fragrance, calming and focusing the mind.
Lu Yang shook his head, smiling warmly: "It's nothing, nothing serious."
"Grandpa Lu, let me help you." One of the girls landed at the edge of the dome, hurriedly running towards Lu Yang.
Lu Yang smiled, seemingly gratified: "Alright."
But in the next instant—
Lu Yang's expression changed dramatically!
Rip!
Andrew's blue robe flashed like a meteor, tearing through the sky; in the silence, his left palm, surrounded by swirling light, pressed down from above—Andrew stepped forward and seized Lu Yang on the spot.
Everyone was shocked, about to speak.
Andrew smiled coldly, his pupils shining with brilliant gold and red: "Are you Lu Yang? Or are you White Nightmare?"
His soul and will were the strongest!
Though he had never truly unleashed it, no life could disguise itself before him!
"I am Lu Yang, of course I'm Lu Yang." The brown-haired elder looked utterly confused and wronged, his gaze turning to Mira and the others, hoping for an explanation.
"Oh."
Andrew nodded, ignoring Mira and the others' anxious and questioning looks.
Immediately after—
Andrew spoke impassively and calmly: "Then... how do you prove you're Lu Yang?"
"Ridiculous!" Lu Yang instantly flew into a rage, his eyes wide: "Prove I'm myself? Lord Andrew, you're insulting a Fourth‑Order Cosmic Light Starlight-tier life! Baseless slander—this is pure bullying. I, Lu Yang, will not compromise!"
Beside them—
Mira grew anxious: "Lord Andrew, what are you doing?"
"Stay back." Andrew glanced at Mira and the four Starlight-tier lives, then turned to Lu Yang: "This is not a negotiation... Fail to prove it, and you die."