That Stellar Palace-tier lifeform has fled into the Tianyu Empire.
......
Inside the palace, a cluster of cyan light flickered, illuminating the dim surroundings.
Mora, the empire's Third Princess, sat on a wooden chair, her face clouded with worry. She lifted her teacup and sipped the steaming, delicately fragrant tea.
It seemed that only by drinking tea could she find peace, could she steady herself.
"Tianyu Empire."
Andrew Han rested his left hand on the porcelain teacup, setting it on the tea table, a hint of hesitation in his brows.
He had long known the name Tianyu Empire.
He had often heard that the galaxy was called the Celestia Stellar System, with over 340 billion planetary systems within it.
In this vast Celestia Stellar System, there were only two star-spanning nations. Of these, more than a trillion planetary systems were ruled by the Chenriver Empire, while the others belonged to the Tianyu Empire.
The Tianyu Empire controlled 2.4 trillion planetary systems!
Andrew Han felt the heat of the porcelain cup. "Chenriver Empire and Tianyu Empire both reside within the Celestia Stellar System, dividing the borders and co-ruling a single stellar system."
However.
In terms of breadth, cultivation power, technological advancement, and many other aspects, the Tianyu Empire surpassed the Chenriver Empire in every way.
The Chenriver Empire was weaker, so naturally it worried.
Mora stared at the rippling tea in her cup and gently blew on it. "That Stellar Palace-tier lifeform has escaped into Tianyu Empire territory. We have no right to enter, no right to interfere with how Tianyu Empire deals with it."
She took another sip of tea. Mora had grown fond of this flavor, finding Andrew Han's homeland specialty drink soothing to the mind and spirit.
"Sigh."
Even as she tasted the tea, Mora still sighed, "I'm afraid Tianyu Empire won't bother to hunt down that Stellar Palace-tier lifeform. And with the exchange underway, they're even less likely to care about such a minor matter... Tianyu Palace is sending cultivation geniuses across the border into the empire's core, preparing for the exchange."
"A minor matter?" Andrew Han was puzzled.
More than thirty Starlight-tier beings died tragically, and that's still considered a minor matter?
Earlier, Mora had heard rumors that a Hub Administrative Star in the empire's southern region held a treasure left behind by a Stellar Palace-tier lifeform, but in reality, it was a terrifying trap. That Stellar Palace-tier lifeform devoured over thirty Starlight-tier beings on the spot, sparing Mora only because she was the Third Princess.
At the time, Mora invited Andrew Han to go with her, but he refused.
Andrew Han had been focused on cultivation and deep meditation, not considering adventures or tempering himself for the moment, so he declined the invitation.
Had he gone with Mora, without her imperial status as Third Princess, Andrew Han would likely have faced a life-and-death crisis, forced to unleash his Soul-Will power and enter Berserker State.
Moreover.
Whether he would have survived was still uncertain.
By Andrew Han's estimation, there was still a considerable gap between himself and a Stellar Palace-tier lifeform.
Andrew Han grew more convinced: newly stepping into the starry sky, one should not explore blindly, but rather cultivate steadily and become stronger—that was the best path for now. "No matter what, that Stellar Palace-tier killed so many Starlight-tier beings. How could it be guiltless? How can that be a minor matter?"
"The Tianyu Empire reveres strength above all. Its laws are completely different from those of the Chenriver Empire," Mora said, shaking her head.
For example, on blue Earth, if a criminal from Sinovera fled to another country, there would be extradition treaties and procedures for capture and return.
But in the starry sky, such things simply do not work.
Mora, still shaken from her brush with death, gripped her cyan-striped teacup tightly. "The Tianyu Empire's governing philosophy is strength above all, which has produced countless powerful beings—far more than our Chenriver Empire."
The Tianyu Empire is chaotic within, and killings happen frequently.
Slave traders and gladiator arenas for native lifeforms are nearly everywhere in the Tianyu Empire. Along with star pirates and more, bloodshed and slaughter are the main theme, the dominant color—cruel competition never ceases.
The strong survive and enjoy life, wielding exalted privileges.
The weak can only cling to existence, struggling in vain, with no rights at all—their very lives and deaths rest in the hands of the strong.
"So cruel?" Andrew Han was astonished. "I've researched the Tianyu Empire—the interstellar network is full of praise and admiration. Many citizens dissatisfied with the Chenriver Empire even wish to emigrate to Tianyu Empire. It shouldn't be as you describe."
Andrew Han was moved and found it hard to believe.
The interstellar network held endless information. Thanks to Bailey's filtering and translation, he had gained an understanding of this stellar system and was no longer a naive newcomer to the starry sky.