On Beling Hub Star, a nexus world, countless buildings tower at ten thousand meters altitude—leaving Andrew Han utterly astonished.
What truly defines an interstellar city?
This is it!
Above the surface, at ten thousand meters, the purple-cyan cloud seas dip gently, cradling rippling clear water. Between the crystal lakes and the clouds stand silver trees, shedding luminous blossoms that drift and swirl, their graceful branches spinning and releasing delicate fragrance.
Clouds, clear water, silver trees—woven together into a breathtaking spectacle!
Yet these are merely the basic amenities. For citizens of Beling Star, such sights are routine; they stroll about leisurely, utterly accustomed to it.
"Hm."
Clad in a blue robe, Andrew Han gently stepped forward with his right foot.
The purple-cyan cloud sea was soft as velvet, like countless tender white rabbits underfoot. Andrew paused, baffled by the technology behind it.
It might not count as advanced technology, but its subtle application in daily life was impressive.
"Interesting."
Andrew Han glanced around, then continued toward the nearby commercial center—planning to buy some interstellar gifts for his family.
This had become a habit; after all, he was never short on Chenriver Credits.
Besides, every planet had its own unique specialties, and the goods and souvenirs sold here were vastly different. Except for artificial intelligences or planetary vehicles—these cutting-edge products—almost every life planet was self-sufficient.
Food, drinks, daily necessities—such items were rarely imported from other planets, as shipping costs were prohibitively high.
Andrew savored this brief moment of comfort.
He hadn’t truly explored any life planet in recent days, always buried in cultivation. Now, finally feeling a bit more secure, he relished this rare leisure.
In this starry era, even relaxation required strength and resources!
Now, Andrew felt he had finally earned a little capital of his own—his Soul-Will had advanced to Fourth-Order Cosmic Light at the Starlight Tier!
Once the warp engine finished charging—
He would stabilize his realm, return to Chenriver Palace, then go home, and finally take the Cosmic Ancient Kingdom Hall’s test. From then on, he’d be recognized as a genius, his name forever inscribed in the Human Genius Register.
"Wonderful."
Andrew couldn’t help but smile.
Since stepping into the starry cosmos, he’d never had such a clear goal and plan.
It felt as if a brand-new future was right before his eyes, filled with the exhilarating promise of freedom. Just like now, as he strode along the grand avenue leading to the commercial center—a broad, semi-transparent bridge stretching ten thousand meters, flanked by pedestrian walkways. Andrew walked briskly, his steps confident and energetic.
His hopes and dreams were hard to put into words.
He was even a little impatient, eager to see the vast starry skies beyond Chenriver.
"Soon, very soon."
Andrew’s steps were light and quick, reminiscent of his old days training in martial arts. Only the crystal lakes, cloud seas, and rows of silver trees he passed reminded him that this was Beling Star, countless light-years from Earth.
Purple-cyan clouds, flowing water, and silver trees shedding light—all combined to paint a scene of indescribable beauty.
"Did you hear? In just under half a local orbital year, Lynn Bell, one of the Chenriver Top Five Hundred singers, is coming to Beling!"
"Haha, I’ve already set my AI brain to remind me automatically. Lynn Bell is the youngest of the Chenriver Top Five Hundred singers—she’s beautiful, she sings amazingly, and every time I hear her voice, it feels like it touches my soul."
The two young men walked side by side, gesturing animatedly as they talked.
Dressed in eccentric local fashions, they brushed past Andrew Han, glanced at him twice, and immediately resumed their excited discussion about Lynn Bell’s upcoming concert.
"A singer?"
Andrew Han pondered for a moment.
In the age of the stars, the standards for singing were incredibly high, and singers were idolized by citizens and common folk alike.
So-called singers, their voices often carried emotions so intense that they bordered on the absolute.
Though AI brains could mimic any sound, they simply couldn’t convey true emotion, nor could they evoke a deep, heartfelt resonance or move people from within... Andrew had never listened to her, had no interest, and certainly no time.
As he mused, three women with golden-hued skin approached from the opposite direction, each carrying the aura of a newly advanced Starlight Tier cultivator.
A Hub Administrative Star truly was extraordinary.
Even just wandering around, one could easily encounter Starlight Tier beings.
The three women, noticing Andrew Han, sensed the overwhelming might of a Starlight-peak cultivator. Instantly, their laughter and chatter ceased, and they greeted him with respectful smiles.
Andrew nodded in acknowledgment and continued onward, soon passing a withered, tree-like Starlight Tier lifeform. At last, he arrived at the commercial center, intent on selecting gifts with care, paying, and leaving—a swift, decisive shopping trip.
"However."
"Does this commercial center not have an entrance? Where’s the way in?" Andrew paused, momentarily stunned.
No matter how advanced the network, reality always carried a more visceral impact.
Ahead, the commercial center seemed formed from countless solar-conversion arrays, each a three-meter cube. Though they appeared dim and unlit, in truth they were absorbing sunlight, covering the entire facade of the building.
Layer upon layer!
Row after row, like scales overlapping!
The strangest thing was that every single cube was in motion!
"Three layers, moving back and forth repeatedly."
Though the movement patterns seemed chaotic, there was a mesmerizing beauty that touched the soul.
These cubes, arranged in distinct layers, ferried lifeforms to and fro—serving as elevators, a commercialized product of advanced star-era technology.
Andrew Han quickly understood: "Each cube works as an elevator, and the number codes on their surfaces indicate which zone they connect to."
"In that case."
"I should take this one."
He stepped forward, his movement almost phantom-like, and arrived on one of the cubes. At that moment, two couples were quietly chatting, all of them peak Fusion Tier.
Seeing Andrew Han’s figure flicker, they jumped in surprise.
They were Fusion Tier citizens, and though they only rarely saw Starlight Tier beings, they could instantly recognize one.
On Beling Hub Star, it was common to encounter Starlight Tier beings, but etiquette was never neglected. Under four pairs of awestruck eyes, Andrew Han experienced a somewhat awkward ride in a special elevator.
Once inside.
Andrew wasted no time, spending half a day and night browsing.
He explored the vast shopping district—each side stretching ten kilometers—and nearly had his eyes dazzled by the endless variety of goods, though Bailey’s judgment remained sharp and unclouded.
......
A flash of cyan light marked Andrew Han’s exit from the commercial center.
More than fifty shopping bags and several miscellaneous items floated neatly around him, suspended midair.
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"Oh my god! Look, quick, look!"
"That much stuff? It must be worth at least a million Chenriver Credits, right?"
"Definitely more than a million Chenriver Credits. I just saw this Starlight Tier powerhouse swipe his card—he bought three pieces of Aronji jewelry, totaling 230,000 Credits."
The sight made the ordinary window-shoppers’ eyes go red with envy, and even the Fusion Tier citizens who occasionally made purchases secretly clicked their tongues, instinctively giving Andrew Han a wide berth... Many recognized the luxurious interstellar brands, and all envied the power of a Starlight Tier expert.
Andrew Han didn’t linger.
He left the commercial center, shot straight into the sky, broke through Beling’s atmosphere, and finally glanced back at the planet’s jade-like, purple-cyan cloud belt.
If the secondary Administrative Stars had surprised and impressed Andrew, then the Hub Administrative Star left him feeling dazzled, refined, and truly awed—a fantastically engineered, ultra-large interstellar metropolis.
"I’ll postpone the Genius assessment for a while longer."
"At the very least, I want Monica and Lucy to visit here someday. If life is only endless cultivation, then what meaning does becoming stronger have?" Andrew Han, carrying a mass of shopping bags through the air, returned to the parking zone and boarded the nearly fully charged Green Mountain.
Click.
As the hatch closed, Andrew Han sat quietly in the warp engine core, waiting patiently.
After the bustle, silence returned once more.
The vast warp engine room was occupied only by Andrew Han, and Bailey, who popped out insisting it needed some ‘fresh air.’
Everything was quiet.
The Green Mountain occasionally shuddered—the warp charging cycle was nearly complete.
Suddenly, his Chenriver Palace communicator vibrated—a transmission invitation from Suweng, startling Andrew Han out of his meditative state.
"A message from Lord Suweng?"
Andrew Han found it odd. He glanced at Bailey, who was bouncing nearby, and signaled for it to remain hidden for now.
Right away.
Andrew Han tapped to accept the call.
The communicator projected a 3D holographic screen. Suweng, bare-chested and with a grim expression, gazed at Andrew Han from across the vast distance and asked in a deep voice, "You... what grudge do you have with the Pink-Skin Humans?"