In a flash, every gaze turned to Dan Booth.
The manor was silent; no one spoke. The aroma of fine food and wine filled the air, and a gentle breeze stirred Dan Booth’s gray hair.
Isn’t it obvious?
Dan Booth shook his head with a rueful smile and said calmly, “I, Dan Booth, am no weakling. Though defeated, it was an honorable loss. Of course Andrew Han used his full strength.”
Everyone nodded in agreement, feeling slightly relieved.
The scene was exceptionally awkward. The eyes of peak Starlight Tier experts twitched, and most Stellar Palace Tier beings wore dark expressions... Outwardly appearing as a youth but in truth having weathered countless ages, Dan Xuchun was the ancestral patriarch of the Dan Booth and Monica Whitehorn lineage.
He! A being at the peak of the Stellar Palace Tier!
Even if Dan Xuchun howled and roared, no one dared to discuss right or wrong.
“Don’t even think of fighting me for this.” Dan Xuchun glanced across the hall. “Andrew Han—this man was sifted from the waves like a crystal diamond by my own hand and put forward by me. Faced with such a cultivation genius, don’t always dream of absorbing him into the clan! Can we even contain him?”
On an ordinary administrative star, a Starlight Tier expert is a sovereign!
But on the empire’s regional administrative prime stars, only those at the Stellar Palace Tier can truly rule all directions!
As for the entire Chenriver Empire, everything is governed by those at the peak of the Stellar Palace Tier and beings of the Void Rift Tier!
Monica Whitehorn was dressed formally today, even wearing a pale lotus-colored tie. Her delicate features looked especially lively.
However.
In the vast cosmic starry sky, the reason humanity could rise was precisely because they valued genius—and because humanity’s sheer numbers guaranteed the birth of one prodigy after another.
On the opposite side of the crystalline tabletop,
An elderly man with a head of blue hair sighed. “I only feel regret—not reconciled. If only Monica Whitehorn had reported to you and invited Andrew Han right away... In the end, a native is still a native; he’s never witnessed the splendors of the starry sky.”
In other words—
The White‑Horn Human Clan possessed vast resources, wealth, power, beauty, luxury, and status. There was nothing Andrew Han could imagine that the clan could not provide.
And as he spoke, even Dan Xuchun’s wild laughter subsided, and he listened quietly.
The blue-haired elder was a Void Rift Tier existence, able to move an entire planet with his own power—and even if the planet collapsed, he would remain unharmed.
“Regret? Not reconciled?” Dan Xuchun began to understand.
It was likely that the Void Rift Tier ancestor held Andrew Han in extremely high regard, believing he would one day reach Void Rift Tier himself.
Such confidence was only natural.
Dan Booth’s fame had long spread far and wide—he’d proved his strength and talent through countless battles. So Andrew Han, by riding on Dan Booth’s reputation, soared skyward in a single leap!
Besides! Andrew Han himself was just an aboriginal!
With all these factors combined, the entire Chenriver Empire’s elites were thrown into an uproar.
Dan Xuchun mused to himself, “Dan Booth is not weak—it’s just that Andrew Han is too strong… According to Dan Booth’s analysis, Andrew Han possesses at least two Power Traits, and they don’t conflict. That’s why he could defeat Dan Booth in a single blow.”
Power Traits themselves are not so rare.
Anyone at the Stellar Palace Tier has at least one or two Power Traits.
But for a Starlight Tier being to possess Power Traits is exceedingly rare—a mark of extraordinary talent. Most lifeforms never evolve even a single Power Trait in their entire lifetime.
Dan Xuchun continued to ponder.
The blue-haired elder—this Void Rift Tier existence—swept his gaze over the hall.
“Our clan has everything.” The blue-haired elder touched his single horn and shook his head. “But it’s already too late. Andrew Han’s defeat of Dan Booth has spread throughout the Chenriver Empire—many are now watching Andrew Han… Go now, Dan Xuchun. Show Andrew Han the goodwill of our White‑Horn Human Clan.”
In the starry sky, to watch is to pay attention.
The blue-haired elder closed his eyes, spoke no more, and his figure slowly faded away.
“Yes.”
Dan Xuchun nodded hurriedly.
“Everyone, I’ll head out as well—lest someone else seize the initiative.” Dan Xuchun rose and left at once.
The rest at the table watched as Dan Xuchun vanished in a streak of light, each with their own thoughts.
An aboriginal Starlight Tier, at best, is just a genius.
But a Composite Starlight-tier, Triple Constant Light, and not even three star-years old—such a combination warrants wide attention across the Chenriver Empire.
Yet Andrew Han is far more than that.
As an aboriginal, he forcefully defeated the White‑Horn Human Clan’s strongest genius of this era, Dan Booth—almost causing a sensation across the Chenriver Empire.
“I still can’t believe it.”
“That was Dan Booth—how could he be sent flying by a single strike?”
“Just the other day, I heard Dan Xuchun recommended an aboriginal Starlight Tier. I bet even Dan Xuchun didn’t expect this aboriginal, Andrew Han, to be so overwhelmingly powerful.”
The conference room buzzed with whispers as the White‑Horn Human Clan members discussed the matter in disbelief.
……
Meanwhile, inside the nearby manor—
A round table glimmered with hazy light, laden with fine food and wine—yet no one paid any attention. Everyone had gathered around Dan Booth.
“Is it true?”
“Dan Booth, you’re a Fourth-Order Cosmic Light!”
The core geniuses of the White‑Horn Human Clan surrounded Dan Booth in disbelief, bombarding him with questions and confusion.
News travels fast in the cosmic starry sky.
Even though everyone present knew the truth, they still wanted to hear it straight from Dan Booth… Everyone knew that, among peers in the clan, Dan Booth had always been unbeatable—no one could match him.
Dan Booth often sparred with elders, too!
The legendary Dan Booth, who had always seen everyone else as weaklings, found himself utterly powerless against Andrew Han—defeated in a single blow, vanishing instantly into the starry sky.
The awkward scene had been recorded by the docking system at Whitebird, and everyone had seen it.
“Sigh.”
Dan Booth was at a loss for words.
He knew he would never, ever forget—the moment he turned into a fleeting meteor, catching a glimpse of Andrew Han's stunned and complicated gaze.
"There's nothing more to say." Dan Booth slumped wearily in his chair, grabbed his fruit wine, and took a long, hard drink. "Andrew Han has two Power Traits... Besides, I wasn't at my full strength, caught off guard. If I had gone all out, I might've held on a bit longer."
But it wouldn't have been a true contest.
At least I wouldn't have lost so quickly.
Hearing his explanation, his peers exchanged glances, each feeling a strange, indescribable emotion.
Even facing Dan Booth, they could only look up to him. How much more unreachable was Andrew Han?
He was simply out of reach.
It was a feeling of utter powerlessness.
A young woman who had just advanced to the Starlight Tier pressed her lips together, silent.
She was only ten star-years old. After finally advancing to Starlight, she joined the clan's core, ready to pursue her ambitions and ideals. She never imagined something like this would happen.
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"In my heart, I always thought Dan Booth was the benchmark." The young woman looked at Dan Booth. "Surpassing him already seemed nearly impossible. But this Andrew Han..."
She bit her lip, falling silent.
Someone nearby murmured, "When I first heard the name Andrew Han, I admired that a native could reach the Starlight Tier. So I didn't mind him taking a recommendation quota—elders have their reasons."
"We didn't look down on or deliberately belittle Andrew Han, but we still underestimated him."
"The gap is just too big. None of us have even seen Andrew Han in person... But he doesn't need our approval. The clan's elder Dan Xuchun has already set out, and I bet other major figures across the empire are heading to Earth too."
The group kept discussing, voices overlapping.
At that moment—
The young woman who had been silent suddenly stepped forward and asked softly, "Dan Booth, just how much strength did Andrew Han use?"
In an instant, everyone's gaze focused on Dan Booth.
The manor was quiet, no sound but the aroma of food and wine filling the air. A gentle breeze rustled Dan Booth's gray hair.
"Isn't it obvious?"
Dan Booth shook his head with a rueful smile. "I'm no weakling. Even in defeat, there's honor. Of course Andrew Han used his full strength."
Everyone nodded, feeling a little relieved.
...
Northern border of the Chenriver Empire.
"I heard there's a native genius in the Eastern Region?"
"Yeah, his name's Andrew Han, from a blue life planet! Our Pavilion Lord has already set out to meet him."
"Your Pavilion Lord is peak Starlight Tier, and he still wants to meet a native?"
...
Central region of the Chenriver Empire.
"I've read Andrew Han's profile. His life data is definitely young."
"Still, don't waste your time. He's already been recommended by the White‑Horn Human Clan, so he'll almost certainly join Chenriver Palace."
...
Central imperial capital of the Chenriver Empire.
A palace of utmost splendor, its exterior built from crimson crystal diamond. Countless lines of light converged like streams of endless energy, bathing the entire palace in red.
Buzz!
From deep within the palace, golden eyes opened. The figure was hidden, but the presence was vast and commanding.
"Andrew Han?"
"I hope that eighty-seven star-years from now, at the grand feast, you have at least a sliver of a chance."
If any Stellar Palace Tier or higher lifeform were present, they would be utterly shocked. The source of those golden eyes was none other than the Chenriver Empire's Void Rift Emperor, ruler for a hundred thousand eras!
——
The commotion in the Chenriver Empire drew countless powerhouses to descend, but Andrew Han remained unaware.
Earth was as blue and peaceful as ever, skies clear and cloudless.
At that moment, he was at Southland University, receiving his diploma ahead of schedule... The Green‑Shade Athletic Field was packed with students, teachers, and guests from all walks of life.
"Wow, it's really Andrew Han!"
"It's amazing—Andrew Han, who shattered a mountain with one punch, is sitting right in front of us!" a girl exclaimed, her body trembling with excitement, her miniskirt swaying. "Too bad I didn't bring binoculars—I can't see that far."
"Look, President Zhang is coming out."
The crowd buzzed, the Green‑Shade Athletic Field lively and noisy.
Andrew Han sat in the front row, unfazed by the mountain of gazes upon him.
He coughed quietly. "Xiaomeng."
"What is it?" Monica Zhang was dressed formally today, even wearing a pale lotus-colored tie. Her delicate features looked especially lively.
Thanks to Monica's careful styling, Andrew Han had also transformed into a young man in formal attire.
He whispered, "President Victor Zhang specially prepared a speech for me, but the wording is so embarrassing—I can't bring myself to say it."
Monica laughed. "Is it really that bad?"
"It is... Just listen, my own draft is even worse than President Zhang's." Andrew Han sighed, nodding at President Zhang, who was now standing on stage, full of energy.
"Huh?"
Monica blinked, not quite understanding.
But in the next instant—
The loudspeakers on the Green‑Shade Athletic Field rang out, echoing over the crowd and resounding through the university: "During his time at the Academy, Andrew Han achieved outstanding grades and won multiple national scholarships..."