The Primeval Gate of the Spark‑Heritage Zone, surrounded by Starry Wonders and cosmic phenomena, was especially dense in this sector. Beside one such Starry Wonder, shaped like a crimson‑black planet, the gold and silver edges of a royal prince's robe fluttered ceaselessly—mirroring the inner turmoil of Sean Nan.
"Sigh."
"Pitiful people always have something detestable about them."
Though he mused so, Sean Nan—the prince of the South‑Sage Ancient Kingdom—could only find Primeval Andrew Han pitiable, unable to pinpoint anything truly detestable about him.
If he absolutely had to find a flaw...
In cultivation realm and genius tier, Andrew Han surpassed him in every respect. Was that detestable? Sean Nan tried to ease his gloom with a smile, but couldn't manage it—his throat felt hoarse, as if unable to make a sound.
He stood there, dazed, and couldn't help but turn to gaze at the Shallow‑Red Void.
Occasionally, streaks of light would rise and fall in an instant—those were Primevals, debating the matter of the new‑generation Eternal Kings.
"Eternal Kings are too far above."
"Andrew Han is a more suitable target to aspire to. But fate is unpredictable—everything changes in a blink."
At this moment, sighs echoed softly around Sean Nan, and a faint melancholy quietly spread.
Indeed.
Ever since entering the Primeval Gate, he had made surpassing Andrew Han his most important and arduous cultivation goal.
He'd even sworn oaths, often betting face‑to‑face with Serena Huang, another Primeval, and then opening his Star‑Gate Martial Communicator to probe and consult about Andrew Han's cultivation progress—comparing, again and again, only to lose every time.
The root of life's tragedy lies in blind comparison.
Yet Sean Nan's drive for cultivation came precisely from comparing himself to Primeval Andrew Han. The problem was the same, but his objective analysis led to a completely different conclusion.
"For me,"
"Primeval Andrew Han's existence is an inspiration."
He brushed off his gold and silver robe and looked at the lifeless star beside him.
Buzz. Buzz.
The crimson-black star churned with flames and heat currents, containing profound mysteries. The massive energy within its stellar core sent out irregular ripples, like the cycles of sun and moon, reflected in Sean Nan’s silent eyes.
“So many hardships, so much competition for so long.”
“And in the end,” Sean Nan clenched his fists in stunned silence. “I never imagined it would turn out this way—not that I surpassed Primeval Andrew Han, but that Andrew’s soul-will Primeval aptitude collapsed, and that he’s now just an ordinary person, far beneath me, Sean Nan.”
To say there was no joy, no relief, no secret delight—would be a lie.
So what if he’s a prince of the South-Sage Ancient Kingdom?
A prince is still human, with all the same emotions. Amid his joy, a nameless unease grew in his heart. He pitied and sympathized with Primeval Andrew Han—no, that’s not right, Andrew Han is no longer Primeval now.
“But still...”
“This news has spread throughout the royal family.” Sean Nan scratched at his stubbled chin. “Most of the Ancient Kingdom’s royals have heard, and all the top Human institutions have abandoned their plans to recruit Andrew Han. Yet our Primeval Star Gate hasn’t heard a word?”
“It’s not just the Primeval Star Gate.”
“Even the Spark‑Heritage Zone is the same.”
“Could it be that some major figure from the Archaic Hall doesn’t like Andrew Han, so they intervened and suppressed the news?”
Faced with this situation, Sean Nan could only shake his head in confusion, unable to fathom the reason.
After all, Andrew Han wasn’t just any Primeval—he was the publicly nominated contemporary genius of the Spark‑Heritage Zone, recognized at the highest level. For such a shocking incident to occur, it should have caused an enormous uproar.
Even the Spark‑Heritage Zone’s ultimate AI core would be furious.
“Unfortunately...”
“What’s done is done. No matter how angry the Spark‑Heritage Zone gets, it can’t change anything now.”
Sean Nan struck out across the void, venting his frustration with a slap against the crimson-black planet’s surface. The profound Starry Wonder trembled in response.
After all, he was a Stellar Palace‑tier Primeval at the peak.
Even a casual blow from him rivaled the peak of an ordinary Void Rift cultivator.
At that moment—