260: Chapter 260 Strange Visitor

On the third day after Shen Zhao returned to Yongning City from the edge of the New Universe, the communication talisman of the Investigation Department flared up again.

This time it was neither monitoring data nor abnormal fluctuations, but an urgent report from a probing point at the very edge of the New Universe — "An unidentified flying object has been discovered, moving in the direction of Yongning City. The speed is extremely fast, and it cannot be intercepted."

When Shen Zhao received the message, he was teaching swordsmanship to Shen Nian in front of the Monument of Heroes.

He put down the qinglian sword in his hand, took the communication talisman, and extended his Divine Thought into it.

The information in the Jade Slip was very brief, consisting of only a line of text and a constantly blinking light spot.

The movement trajectory of the light spot was a straight line, pointing directly at Yongning City from the edge of the New Universe.

Shen Zhao's hand paused slightly.

Three days ago, he saw the Transporter at the edge of the New Universe and obtained the Teleportation Power.

The Transporter told him that there were Universes beyond Universes, and the Void King was on its way.

But the Transporter did not mention that a visitor would arrive so soon.

"Disciple will go take a look."

Shen Zhao put away the qinglian sword and turned to walk towards the Star Port.

Shen Nian shouted from behind: "Ancestor, can Disciple go along?"

Shen Zhao shook his head: "You stay behind. Practice your sword well. When Disciple returns, your homework will be checked again."

Shen Nian was somewhat unwilling, but still nodded.

An hour later, the spacetime flying boat rose from the Star Port and flew toward the direction of the edge of the New Universe.

Fourteen-colored light circulated around the hull, reaching the ultimate speed.

Shen Zhao stood in front of the porthole, gazing at the sea of stars ahead, his mind filled with a myriad of thoughts.

An unidentified flying object.

Could it be remnants of The Designers?

The vanguard of the Void King?

Or visitors from other Universes mentioned by the Transporter?

He did not know.

But no matter what it was, he had to face it.

The flying boat galloped through the sea of stars, with fourteen-colored light circulating around the hull.

In less than two days, the flying boat arrived at the location marked by the probing point.

Looking from afar, a faint light was flickering in the Void Realm ahead; the light was very dim, so dim that it was almost imperceptible, but it was exceptionally striking in the darkness.

Shen Zhao slowed down the flying boat and approached it slowly.

He walked out of the cabin door, suspended in the Void Realm, with fourteen-colored light circulating on the surface of his body.

That light was getting closer and brighter.

When it flew in front of Shen Zhao, he saw the full picture of that thing clearly.

That was a star skiff, very small, only a third of an ordinary flying boat.

The hull was entirely silver-white, and the surface was covered with densely packed runes. Those runes were identical to the runes on the teleportation platform, yet much more complex and profound.

There were no logos or energy fluctuations on the star skiff, as if it were a ghost ship.

Shen Zhao's Origin Power perceived it — inside the star skiff, there were signs of Life.

One, and it was very faint, faint enough to be extinguished at any time.

He slowly approached the star skiff and gently touched the cabin door with his hand.

The cabin door was not locked and opened with a gentle push.

Behind the door was a very small cabin, only three zhang square.

Lying on the floor of the cabin was a person.

That was a young woman, looking to be in her early twenties, with a slender figure and a complexion as pale as paper.

She was wearing a silver-white robe stained with blood, some of which had already dried and turned dark red.

Her long hair was scattered on the ground, covering half of her face.

Her breathing was very faint, and her heartbeat was also very faint, but she was still alive.

Shen Zhao squatted down and reached out to check her pulse.

The pulse was very weak, almost imperceptible, but he could perceive that there was an extremely faint spiritual power inside her body, slowly repairing her injuries.

There were multiple wounds on her body, some inflicted by a Sharp Weapon, and some left by the backlash of spiritual power.

The most severe one was on her chest; a deep sword scar extended from her left shoulder all the way to her right rib, almost piercing through her heart.

Shen Zhao took out a healing Medicinal Pill from his storage ring, gently pried open her mouth, and fed the Medicinal Pill to her.

Once the Medicinal Pill entered her abdomen, it turned into a warm medicinal power, slowly nourishing her damaged Meridians.

Her brows furrowed slightly, but her eyes did not open.

Shen Zhao infused another wisp of Origin Power to protect her heart meridian.

The nourishing effect of Origin Power was better than any Medicinal Pill; her complexion gradually turned a bit ruddier, and her breathing also became a bit steadier.

He stood up and looked around the cabin.

The cabin was very simple, with only a bed, a table, a chair, and a bookshelf.

On the bookshelf were a few Jade Slips, and on the table was half a cup of tea that had already gone cold.

On the wall beside the bed, a few words were carved — "Going Home".

Shen Zhao looked at those two words, an unspeakable emotion surging in his heart.

Going home.

Where did she come from?

Where was her home?

Why did she want to come here?

He turned around, walked out of the cabin, returned to his own flying boat, used spiritual power to tow that small star skiff, and slowly flew in the direction of Yongning City.

Two days later, the flying boat landed on the Star Port of Yongning City.

Director Su Yun was already waiting on the Star Port. Seeing Shen Zhao walk out of the cabin door, and then seeing the unfamiliar small star skiff behind him, her brows furrowed.

"What is that?"

"A star skiff. There is an injured woman inside. Disciple does not know who she is, where she comes from, or why she wants to come here."

Director Su Yun's brows furrowed even tighter.

"She is still unconscious?"

Shen Zhao nodded: "Disciple fed her a healing Medicinal Pill and infused Origin Power. Her injuries are improving, but it still takes time."

Director Su Yun was silent for a moment.

"Send her to the Pill Hall of the Guardian Academy. Let the Elders of the Pill Hall take a look."

Shen Zhao shook his head: "Disciple wants to keep her in Disciple's courtyard and take care of her personally. Her injuries are very special and not ordinary spiritual power traumas. The Elders of the Pill Hall might not be able to cure them."

Director Su Yun looked at him and finally nodded.

"Fine. But you must be careful. Her background is unknown, just in case..."

Shen Zhao raised his hand to interrupt her: "Disciple knows. Disciple will be careful."

He turned around, dragged that small star skiff next to his own courtyard, and then carried the unconscious woman out.

The woman was very light, as light as a feather.

Her head leaned on Shen Zhao's shoulder, and her long hair drooped down, covering half of her face.

Shen Zhao placed her on his own bed, covered her with a quilt, then stepped back a few steps and quietly looked at her.

She was still unconscious, her brows slightly furrowed, as if she were having some dream.

In the dream, perhaps there was her home, her family, her friends.

Perhaps there was something she desperately wanted to protect.

Just like him.

Shen Zhao sat by the bed for the entire night.

When dawn broke, the woman's fingers moved slightly, and then she slowly opened her eyes.

Her eyes were silver-white, just like the Transporter's eyes.

There were no pupils, only endless silver-white.

But in that silver-white, there was no indifference, no majesty, only fatigue and confusion.

She saw Shen Zhao, was stunned for a moment, and then struggled to get up.

But she was too weak; just as she propped herself up a little, she heavily fell back onto the bed.

"Don't move."

Shen Zhao held down her shoulders, his voice very light: "You are heavily injured. You need quiet recuperation."

The woman looked at him, her silver-white eyes filled with vigilance.

"Who are you? Where is this?"

Shen Zhao withdrew his hand and stepped back one step so that she could see his whole body.

"Disciple Shen Zhao. This is the New Universe, Yongning City. Disciple discovered your star skiff at the edge of the sea of stars; you were heavily injured, and Disciple brought you back."

The woman was silent for a long time, as if trying hard to recall something.

Then, she slowly opened her mouth.

"My name is... Xing Lan. Coming from... another Universe."

Shen Zhao's hand paused slightly.

Another Universe.

The Transporter had said that beyond the Universe there were Universes, countless Universes.

Every Universe had its own rules, its own living beings, its own civilization.

They were connected by passages, and the Transporter was the entity responsible for maintaining these passages.

Now, a person from another Universe had come before him.

"Why did you want to come to this Universe?"

Shen Zhao asked.

Xing Lan was silent for a long time, so long that Shen Zhao thought she would not answer.

"Fleeing from disaster."

Her voice was very light, as light as a sigh, carrying endless fatigue.

"Our Universe... was swallowed by the Void King. I am the only person who escaped."

Shen Zhao's heart sank abruptly.

The Void King.

The existence mentioned by the Transporter — coming from another Universe, having swallowed the original home of The Designers, and now on its way.

"Your Universe... was swallowed?"

Shen Zhao's voice was somewhat hoarse.

Xing Lan nodded, and tears welled up in her silver-white eyes.

"My home, my family, my friends, my clansmen... Everyone was swallowed by the Void King. Only I... only I escaped."

Her voice was trembling, and her body was also trembling.

Shen Zhao did not know what to say; he just stood there quietly, watching her shed tears.

After a long while, Xing Lan's emotions gradually calmed down.

She wiped away her tears and looked at Shen Zhao.

"Is your Universe... also being threatened by the Void King?"

Shen Zhao nodded: "The Transporter said that the Void King is on its way. Maybe a thousand years, maybe ten thousand years, or even shorter."

Fear flashed across Xing Lan's eyes.

"No, you are wrong. The Void King is already on the way. On the road when I escaped, I saw its vanguard with my own eyes. That is a group of black shadows without fixed forms, living by devouring everything. Wherever they pass, stars annihilate and the Void Realm collapses."

Shen Zhao's hands were trembling slightly.

It had already come.

Faster than the Transporter expected.

"How much longer before those vanguards arrive?"

Xing Lan thought for a moment: "Maybe a few years, maybe a dozen years. It depends on their devouring speed. But they have always been moving and closing in."

Shen Zhao was silent for a long time.

A few years, a dozen years.

Much shorter than a thousand years, far too much shorter than ten thousand years.

He only had a few years to prepare.

"Why did you come here? Your star skiff is engraved with the Transporter's runes; were you sent by the Transporter?"

Xing Lan nodded: "The Transporter said that this Universe has a person who can break the cycle. He said that only that person can fight against the Void King. He asked me to come find you."

Shen Zhao's hand paused slightly.

"Is the Transporter still alive?"

Xing Lan shook her head: "It died. In order to send me away, it burned its own Origin, opening the passage leading to this Universe. It said, 'Tell the latecomers, This Seat has not broken his promise. This Seat has waited.'"

Tears streamed out of Shen Zhao's eyes.

The Transporter, in order to send someone to deliver a message, burned its own Origin.

It could have continued waiting, waiting for the next cycle, waiting for the next destined person.

But it did not.

It chose to sacrifice itself so that this message could reach Shen Zhao's ears.

"Xing Lan, have a good rest. When your injuries heal, Disciple has many things to ask you."

Xing Lan nodded and closed her eyes.

Shen Zhao walked out of the room and gently closed the door.

The sunlight was dazzling, and he squinted his eyes.

In the distance, on the Martial Arts Arena of the Guardian Academy, Disciples were practicing swordsmanship.

Sword lights were like a rainbow, and the sounds of shouting and killing shook the heavens.

Everything was as usual, as if nothing had ever happened.

But Shen Zhao knew that everything was different now.

The vanguards of the Void King were already on the road.

A few years, a dozen years.

He only had this little bit of time.

He took a deep breath and walked towards the Monument of Heroes.

Kneeling in front of the monument, he placed the qinglian sword horizontally across his knees and kowtowed deeply.

"Uncle, the vanguards of the Void King have already arrived. Disciple does not know whether they can be blocked, but Disciple will do his best. This is Disciple's promise."

The colorless light on top of the monument beat gently, as if responding to him.

Shen Zhao got up and walked towards the Council Hall.

There were still many things to do, and there was no time for sentimentality.

Over the next few days, Shen Zhao hardly left the courtyard.

Every day he would go check on Xing Lan, deliver medicine to her, infuse Origin Power, and talk to her.

Xing Lan's injuries were improving rapidly, her complexion was becoming ruddier and ruddier, and her spirits were getting better and better.

She began to tell the story of her Universe.

That was a world even broader than the sea of stars, with countless stars, countless civilizations, and countless living beings.

They lived in peace, developing and prospering together.

Until the Void King descended.

"It was a mass of black shadows, covering the entire sky."

Xing Lan's voice was very light, and her eyes were filled with fear.

"It devoured stars, devoured the Void Realm, and devoured everything. No one could block it. Our Guardian, our Chosen One, all died. They tried their best, but they only bought time for a few people to escape for their lives."

Hearing this, a sourness surged in Shen Zhao's heart.

Another destroyed world.

Another home swallowed by the Void King.

"Does your Universe also have The Designers?"

Shen Zhao asked.

Xing Lan shook her head: "No. The Void King is more terrifying than The Designers. The Designers only harvest Souls, while the Void King devours everything. Stars, the Void Realm, time, space, everything."

Shen Zhao's hands were trembling slightly.

Devouring everything.

Even time and space could be devoured.

What kind of concept was that?

"What Realm were your Guardians at?"

Xing Lan thought for a moment: "Probably... equivalent to your Mahayana stage."

Shen Zhao's heart sank.

Guardians at the Mahayana stage could not block the Void King.

And he was only at the Mid Stage of Integration.

"How many Guardians did you have?"

"Seven. Seven Guardians of the Mahayana stage joined forces to fight against the Void King. They held on for three years, and in the end all died in battle."

Shen Zhao was silent.

Seven Mahayana stage beings held on for three years.

How long could he hold on alone?

He did not know.

But he knew he could not back down.

Because behind him were countless people who needed to be protected.

"Xing Lan, Disciple has another question."

"What question?"

"Why were you able to escape? Your cultivation... seems not high."

Xing Lan lowered her head, her voice very light.

"Because I am not a Guardian. I am... the Disciple of the Transporter. I only know teleportation arts, not combat. The Transporter burned its Origin and sent me away because it knew I needed to bring the message to you."

Shen Zhao's tears welled up once more.

The Transporter, in order to send a message, sacrificed itself.

For someone it might have never even met face-to-face.

"Xing Lan, have a good rest. When your injuries heal, Disciple wants to ask you for a favor."

"What favor?"

"Teach Disciple the teleportation arts. Disciple is going to other Universes to look for allies. If one person cannot fight them, find a few more people. If the power of one Universe is not enough, find a few more Universes."

Xing Lan looked at him, a trace of light flashing in her silver-white eyes.

"Are you crazy? Other Universes are also threatened by the Void King; they are overwhelmed themselves, how could they possibly help you?"

Shen Zhao shook his head: "How would we know without trying? Perhaps some Universes also want to resist. Perhaps some Universes are also waiting for a person who can break the cycle."

Xing Lan was silent for a long time, and then nodded.

"Fine. I will teach you. But you must promise me one thing."

"What thing?"

"Return alive."

Shen Zhao smiled, smiling with nonchalant ease.

"Disciple promises you."