230: City of Sages

"Traces of Civilization?"

Data flashed in Candle Kite's eyes, and she replied, "If you are asking about a proper noun, then the [Traces of Civilization] you mentioned refers to a type of extraordinary phenomenon in the Star Sea."

"Elaborate."

Qin Chi pressed.

Candle Kite's arm swayed, and a light screen appeared beside her, displaying a scene of the Star Sea. Her lively tone temporarily subsided, and her voice became serious: "The boundless Star Sea is endless. We, and even the civilizations we are allied with, have been unable to confirm the end of the Star Sea, nor can we determine the exact time of its origin."

"During this process, countless interstellar civilizations, large and small, have appeared in the Star Sea. Some small civilizations had territories no larger than a single life-sustaining planet, while some hegemon-level civilizations had territories radiating across numerous star systems. From ancient times to the present, countless civilizations have risen and fallen."

"Among them, some civilizations, after vanishing, completely became dust in the Star Sea, leaving no trace."

"Some civilizations, though clearly gone, had their remnants evolve into strange, extraordinary phenomena, similar to Star Sea anomalies. These are the Traces of Civilization."

"Qin Jin, you once participated in a mission in the Weiyang Star System and unexpectedly encountered the civilization graveyard of that [Path-Seeking Civilization]."

"That place is a semi-artificial relic, but creations of life have a time limit. If the Federation hadn't cleared the Star Sea anomalies in that area, after a long period of time, when it could no longer sustain itself, there would be a high probability of it transforming into Traces of Civilization, a true long-lasting imprint of a civilization in the Star Sea."

Qin Jin was deep in thought.

The two rewards he obtained in the Miracle Corridor were undoubtedly greatly related to this aspect.

Among them, the [Daystar Civilization]'s Civilization Shard should itself be one of the incomplete Traces of Civilization, its complete form being the so-called [Microscopic Civilization]. As for the Starry Gauze, it is a higher-level creation, requiring the consumption of different Traces of Civilization to grow.

"From an upper limit perspective, the value of these two treasures is immeasurable."

"Moreover, involving Star Sea civilizations, this is also one of the fundamental pieces of information in the Star Sea. No wonder the heaven-reaching platform would stir."

As thoughts flowed, the sailing boat continued to descend.

In terms of planetary volume, Crystal Branch Star was quite astonishing. As they descended, a super-large city gradually came into view through the porthole.

"That is the capital of Crystal Branch Star."

"The Crystal Capital."

Candle Kite floated to Qin Jin's shoulder and said.

[The Crystal Capital]

This was a name that perfectly fit its literal meaning, because, looking down from above, this giant city was a truly crystal city. All the buildings within it appeared to be constructed from special crystals produced locally, with distinct angles, making it exquisitely beautiful.

As the starship approached, Qin Jin clearly felt his spirit become exceptionally refreshed, and his thoughts grew more agile. He couldn't help but raise an eyebrow slightly.

Beside him, Candle Kite keenly noticed his change in expression and continued, "The Crystal Capital, also known as the Capital of Sages, is one of the top ten special metropolises within all the life-sustaining planets in the entire Federation."

"This city, built entirely from crystals produced on Crystal Branch Star, greatly benefits the mind. Many large research projects within the Federation are located and conducted here."

Upon hearing this.

Qin Jin looked at Candle Kite thoughtfully: "What are we going to do here?"

"There are quite a few arrangements on Crystal Branch Star."

Candle Kite smiled gently: "The first thing we need to do is similar to when you first went to the academy."

"You mean—"

Qin Jin reacted in an instant: "Planetary Divinity?"

After descending to a certain distance, the sailing boat received ground communication for guidance and finally landed at a docking bay.

Leaving the starship, Candle Kite returned to the terminal. Qin Chi stepped out of the hatch and had just set foot on the gangway when a voice called out from ahead.

"Mr. Qin."

Qin Chi looked in the direction of the voice.

Before his eyes were several figures in long robes. The robes were embroidered with scenes of the starry sky, and on their chests, they wore special badges. The badge's design was very similar to the appearance of Crystal Branch Star.

"Stereotypical Mi Sect attire."

Qin Jin evaluated in his heart.

During the descent, he had already gained a more comprehensive understanding through Candle Kite.

The people before him were members of the Mi Sect system.

[The Crystal Creed]

They worshipped the Star God born on Crystal Branch Star itself, the Crystal Lord of Precepts, Aoyan.

Humans are ever-changing, and so are deities. Generally speaking, [Star Gods] are special existences among deities and usually do not establish a Mi Sect. However, this Crystal Lord of Precepts was completely different. She was born when the Federation entered its mid-Star Sea period, had an excellent relationship with the Federation, and was enthusiastic about interacting with Federation humans.

According to Candle Kite, the various large research projects existing here would even sometimes welcome a special scholar to participate, which was the human manifestation of this Venerable Star God.

The [Crystal Creed] thus emerged. Limited by the Star God's uniqueness, the Star God Mi Sect had distinct regional characteristics, with most of its followers being indigenous to Crystal Branch Star.

Strictly speaking, this was his first in-depth contact with a righteous deity's creed. Ding Que, whom he had encountered in the Heavenly Selection, was merely a novice.

As relevant information flashed through his mind, Qin Jin stepped forward, revealing a calm, social smile, and said, "You've waited a long time."

The leader among the greeters was a woman with a serene face, now showing a look of respect: "Mr. Qin, your accommodation has been arranged."

"However, you have just arrived at Crystal Branch Star, which is the best time to receive the [Blessing of Crystal]."

"Please follow me."

She made an inviting gesture.

Qin Jin nodded: "Thank you."

The woman walked beside Qin Jin, with the others following behind, proceeding along the path.

The docking bay where the sailing boat landed was quite private, one of the outposts of the Crystal Creed. Along the way, other figures in creed robes could be seen, all casting glances at Qin Jin and showing serious deference.

It seemed that the people here were well-prepared for his arrival, and their attitude was extremely formal.

Even when communicating with him, the woman responsible for receiving him consistently addressed him with the honorific "You."

Qin Jin was not surprised.

Because, on the surface, this was an academy arrangement, involving Planetary Divinity, to be participated in within the Crystal Creed.

But his identity, in such contact involving a Star God Mi Sect, would naturally not be concealed.

Star God Chosen!

Even a nascent Star God enjoyed a transcendent status within the Federation, let alone being a Star God. They were naturally in the same camp. Most Star Gods had no intention of establishing a Mi Sect, making the identity of a Star God Chosen particularly prominent, as the sole spokesperson for a deity within the Federation.

Now that he had arrived, it was no different from the visit of a supreme divine envoy from another Mi Sect. No one would treat him lightly or negligently.

They continued forward.

Outside a palace built entirely of crystal, the group stopped.

In front of the palace, someone waited solemnly. It was an elder, whose creed attire was plain, and whose face was wrinkled. After looking at Qin Jin, he showed a benevolent smile: "Distinguished guest from another star system, welcome to your arrival."

"Please follow me."

The ground was pieced together from fractured crystal slabs, faintly reflecting the figures walking over them. Qin Jin followed behind the elder, walking slowly. As they arrived in front of the palace, the palace gates opened by themselves.

Everything inside came into view.

In the very center of the palace, the crystal slabs on the ground had been specially pieced together to form a marvelous pattern resembling a crystal mountain. Above the crystal slabs, runes were carved with extraordinary means, flowing with colorful light, quite beautiful.

And at the very front of the palace, a high platform stood. On top of the platform were countless threads constructed from unknown materials. These threads intertwined with each other, appearing chaotic to the naked eye, but upon a second glance, they seemed orderly and subtly conformed to some rule, extremely strange.

After prolonged observation, a pressure would emanate from around oneself. This feeling was somewhat similar to the pressure of rules encountered after returning from Tianhuang Star, but the essence was different.

This was indeed a temple of the Crystal Creed!

Following behind the elder, the two entered the temple, and the door behind them closed automatically.

"Mr. Qin."

The elder turned around, his smile undiminished: "My Lord has long heard of the birth of Venerable Observer."

"However, an uninvited visit would be against My Lord's original intention. Mr. Qin, when you return, please convey a message: My Lord greatly anticipates deep-level communication with Venerable Observer in the future."

"I will make it clear."

Qin Jin responded seriously.

Deities also have their dispositions. The Star God of Crystal Branch Star, whose divine name sounded rather serious, was actually a true [socialite]. According to the information provided by Candle Kite, her manifestation as a scholar to participate in research was just one aspect. There were even rumors that, every once in a while, this Venerable Star God would truly experience different lives within the Starfire Federation.

Upon hearing this, the elder's smile grew wider: "Before your arrival, everything was already prepared."

"Mr. Qin, please calm your mind and spirit. Please."

He extended his hand in an inviting gesture.

Qin Jin let out a long breath.

The preparation the other party spoke of was, naturally, the Planetary Divinity.

Crystal Branch Star had a Star God Mi Sect, so they also managed part of the Planetary Divinity. What he was about to participate in was one of Crystal Branch Star's Planetary Divinities, and the most suitable one for him to access now.

The highest-grade [Blessing of Crystal].

Including his hometown, this would be the third Gaia Planet Divinity he had encountered.

Under the elder's gaze, Qin Jin followed the path to the very center of the temple. After stepping onto the extraordinary magic array, he turned back and nodded to the elder.

The elder's expression became solemn.

He raised his arms, clasped his hands together, with his first three fingers closed and the last two spread apart, striking a strange pose. He uttered low, incomprehensible whispers, and an extremely special, extraordinary power surged around him, making his robes flutter.

Qin Jin watched this scene intently.

Among the Federation's four evolutionary paths, the Mi Sect was the most mysterious. He had fought against cultists, but this was his first time seeing a righteous deity's follower take action.

Amidst the whispers, in front of the elder, a phantom book, seemingly made of thin, polished crystal sheets, materialized. It flipped open, and on each page, complex patterns and characters were etched—these were [Divine Runes]!

Divine Runes interpreted by himself.

The Secret Sect Disciples path is based on the deity itself. If a Spiritual Energy User requires more comprehensive talent, then Secret Sect Disciples require [affinity] with the deity they worship.

Those with higher [affinity] can interpret and understand the deity's secret words more easily, and are more likely to gain the deity's attention.

The entire [Crystal Book] was already very thick, indicating that the elder's identity was not simple. When the book flipped to the middle, it suddenly stopped, and the Divine Runes inscribed on it detached and ascended into the air, imprinting themselves there.

As if a mechanism had been activated, beneath Qin Jin, the extraordinary runes flashed, rising from bottom to top. As the runes evolved, they formed crystal shapes. The size and shape of each crystal were identical, all being rectangular approximately the length of a palm, but the runes on the crystal surfaces were completely different.

Qin Jin stood in the center, watching these crystals form.

In the blink of an eye, thousands of crystals had already formed and were still increasing.

In the next instant, the formed crystals remained still for a few breaths, then simultaneously converged towards the center, approaching Qin Jin.

It looked as if these crystals were going to seal him!

In a flash, Qin Jin's trace was no longer visible in the center of the temple. Instead, there was a perfect crystal without any cracks, like a standing crystal coffin.

At the same time.

Enveloped by the crystals, completely covered, Qin Jin felt no obstruction. His breathing was smooth, and he could even move his entire body freely.

Under the close-range influence, he clearly felt his thoughts becoming even more agile.

Then—

The true effect of the Planetary Divinity activated.

In an instant, from outside to inside, Qin Jin felt a burning, boiling sensation. His primordial power interacted with the crystals that "sealed" him, as if acquiring a burning characteristic, constantly tempering him through the burning.

On Tianhuang Star, he had completely opened the connection between his primordial power and spiritual energy. Now, with a thought, the spiritual energy merged, undergoing tempering together.

During the tempering, Qin Jin evolved his own method, his body like a furnace, intensifying the fire. At the same time—the tempered spiritual energy returned to the Spirit Ruins, solidifying the grotto-heaven, and the two gradually formed a perfect cycle.

This was just the beginning.

The initial tempering continued. As time passed, in Qin Jin's perception, the crystals that tightly enveloped him began to proliferate. Although he was clearly inside the temple, everything in his spiritual perception rapidly changed. In an instant, he found himself in a desolate place.

There was nothing in all directions, only the sound of water coming from beneath his feet.

Looking down, he was standing on the surface of a lake. This lake water was extremely special, clear as a mirror, clearly reflecting his own image.

[Mirror Lake].

At the same time, on the spiritual level, crystal slabs with questions inscribed on them appeared, awaiting his answers.

These questions were innocuous, not involving any secrets. Martial Abyss had listed this as a stop on the martial saint map, so it had naturally understood the [Blessing of Crystal] long ago. Qin Jin had also learned relevant information through Candle Kite. Now, with a steady mind, he answered those questions on the spiritual level.

Each time he answered one, a crystal fell into the lake.

Questioning in his heart, his reflection in the mirror.

During this process, the crystals that sealed Qin Jin seemed to be learning about him, constantly changing.