“Indeed!” Yang Hao’s eyes sparkled. This move had never been used by anyone before, and today he had learned a very practical technique right here in this bar.
However, Yang Hao’s crisis was imminent. If he didn’t retreat immediately, that spatial net shimmering with strange light would envelop him.
Old Jack had shown some mercy by not completely cutting off Yang Hao’s escape route. His intention was clear: if Yang Hao simply left the bar, he would not be harmed.
But Yang Hao had no intention of retreating. A brilliant smile appeared on his lips, completely sweeping away the previous gloom of a homeless wanderer. Quietly, Yang Hao raised his finger and traced dozens of sword beams into the air. At an unimaginable speed, they shot toward Old Jack’s spatial net, creating new openings atop the original spatial fissures.
Silver light erupted wildly. Between Old Jack and Yang Hao, layers of space sliced repeatedly finally revealed their terrifying visage.
“What?!” Old Jack was so frightened his hands trembled. His Ghost Blade could create twenty spatial fissures, a result of decades of arduous cultivation. He had always believed the power of these fissures was within his control. Usually, anyone who could or couldn’t understand this technique would only have two choices under his spatial net: retreat or die.
But Yang Hao did exactly the opposite. Not only did he not retreat, he actually expanded those spatial fissures.
Those twenty spaces were no longer just fissures—they became gaping voids. Before them was no longer a spatial net, but a temporal vortex.
This was no longer a joking matter.
Experienced adventurers who had long rolled in the most dangerous situations knew very well how perilous temporal vortices were. Once a vortex appeared, it would suck in all living beings. If one was lucky, they might be randomly transported to an unknown time and space. But generally, the vortex would directly tear the living being into pieces.
Now, in this bar, there were twenty temporal vortices.
Old Jack only hesitated for half a second before suddenly realizing: “Run!! Run!!”
Even he, a Saint Realm expert, could hardly escape the vortex’s suction. Naturally, the surrounding adventurers stood no chance of survival. But Old Jack’s words came just a bit too late. The twenty vortices had already become reality. The immense suction force made everyone unable to move.
“Indeed, impressive!” Yang Hao’s eyes sparkled with excitement. This was a move no one had ever used before, and today, in this bar, he had learned an incredibly practical technique.
However, Yang Hao’s crisis was imminent. If he didn’t retreat soon, that shimmering spatial net would envelop him.
Old Jack had shown some mercy by not sealing off Yang Hao’s escape route entirely. His intention was clear—if Yang Hao left the bar, he wouldn’t make things difficult for him.
But retreat was the last thing on Yang Hao’s mind. A brilliant smile curved his lips, sweeping away the earlier despondence of a vagabond. His fingers subtly rose, and in an instant, dozens of sword lights flickered into existence, shooting toward Old Jack’s spatial net at an unimaginable speed. They tore open another rift in the already fractured space.
Silver light flashed wildly between Old Jack and Yang Hao, revealing the terrifying visage of the repeatedly sliced layers of space.
“What?!” Old Jack’s hands trembled in shock. His Ghost Blade could open twenty spatial rifts—a feat achieved through decades of arduous training, and he was certain of his control over them. Under this net, those who understood its power had no choice but to retreat or die.
But Yang Hao defied all expectations. Not only did he not retreat, he expanded those spatial rifts.
The twenty rifts were no longer mere gaps—they had become voids. What lay before them was no longer a spatial net, but a vortex of space-time.
This was no joke.
Adventurers who thrived in the most dangerous places knew all too well how perilous space-time vortices were. A single vortex could suck in all living beings. If one was lucky, they might be randomly transported to an unknown time and space. But in most cases, they would be torn to shreds instantly.
And now, twenty such vortices had appeared in the bar.
Old Jack froze for half a second before snapping back to reality. “Run!! Run!!!”
Even he, a master of the Saint Realm, couldn’t escape the pull of the vortices, let alone the surrounding adventurers. But his warning came too late. The twenty vortices had fully formed, their immense gravitational force rendering everyone immobile.
The bar’s interior shattered under the violent suction. Smaller objects were already being swallowed by the vortices, their dazzling, starlike brilliance illuminating the entire room like a river of silver.
“Do you want to die?” Old Jack roared at Yang Hao in fury. “Have you lost your mind?”
“The bigger the commotion, the faster the Republic’s army will notice,” Yang Hao replied calmly.
“Madman! You absolute madman! We’ll all die! We’ll all die!!”
Despite his Saint Realm power, Old Jack was helpless as his body was slowly dragged toward the vortex. “Who can control space-time vortices like these? Not only will we die, but everything on this planet will be sucked away! Only a god could stop this! Damn it!!!”
Yang Hao sensed that the spatial fluctuations here were strong enough to be detected by scanners beyond the star system. He extended his hand and murmured softly, “I am no god.”
A vast, overwhelming force erupted from his palm, instantly suppressing the suction of the vortices.
“Ha!” Yang Hao bellowed, the radiance of his Saint Realm peak so intense that it forced everyone to shut their eyes.
When they reopened them, they were stunned to find that the twenty deadly space-time vortices had vanished into thin air.
The bar’s lighting, already dim from several shattered lamps, cast a gloomy pall over the wreckage. Tables, chairs, glasses, and bottles lay strewn about as if a tornado had torn through the place.
But none of that mattered now. The once-boastful adventurers stared at Yang Hao with dumbfounded expressions.
What kind of vagabond was this? Not only had he defeated Old Jack, a Saint Realm expert, but he had also dispelled twenty space-time vortices with a mere wave of his hand. It was nothing short of divine.
Yang Hao, however, remained indifferent. He glanced at his palm, satisfied with his performance. He had merely tested his mastery over space.
He had often seen Herd split space with a single axe strike, but Yang Hao himself had little understanding of spatial manipulation. Old Jack had unwittingly given him the perfect opportunity to learn.
Indeed, when Yang Hao exerted the full power of his Saint Realm peak, the vortices obediently closed—more docile than pets.
Yet what seemed perfectly normal to Yang Hao sent shivers down the spines of everyone around him.
They had all witnessed the radiant light of his Saint Realm peak. Though they didn’t know his identity, they knew one thing for certain—he was someone they could never afford to provoke.
The Rust Wolf Mercenary Group, who had earlier threatened to throw Yang Hao out, now stood frozen in terror, unsure whether to advance or retreat.
Fortunately, the suffocating tension didn’t last long. Several patrol ships from the Star Spirit Republic descended upon the bar, and five Republic soldiers stormed in, shattering the eerie silence.
“What’s going on here?” the Republic officer demanded, frowning at the chaotic wreckage. “Old Jack, what have you been up to?”
Yang Hao was surprised—not because the Republic forces had arrived so quickly (he had intended to draw them here), but because the soldiers weren’t “them” but “her.”
The soldiers and officers of the Star Spirit Republic were all women—exceptionally beautiful women at that.
The leading officer, in particular, was breathtaking. Her golden hair gleamed beneath a steel helmet, her skin flawless, her chest full, her waist slender, and her hips curvaceous—a perfect figure by any measure. Adding to the allure, their combat suits were form-fitting mech armor that accentuated their already stunning physiques.
As the officer spoke, Yang Hao could hear the mercenaries around him swallowing hard.
After his initial surprise, Yang Hao quickly realized who these soldiers were. In the Eastern Outer Reaches, such flawless beauty could only come from one place—Angel Star.
During his wanderings in the East, Yang Hao had learned much about the region’s political landscape.
Around the time he became the ruler of the Oracle Dominion, a rebellion against the Galactic Empire had erupted in the Eastern Outer Reaches. The Empire had dispatched the Glory Army, led by the Sword Saint, to suppress it, but the Eastern Coalition forces had crushed them, leading to the formation of the Senate’s Dragon Slayer and Dragon Trap divisions.
Following their victory, the star systems of the Eastern Outer Reaches united to form the Star Spirit Republic. Given the scarcity of intelligent lifeforms in the East—dominated instead by mercenary groups and beastkin—the Republic’s core was Angel Star.
Thus, it was no surprise that Angel Star’s beauties had become the Republic’s warriors.
Today’s scene was bizarre, to say the least.
In the past, adventurers and Angel Star women had been hunter and prey. Many mercenary groups made their fortune by capturing Angel Star’s beauties and selling them into the Empire.
But with the Republic’s establishment, the tables had turned.
The Republic’s warrior women now glared coldly at the mercenaries, who stood frozen, not daring to breathe. The hunters had become the hunted.
“Hmm? Old Jack?” The officer tapped her foot impatiently, addressing the Ghost Blade directly.
Her tone was unusually polite—not just because of Old Jack’s martial prowess, but because his team had always hunted beasts and avoided the slave trade.
“Ah!” Old Jack flicked his wrist, and the Ghost Blade vanished. A smile crept onto his weathered face. “Just a misunderstanding. Some reckless newcomers caused trouble, but we chased them off.”
“Then why did we detect spatial fluctuations?”
The officer pursed her lips, her stunning beauty eliciting another round of audible gulps.
Old Jack coughed, about to spin another lie to cover things up.
He had realized that Yang Hao was a true peerless expert—one of the mightiest beings in the universe. Such a man couldn’t be arrested in his bar.
But Yang Hao had other plans. He straightened his tattered clothes and smiled at the beautiful officer. “Actually, these men were attacking me.”
“Attacking?” The officer’s sharp gaze shifted to Old Jack and the Rust Wolf mercenaries.
The mercenaries’ scalps prickled with dread. Using spatial manipulation in combat violated Republic law. Normally, they might have framed someone else, but this vagabond was a Saint Realm peak expert. Framing him would be suicide.
After the Battle of the Elder Mountain, there were fewer than ten Saint Realm peak masters left in the universe. Unless they had a death wish, no one would dare provoke this man.
Just as the bar’s occupants resigned themselves to being framed by Yang Hao, he suddenly changed tack.
“Can’t blame them,” he said with a self-deprecating chuckle. “I’m an Imperial spy. These men are loyal to the Republic, so of course they’d try to capture me.”
Old Jack’s eyes lit up. Yang Hao was actually helping them! While fighting was forbidden, capturing a spy was a different matter.
“You’re an Imperial spy?” The officer and her soldiers instantly assumed combat stances. Their mech armor encased their exposed skin, even covering their beautiful faces. A weapon resembling an ancient cavalry lance extended from the officer’s right arm, aimed squarely at Yang Hao.
“Correct,” Yang Hao replied nonchalantly. “I came from Earth and was discovered as soon as I arrived. Since you’ve caught me, take me to your leader.”
“Spy!” the officer snapped. “What right does a spy have to demand an audience with our leader?”
Old Jack found the situation increasingly bizarre. From the moment Yang Hao entered the bar, he had sensed something off about him. Then the man had unleashed Saint Realm peak power and deliberately lured the Republic forces here.
Old Jack’s eyes darted to a notice on the wall bearing Yang Hao’s photo, then back to the vagabond’s handsome face beneath his unkempt hair.
“Ah!! You’re—” Old Jack staggered, nearly fainting.
Yang Hao gave him a meaningful look.
Old Jack promptly shut his mouth. Decades of adventuring had taught him when to speak and when to stay silent.
But his heart raced with excitement. He never imagined that this man would walk into his bar, that he would cross blades with him, and that he would survive the encounter.
This was an honor beyond measure.
Even Yang Hao himself didn’t realize how revered he was in the Republic. After the Battle of Elder Mountain, the Star Spirit Republic worshipped him like a god.
Thanks to the Republic’s propaganda, the Eastern Reaches knew that Yang Hao had once fought the Supreme Being to a standstill (though the media tended to exaggerate).
The Star Spirit Republic, locked in conflict with the Imperial Senate, pinned its hopes on finding Yang Hao. Many believed he alone could unite the East and West against the Senate.
And now, here he stood—in this very bar—disguised as a vagabond, overlooked by all.
Old Jack burned with anxiety but dared not reveal Yang Hao’s identity. The female officer, however, was dead set on treating him as a spy.
Thinking fast, Old Jack interjected, “Wait! This spy might have vital intelligence for the leader!”
Yang Hao nodded approvingly.
The officer hesitated, then relayed the situation to headquarters. Soon, she received her orders: “You. Come with us to Angel Star. The leader will decide whether to see you.”
Yang Hao raised an eyebrow. Sooner or later, he had to face what lay ahead. He had wallowed in despair long enough.
He was still alive—not as a burden, but as a responsibility.
From Hunter Star to Angel Star, the journey by warp-capable ship took only a few hours.
Yet Yang Hao spent an entire day confined aboard the vessel—though “confined” wasn’t quite accurate, given that he could obliterate the ship effortlessly.
Strangely, Yang Hao didn’t mind. Perhaps because the Republic was entirely female, their ships, while technologically modest, were exquisitely beautiful.
His own battleship, the Doomsday, was massive but prioritized weapons and anti-nuclear systems over crew comfort. Here, even his “prison” was a spacious, luxuriously decorated room.
Painted in Angel Star’s signature star-blue hue, the walls were adorned with intricate patterns. Plush sofas lined with spirit beast fur offered comfort, and a terminal connected to the central AI provided access to all Eastern Reaches news.
Yang Hao lounged contentedly.
He had much to catch up on.
“Do you want to die?” Old Jack angrily asked Yang Hao. “Have you gone mad?”
“The noise needs to be big enough for the Republican military to notice,” Yang Hao calmly replied.
“Madman! You’re a madman! We’re all going to die, all of us!!”
Despite possessing Saint Realm power, Old Jack was already overwhelmed. His body was gradually being pulled toward the vortex. “Who can control such temporal vortices? Not only will we die, but everything on this planet will be sucked away! Only a god could stop this. Damn it!!!”
Yang Hao felt the spatial fluctuations were already strong enough to be detected by instruments outside the galaxy. He extended his hand and said softly, “I’m not a god.”
From Yang Hao’s palm, a vast force surged forth, actually halting the suction of the temporal vortices.
“Haa!” Yang Hao roared, the brilliance of the Saint Realm peak so intense it forced people to close their eyes.
When everyone in the room opened their eyes again, they were astonished to find that the twenty temporal vortices that had just been like death traps had completely vanished into thin air.
The bar lights were even dimmer due to several shattered lamps. The interior was in chaos, with all the tables, chairs, glasses, and bottles toppled over as if hit by a tornado.
But these seemed unimportant now. The previously arrogant adventurers stared at Yang Hao with dazed expressions.
What kind of vagabond was this? Not only had he defeated Old Jack, who possessed Saint Realm power, but he could also extinguish twenty temporal vortices with a mere wave of his hand. It was simply like a divine miracle.
Yang Hao, however, remained calm. He looked at his palm, quite satisfied with his performance. He had merely tested his control over space.
Previously, he had always seen Hede split space with a single axe strike, but Yang Hao himself had little understanding of space. Now, Old Jack had given him an opportunity to learn how to master spatial techniques.
Sure enough, when Yang Hao grasped with Saint Realm peak power, those vortices obediently closed up, as docile as pets.
However, what Yang Hao considered perfectly normal frightened the surrounding people into constant shivering.
Everyone had witnessed the Saint Realm peak light Yang Hao had just displayed. Although they didn’t know Yang Hao’s identity, they at least understood he was someone completely beyond their ability to provoke.
The Iron Wolf Mercenary Group recalled their earlier intention to throw Yang Hao out, and now they were sweating coldly, standing there in a daze, unsure whether to advance or retreat.
Fortunately, this suffocating moment didn’t last long. Several patrol boats from the Celestial Republic military swiftly arrived above the bar. Five Republican soldiers rushed in, breaking the terrifying stillness.
“What’s going on?” The Republican officer frowned at the chaotic and ruined scene inside the bar. “Old Jack, what are you doing here?”
Yang Hao was startled, not because the Republican military arrived so quickly—he had intentionally created this commotion to attract them.
Whether it was the Galactic Empire, the Oracular Autonomous Territory, or the Eastern Republic, all had strict monitoring of spatial fluctuations. A large-scale spatial disturbance could potentially sweep away several planets. Therefore, when such a major disturbance occurred here, the military would certainly come to investigate.
Yang Hao was somewhat surprised that these soldiers were not “they,” but “they were she.”
The soldiers and officers of the Celestial Republic were all women—exceptionally beautiful women.
Especially the leading officer, whose shining golden hair was hidden under a steel helmet. Her skin was fair and delicate, her chest full, her waist slim, and her hips voluptuous. Her figure was practically perfect. Even more blood-rushing was the fact that the soldiers’ uniforms were form-fitting battle armor, accentuating their perfect silhouettes. When the officer began to speak, Yang Hao could hear the surrounding mercenaries swallowing hard.
However, after the initial surprise, Yang Hao quickly understood the identity of these soldiers. In the Eastern Outlands, only Angel Star could produce such perfect beauty in large quantities.
During his wandering in the Eastern Outlands, Yang Hao had learned about the local situation.
At the time Yang Hao became the lord of the Oracular Autonomous Territory, a rebellion against the Galactic Empire occurred in the Eastern Outlands. Later, the Empire sent a Saint Swordsman-led Glory Army to suppress the rebellion, but they were decisively defeated by the Eastern Allied Forces. This led to the Senate’s formation of two plots: the Strangulation and the Dragon Trap.
After defeating the imperial suppression, various star systems in the Eastern Outlands jointly established the Celestial Republic. Due to the scarcity of intelligent human species in the East, the main population consisted of adventurers and beast tribes. Therefore, the core of the Republic was Angel Star.
In this context, it was not surprising that Angel Star’s beauties became soldiers of the Celestial Republic.
The scene today was indeed very strange.
According to the past, the relationship between adventurers and Angel Star beauties was that of hunter and prey. A major source of income for adventurer groups in the East was capturing the peerless beauties of Angel Star and selling them to the Empire.
But after the formation of the Republic, the situation completely changed.
The beautiful female soldiers of the Republic coldly gazed at the mercenaries in the bar. The battle-hardened mercenaries merely lowered their heads, too terrified to breathe loudly. The relationship between hunter and prey had completely reversed.
“Hmm? Old Jack?” The officer was somewhat impatient, directly pointing at Ghost Blade Jack.
Her attitude toward the old man was quite good, not only because of Old Jack’s martial skills, but more importantly, because the Ghost Blade team had only hunted monsters and never trafficked people before retirement.
“Ah!” Old Jack flicked his wrist, and the Ghost Blade vanished. A smile appeared on his aged face. “Nothing serious, just a misunderstanding. A few annoying newcomers came here to cause trouble, but we’ve already driven them away.”
“But we received a report about spatial fluctuations. What’s going on?”
The officer pursed her lips, her beautiful face causing another round of hard swallowing among the crowd.
Old Jack coughed, intending to fabricate a few lies to cover things up.
He had figured out that Yang Hao was a true supreme expert, one of the top figures in the world. Someone like that shouldn’t be arrested in his bar.
But Yang Hao himself had a different idea. He clapped his hands, straightening his tattered clothes a bit, and smiled at the beauty, saying, “Just now, these people were ganging up to attack me.”
“Attack?” The beautiful officer cast a sharp gaze toward Old Jack and the Iron Wolf mercenaries.
The mercenaries felt their scalps tingling. Engaging in combat using spatial rules was already against the regulations of the Eastern Republic. If it were someone else, the mercenaries might frame them, but this vagabond possessed Saint Realm peak power. Framing him would be tantamount to suicide.
After the Battle of Elder Mountain, there were fewer than ten Saint Realm peak experts in the entire universe. If one didn’t want to die quickly, it was best not to provoke this vagabond.
Just as the people in the bar were lamenting their bad luck for being framed by Yang Hao, the guy suddenly changed his tone, self-deprecatingly saying, “No choice, who asked me to be an imperial spy? These people support the Republic, so naturally they want to capture me.”
Old Jack’s eyes lit up. It seemed Yang Hao was actually helping them. Although fighting wasn’t allowed, capturing a spy was a different matter.
“You’re an imperial spy?” The beautiful officer and several soldiers quickly entered a combat stance. Their armor instantly covered all exposed skin, even their beautiful faces. A weapon resembling an ancient cavalry spear was attached to the right arm of the armor, pointing directly at Yang Hao.
“That’s right.” Yang Hao looked indifferent. “I came from the planet and was discovered as soon as I arrived. Since you’ve caught me, take me to see your leader.”
“Spy!” The beautiful officer angrily interrupted. “What qualification does a spy have to meet our leader!”
Old Jack felt something strange. From the moment Yang Hao entered the bar, he had sensed something odd about him. Then he had suddenly displayed Saint Realm peak power and deliberately attracted the Republican military.
Old Jack quickly glanced at the wanted poster with Yang Hao’s photo printed on the wall, then carefully examined the handsome face beneath the vagabond’s long hair.
“Ahh!! You’re…” Old Jack staggered, nearly fainting.
Yang Hao gave him a meaningful look.
Old Jack quickly shut his mouth. This was the greatest wealth gained from years of adventuring—knowing when to speak and when to remain silent.
However, Old Jack’s heart was extremely excited. He never expected that this person would come to his bar, and that he had even fought with him without being killed.
It was practically an extraordinary honor.
In fact, even Yang Hao himself wasn’t entirely clear about his status within the Republic. Especially after the Battle of Elder Mountain, the entire Celestial Republic revered him like a god.
“Indeed, impressive!” Yang Hao’s eyes sparkled with excitement. This was a move no one had ever used before, and today, in this bar, he had learned an incredibly practical technique.
However, Yang Hao’s crisis was imminent. If he didn’t retreat soon, that shimmering spatial net would envelop him.
Old Jack had shown some mercy by not completely sealing off Yang Hao’s escape route. His intention was clear—if Yang Hao left the bar, he wouldn’t make things difficult for him.
But retreat was the last thing on Yang Hao’s mind. A brilliant smile replaced his previously disheveled, vagabond-like demeanor. His fingers subtly rose, and in an instant, dozens of sword lights flickered into existence, shooting toward Old Jack’s spatial net at an unimaginable speed. They tore open another gap in the already fractured space.
Silver light flashed wildly between Old Jack and Yang Hao as the layers of repeatedly sliced space finally revealed their ferocious nature.
“What?!” Old Jack’s hands trembled in shock. His Ghost Blade could open twenty spatial rifts—a feat achieved through decades of arduous training, and he was confident in controlling their power. Under this net, those who understood its danger would either retreat or perish.
But Yang Hao did the exact opposite. Instead of retreating, he expanded those spatial rifts.
The twenty rifts were no longer mere cracks—they had become voids. What now stood before them was no longer a spatial net but a vortex of time and space.
This was no joke.
Adventurers who thrived in the most dangerous places knew all too well how perilous a spacetime vortex could be. A single vortex could suck in all living beings. If one was lucky, they might be randomly transported to an unknown time and space. But in most cases, they would be torn to shreds instantly.
And now, twenty such vortices had appeared in the bar.
Old Jack froze for half a second before snapping back to reality. “Run!! Run!!!”
Even he, a master of the Saint Realm, couldn’t escape the pull of the vortex. The surrounding adventurers stood no chance. But his warning came too late—the twenty vortices had already formed. The immense gravitational force made it impossible for anyone to move.
The bar’s interior shattered under the violent suction. Smaller objects were already being swallowed by the vortices, their dazzling, starlike radiance illuminating the entire room like a galaxy.
“Do you want to die?” Old Jack roared at Yang Hao in fury. “Have you lost your mind?”
“The bigger the commotion, the faster the Republic’s army will notice,” Yang Hao replied calmly.
“Madman! You absolute madman! We’re all going to die! We’re all going to die!!”
Despite his Saint Realm power, Old Jack was helpless as his body was slowly dragged toward the vortex. “Who can control such spacetime vortices? Not only will we die, but everything on this planet will be sucked away! Only a god can stop this! Damn it!!!”
Yang Hao sensed that the spatial fluctuations here were strong enough to be detected by scanners outside the star system. He extended his hand and murmured softly, “I’m no god.”
A vast, overwhelming force erupted from his palm, instantly suppressing the suction of the spacetime vortices.
“Ha!” Yang Hao let out a mighty shout, and the radiance of his Saint Realm peak was so intense that everyone had to shut their eyes.
When they reopened them, they were stunned to find that the twenty deadly spacetime vortices had vanished without a trace.
The bar’s lighting, already dimmed by several shattered lamps, cast eerie shadows over the wreckage. Tables, chairs, glasses, and bottles lay scattered as if ravaged by a tornado.
But none of that seemed to matter anymore. The once-arrogant adventurers now stared at Yang Hao in stunned silence.
What kind of vagabond was this? Not only had he defeated Old Jack, a Saint Realm expert, but he had also effortlessly erased twenty spacetime vortices with a wave of his hand. It was nothing short of divine.
Yet Yang Hao remained indifferent. He glanced at his palm, satisfied with his performance. He had merely tested his newfound control over space.
Before, he had only witnessed Herder splitting space with an axe, but he himself had little understanding of spatial manipulation. Now, Old Jack had given him the perfect opportunity to learn.
Indeed, when Yang Hao exerted his Saint Realm peak power, the vortices obediently closed, as docile as pets.
But what seemed perfectly normal to Yang Hao sent shivers down the spines of everyone else.
They had all witnessed the radiant glow of his Saint Realm peak power. Though they didn’t know his identity, they understood one thing—this was someone they could never afford to provoke.
The Iron Rust Wolf mercenaries, who had earlier threatened to throw Yang Hao out, were now drenched in cold sweat, frozen in place, unsure whether to advance or retreat.
Fortunately, the suffocating tension didn’t last long. Several Republic patrol ships descended upon the bar, and five soldiers stormed in, shattering the eerie silence.
“What’s going on here?” The Republic officer frowned at the chaotic wreckage. “Old Jack, what have you been up to?”
Yang Hao was surprised—not because the Republic forces had arrived so quickly (he had deliberately caused the disturbance to attract them), but because the soldiers weren’t “they” but “she.”
The soldiers and officers of the Star Spirit Republic were all women—exceptionally beautiful women at that.
The leading officer, in particular, was breathtaking. Her golden hair peeked out from beneath a steel helmet, her skin flawless, her figure curvaceous yet slender. The Republic’s form-fitting battle armor only accentuated her beauty, making the mercenaries around her gulp audibly.
After a moment of surprise, Yang Hao quickly realized their origin. In the Eastern Outer Regions, only one place could produce such stunning beauties in abundance—Angel Star.
During his time wandering the East, Yang Hao had learned about the region’s political landscape.
Around the time he became the ruler of the Oracle Dominion, a rebellion against the Galactic Empire had erupted in the Eastern Outer Regions. The Empire had dispatched the Glory Army, led by the Sword Saint, to suppress it, but the Eastern Coalition forces had crushed them, leading to the formation of the Senate’s Dragon Slayer and Dragon Trap divisions.
After repelling the Empire’s assault, the star systems of the Eastern Outer Regions united to establish the Star Spirit Republic. Given the scarcity of intelligent lifeforms in the East—dominated instead by adventurers and beastkin—the Republic’s core was Angel Star.
Thus, it was no surprise that Angel Star’s beauties had become the Republic’s warriors.
Today’s scene was bizarre.
In the past, adventurers and Angel Star beauties had been hunter and prey. Many adventurers made their fortune by capturing these beauties and selling them into the Empire.
But with the Republic’s establishment, the tables had turned.
The Republic’s warrior women now glared coldly at the mercenaries, who stood frozen, not daring to breathe.
“Hmm? Old Jack?” The officer tapped her foot impatiently, addressing the Ghost Blade Jack directly.
She treated the old man with some respect—not just because of his combat skills, but because his Ghost Blade team had always hunted beasts and avoided the slave trade before retiring.
“Ah!” Old Jack flicked his wrist, and his Ghost Blade vanished. A smile crept onto his weathered face. “Just a misunderstanding. A few reckless newcomers caused trouble, but we’ve already chased them off.”
“But we detected spatial fluctuations here. What happened?”
The officer pursed her lips, her stunning beauty making the mercenaries swallow hard again.
Old Jack coughed, about to spin another lie to cover things up.
He had realized that Yang Hao was a true peerless expert—one of the most formidable beings in the universe. Someone like that couldn’t be arrested in his bar.
But Yang Hao had other plans. He straightened his tattered clothes and grinned at the beautiful officer. “Actually, these people were just ganging up on me.”
“Ganging up?” The officer’s sharp gaze shifted to Old Jack and the Iron Rust Wolf mercenaries.
The mercenaries felt their scalps prickle. Using spatial manipulation in combat was a violation of Republic law. Normally, they might have framed someone else, but this vagabond had Saint Realm peak strength. Accusing him would be suicide.
After the Battle of the Elder Mountain, there were fewer than ten Saint Realm peak experts left in the universe. If they wanted to live, they’d best not provoke this man.
Just as the bar’s occupants resigned themselves to being framed by Yang Hao, he suddenly changed his tone, mocking himself. “Well, what can I say? I’m an Imperial spy. These folks are loyal to the Republic, so of course they’d try to capture me.”
Old Jack’s eyes lit up. Yang Hao was actually helping them! While fighting was prohibited, capturing a spy was a different matter.
“You’re an Imperial spy?” The officer and her soldiers immediately entered combat stance, their armor encasing them fully, even covering their faces. A weapon resembling an ancient cavalry lance extended from the officer’s right arm, aimed at Yang Hao.
“Yep,” Yang Hao said nonchalantly. “I came from Earth, just arrived here, and got caught. Since you’ve got me, take me to your leader.”
“Spy!” The officer snapped angrily. “What makes you think a spy has the right to see our leader?”
Old Jack found the situation odd. From the moment Yang Hao entered the bar, he had sensed something unusual about him. Then, the man had unleashed Saint Realm peak power and deliberately attracted the Republic’s forces.
Old Jack glanced at the wanted poster on the wall bearing Yang Hao’s photo, then scrutinized the vagabond’s handsome face beneath his long hair.
“Ah!! You’re—” Old Jack staggered, nearly fainting.
Yang Hao gave him a meaningful look.
Old Jack promptly shut his mouth. Decades of adventuring had taught him when to speak and when to stay silent.
But his heart raced with excitement. He never imagined that this man would walk into his bar—that he had even crossed blades with him and survived.
This was an unparalleled honor.
Even Yang Hao himself didn’t realize how revered he was in the Republic. After the Battle of the Elder Mountain, the entire Star Spirit Republic worshipped him like a deity.
Thanks to the Republic’s propaganda, the East knew that Yang Hao had once fought the Supreme Being to a standstill (though the media exaggerated).
The Republic, long opposed to the Imperial Senate, pinned its hopes on finding Yang Hao. Many believed he was the only one who could unite the East and West against the Senate.
And now, here he stood—disguised as a vagabond, overlooked by everyone.
Old Jack burned with anxiety but dared not reveal Yang Hao’s identity. The female officer, however, was dead set on treating him as a spy.
Thinking fast, Old Jack interjected, “Wait! This spy might have vital intelligence for the leader!”
Yang Hao nodded approvingly.
The officer hesitated, then reported to headquarters. Finally, she received clear orders: “You, come with us to Angel Star. The leader will decide whether to see you.”
Yang Hao raised an eyebrow. Sooner or later, he had to face them. After wallowing in despair for so long, it was time to rise again.
After all, his survival wasn’t a sin—it was a responsibility.
From Hunter Star to Angel Star, a hyperspace jump took only a few hours.
But Yang Hao spent an entire day confined in the Republic’s ship. “Confined” wasn’t quite accurate—he could have obliterated the vessel effortlessly.
Strangely, he didn’t mind staying. Perhaps because the Republic was entirely female, their ships, while technologically lacking, were exquisitely beautiful.
Yang Hao’s own Doomsday Battleship was massive, but most of its space was dedicated to weapons and the anti-nuclear device, leaving cramped quarters for the crew. Here, even his “prison” was a spacious, luxuriously decorated room.
The walls were painted in Angel Star’s signature star-blue, adorned with intricate patterns. Plush sofas lined with spirit beast fur offered comfort, and a terminal connected to the central AI provided access to all Eastern news.
Yang Hao lounged, flipping through updates on the Republic’s latest policies.
The door slid open, and the golden-haired officer entered, now out of armor, wearing a Republic uniform that hugged her figure.
“Spy,” she said coldly, “the leader has agreed to see you.”
Yang Hao smirked. “Lead the way.”
As he followed her through the ship’s elegant corridors, he mused that perhaps his days of wandering were over.
The time had come to reclaim his role—not as a fugitive, but as the man who could challenge the Empire itself.
And the Celestial Republic, which had long been hostile to the Imperial Senate, pinned their hopes on finding Yang Hao. The people of the Republic generally believed that in the current universe, only Yang Hao could unite the East and West to resist the Imperial Senate.
But now, Yang Hao was standing right in this bar. However, because of his appearance as a wanderer, everyone had overlooked him.
Old Jack was extremely anxious in his heart but dared not directly reveal Yang Hao’s identity. Yet he saw the female officer charging straight at Yang Hao, determined to treat him as a spy.
Old Jack, in a flash of inspiration, shouted: “Wait! This spy might have important intelligence to report to the leader!”
Yang Hao nodded appreciatively at him.
This caused the female officer to hesitate for a moment. After reporting to headquarters, she finally received a clear response: “You, come with us to Angel Star. We’ll see if the leader wants to meet you.”
Yang Hao raised his eyebrows. Those he should meet would eventually meet. After being depressed for so long, it was time to rise again.
After all, he was still alive, not as a burden of guilt, but as a responsibility.
From Hunter Star to Angel Star, the space flight didn’t take more than a few hours.
However, Yang Hao was locked inside the spaceship by those female soldiers for an entire day. Saying “locked” might not be quite accurate because the spaceship that was supposed to confine Yang Hao was, in his eyes, something he could easily destroy without effort.
Actually, Yang Hao quite enjoyed staying here. Whether it was because the Republic was full of women or not, their spaceship, although not particularly advanced in function or technology, had one major advantage—it was beautiful.
Yang Hao’s own Doomsday-class battleship was indeed very large, but most of the space was occupied by the reverse-nuclear device and weapons, leaving the crew cabins quite small. However, here it was completely different. Even for a spy like him, the room was spacious—several dozen square meters in size. It was uniformly painted in Angel Star’s unique celestial blue, adorned with various intricate patterns, extremely luxurious. The room also had soft sofas covered with beast pelts, and a terminal connected to the central AI that could access all the information from the Eastern territories.
Where is the prison? This is practically a fully equipped hotel.
Yang Hao was delighted to stay here, where he could catch up on all the major news from the eastern territories over the past few years.
After spending the entire day reading through the reports, Yang Hao felt genuine regret. Though he held a high position as the ruler of the western territories of the Empire, he had paid far too little attention to the east.
In just one year, the eastern outer territories of the Empire had undergone a transformation as dramatic as the sky collapsing.
This place had once been a wasteland, an ideal colony for the Empire to plunder exotic beasts, minerals, and women. There were hardly any centers of advanced technology or large populations of intelligent beings here.
Yet within a single year, a massive Celestial Republic had rapidly formed around the core planet of Angel Star. The Republic encompassed thousands of star systems across the eastern outer territories, uniting a vast number of intelligent beings.
Technological centers, commercial hubs, and administrative capitals had risen swiftly, as if by miracle. In just one year, the east achieved what had taken the Galactic Empire centuries to build.
And the one who made all of this possible was the most revered “Leader” of the east.
Yang Hao stared blankly at the Leader’s photo on the screen, his heart filled with mixed emotions, unsure of what to say.
This woman, possessing the most perfect beauty in the entire universe, had become the supreme leader of trillions of people and the goddess worshipped by countless men.
Suddenly, Yang Hao couldn’t wait to meet her.
As if answering his wish, the cabin door opened. Judging by the sound, it was probably kicked open by someone with a terrible temper.
“Do we really need to bring a spy all the way to the capital?” Of course, it was a very annoying voice.
A young man entered first. He wore a strange square-shaped official hat, and his somewhat decent face was constantly twisted with disdain and arrogance. He walked with exaggerated arm and leg movements, making one wonder if his limbs might snap off.
“Minister Siche,” the female officer said respectfully, “this spy claims to have important information for the Leader. The fleet headquarters ordered me to bring him directly here.”
“The Leader! Who is the Leader? She is our goddess! Can just any spy get an audience with her?” The man named Siche waved his arms dramatically.
Yang Hao only needed to glance at him once to conclude that this man was the type who was disliked by both men and women, yet still had an inflated ego.
Sure enough, Siche tried to flirt with the female officer, smirking lewdly. “Of course, you’ve done your duty. I’ll be sure to report that to the Leader. Just wait for your promotion.”
One could only admire the composure of the women from Angel Star. Years of hardship had taught them to remain calm in the face of both honor and disgrace. The female officer nodded slightly but said nothing more.
Siche rushed toward Yang Hao, and upon seeing his tattered clothes and long, messy hair, barely even looked at him before turning away in disgust and quickly asking, “So you’re the spy?”
“Do you enjoy wasting time with useless chatter?” Yang Hao put down the terminal, stood up, and towered over Siche by a full head, his physique far superior.
The female officer gave Yang Hao a subtle wink, as if urging him to sit down, because this Siche apparently disliked anyone taller than himself, especially a ragged wanderer like Yang Hao. But Yang Hao merely raised an eyebrow and remained standing.
“A spy wants to see the Leader?” Siche exploded in outrage. “A lowly spy from the Empire dares to request an audience with our goddess?
Do you even deserve to lay eyes on her? People like you belong in the gutter with vagrants and cave explorers.”
“Then who should the goddess be with?” Yang Hao replied calmly.
“Why, me of course!” Ignoring the sighs of those around him, Siche shouted proudly, “Only someone like me, a true genius, is worthy to stand beside the goddess and highlight her divine beauty.”
“The goddess loses her luster because of you…” Yang Hao said softly.
“What did you say?” Siche was stunned. He couldn’t believe a prisoner would dare speak like that.
“I said,” Yang Hao sneered, “that standing beside you would make her lose her radiance, because you are nothing but a pile of dog shit—the stinkiest dog shit there is!”
“You bastard!” Siche roared in fury, immediately drawing his personal particle gun and pointing it at Yang Hao without hesitation.
Yang Hao snorted coldly. In the next second, the particle gun melted into a puddle of molten metal.
“Aaaaaaah!!!” Siche screamed in pain as he fell to the floor, staring in horror at the molten metal that had burned his skin and flesh.
The several female warriors nearby were shocked and immediately took up fighting stances, aiming their iron spears at Yang Hao. No matter how annoying Siche was, he was still a high-ranking official of the Republic, while Yang Hao was just a spy.
Yang Hao didn’t even need to draw his Shadow Moon sword. With a flick of his finger, several sword beams appeared in midair, slicing open four spatial vortices in front of the female warriors.
The starlit spatial vortices acted like powerful winches, silently devouring the spears and pulling the Angel Star warriors along with them.
“No!” the female officer screamed.
Yang Hao waved his hand, and the four spatial vortices vanished instantly. Though it had only been a day, his mastery of spatial laws had progressed far beyond expectations.
The cabin fell silent again, except for the fallen female officer and the still-screaming Siche, which confirmed that a miraculous scene had indeed just occurred.
The female officer remained relatively calm. She powered down her armor and stood up, asking hesitantly:
“Who… who exactly are you?”
“I need to see your Leader,” Yang Hao simply repeated his demand.
“He cannot meet the Leader,” the annoying Siche shouted again. “Quickly, call the guards! Kill him! Kill this spy as soon as possible!”
Yang Hao frowned. The Shadow Moon quivered within him, and for the first time in a while, he felt the urge to kill.
But the so-called Minister Siche was completely oblivious to his impending doom, still shouting:
“Call the guards! I’ll have this man thrown into the beast pit and let the monsters tear him apart alive!”
“Seeking death!” Yang Hao’s eyes flared. The Shadow Moon burst forth, spinning toward Siche’s head.
“Wait!!” A female voice suddenly rang out. With that voice, a thin bolt of lightning appeared, intercepting the Shadow Moon just in time.
Yang Hao grunted, and the Shadow Moon obediently returned.
The previously stunned Siche suddenly saw a group of people entering the cabin from outside, and his courage surged again. He struggled to his feet and rushed toward the woman who had just entered, crying out in a trembling voice, “Leader! Leader! This spy tried to assassinate me—actually tried to assassinate me!”
The Leader of the Celestial Republic, revered as the most beautiful woman in the universe and widely worshipped, was also known for her unmatched intelligence and capability among men. In just one year, she had unified the eastern outer territories.
Perhaps every man in the Celestial Republic secretly loved the female Leader.
Siche was no exception. From the moment he first saw the Leader, he had fallen madly in love. But the Leader was so sacred and untouchable that Siche had never dared to confess his feelings.
However, after working alongside her for a long time, he noticed that the Leader had never shown any romantic interest in men, which greatly boosted his confidence. He believed that one day, the Leader would finally recognize his deep devotion and even marry him.
So deep down, Siche had already considered himself the Leader’s man. He even spoke to her in a coquettish tone: “Leader, this spy dares to request an audience with you! I’ll kill him!”
However, no one present noticed that their Leader, who was always as cold and expressionless as ice, was now trembling all over and pale-faced as she looked at the ragged wanderer.
Tears were even streaming down her cheeks.
This was utterly shocking. Not only did Siche’s mind short-circuit, but everyone else also realized something was wrong. They had followed the Leader for a whole year and had rarely seen her lose composure like this.
Even more outrageous was that the wanderer actually opened his arms toward the Leader, as if inviting her to embrace him.
“Outrageous!!” Siche was furious, almost wanting to grab a spear and pierce the wanderer to teach him his place.
But what happened next left everyone in the room utterly stunned—more shocked than if they had been struck by tens of thousands of volts of electricity.
Their holy and great Leader actually threw herself into the wanderer’s arms without a care in the world, not only sobbing like a little girl but also offering him a passionate kiss.
She actually… kissed Yang Hao passionately.
With a thud, someone fainted.
“Minister Siche… Minister Siche…” the female officers were both startled and amused, but no one rushed to help him. They were too busy watching the Leader’s intimate moment to care.
It was perhaps the longest and most intense kiss in history. It lasted for over twenty minutes before Yang Hao and the woman finally parted.
Yang Hao sighed softly, gently stroking the woman’s face, saying, “Shi Mingyuan, you’ve lost weight.”
That one sentence made Shi Mingyuan’s tears flow again uncontrollably.
The highest ruler of the eastern outer territories, the Leader of the Celestial Republic, the woman worshipped like a goddess by the people of the east—was none other than Shi Mingyuan, the woman Yang Hao had once considered his wife.
It was both expected and utterly surprising.
Back in the Empire, Yang Hao had already learned that Shi Mingyuan had returned to Angel Star and led the rebellion against the Empire. But he had never imagined that she would accomplish such a monumental feat, becoming the head of the Republic.
Yang Hao and Shi Mingyuan embraced each other in silence, as if time had reversed and they were once again back on their old planet, Laimon.
Their first meeting in the star seas, their long journeys among the stars.
When Shi Mingyuan had taken a sword meant for Yang Hao and fallen into a coma, Yang Hao had traveled to Bear Star to find the Bear Gall to save her.
It was from that moment that the legend of this universe had begun.
Now, reunited after so long, everything had changed—even the order of the stars was different.
Shi Mingyuan cried in Yang Hao’s arms for a while before remembering their current surroundings. She wiped her tears and looked around. The Angel Star female officers had already obediently turned their gazes elsewhere, pretending not to see.
Only the few older men who had entered with Shi Mingyuan stood there with mouths agape, as if eggs could fit inside.
Shi Mingyuan playfully grabbed Yang Hao’s hand. “You’re so dirty. Let me take you to bathe.” Without waiting for their shocked reactions, she dragged Yang Hao out of the cabin.
That day marked a disaster for every unmarried man in the east. The scene of Shi Mingyuan and Yang Hao reuniting was instantly broadcast by the female officers, spreading across the Republic within hours.
The news that their holy and great female Leader had been won over by a ragged wanderer and had passionately kissed him in seconds devastated billions of male beings in the Republic. Within a month, the marriage rate in the Celestial Republic skyrocketed by over two thousand times as males gave up hope and rushed to marry.
But Yang Hao and Shi Mingyuan didn’t care about any of that. As rumors swirled, the young lovers had already begun their romantic bath together in the famous Blue Pool of Angel Star.
This is no prison—it’s practically a well-equipped hotel.
Yang Hao was quite content staying here, as it gave him the chance to review all the major news from the eastern regions in recent years.
After spending an entire day poring over the materials, Yang Hao felt genuine regret. Despite holding the high position of lord over the western territories of the empire, he had paid far too little attention to the east.
In just one short year, the outer eastern regions of the empire had undergone earth-shattering changes.
This area had once been a wasteland, the empire’s prime colony for plundering exotic beasts, minerals, and women. It lacked high-tech centers and was devoid of large, intelligent populations.
Yet, in just one year, a massive Star Spirit Republic had rapidly emerged, centered around Angel Star. The republic encompassed thousands of star systems in the outer eastern regions, uniting vast numbers of intelligent beings.
Technological hubs, commercial centers, and administrative capitals had risen at an astonishing pace—like a miracle. What had taken the Galactic Empire centuries to achieve, the east had accomplished in a single year.
And the one responsible for all this was the revered “Leader” of the eastern people.
Yang Hao stared blankly at the image of the Leader on the screen, his heart a storm of emotions, unsure of what to say.
This woman, with the most flawless appearance in the universe, had become the supreme leader of trillions and the goddess worshipped by countless men.
Suddenly, Yang Hao couldn’t wait to see her.
As if answering his wish, the cabin door swung open—though judging by the sound, it had likely been kicked in by some impatient brute.
“A spy? And he needs to be brought straight to the capital?” came an unmistakably grating voice.
A young man strode in first, wearing a bizarre square official’s hat. His face, though passable, was permanently twisted with arrogance and disdain. His exaggerated movements as he walked made it seem like his limbs might snap at any moment.
“Lord Sizhe,” the female officer said respectfully, “this spy claims to have critical information for the Leader. Fleet Command ordered me to bring him directly.”
“The Leader? Who is the Leader? She’s our goddess! Since when can a spy just waltz in to see her?” Sizhe waved his hands dramatically.
Yang Hao only needed one glance to confirm that this man was the type universally despised by both men and women, yet still convinced of his own superiority.
Sure enough, Sizhe turned a sleazy grin toward the female officer. “Of course, you’ve done your duty well. I’ll report your diligence to the Leader—expect a promotion soon.”
One had to admire the resilience of Angel Star women. Years of hardship had taught them to remain unshaken by praise or insult. The officer gave a slight nod but said nothing more.
Sizhe stormed up to Yang Hao. Seeing his tattered clothes and long, unkempt hair, he didn’t even bother looking closely before turning away in disgust. “So you’re the spy?”
“Do you always waste words?” Yang Hao set down his terminal and stood, towering over Sizhe by a full head, his physique far superior.
The female officer subtly blinked at Yang Hao, as if urging him to sit—Lord Sizhe hated when others stood taller than him, especially a ragged stranger. But Yang Hao merely smirked and stayed put.
“Why does a spy want to see the Leader?” Sizhe ranted. “A petty imperial spy, daring to request an audience with our goddess? Do you even deserve to lay eyes on her? Someone like you belongs with street beggars and cave-dwelling adventurers!”
“Then who *should* the goddess be with?” Yang Hao asked calmly.
“Me, of course!” Sizhe ignored the exasperated sighs around him and boasted loudly. “Only a man of my caliber is worthy of standing beside her, complementing her divine beauty!”
“The goddess would lose her radiance next to you…” Yang Hao murmured.
“What did you say?” Sizhe gaped, stunned that a prisoner would dare speak to him like this.
“I said,” Yang Hao sneered, “she’d lose her radiance standing beside you—because you’re nothing but dog shit. The foulest kind!”
“You bastard!” Sizhe exploded in rage, immediately drawing his particle gun and pointing it at Yang Hao.
Yang Hao scoffed. In the next instant, the gun melted into molten metal.
“AHHHHH!!!” Sizhe collapsed to the ground, staring in horror as the searing liquid burned through his flesh.
The surrounding female warriors, shocked, instantly shifted into combat stances, their steel spears aimed at Yang Hao. No matter how detestable Sizhe was, he was still a high-ranking official of the republic—Yang Hao was just a spy.
Yang Hao didn’t even need to draw Shadowmoon. With a flick of his fingers, sword energy materialized in the air, slicing open four spatial vortices before the warriors.
The swirling, starry voids acted like powerful winches, silently devouring their spears—and nearly the warriors themselves.
“Stop!” the female officer cried out.
Yang Hao waved his hand, and the vortices vanished. Though only a day had passed, his mastery of spatial laws had progressed far beyond imagination.
The cabin fell silent again, save for the groaning officer and Sizhe’s continued wails—proof of the miraculous scene that had just unfolded.
The officer, regaining her composure, deactivated her armor and stood. “Who… who *are* you?”
“I want to see your Leader,” Yang Hao repeated.
“Don’t let him!” Sizhe screeched. “Call the guards! Kill him—kill this spy now!”
Yang Hao frowned. Shadowmoon trembled within him—for the first time in a while, he felt the urge to kill.
But the so-called Lord Sizhe remained oblivious. “Bring the guards! I’ll throw this man into the beast pits and let the monsters tear him apart!”
“You’re begging for death.” Yang Hao’s eyes flashed. Shadowmoon shot forth, spinning toward Sizhe’s neck.
“Wait!!” A woman’s voice rang out. A bolt of lightning, thick as a finger, intercepted Shadowmoon mid-flight.
Yang Hao snorted, and the sword obediently returned.
Sizhe, who had been frozen in terror, suddenly noticed the new arrivals outside the cabin. Emboldened, he scrambled up and hobbled toward a woman who had just entered. “Leader! This spy tried to assassinate me! He actually tried to kill me!”
The Leader of the Star Spirit Republic—revered as the most beautiful woman in the universe by the eastern people, worshipped like a goddess. Though a woman, her intellect and capabilities surpassed any man’s, unifying the outer eastern regions in just one year.
Perhaps every man in the republic harbored some secret affection for her.
Sizhe was no exception. From the moment he first saw her, he had fallen madly in love. But her sacred, untouchable aura kept him from confessing.
Over time, however, Sizhe noticed that the Leader had never shown interest in any man. This fueled his confidence—he believed that one day, she would recognize his devotion and even marry him.
Subconsciously, Sizhe already saw himself as her rightful partner, speaking to her in a whining, possessive tone. “Leader, this spy dared to ask for you! I’ll execute him!”
But no one present noticed that their usually ice-cold, unreadable Leader was now trembling, her face pale as she stared at the ragged stranger.
Tears streamed down her cheeks.
This was unprecedented. Not only was Sizhe’s brain short-circuiting, but even the others sensed something amiss. In the year they had served her, they had never seen her so emotional.
Even more shocking, the vagrant opened his arms to her—as if inviting an embrace.
“Outrageous!!” Sizhe bellowed, ready to grab a spear and impale the man for his audacity.
But what happened next left everyone present utterly stunned—more so than if they’d been struck by lightning.
Their sacred, magnificent Leader threw herself into the vagrant’s arms, sobbing like a girl and passionately kissing him.
She was… locking lips with Yang Hao.
*Thud.* Someone fainted.
“Lord Sizhe… Lord Sizhe…” The surrounding officers stifled laughter, too engrossed in the steamy scene to help him up.
It was perhaps the longest, most intense kiss in history—lasting over twenty minutes before Yang Hao and the woman finally parted.
Yang Hao sighed, gently caressing her face. “Shi Mingyuan… you’ve lost weight.”
Those words brought fresh tears to Shi Mingyuan’s eyes.
The supreme leader of the outer eastern regions, the head of the Star Spirit Republic, worshipped like a deity by the eastern people—was none other than Shi Mingyuan, the woman Yang Hao had once taken as his wife.
It was both expected and unimaginable.
While still in the empire, Yang Hao had learned that Shi Mingyuan had returned to Angel Star to lead a rebellion. But he never imagined she would achieve so much, becoming the ruler of an entire republic.
The two embraced in silence, as if time had reversed and they were back on Thunderstar again.
Their first meeting amidst the sea of stars, their journey across the cosmos.
Shi Mingyuan falling into a coma after taking a sword strike meant for Yang Hao, Yang Hao venturing to Sacred Bear Star to find a cure.
That was when their legend began.
Now, reunited, everything had changed—even the order of the stars.
Shi Mingyuan wept in Yang Hao’s arms for a long time before remembering their audience. Wiping her tears, she glanced around—the Angel Star officers had tactfully averted their eyes.
Only the older officials who had entered with her stood gaping, mouths hanging open as if stuffed with eggs.
Shi Mingyuan playfully tugged Yang Hao’s hand. “You’re filthy. Let’s get you cleaned up.” Ignoring the stunned onlookers, she dragged him out of the cabin.
That day was catastrophic for every unmarried man in the eastern regions. The scene of Shi Mingyuan and Yang Hao’s reunion spread at light speed, becoming common knowledge within hours.
Billions of male citizens, hearing that their pure, revered Leader had been “claimed” by a vagrant in seconds—and had *kissed* him—were devastated. Within a month, the republic saw a 2,000-fold spike in impulsive marriages as men gave up hope.
But Yang Hao and Shi Mingyuan paid no mind. While rumors swirled, the reunited lovers were already enjoying a鸳鸯浴 (mandarin duck bath) in Angel Star’s famed Blue Pool.
Angel Star was a planet with pale blue soil—legend said its surface was formed from tourmaline instead of dirt. Women born here carried powerful electric currents in their skin, a natural defense mechanism.
This “electric beauty” defense vanished only when a woman gave herself wholly to a man.
Shi Mingyuan had lost her electric shield after consummating her relationship with Yang Hao.
Now, she led him to the Blue Pool behind her residence—the most famous hot spring on Angel Star, hidden between forests and hills, reserved exclusively for the planet’s rulers.
The milky-blue waters, rich in rare minerals, were said to whiten skin, heal wounds, and keep it supple—hence why generations of leaders had bathed here.
Yang Hao was exhausted. Drifting through the eastern regions, he had traveled mostly by sheer power, leaving his clothes in tatters and his body scarred by meteorites.
Sinking into the warm, faintly glowing waters, he felt his aches melt away.
Yet even so, he refused to close his eyes—because across from him, Shi Mingyuan was undressing with elegant grace.
If the public knew their revered Leader was not only bathing this man but stripping to join him, their frenzy would know no bounds.
This is no prison; it’s practically a well-equipped hotel.
Yang Hao was quite content staying here, as it gave him the chance to catch up on all the major news from the eastern regions in recent years. After spending an entire day poring over the materials, Yang Hao felt genuine regret. Despite holding the high position of lord over the western territories of the empire, he had paid far too little attention to the east.
In just one short year, the empire’s eastern frontier had undergone earth-shattering changes.
Once a wild and untamed land, it had been the empire’s prime colony for plundering exotic beasts, minerals, and women. It lacked high-tech hubs and was devoid of large, intelligent populations.
Yet, in just one year, a massive Star Spirit Republic had rapidly emerged, centered around Angel Star. The republic encompassed thousands of star systems in the eastern frontier, uniting vast numbers of intelligent beings.
Tech hubs, commercial centers, and administrative capitals had risen at an astonishing pace—like a miracle. What had taken the Galactic Empire centuries to achieve, the east had accomplished in a single year.
And the architect of all this was the revered “Leader” of the eastern people.
Yang Hao stared blankly at the image of the Leader on the screen, his heart a whirlwind of emotions, unsure of what to say.
This woman, with the most flawless appearance in the universe, had become the supreme leader of trillions and the goddess worshipped by countless men.
Suddenly, Yang Hao couldn’t wait to see her.
As if answering his wish, the cabin door opened—though, judging by the sound, it had likely been kicked open by some hot-tempered individual.
“A spy? And he needs to be brought straight to the capital?” came an unmistakably grating voice.
A young man strode in first, wearing a bizarre square-shaped official hat. His face, while passable, was permanently twisted with arrogance and disdain. His exaggerated movements as he walked made it seem like his limbs might snap at any moment.
“Lord Sizhe,” the female officer said respectfully. “This spy claims to have critical intelligence for the Leader. Fleet Command ordered me to bring him directly.”
“The Leader? Who is the Leader? She is our goddess! Do you think just any spy can waltz in and see her?” Sizhe waved his hands dramatically.
Yang Hao only needed one glance to confirm that this man was the type universally despised by both men and women, yet still convinced of his own superiority.
Sure enough, Sizhe leered at the female officer with a fake romantic air. “Of course, your dedication to duty is commendable. I’ll report this to the Leader. Expect a promotion soon.”
One had to admire the resilience of Angel Star women. Years of hardship had taught them to remain unshaken by praise or insult. The female officer gave a slight nod but said nothing more.
Sizhe stormed up to Yang Hao. Seeing the ragged, long-haired figure before him, he didn’t even bother looking closely before turning away in disgust. “So, you’re the spy?”
“Do you always waste words like this?” Yang Hao set down the terminal and stood up, towering over Sizhe by a full head, his physique far superior.
The female officer blinked at Yang Hao, as if silently urging him to sit—Lord Sizhe hated it when others stood taller than him, especially a vagrant.
Yang Hao smirked but didn’t move.
“Why does a spy want to see the Leader?” Sizhe ranted. “A petty imperial spy dares to seek an audience with our goddess? Do you even deserve to lay eyes on her? Someone like you belongs with street beggars and cave-dwelling adventurers!”
“And who does the goddess belong with?” Yang Hao asked calmly.
“Me, of course!” Sizhe ignored the exasperated sighs around him and boasted loudly. “Only a man of my caliber is worthy of standing beside the goddess, complementing her divine beauty!”
“The goddess would lose her radiance beside you…” Yang Hao murmured.
“What did you say?” Sizhe gaped, stunned that a prisoner would dare speak to him like this.
“I said,” Yang Hao sneered, “she would lose her radiance beside you because you’re nothing but dog shit—the foulest kind!”
“You bastard!” Sizhe exploded in rage, immediately drawing his particle gun and pointing it at Yang Hao.
Yang Hao scoffed. In the next instant, the gun melted into molten metal.
“Ahhh!!!” Sizhe collapsed in agony, staring in horror as the superheated metal seared his flesh.
The surrounding female warriors gasped, instantly shifting into combat stances, their iron spears aimed at Yang Hao. No matter how detestable Sizhe was, he was still a high-ranking official of the republic—Yang Hao was just a spy.
Yang Hao didn’t even need to unsheathe Shadowmoon. With a flick of his fingers, sword beams materialized out of thin air, slicing open four spatial vortices before the warriors.
The starry vortices, shimmering with cosmic energy, silently devoured the warriors’ spears like powerful winches, threatening to swallow the Angel Star women whole.
“Stop!” the female officer cried out.
Yang Hao waved his hand, and the vortices vanished. Though only a day had passed, his mastery over spatial laws had progressed far beyond imagination.
The cabin fell silent again, save for the collapsed female officer and the still-screaming Lord Sizhe—proof that something miraculous had just occurred.
The female officer, maintaining her composure, deactivated her armor and stood up. “Who… who are you?”
“I want to see your Leader,” Yang Hao repeated.
“Don’t let him!” Sizhe shrieked, still writhing in pain. “Call the guards! Kill him! Kill this spy now!”
Yang Hao frowned. Shadowmoon trembled within him—this was the first time in a while he had felt the urge to kill.
But the so-called Lord Sizhe remained oblivious to his peril, continuing to rant:
“Get the guards! I’ll have this man thrown into the beast pits—let the monsters tear him apart!”
“You’re asking for death!” Yang Hao’s eyes flashed. Shadowmoon shot forth, spinning toward Sizhe’s head.
“Wait!!” A woman’s voice rang out. A bolt of lightning, thick as a finger, intercepted Shadowmoon mid-flight.
Yang Hao snorted, and Shadowmoon obediently returned.
Sizhe, who had been frozen in terror, suddenly noticed a group entering the cabin. Emboldened, he scrambled up and stumbled toward a woman at the front, wailing, “Leader! Leader, this spy tried to assassinate me! He actually tried to kill me!”
The Leader of the Star Spirit Republic, revered as the most beautiful woman in the universe by the eastern people, was worshipped like a goddess. Though a woman, her wisdom and capabilities rivaled any man’s, unifying the eastern frontier in just one year.
Perhaps every man in the republic harbored some secret affection for her.
Sizhe was no exception. From the moment he first saw her, he had fallen madly in love. But the Leader’s sacred, untouchable aura kept him from confessing.
Over time, however, Sizhe noticed that the Leader had never shown interest in any man. This inflated his confidence—he believed that one day, she would recognize his devotion and even marry him.
In his mind, Sizhe had long considered himself the Leader’s man, speaking to her in a sickeningly sweet tone: “Leader, this spy dared to ask for you! I’ll execute him!”
But no one present noticed that their usually ice-cold, unflappable Leader was now trembling, her face deathly pale as she stared at the vagrant.
Tears streamed down her cheeks.
This was unprecedented. Not only was Sizhe’s brain short-circuiting, but everyone else sensed something amiss. In the year they had followed her, they had never seen her so emotional.
Even more shocking, the vagrant opened his arms to her, as if inviting an embrace.
“How dare you!!” Sizhe was livid, ready to grab a spear and impale the vagrant to teach him his place.
But what happened next left everyone utterly stunned—more so than if they’d been struck by lightning.
Their sacred, magnificent Leader threw herself into the vagrant’s arms, sobbing like a schoolgirl and passionately kissing him.
She was… locking lips with Yang Hao.
*Thud.* Someone fainted.
“Lord Sizhe… Lord Sizhe…” The surrounding female officers were torn between shock and amusement, but no one bothered to help him up—they were too busy gawking at the Leader’s scandalous display.
It was perhaps the longest, most intense kiss in history, lasting over twenty minutes before Yang Hao and the woman finally parted.
Yang Hao sighed, gently caressing her face. “Shi Mingyuan, you’ve lost weight.”
Those words brought fresh tears to Shi Mingyuan’s eyes.
The supreme leader of the eastern frontier, the head of the Star Spirit Republic, the woman worshipped like a goddess—was none other than Shi Mingyuan, the woman Yang Hao had once considered his wife.
It was expected, yet beyond belief.
While still in the empire, Yang Hao had learned that Shi Mingyuan had returned to Angel Star to lead a rebellion. But he never imagined she would achieve so much, rising to become the republic’s ruler.
The two embraced in silence, as if time had reversed, returning them to their days on Raymond Star.
Their first meeting amidst the sea of stars, their interstellar travels.
Shi Mingyuan falling into a coma after taking a sword strike for Yang Hao, and him journeying to Sacred Bear Star to find the cure.
That was when their cosmic legend began.
Now, reunited, everything had changed—even the order of the stars.
Shi Mingyuan wept in Yang Hao’s arms for a long while before remembering their audience. Wiping her tears, she glanced around—the Angel Star officers had tactfully averted their eyes, pretending not to see.
But the old-timers who had entered with her stood gaping, mouths hanging open as if stuffed with eggs.
Shi Mingyuan tugged at Yang Hao’s hand, feigning annoyance. “You’re filthy. Let’s get you cleaned up.”
Ignoring the stunned onlookers, she dragged Yang Hao out of the cabin.
For the unmarried men of the eastern frontier, this day was catastrophic. The scene of Shi Mingyuan and Yang Hao’s reunion spread like wildfire, reaching every corner of the republic within hours.
Billions of male citizens were devastated to learn that their sacred, untouchable Leader had been “claimed” by a vagrant in seconds—and had even kissed him first. The shock triggered a two-thousand-fold spike in impulsive marriages across the republic within a month.
But Yang Hao and Shi Mingyuan paid no heed to the rumors. While gossip raged, the reunited lovers were already enjoying a romantic bath in Angel Star’s famed Blue Pool.
Angel Star’s pale blue soil, said to be composed of tourmaline, gave its women an innate electric defense—a natural “electric beauty” trait that vanished once they gave themselves to a man.
Shi Mingyuan had lost her electric shield after consummating her relationship with Yang Hao.
Now, she led him to the Blue Pool behind her residence—the most famous hot spring on Angel Star, hidden between forests and hills, reserved exclusively for the planet’s rulers. Legend held that its mineral-rich waters whitened skin, healed wounds, and kept it silky smooth.
Exhausted from his travels, Yang Hao sank into the milky waters, letting the warmth soothe his battered body and mend the cuts from meteor showers.
Yet even in bliss, he refused to close his eyes—because across from him, Shi Mingyuan was undressing with elegant grace.
If the public knew their revered Leader was not only bathing Yang Hao but stripping to join him, their frenzy would know no bounds.
It was after her union with Yang Hao that Shi Mingyuan’s powerful electric defense had faded.
Now, Shi Mingyuan brought Yang Hao to the Blue Pool behind her residence.
This was the most famous hot spring on Angel Star, hidden deep in the jungle between hills. It had always been the private luxury of Angel Star’s highest leader. It was said that the pool was rich in concentrated medicinal ingredients, not only making the skin whiter and smoother but also healing injuries. Generations of Angel Star leaders had used this hot spring to maintain their youthful beauty.
Yang Hao was indeed tired. During his time drifting through the east, he had barely used a spaceship, instead relying on his immense strength to cross the cosmos, which left his clothes tattered and his body scarred from meteor impacts.
As he stepped into the warm, milky white waters of the Blue Pool, the slightly hot water molecules wrapped around him, making every limb feel relaxed and refreshed.
Even so, Yang Hao refused to close his eyes and pretend to rest, because right in front of him, Shi Mingyuan was gracefully removing her clothes.
If the outside world knew that their great Leader was not only serving Yang Hao in his bath but also undressing to join him in the hot spring, who knows how much more insane the people would become.
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