Baba baba baba baba baba—
Little Chu Zao ran with remarkable determination.
He didn’t even look back.
He rattled all the way back to Amos’s side.
Amos was standing nearby, watching his own young cub dash back.
Little Chu Zao had nowhere to hide. His body suddenly crouched low, smoothly turned into a fluffy white ball, his small halo atop his head trembling lightly, his tiny wings flapping, darting into a little flight, and crashed into Amos’s embrace. His wings folded up, two furry hind legs kicked back and forth, digging into Amos’s arms.
Today, Amos also wore a long, trench-coat-style military uniform—with a hint of ceremonial splendour, and didn’t have time to change after Holy Cas’s National Day.
It was quite convenient for Little Chu Zao.
Amos looked down as this fluffy white ball burrowed into his clothes. He reached out to support it, those soft little paws stepped on his palm and burrowed right in, even spun around inside Amos’s clothes, leaving only the small halo and two furry ears poking out.
Those little ears still twitched, listening to the sounds outside.
Amidst the tense atmosphere, everyone was stunned.
Especially Feiman. She stood up and walked two steps forward, staring at that pair of furry little ears—
This was just too cute.
Just now they were guarding the stump waiting for Zao—teasing the child.
And now—Amos even reached out, stroked those white-furred, slightly pink ears (due to the blood vessels).
Feiman narrowed her eyes—how could she get to kiss Zao Zao’s little ears? Very anxious.
Hiding in a dark corner, habitually erasing his presence, Lien had never seen the little cub in fluffy ball form. Now, his eyes opened slightly wider—
He was, in fact, planning out in his mind how to get closer to this little cub step by step.
Of course, that was the old plan—the series of events after returning this time had changed everything.
Especially after Little Chu Zao’s sharp question earlier—Was it because Zao Zao disappointed you?
Lien felt that, as an elder, he had a responsibility to help the younger generation completely dispel these thoughts.
But how to do this, he needed to think very carefully.
Still thinking, habitually shrinking in a corner, he just saw that pair of little ears.
Lien himself seldom interacted with cubs, and barely had any close relations with his generation of Crown Clan, so he was inherently rather emotionally indifferent and numb—a Crown Clan member who, this time, felt poked and moved by the little cub.
He had sensed the impact cubs had on adult Crown Clan, but never so vividly until now.
Lien stared at those twitching little ears for a moment, then hurriedly looked away.
No, wait, he had a lot to do, not to further confirm how adorable Amos’s cub was—absolutely not—!
“Awoo~”
Baba, is auntie still watching Zao Zao?
More than that—
Amos held the cub, the focus of every gaze, but His Majesty didn’t look the least uncomfortable.
A soft cub’s awoo came.
Lien, barely wearing a tiny scarf around his neck: …
Unable to help himself, he raised his hand, covering his face that was burning from excessive fondness.
But soon, a report came from the command room—
“Your Majesty—we are about to breach the atmosphere.”
Amos replied, took the little white ball from his arms, and placed him into a special device.
Watching Little Chu Zao return to normal form—the little cub hadn’t even changed clothes and still wore white fluffy pajamas, little hands pressed on the transparent enclosure, blinking big eyes at Amos.
That was the same gaze of unshaken trust.
A hint of gentleness flashed in Amos’s eyes, then he turned away.
“Cross the atmosphere, initiate space jump. Full power. Advance toward the locked target.”
“Yes!!”
*
Meanwhile, aboard another starship.
“We have lived in seclusion for hundreds and thousands of years; mistakes are impossible. Elder, tell me quickly, is my father all right? The bad omens I saw must be because I haven’t grown up completely, so my readings were off.”
After being left speechless by Little Chu Zao, the young master of the Holy Chalice Clan, Derek, had a more successful conversation with Zhi Yan, who was so irked by Xi Jin last time—in truth, mostly polite small talk.
Although Derek’s influence on them had been less than positive, he’d heard the Free Northern Federation’s little princess had a pretty unhappy childhood, somewhat spoiled and lonely, with few friends. This time, the strange, awkward feeling from before was gone.
Moreover, the other party told him what she’d heard about the Holy Chalice Clan’s upheaval.
No one knew he was headed to Holy Cas, so it couldn’t have been for him.
He’d even used his mental strength to transform into a holy chalice and probe within the clan—what he sensed made his heart tremble—
The elder hadn’t told him.
But he clearly knew.
Derek wanted to return to the Holy Chalice Clan’s sanctuary, but saying so would only be denied by the elder, so he’d basically just dashed out—quickly, the elder noticed and gave chase.
At first, the elder meant to scold him. Then he paused, looking at Derek’s face, and at the silver holy chalice projected in Derek’s hand—inside, it was all turbid and chaotic. The elder let out a long sigh.
After catching up, the Holy Chalice Clan’s starship sailed steadily through the stars.
For now, there was no real destination—they’d already left Holy Cas Empire’s territory.
“The clan leader said not to tell you anything until it’s all settled.”
“But I’m also part of the Holy Chalice Clan, why—”
“Because you haven’t grown up. You’re too reckless.” The elder’s voice dropped. “Young master, your understanding of this star system is still too shallow. Just as the patriarch said: had you known from the start, you wouldn’t have left the sanctuary. Yet if you never left the sanctuary, not just the patriarch, but all of us could be infected with this plague contaminating the holy chalice, leading to a total collapse of our mental strength.”
They were completely powerless now.
And the pollution had invaded the Crown Clan’s habitat—the whole clan lost its “root.” Every Crown Clan member was inevitably heading toward coronet shattering and mental collapse. The hidden Holy Chalice Clan saw all this with their own eyes—
It was overwhelming, so the Holy Chalice Clan reacted so fiercely.
If it really couldn’t be managed, then they’d at least preserve a seed the way the Spirit Eye Race did.
“But…”
Derek looked at the elder, unwilling to give up.
“But I—I’m growing up, aren’t I? Our Holy Chalice Clan’s decisions have always been correct, right? And will always be so. This time should be no different: the great immortals are dying out, the mighty mythic Crown Clan is on the brink, only our Holy Chalice Clan retains vital strength, we are the followers of the right path—and within our sanctuary, we live in happiness, unlike anyone in the star system…”
The elder just watched him, then slowly bowed his head.
This elder, last time he’d come to Holy Cas, had even tried urging the Crown Clan—after all, there were so few immortal races left in the star system.
But this time, though Derek still upheld the Holy Chalice perspective, others in the clan had shifted their attitudes.
“Derek, it’s gone. We no longer have our sanctuary.”
Derek’s voice abruptly stopped.
“Going with the flow was always the Holy Chalice Clan’s answer to pollution or anti-immortal organizations. Our mental strength supported our decisions. But now—maybe it’s the Crown Clan that was right. The star system has become more chaotic as the Crown Clan weakens, but as they grow strong again, order slowly returns.”
The elder gazed at Derek.
“Truth is, no one knows what lies ahead, Derek. You are the most gifted of our clan. If something happens to the clan leader, you must do as he taught you—”
Lead the Holy Chalice Clan to a new path.
The sanctuary was disturbed. Worse, a deadly plague broke out—something no Holy Chalice Clan member could have imagined.
And this plague seemed to only target the Holy Chalice Clan…but why?
It was as if the Hymn Organization possessed the means to see others’ weaknesses, crafting a tailor-made doom for the Holy Chalice Clan.
But seeing others’ weaknesses—shouldn’t that be the Spirit Eye Race’s mental characteristic?
Derek, cradling his chalice, looked at the elder for a long time, then, a bit flustered, looked down—suddenly he spotted that at the edge of his silver chalice, a small smear of blackness was spreading…
Only when it emerged from the murky interior of the cup did it become obvious.
What was…this?
The elder realized at the very same instant, panic flashing across his face.
“Stay back!!”
Derek caught the clue from the elder’s momentary panic—this was the very plague that had infected two-thirds of the Holy Chalice Clan.
Derek’s hands shook. Was it a hallucination? He already felt the tearing pain of mental collapse.
“Don’t come close, all of you get away, don’t unleash your mental strength, I think there’s an isolation chamber on the ship—find the nearest landing point—”
“Young master—”
“I said don’t come close!!”
Derek raced to think what he’d come in contact with, facial features twisted with confusion, trembling but forcing himself to stay calm—
He was supposed to be the next clan leader, defender of his people’s hiding place.
But now—
He forced out his words, edging to the back.
“Find the nearest landing site—”
“Report: radar shows an unidentified starship closing in.”
Chaos erupted aboard the Holy Chalice Clan’s starship.
An enemy attack? A targeted operation against the immortals, against the Holy Chalice Clan? Or something else—
Until the radar blip changed, turning into a tiny coronet—that was Holy Cas’s starship ID emblem.
“It’s Holy Cas’s military…”
Tension among the Holy Chalice Clan eased a little.
Anya’s voice followed, notably unfriendly—
“Holy Cas’s external martial law has been in effect a while; what are you doing here? Out shopping?”
Derek kept his calm on the surface, but as others answered Anya, he hurried to the isolation chamber. He’d already wondered why, on this trip, they insisted on installing isolation chambers.
Now—
The tiny room, door closed.
Derek didn’t turn on the light.
He’d just displayed a hint of the young master’s style; now he slid down against the door, staring at his chalice again.
He kept rubbing the black line on the cup with his finger, like maggots clinging to bone, but it only grew, impossible to wipe off.
Finally, Derek clenched his fingers in defeat, thinking of his boastful words.
He’d blown it—
Derek lowered his head—
What should he do?
Dad, can you tell him what to do? He ruined everything.
Dad, you’re the best; you know everything. Could you tell him what to do now?
Dad…please be all right, Dad…
*
“It’s not just the Crown Clan—” Kindness and others, piloting their exposed starship, dodged frantically amid the attacks, finding it all absurd. “Are these Holy Cas people insane?”
Some starships, unable to break through their defenses, even charged straight in—an extremely dangerous act in space.
The smallest misstep and both sides could be lost to the vast interstellar void.
Because space was too vast, even the entire Holy Cas starfield couldn’t be fully monitored. The military forces Holy Cas could muster had spread out all around.
The quickest to catch up was a small army, not an especially powerful unit—yet it was more than tough enough.
The Crown Clan were crazy, and strong—they’d suppressed the innate madness of the Holy Cas people, channeling that desperate nature into passionate devotion to the Crown Clan.
That’s how they’d been educated, what their history showed. The Holy Cas military, for any chance to help the Crown Clan, was fanatically devoted.
Willing even to die.
From the old man who deceived her, to these starships gone mad.
Even the Hymn Organization felt a chill in facing such fanaticism.
Fortunately, the Crown Clan’s greatest weakness had been struck at pollution’s first outbreak, lurching toward self-destruction; otherwise, who knows what Holy Cas could have become—a chilling thought.
“Ma’am, can’t shake them—”
“Damn it.”
Kindness’s expression twisted a little. She stretched out a hand, clenching tightly to her necklace.
It was a chain, silver-white, hung with a small bottle; inside it a silvery, metallic-gloss object resembling a meteorite.
She squeezed the necklace, her aura subtly shifted, her mental strength behaving a little oddly: human mental strength wasn’t supposed to take form, but behind her, black mist could be seen swirling faintly.
Everyone in the Hymn Organization looked at Kindness, whispering prayers about divinity—
With awe and longing.
“Find a way to take them out. Is backup close? As long as the Crown Clan doesn’t latch onto us, once backup arrives, that old man’s scheme collapses; he’ll have thrown his life away for nothing!”
“We dared not connect to the mobile base since we’d been marked. Before being found, we sent out a distress signal—no idea if any superiors saw it—”
“Someone will come,” Kindness said darkly, “we haven’t lost yet.”
Still farther in interstellar space—
“Personnel have already been dispatched locally—but she’s been locked on. Holy Cas is insane, like a beast, like the mythical dragon: once it bites, it won’t let go.”
The Hymn Organization’s mood was heavy.
“Kindness’s rise to the top was too sudden. Great idea, split Holy Cas from within? Sure, we’ve pulled off many splits across the federations, yet for a thousand years who has ever truly split Holy Cas?”
“She’s just too hasty. Wait and see—it might have been possible. Not everyone is as steadfast as the Crown Clan; with their decline, serious cracks are forming in Holy Cas—but—”
“…besides, she happened to run into the Holy Chalice Clan, then rushed the operation, exposed her stand-in, and had to flee in panic.”
Kindness’s identity was already the Hymn Organization’s closest tie to Holy Cas.
After a long silence.
“What should we do with the blessing stones she carries?”
Those stones, prayed for day and night, offered in song to the gods, awaiting divine descent and a new interstellar order—the stones given down by the gods.
“Nobody knows this. Even the lower-levels think it’s just an experiment. Would Holy Cas notice? If we can’t retrieve it…no, they’ll probably overlook it, assuming that it was just some experiment’s byproduct.”
“Let’s hope so.”
*
“Are we there yet?”
Aboard a Holy Cas starship, the pursuing corps commander urged his small fleet to stick to the fast, agile, well-armored target ship.
“No word yet.”
“We’ve already violated interstellar safety distances, commander.”
“This is no time to worry about that. Flank around—do whatever it takes to block them—that’s our enemy, a Hymn Organization high leader, who’s targeted our Crown Clan emperor and princes countless times.”
The commander gritted his teeth.
Everyone’s eyes were bloodshot, riveted to the dot ahead.
Letting these people go this time meant His Majesty and the princes would face more danger next time.
Holy Cas’s soldiers and citizens alike, kept up all night by the rebellion, crowded the starnet in fierce outrage, all gnashing their teeth in hatred of the Hymn Organization.
They’d suffered counterattacks—some ships damaged; space chases relied on their own ship’s return fire.
Completing the mission—
The commander thought: “All we need is for the Crown Clan to arrive—”
As long as the Crown Clan arrived—
Suddenly, the ship shook lightly, as if hit by some energy wave.
“What’s happening…?”
Before the commander could finish, his radar showed rows and rows of ships behind them—
All displayed the tiny coronet logo of Holy Cas.
Just then, an arrow had been about to strike the Hymn Organization’s starship. In the next moment, their ship was swathed in black mist—but too late, that powerful blow still hit, sending it tumbling toward a nearby drifter planet.
The military ships behind rushed past, closing in on their target.
Over comms, they heard Major Yemeng, of Amos’s direct legion: “Well done, follow our lead. His Majesty Amos and the princes have arrived.”
“ Yes!!”
*
Aboard a Holy Cas starship.
As soon as they exited space jump, they’d caught up to the target.
Little Chu Zao was held in Amos’s arms as they exited jump.
The starship’s hatch opened—
Only the Crown Clan could move freely in such harsh space.
Feeney stood at the front, right arm raised, babyish face grinning bright but eyes full of shadowy frenzy. A streak of silvery-black radiance burned in his palm, forming a longbow.
He drew the bowstring, the force of it shaking the air.
Feeney squinted, released the string with a laugh, then turned back, brimming with confidence: “…ten rings.”
“Doesn’t look like it—”
Far off, Feiman was peering.
“Eh?”
Feeney turned, stunned, just catching this scene.
“That’s not right.”
Feeney was a bit lost—had he gotten rusty?
Impossible!
If he was rusty, he’d get beaten to death back home.
Amos, seeing the strange spirit power from the other starship, frowned.
“That kind of spirit power resembles that of the long-lost immortal race—Soul Clan?”
Soul Clan were more like mages—condensing spirit into mythical beasts. They couldn’t go head-to-head with Crown Clan, but had some devouring ability: in other words—very hard to break through.
But that power had long since vanished. However, Holy Cas had gotten custody of an apparent mixed-blood cub—right in Little Chu Zao’s escort.
Feeney was having an existential crisis.
Feiman, looking at him, then glanced down to where little cub was lying in Amos’s arms, wide-eyed.
“See, Zao Zao? Some people are all flash and no substance.”
“But Zao Zao can do that too—”
Little Chu Zao lay in Amos’s arms.
Despite the tension, with family around, the whole Crown Clan radiated harmony—so unlike the taut nerves over at Kindness’s side. The little cub let out a “heh,” raised a tiny hand—and golden light gathered in the cub’s hand.
Eyes round as honey, halo wobbling on his head, Cupid’s bow appeared in his hands.
Lien, hiding in his corner, poked his head out.
The cub’s cheeks, chubby and soft, raised the tiny bow, expectantly looking at Feiman.
“Baba and Grandpa Mori both say Zao Zao is awesome. Very cool.”
Though the flashy stuff was useless.
“Third Uncle says being cool is a lifelong thing.”
The little cub’s soft voice chimed in.
Amos glanced again at Feeney’s awkward chuckle.
Feiman was entranced. At last, aunty seriously nodded: “Mm, Zao Zao is cool.”
Cute doing anything.
Feeney: “See, get it now? Flashiness is psychological warfare for the enemy’s nerves.”
“Zao Zao is cool.”
Feiman glanced at Feeney again, giving a ‘neutral’ judgment.
“You give people a déjà vu, as if your strength just arrived, and you’re pretty smug about it.”
Feeney: …?
This is stereotyping! Feeney looked at the little cub, seeking justice.
He saw Little Chu Zao holding his tiny bow, eyes sparkling at the praise, waving the bow.
Yes, waving the little bow—hiss.
Holy Cas’s fleet had quickly closed in, Amos’s wings spread wide, the whole man shrouded in shadow, imposing, but he lowered his head and held his cub’s little hand.
Enough, being cool is enough—no need for love and peace.