Chapter 696: Deep Space Collision? Why Should I Dodge Your Momentum?

Bernardo, this planet, had experienced the rise and fall of countless civilizations over the long march of time, until the rise of a dragon of red and iron finally set everything on a different course.

New Calendar year 1021, Bernardo welcomed true unification in every sense of the word.

Atlan, the origin of everything, the birthplace of the empire.

Here, prosperity reigned supreme. Cloud Rails crisscrossed like woven threads, the Star Network stretched like a canopy, and dragons whose scales gleamed with myriad colors in the sunlight patrolled the skies above, watching over the cities and fertile lands under their protection.

On the scorched earth of Thalassia, dragon banners were planted atop one newly born town after another.

The once-shattered lands were being restored and rebuilt at an almost inconceivable speed. Neatly planned farmlands and pasturelands spread out across the barren earth, rivers were dredged and redirected, leylines were repaired, and conditions improved day by day.

This region was equivalent to the empire's frontier, wild yet brimming with vitality. Every day, new pioneers arrived.

Arotala was the last territory to be incorporated into the empire's domain.

Even so, its integration proceeded at an extremely rapid pace.

Ever since the news spread that the Red Emperor had descended upon Silverbranch City and lifted the curse from this continent, Nausil had also formally announced its acceptance of Sacred Aola's rule, and then the dragon banners officially began to flutter across the continent.

Aolan dragons began appearing in the skies of Arotala. Wherever their wing-shadows passed, Nausil's cities remained safe and undisturbed, suffering no attacks whatsoever.

Afterwards, as time flowed on, Sacred Aola brought the Cloud Rails and the Star Network.

More prosperity and development were surging through the rails and the radiance, flooding into every corner of this planet.

Of course, unification and development were never accomplished overnight.

Especially in Nausil.

The Elves revered freedom. Although some Elves felt genuine gratitude toward the Red Emperor, knowing that he had lifted the curse that had plagued their empire for years and restored countless out-of-control kinsmen to clarity, many more Elves still found it difficult to accept the reality of being ruled.

Years upon years of independence and imperial glory—how could that simply be cast aside?

Until the Star Network officially began to roll out in Nausil.

The Elves were, of course, resistant.

We don't want the ruler's things! Who knows if there's some magic in there that poisons the mind?

Some Elves even thought that this thing might be able to read their thoughts and control their brains, and that it absolutely must not be connected.

But the Aolan Empire did not force anything.

Satellites were launched into the sky, base stations were built, and after publishing the method for accessing the Star Network, there was no further action. Their main activity was just driving off and dealing with some radicals who tried to destroy the Star Network base stations.

Other than that, there was no coercion.

This left many Elves who had prepared for a hard fight feeling like they had punched a ball of cotton—instead, they were somewhat at a loss.

However, curiosity was the nature of all living beings; the only difference was the intensity.

Elves were no exception—they had curiosity as well.

Some young Elves, driven by curiosity, connected to the Star Network.

The result? There were no terrifying scenes they had imagined, nor any brainwashing or mind control they had dreamed up.

On the contrary, through the Star Network, they watched live broadcasts of the Red Emperor's pioneers, heard newly composed songs by Bards, played simulation battles created by Aolan alchemists, and even discovered that people were openly sharing secret experiences and insights...

They had to understand—although Elves revered nature and culture, when it came to new things like the Star Network, their acceptance speed was no slower than any other race.

Time proved this point.

Day after day passed, and the Star Network began to spread at an extremely rapid pace.

More and more Elves thought to themselves, Let me just see what this foreign thing is all about! Then they connected to the Star Network, and by the time they snapped back to reality, usually several hours had already passed.

For example, those who connected late at night, thinking they would just take a quick look, would find that by the time they came to their senses, the sky had already turned pale with dawn.

Even so, many Elves remained stubborn in their words.

They said, This is just a convenient tool, nothing so impressive about it.

But their bodies were honest. Every day, they began high-intensity internet surfing.

Resistance turned into silence.

Silence turned into... deliciously addictive!

Across the vast Arotala Continent, Elves' resistance to the Star Network dwindled more and more. Even just the poetry, stories, and music content alone had Elves scrolling late into the night, unable to stop, unable to sleep.

The Elven race had always loved art, and artistic knowledge was extremely abundant on the Star Network.

And within the Star Network, what always occupied the most prominent position was everything related to the Red Emperor.

Anything about him could spark heated, prolonged debates.

The Elves initially thought that this was because the Emperor's actions were highly controversial—after all, how could a being who had unified an entire planet not be controversial? But they later discovered that this was not the case.

The debates on the Star Network were not about whether he did right or wrong.

What they discussed left the Elves utterly speechless.

For example, which of the Emperor's forms in which period looked the most domineering and majestic, which form was the strongest at the same level, which title sounded the best, or among the deeds he had accomplished, which one ranked first in sheer awe, and among the Emperor's sons, who was the most favored by the Emperor, who had the highest talent...

Netizens argued endlessly over these questions.

There was a netizen named "Flowers Fade Quickly" who participated in these discussions with high intensity, and their fierce arguments could be seen almost everywhere, leading many to suspect that this person basically lived inside the Star Network.

The Red Emperor was the most renowned existence on Bernardo, blazing like the noonday sun. Naturally, the Elves could not resist joining these discussions either.

At first, they might have clicked in out of mere curiosity, then seen some viewpoint they thought was wrong and could not help but reply.

Then someone would refute them, so they would reply again, get refuted again...

Back and forth, and before they knew it, they were hooked.

And in the midst of these debates, the great image of the Red Emperor became ever clearer in the Elves' minds.

And so it went.

Thoughts were subtly transformed, and the voices of resistance grew ever fainter.

Elven Queen Issezeia witnessed all these changes, and her heart was filled with a multitude of emotions.

She, too, was going with the flow, smoothly reducing the power of the council, cooperating from top to bottom with Sacred Aola's takeover. Now, without the elders' endless deliberating, one order after another was being implemented with unprecedented efficiency.

Time flowed on amid dramatic changes.

And the Elves gradually discovered that although the general environment had changed, their own lives had not changed much.

The flowers in Silverbranch City still bloomed. They were not restricted in any way; if anything, there were more things they could do. Moreover, there was endless content on the Star Network, the Cloud Rails made travel more convenient, and some new Aolan Empire products had flowed into Nausil, bringing plenty of novelty.

Their lives had become richer and more interesting than before.

The Elves slowly accepted this reality.

Later, the wedding of the First Swordswoman and the Red Dragon Princess, along with tales of romantic unions between humans and dragons, also spread to Nausil through the Star Network.

The Elves had a natural love for romance, especially such sincere and brave unions that crossed racial boundaries.

Their favorable impression of Sacred Aola rose another notch.

Silverbranch City, Moon Court.

Issezeia leaned against the railing by the stream and said, "Things are progressing more smoothly than I imagined."

"I originally thought that Nausil's people would resist to the death—protests, marches, trying to tear my crown off my head... Yet, they accepted it quite calmly, without any extreme reactions."

As a queen, seeing her people safe was naturally a good thing.

But at the same time, watching her subjects so easily accept the rule of another empire left a somewhat indescribable feeling in her heart.

Still, overall, things were heading in a positive direction.

Verdant Leaf Rendering Wind, this immortal, was also here.

She smiled faintly.

"Our people of Nausil pursue freedom and romance, and they have the sharpest perception of all things. They can distinguish what is truly good from what is mere hollow rhetoric."

She said, "If Sacred Aola were truly an evil empire, the Elves would unhesitatingly raise their swords and resist to the very end—no matter who came, it would not work."

"But in fact, their rule is not harsh. One could even call it lenient."

"Sacred Aola only asks us to maintain order within their framework, while also allowing us to come into contact with and witness many novel and wonderful things. After experiencing it firsthand, the people naturally know that this is not a bad thing."

Facts were always the most powerful weapon.

If Sacred Aola's rule had been cruel and cold, Nausil would never have submitted so easily.

"Very well."

Issezeia nodded lightly, her gaze distant:

"Under the leadership of Sacred Aola, Nausil might be able to stride toward a brand-new future. Immortal seems to be merely the Red Emperor's starting point. I cannot imagine what this empire's future will look like in a few hundred or thousand years."

Verdant Leaf Rendering Wind's gaze sharpened slightly.

She raised her eyes to look at the queen: "Your assessment of the Red Emperor seems quite high."

"Of course."

Issezeia did not hide it:

"This Dragon Emperor is now the true sole sovereign of Bernardo in every sense. From Atlan to Thalassia, and then to our Arotala—three continents, an entire planet—all beneath his dragon wings."

"The Metal Dragons out at sea also survive by relying on his favor."

"For an existence like this, no assessment could ever be too high."

Hearing these words, the immortal's expression gradually became more animated.

"Is that so?"

Verdant Leaf Rendering Wind walked to the Elven Queen's side and whispered softly, "Then, if you were asked to approach the Red Emperor and form a marriage alliance with the Aolan Empire, could you accept that?"

"Your Excellency!"

Issezeia was stunned for a moment, then said, "What kind of joke are you making..."

A marriage alliance with the Red Emperor?

This... the other party was a great dragon... although it did seem that quite a few dragons favored Elven beauty... Her thoughts began to run wild!

"It is no joke."

The immortal's expression was serious as she said, "A marriage alliance is the fastest way to solidify the relationship between two nations."

"Arotala practically already belongs to Sacred Aola now, not to us. You must face this reality."

"But if an Elven Queen were to marry the Emperor, Nausil's position here would be secured."

The immortal said gravely:

"Moreover, you should know that Cerora, the ruler of the Greenwild Kingdom and the Dream Queen, is one of the Red Emperor's mates."

"This Dream Queen is quite ambitious, and she is exceptionally gifted herself. Once she breaks through to Mandate of Heaven and ascends to Immortal, the Greenwilds' status will rise accordingly. When that happens, she will be contending with Nausil for the right to speak on Arotala."

The Elven Queen fell into thought.

The Greenwilds... this dragon kingdom had for a very long time not been regarded as worth Nausil's attention, nor deserving of much consideration.

As for now, what Verdant Leaf Rendering Wind said made a great deal of sense.

There was only one Arotala. When the Greenwilds transformed from a kingdom into a part of the empire, and the Queen of the Greenwilds was also the Emperor's mate, then would this place be led by the Greenwilds or by Nausil?

This question would eventually be placed on the table sooner or later; it could not be ignored.

"Not only that, there are still some Elven subjects who harbor resistance toward Sacred Aola."

"But you know, the Elves can never refuse a romantic story."

She looked at Issezeia and said, "A marriage alliance would allow Nausil to stand firm in the new era. Those lingering resistances would also vanish into thin air. A union between the Queen and the Emperor—the romance of this story would be enough to silence even the most stubborn Elf. This is crucial for Nausil's stability."

Issezeia was momentarily speechless.

She propped her chin on her hand, her gaze resting on the stream, and fell into a daze.

Yet, uncontrollably, the image of that day surfaced in her mind.

The black-haired humanoid Emperor descended from the sky, his towering frame blocking out the dawn, his shadow enveloping her entirely, while her heart pounded fast and urgent... This feeling had occurred only once in her entire life.

After a long moment, the Elven Queen straightened up, her expression solemn.

"Your Excellency Rendering Wind."

"For the empire, for the people."

"I am willing to contribute everything I have, including myself."

She said this with utmost gravity.

"Oh?"

Verdant Leaf Rendering Wind raised an eyebrow, a faint smile playing at her lips: "Truly entirely for the empire and the people? Not a single bit of personal desire?"

Issezeia's cheeks warmed almost imperceptibly, and the tips of her slightly pointed ears were tinged with a faint pink.

"...Perhaps, just a tiny bit."

She said in a low voice.

"I knew it."

The immortal chuckled softly: "Facing the most powerful emperor of an entire planet, the male of all males, even a female in your position could not possibly remain completely unmoved."

"To be honest, if I were younger, I might have been captivated as well."

"There's no shame in admitting that."

After she finished laughing, she turned serious and reminded her: "Your beauty is second to none among the Elves, and dragons possess aesthetics that transcend races. They can see your beauty and cannot simply ignore it. But this Dragon Emperor of Sacred Aola may not necessarily care about your beauty, and moreover, he most likely does not care about marriage alliances either."

"Approaching him will not be an easy matter."

"One could even say it is a rather difficult challenge."

Upon hearing this, Issezeia did not feel discouraged. Instead, she smiled with confidence.

"Although I have no practical experience in this regard."

She raised her chin, her moon-like eyes gleaming with eager light: "But in our Nausil, there are countless romantic love stories, and I happen to have read extensively, possessing extremely rich theoretical knowledge. I simply lack an opportunity."

"So, I accept this challenge!"

Verdant Leaf Rendering Wind looked at her fierce, fighting spirit and could not help but smile.

Theoretical knowledge and practice—these were two completely different things...

Reality would not follow the script you imagined.

She did not say it out loud, but smiled and nodded: "Alright, I'll wait for your good news. If you need it, I can also offer you advice and strategies."

When the topic turned to this area, even an Elf who had reached the Immortal level became eager and curious.

Deep space, an unknown star region.

This place was already far from the star region where Bernardo was located, and the starry sky around them was extremely unfamiliar.

In the silent vacuum, two figures floated in place.

One was a Space Dragon, its long and elegant body divided into two halves from the centerline—left black, right white, sharply distinct.

Beside the Lunar Dragon was a dragon of smaller size, yet its aura was vast as an abyss, its mirror-like scales reflecting the surrounding starry sky.

It was none other than Garoth and Lionel.

"Is this the place?"

Garoth asked, his voice conveyed through mental intent, resonating directly in the Lunar Dragon's mind.

"Yes."

The Lunar Dragon raised a claw, pointing toward a direction in the deep void: "That direction is the neutron star you wanted."

Garoth followed his pointing direction and looked.

In the distant darkness, a peculiar celestial body floated silently.

It was pitifully small.

Compared to stars that were often millions of kilometers in diameter, this neutron star was only a few dozen kilometers across, nowhere near comparable to a white dwarf either. On the scale of celestial bodies, it was as tiny as a speck of dust.

Against the backdrop of the vast deep void, it was so small it could almost be ignored.

Yet, this speck of dust possessed a powerful presence that made it impossible to look away.

It rotated at an extremely rapid speed, making it impossible to discern any detail. One could only capture the outline of the celestial body being distorted by its spin, and around it, space itself was bent, with the surrounding region appearing strangely warped.

A neutron star...

So small in size among celestial bodies, yet its mass exceeded that of a star, far surpassing life-bearing planets like Bernardo.

It was a sun that had burned through all its fuel, reduced to nothing but a remnant, yet it still ruled the surrounding starry sky in its own unique way, grinding anything that dared approach into powder.

Garoth had been able to push a white dwarf to a certain extent by leveraging gravitational fields.

But he only took a single glance from afar, and he knew he could not shake this neutron star.

At the same time, the moment he saw it—

Even across an extremely vast distance, Garoth still felt the subtle changes in the gravitational field. Strand after strand of force lines were tilting and curving toward it, as if it were the center of the entire world.

This kind of celestial body could already be used to seal certain evil gods and aberrations that could not be killed...

Garoth thought to himself.

In the multiverse, there were many special existences that could not truly be killed. The best way to deal with such beings was sealing, and the simplest yet most efficient sealing method was to first beat them half to death, then throw them into a dangerous celestial body in a Material Plane universe.

Without special power, they would basically be unable to escape.

The Dragon Legacy mentioned that a powerful Primordial Wastes entity known as the Lord of Entropy had been sealed by the gods within a black hole in some Material Plane universe. This Primordial's Potency could control the changes of entropy, making it extremely dangerous.

Garoth withdrew his gaze and thoughts.

"To find a neutron star this quickly."

"You've worked hard."

"This celestial body is exactly what I need."

He said to the Lunar Dragon.

On the other side, receiving recognition from the Dragon Emperor, the Lunar Dragon felt a strange sense of pride welling up inexplicably, and even his half-black, half-white dragon body straightened a few notches.

"It wasn't too much trouble."

The Lunar Dragon modestly said, "I was quite lucky. Finding this neutron star didn't cost me much effort."

Then, he turned serious and reminded: "However, the intensity of a neutron star is a completely different matter from a white dwarf. It's even capable of sealing some evil gods, and it's extremely dangerous even for Immortals. I wouldn't dare get close, so I can only escort you this far."

"When you make contact yourself, you need to be careful as well."

In Garoth's eyes, an eager light was already burning.

This was exactly what he wanted.

If it wasn't extreme enough, how could it stimulate his growth and evolution?

As for danger... if something really went wrong, he could ascend to godhood to escape. If even ascending to godhood couldn't free him, then he could only wait for the Joyous Court to come fish him out. That would just be a bit embarrassing, inevitably becoming the butt of jokes for a while. The fey gods were very good at that sort of thing.

But these were all worst-case scenarios.

Garoth was already a Celestial Life, capable of manipulating gravitational fields. He didn't need to completely withstand the neutron star's pressure with his body alone.

"I'm ready."

"Now, let's go experience this celestial body firsthand."

As his words fell, he spread his wings and flew alone toward the neutron star.

As the distance closed, the changes in gravity became more and more pronounced.

At first, it was just the force lines tilting slightly. Gradually, it became a clear pull. Later, the pull turned into a tangible drag, as if countless invisible giant hands had seized his body from all directions, dragging him toward the neutron star.

Gravity of this magnitude posed no real harm to him yet.

But Garoth remained cautious.

He narrowed his eyes slightly, and his Force Horns began to glow faintly.

The great dragon's claws pulled and manipulated, controlling the gravitational field to coat a layer of buffer around his body, draping himself in armor of force-dissipation just in case.

Then, he continued approaching, drawing closer and closer to the neutron star.

The gravity kept strengthening, surging like an invisible tsunami.

If he hadn't evolved into a Celestial Life, Garoth estimated that even as an Immortal, he would find it very difficult to ignore these effects.

He carefully descended toward the surface of the neutron star.

The moment he landed—

In that instant, even through the buffer force field, an unimaginably terrifying weight came crashing down upon every inch of bone in his body.

The thirty-meter-long red iron dragon was pressed flat to the ground on the spot, limbs splayed, his entire body spinning at high speed along with the neutron star, unable to lift even a single claw.

"Hiss, no wonder this is a celestial body capable of sealing evil gods."

The great dragon gritted his teeth.

He could feel his scales sinking inward. Even his dense flesh and blood, bones and all, were struggling to hold up, cracking open inch by inch before regenerating and repairing. It looked like he was gradually collapsing, unable to withstand the extreme conditions of this place.

If it were a Legendary—

Even a Mandate of Heaven would probably already be fused with the neutron star under this pressure. Even an Immortal existence would struggle to hold on for long.

The red iron dragon lay prone on the ground, wriggling about in an ungraceful posture.

This appearance was most undignified.

Fortunately, there were no spectators in the deep void. No one could see their great Red Emperor in such an embarrassing state, and he himself did not care about his posture. While trying to twist his body, his heart grew more and more excited.

"Good!"

"Very good!"

This was the pressure he wanted!

This was the extreme environment he wanted!

Whatever does not kill me only makes me stronger!

The red iron dragon let out a low roar, and the Starlight State activated first.

Thunderflame blazed, his body expanded inch by inch, his physical attributes soaring rapidly. And as his power attributes grew, his control over the gravitational field also strengthened. The buffer force field around him became thicker, and he stubbornly braced against the terrifying gravity, lifting his limbs inch by inch.

But this was not enough.

The next moment, the Shining Form activated.

A golden light blazed on the neutron star.

The dragon's body swelled once more, finally stabilizing at around a hundred meters.

He stood upon the neutron star, barely managing to straighten his body. But even so, his limbs were still sunk deep into the dense surface, and his body felt as heavy as if an entire planet were pressing down on him.

"This is far more dangerous than when I first set foot on that white dwarf."

The red iron dragon's chest heaved violently, and he bared his teeth in a silent grin.

Dangerous as it was, this environment was not enough to kill him outright.

Then it was simple.

He would adapt.

Lift a claw, plant it down. Lift another claw, plant it down.

In such a plain and unadorned manner, on this celestial body barely a few dozen kilometers across, the Emperor of Bernardo was walking step by step across the neutron star's surface, his pace slower than a toddler learning to walk.

Time flowed in the deep void.

Bernardo's days grew livelier by the day, and Garoth's life became full and structured once more.

He spent the vast majority of his time on the neutron star.

Simple walking, standing, shifting... repeatedly tempering his body under the ultimate pressure. Every time he approached his limit, he would tear open space and return to Bernardo, soaking in the energy source of the Sanctuary to rest, then chugging down refined Life Essence. Once his condition was fully restored, he would plunge back into the deep void.

Round and round, day after day.

And with each passing day, Garoth could feel his body growing stronger.

This feeling was not obvious.

Garoth was not impatient for quick results either.

He knew very well that his growth had never been achieved overnight.

But in reality, for an immortal life, being able to improve even slightly was already an extremely difficult matter. The higher one climbed, the steeper the path became. Yet Garoth was still maintaining a very fast growth rate, unhindered by his Immortal status.

Adaptation Evolution—

The strongest effect of this Potency was not in combat. The most crucial thing was that it kept Garoth in a state of vigorous, forward-charging growth, and the effect became more pronounced the further along he went.

Moreover.

While Garoth was immersed in his training, trivial matters did come knocking.

From the Arotala direction, the Elven Queen Issezeia had sent envoys several times, inviting him to visit Nausil under various pretexts, such as jointly discussing governance matters after Nausil's submission, or the Silverbranch City flower brew coincidentally reaching its opening ceremony.

Garoth did not go.

He had no mood for that now. A formidable challenge was waiting for him.

Time continued to flow.

Thalassia's farmlands grew more fertile with each passing year. The Star Network had fully covered all of Bernardo. Everything was thriving and prosperous.

Until New Calendar year 1022.

Bernardo's peace was shattered.

The points of light in the sky became patches of light. Patches of light became a shadow.

Even people who knew nothing about astronomy knew trouble was coming.

All they had to do was look up to see an enormous spherical shadow hanging in the sky, growing clearer and more massive day by day. It was blood-red, like a giant eye shot through with blood vessels, silently and coldly staring at this azure-blue planet.

The Egg of Catastrophe had arrived without warning.

Panic began to spread across the continents.

"What is that thing?!"

"Could it be a planet?"

"Emperor above... if it really collides with us..."

People who did not know the truth looked up, their faces pale.

It was too big.

In people's eyes, this was clearly another planet, barreling straight toward Bernardo!

Bernardo had experienced many disasters.

But even the Abyssal invasion had only started from Atlan first, and it had been snuffed out right at the beginning. But if this planet from outer space were to collide with them... no one could escape.

Rumors of the apocalypse spread through every street and alley overnight.

But soon, Sacred Aola acted.

Star Network terminals, Cloud Rail bulletins, and official announcements from every city and state all conveyed the same message to all subjects at the same time.

[This celestial body has been named the Omen Star by the empire.]

[The great Red Emperor has long known of its arrival and has long been prepared for it.]

[All subjects, please continue your daily lives as usual and await the triumphant return.]

The announcement instantly cooled the panic.

"So this is something His Majesty knew about all along..."

"Then there's nothing to worry about."

"It's just a broken planet. What's there to panic about?"

In taverns, people raised their cups once more, merely adding one more topic to their conversations.

They didn't really understand what this Omen Star was.

But they believed that no matter what danger came, no matter what kind of being invaded, the great Red Emperor would lead them to victory, just as he always had.

Red Emperor Capital, Dragon Court.

Garoth stood alone atop the Dragon Court, head raised, silently gazing at the colossal shadow in the sky.

With his Eye of Truth, he could see more clearly than anyone.

The Omen Star was approaching Bernardo in a straight line at a constant speed, with no sign of deceleration or deviation.

It seemed intent on directly colliding with this planet.

Using the most primitive, the most brutal method, to shatter Bernardo along with all its civilizations, all its living beings, all its order into pieces.

"No intention of communication whatsoever, just charging straight in?"

The red iron dragon's slit pupils narrowed slightly as he muttered to himself.

Makes sense.

Before the endless ages of all phenomena, in the eyes of a Primordial Wastes being, Bernardo was no different from a roadside pebble.

This Primordial, who had survived the chaos of the universe and the wars of the gods, would not care what wisdom and civilization existed on Bernardo, nor would it feel the need for any troublesome methods.

Collide, and everything was over.

But Bernardo was Garoth's planet, his wealth. He valued it greatly.

"Relying on its existence as a celestial body, it wants to shatter my planet."

"Since that's the case, then come."

The red iron dragon's gaze sharpened, and the light around him twisted and collapsed in on itself.

A head-on collision? Why should I dodge your momentum?

Collision was also Garoth's most commonly used and most skilled attack method.

Ever since he first learned to use his body as a weapon, ramming had been his most trusted combat technique—simple and direct.

In this regard, he naturally felt no fear.

Since the Primordial had this momentum, then let's have a deep-space collision!