Swallowed Star: The Sacred Eye of Duplication

The slave trade, which was nearly free and highly profitable, allowed the lords to amass great wealth in a short amount of time. As a result, their cultivation progressed rapidly, far outpacing that of ordinary tribesmen. This ensured they could maintain absolute control over the population.

According to the information gathered by Momoyu, the history of Bahe Star has followed this pattern for hundreds of thousands of years. While the lords have changed over generations, the state of Bahe Star itself has remained stagnant.

Interestingly, despite the vast wealth accumulated through the slave trade, the value of planetary and apprentice-level slaves is limited. Despite all these years of trade, Bahe Star still lacks a cosmic-level powerhouse.

Ye Yun scoffed at this situation. While the slave trade was highly profitable, it could only go so far when resources were limited. The true danger lay in the loss of ambition and the degeneration of thought—far more dangerous than any external hardships.

As each generation of Bahe Star's lords grew older, they would choose tribesmen they favored to become the new lords. These new lords were once oppressed tribesmen who resisted the previous lords, but upon rising to power, they immediately exploited their former peers.

It was a timeless truth: "He who slays a dragon will eventually become a dragon."

If Bahe Star truly wanted to grow and develop, it needed to break free from this cycle. Otherwise, both the lords and their people would lose their drive for progress and would never become truly powerful.

Ye Yun couldn't help but think of Earth. Though Earth's overall strength was far inferior to Bahe Star's, with the three Bahe lords easily capable of destroying Earth, the planet held infinite potential.

The reason for this lay in figures like Hong and Lei Shen—the strongest beings on Earth today. Despite their own power, they didn't lose sight of their goals. Instead, they worked tirelessly to contribute to Earth's development, whether it was resisting monsters or cultivating the next generation of great humans. Without their efforts, figures like Luo Feng would not have had the opportunity to rise. If Hong had suppressed the people beneath him, no matter how talented Luo Feng was, he would have achieved little.

Hong and Lei Shen set an example, influencing generations of Earthlings, including Luo Feng. Everyone contributed to the planet's development, making them all remarkable in their own right.

Shaking off these thoughts, Ye Yun coldly declared, "Momoyu, inform A'long and A'hu. We're going to meet the lord of Bahe Star!"

After locking onto the lord's location, Ye Yun boarded a spaceship, and soon arrived at the highest peak of Bahe Star.

Bahe Star's geography was quite favorable. The balance between land and ocean was nearly equal, with vast plains covering much of the continent, making it perfect for habitation and reproduction. The highest mountain stood less than a thousand meters above sea level.

At the peak, a massive black castle stood—half the height of the mountain, covering at least ten kilometers in radius. It looked far more impressive than the surrounding landscape.

Ye Yun hovered quietly in front of the castle. A'long and A'hu silently followed behind him, both gazing at the grand structure.

This kind of highly-secure castle could easily be customized by any high-level civilization. With quick assembly and movement functions, the price varied based on materials. This castle, made entirely of high-grade B-grade alloy, was not cheap.

"They certainly know how to live it up. Three people in a castle this huge!" Ye Yun muttered.

Spreading his mental power, he scanned the interior without concealment. In a large room, he discovered an indoor pool where over twenty Bahe people were laughing and playing. Among them were three men and the rest were women, all naked and lost in the pleasure of their surroundings.

"Who's there?!"

One of the men, lounging by the pool, suddenly opened his eyes. Cold light flashed in his gaze as he felt an overwhelming mental force sweep over him, reaching the stellar level. He immediately shouted, "Stop playing, something's wrong!"

His genetic energy flared, and he leapt from the pool. Flames erupted from his body, evaporating the water vapor as his Force suit enveloped him. He flew quickly toward the castle's exit, followed by two other similarly-dressed men, leaving the confused women behind.

Ye Yun sensed their movements and remained floating above the castle, arms crossed. Soon, the three Bahe lords appeared in front of him in mid-air.

Taking a closer look, Ye Yun noted that the Bahe people were relatively short. While these three were tall among their tribe, they still only stood around 1.4 meters, their muscular proportions uncoordinated in a way that didn't align with Ye Yun's Earthling aesthetic.

The lead Bahe lord stared at Ye Yun and the others for a moment before speaking loudly in broken universal language.

"Where are you from, space adventurers? Don't you know Bahe Star is under the protection of Lord Kam? If you know what's good for you, leave now, or face the consequences!"

"Kam?"

Momoyu's voice answered in time. "Dad, according to their records, Kam is a powerful domain lord and the force behind the slave trade in several nearby star systems. Bahe Star has to give half of the proceeds from the slave trade to Kam in exchange for his protection, which is why they've been able to continue their business unchallenged."

Ye Yun nodded slightly. The slave trade was rampant across the universe, but only those with powerful backers could manage it without risk. Bahe Star's own weak strength was supported by Kam, which allowed them to sustain their trade for so long.

The Bahe lord, seeing Ye Yun's silence, assumed he had been intimidated by Kam's name. He sneered, and the three short, muscular warriors laughed in unison, displaying arrogance.

Ye Yun shook his head, a cold smile forming at the corner of his mouth. "A'long, A'hu, no need to intervene."

Without moving, Ye Yun pulled out the soft water gun from his back and attacked the three star-level warriors of Bahe Star. The distance was short, and under Ye Yun's control, the spear arrived in an instant, aiming directly at the leader's head.

Though Ye Yun was at the first level of the star class, and the leader was at the fifth level, with the other two at the fourth level, the soft water gun's speed was so fast that the trio noticed it too late. The leader swung his sword to block the attack and shouted on a private channel to his allies, "Team up and capture him quickly! Once we catch him, the two behind him won't be a threat!"

The overwhelming pressure of A'long and A'hu's ninth-level stellar strength forced the Bahe lords to mention Kam's name in an attempt to avoid conflict. However, they hadn't expected Ye Yun to act without warning, disrupting their plans. Hesitant but still intent on capturing him, they hoped to subdue Ye Yun quickly to prevent A'long and A'hu from acting.

They were warriors, and at their current level, a psychic opponent like Ye Yun was a major threat. Close combat was their only chance, so they unleashed their full strength and charged toward Ye Yun's position.

But Ye Yun remained still, his arms still crossed. As his mental power surged, the soft water gun shifted, and tiny needles broke free from it. Under Ye Yun's precise control, they formed into three thin blue fish, which shot toward the three Bahe lords as if they were traveling through space.

These fish were different from the "soft water fish" of the gun's first stage. They were slimmer, faster, and more penetrating, a refined version of the second stage of the soft water gun known as "fine fish." They were far more precise and powerful than their first-stage counterparts.

The fine fish wrapped around the three lords instantly, and despite their best efforts, they couldn't escape the entanglement. Every move they made required immense concentration to avoid being pierced by the sharp heads of the fish.

After several minutes, the three of them, exhausted from trying to break free, slowly began to approach Ye Yun. But just as they thought they had a chance, a sudden force bore down on them, as though they were underwater, and each movement became laborious.

Ye Yun's cold smile remained, and the three Bahe lords' spirits plummeted.

...

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