Chapter Five: Homesick City (Part Two)

After much explanation and persuasion, the mutated old man finally calmed his anger. He then used four more Frost Pearls to transform the remaining four insect-ant corpses into four fiery red blood crystal blocks.

Handing two of them to Kuang Chi, he admonished, “These ant crystals are not easily obtained. Though it seemed we found five insect-ants effortlessly this time, it was merely good luck, arriving just as the ant tide began. Normally, even if we searched the surface for a year or more, we might not find a single one.”

He glanced around before continuing, “You should keep these two ant crystals. If you intend to survive on this Forgotten Star, you’ll need people under your command. These crystals are essential for recruiting followers.”

Kuang Chi quickly asked, “Elder, why would I need to recruit followers? What do you mean by that?”

The mutated old man looked him over and replied, “The Forgotten Star is far from peaceful. Here, strength and power are everything. How strong can one person be alone? If you want to live comfortably and safely here, you must have power. Don’t you understand? Of course, if you don’t wish to do this, you can come with me. I can guarantee your safety. But I imagine you wouldn’t be willing to do that.”

He eyed Kuang Chi with a strange expression. Kuang Chi smiled and said, “Thank you for your advice, elder. I’m confident I can survive on this star by my own abilities—and live well, at that.”

The mutated old man clapped Kuang Chi on the shoulder—a gesture he seemed particularly fond of—and said, “I believe it. They say that anyone exiled to this Abandoned Starfield is no ordinary person. Without status or ability, you can’t just come here as you please.”

He burst into hearty laughter before continuing, “My ancestor was once a duke of an empire. Because he was powerful and sought the throne, he led a rebellion but failed, and so he was exiled to this Forgotten Starfield.”

At this, the old man looked into Kuang Chi’s eyes and said, “I suppose you’re not such a simple young man either.”

He scrutinized Kuang Chi up and down, but seeing that the young man did not wish to say more, he said, “Enough, let’s return to the city now. Four ant crystals—this surface journey has yielded me several years’ worth.”

The two trekked through the mountains for several more hours, encountering two more insect-ants along the way, much to the old man’s delight. He went on and on about how he owed Kuang Chi a great debt.

Eventually, they arrived at the entrance of a cave, more than ten meters wide. Standing there, seeing the many signs of artificial construction, Kuang Chi asked in confusion, “Elder, is this cave the city you mentioned?”

The old man smiled, “If the city weren’t built inside a cave, do you think it could survive on the surface? Do you imagine the creatures of this star survive on ice alone? Leaving aside the local beasts, what do you think of the wind here?”

The wind on this planet was like countless blades, lethally sharp. Reflecting on this, Kuang Chi found the explanation reasonable.

They walked inside for nearly three hours. The whole cave seemed to have been chiseled from a natural cavern, sloping down at a thirty-degree angle. At its widest, it was nearly several dozen meters high; at the narrowest, only three or five.

After three hours, a distant emerald green glow appeared ahead. It was similar in color to the stones used for lighting inside the cave, but far brighter.

When they reached the source of the green light, Kuang Chi was stunned by the scene before him.

A vast, boundless underground world unfolded before him, with a colossal ancient city looming in the distance. Suspended high above the city were five glowing emerald lights, casting a gentle radiance.

Beneath Kuang Chi’s feet, a lava river several dozen meters wide flowed slowly by, its acrid fumes and fiery glow filling the air.

After Kuang Chi had gazed for some time, the old man smiled and said, “Well, young man, what do you think? Impressive, isn’t it?”

Kuang Chi nodded involuntarily.

The old man sighed deeply. “This city—Homesick City—was the first human city on the Forgotten Star, built by our ancestors with their blood and lives. To claim this place, our forebears sacrificed hundreds of thousands, taking two centuries to cleanse it of its native creatures.”

He sighed again, then added, “By the way, young man, I still don’t know your name.”

Kuang Chi replied, “My surname is Kuang, my given name is Chi.”

The old man uttered a soft exclamation, muttering to himself, “Surname Kuang...!”

Kuang Chi paid it no mind and promptly asked, “And how should I address you, elder?”

“Just call me Old Tuo from now on,” the old man replied.

“How could I—?” Kuang Chi tried to protest.

But the old man was insistent, saying all his friends called him that. Kuang Chi had no choice but to accept the name.

Old Tuo then laughed heartily. “Young man, I have a granddaughter about your age. I’d like to arrange a marriage between you two. She’s one of the great beauties of Homesick City.”

Kuang Chi was taken aback, then quickly shook his head. Seeing the long-haired, mutated elder, he had no interest whatsoever in a hairy beauty.

Old Tuo easily guessed Kuang Chi’s thoughts and laughed, “Don’t worry, my granddaughter is pure human—she doesn’t have our fur. Others say she’s the most beautiful woman in Homesick City. You’ll be satisfied when you see her.”

But Kuang Chi had no intention of settling down on the Forgotten Star, and so declined repeatedly. Old Tuo, however, was not so easily deterred, tirelessly trying to persuade him to accept the proposal.

At last, Kuang Chi could only say, “Old Tuo, it’s not that I look down on your granddaughter, but my exile is only for fifty years. After fifty years, my family will come for me.”

Old Tuo cried out in astonishment, seizing Kuang Chi’s arm and shaking it. “Say that again—did you just say your family will come to fetch you in fifty years?”

Seeing Old Tuo’s overexcited reaction, Kuang Chi could only nod helplessly.

Old Tuo released his arm and, after some contemplation, said with certainty, “If that’s the case, then I insist—my granddaughter must marry you.”

Before Kuang Chi could respond, Old Tuo sighed, “My granddaughter is my dearest treasure. I’m getting old and don’t know how much longer I can look after her. She’s been frail since childhood and needs several cups of ant crystal liquid every day. I worry that if something happens to me, she’ll have no one to care for her. Young man, just promise me you’ll take care of her. When your family comes, I’m sure you can take her with you.”

Before coming here, Kuang Chi’s grandfather had told him that at the latest, when his fifty-year exile was up, he would send a few elders of the Kuang family, all martial lords, to bring him home. Kuang Chi had only to cultivate and live in peace on the Abandoned Starfield.

Thinking of this, Kuang Chi supposed that bringing one more person away shouldn’t be a problem.

After surveying the surroundings, he said, “Old Tuo, I can look after your granddaughter for you, but you don’t need to marry her to me. I promise, when I leave, I’ll take her away from here.”

Old Tuo laughed heartily, “That won’t do. Nothing’s more reassuring than marrying my precious granddaughter to you.”

Kuang Chi forced a wry smile. “But I already have two wives—I can’t marry again.”

Old Tuo burst out laughing, “Two wives? That’s nothing. I have twelve concubines.”

“What?!” This time, it was Kuang Chi’s turn to be shocked.

He stared at Old Tuo for a long moment before asking, “Old Tuo, may I ask how old you are now?”

Old Tuo laughed loudly, “By the standard calendar, I’m five hundred and forty-seven years old.”

Kuang Chi gasped again—this time, words failed him. His own grandfather had lived past three hundred, a rare feat among humans, but compared to Old Tuo, that seemed paltry.

Old Tuo chuckled bitterly, “Maybe it has to do with this godforsaken place, or maybe it’s the ant crystals. Unless we die of physical decline, most people here live over four hundred years. For those of us with high cultivation, we can live two hundred years longer than that.”

Today’s the big ranking day, everyone! If you have tickets, please cast them for me. Thank you!