Chapter 534: Heavenly Ruin and the Showdown at Dragon Spine

Song Ting, for once, didn’t respond to that remark. The other person had spoken the truth.

Quinn Morningstar, as a direct heir of her brother Song Chi’s generation, ranked higher than Ansevi’s own brother, Sai’en Morningstar. He was also the third prince of that generation from the Morningstar Duchy.

Compared to her, Quinn had already been a Zhulu-class Cruiser Captain for nearly two centuries—by now he was considered a veteran among captains.

Even with Song Chi’s support, she had only barely advanced to Zhulu-class Captain just over forty years ago. In terms of strength, she was nowhere near Quinn Morningstar’s level.

Still, even knowing that, Song Ting’s tone was unwavering.

“Cut the nonsense. You have no grounds here, and you know it. Either this person stays, or I’ll have my brother come over himself!”

By the end, Song Ting was done being polite. Her voice dripped with open threat.

“You…”

Across from her, the swirling energies around the Zhulu Cruiser’s projection betrayed Quinn Morningstar’s unrest. He wanted to argue, but with the facts stacked against him, nothing would come out.

These days, Song Chi was simply on another level. He was a battleship captain under two hundred, already considered by the Morningstar Family elders to be worthy of rivaling the veterans—a prodigy of galactic proportions.

If Song Ting really summoned Song Chi, things would definitely get even more complicated.

Yet he couldn’t just give up a third-tier clansman. If he did, he’d be a laughingstock among the kingdom’s other cruiser captains.

Thinking of this, Quinn Morningstar spoke up again:

“You want to detain a Morningstar clansman? Impossible. How about a trade—a purple component…”

“I do not agree!”

Song Qian interrupted. For a second time, she cut off someone rumored to be the future powerhouse of the Morningstar Family. Quinn’s anger finally broke through.

He dropped any talk of compromise or compensation, his next words cold and sharp as a blade:

“Looks like us royals of Morningstar have been too easygoing. Today, I’d like to see just who dares touch one of our family!”

That sudden shift in tone seemed to give Reiser Morningstar a wave of confidence.

He turned his focus to Song Liang at the side, speaking in a mocking, threatening tone:

“Kid, you better watch your back. Luck never sticks around forever. You got out unscathed today, but who’s to say you won’t drop dead on some barren star one day? Heh, heh!”

His words may have sounded casual, but no one missed the threat embedded in them.

The message was simple: Reiser Morningstar would leave unharmed today, but he’d already marked Song Liang as his target. Sooner or later, if he got the chance, he wouldn’t hesitate to kill him.

His arrogant boast carried all the way to Song Ting’s flagship projection.

Two thousand lightyears away, in the Jielong Star Domain, on the Fourth-Level Jielong Floating-land…

Among the few level-four life-supporting floating lands in a three-thousand-lightyear region, Jielong was the capital of the star domain and the station for the Song Family’s elder in charge of order here.

Suddenly, a Zhulu-class Cruiser shot from within the shield of Jielong Floating-land.

Once clear of the barrier, the Violet-Clad Changting immediately initiated a spatial jump.

After two jumps, the Violet-Clad Changting arrived at the Jiesong Star Zone.

As soon as the true form of the Violet-Clad Changting appeared, Quinn Morningstar’s expression shifted.

“Song Ting, you…”

Before he could finish, Song Ting inside the battleship activated her Projection Emperor Stone.

Light spilled forth, and the phantom of a massive battleship—fourteen thousand meters long—shimmered into view.

“Xiao Ting?”

Song Chi looked confused. He’d spent decades holed up in Saintlight City, so when his little sister suddenly requested a projection call, he accepted right away. He thought she’d gotten into trouble on some Outer Domain expedition, but seeing all this, he was just puzzled.

“Brother…”

Song Ting was about to explain everything that had just happened.

Across from her, Quinn Morningstar already signaled for Reiser Morningstar to flee.

But just as Reiser was about to activate his Flash-displacement Component, a chain shot out from the void on the right of his ship, locking him firmly in place so he couldn’t move an inch.

Quinn Morningstar grew grim at the sight:

“Song Chi, you really plan to break the rules and intervene?”

Song Chi recognized Quinn at a glance as soon as his projection came through, but didn’t bother responding. Even when questioned directly, he only replied coolly without sparing him a look.

“This is Song Family territory. No one leaves without my say-so—not even you.”

And with that, he ignored them completely, content to listen as his sister recounted the story.

The moment he heard “Flash-displacement Component with quadruple range,” Song Chi’s eyes lit up.

After decades of searching Saintlight City to no avail, he never expected such a crucial part to turn up now in his own region. It was the biggest surprise yet.

Once he understood everything, Song Chi directed the Heavenly Ruin’s projection to fly straight toward the Chenliang.

“Greetings, Elder Chi!”

Inside the Chenliang command center, Song Liang could barely contain his excitement as the Heavenly Ruin’s projection drew near.

“Well done. But as a Song clansman, if someone bullies you in our own territory, it isn’t enough to just pay them back—you need to hit back tenfold!”

With that, Song Chi’s cold gaze shifted to Reiser Morningstar’s ship. His eyes gave nothing away, but any outsider would recognize that look as sizing up a dead man.

“Song Chi, you seriously dare pit yourself against my Morningstar Family…”

Quinn Morningstar’s voice stalled mid-sentence. His battleship projection was crushed utterly by the Heavenly Ruin’s pressure—the two weren’t even on the same level. All it took was a single gesture for total suppression.

Song Chi had long since lost any goodwill for the Morningstar Family. A century earlier, they’d barged into his territory and seized half the Timeworld Fruit resources by force. So he didn’t hesitate to strike—after all, these were just projections, not a violation of the Four Great Empires’ rules.

“Xiao Ting, do it!”

“Got it, Brother.”

Inside the Violet-Clad Changting, Song Ting allowed herself a small smile. She’d never liked the Morningstars. Ever since they joined the Immortal Houses, they’d thrown their weight around the kingdom, targeting Song Family members at every turn.

But for over a century, her family had kept a low profile, strictly forbidding conflict with the other houses.

Now that Song Chi had spoken, there was nothing holding her back anymore—not when her brother carried so much weight within the family.

She armed the ship’s orange main cannon.

“Clan Elder, save me!”

Reiser Morningstar, sensing death closing in, screamed for Quinn Morningstar’s help.

“Song…Chi, if you…actually dare…attack…my Morningstar Family…will never let this go!”

Even as he struggled against the overwhelming crush of Heavenly Ruin’s projection, Quinn managed to speak through gritted teeth.

But Song Chi wasn’t interested. Truthfully, Quinn didn’t even qualify for his attention. If it were that sixth-tier Dreadnought Captain, Angel Morningstar, maybe he’d think twice.

The Violet-Clad Changting’s main cannon roared. In an instant, Reiser Morningstar’s ship was blown apart—no chance to defend, just obliterated.

The entire ship was lost, and since the captain never managed to escape, Reiser died along with it.

“Song Chi…”

Watching his clanmate killed right before his eyes, Quinn Morningstar was incensed. But Song Chi had no patience for threats, speaking over him:

“Pass this on to your family elders—if you want war, the Song Family will meet you anytime. If it’s personal, I’ll meet you myself. Starfield, Outer Domain, you name it—just send word!”

As he finished, even more energy and Void Sea power surged from the Heavenly Ruin, the crushing force tearing Quinn’s ship projection to shreds.

“Alright. Xiao Ting, Liang, you two stay. Everyone else, you’re dismissed.”

Inside the Heavenly Ruin’s projection, Song Chi activated a component, instantly sealing off the surrounding starfield for all three warships.

Seeing the Voidlock Skyseal Sigil succeed, Song Chi, who was lightyears away, activated the reality-conversion feature of the Void Sea Projection Emperor’s Tomb.

“This…”

Seeing the Heavenly Ruin’s projection turn solid before their eyes, Song Ting and Song Liang were both shocked.

With the projection temporarily converted to reality, Song Chi wasted no time. He used the battleship’s tractor beam to pull the wreck of Reiser Morningstar’s destroyed flagship toward them.

“Not bad—looks like there are still two undamaged purple components left!”

Under his command, Void Shadow Assassin Warriors collected the two intact purple parts and delivered them to Song Liang. Then Song Chi spoke up again:

“Liang, you did well this time. These two purple components—the Black-Edge Demonhunter Cannon and the Spatial Anchor Stone—are your reward. If there’s anything else you want, just say it.”

He’d already secured the Flash-displacement Component with quadruple range for himself. He could upgrade his High-Dimensional Wormhole Generator with it, which meant his long-awaited Timepiece Chessboard search could finally begin.

Naturally, for Song Liang to risk his life winning the part, he had to be handsomely rewarded.

Inside the Chenliang’s command center, Song Liang thought for a moment, then said:

“Elder Chi, I’d like a high-quality energy shield!”

“An energy shield, huh? Let me take a look.”

Song Chi glanced over his stockpile from the past decades.

“Lucky you. I just traded for a red energy shield not too long ago.”

He retrieved the Ion Spark Energy Shield he’d gotten at the Market not long earlier. Then, after thinking it over, he also took out a strand of orange Advancement Fire Source.

Seeing what Song Chi offered him, Song Liang was over the moon.

A red energy shield spoke for itself in value. That strand of ordinary orange Advancement Fire Source would let his recently advanced blue Torch Seed evolve into a purple one, paving the way for him to one day become a Zhulu-class Captain. How could he not be excited?

After some encouraging words for the youngster, Song Chi turned to the Violet-Clad Changting.

The door of Heavenly Ruin—now fully real—opened, and a brand-new Projection Emperor Stone floated out, delivered straight into Song Ting’s hands.

Once that was done, Song Chi activated the Oath Contract Module, signing a confidentiality pact with both of them.

It couldn’t be helped—this ‘reality-conversion’ ability was just too important to risk exposing.

……

Saintlight City, top floor of Taibai Trading Co.

Clutching the Flash Star Broom component, Song Chi entered the Market, bypassed any detours, and went straight back to Dragon-Spine Continent.

On Dragon Spine Sacred Mountain, inside Dragon Whale Hall…

Shrouded in Chaotic Mist, Song Chi took the initiative.

“Elder, I need to borrow your High-Dimensional Wormhole Generator component for a short while.”

Song Wujian wasn’t surprised—Song Chi had tested some stellar coordinates recently.

Even if he wasn’t surprised, there was still some doubt in his eyes. The range had been inadequate during the last tests, so what was the point this time?

He chose to trust Song Chi and didn’t ask further, escorting him to the inherited warship chamber.

When they returned to Dragon Whale Hall, Song Chi had the undamaged level 70 High-Dimensional Wormhole Generator in hand.

“Just a moment, Elder.”

With those words, he vanished into the Chaotic Mist of the hall.

At the Omniverse Market, in front of the Oddity Essence Refinement Platform…

Song Chi repeated his usual process—extracting the ‘quadruple range’ trait from the Flash Star Broom, then using ten red Oddities to strip the ‘space resistance +8200’ trait from the High-Dimensional Wormhole Generator.

Lastly, he merged the ‘quadruple range’ effect into the Wormhole Generator.

When all was finished, Song Chi checked the stats, feeling a twinge of excitement.

Effect: Set an endpoint; from the battleship’s current location, create a wormhole linking both points. Maximum wormhole range is now 120 billion lightyears (100 x 3 x 4).

When he confirmed the feature had jumped from 30 to 120 billion, Song Chi snapped his fingers in satisfaction.

“Done!”

By stacking with its own ‘triple range’ trait, the High-Dimensional Wormhole Generator had quadrupled to a record 120 billion lightyears.

Back in Dragon Whale Hall, Song Wujian’s eyes narrowed.

“This… Xiaochi, you…”

Seeing the generator’s updated specs left him stunned.

He’d always thought Song Chi was headed for great things. Now, he was sure—this grandson of his might just stand atop the Torch Human Civilization one day.

This was a Gold Sanctum Domain component. To change a gold-tier part so easily… even ‘miraculous’ seemed lacking.

From Song Wujian’s perspective, even black ultimate components couldn’t dream of such a feat. You’d need at least low-tier color-grade technology.