Chapter 550: A Mirror Cast Over the Void

Faced with the Greedwolf Hall Master’s forceful demands, the Shang Clan responded without delay.

“Rest assured, Lord Greedwolf. No need to trouble yourself—our Shang Clan has its own methods!”

With that, the Star-Annihilator-class Ship Shangdang Lingzun darted right to the center of the three Star River-class Battleships, then a cold male voice rang out from deep inside the ship.

“All ships, move in!”

At the order, the Torch Battleships from all three sides sprang into action.

That’s right, even the Shang Clan’s own members were included in the scope of the search.

Aboard the Heavenly Ruin, Song Chi’s expression barely changed. He had no idea what kind of arrangement Shang Clan might have reached with Beidou Main Hall and the Divine Federation’s Star River captains, but since all three captains had tacitly agreed, he could only follow along.

Soon, dozens of Zhulu‑class Cruisers and battleships gathered in formation ahead of the Shangdang Lingzun.

Under the watchful eyes of the Zhulu-class Cruiser and battleship captains, colorful lights blazed across the hull of the Star-Annihilator-class Ship Shangdang Lingzun.

Meanwhile, in the control room of Greedwolf Hall Master’s Star River-class ship, a muttered comment broke the silence.

“Colored light, mythic component… So they did bring one of Shang Clan’s two clan-guarding mythic oddities—the Chasing Light Shadow Mirror.”

Within the highest circles of the Torch Human Civilization, the details of each clan’s secret treasures were always compiled and spread, especially for giants like the Shang Clan.

Based on currently known intel, the Shang Clan of Shangdang is believed to possess two supreme treasures, both colored-mythic Starsea Oddities. One of these is the Chasing Light Shadow Mirror.

Rumor had it that the Chasing Light Shadow Mirror boasted unparalleled tracking and teleportation powers. The reason the Shang Clan could continuously send family members into this Star Domain was thanks to this mythic component’s teleportation ability.

Otherwise, with the Star Domain here lying more than two hundred billion light years from Torch Human Civilization, no ordinary waypoint component could reliably lock onto and transmit across such a gulf.

Now, the Shang Clan was clearly planning to use the Chasing Light Shadow Mirror’s other tracking ability.

Under a swirl of prismatic radiance, a giant intangible mirror quickly took shape above the Star-Annihilator-class Ship Shangdang Lingzun.

The spirit mirror’s silhouette dwarfed even the Star-Annihilator below it. Its phantom-dark surface was so unsettling, after just a moment’s gaze, the assembled scions of all three clans recoiled in dread, hair bristling as if they’d just stared into a beast from the abyss, hungry for souls.

Ignoring how the Zhulu and battleship captains reacted, Shang Yuan Shan in the command center of the Star-Annihilator retrieved two items from his side.

The first was a dazzling gold blood stele—the very Golden Blood War Stele the Shang Clan secured earlier.

The second was a special bionic armor suit, the one Shang Jie had once worn.

With a steady hand, Shang Yuan Shan set the Golden Blood War Stele atop the Chasing Light Shadow Mirror component. As the colored mythic artifact shone down, arcing lights flared above the Star-Annihilator’s hull, illuminating the massive mirror overhead.

As the colored lights faded, multiple visions started to emerge on the obsidian surface of the giant mirror.

Among the images, there was a burly seventh-order Bloodwar Clan sovereign, a towering eighth-order Bloodwar Clan member, and finally—an unusual battleship.

When everyone realized what they were seeing, every gaze in the surrounding starlit void snapped to Whitebrow’s flagship.

The last battleship shown in the mirror above was exactly Whitebrow’s vessel.

Most telling, between the mirror and Whitebrow’s ship, a black chain had appeared, linking the two—no one had noticed when it appeared.

All the evidence pointed to Whitebrow as the person located by the Shang Clan’s mythic artifact.

At that tense moment, the Greedwolf Hall Master’s steady voice interjected.

“Today’s target is the Golden Blood War Stele, not the culprit directly. Whitebrow of Yaoguang Star Tower, let me ask: Where did the Golden Blood War Stele aboard your ship come from? Can you prove it?”

The question had barely faded before Whitebrow answered, her tone crisp and clear.

“Reporting, Hall Master. This Blood War Stele was seized from a seventh-order Bloodwar Clan sovereign. The twelve‑winged archangel on my ship can vouch for this. Plenty of captains nearby also witnessed the fight and can be called as witnesses!”

After Whitebrow responded, Song Chi added,

“Hall Master, I saw it happen with my own eyes—I’ll testify too.”

……

In the control room of the Star-Annihilator-class Ship Shangdang Lingzun, Shang Yuan Shan’s expression was grim, but his anger wasn’t aimed at Whitebrow. He knew exactly who she was and understood she couldn’t possibly have harmed Shang Jie.

For him, Shang Jie was never the real concern. As a Star-Annihilator-class Captain who’d lived tens of thousands of years, he had many children. Shang Jie, the youngest, earned a little extra affection, but that was it.

What truly mattered to Shang Yuan Shan was the second Golden Blood War Stele. Its value was enormous—even for a veteran captain like him. The first one had already been reserved by an eighth-order clan elder—he’d been holding out for this second stele.

He’d even temporarily unloaded two golden components to give Shang Jie the best odds of obtaining it.

But because acquiring and losing three golden components had such a huge impact on a captain’s strength, he’d gone so far as to summon his clan’s ultimate asset, desperate to recoup the loss.

Yet for all the commotion, not a shred of useful information had been found. Shang Yuan Shan could barely contain his rage.

Back in the command hub of the Star-Annihilator, he removed the Golden Blood War Stele and instead fitted the bionic armor suit.

Outside, the giant mirror above the Star-Annihilator glowed again. Prismatic mythic light surged as the colored artifact unleashed its towering power.

Deep in the Void Sea, within the Market Pocket Realm.

At the center of the Free Stall Area, the Voidform Avatar stood, worry written all over its face as it stared toward the sky.

Just as that enormous mirror outside released its power, faint ripples spread across the market’s spectral energy shield overhead, same as before. Clearly, this was no coincidence.

As the minutes ticked by, the ripples continued to intensify, the spectral barrier growing visibly dimmer.

While Song Chi’s heart hammered in his chest, the ripples suddenly stopped, and the mystical shield returned to calm.

He finally let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding.

“Whew, the Omniverse Market really is sturdy enough after all.”

As he murmured, a new thought lit up his eyes.

“So, does this prove that the Omniverse Market itself is at least colored-mythic tier?”

“Whether it’s lower, upper, or top tier, I can’t say—but for sure, it’s higher than just the lowest colored tier. After all, the Shang Clan mirror is only colored-mythic (lower), but for the Market to block its power so easily, it’s got to be above that level.”

“Plus, don’t forget—the Shang mirror was powered by a seventh-order Star-Annihilator, while the Market only just got back to sixth-order. Blocking an artifact across a whole tier makes it reasonable to say the Market’s rank outstrips the Shang mirror, don’t you think?”

Song Chi’s mind was racing with ideas.

Back outside, above the Star-Annihilator-class Ship Shangdang Lingzun—

As the colored light faded, the dark mirror now showed nothing at all.

After more than two years, both Shang Jie and his flagship’s wreckage had already been torn to dust by endless hurricane winds of the void, there was no way to trace them now.

Inside the ship, Shang Yuan Shan still hadn’t spoken, unable to accept the outcome.

In the end, it was the Greedwolf Hall Master and the Divine Federation’s Star River captain who broke the silence.

“Alright, there’s been enough trouble for now. Anyone tries to stir up more with this as an excuse, and I’ll pay your Shang Clan a personal visit!”

With both Star River captains giving the word, Song Chi and the others quickly dispersed.

Several hours later, two brand new Star-Annihilator-class Ships arrived—one from Beidou Main Hall, one from the Divine Federation. After collecting their respective captains, the ships instantly warped away.

……

Civilization Wall, Yaoguang Star Tower.

Only Song Chi and Whitebrow left, but when they returned, there were seven of them. Zhuoyang, Xuanhu, and several others had joined them.

They’d spent over a century in the Blood War Secret Realm. Each managed to acquire a Silver Blood War Stele. After realizing getting a Golden one was impossible, like Song Chi, they focused on collecting as many Orange and Red steles as possible before finally leaving.

“Jingzhe, did you manage to grab a Silver Blood War Stele?”

Chatting as they went, the group made their way to the task hand-in window.

Why does the Star Tower issue missions? Could it really be just to encourage its members to explore Secret Realms?

Of course not.

Completing a mission means handing over the corresponding items—that’s the crux of it. There are even several hand-in categories.

First: Turn in a Golden Blood War Stele and receive fifteen chances to comprehend the Chaos Monument.

Second: Turn in a Silver Blood War Stele and get one chance for the Chaos Monument.

Third: Hand in fifteen Red Blood War Steles for a single Chaos Monument attempt.

That’s it—no fourth option. The Star Tower can’t even be bothered with Orange or Purple Blood War Steles.

Makes sense, though. The Beidou Main Hall and the Star Tower are filled with prodigies. Orange and Purple steles might be rare treasures outside, but for Star Tower members, they’re just not worth much.

Up front, Zhuoyang and the rest thought it over, then each handed in thirty Red Blood War Steles and one Silver Blood War Stele.

Song Chi didn’t hesitate, handing in just one Silver Blood War Stele.

If he weren’t embarrassed, he wouldn’t have given up even one. The Chaos Monument insight sessions were tempting, but with all his current methods to deepen rule comprehension, they barely meant anything to him now.

If anything, with all-out war brewing between the Torch Human Civilization and the Eight‑Armed Serpent Demon Civilization—and knowing their enemies’ innate Petrifying Gaze—those Blood War Steles were more vital than ever for the Song Family’s future.

As for Whitebrow, she handed in just fifteen Red Blood War Steles—the ones she’d won from that seventh-order Bloodwar Clan sovereign. She’d never bothered to seek out anything below Gold.

Once the group finished handing over the steles, they each logged out of Star Tower.