Chapter 554: Tides of Advancement in the Sea of Stars

First off, extracting an Origin Core from an eighth-tier Floating-land is an incredible challenge. Even an eighth-tier powerhouse would need a significant amount of time to pull it off.

The sheer size of an eighth-tier Sea of Stars Floating-land is thousands—sometimes tens of thousands—of times greater than lifeforms of the same tier. To pull its core, you’d need a painstakingly long process.

Don’t be fooled—just because the Song Family managed it in eight years doesn’t mean it’s easy. The Origin Core Siphon artifact gave a massive boost to the process. Plus, the fragment they extracted was only a barely detectable strand, less than one-millionth of the full Origin Core of the Red Star Continent. That’s the only reason it all went so smoothly.

Besides, even if you convinced an eighth-tier powerhouse to spend that much time, do you think the other great existences of that tier would just stand by and watch without interfering?

So let’s be clear—the Song Family’s extraction this time is not something that could be replicated.

……

Hidden Vein sector, Dragon Abyss City.

The moment they returned, all eleven of them gathered in Dragon Whale Hall. Alongside them, all thirty Zhulu-class Cruiser Captains under the Hidden Vein had assembled.

With a strand of the Floating-land Origin Core from the Red Star Continent in hand, the next priority was to help Dragon‑Spine Continent break through to a Seventh‑Tier Floating-land. Before that, though, most of the Hidden Vein clan members needed to return to Torch Human Civilization territory.

For a sixth-tier Floating-land to advance to the seventh-tier, it’s a true metamorphosis. The energy tide it unleashes is impossibly vast. Any captain who can personally bathe in that tide will benefit tremendously.

The Hidden Vein paid a steep price for this mission too. It’s only fair they get the same opportunity as the direct line to experience the energy tide’s baptism.

“Here’s what we’ll do: every clan member who’s awakened their abilities gets to choose. Shixing, make sure the underlings tally up the numbers fast. Anyone who wants in gets sent straight back to Dragon‑Spine Continent. Since Xiaochi’s got the Dimensional Spatial Stone, this should be easy enough.”

Having covered that, Song Wujian switched topics:

“Dragon Abyss City’s covered, but someone still needs to stay and guard Dragon Shark City. Who do you think is best for it?”

The moment he heard this, Song Chi was ready to step up. Since he could move freely between the two continents, he thought it made perfect sense for him to handle it.

But before he could say a word, Song Yao spoke up and volunteered.

“I’ll do it!”

A few people started to speak up, wanting to dissuade the elder who’d given nearly his whole life to the family.

Song Yao didn’t give anyone the chance to object.

“That’s settled. I’m getting old—I won’t take a spot that’s so hard for the family to earn. Even if I use this round of energy tides to work my way back into the Battleship Commanders, I know I’ll never break through to Dreadnought. The seventh-tier tide is incredible, but we have a lot of young people who need it more. Let’s give it to them instead!”

Hearing this, the other fourth-tier clan members who’d just opened their mouths fell silent. They weren’t young themselves, and each of them had hoped to use this chance to push their ships up to battleship class. How could they say anything now?

Just as Song Yao said, if Dragon‑Spine Continent does succeed, plenty of people will jump at the chance to advance to a higher-class ship—whether Zhulu-class, battleship, or even Dreadnought. And with the Calm-Sea Dragon-Xiang at the forefront, there aren’t enough opportunities for everyone. Someone has to make way.

Seeing Song Yao so resolute—and knowing his stubbornness—no one tried to change his mind.

In the following months, millions of Hidden Vein clan members were shuttled by Song Chi, using the Dimensional Spatial Stone, back to Dragon‑Spine Continent.

……

Half a year later.

Dragon‑Spine Continent, Dragon Whale Hall.

Just like in all their major decisions, the hall was wreathed in Chaotic Mist, cutting them off from the outside world.

Looking up, Song Chi could see that, after the second round of expansion, all one hundred of the Starry Sky Thrones were filled.

Add in over thirty Zhulu-class Cruiser Captains who’d returned from the Hidden Vein plus all the recently arrived fourth-tier members, and there were now over two hundred Song Family members at the Zhulu-class Captain or higher in the hall.

A number unthinkable just centuries ago.

Back when Song Chi’s Tenth Direct Line first returned to the family, there were barely forty clan elders. Even counting the Hidden Vein, there were only about sixty or seventy. Now that number had nearly tripled.

All of this was thanks to the family’s ability to digest the mountains of resources they’d seized from the Doomstar Race over centuries of war.

It was because they’d tasted such huge spoils that the family’s leaders now greeted the next war—a battle between entire civilizations that would be a thousand or ten thousand times greater—with eagerness instead of dread.

Once everyone had arrived, Song Wujian, seated at the head of the hall, finally spoke.

“After nearly two centuries of relentless effort, Dragon‑Spine Continent has officially begun its breakthrough to Seventh‑Tier Floating-land. Calculations suggest the advancement will take about ten years.

In other words, in ten years—assuming all goes well—Dragon‑Spine Continent will unleash its very first seventh-tier energy tide. Make sure everyone is ready. If you’ve already hit the peak of a stage, this is your shot to push your battleship up a tier.”

He paused, then added:

“Also, make sure every line tells its hopefuls—anyone who’s ready to try for the next level, get them prepared. This is huge. Whether we can boost the family’s strength before the coming civilization war rests on this. Nobody can get selfish. Is that clear?”

“You have our word, Ancestor!”

“This is the Song Family of Longji’s key step to breaking into the ranks of the Immortal Houses. None of us would dare slack off!”

……

Once all the preparations had been settled, the Chaotic Mist slowly dispersed and the clan members began to file out.

Just as Song Chi was about to leave, Song Wujian stopped him.

“Xiaochi, remember—start the ship advancement missions eight years from now. Battleships have two years to try for Dreadnought status. Don’t confuse the timeframes!”

“Don’t worry, Ancestor—I’ve got it.”

“About those ship advancement missions: do you already have a good spot to bathe in alien blood? Need the clan to prepare fifth- or sixth-tier aliens for you?”

With so many clan members due to enter their advancement phase in eight or nine years, even though the Song Family had already bought up cheap Doomstar slaves through various secret channels and scouted out promising hunting grounds in the Outer Domain, things were still tight.

That’s why Song Wujian checked again.

But Song Chi, well-prepared, just shook his head.

The dozens of sixth-tier Bloodwar Clan specimens brought back from the Blood War Secret Realm were more than enough for Heavenly Ruin’s next stage. There was no need to bother the clan further.

……

Time flew by—the five years since then passed in a blink.

On this day, Song Wujian took Song Chi deep into the territory governed by the Morningstar Family.

They weren’t there to visit, of course. Ever since the Timeworld Tree Sanctuary incident, relations between the two families had been frosty.

The two battleships traveled the entire way concealed.

Mixed Heaven Star Domain, Misty Star Zone. The Calm-Sea Dragon-Xiang and the Heavenly Ruin charged into the radiation zone at the heart of the mist, accelerating straight for the black hole’s inner perimeter.

Once they halted deep within the black hole, Song Wujian’s gaze fell onto the Void Exiler module in the control room of the Calm-Sea Dragon-Xiang.

But this time, instead of activating its golden Sanctum power, he canceled an old Void Seal established over a century ago.

The moment the module was triggered, the void nearby began to quake violently. A second later, a gigantic rift ripped open in space.

The rift itself wasn’t the main focus; what drew their eyes was the familiar Black Devourer King Beast struggling out of it.

The seventh-tier Black Devourer King Beast still had Song Chi’s Immortal Spear impaling it, its injuries just as grave as before.

No sooner had it emerged—before it could even roar in rage—Song Chi unleashed Zen Seal: External Time Stop and froze it in place.

At his side, the Calm-Sea Dragon-Xiang, with its Star Annihilator’s Wrath module charged and ready, blazed with sudden light.

Whoosh!

A beam of energy tore through the black hole’s inner void, slamming right into the already badly wounded Black Devourer King Beast. Its bloodied jaws twisted with pain.

No surprise—the beast finally went down under the devastating blow of Star Annihilator’s Wrath.

“Ancestor, how’s it look? What are our odds of succeeding with the advancement now?”

At Song Chi’s question, Song Wujian checked the ship’s advancement mission interface.

[Ship Advancement Mission (Calm-Sea Dragon-Xiang)]

[Current Success Rate: 47.501% (Base Rate: 0.001% + Special Resource Formula: 10% + Peak Seventh-Tier Evil God Blood: 12% + Seventh-Tier Dominion Source Blood: 12% + Eighth-Tier Dominion Ordinary Blood: 1% + Bathing in Alien Blood: 12.5%)]

[Special Advancement Resources (3/3): Spatial Fragment x1, Sixth-Tier Star Core x1, Singular Stone x1]

[Additional Advancement Resources: Peak Seventh-Tier Evil God Blood, Seventh-Tier Dominion Source Blood, Eighth-Tier Dominion Ordinary Blood]

[Bathing in Alien Blood: Seventh-Tier Black Devourer King Beast, Sixth-Tier Swordslave Clan, Sixth-Tier Earth-Dragon, …]

Scanning over the screen, a trace of satisfaction flickered in Song Wujian’s eyes.

In the five years since starting this advancement mission, he’d killed countless sixth-tier aliens. Now, after taking down the dominant Black Devourer King Beast, their success rate had soared.

A Dreadnought advancing to a Star-Annihilator-class Ship with better than forty-seven percent odds—outsiders wouldn’t dare dream of it.

“Forty-seven-point-five zero one percent—and that’s not even counting the core energy tide boost we’ll get after Dragon‑Spine Continent completes its seventh-tier breakthrough. On top of that, the sixth-tier Timeworld Fruit gives us a second chance if we fail…”

Hearing the answer, Song Chi’s eyes sparkled with anticipation.

By these numbers, the Calm-Sea Dragon-Xiang truly had a real shot at making the leap.

Deep within the black hole, Song Chi reclaimed the Immortal Spear and, using the Superbody Compression Plate, shrank the Black Devourer King Beast’s corpse. Once everything was stowed in the Market, the two didn’t waste time—they used the Market’s transit to instantly return to Dragon‑Spine Continent.

With only five years left until the big breakthrough, every moment mattered.

……

On this day, the Omniverse Market was abuzz—a new round of trading had just kicked off.

Watching the tens of thousands of interstellar aliens passing through, Song Chi couldn’t help but shake his head.

If these aliens realized that, right above their heads, dozens of sixth-tier beings—each over a hundred thousand meters tall—were being held in stasis, what kind of expressions would they make?

“Huh…”

Lost in thought, Song Chi’s gaze suddenly sharpened, and he let out a curious noise.

He’d noticed: the movements of a fifth-tier Night Elf descending to the fourth floor today were different than usual.

Not only were its steps more hurried, but for once, the Oddities Exchange was its first stop instead of its usual midway detour.

“Could it be here to barter for the Eternal Night Gemstone?”

That possibility caught Song Chi’s interest—most of his attention now fixed on this fifth-tier Night Elf that had advanced decades ago.

Sure enough, as he suspected, the Night Elf made a beeline for the Oddities Exchange.

Inside, its sharp gaze locked right onto the Eternal Night Gemstone.

“Honored Master of the Market, the Moon Goddess of our Crescent Moon Tribe has awakened. On her orders, I’ve come to ask: what will it take for you to part with the Eternal Night Gemstone?”

At that, Song Chi fell silent.

What did he really want in exchange?

That was indeed a good question, and his mind began churning at full speed.

Golden Supercannon

Golden Upgraded Fire Source

Eighth-Tier Evil God Blood

……

In seconds, a long list of urgently needed items flashed across his thoughts.

But a moment later, a new desire surfaced in his mind.

A golden Sanctum oddity capable of concealing a ship’s secrets from fate.

Ever since leaving the Blood War Secret Realm over a decade ago, the Market Pocket Realm had repeatedly been tracked by the Shang Clan. He’d never dared to equip the golden Blood War Stele or the Frost King’s Crown because of it.

Both were unimaginably rare golden Sanctum components, yet forced to gather dust—Song Chi couldn’t help but brood over that.

After careful thought, he replied.

[Eighth-Tier Evil God Blood, a golden Fireseed Artifact, or a golden oddity that conceals and confuses fate—any one of these three types will do.]

In the end, he didn’t mention the golden Supercannon. Though the Heavenly Ruin would soon gain a second Supercannon slot after advancing to Dreadnought, the golden Supercannon was honestly the lowest value item on his wishlist.

Plus, he still had the Myriad‑Spirit Annihilation Bow—a silver-class Supercannon—so he left it out of his conditions.

Having received his answer, the Night Elf gave a respectful bow:

“I’ll deliver your words exactly as spoken to my Matriarch and the Moon Goddess. Please wait here a moment, sir!”

With that, the fifth-tier Night Elf sped away from the exchange to report to the Crescent Moon Matriarch.