The starship slowed down gradually, and soon after, the gravity system inside the cabin adjusted rapidly, allowing Su Fu to sit firmly.
Outside the porthole, countless beams of light stretched and intertwined.
Su Fu saw a massive hexagonal platform floating in the void.
Translucent blue light ribbons were extending from the platform, slowly pulling the returning starship into its berth.
“This is the core of human civilization,” Su Fu murmured to herself.
Even though she had seen countless images before, seeing it with her own eyes was far more shocking.
The soft female voice of the starship AI sounded: [Central Star System Spaceport ‘Heavenly Bridge’ has begun the docking procedure. Please remain seated.]
[Estimated docking time is three minutes. Thank you for choosing Skydome Technology Shipping Group.]
Su Fu withdrew her gaze and slowly closed her eyes.
The brief, shocking experience from earlier was still lingering in her mind.
‘I saw… the future?’
The Celestial Orbit Observation Tower was a Divine Artifact capable of deducing and simulating the future.
Did that mean the images that flashed by were all her possible futures?
It was no wonder.
Originally, she thought that entering the Central Star System would require an extremely strict auditing process, including various certificates and qualifications.
Now she realized those weren’t necessary at all.
Everyone who came here, regardless of their status or where they came from, had to undergo the “inspection” of the Celestial Orbit Observation Tower.
The Celestial Orbit Observation Tower was the largest security system in the Central Star System.
Identity identification and dangerous goods scans became a joke in front of a Divine Artifact that could peer into the past and future.
‘What kind of generous gift is this?’ Su Fu thought.
Compared to an audit of permissions, it was more like turning everyone inside out.
The God of Fate had casually flipped through all her memories.
‘Did I even agree to this? It’s a bit of a privacy violation.’
Chesia had mentioned the God of Fate before.
Su Fu had originally thought it would be something like the Three Fates in Greek or Norse mythology, weaving threads of destiny and cutting the lines of life and death but now it seemed clearly different.
This was by no means a goddess holding a spindle, but something far more grand.
According to Chesia’s description, that kind of power—the ability to weave the past, present, and future together—was more like…
‘The Heavenly Dao.’
The God of Fate did not just predict the future; it calculated all variables and then wove the most likely chain of cause and effect.
In terms of Chinese concepts, this was… a Heavenly Dao Calculation.
The way of heaven is fickle, but its cycle never ends.
Its existence was not a concrete deity, but a supreme set of rules and order.
It was the sum of all causes and effects, the woven web of destiny.
The Heavenly Dao was ruthless but followed regulations; all things had their own trajectories, and all living beings were within its net.
However, every choice created new possibilities, and every decision changed the flow of fate.
The Observation Tower of the God of Fate was exactly like that.
Therefore, the futures she had just seen, while appearing incredibly real, were actually only one of countless possibilities.
The future was like a branching river; every choice created a new tributary, and every decision changed the trajectory.
The Observation Tower merely calculated the events most likely to occur, but which path was eventually taken depended on oneself.
This kind of calculation reminded her of the Primordial Saints in Chinese Mythos.
They used heaven and earth as a chessboard and all living beings as chess pieces, laying out schemes that spanned ages.
In the end, they used the replacement of the Shang and Zhou dynasties in the mortal world to conform to the fortune of the Heavenly Dao and complete all their designs.
Compared to the God of Fate, a Saint could foresee a period spanning several eras.
This level of calculation was what was truly terrifying.
But even so, the final right to choose remained in the hands of mortals.
Su Fu lowered her eyes.
If it were an existence similar to the Heavenly Dao…
The threat of the God of Fate in her heart immediately rose by several levels.
She didn’t want to unknowingly become a pawn in someone else’s scheme.
Moreover, it was hard to say if the specific images she was shown weren’t meant to guide her choices.
In the Chinese Pantheon, this kind of trick was all too common.
After all, observation itself was a form of influence.
‘I have to find a way…’
“Oh, right. Chesia, the Tree of Life has been moved to the Central Star System, hasn’t it? Do you want to go see it?”
The moment she said this, Chesia instantly became huffy, hissing her tongue in threat, “As soon as we reach the Central Star System, you’re already thinking about that damn tree?!”
The tip of her tail slapped Su Fu, “You’re making this snake so sad!”
Su Fu was speechless, “You’re even jealous of this?”
“Who’s jealous!” Chesia turned her head away, looking like she didn’t want to talk to Su Fu.
“Ahem,” Su Fu cleared her throat and hit the main point, “I remember the Paradise Pantheon made me a grand promise before. They said if I came to the Central Star System… how did it go again?”
Chesia reacted immediately, “How could I forget that! You saved the Tree of Life, and those guys promised you could enter the two great Saint Lands: Paradise and the Apocalypse Map!”
“Let me tell you, those are great places! The top Saint Lands of the Paradise Pantheon! We have to contact them quickly. Right now, immediately!”
Su Fu watched the little snake flip her attitude faster than a book and couldn’t help but laugh, “Oh, you’re not jealous anymore? Just now you were calling it a ‘damn tree,’ and now you can’t wait to fly over?”
“Oh, how can that be the same!” Chesia swayed her little head.
“That’s a Saint Land of Paradise! The treasures, taboos, and Divine Power inside… hiss hiss! Just thinking about it makes this snake excited!”
Su Fu was also quite excited.
She wondered if the Tree of Life had adapted to its new environment after moving to the Central Star System.
***
The starship had already docked, and Su Fu followed the flow of people out.
According to the information Shen Yan had given her, she needed to head to the gathering place for test-takers of Genesis Academy, which was Tianyuan Academy.
On the automated walkway toward the teleportation platform, Su Fu looked back at the spectacular spaceport behind her.
From this angle, she could see the giant pillar of the Aether Well still circulating, the Star Ruler occasionally expanding and contracting, and the Celestial Orbit Observation Tower in the very center that had just scanned her.
She hadn’t expected to see three of the seven existing SSS-rank Divine Artifacts as soon as she arrived in the Central Star System.
No, accurately speaking, it was four, counting Shen Yan.
“As expected of the Central Star System.” Su Fu sighed.
This place was truly great.
It was a good location, there were many strange objects she had never seen, and the environment was beautiful.
“Stop right there.” Chesia was speechless.
Every time Su Fu said “this place is truly great,” she would immediately follow it up by trying to find a way to get her hands on the good stuff.
“Stop daydreaming. Let me remind you, this is the place where the gods reside. Keep a low profile.”
Su Fu blinked, looking innocent, “I was just making an objective evaluation.”
Chesia was silent.
She vaguely remembered that the last time Su Fu made an “objective evaluation,” it was about the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion.
In the end, the entire Penglai Immortal Ship became hers.
She didn’t believe a word of it!
***
Meanwhile, at the other end of the Tianyuan Sanctum, in Guizang Academy.
Inside the courtyard, rockeries were surrounded by a clear spring flowing from between the stones, forming a small pond.
The fish in the pond could be counted, and the aquatic plants swayed gently.
Several ancient pines stood tall and green.
As the breeze passed by, the wind chimes under the eaves tinkled.
Tang Yu stood in the courtyard, waiting for the Master of the Guizang Clan.
“Are we really not going to tell Su Fu about this?” Yin Feng couldn’t help but ask, sounding hesitant, “Tell her that it was her teacher who sent us.”
The breeze blew Tang Yu’s short hair and she said in a deep voice, “Since this is Tai Xuanzi’s wish, we should respect her will.”
“But I always feel like something is wrong,” Yin Feng said, feeling a faint sense of unease.
“Why didn’t she come back personally? Could it be that she’s encountered some danger?”
“There is indeed danger,” Tang Yu nodded, “The Dark Realm’s erosion this time is coming with great force. Its scope and depth are far beyond anything I’ve ever seen.”
“However… aren’t you looking down on Tai Xuanzi too much?”
“Besides, she has Zhuge Yan with her, the one who is said to be able to ‘calculate everything.’ I’m afraid they had already made complete preparations long before we even received the message.”
Tang Yu recalled Tai Xuanzi’s terrifying abilities.
To be honest, she felt that in the entire Interstellar, there were very few who could actually defeat Tai Xuanzi.
If not for that, how could she have managed to protect Kunlun Academy amidst the covetous eyes of wolves and tigers?
And she had been the Principal for so many years.
It couldn’t be that those people suddenly developed a sense of kindness, could it?
The only reason was that Tai Xuanzi was capable of fighting, and extremely well at that.
“Alright, alright…” Yin Feng’s voice weakened, “It’s just that I don’t know her well…”
As soon as he spoke, the wooden door of the academy’s main hall opened, and an old man dressed in a green robe with a white beard walked out.
He had a thin figure, and his long beard fluttered in the wind as he wore a smile.
Yin Feng immediately fell silent.
Tang Yu’s expression turned solemn, and she bowed respectfully, “Master.”
“I am Tang Yu. I have come to visit at the request of my friend, Tai Xuanzi.”
Upon hearing the name Tai Xuanzi, Master Yan’s expression brightened with joy, “Is she well lately?”
Tang Yu sighed softly, “She should be well, but she didn’t say much to me. However, you don’t need to worry, Master. With Tai Xuanzi’s abilities, she will surely be fine.”
“I have come this time because Tai Xuanzi’s only disciple, Su Fu of Kunlun Academy, will soon arrive in the Central Star System to participate in the selection exam for Genesis Academy.”
“Tai Xuanzi is worried that the situation might change and she won’t be able to personally protect her beloved disciple. Therefore, she specifically asked me to come and request that if you see Su Fu in danger, you might lend a helping hand.”
Hearing this, Master Yan’s expression immediately became solemn, “Even if Tai Xuanzi hadn’t said anything, I would naturally do my best. Go back with peace of mind. Tell her that with this old man here, Su Fu will be in no great danger.”
“Then I thank you, Master.” Tang Yu bowed deeply and took her leave.
After leaving Guizang Academy, Yin Feng finally couldn’t help but ask, “Why would Tai Xuanzi ask this Master Yan for help?”
“He looked pretty ordinary to me. No different from a normal person. He didn’t even have that pressure that powerful beings usually carry.”
After all, Su Fu was its creator.
It was still quite worried.
Tang Yu was silent for a while before she said, “If Tai Xuanzi requested it, it should be fine.”
Yin Feng felt like he still needed to find a chance to secretly tell Su Fu about Tai Xuanzi’s situation.
Tang Yu was too upright and didn’t know how to be flexible.
Damn it, Tai Xuanzi must have taken advantage of this trait of hers to ask for her help.
Not long after Tang Yu left, inside Guizang Academy, the Master suddenly shook his head and chuckled.
He sighed leisurely, “It’s good to be young, always wanting to flip the chessboard…”
***
Meanwhile, Su Fu had already arrived at Genesis Academy’s Tianyuan Academy.
As soon as she walked in, she saw a real-time scrolling list of this year’s test-takers on a floating light screen.
It was roughly divided into groups like Old Civilization Survivors, Dark Realm Representatives, Interstellar Star Ring Regions, and the Central Star System.
Looking around, the hall was filled with people.
Some were checking in at the front desk, while others were gathered in small groups chatting.
A young man wearing silver robes was looking at his light computer.
A mechanical bird floated beside him, occasionally tidying his hair to maintain his image.
Not far away, several students in expensive uniforms were accelerating the growth of some spiritual plants.
The plants bloomed right before everyone’s eyes, drawing gasps of admiration from the surrounding crowd.
She also saw a few old acquaintances: Elvira from the Gravekeeper Clan was discussing something with her teammates, her expression indifferent.
There was also Huangfu Yun from the Stellar Abyss Group, as well as Chiya and Zero from the Abnormality Management Bureau, who were talking in low voices and seemed to have become much more familiar with each other.
Besides these, there were many test-takers with extremely luxurious equipment who were obviously locals from the Central Star System.
She sighed, “Being born in the Central Star System is even luckier than winning the lottery…”
While Su Fu was looking at others, others were also looking at her.
On the circular corridor of the second floor of the hall, several figures were looking down at the crowd.
The test-takers passing by voluntarily bowed their heads in respect, yet they didn’t dare to take a second look.
On the far left was a handsome young man in a kimono, Shin Fujiwara of the Amaterasu Pantheon.
In the middle was a red-haired woman with cold eyes, Verdandi of the Norse Pantheon.
As for the young man on the far right, he was Helios of the Greek Pantheon.
Only after the group had walked away did others dare to whisper, “Who were they looking at?”
“I don’t know. Probably someone who’s about to have some big trouble.”
“Let’s go, stop talking.”
These three were known to everyone in the Central Star System.
Shin Fujiwara was a noble son of the Amaterasu Pantheon, and his mother was a member of the school’s board of directors.
Helios’s older sister was the champion of the final selection last year.
As for Verdandi, her father was a dean at Genesis Academy, and her mother’s family monopolized the starship routes for half the galaxy—Skydome Technology Shipping belonged to them.
They were either nobles, academic elites, or part of the financial magnates.
A vacuum zone naturally formed around the three of them.
Even if they didn’t take precautions during their conversation, no one would dare to listen.
“Is this Su Fu?” Shin Fujiwara narrowed his eyes slightly.
“She looks very average. Her Divine Power is mediocre; she hasn’t even broken through to S-rank.”
Helios leaned against the railing and said lazily, “She doesn’t even have a single piece of decent equipment on her. No wonder I didn’t notice her at first.”
Verdandi carelessly toyed with her red hair, not very interested.
To be honest, there was no real hatred or hostility in their eyes, just pure superiority.
“If it weren’t for the clan leader giving me a life-or-death order, I really wouldn’t want to waste this time,” Helios sighed, “Why did she have to choose the Chinese Pantheon?”
“Were the other seven Pantheons not enough for her? She had to choose a Chinese Pantheon that declined long ago. It’s forcing us to waste our attention on dealing with her.”
Shin Fujiwara seemed to think of something, and his expression became a bit more serious as he said, “It’s said that her improvement speed is very fast. She might have improved quite a bit during this period.”
The three looked at each other and smiled.
It was time for a popular segment.
“Then… let’s give her a try?”
***
Su Fu had just finished her procedures when she heard a clamor coming from ahead.
“Why is it only allowed for those of you from the Central Star System to use it, but not us?”
She looked toward the source of the sound and saw a group of people gathered.
A golden restricted seal rune had been placed on the elevator in front of them by someone.