Swallowed Star: The Sacred Eye of Duplication

Everything went according to plan, and Ye Yun let out a relieved sigh. He had lost two silver guards and a dozen metal bombs, but the unimaginable feat of killing two cosmic-level powerhouses was a record most would never achieve.

A'long had mentioned Hu Guyu and Hu Fuli as two of the most talented individuals of their generation on Huya Star. With the full support of their clan, they had both broken through to cosmic-level power. However, after becoming slaves, their chance of escape was slim—unless their master relinquished control. The biochips implanted in them prevented any resistance to their master's commands. If they weren't killed, the next phase of the plan couldn't proceed.

"Let's go!" Ye Yun ordered, leading A Long and A Hu through a hole into the steel fortress.

Once inside, Ye Yun appeared familiar with the layout. Without hesitation, he found the location of the garrison and directed A Long and A Hu to begin eliminating the troops. Within half an hour, the steel fortress was completely cleared.

Though the fortress was massive, most of it housed slaves, leaving only a few stationed guards. Ye Yun had no trouble sweeping through the entire fortress.

Before confronting the two cosmic-level powerhouses of the Huya clan, Ye Yun had studied the layout and defense of Huya Star. With A Long and A Hu by his side, they tore through the fortress. Aside from the two cosmic-level threats, no other defenders stood a chance against them.

"Based on my experience, the slave traders behind the scenes will react within a day. By then, there will be more than just a few cosmic-level strongmen arriving on Huya Star. We need to act fast. Ah Hu, you stay here and send false information to their superiors to buy us some time. Ah Long, let's head to Huya Star!"

"Understood!"

Ye Yun and A Long boarded their spaceship and swiftly made their way toward Huya Star, quickly passing through its atmosphere and into its higher altitudes.

A'long stood beside Ye Yun, pointing in the direction of the planet below.

"Huya Star has two continents. On each continent, there is a huge tribal alliance. I was born in the Qiushi tribe on the East Continent. I don't know the current state of my tribe."

Following A'long's instructions, the spaceship quietly hovered over a large tribe, unnoticed.

Huya Star's gravity was slightly stronger than Earth's, but Ye Yun was able to fly with difficulty as he and A Long descended toward the tribe.

The Qiushi tribe, though called a tribe, was actually a vast ethnic group with relatively advanced technology. Aside from being unable to connect with the universe, their development level was far beyond that of Earth. The slave traders had allowed them to reach this peak, though they restricted further progress.

As Ye Yun and A'long moved through the dense buildings near a wide river, they eventually reached the central area of the tribe. A'long led them straight to the heart of the settlement, showing no sign of hesitation.

The Qiushi tribe had once boasted a population of over 100 million. However, in a recent raid, more than 20 million tribe members—mostly elite cultivators—had been captured. Now, the tribe consisted mostly of young children and elderly with little strength. There were no star-level warriors remaining.

In the very center of the tribe, they came to a small, unassuming building. Its simple, gray stone walls stood in sharp contrast to the modern buildings surrounding it.

A'long and Ye Yun landed in front of the door, which was slightly ajar. Ye Yun could feel A'long's trembling steps beside him. They entered together.

The building was eerily quiet, the sound of their footsteps echoing. Inside, the layout was simple—less than 20 square meters in size. At the far end was a desk with a human-shaped statue holding a long knife, poised to strike the sky.

The statue was small, about 30 centimeters tall, but exuded an overwhelming presence. The figure's powerful muscles and dynamic pose conveyed a sense of intense pressure.

In the center of the room, an old man sat on a cushion, hunched over. His wooden cane rested beside his right hand. He faced the statue, his back to the door.

"Who's there?" The old man's voice was low and hoarse as he turned slightly but did not rise.

"It's me, I'm back!" A'long stepped forward, kneeling heavily on the ground and bowing deeply.

The old man turned quickly, revealing a face deeply etched with wrinkles and sparse hair. He stood up swiftly and walked toward A'long, his voice cracking with emotion.

"Hu Qie? Is that you? Weren't you captured?"

A'long looked up, tears streaming down his face. "It's the master, he brought me back! I never thought I'd see you again, tribe leader. Are you all right?"

The elder noticed Ye Yun standing at the door. His senses immediately recognized Ye Yun's power, which was only at the second planetary level. The old man quickly realized that Ye Yun had an extraordinary background. He bowed deeply to him.

"Thank you, sir! Thank you, sir!" he said, his voice full of respect.

Ye Yun waved a hand dismissively. "No need to thank me. I'm not here to rescue you. A'long won't stay either. I have only one purpose for being here, and I need you to tell me the truth."

The old man paused, then looked at A'long with growing clarity. He suddenly shouted at him, his voice trembling with rage.

"Hu Qie! How could you tell outsiders? This is the hope of our tribe! You traitor, scum! How could you do this?"

A'long stood by Ye Yun's side, lowering his head in silence. Though he had his own feelings and memories, his loyalty to Ye Yun now took precedence. He was no longer the same Hu Qie.

Ye Yun's voice remained calm, though firm. "Chief, you don't seem to understand the current situation. Do you think your tribe's strength can protect that treasure? I won't leave empty-handed. For A'long's sake, I'll give you ten minutes to think. After that, you must make your decision."

The tribe leader sat down heavily, his cane in hand. His voice was heavy with sorrow. "I know it's hopeless. But it's still a hope. If a domain-master level warrior could rise from our tribe and join the Black Dragon Mountain Empire or another power, we could gain protection. At least one of our people could be freed from slavery and truly develop in the universe. After all these years, do you expect me to give up on this?"

His chest heaved as his excitement grew, leaning on his cane for support. Ye Yun, who had been watching quietly, spoke softly.

"There is no hope. Your development is too visible. The moment there's any cosmic fluctuation, it will be detected. Even with the treasure, there's no way to cultivate a domain-master. No one will give you that chance."

Ye Yun sighed, some sympathy in his voice. "I came here today, and I won't leave empty-handed. If you hand over the treasure, I can give you a chance. I'll take 2,000 of your people and train them. The savior of your tribe may come from among them."

The old man's eyes brightened. He glanced at A Long, understanding that Ye Yun was not lying. With A Long's strength, it would be easy to take the treasure from him.

Ye Yun's offer struck a chord in the old man's heart. Two thousand people might not seem like much, but with a stable environment, their potential could be limitless. Without external restrictions, they could produce a domain-master level warrior.

There was a long silence. The old man finally spoke, his voice bitter but resigned. "I became leader because I was the weakest. Over the years, I've seen the best of our people captured and sold. Now, I see... the future of the Huya tribe isn't in our hands. Maybe you... are the savior of our tribe."

...

Next 20 chapters are available at: Pat reon. com (slash) LordMerlin