Swallowed Star: The Sacred Eye of Duplication

The old man slowly approached the table, his eyes fixed on the statue of the ancestor of the Huya tribe. After a moment, he reached out with his right hand and gently turned the statue to the left. As it moved, the floor tiles beneath the table slid open, revealing a narrow passage that led downward.

"Come with me," the old man said, tilting his head slightly.

Without hesitation, Ye Yun followed. He took Aaron by the arm, and together they descended the stairs, soon arriving in a dimly lit basement.

The basement was roughly the same size as the room above but had a lower ceiling. Aaron, standing over two meters tall, nearly brushed against it. There were no lights, and the only source of illumination came from a round table in the center of the room, upon which a blue-gold crystal floated serenely.

The crystal emitted a soft blue light that filled the entire basement, creating a calm, soothing atmosphere.

Ye Yun glanced at Aaron, who gave a subtle nod. Aaron stepped forward and gently took the blue-gold crystal into his hands. The old man, unmoved, watched the exchange, seemingly resigned to parting with the treasure.

When Ye Yun took the crystal from Aaron, an immediate, overwhelming sense of comfort washed over him. His body's genetic energy surged, and he was further astonished to feel that the cosmic energy surrounding him was being absorbed and transformed at a steady, effortless pace, strengthening his physical form without any need for conscious guidance. The process was seamless, almost as if it was happening on its own.

It didn't require deep analysis. Ye Yun could already tell that the blue-gold crystal was likely a powerful water-based treasure—its level high enough that even if it had no other abilities, its use in cultivation alone made it rare and valuable.

The old man began to explain its origins.

"Speaking of which, we don't even know exactly what this is. Deep at the bottom of the river where our tribe has lived for generations, there's a valley-like area. The water there is fast-flowing, and it's been an ideal training ground for us to strengthen our bodies."

"We've used that valley for years without any issues, until one day Aaron found this blue-gold crystal deep within it. After a few days of contact, Aaron broke through the planetary threshold, reaching the ninth level of the stellar stage within three years!"

Ye Yun nodded, recalling what he already knew. This discovery had drawn him to Huya Star in the first place.

The Huya people were naturally attuned to water, and once their bodies reached the planetary level, most of their abilities were water-related. Aaron had realized that the blue-gold crystal perfectly complemented their physiology, accelerating his progress to the ninth stellar level.

However, despite its power, the crystal couldn't help the Huya people escape their current predicament. Time was against them, and their every move was closely monitored. It was impossible for them to produce a Domain Lord in such a short span of decades. If the treasure were exposed, it could lead to even greater disaster.

When the next harvest came, Aaron handed the crystal to the tribe leader, still clinging to a faint hope for the future. Though he knew the chances were slim, it was better than the hopelessness they had faced before.

Without Ye Yun's unique abilities, Aaron might not have shared this story. The treasure would most likely have fallen into the hands of slave traders. But fate had intervened, and the treasure, with its water affinity, became Ye Yun's opportunity.

"Momoyu, access the database and analyze this," Ye Yun commanded.

A beam of light shot out from his watch, scanning the blue-gold crystal. Moments later, Momoyu's voice echoed in Ye Yun's mind.

"Dad, there's no record of anything like this in the database. Meteorite Star has never encountered it. However, it seems to possess a powerful water origin, possibly containing the fundamental law of water."

Ye Yun was surprised that Momoyu couldn't identify it, but his excitement grew. Huyan Bo, the ruler of Yunmo Star, was an immortal who had barely earned the title of Marquis, one of the highest echelons among humans. If the database of Yunmo Star didn't have a record, it meant the crystal's origins were truly extraordinary.

Ye Yun's gaze fixed on the blue-gold crystal as his Eye of Replication began scanning it.

But as soon as he activated the Eye of Replication, an excruciating pain shot through his sea of consciousness. It felt as though his head was being torn open, molten iron poured inside, and his mind was overwhelmed with agony. Ye Yun instinctively closed his eyes as golden light faded from them. Blood and tears streamed down his face.

With a low groan, Ye Yun half-kneeled, his sea of consciousness nearly rendered into a paste. His thoughts ground to a halt.

Seeing Ye Yun in agony, Aaron and the clan leader were taken aback. They had both come into contact with the crystal before, experiencing only benefits, never such a violent reaction.

Aaron rushed to support Ye Yun, guiding him gently to the ground. Ye Yun said nothing, and as he sat in stillness, a miniature planet in his consciousness began to rotate, releasing mental energy that slowly alleviated the pain.

After about ten minutes, Ye Yun opened his eyes. Though the pain had lessened, his gaze remained dull. Without speaking, he whispered to the old man.

"Gather your people. I'll be leaving in half an hour."

With that, Ye Yun stored the blue-gold crystal away and sat cross-legged. Aaron stood watch, while the old man hurried to arrange for the tribe's departure.

Thirty minutes later, Ye Yun and Aaron arrived at a large square, where rows of people stood in formation. An elderly man, leaning on a cane, stood at the front.

A sleek, black spaceship hovered above the square, and two thousand people entered it in an orderly manner. Ye Yun nodded at the old man, then boarded the spaceship with Aaron, vanishing from the old man's sight.

The old man watched the ship depart, a relieved smile creasing his aged face. No matter what happened to Huya Star, with the "seeds" aboard the ship, the Huya people would eventually overcome their current struggles. Seeing this spark of hope before his death brought the old man great peace.

Ye Yun's mission on Huya Star had gone according to plan. There were no unexpected setbacks, and although he had suffered immense pain, the overall process had been smooth. Little time was wasted.

Upon reaching the steel fortress outside Huya Star, Ye Yun learned that the slave traders had yet to react. He felt relieved and retrieved Ah Hu, who had been waiting, before the spaceship concealed itself once more and silently departed the Kumei Galaxy.

As the ship sailed through the quiet expanse of the universe, Ye Yun dismissed Aaron and Ah Hu, finding a private space. He carefully withdrew the blue-gold crystal from his storage and examined it.

The injury he had sustained when scanning the crystal hadn't fully healed. He dared not attempt another scan so soon. Reflecting on the sensation, Ye Yun realized that the crystal's power was too great for him to handle just yet.

"I need more strength," Ye Yun thought. "If I try to scan it again, it could lead to a mental explosion."

Before today, the highest-level items Ye Yun had scanned were only at the cosmic level, equivalent to Class C, which put him under pressure but still within his capabilities. The blue-gold crystal, however, far exceeded that level, and Ye Yun knew he wasn't ready to scan it yet.

Sighing lightly, Ye Yun pushed his concerns aside. Though he couldn't replicate it now, he knew that as his strength grew, so would the limits of his Eye of Replication. In time, he would be able to replicate even the highest-level items without issue.

Turning his attention back to the blue-gold crystal, Ye Yun marveled at its effects. Just holding it had provided enough energy to make up for weeks of his own training. As he sailed through the cosmos, Ye Yun remained focused on cultivating his genetic energy and mental power. Now, with the help of the blue-gold crystal, he was on the brink of advancing to the ninth planetary level within two years.

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