On the Star Domain Battlefield, Ying Yaoshi sat inside a Starship Command Cabin, watching a holographic projection of Ning Xuan at the Alchemist competition. Bathed in the cold, silver-blue glow of the starship, he rested his long fingers against his jaw, the fragnted light of the projection dancing in the depths of his dark eyes.
Ning Xuan’s silhouette was like a night-blooming cereus from an icy abyss—cold yet dazzling. Her gaze was lowered in deep concentration as she prepared the dicine, her fingertips as slender and white as carved jade. A black vine wrapped around her pale wrist swayed gently with her movents, and the light in her eyes was more brilliant than the nebulae outside the command cabin.
Ying Yaoshi unconsciously increased the holographic cara’s resolution, and the young woman’s raven-feather lashes suddenly ca into sharp focus. As if sensing sothing, she gently lifted her gaze and glanced at the cara. Her expression was utterly nonchalant, brimming with a casual air. Clearly, she felt not a shred of nervousness about this so-called competition.
As she processed the ingredients, a few specks of powder finer than dust motes settled on her eyelashes. When she blinked, they dusted her cheeks, adding a touch of warmth to her cold, exquisite features. Her lips were beautifully shaped and vibrant, her fingers slender and long. As she sorted the ingredients with focused gentleness, he found himself growing jealous of the herbs tumbling in her cauldron. At least they were being caressed by those hands.
Unconsciously, Ying Yaoshi reached out, wanting to touch the beautiful girl before him, only to freeze. He blinked, thinking, ’What’s gotten into ? Why would I suddenly have such a strange thought?’
Just as Ying Yaoshi was lost in his daze, a piercing alarm suddenly blared from the command console. Ying Yaoshi’s heart leaped, and a thin sheen of sweat ford on his palms.
"Marshal, patrol Starship A41 is under attack by energy-polluted creatures! Shield energy has dropped below forty percent, and the third engine room is on fire!" An adjutant wearing a headset outside the command cabin reported the information. His voice, laced with static, sounded rather frantic.
The expression on Ying Yaoshi’s face imdiately turned as sharp as a blade. He switched the holographic projection to a real-ti star map and, with a rapid flurry of taps on the command console, dispatched nearby battleships to provide support.
Once he confird the support units were in position, he bit open the magnetic clasp on his combat glove and pressed his five fingers onto the main weapon’s biotric scanner. "Charge the Black Tortoise main cannon. Set coordinates for the nebula dust belt forty star-li away."
According to their calculations, that area was the nest of the energy-polluted creatures.
Two hours later, the highly prolific energy-polluted creatures that had been wreaking havoc in this region for so long were completely annihilated. The combat operation had concluded perfectly.
Ying Yaoshi closed the real-ti star map and opened the holographic projection, connecting to seventeen battleship command cabins. Seventeen fleet captains in immaculate uniforms saluted him.
Ying Yaoshi returned the salute, then announced, "This phase of the combat operation is complete. All fleets, please return to base in an orderly fashion. All participating fleets will have a one-month rest and recuperation period. Rotational personnel will remain to ensure the base’s security. The rest of you are dismissed upon your return."
He also had a month-long break, but unfortunately, Ning Xuan was about to enter the Lingxiao Secret Realm, a place his status and power prevented him from entering. Ying Yaoshi opened the holographic projection again, connecting to the scene at the Alchemist competition. The young woman was holding a vial of deep blue dicine up to her eyes. The movent caused her collar to shift, revealing her long, snowy-white neck.
Ying Yaoshi’s Adam’s apple bobbed. Feeling a little hot, he couldn’t resist undoing the top button of his military uniform. ’She might be young, but the Main Brain matched her to . It’s not unreasonable to have a few thoughts, is it?’
"Marshal, who... who is that? She’s gorgeous. Is she a new celebrity the Star Network is promoting?" a voice suddenly asked in the command cabin.
The speaker was one of Ying Yaoshi’s three aides, Leng Yue. His personal Light Computer could connect directly to Ying Yaoshi’s cabin.
Ying Yaoshi glanced at him. "For the next month of your leave, go to the Lingxiao Secret Realm. Stay by Ning Xuan’s side and protect her." The main reason was that whatever Leng Yue saw, he would also be able to see.
"Yes, sir." Leng Yue imdiately accepted the order. He was already regretting contacting the Marshal at this hour; his wonderful vacation had just gone down the drain.
After accepting the order, it dawned on him. ’Ning Xuan... isn’t she the Marshal’s Lord Contract Master? And isn’t Yan Fuzhen already by her side? What’s the point of going too?’
「The Chen Family」
Chen Jingyu was also watching the live Star Network broadcast of the Alchemist competition. While most of the audience’s attention was captured by the Alchemist at station #594 controlling an Abnormal Fire, Chen Jingyu was focused intently on Ning Xuan’s actions. Although not an Alchemist herself, her Spiritual Power Level was among the absolute peak for female Spirit Controllers. She watched in silent astonishnt as Ning Xuan successfully refined three different High-level Compound Potions in an incredibly short amount of ti.
She cast a complicated glance at Chen Nan, who was standing to the side. She never expected this son, to whom she had never paid much attention, to have such a stroke of good fortune. Ning Xuan’s performance in the Alchemist competition was absolutely brilliant. This rising star had a limitless future.
Wang Mu knelt trembling at Chen Jingyu’s feet. He had been punished by her a few days ago, and his injuries still ached severely.
"Ah Nan, I’ve already spoken with Bai Xiurong from the Bai Family. The two families never held a formal ceremony, so there is nothing between you and Bai Xiuying. Your Contract with Ning Xuan was matched by the Main Brain. Back then, you didn’t listen to your father and firmly chose Ning Xuan, which was a very correct decision. However, your subsequent behavior showed you were becoming arrogant from being favored. You need to reflect on why you were kicked out by your Contractor," Chen Jingyu said.
Reprimanded by his mother, Chen Nan silently knelt and answered respectfully, "Yes."
"You are, after all, the first one to have a Contract with Ning Xuan. Generally speaking, the order of the contract is very important to a Contractor’s status. Can you convince Ning Xuan to hold a Contract ceremony with you?" Chen Jingyu asked.
A Contractor can be matched with many Contractors. However, according to Federation law, a B-level Controller can only hold one Contract ceremony. The significance of this ceremony is equivalent to recognizing that Contractor’s status as the ’main husband,’ granting him the right to manage the Controller’s other Contractors.
Hearing his mother’s question, Chen Nan felt a bitter pang in his heart. Initially, his goal had been to be Ning Xuan’s only Contractor. But then her spiritual power advanced by leaps and bounds, Lin Mo appeared, Yun Han from the Seven Star Divine Mountain was also matched to her by the Main Brain, and then there was that Grand Marshal of the Army for the Federation. Besides them, there seed to be one more—one that Ning Xuan couldn’t even break the contract with if she wanted to. He was definitely no ordinary person.
Under these circumstances, what right did he have to ask Ning Xuan about holding a ceremony?
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